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"Ouch!" There were bursts of exclamations in the venue. The field had been split in two. A muscular man was rushing around like a bulldozer, tearing through everything in his path.
"That's Capital University for you," Lucian muttered in the stands. "They are indeed a well-established powerhouse."
"It's over," Russell delivered his verdict in a neutral tone. He wasn't particularly surprised that Shanghai University, where his old acquaintance Zephyr Flynn studied, had lost to Capital University. It wasn't the first time he had seen the muscular man card. Strength-wise, it was definitely top-tier. From his observations, it seemed to be a weakened version made by stitching together Hercules, the Giants of legend, and a bunch of other gods related to raw power. He couldn't see the specific abilities because Shanghai University simply wasn't powerful enough to force them out. Therefore, with the other Capital University students as starters, it wasn't difficult for the muscle man to end the battle.
"Next up is Northwestern University of Science and Technology versus Amoy University?" Lucian nodded. "That's right. Russell, do you think Northwestern can win?"
Russell carefully recalled the feeling the students from Northwestern had given him. After a long while, he frowned and shook his head slightly. "It's hard to say. After all, Amoy University doesn't look weak either."
At this time, Grant couldn't help but say, "Amoy University shouldn't crash and burn, right? It feels like Imperial College's level just isn't as good as before, which is why they suffered an upset." Although Grant, also a silver-level cardmaker, couldn't observe the students from both sides as carefully as Russell, he still felt a great threat from Amoy University.
"Here we go." As Russell finished speaking, everyone in the Northgate Battle Club saw the dark horse card of this competition for the first time. The first person sent by Northwestern couldn't be the captain who had made Russell wary, but just an ordinary member. His card was indeed a technological creation, as rumored.
A silver-white robot appeared in front of everyone.
"It feels like there's nothing special about it?" Lucian said uncertainly. Although this robot was indeed innovative, it didn't seem enough to cause an upset.
"Unless their captain's card is very strong," Russell calmly expressed what everyone was thinking.
The subsequent development was as he expected. Although the first four members of Northwestern defeated three members of Amoy University, the unknown captain still needed to defeat two people on his own to successfully advance. At this time, the audience had already started cheering for Northwestern. Dark horses were something no one could hate.
In Russell's eyes, the captain was standing on the sidelines, smiling and patting his slightly depressed teammate on the shoulder, whispering a few words of comfort, and then standing at the side of the field with a serious face. Russell couldn't help but perk up, wanting to see what the opponent's cards were.
As three cards appeared on the field, his expression gradually changed from inquiry to confusion. In his perception, although these three cards were considered powerful, there was nothing particularly outstanding about them. Is that all? He was a little disappointed, but he immediately put away his contempt. Heroes in the world are like carp crossing the river. Even if there are trump cards, they can't be revealed now. I still need to pay more attention.
Although the next two games against Northwestern were a bit difficult for Amoy University, the dark horse still won in the end. Russell still couldn't see the hidden cards he suspected. However, at this time, the venue was drowned out by deafening cheers. The dark horse had defeated another opponent and stepped firmly into the next round. Everyone wanted to see how far these unknown young people would go.
Looking at the simple young man showing a gentle smile to his companions, Russell stood up. "Let's go. It's our turn to take the stage next."
"Northgate University... I remember we didn't even make it to the top 16 in the team competition last year?" Seeing the battle information flashing on the big screen, discussions broke out in the stands. "Yeah, who would have thought that such a prestigious school would fall so far? But I heard they accepted a super genius this year." "Don't just 'hear' about it. The battle videos of that genius are out. He is indeed ridiculously strong. It shouldn't be a problem for him to win against River City University."
Although Russell wasn't a household name yet, he was definitely a player to watch.
"Russell, you are very strong, but we at River City University are not people who can be bullied," a student from the opposing team said, trying to sound confident but failing.
Russell was stunned. He hadn't said anything. Why did he feel like he was being treated as a villain? "Well, good luck to you guys," he said simply.
After he finished speaking, he summoned Retsu Unohana and Fubuki. These two cards were enough.
Then, naval officers and soldiers dressed in the standard equipment of the ancient Daming navy appeared on the venue. The sound of waves gradually rang in everyone's ears. But the next moment, a pitch-black coffin rose from the ground and enveloped them.
"Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi."
As a master of Kidō, Unohana could naturally cast spells without chanting, like Aizen. Her power might not be as strong as that of a spiritual pressure master like him, but against these opponents, it was more than enough. As the black coffin shattered, the dead silence in the air told of the final fate of the naval officers.
"A few seconds?" The whispering sounded like a dream in the stands.
On the sidelines, Russell did not feel proud. He just calmly uttered one word to the referee. "Next."
The referee finally woke up from his daze. He swallowed his saliva and turned his gaze towards the River City University team. Several students had a mixture of confusion and disbelief on their faces. Although they knew they likely wouldn't beat Northgate, they didn't expect their companion would not even survive a single blow.
Not long after, at the urging of the referee, another member of River City University stood at the battle seat with a bitter face. Since the opponent could kill the first person in seconds, it meant he could kill the remaining three just as easily.
Sure enough. "Next." The life-threatening voice came again. The expressions of the people at River City University gradually changed from anger to doubting their lives. "Next."
In Russell's voice that sounded like the devil's whisper, only the last person was left at River City University. It was the student who used the destroyer card Russell had seen yesterday. He stepped onto the fighting seat with a heavy face, as if he was about to accept an execution.
Seeing this, Russell was a little confused. Am I so scary? Thinking carefully about what he just did... although it did feel a bit like he was a villain, he hadn't said anything disgusting, right? The main fault lay with the referee. He was like an idiot; Russell had to remind him every time before he could react.
As the last student took a deep breath, the huge destroyer reappeared. Without any hesitation, at the command of [Eunuch Zheng He], dark shells rained down on Russell's two cards. The smoke covered the sky, blocking everyone's vision, and the intense flames seemed to burn the air itself.
However, when the students of River City University saw that Russell's face was calm, they had a bad feeling. "Please, no..." The next moment, as if in response to their prayers, a blazing beam of lightning shot towards the destroyer. However, an energy shield with blue light blocked the attack.
"Is there a defense like this?" Russell wasn't surprised. After all, for a silver-class destroyer, dismantling it was as easy as eating and drinking.
As the lightning tore through the smoke, everyone could finally see clearly. The circular area around Fubuki and Unohana seemed as if nothing had happened, completely out of place with the chaotic scene filled with smoke and gunpowder all around.
"Unharmed!?" The River City student's expression froze. It was useless if their artillery bombardment failed to penetrate the enemy's armor.
Seeing this, their captain gritted his teeth and stomped his feet. Under the spectators' stunned gazes, the gigantic destroyer floated higher, its spherical energy shield wrapping completely around the ship, and it pressed fiercely downwards in the direction of Unohana and Fubuki.
"Screw you! I'm going to explode with you!"
The students of River City University started shouting as if injected with adrenaline. Everyone watched as the huge steel beast pounced towards the two "weak women."
Russell was a little stunned. He didn't expect the opponent to be so aggressive, ready to self-destruct at the drop of a hat. Even with Fubuki's telekinetic defense, the opponent couldn't penetrate it even if they used up all their shells. Although he wanted to praise their courage, it was all in vain in the face of absolute strength.
In the field, Unohana quietly looked at the shadow that had completely enveloped her. With a light sigh, she pulled out the blade that had been in its sheath. Invisible spiritual pressure began to permeate the huge venue, and all the audience seemed to smell a hint of blood.
However, when they turned their attention back to the venue, the scene that appeared was so stunning that they could not help but be stunned. The female figure, who looked extremely small against the backdrop of the destroyer, was holding a long sword and fiercely pressing against the blue energy shield. Violent energy fluctuations spread out, plowing grooves in the ground. For a moment, it seemed that neither side could do anything to the other.
The stalemate lasted for a while, and Unohana took the first step back, giving up the resistance. Everyone thought she wanted to retreat. But as a war maniac, how could Sister Lie give up just like that?
Amidst the puzzled gazes, Unohana coldly slashed at the destroyer again. It's just an energy shield, she seemed to say. Just chop it into pieces.
Click, click, click.
Tiny sounds began to reach the audience's ears. In just a moment, dense cracks appeared on the blue energy shield. Then it shattered like crystal, leaving only pieces of fragments flickering with blue light. The huge destroyer was cut in half in an instant after losing its protection.
The huge ship split into two, and the massive explosion caused by the disintegration blew up Unohana's long black hair, which had come undone. This was Yachiryu, the pinnacle of sword techniques. Quietly sheathing the long sword in her hand, she returned to her gentle appearance.
Seeing this, some spectators in the stands couldn't help but rub their eyes, not daring to associate this gentle elder sister with the cold-blooded executioner just now.
"Mr. Referee, it's time to announce the result," Russell gently reminded the referee, who had not yet recovered.
"Round of 32, Match Five! Northgate University wins!"
After hearing the result, the students of River City University remained silent for a long time. Russell could only say sorry for this. In his opinion, the opponent's cards were not suitable for cardmakers to fight against. They were more suitable for group combat and fire suppression. And the system obviously hadn't been fully constructed yet. He had quite a few cards related to the Soul Reapers, but it took five students from River City University to put together a single boat.
Thinking of this, he said to his opponent, who was still in a daze, "It's okay. You did a good job."
But who would have thought that the other party would shudder when he heard these words, instantly come to his senses, and move away from Russell.
Russell was a little confused. Am I really a villain?Oh, wait. I am from the Spirit Begging Society. That's okay, then. Of course, the students didn't know his secret identity. They stayed away because his card looked like a psychopath. Who else's "good guy" card could be so contrasting? In addition, his repeated "next" lingered in their hearts like a nightmare.
"Genius is only one step away from insanity," someone whispered.
(End of this chapter)