Su Bai was overjoyed. He thought of Xia Xueqing.
Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up and looked at the screen, his expression turning a little strange.
"Hm? I was just thinking about Xueqing, and now she's calling me... Could this be fate?"
In his good mood, Su Bai couldn't help joking with himself. He answered the call with a "cheerful" tone.
Chapter 20: Yang City Campus Ninja Tournament
If there was one public building in Yang City Base City that was especially famous, it was definitely the Hunter Guild.
The Hunter Guild was a massive building constructed at great expense by the Blue Star Federation's Yang City District in Kyushu District. It was where ninjas received and took on missions.
It was Yang City's showpiece. Since the people coming and going were all ninjas, the building had to be grand enough to reflect the stature of a Base City!
As for the most famous private building in Yang City... that had to be the Xia Family Manor!
The Xia Family Manor covered exactly 100,000 square meters. Besides the residences for the Xia family, it also had many rooms prepared for visiting guests.
As a Kekkei Genkai clan renowned throughout Kyushu District, the Xia family naturally had to maintain an impressive presence.
Besides, the Xia family was full of powerful people. Ordinary Genin weren't even qualified to visit. The power and influence they held were beyond the imagination of ordinary people. In front of a behemoth like them, money was just a number, hardly worth mentioning.
At that moment, two girls were lying on a bed in a room in the Xia family's manor, surrounded by pink decorations as they looked at their phones.
"Xueqing, do you think that Su Bai you mentioned is reliable?" A girl wearing a black leather jacket and pants asked Xia Xueqing. Her neatly cut short hair barely reached her shoulders, and her features were exceptionally delicate.
The girl was Chang Rui. She was eighteen and Xia Xueqing's close friend.
Anyone who could be close friends with the Xia family's little princess naturally had an extraordinary background.
Her father was the second-in-command of the Yang City District's Federal Government, responsible for coordinating its entire supply of logistical resources. The extent of his authority went without saying.
Xia Xueqing lay on her stomach, resting her chin in one hand. She wore a pale yellow pajama set decorated with little bears, making her look especially cute.
"Don't worry, Xiao Rui. Su Bai was the one who beat Wang Qiang."
"Please. Wang Qiang? That spoiled brat might be able to bully ordinary people, but he doesn't even count as a fake ninja, does he?"
Chang Rui pursed her lips. Her long, shapely leg moved as she lightly kicked Xia Xueqing.
"We're entering the Yang City Campus Ninja Tournament. Forget a weakling like Wang Qiang—even real Genin will probably be competing. We can't underestimate any of our opponents. Do you understand?"
"I know, I know. But we don't have anyone suitable besides Su Bai, do we?" Xia Xueqing blinked and gave her a mischievous look.
Chang Rui rolled over and hooked an arm around Xia Xueqing's shoulder, bringing her face close as she stared at her intently.
"You little brat, do you have a crush on that Su Bai?"
"Huh? Xiao Rui, why would you ask that?" Xia Xueqing's pretty face turned bright red, and her gaze darted away.
Chang Rui had hit on something, though not entirely. Xia Xueqing did have a bit of a soft spot for Su Bai, but she couldn't tell whether it was a crush or just a normal reaction.
"Hmph!" Chang Rui gave a coquettish snort. "Why do you think I'm asking? Liu Li, the one I introduced you to, is a real Genin. He's already mastered a D-Rank ninjutsu, and his Chakra Level is a full three cards. He's not much weaker than you or me. Yet you still chose Su Bai. Don't you think you ought to explain why?"
"Well... Oh, Xiao Rui, stop asking. Anyway, we're so strong that we'll take first place no matter who our teammate is!"
"By the way, the cake Mom prepared should be ready. Let's go eat!"
Xia Xueqing awkwardly changed the subject, then dragged the reluctant Chang Rui out of the room.
Meanwhile...
"Yang City Campus Ninja Tournament?" Su Bai stared blankly at his phone after ending the call, then hurriedly searched online.
Good grief. He never would've known if he hadn't looked it up, but once he did, he was stunned!
The Yang City Campus Ninja Tournament was an official Yang City competition for students about to take their college entrance exams. Any student taking the exam that year could register as part of a three-person ninja squad. It was a three-on-three event.
The rules were based on years of research into ninjas, which had led people to conclude that three-person squads were the best formation.
The ideal team consisted of a combat ninja, a reconnaissance ninja, and the squad's heart and soul—the Medical Ninja who kept everyone going!
Everyone knew this was the best formation, but few ninja squads could put together a perfect team.
There was one simple reason: Medical Ninjas and reconnaissance ninjas were in short supply. The former needed precise chakra control, while the latter needed powerful sensory abilities or a particular Kekkei Genkai.
The Xia family's Byakugan was one example. This Kekkei Genkai was highly valued throughout the Federation because of its powerful reconnaissance abilities. It was the ideal trait in a teammate for any ninja squad!
Setting all that aside, Su Bai still couldn't figure out why Xia Xueqing had invited him.
Judging by past tournaments, nobody would sign up without the strength of a real Genin. The tournament's rewards were extremely generous—generous enough to drive Su Bai wild!
First place would receive an exemption from the Nine Provinces Academy entrance assessment. Second place would receive one C-Rank Ninjutsu Scroll. Third place would receive three D-Rank Ninjutsu Scrolls. Fourth through tenth place would each receive 500,000 Federal Coins!
All of those rewards went to each individual, and since every team had three members, the total reward was effectively tripled.
The first-place prize was especially tempting. The Nine Provinces Academy's entrance assessment was incredibly difficult. Money couldn't solve that problem; if you lacked talent, they simply wouldn't accept you!
That exemption from the assessment didn't mean you could automatically attend the Nine Provinces Academy for all four years and graduate without a hitch, either.
It just gave you one extra chance to avoid being eliminated. They didn't explain the details, but even that was shocking enough!
"My goodness, the Federal Government really is rich. Any one of those prizes would keep me awake at night!"
"But it's strange that Xueqing invited me. As far as I know, nobody knows how strong I am. Is she really so sure about bringing me along?"
Su Bai's progress over the past few days had been astonishing. He felt that even Xia Xueqing had less chakra than he did now.
Aside from telling Chu Yuan that he had mastered the Double Suicide Decapitation Technique, he hadn't revealed anything about himself to anyone else.
"Whatever the reason, this is my chance, and I'm going to seize it. Besides, Xueqing gave me this opportunity. I definitely can't let her down!"
"Registration starts tomorrow, and the competition begins the day after. I have two days to practice my ninjutsu. Time to work hard!"
Su Bai rubbed his hands together, brimming with enthusiasm!
Early the next morning, when the first rays of sunlight fell across the land, Su Bai was already ready to go. He had arranged to meet Xia Xueqing at the competition venue to register.
"Mom, I'm going to City Center. I'll be back at noon."
"What are you going to City Center for?"
Lin Xiu'e came out of the bedroom and looked at him curiously. Su Bai grinned and said he was going to see a friend, but didn't tell her he was entering the competition.
He wanted to surprise his parents after he won a place!
"A friend? A boy or a girl?" Lin Xiu'e immediately perked up with curiosity.
Su Bai mumbled, "Mom, don't ask. I'm leaving."
"You brat!"
"I bet it's a girl!"
Lin Xiu'e watched Su Bai "flee" and laughed as she scolded him. Then she turned and went into the kitchen to cook.
Chapter 21: Chakra-Conductive Equipment
It took Su Bai nearly two hours to reach City Center. He was heading to the Yang City Fighting Gym.
The Yang City Fighting Gym stood in the busiest, most central part of Yangcheng City. It often hosted competitions. Anyone who wanted to watch one in person had to buy a ticket, which cost 200 Federal Coins—not a small sum for ordinary people.
The gym also livestreamed events online for free, but the experience wasn't nearly as good.
A simple comparison would be watching a movie in a cinema versus watching one on a computer. In reality, the difference was even greater. Movies relied on special effects, but ninja battles were real combat...
"Wow, it's huge! What a sight!"
Amid the crowds on the street, Su Bai looked across the road at a building at least 500 meters tall, shaped like an upside-down wok, and exclaimed.
He crossed the road and headed toward the Yang City Fighting Gym, looking around as he went. It was his first time here.
Unlike the clothing stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues found all over the place in his previous life, there were more shops here selling things like "Chakra-Conductive Equipment," "Ninjutsu Scrolls," and "Ninja Wilderness Survival Gear."
"I've got half an hour before we're supposed to meet. I'll look around the shops first."
Su Bai walked into a store called Old Li's Chakra Conductive Equipment. As soon as he entered, a sales assistant greeted him with a smile.
"Hello, sir. How can I help you?"
The cheapest items here cost over 100,000 Federal Coins. Su Bai was wearing his Yangcheng No. 1 High School uniform and a pair of cheap shoes, so he looked a little shabby...
But the sales assistant didn't judge him by his appearance. She remained just as friendly.
"I'm just looking around. You don't have to bother with me," Su Bai said, waving his hands.
The sales assistant was smiling so warmly, and he wasn't even here to buy anything. He felt a little embarrassed.
"Of course, sir. Take your time. Just let me know if you need anything." The sales assistant walked away with a catlike gait.
Su Bai let out a sigh of relief and began wandering around the luxurious hall.
But it didn't take long for him to realize that he couldn't afford anything here.
[D-Rank Chakra-Conductive Weapon, can pierce the defenses of D-Class Magical Beasts, price: 120,000 Federal Coins]
[D-Rank Chakra-Conductive Armor, can greatly reduce damage from D-Class Magical Beasts, price: 200,000 Federal Coins]
"Good grief, a knife costs 120,000? And this vest is worth 200,000?"
Su Bai looked in the glass case at a silver-white metal knife and a gray vest that looked like a bulletproof jacket, astonished.
He knew about Chakra-Conductive Equipment. Ninjas could channel chakra into it to attack or defend. In the original story, the weapon Asuma carried, Flying Swallow, was Chakra-Conductive Equipment. Its power could be changed by channeling chakra into it.
Su Bai hadn't seriously looked into how much chakra it took to change a weapon's power or how much stronger it became. But the items in front of him gave him a rough idea...
Everyone knew that in battles between ninjas and Magic Beasts, ninjas had the advantage of greater intelligence. They could grow stronger by learning new ways to fight or team up to hunt Magic Beasts. They relied on cooperation to win.
Magic Beasts, on the other hand, had enormous bodies and dozens of times more chakra than ninjas of the same rank. The same ninjutsu had a vastly different effect when used by a Magic Beast rather than a ninja.
On top of that, Magic Beasts had tough bodies, and ninjutsu often struggled to hurt them. That was where Chakra-Conductive Weapons came in.
A good Chakra-Conductive Weapon let a ninja kill a Magic Beast using as little chakra as possible!
For instance, if Su Bai wanted to hunt a Long-Eared Rabbit alone right now and pass the Nine Provinces Academy entrance assessment, he would need to get a Chakra-Conductive Weapon.
It wasn't that ordinary metal weapons couldn't pierce a Long-Eared Rabbit's defenses. It was just very difficult—extremely difficult.
If they were disassembling a corpse after a battle, ordinary metal weapons could do the job with a little effort. But in a fight, a Long-Eared Rabbit wasn't stupid enough to stand still and let someone hack at it.
Of course, Chakra-Conductive Equipment wasn't all-powerful. Because of the limitations of the human body, Chakra-Conductive Weapons couldn't be made too large, or they would be inconvenient to use.
Magic Beasts were generally huge. Even the Long-Eared Rabbit, a regular feature on the human dinner table, was over five meters long. It was difficult to kill one with a single strike from a Chakra-Conductive Weapon.
Unless the ninja hit a Long-Eared Rabbit's vital weak point—its eyes, heart, or brain, for example—they could only wear it down with wound after wound, like a pride of lions devouring an elephant!
Overall, ninjas with Chakra-Conductive Equipment were definitely stronger than those fighting bare-handed. That was why the equipment was so expensive.
"These things are great, but they're way too expensive. They're out of my league for now." Su Bai sighed and looked elsewhere.
After more than ten minutes, he had almost finished exploring the hall and gotten a good sense of the prices.
D-Rank Chakra-Conductive Weapons and armor usually cost between 100,000 and 300,000 Federal Coins. C-Rank equipment ranged from one to five million. He saw only one B-Rank weapon, priced at 45 million Federal Coins. The store had nothing above that rank.
But he made another discovery: Chakra-Conductive Equipment could be bought secondhand.
There was a Chakra-Conductive Weapon in front of Su Bai with its price and detailed description displayed.
[D-Rank Chakra-Conductive Weapon, can pierce the defenses of D-Class Magical Beasts, price: 20,000 Federal Coins. (Certified by Yang City officials as 40% damaged; still usable)]
That's right—it was a secondhand Chakra-Conductive Weapon!
Su Bai could clearly see several tiny cracks on the blade. Its sheen was a little dull, but overall, it didn't seem to affect its use.
"Twenty thousand... I could consider a secondhand one." Su Bai rubbed his chin, tempted.
He understood that you got what you paid for. He couldn't afford a brand-new Chakra-Conductive Weapon right now, but a secondhand one might be within reach.
The college entrance exams were in six days. Going by past practice, the students would receive their scores that same day, and the school would give scholarships to outstanding students.
"If I can get my hands on a piece of Chakra-Conductive Equipment, I'll be able to make my plan to visit the Wasteland Zone a reality..."
The Wasteland Zone was where humans fought Magic Beasts. It was the place countless students were most curious about, and Su Bai was no different.
But he didn't just want to see what it was like. He wanted to fight real Magic Beasts!
He knew it was risky, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. What he learned from textbooks was only theory. Combat experience couldn't be learned from books.
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