The auxiliaries worked quickly to remove the Big Stone Lurker defeated by Jin's team.
In the stands, even more students from all years, now free from their own trials, discussed the strategy employed with growing enthusiasm. Many scribbled notes in their journals, sketching movent patterns or writing down tactical observations.
Liu had departed before Team Four of Group A entered combat. It wasn't disinterest that motivated him, but quite the opposite: an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.
"Where are you going?" Min had asked upon seeing him rise from his seat.
"To the north stadium," Liu responded. "It's gonna be Zhou Liwei's turn soon."
The na sparked a flash of recognition in Ren's gaze.
"The one with the Silver Steator Vulture," he comnted, his mushrooms pulsing with that particular rhythm that appeared when he discussed beast synergy. "Good idea. His approach to combat must be similar to what I suggested for you."
Liu nodded, grateful for his friend's understanding.
"I'll be back for your combat," he promised before hurrying toward the exit.
♢♢♢♢
"Team Four of Group A, prepare to enter," announced the auxiliary, his voice cutting through the excited discussions.
Three students advanced toward the arena, their expressions mixing determination and nervousness like almost all who had co before them. They possessed earth and water beasts, a combination that had already demonstrated certain effectiveness against the monster.
Especially the digging beast, whose claws could potentially penetrate the Stone Lurker's less resistant underbelly.
"They don't have the plant elent to exploit the advantage," observed Taro as the students took positions.
"But the combination of their beasts could be sufficient if executed correctly," Ren responded.
When the combat began, the team implented a strategy similar to what they had seen work: the earth beast began digging tunnels beneath the Big Stone Lurker, while the aquatic creatures saturated the ground with moisture to soften it and then began to restrain the enormous beast.
During the first ten minutes, the strategy seed promising. The constant skirmishes of the digger and the water erosion began weakening the Stone Lurker's base, creating cracks in its belly.
"They seem close," Taro murmured, leaning forward with interest. "They just need a little more ti."
But ti proved to be precisely what they lacked. At the twelve-minute mark, the water beasts began showing obvious signs of exhaustion.
"They're losing montum," Min observed.
"They should have concentrated on a single point or used all their abilities," Ren comnted. "They're dispersing their efforts too much and don't seem to know their beasts that well."
As if the Stone Lurker sensed its opponents' weakness, it executed a devastating attack at exactly the right mont.
"Watch out for its crushing move!" Ren shouted from the stands, recognizing the monster's stance shift.
But the warning ca too late. As the mole erged to conduct another skirmish, the Big Stone Lurker struck the ground with brutal force. The impact was a direct hit that eliminated the digger underground.
The two remaining tars tried to regroup, directing their creatures in one last coordinated effort.
But the Stone Lurker could no longer receive sufficient damage.
Without the ability to continue weakening the structure from below, the water beasts couldn't maintain their offensive. After three more attempts that only slightly widened existing cracks, Yang finally raised his hand.
"Enough," he declared. "The trial concludes."
"Victory for the Big Stone Lurker," Lin announced. "Team Four of Group A, although you didn't defeat the target, you managed to cause significant damage. You will be evaluated accordingly."
The students left the arena with expressions of disappointnt but also determination. They had been close, and everyone knew it.
"Almost," Taro sighed. "If they hadn't gotten desperate with their digger, maybe they would have succeeded."
"They wouldn't have had so many problems if they had changed their approach," added Ren. "They scattered their attacks instead of concentrating on a single vulnerable point."
The auxiliaries worked again, preparing the arena for the next combat. A new Stone Lurker waited, seemingly identical to the previous ones.
"Team Four of Group B, prepare to enter," announced the auxiliary.
Han, Jun, and Sora advanced toward the arena. Unlike previous teams, they showed a peculiar cohesion: Han maintained a certain physical distance from his companions, but his movents were clearly coordinated with theirs.
♢♢♢♢
Monts earlier...
Liu was departing, so he nodded gratefully for his friend's understanding.
"I'll be back for your combat," he promised before hurrying toward the exit.
The corridors between stadiums were relatively empty, most students focused already on the highest level battles, the new students or their respective trials.
Liu advanced quickly, his banshee hyena partially manifesting in his legs to enhance his speed even further.
He had carefully studied the matchups. Fortunately, his turn was the last in his group, giving him this precious window of opportunity. Moreover...
He knew Zhou Liwei would soon fight.
The battle he was about to witness could offer invaluable lessons about the potential of his own beast combination. His heart raced with anticipation, not just from the physical exertion.
The north stadium, reserved for upper-year students, was considerably larger than the one designated for first-years. The stands rose higher, the protective barriers were visibly more robust, and the arena itself showed signs of more intense combat: partially repaired craters, burn marks, and residual crystallizations from previous battles.
Liu found a seat in the lower stands, where younger students typically gathered to observe their seniors. The stadium was approximately at half capacity, with scattered groups of students discussing strategies and analyzing previous battles. Their conversations were more technical, their gestures more precise as they debated advanced techniques.
"Team Three of Group D, prepare to enter," announced an auxiliary with an amplified voice.
He had arrived early; the seventh-year battles seed to take a bit longer. Liu watched the battle, which fortunately took only 15 minutes. And finally...
Liu's heart accelerated with anticipation. It was Zhou Liwei's team's turn.
Three seventh-year students advanced toward the arena with the characteristic confidence of experienced tars. Their uniforms had different colored lines than Liu's and bore silver insignias; one of them even displayed a gold emblem that caught the light with each movent.
Zhou Liwei stood out even among his advanced-level companions...
Tall, with a slender but evidently strong build, he moved with a grace that suggested years of intensive physical training. His Silver Steator Vulture was partially manifested, giving him distinctive features: feathers integrated with his hair, ears with a singular shape, and skin with a silvery undertone.
His companions, though less striking, were equally impressive.
The first, a girl with short hair and a serious expression, wielded a Major Digger Cricket at Bronze 2 level.
The second, a well-built young man with visible scars on his exposed arms, displayed a Deep nace, the third evolution of the digger mole, already at Silver 1 level.
"Interesting composition," murmured a fifth-year student seated near Liu. "Two diggers and a sound master. Containnt and destruction strategy."
"Containnt?" asked another, apparently less familiar with advanced combat.
"Watch and learn," responded the first. "The diggers don't just move earth; they control it. They'll create a distraction so Zhou's attack can be maximized, and by staying hidden, there won't be any friendly fire."
Liu listened attentively, absorbing every detail. Each fragnt of information was valuable.
In the arena, preparations took on a much more serious aspect than in first-year trials. Professors specialized in containnt reinforced the barriers with higher-rank beasts.
"That's not a Big Stone Lurker," Liu noted with surprise. The creature erging in the center of the arena was considerably larger and more imposing.
User Comments
0 comments from readers