"As for his opponent, what the hell is that? He looks so weak, yet insists on showing off, acting all cold and aloof," one of the girls commented.
"I think someone like him, so blind and useless, should just be considered a lowborn, a nobody. Who cares if he dies? He's just a waste of food in Microglow City," another girl sneered.
"Exactly. Brother Jing is just too kind-hearted. If it were me, I'd teach him a lesson. People like him need to learn not to act so reckless, or they'll end up dead and not even know how it happened."
"Brother Jing has gotten even more handsome. His face, his body, his charming tongue, and that solid, muscular chest... He's like a human golden lion, powerful and striking, so captivating that you never want to wake up from the fantasy."
Kent listened to the endless gossip around him, his face unchanging, though his heart was burning with rage. Damn it, I warned you all. Don't get too cocky, or when I slap you in the face, it's going to be really ugly.
The girls who had fallen for Dongfang Jing were, of course, oblivious to Kent's thoughts. They continued their shameless chatter, making the surrounding boys blush, grinding their teeth in frustration, wishing they could slap some sense into these love-struck fools.
"Monkey, don't hold back."
Kent contacted Xiao Wei, urging it to give its all. Though Xiao Wei had immense potential, it was still 10 levels lower than its opponent. Kent wasn't sure if it could stand up to him.
"Kid, I advise you to surrender now. Your beast is only level 20," Dongfang Jing sneered, casting a dismissive glance at Kent, his arrogance evident.
As Dongfang Jing grew more smug, the girls in Microglow High were practically swooning, their eyes sparkling with admiration, as if they wanted to kneel before him.
"What if I don't?" Kent asked calmly, a clear disdain showing in his eyes.
You think I'll let you off this easy? I've been waiting for this chance to take my revenge.
"Fine, interesting. Let's see if your arrogant tone is just bravado," Dongfang Jing said. At first, he'd been trying to appear merciful, but deep down, he was eager to seize every opportunity to show off, as his actions in the black market had already demonstrated that he craved the spotlight.
"I'm curious, though. You're just a pretty shell with nothing inside. What makes you think you can act so cocky in front of me?" Kent retorted, not backing down. In fact, he was intentionally goading Dongfang Jing, hoping to get him so worked up that he'd make a fool of himself.
"Oh my god, what's Kent doing? He's actually going head-to-head with Dongfang Jing," a voice from the crowd exclaimed.
The scene on Arena 7 caught the attention of many competitors from Saint Stone High. Though there were only about a hundred left, most of them were capable young heirs from wealthy families. The moment they heard that Kent was facing off against Dongfang Jing, they immediately focused on the fight, feeling a bit of sympathy for Kent.
While Kent had recently been making a lot of noise and drawing attention with his high-profile actions, which annoyed some people, when compared to Dongfang Jing, the arrogant rich kid, most of the crowd instinctively rooted for Kent. They hoped he wouldn't lose too badly, even Leng Zimu and Zhao Shi didn't want to see Dongfang Jing get too cocky.
To everyone's surprise, Kent didn't hold back at all, confirming his "madman" nickname. He seemed to have no fear and wasn't about to back down from anyone, as if "fear" wasn't even a word in his dictionary.
A month ago, Kent's transformation had sparked heated discussions among his classmates. Various speculations had circulated, but none were fully convincing. As Kent continued to act more high-profile, people found him even more mysterious.
"Tsk tsk… He's still that same rebellious madman. He's actually confronting Dongfang Jing. You know, Dongfang Jing is considered one of the four young masters of Microglow City online, admired for his family background, looks, and strength. Countless girls have fawned over him, even offering to dedicate themselves to him without regret," a wealthy heir remarked.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Shi couldn't help but feel a bit inferior. He had always prided himself on being rebellious and strong, but if he were up against Dongfang Jing, he might feel some hesitation, even choosing to concede to avoid offending the son of the real estate tycoon.
After all, this match didn't matter much—each contestant had three chances to compete, so losing one round wouldn't eliminate them from the tournament.
However, to everyone's surprise, Kent didn't believe in backing down. No matter who he faced, he would stand his ground. Even Zhao Mengxi had given up on trying to curb his blunt personality, often finding his stubbornness exasperating.
Leng Zimu, watching from the sidelines, had a different idea. He hoped the two would both lose, preferably in a dramatic, mutually destructive way.
"Since you're so unwilling to back down, I'll have to teach you a lesson for your parents," Dongfang Jing said, ordering his golden lion to take an aggressive stance, clearly not taking Kent seriously.
"For my parents to teach me a lesson?" Kent's eyes grew cold, a murderous intent flashing briefly. Without further discussion, he summoned another beast, and the three-meter-long Garfield appeared, releasing the overwhelming presence of a level 30 golden-tier beast.
"Now this kid's ruthless. Not only does he have a temper, but he's also willing to spend his resources," a representative from the City Lord's Office commented, narrowing his eyes.
"I didn't expect such a young guy to have two golden-tier beasts, both of high levels. This kid's future is limitless," General Zhao also praised, admiring Kent's potential.
As for the young man who had been spending time with his daughter, General Zhao had conducted a background check before Kent's graduation. Anyone who got close to his daughter was investigated thoroughly.
The results revealed that Kent had some connection with Li Wanfeng, which caught General Zhao's attention. What's more, Kent had mysteriously met with him in the black market and recently contracted a second beast, showing the ability to control two beasts at once.
This was impressive. Even seasoned mercenaries in the wild struggled to control two beasts simultaneously.
Thinking of this, General Zhao's eyes lit up as he regarded Kent like a treasure. If Kent was really connected to Li Wanfeng, he wouldn't be opposed to him getting closer to Zhao Mengxi—after all, having him under his wing would be a huge asset.
Of course, General Zhao also knew that Kent's displayed abilities already far surpassed Earthstar University's admission standards, and in terms of competitiveness, he knew he couldn't compete with Earthstar.