Garfield's icy gaze never wavered as it raised its sharp claws. Suddenly, a whirlpool appeared at the tips of its claws, and with a swift motion, the whirlpool condensed into a razor-sharp blade that slashed down onto the Xuanmo Lion-Tiger's wound.
Bang!
A spray of blood erupted...
The Xuanmo Lion-Tiger let out another mournful howl, and Li Zicheng's eyes flashed with pain.
Beastmasters and their beasts shared a deep, almost spiritual bond. When a beast was injured, its pain was directly felt by its master, and that suffering was unbearable.
"Do I have to admit defeat?"
Li Zicheng quickly assessed the situation. He knew the Xuanmo Lion-Tiger's strengths and weaknesses. The larger the beast, the harder it was to protect vulnerable spots. After the cat had shrunk and landed on the lion-tiger's back, the beast could do nothing to shake it off. The cat's claws embedded deeply into its flesh, and no matter how violently the beast struggled, it couldn't dislodge it.
Li Zicheng's mind raced, but Garfield was already preparing the Wind Blade again, nearly instantaneously charging up for another strike.
"Stop!"
Li Zicheng's voice was frantic. The suffering of his beast was too much for him to bear. If the attack continued, the Xuanmo Lion-Tiger could be severely injured, or even bleed to death.
As soon as Li Zicheng called for the halt, Kent exhaled in relief, knowing that Li Zicheng's resolve was beginning to waver.
"Garfield, stop," Kent called out, knowing that the cat would continue its assault if not stopped.
"Li Zicheng, the match is far from over. Why are you calling for a stop?" Kent asked, feigning ignorance.
"Hmph... I, Li, admit defeat." Li Zicheng glared at Kent with gritted teeth, reluctantly acknowledging his defeat.
Though it pained him, he had no choice; his beast had suffered too much, and he realized too late that he had underestimated his opponent's beast.
"Very well, then," Kent smiled lightly, recalling Garfield and Wukong.
The judge wasted no time in announcing the result.
"Kent has successfully challenged and will replace the original sixth place to claim the first position. Since Kent has not been challenged yet, he still has three chances to be challenged."
...
By the end of the competition, the students from Purple Star High were still stunned. How could such a formidable Xuanmo Lion-Tiger have been defeated so quickly and so decisively?
Some still couldn't believe the result.
Meanwhile, the big shots in the stands nodded in approval, their eyes reflecting surprise.
Indeed, Kent's performance was once again beyond expectations, which brought them great delight and also made them curious about what had happened to Kent to bring him to this level.
On the live streaming platform, Kent's performance sparked countless comments, with many accusing Li Zicheng of throwing the match. But this argument was quickly shot down. If he had been throwing the match, why had he not given up earlier? Why let his beast suffer such grievous injuries?
Most viewers were simply in awe of Kent's strength, agreeing that his victory was well-deserved and without controversy.
...
Kent returned to his seat and gave the director of education a smile that bordered on mischievous. The director, an elderly man in his sixties with a full head of white hair, looked at him with a glimmer of admiration, as though examining a precious gem.
"Director, do your words still hold true?" Kent asked straightforwardly. Though one hundred thousand credit points wasn't much for him, he was more than happy to accept free money.
The director of education, who was full of vitality despite his age, smiled slyly. "Of course, it holds true. If it didn't, Saint Stone High would become a joke."
The competition continued, but the crowd's attention had already shifted away from Kent. His strength had become so overwhelming that many who had aimed for first place now hesitated, unsure if they could challenge him. If even Li Zicheng wasn't his match, who could possibly defeat him?
Kent asked, not fully believing what he was hearing, "That super tactical course... does it really cost one hundred thousand dollars? What's it about exactly?"
"It's a secret. You'll know when you attend," the director replied with a sly grin, then shifted topics. "Your performance today was remarkable, truly outshining everyone. You've won the first place in the Microglow City Beastmaster Tournament, something no one at our school has ever done. If you don't mind, I'd like to build a statue in your honor, alongside famous alumni like Professor Hao. What do you think?"
Kent's expression changed, a mixture of surprise and shock. "This... isn't it a bit much? I'm still young, and I'm no celebrity. Compared to those well-known alumni, I'm nothing."
"You're mistaken," the director said. "No matter where you go from here, based on what you've shown today and the fact that you've claimed first place, there's no doubt you deserve it."
"Well then," Kent agreed, though still feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Time passed, ticking away.
Three hours later, the final moment of the challenge arrived, and no one came to challenge Kent. He remained comfortably at the top, greeted with cheers and support from the students of Saint Stone High.
Zhao Shi and Leng Zimu watched quietly from the crowd, their faces expressionless. Dongfang Jing clenched his teeth from another corner, his gaze full of hatred. Li Zicheng, on the other hand, simply patted the Xuanmo Lion-Tiger's body, his expression distant and resigned.
The second round of the tournament came to a close.
Kent claimed first place, while Zhao Mengxi made an impressive leap from sixty-sixth to twenty-seventh, showing remarkable improvement.
This year, Saint Stone High not only had someone in the top fifty-six, but they also had a student sitting proudly in the first place, a truly inspiring accomplishment.
General Zhao stood up and announced that the competition had concluded, and all participants' records would be entered into their personal profiles for review by universities in the thirty-six star cities.
The crowd began to disperse.
Kent followed the Saint Stone High team as they left.
"Kent, do you have a moment?"
Just as Kent was about to head to the Yitian Club for training, Zhao Mengxi's soft voice called to him. She blushed slightly, her beauty radiating.
"If it's you who wants to be with me, then of course I have time," Kent grinned.
"That's good." Zhao Mengxi lowered her head and softly continued, "My father wants to invite you for a meal. Would you come with me?"
"Sure."
Kent agreed without hesitation. Zhao's father was a military leader with great influence. The fact that he had taken an interest in him and invited him to dinner meant there was definitely more to it.
"Kent, I didn't expect you to be this strong now," a familiar voice interrupted.
Kent turned and saw his desk mate and good friend, Zhou Yun, rushing toward him, excitement written all over his face.
Kent opened his arms wide and gave him a big bear hug. Afterward, they exchanged a few playful punches.
"Ah Yun, it's great to see you," Kent grinned. "As my best friend, from now on, how about you stick with me?"
Zhou Yun, surprised and overjoyed, replied, "That's great! I knew you wouldn't leave me behind! From now on, I'll follow you anywhere, Kent. I'll serve you with all my heart!"