Chapter 102

However, she didn't care too much; she treated it as a bit of fun and then forgot about it.

After finishing her juice, she went back upstairs and quickly entered a meditative state again.

As the semi-finals of the Ability User Competition approach, the online battles between fans of the various teams are intensifying.

The fans of the Purple Rosy Clouds Pond Flower Team and the Trillion Team are also engaged in a fierce online battle.

The online buzz surrounding the competition continued to grow until the semi-finals began.

Inside the competition venue.

Laser lights shone everywhere as Li Xiang appeared on his self-propelled hovering ball above the arena. "Hello everyone, viewers in the live broadcast room and the arena, I am Li Xiang, the host of this elimination match!"

The words echoed through the venue, followed by a rhythmic and melodious accompaniment.

The laser lights also began to dance and flash in rhythm.

The competition venue instantly transformed into a dazzling neon world.

The audience in the stands raised their hands in high spirits and got hyped up with the music.

The athletes' waiting area.

Xu Jintang and his five companions stood face to face with the Soul Awakening Team, appearing to be on the surface harmonious.

Xiao Linghe suddenly broke the silence with a smile, "We're rivals on stage, but friends off stage. Please go easy on us later."

Judging from the current situation, the Soul Awakening Team is clearly the strongest overall, and it would be more reasonable for the Mask Squad to say they would show mercy.

Xu Jintang readily agreed, "Okay, we'll try our best."

Xiao Linghe's lips curved into a wider smile, and a subtle, profound look flashed in his eyes.

He said that, of course, as a test.

Judging from Xu Jintang's attitude, the Mask Squad must have come prepared today.

At this moment, the background music stopped, and Li Xiang's voice rang out. "Now, please welcome the two teams from today's first elimination round to the stage: Soul Awakening Team and Mask Squad!"

With a "bang," two spotlights shone on the members of the two teams.

At that moment, all eyes in the room turned to them.

Xu Jintang and his group instantly became the focus of attention.

"Let's go," Xu Jintang said calmly, then took the lead and stepped onto the steps leading to the arena.

Yan Yuting and the others followed behind, forming a neat line.

A tracking satellite hovering in the air synchronized this scene with the live broadcast.

[It's starting! It's starting! The Mask Squad will win!]

[I've been involved in a lot of online arguments these past few days, it's exhausted me, but today we can finally see a resolution.]

[Are the Mask Squad fans out of their minds? With such a huge disparity in strength, Soul Awakening Team to win.]

[Soul Awakening Team! Smash the masks off all five members of the Mask Squad!]

The number of online viewers in the competition's live broadcast room reached an all-time high.

At the same time, the audience in the stands began to cheer in anticipation.

Xu Jintang walked to the ring, stopped, and turned to look at the other side.

Xiao Linghe and his four companions had already lined up.

A smile flashed across Li Xiang's face. "Next, we'll begin the random selection of the battle mode."

As soon as he finished speaking, the floating light screen behind him lit up.

Xu Jintang looked up at the light screen.

The text above kept flashing and jumping, and after a few seconds, it settled on "[2v2, 3v3 mixed team battle]".

A heated discussion immediately broke out in the stands:

"Wow, that was amazing today!"

Let's see if the Mask Squad can hold out until the third major battle.

"I've been looking forward to seeing the true faces of the five members of the Mask Squad ages! Soul Awakening Team, knock their masks off!"

The murmurs and whispers reached Xu Jintang and his companions' ears.

Yan Yuting snorted coldly and muttered under her breath, "Who said we're bound to lose?"

Song Tianqi became visibly excited and volunteered, "Squad leader, shall I go for the first round? I'll give you a good start."

"Okay, who do you want to go with?" Xu Jintang asked, looking at him.

Song Tianqi looked around, his gaze tentatively landing on Jiang Shiyi. "How about Sister Shiyi comes with me?"

Jiang Shiyi had no objections, "I can."

Xu Jintang nodded, "Then you two come over."

After discussing the matter, Xu Jintang, Yan Yuting, and the other two walked off the stage in an orderly fashion, leaving only Jiang Shiyi and the other two behind.

Before long, the Soul Awakening Team also made a decision: leave two members on the stage while the rest left.

Jiang Shiyi walked to the center of the arena, carrying a super-powered rocket launcher.

Song Tianqi followed behind, then stood still, hands on his hips.

Two members of the Soul Awakening Team politely stepped forward to shake hands.

The male team member smiled and said, "Chu Xiao, vice-captain of the Soul Awakening Team, mental strength level Fourth Tier."

Another female team member smiled sweetly, "Soul Awakening Team, He Meiyu, Mental Strength Level Fourth Tier."

Jiang Shiyi and Song Tianqi stepped forward to shake hands and introduce themselves.

"The Mask Squad's Ruthless Killer, mental strength level Fourth Tier."

"Mask Squad Hot Air Balloon, Mental Strength Level Third Tier."

[Aside from the Ruthless Killer, the rest of the Mask Squad's mental strength level is below Fourth Tier, right? This mental strength level suppression is difficult to handle. I think the Mask Squad is in trouble in today's elimination round.]

[That's not necessarily true. Doesn't the Mask Squad primarily rely on magical artifacts in combat? With the added power of these artifacts, combined with their own strength, they should have a chance to put up a fight.]

[I still Soul Awakening Team will win. There's no other reason; their superior mental strength is the most powerful factor.]

"I hereby announce that the semifinals of this year's Ability User Competition are now beginning!" Li Xiang shouted, holding up the microphone.

The hovering sphere he was riding slowly rose into the air.

At the same time, laser lights around the arena began to flash continuously, making the atmosphere even more intense and spectacular.

"Crimson Flames of the Nine Heavens!" Song Tianqi shouted, then charged forward, spreading his arms wide. Nine balls of scorching Scarlet Flame quickly formed and smashed towards the other side.

Chu Xiao's expression immediately darkened, his face having been all smiles just moments before.

He quickly retreated, simultaneously raising his hand to summon a circular shield formed by water ripples—this was his special ability.

As the Scarlet Flame Gang attacked, he swiftly raised his hand, enlarging the water-patterned circular shield. The flames landed on the water shield and were quickly extinguished.

With a hiss, countless white steam rose up.

Having failed to achieve his goal with his first strike, Song Tianqi attacked again.

He looked up, a sly smile flashing across his face. "Try this trick of mine."

Half a second later, the nine balls of Scarlet Flame were summoned again, but this time, Song Tianqi did not throw them out immediately. Instead, he forcibly squeezed them together.

Explosive energy emanated from the crimson fireball.

Chu Xiao and He Meiyu sensed danger and immediately exchanged a glance. He Meiyu quickly spoke up, "You block it?"

"Hmm." Chu Xiao responded, and quickly rushed over, carrying the water-rippled round shield.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Jiang Shiyi had already rushed to He Meiyu's side.

She stopped in her tracks, picked up the Superpower Rocket Launcher with both hands, and pressed the fire button.

A red flash rose from the cannon's muzzle, and the powerful surge of energy caused a gust of air to blow across it, lifting her long, black hair that draped over her shoulders.

Chapter 102

With a loud "boom," the shell landed near He Meiyu and exploded, its extremely strong destructive force rapidly radiating outwards.

He Meiyu's face darkened, and she raised her hand to summon her supernatural power.

She held up a wind blade bead that shimmered with a white light above her palm, with a faint breeze swirling around it.

"Wind Blade Sweep!" He Meiyu's mental energy rapidly condensed into the Wind Blade Bead, and then a burst of intense light erupted from it. Countless wind blades were summoned by the bead, forming a giant barrier to meet the subsequent cannonballs fired by Jiang Shiyi.

The two waves of energy collided rapidly, producing a loud impact sound.

Jiang Shiyi was pushed back two steps.

She shielded herself with her hands, withstood the impact, and quickly set up the Superpower Rocket Launcher.

An even stronger energy than the previous attack began to gather and charge within the cannon barrel.

--Charged Cannon, which charges up a large amount of energy for the rocket launcher in a short period of time, and can fire three Charged Cannon exceeding the Peak of the Fourth Tier in succession, with an explosive effect.

Several more loud booms rang out, and several shallow craters were blasted into the surface of the arena, which was made of refined iron.

Thick smoke billowed up, obscuring the battle taking place on the arena.

Xu Jintang, who was watching from the audience, clicked his tongue in amazement. "Sister Shiyi is as violent as ever."

Xue Zhongqi nodded seriously, "Indeed."

[I told you so! The Mask Squad definitely has a chance to fight back!]

[But apart from Jiang Shiyi, the rest of their team is just so-so. And Xiao Linghe, the strongest player on the Soul Awakening Team, hasn't even played yet.]

Let's not speak too soon and wait to see the results.

The battle in the arena continues.

In the early stages, Song Tianqi gained the upper hand due to his fierce offensive.

However, in their recent encounters, Chu Xiao on the other side has begun to put immense pressure on them.

He was, after all, a Fourth Tier ability user. No matter how strong Song Tianqi was, he couldn't reverse the level suppression and was forced back to the edge of the arena.

It looked like Song Tianqi was about to fall off the stage if he took another step back.

A hint of excitement rose in Chu Xiao's eyes. He raised the water-rippled round shield in his hand, a faint light flashing on the shield, and then slammed it down on Song Tianqi.

If Song Tianqi is unable to retaliate against this attack, he will surely be knocked off the stage.

The match had only been going on for less than three minutes.

"No way, the Mask Squad is going to lose so quickly?"

"The Hot Air Balloon is only at the Third Tier; it's quite difficult for the average person to fight someone of a higher tier."

"It's a pity, I was quite optimistic about the Mask Squad before."

Just when everyone thought Song Tianqi was about to be knocked off the stage, he lowered his head, a slight smile spreading across his face, and a blinding red light shone in front of him.

The source of the red light was Song Tianqi's special ability Vermilion Bird Token.