Chapter 78

The selection test for the Battle Club officially began, and Mu Huiyue was the first to step onto the arena.

Seeing her, Zheng Lin couldn’t help but pause. The first challenger was an unfamiliar, beautiful young girl.

The selection test for returning students wasn’t easy. Typically, it’s rare for students to have raised their pets to the Mature Stage during their university years. Only top students in the Battle Department, who are focused on competing in leagues, put in the effort to achieve this.

Besides the promising new students who were absorbed into the Battle Club earlier, it was mostly third- and fourth-year students who possessed Mature Stage battle pets and could participate in the selection test. Zheng Lin was familiar with most of these students.

He hadn’t heard of any transfer students coming to the Battle Department at Jindao University this year…?

Just as he was wondering, the member responsible for registration and recording battle results beside the arena spoke up.

“The challenger is a first-year student, Mu Huiyue.”

After the member spoke, he paused and looked back at the notebook he was holding, double-checking to make sure he hadn’t made a mistake.

Wasn’t the new student selection test supposed to start in the afternoon? Why was someone already stepping up now?

The students watching the battle in the arena were whispering among themselves, and those who had followed the national ranking competition recognized her.

“Isn’t Mu Huiyue the one who came first in this year’s ranking competition?”

“She actually came to our school…”

“I thought she would go to Star University. I was still regretting it while watching the competition…”

“The admissions office finally did something right.”

“I’m really impressed with her card-tooth soldier!”

“That card-tooth soldier is from the Monarch race, right? I remember it too.”

“Her main pet isn’t the little cloud dog?”

“No matter how impressive she is, it’s still just her results in the professional assessment. Challenging the vice president directly seems a bit reckless…”

“Does she even have a Mature Stage pet yet?”

“Wake up! If a first-year student could reach level 5 Beastmaster, they’d be taken to the lab for dissection!”

“It’s about to start… Be quiet!”

“…”

Mu Huiyue ignored the murmurs from the audience and focused her gaze on Zheng Lin’s pet.

Name: Force纹 Gray Bear
Attribute: Earth
Race Level: Intermediate Battle General
Growth Stage: Mature Stage 1

Talent Core: Rock Split Impact (Earth C-level)
Race Introduction: A superhuman creature resembling a gray bear, evolved from the gray-striped cub. After reaching maturity, its arm strength can reach one ton, and it can learn other attribute-based hammering skills.

Normal Hidden Energy Value: 114,256P

The Force纹 Gray Bear is renowned for its immense strength, possessing numerous powerful hammering skills. In terms of pure strength, it can even surpass pets of the same level from the Monarch race. Most of its traits feature the reckless “Rash” characteristic, which makes it charge headfirst.

Mu Huiyue had seen Zheng Lin’s match at the national competition. This Force纹 Gray Bear wasn’t his main pet, and since it was only used as a threshold for the club’s entry test, he chose a pet that had just entered the Mature Stage 1.

The higher the rank, the greater the difference in normal hidden energy values.

When both pets were at the Growth Stage, even in the Inverted Space of the Forget-Me-Not Grass, Baiya’s normal hidden energy value was five times lower than that of the opponent, and the difference in numerical values was only 8,000P.

Ellen was currently at Growth Stage 6, with a normal hidden energy value exceeding 60,000. The gap between him and the Force纹 Gray Bear was about two times, with a difference of more than 50,000P in hidden energy.

It was precisely because the gap between ranks was so vast that higher-level species with higher growth potential, capable of reaching their perfect or ultimate forms, became even rarer and more valuable.

However, for this battle, a 50,000P difference in normal hidden energy could be neutralized through differences in characteristics and tactical adjustments.

The moment Mu Huiyue saw the Force纹 Gray Bear, she made a precise judgment.

“Ellen.” She softly called to her shadow.

The shadow beneath her feet suddenly stretched several times longer, and a tall, imposing skeleton emerged from the darkness. A flicker of eerie blue flame ignited in the empty eye sockets of the skeletal figure.

An indescribable sense of intimidation instantly radiated outward from him.

The audience in the viewing area immediately stirred.

“Wow, it really appeared, the Monarch race’s Baiya Soldier!”

“Seeing it in person is truly unbelievable…”

“I get it, it’s like one of those cute little flowers or plants on the side of the road, and one day, it suddenly gives off an intimidating vibe, right?”

“I didn’t see the summoning array. Has that Baiya Soldier been hidden in the shadow all along?”

“Shadow Concealment… no, wait, it’s Shadow Stealth, isn’t it?”

“I’ve never seen such a prolonged Shadow Stealth before…”

“Though that Baiya Soldier is still in its growth stage…”

“The Monarch race’s growth stage is still a bit difficult to match up against a mature stage, right?…”

“…”

Both sides on the battlefield took their positions, and the referee for the match stepped onto the stage.

“I won’t go easy on you, little freshman.” Zheng Lin smiled, curious about this freshman challenging him across stages.

Was it arrogance from underestimating him, or was it confidence from having a solid plan? Zheng Lin felt his enthusiasm for the battle rise.

“That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.” Mu Huiyue smiled faintly, her dark eyes fixed on her opponent.

The referee waved his hands, and with the sharp blast of the whistle, the battle officially began.

“Earthquake Wave!” Zheng Lin initiated the attack.

The Force纹 Gray Bear raised its massive paw and slammed it forcefully into the ground. Cracks visibly spread across the ground, so fast that within the blink of an eye, the entire battlefield was covered.

Both being C-grade skills, the Earthquake Wave from the Force纹 Gray Bear was completely different from the Earth-type Little Cloud Dog that Mu Huiyue had fought before. This was the true strength of a battle-type pet raised specifically for competitions.

The cracked ground affected the shape of the shadows, but it was still not enough to force the Baiya Soldier out of its Shadow Stealth. Zheng Lin pressed on with his attack.

“Use Rock Crushing Impact!”

The C-grade Earth-type attack skill, Rock Crushing Impact, was the Force纹 Gray Bear’s core talent. With the added power from its same attribute and characteristics, its strength rivaled that of a B-grade skill.

Using the residual force from the Earthquake Wave, the Force纹 Gray Bear’s arms shimmered with brilliant white light as it hammered them forcefully onto the ground.

The battlefield trembled with a thunderous rumble, as if it had been hit by a magnitude-10 earthquake. Even the Beastmasters were struggling to keep their footing.

The previously cracked ground turned into shattered rocks, raining down like a storm of arrows, all directed at a single target.

The Baiya Soldier was forced to emerge from a corner of the shadow. Although it could still slip into a farther shadow, once it emerged, it would land outside the battle arena, thus losing the match directly.

The constraints of the battlefield were also an important aspect of Beastmaster battles. How to use the terrain to create advantages for one’s side and avoid weaknesses was a fundamental lesson for every Beastmaster. Clearly, Zheng Lin excelled at this.

The Rock Crushing Impact and Earthquake Wave formed a clever combination technique, using the limitations of the battlefield to force out the Baiya Soldier, which had been hiding in the shadows.

Given the enormous energy difference between the two sides, if this skill directly hit, the Baiya Soldier would undoubtedly lose its combat ability instantly.

“Underworld Fire,” Mu Huiyue said, her expression unchanged.

Black mist surged in mid-air, and the Baiya Soldier, having emerged from the shadow, snapped its fingers. Blue flames of flowing fire ignited and surrounded the Force纹 Gray Bear.

At the same time, it dove into the shadow cast by the Underworld Fire that fell to the ground, cleverly avoiding the impact of the shattered rocks.

Even when it was in its small skeleton form, Ellen had been able to skillfully use this tactic. For large, powerful offensive skills like Earthquake Wave and Rock Crushing Impact, Ellen would never allow the opponent to land a hit.

This was the confidence behind Mu Huiyue’s challenge across ranks—no matter how impressive the Force纹 Gray Bear’s ultimate move was, if it missed, it was meaningless.

The execution of this strategy was smooth and fluid, and in the blink of an eye, the tide of battle had already shifted.

A faint gasp came from the observation seats. The unpredictable and mysterious nature of dark-type beasts was fully demonstrated at this moment through the Baiya Soldier.

Surrounded by the Underworld Fire, the Force纹 Gray Bear showed signs of pain. It threw its head back and roared, a brief flash of white light radiating from its body. Then, it swung its arms forcefully, dispersing the searing Underworld Fire.

That was a C-level state skill, Fortified Body. Baiya had an earlier D-level skill, Strengthening the Body before its evolution.

While C-level skills greatly enhance physical resilience, they also bolster mental toughness, helping resist skills like Underworld Fire, which causes mental damage.

“One more Rock Crushing Impact!” Zheng Lin commanded.

Arm-hammer skills have immense power, but their range is short, requiring the user to close the distance to land a hit. Dealing with the Baiya Soldier hiding in the shadows wasn’t the wisest choice, so he gave the order for Rock Crushing Impact again.

The Force纹 Gray Bear steadied itself, raising its head amidst the lingering warmth of the Underworld Fire, and paused for a moment in surprise.

On the battlefield appeared five identical small skeletons, but the Baiya Soldier was nowhere to be seen.

Each of the skeletons moved differently—some leisurely observing the scenery, some lazily yawning, and one even waving its hand as if dismissing the Gray Bear.

No matter which one, they all looked incredibly annoying, making the Bear furious.

The Force纹 Gray Bear’s Rash characteristic instantly took over its rationality, recklessly using Rock Crushing Impact on the irritating little skeletons.

“Ah Li!” Zheng Lin knew immediately that things were going wrong.

The Rash characteristic greatly enhances the Force纹 Gray Bear’s skill power, but it also reduces its reasoning, making it more easily provoked.

Once again, Rock Crushing Impact covered the entire field, with the rain of broken rocks piercing through all the little skeletons. However, the little creatures remained unmoving.

The little skeletons were illusions created by the Bone Ghost.

But they were not just illusions.

Mu Huiyue smiled slightly. “Use Soul Tremor!”

The five little skeletons all opened their lower jaw bones, emitting a silent soul screech one after another. The Force纹 Gray Bear immediately froze in place.

This was a combat technique Mu Huiyue learned during her battles with Baiya, using the time difference between illusions to extend the control effect of the skill as much as possible.

“Bone Spike Assault!” Mu Huiyue commanded.

Black, calcium-based liquid material wrapped around the long white bones, and the Baiya Soldier leaped out of the shadows, suddenly appearing in the Gray Bear’s blind spot. The bone blades, gleaming with metallic sharpness, struck the vulnerable knee joint.

Bone Spike Assault—Critical Hit!

The ensuing 3-second stun effect left the Force纹 Gray Bear immobilized.

Of course, Ellen wouldn’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, unleashing a full barrage of attack skills.

By the time the stun effect wore off, the Bone Fang Soldier had already slipped into an unknown shadow, and the battlefield was still filled with five indistinguishable phantom skeletons.

Seeing their jaws open once again, Zheng Lin couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that was starting to rise.

Sure enough, the continuous sound of soul shrieking began to echo across the battlefield.

From that moment on, Zheng Lin and the Force纹 Gray Bear could never regain their rhythm.

Physical attacks are ineffective against the phantoms. Even if energy attacks shatter the small skeletons, as long as all five are not destroyed at once, they will still be affected by the Soul Shiver.

Next comes the Bone Fang Soldier lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, along with its pinpoint accurate Bone Spike Assault.

Zheng Lin didn’t even realize that the Force纹 Gray Bear had so many weak points in such a wide range.

Despite using the “Crack Rock Impact,” an attack that almost covered the entire battlefield, not once did it hit the Bone Fang Soldier. The Force纹 Gray Bear remained in a state of confusion, affected by the Soul Shiver, and unable to retaliate as the Bone Spike Assault followed with its stunning effect.

Mu Huiyue and her Bone Fang Soldier demonstrated a classic example of the weak overcoming the strong in front of the audience.

How does a fragile, low-health beast defeat an enemy whose energy is twice its own?

By using various skills and tactics to keep the opponent under control at all times, slowly wearing them down.

“Bone Spike Assault!”

After several rounds of combat, with the Beast Master’s command, the Bone Fang Soldier’s ultimate skill hit the Force纹 Gray Bear once again.

The bear, already in a state of confusion, could no longer endure. Its massive body crashed to the ground during the stun, causing the floor to tremble faintly.

The referee stepped forward to check the condition of the Force纹 Gray Bear, then gestured to Mu Huiyue and blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

“The Force纹 Gray Bear has lost its combat ability. The Bone Fang Soldier wins!”

“Mu Huiyue wins this match!”