The Next One

"Echo Bat, close your eyes!"

The moment the female teacher announced the start of the battle, Chen Dongjun gave his command at once.

Qiao Sang raised an eyebrow. It seemed this classmate of hers had come up with a way to counter Little Treasure Hunting Ghost after watching more than a dozen matches.

Echo Bat was a dual Poison Type and Flying Type pet beast. It could release Ultrasonic Wave for echolocation, allowing it to move freely even in darkness.

For Little Treasure Hunting Ghost, whose Hypnosis required eye contact to work effectively, as long as its opponent closed its eyes, even Hypnosis at Major Completion level would be useless—let alone at the Profound Meaning level.

But Little Treasure Hunting Ghost knew more than just that one move...

Echo Bat obediently shut its eyes.

"Keep them closed and use Ultrasonic Wave!" Chen Dongjun shouted.

Echo Bat beat its wings and opened its mouth wide. A wave-like pulse of energy surged forward, but just as it was about to touch Little Treasure Hunting Ghost, Little Treasure Hunting Ghost vanished from where it stood.

Quite a few people in the stands began discussing it.

"Not bad. Looks like someone can finally break past five seconds."

"Does Ultrasonic Wave work on an invisible Ghost Type pet beast?"

"Not sure. I only know Ultrasonic Wave can put opponents into a state of confusion."

"The books say ultrasonic detection works by having sound waves strike physical objects and bounce back, then using a pet beast's ultrasonic echolocation ability to locate those objects. Ghost Type pet beasts have the Penetration trait, so Ultrasonic Wave probably won't work on Treasure Hunting Ghost, right?"

"That depends on the proficiency level of the Ultrasonic Wave. Didn't you watch the Lian Ke Channel competition a while back? Mao Yin used her Sound Wave Storm Moth to detect Black Eye Doll's location with Ultrasonic Wave."

"A pet beast's traits have levels too. Sound Wave Storm Moth's Ultrasonic Wave proficiency was probably high enough, while that Black Eye Doll's Penetration trait level was too low."

"Aren't you curious why Qiao Sang still hasn't given a command in a situation like this?"

The people beside him immediately felt a little choked up.

Did that even need asking? Clearly, her battle level was simply not on the same level as theirs.

Rookies like them, who had only just become Pet Tamers, needed to command their pet beasts through every step of a battle. Pet Tamers with years of combat experience did not fight like that. Qiao Sang was clearly moving toward the standards of a Professional Pet Tamer.

In major competitions, Professional Pet Tamers let their pet beasts respond based on their own battle instincts, only speaking up to command them at crucial moments.

What did that mean? It meant Qiao Sang felt the current situation did not require her instructions at all!

On the field, Chen Dongjun panicked as he watched the spot where Treasure Hunting Ghost had disappeared. Then he reassured himself: It's fine. As long as Treasure Hunting Ghost attacks, I'll be able to find its position!

Ultrasonic Wave could use echoes to sense the position of all physical objects—not just pet beasts themselves, but also any tangible skills.

As a low-level pet beast, Treasure Hunting Ghost's moves were nothing more than things like Shadow Ball and Tongue Lick.

Ultrasonic Wave could detect where Shadow Ball was launched from. Even if Treasure Hunting Ghost turned invisible, got close, and used Tongue Lick, it would have to become corporeal the moment it extended its tongue to lick. As long as he seized that instant to counterattack, he still had a strong chance of winning.

Even if Treasure Hunting Ghost's reaction speed was fast enough to evade Echo Bat's attacks, Echo Bat could still use Ultrasonic Wave to sense it and dodge Treasure Hunting Ghost's attacks. In the end, it would come down to whose energy ran out first.

Just as all sorts of thoughts flashed through Chen Dongjun's mind, Little Treasure Hunting Ghost eerily appeared behind Echo Bat.

"Echo Bat, it's behind you!" Chen Dongjun hurriedly warned.

"Eecho!"

Echo Bat jolted in fright and spun around. With a powerful flap of its wings, two blades of air immediately shot toward Little Treasure Hunting Ghost.

Yet the attack abruptly missed.

"Xun Xun~"

Little Treasure Hunting Ghost covered its mouth and giggled as it watched Echo Bat's overly frightened reaction, paying no attention at all to the two incoming Air Blades.

Just as the Air Blades were about to hit, Little Treasure Hunting Ghost vanished again.

"Quick, use Ultrasonic Wave!" Chen Dongjun reminded it.

Before Echo Bat could release Ultrasonic Wave, it suddenly felt something poke one of its wings.

Then it heard its Pet Tamer roar, "Above you! Dodge!"

"Eecho!"

Echo Bat shuddered in fright and hurriedly beat its wings, changing direction.

"Xun Xun~" Little Treasure Hunting Ghost covered its mouth and snickered before vanishing from the field once more.

In the front row, Principal Wang Weidou gave a soft sound of surprise.

"Why does this Treasure Hunting Ghost's speed feel unusually fast?"

Vice Principal Liu Yao, seated beside him, could not be bothered to respond. When he had shamelessly begged Liu Yao to come to the school, he had made it sound so convincing, claiming how seriously he took the National Campus League.

Yet the school team had been training for a month, and he still did not even know the basic information of its members.

Was that reaction speed? That was Teleport!

Wang Weidou was not angered when Liu Yao ignored him. He stroked his beardless chin and continued thoughtfully, "Why do I feel like this Treasure Hunting Ghost is a little silly? Echo Bat didn't react just now, so it should have taken the chance to attack directly. But it only poked Echo Bat with a finger."

"It's playing." Liu Yao rolled his eyes at him.

Wang Weidou: "..."

On the field, Qiao Sang watched Little Treasure Hunting Ghost constantly switch directions, leading Echo Bat around as it played. Finally, she could not help saying, "Little Treasure, stop playing."

Time is points! Qiao Sang screamed inwardly.

"Xun~"

Little Treasure Hunting Ghost, still invisible, responded.

Then it suddenly appeared on the ground.

It had appeared exactly where Echo Bat's shadow lay.

While everyone was still astonished by Little Treasure Hunting Ghost's absurd speed, it stretched out one short toe. The corresponding toe-shaped shadow on the ground twisted, then the shadow suddenly extended straight out, linking with Echo Bat's shadow.

"Echo Bat, Air Blade!" The instant Chen Dongjun saw Treasure Hunting Ghost appear, he could not help raising his head and excitedly shouting at Echo Bat in midair. "It's about three meters ahead of you, directly below!"

"E... Eecho!!"

However, Echo Bat had only just opened its mouth, before it could even begin gathering energy, when an unknown force violently dragged it downward and slammed it hard onto the ground.

"Eecho..." Echo Bat did not collapse from the impact. It forced itself back up.

"Echo Bat, hold on!" Chen Dongjun was stunned for a moment, but quickly realized the battle was still ongoing and hurriedly encouraged Echo Bat.

"Eecho..."

Echo Bat, which had fallen due to the sudden loss of balance, had already opened its eyes. It saw Treasure Hunting Ghost not far ahead grinning at it, then the upright short toe moved.

"Eecho!!!"

The next second, Echo Bat let out an earth-shaking scream.

Everyone instinctively swallowed as they watched Echo Bat spin continuously through the air in full 360-degree rotations.

Soon, Echo Bat's screams came to an abrupt stop.

"Xun~"

Seeing that its opponent had gone silent, Little Treasure Hunting Ghost lowered its toe, and the connected shadows on the ground separated.

Bang!

Echo Bat crashed heavily to the ground without making a sound. It was so dizzy that it could not possibly be any dizzier...

The entire venue fell silent.

Looking at the crowd, who seemed frozen in place, Qiao Sang said:

"Next."