Chapter 1269: A Mountain That Must Be Climbed

“Is this the confidence of a big shot? Just locking down the Lightning Falcon like that?”

Once a Beast Tamers’ pet beast that has been dispatched in a singles match is recalled, it cannot be summoned back to battle, which is equivalent to actively giving up the remaining combat power of that pet beast.

This rule is the same in all singles matches and is universally applicable across the entire league.

“Boom!”

A colossal rock giant made of dazzling crystals crashed down.

The Crystal Rock Colossus had appeared once in the previous competition, though it was a King-level Crystal Rock Colossus at the time; despite only appearing once, it left a profound impression on many.

Four years later, it successfully evolved.

This pet beast possessed astonishing defensive power, capable of ‘grinding to death’ the Emperor-level Ghost-type pet beast, Gluttonous Eight Extremes, purely through defense when it was at the King-level.

That particular match lasted a full 2 hours and 47 minutes, setting the record for the longest single match duration.

Now that it has evolved to the Emperor-level, it will likely become a nightmare for many.

However, to everyone’s surprise, this time the Crystal Rock Colossus did not rely on its ‘turtle shell’ to win.

“Burrow! Earthquake!”

Fujiwara Ken intended to use an underground attack.

The Heavy Armored Pangolin King instantly burrowed underground.

A faint, almost imperceptible curve seemed to appear at Lumiti’s lips: “Earth Perception, Spiked Rock Cannon.”

The Crystal Rock Colossus slammed its fists violently into the ground!

“Boom!”

A powerful shockwave spread out, not only precisely locating the underground Pangolin King but also stunning it into disorientation!

Immediately after, the crystal core on the colossus’s chest gathered light, and countless sharp, giant crystal rock pillars burst from the ground like cannonballs, precisely striking the spot where the Pangolin King had burrowed out.

“Boom!”

“Bang!”

The Heavy Armored Pangolin King was sent flying and severely injured by the dense rock pillars.

It lost its combat ability in just four or five seconds.

“Wow!”

((ᵒ ꈊ ᵒ ᷅ ‖))՞

∑(O_O；)

⊙∀⊙!

The Heavy Armored Pangolin King was defeated just like that?!

The entire battle process lasted less than five minutes, easier than a trip to the latrine, and completely different from the battle four years ago that sent countless spectators to the restroom multiple times!

The audience and the contestants were all stunned.

“Is this still the Crystal Rock Colossus? It’s probably a different pet beast entirely?”

“Offense and defense in one, it’s invincible!”

“What does this show? It shows that people who are better than us are also more diligent than us!”

“The Goddess of Beauty is truly amazing.”

Amidst the excited discussions of the audience and commentators, the third round, which would determine the final victor, began.

Having lost two consecutive rounds, Fujiwara Ken, with nothing left to lose, unleashed his trump card, the Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox, a fox-cat species somewhat similar in appearance to Lan Yue.

For the Blazing Fox species, their tails are proof of their strength; eight tails signify {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Saint-level.

And nine tails signify Venerable-level.

At this moment, the Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox’s eight tails were like a fiery storm, flamboyantly dazzling to the extreme.

Lumiti still recalled the Crystal Rock Colossus and sent out one of her ace pet beasts, the Azure Sea Plume Dragon.

A Saint-level Water and Dragon dual-type.

Compared to those bizarre-looking Dragon-type extraordinaries, the Azure Sea Dragon was definitely a representative of high-Appearance dragons.

A deep blue giant dragon, elegant in form yet exuding endless majesty, coiled out, its dragon might vast.

“Luo.”

In the individual contestant lounge, Little Silver Flower, who was lying on Mingxi’s back watching the match, pouted her pink lips, looking disdainful.

“As.”

Black Pearl also called out, agreeing.

It was indeed nothing special.

It had none of the domineering majesty of Big Sister Silver Flower, nor my handsome and unrestrained charm.

“Luo Luo.”

“As.”

“Luo...”

Listening to the two of them going back and forth, praising each other and feeling increasingly good about themselves, while disparaging the Azure Sea Plume Dragon.

Mingxi: “...”

Truly, when it comes to self-confidence and flair, only you two are so dashing!

I’m impressed.

Having you two is my blessing.

The Azure Sea Plume Dragon was certainly not as bad as Little Silver Flower and Black Pearl made it out to be.

As a dignified Saint-level pet beast, its strength aside, its appearance and demeanor were quite presentable.

...

This round was Fujiwara Ken’s only chance to turn the tables.

Because Lumiti had actively locked two of her pet beasts in the previous two rounds, it meant that if she lost this battle, Fujiwara Ken, who still had one pet beast ‘alive’ on the field, could enter the fourth and fifth rounds.

(Note: The singles match rule is that the first to score three points wins.)

And Lumiti, with no beasts left to dispatch, would automatically concede.

In other words, their final score would become 2:3, with Fujiwara Ken winning.

Therefore, Lumiti’s act of locking a pet beast after winning a round was extremely bold.

Without absolute confidence and self-assurance, no one would dare to do this in an elimination match; one misstep could lead to an upset, with no room for recovery.

Big shots always come with a hero’s halo.

Mingxi, the “little shrimp,” expressed profound admiration; she certainly wouldn’t dare to operate like that.

She put on a show, but she worried about overdoing it and dying from the act.

...

Facts proved that when a big shot puts on a show, it’s impossible for the show to kill them.

“Eight-Tails, Overheat! Maximum Energy Consumption!”

Fujiwara Ken, at his wit’s end, was like a gambler, pulling out his last chip!

The Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox’s entire body transformed into a dazzling fireball, and the terrifying high temperature distorted the air!

Lumiti’s eyes remained calm: “Dragon Pulse, Tidal Vortex.”

Maximum Energy Consumption and Tidal Vortex were not skills themselves, but rather applications of skills.

The former meant releasing the skill with maximum energy expenditure, while the latter expressed Dragon Pulse in the form of a tidal vortex.

The Azure Sea Plume Dragon opened its mouth, and a profound blue dragon-shaped energy wave roared out.

Just as it was about to collide with the Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox, which had transformed into a high-temperature fireball, the dragon-shaped energy wave suddenly dispersed, transforming into a massive, rapidly rotating deep-sea vortex!

The violent fiery mass was actually forcibly pulled in by the vortex, slowly compressed and swallowed!

It was as if a clay ox had entered the sea.

“High-Pressure Water Cannon.”

Lumiti’s voice was like the final judgment.

At the center of the vortex, a water pillar, condensed to the extreme and exuding terrifying pressure, pierced through the weakened and unstable Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox like a spear of divine punishment!

“Chi—!”

The Blazing Eight-Tailed Fox let out a mournful cry, its flames extinguished, and it fell heavily to the ground.

3:0

Lumiti secured the victory, and Xiao Li Country’s #4 seed was eliminated as cannon fodder!

In the private lounges of the various contestants, almost everyone’s expression was extremely solemn, their chests feeling as if a huge rock was pressing down, making it hard to breathe.

“Is this the champion’s strength? This win was truly... effortless.”

“Fujiwara Ken and she are not on the same level at all, not a gap between pet beasts, but a gap between the Beast Tamers themselves.”

“She’s indeed ridiculously strong, and her command is flawless.”

“She always seems to find the simplest, most effective way to defeat her opponent. At first glance, it seems ordinary, but then your scalp tingles.”

“If there are no surprises, Lumiti will probably still be the champion of this year’s singles match.”

“Then I hope that surprise will be me!”