Li Qingzhou looked at the guardian's pet beast, and its details appeared before his eyes:
[Name: Armored Rat]
[Attribute: Gold]
[Level: Black Iron Level 8]
[Qualification: Black Iron]
[Skills: Iron Armor Defense, Stab]
[Weakness: Fire]
[Evolution Route: 1]
[Introduction: Resembling a pangolin, its body is covered in scales. When in danger, it curls up to protect its vulnerable abdomen.]
For the first match of the competition, the guardian beast provided by the organizer was only at Black Iron Level 8. The tournament started with weaker opponents, gradually increasing in difficulty to make the event more exciting and suspenseful.
"Red Fox? Is this player serious?"
"What a waste of money! I should've bet on the winner."
"My pet beast is a Red Fox. It's weak both offensively and defensively. Useless!"
"Can I change my bet?"
"This seems rigged, like they're just here to fleece us!"
The crowd was buzzing with conversation, especially those who had placed bets. In their eyes, the Red Fox was bound to lose. Red Foxes were a common sight in Linyuan City, known for being one of the weakest pet beasts. Aside from being easy to bond with, they had no notable strengths.
"Iron-armored Rat, attack! Use Stab!" ordered the guardian.
The Armored Rat immediately obeyed, digging its claws into the ground and charging toward the Red Fox with a stabbing attack.
"Ping An, use Sand Release to topple it," Li Qingzhou calmly instructed his Red Fox.
As a top student, Li Qingzhou knew the strengths, weaknesses, and abilities of various pet beasts. The Armored Rat's stab was powerful but slow, making it easy to dodge. Moreover, its soft abdomen was vulnerable, as the Iron Armor defense didn't cover it at this level. Targeting that weak point would be key to victory.
Ping An gathered sand in front of itself, and just as the Armored Rat closed in, the sand shot upward in a pillar, striking the Armored Rat's unprotected abdomen and sending it rolling across the ground, wailing in pain.
The Armored Rat had been hit right in its weakness and lost its combat effectiveness instantly.
"One strike to the abdomen! The Armored Rat is down! Challenger No. 25 wins!" the host announced.
"That Red Fox? How's it so different from mine?"
"Not all Red Foxes are the same. I once saw one defeat an Armored Rat in a single move."
"Glad I bet on the challenger! Made a good profit this round."
"Ugh, missed my chance to place a bet."
"Hey, Red Fox! You'd better learn from this one!"
"This match was definitely worth watching."
The audience buzzed with excitement. The Red Fox had surprised them, and many were now eagerly anticipating the next match.
After each match, there was a ten-minute break to allow the challengers and their beasts to recover and for the audience to place new bets. With a clearer idea of the challengers' strength, they could better predict the next outcome. This time was also used to air advertisements, as beast control competitions were a popular event with expensive advertising slots.
The break ended quickly, and the host's magnetic voice filled the air again.
"Welcome back to the competition! Next, we'll see if the challenger can secure a second victory or if the guardian will defend their home turf. The second match begins now!"
"The decision is yours, Rock Snake!" the guardian yelled, summoning his next beast.
Li Qingzhou glanced at the new opponent, and its information appeared before him:
[Name: Rock Snake]
[Attribute: Earth]
[Level: Black Iron Level 9]
[Qualification: Black Iron]
[Skills: Iron Tail, Sandstorm]
[Weakness: Wood]
[Evolution Route: 1]
[Introduction: Composed of large, connected rocks, it resembles a giant snake. A rocky horn sits atop its head, below which are two black eyes. The rocks decrease in size from head to tail.]
"For the second match, we have a Rock Snake—a pet beast known for its exceptional defense."
"Both it and the Red Fox share similar attributes and skills. Let's see if the Sandstorm skill will outmatch Sand Release," the host explained.
Li Qingzhou carefully analyzed the Rock Snake. Its [Iron Tail] was a powerful attack that could lower the target's defense, and its [Sandstorm] skill could obscure the opponent's vision while launching an attack. Despite the Rock Snake's solid defenses, Li Qingzhou knew its vital weakness: the horn on its head, which controlled its ability to reassemble itself after being damaged. If the horn was intact, the Rock Snake could theoretically keep reassembling itself indefinitely.
"Rock Snake, use Sandstorm!" the guardian commanded.
The Rock Snake stood tall, its head raised arrogantly as a gust of wind and sand whipped up across the arena.
"Ping An, use Sand Release," Li Qingzhou ordered calmly.
The spectators leaned forward, eager to see how the two sand-based skills would compare. The arena was soon engulfed in a swirling storm of dust, making it difficult to see what was happening.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang.
The Rock Snake had activated its second skill, [Iron Tail], sweeping its massive tail toward the Red Fox. The powerful gust of wind from the tail strike blew away some of the sandstorm, revealing glimpses of the battle.
Ping An quickly erected sand walls to block the incoming attack.
Boom!
The Rock Snake's tail shattered the sand walls with ease, sending debris flying.
"Iron Tail is proving to be too powerful for the Red Fox's defenses."
"Just look at the size of that Rock Snake compared to the Red Fox. It's clearly the stronger beast."
"Looks like the challenger's in trouble this round."
"The Rock Snake's a top-tier pet at the Black Iron level."
The audience was in heated discussion as they watched the unfolding battle.