NOVPUB
Chapter 96: Second Round
"Congratulations to the hundred participants who passed the first round. You can sit down in meditation for ten minutes, which should be enough to recover your stamina and soul energy."
Those whose badges were broken were already swept away from the battleground as they descended back to the mountain in the Arena area.
The spiky-haired executive flew towards the other Executives who sat on the floating chairs as they discussed something for a few minutes.
Afterward, the camera focused on him as people everywhere in the city saw him as he spoke. "The second round has been decided."
"Each Tamer will be tested in Attack, Defense, and Speed and will get scores based on their performance. Among the hundred Tamers, the top fifty scorers will proceed to the third round."
Time passed by and the ten-minute break was over.
"When your name is called, you will drop down to the central battleground and your test will start. First, Ian Creaken."
John suddenly saw a young man in his late teens with black hair dropping down as the ground around him dissected.
Looking at the screen next, John continued to watch.
"The first is the Attack test!"
In the main battleground below, a ten meters tall and ten meters wide square wall manifested, brown and metallic.
Above the wall was a hazy sparkling rectangle box with five zeroes in it—[ 00000 ]
"Ian, you may use Soul Synergy and also summon one pet. You have a window of full one-second to launch your comprehensive attack on the wall, which will determine your Attack-Score."
"However, keep note that you still have to do the Speed test and Defense test with the remaining soul energy."
Ian nodded and summoned his Pet Monster as everyone saw a blob of light expanding into an Infernal Blaze Steed of Prime-stage.
"You may also use charge attacks or melee attacks without worry as the wall will absorb the entire impact and bounce you back instead of injuring you," the spikey-haired executive added.
"Let’s go, Danderf," Ian said as he pointed both of his palms forward and commanded his horse.
Danderf galloped forth like a cannonball loosed from the underworld, enveloped in a storm of flame, and Ian channeled every shred of soul energy into a spiraling spear of flame forming in front of his palms.
The moment the steed struck the wall, the flaming spear blasted forward with a loud explosion, breaking the sound barrier as it hit the wall half a second after his Pet Monster struck the wall.
BOOM—!
A loud been resounded afterward as the wall absorbed everything and showed a score.
[ 01587 ]
"Not bad," the spikey-haired executive spoke with a smile. "Next, it’s time to test your speed. Stand behind that line."
Ian saw a line forming near the edge of the battleground and went there.
"You can use Soul Synergy only this time. Use whatever skill you want, and cross that line 150 meters across you at your fastest speed."
Ian ducked and stretched his right leg back as he nodded. "I am ready."
The flame slowly released from his legs, covering them.
"Three, two, one!"
Ian combusted the flames and blasted forward, flying just one meter off the ground while shooting forward and crossing the line in 2.43 seconds.
"Next, stand on the magic circle in the middle."
That magic circle had already formed after the executive announced that the second round had been designed.
Ian stood on it as instructed and looked up at the spikey-haired executive.
"A meteor will fall on you soon," the executive said with a smile. "Just do your best to defend against it with Soul Synergy, and don’t fear it because it will disappear once your defense breaks. The magic circle will absorb it and will determine your score based on how much power of the meteor it managed to block."
Ian nodded.
The meteor was the size of a car as it manifested twenty meters high up and began descending slowly.
Ian used a defensive skill of one of his Pet Monsters as a blazing orange shield with large teeth in the front and a whirling flame in its mouth.
As the meteorite slowly descended in five seconds and finally struck the shield, Ian grunted as he felt pressure, but he continued to channel all of his soul energy in the shield.
It was the last test, so he planned to empty himself.
Suddenly, his shield glowed and released a dark orange blaze that enveloped the meteor as he used it as a combo move of skill.
Alas, his shield broke ultimately and the meteor dispersed.
[ 00758 ]
A new box with numbers appeared above him, displaying his score.
Afterward, the executive told Ian to stand on the circular earth disk that was separated from the battleground above. He returned to his place and called the next one.
One by one, everyone took their turns as John watched.
Some of the Silver-rank Tamers got cheerfully heated reactions from the audience as they broke previous records and showed better numbers.
Rakin’s turn made a lot of noise.
His Attack-score reached 2694, reaching the highest so far.
His Speed-score hit 1.54 seconds, the best one out of all.
His Defense-score numbered 1549, becoming the top score.
John thought his turn would come halfway, but that didn’t happen, and when his name was finally called out, he couldn’t help but feel speechless as well as feel good.
He was the last one.
’Great.’
"John Wicked!"
"He is that guy who was moving crazily in the first round."
"Yeah, I can’t wait to see his true combat powers and Pets."
The audience reaction was no less intense than it was in Rakin’s turn, purely because of John’s performance in the first round.
Everyone was eager to see more of his combat arsenal.
As he arrived in the battleground below and faced the wall, the executive floating above said with a grin. "Good luck, John Wicked. Show us what you got."
John grinned.
"Come on, Alfred."
Beside him, a black-blue-crimson tricolored streak shot out of his body before turning into Alfred, the Netherlord Glassblaze Lupine.
Not everyone had seen Alfred, so the audience was shocked, and some executives too.
"That wolf..." Executive Rudh narrowed his eyes. "I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen that species."
"What is its potential?" Executive Jasmine said as she blinked, curiosity in her eyes.
"It looks like King-rank at least, but it could be Emperor-rank."
"Lucky brat."
On the other hand, John commanded Alfred while he used one of Pymon’s skills.
’Buddy, go full power. We are breaking records.’
