A team that gives away easy points?
[Click to see the Mingxin Academy seed teams.]
The college has really gone all out to increase participation rates this time, using every method imaginable except for bringing back third-year students. It's easy to imagine that this internal college competition will be extremely fierce.
Of course, first-year students who want to pass the exam don't need to worry. If they can't win the college-level competition, they can participate in the community preliminary rounds. As long as they enter the mock competition matchmaking area and reach the required score, they can also qualify for the competition. Participating in the preliminary mock competitions is much easier than the college-level competition.
The strongest team in our department is undoubtedly "The Magicians," whose current roster consists of two B-rank card manipulators.
Mental strength level and card control level are not equivalent. The former can determine the upper limit of the latter, but the latter also needs to be improved through gradual training.
Secondly, there's the "Thunder Messenger" team, following the "Magician" squad, and the "Huang Daopo" team, whose tactics revolve around a single nature card. The "Golden Compass" team, which excelled in their freshman year, lost their key player, Nariren, but gained a better substitute, potentially strengthening their team further… The "Ice Domain" team, formed during their freshman year and attracting attention from several powerful families, has also shown great potential.
However, the academy also saw a number of teams merely filling quotas. The "Top Credit Team," with its dual-card master and triple-card-master composition, was inherently weak; encountering them in the academy tournament would be tantamount to a guaranteed win in the first round.
...
"Captain, our opponent in the first round is the 'top student in academics,' which is practically a guaranteed pass!"
In the preparation area of the college tournament, Yu Kang, who was initially disappointed because he had drawn first place in the match, couldn't help but smile upon hearing the news.
"Don't be careless, everyone. Although the captain of this team isn't very famous, Naliren's strength is undeniable. Let's focus our firepower on taking her down first, and then take down the other two card masters one by one."
"What if they cooperate and we can't take down Nariren in a short time?"
"Impossible. Given Nariren's temperament, she definitely wouldn't cooperate with others, nor would she bother to have others cooperate with her. Otherwise, why do you think 'Golden Compass' would fire her?"
"That makes perfect sense, Captain!"
The academy arena competition takes place in the simulated training area. Both sides will be placed in a square arena where low-level monsters will randomly spawn to interfere with the players' actions.
Yu Xiangyin, as the team captain, led her team onto the field. Yu Kang greeted her, saying, "Xiao Yu, are you really going to play this match? Or should we just surrender and go prepare for the community points competition?"
Yu Xiangyin's gaze shifted to the other side, and when Yu Kang looked over, he couldn't help but laugh: "What, you want the card maker to take the stage?"
Following his gaze, he saw Ning Xi exchanging something with the referee.
Referee: "You want to go on the field?"
Ning Xi nodded. Once the battle begins, the arena will be surrounded by an energy membrane, which will affect her mental strength.
Just in case, she asked one more question: "After I leave the field, will I still be able to pass messages to my teammates?"
“While there’s no precedent for a card maker playing on the field, according to the league’s official rules, once you leave the field, you can no longer interfere with the game,” the referee said. “Are you really going to play? Injuries on the field can be very painful.”
"Thank you." Ning Xi insisted on going on stage.
Seeing her insistence, the referee didn't know what to say, but both the students watching the game and Dang Yukang's team couldn't help but laugh.
"Is she a card maker?"
"Did she think this was a card-making competition? That she could come and go as she pleased?"
"If I were Naliren, I'd be furious. It's bad enough she has to teach the new students, but they're causing her trouble too. Hey, Naliren, teach her a lesson!"
Nariren's gaze sharpened as she swept over the student who had spoken. Ning Xi's participation was part of the team's pre-arranged strategy, and she was willing to follow orders.
...It's not up to these scoundrels to make decisions for her.
The student caught in the gaze was somewhat bewildered; he couldn't understand why Naliren was staring at him when Ning Xi was clearly causing trouble. At that moment, a burly, wildly dressed man stood up from the stage. His full beard made him appear far more mature than the students around him.
"If you can't take down this team in three minutes, you're buying me dinner!"
Yu Kang laughed and said, "Since it's an invitation from the 'Golden Compass,' of course we agree! Mo Ze, if we win within three minutes, you'll treat us to dinner!"
"Okay! It's a deal!"
When Yu Kang turned around, he said to Yu Xiangyin, "I'm sorry, we're in a hurry for this performance!"
Yu Xiangyin nodded: "Then let's get started quickly."
Yu Xiangyin and Dang Yukang exchanged pre-match greetings, and Dang Yukang's four-person team immediately attacked Naliren. In an instant, swords, spells, and summoned creatures surrounded her. Naliren also activated her card, transforming into a halberd that flashed out in a beautiful semi-circle.
"Let's go get a combo attack!"
At Yu Kang's shout, all five members of their team sprang into action. The support member who summoned the "fairy" raised a bottle of floral dew; the golden bottle shimmered in the sunlight, and instantly, the air was filled with an alluring floral fragrance.
Yu Xiangyin plucked a non-existent string hard, and the pitch suddenly rose, startling the other members on stage.
Seeing this, the ranged gunner, who was in the process of aiming, no longer hesitated and fired directly. A fierce gunshot rang out, but was blocked by a large metal shield.
Wang Rengui came up behind Naliren, raising his knight's shield to block the sudden attack for her.
When Kang's pupils constricted.
It seems the team's coordination isn't as bad as he'd imagined. However, their inherent personnel deficiencies put them at a significant disadvantage.
They still have two players available, but the opposing team only has Nariren to hold them off.
When Yu Kang's twin swords dissipated, they were replaced by a massive warhammer. His teammate, however, had empty hands, yet they emanated powerful magical energy.
The spell takes effect the moment the warhammer strikes.
An imposing, mountain-like force was applied to the warhammer.
"Is this the combination technique the teacher was talking about?"
"The two cards complement each other, achieving a synergistic effect greater than the sum of their parts. Even Nariren would have a hard time blocking this attack!"
Faced with the overwhelming onslaught, Nariren remained remarkably calm. Flames swirled around her hands, spiraling upwards from her arms.
No one noticed that she had a portable communicator hanging on her right ear. Ning Xi couldn't easily use cards, so they used physical equipment instead.
Ning Xi's voice came through the communicator very promptly.
"At three o'clock, advance."
Nariren did as instructed.
Flames transformed into wings, granting her even greater speed. This action greatly startled the students watching the battle.
What is she doing?
"She's about to crash into the warhammer, why isn't she activating defensive mode?"
"Is the card maker just standing there doing nothing? Isn't she going to do anything about it?"
Ning Xi seemed to have heard the conversation outside the arena, and looked up at them.
Her eyes were calm and collected. The form of a card can be misleading; sometimes, what appears to be a fierce attack might just be a feint.
But energy fields don't lie. In her mental vision, subtle disturbances appeared in the energy fields of Yu Kang and his companions.
"Attack Dang Yu Kang!"
Nariren barely missed the phantom of the warhammer. Upon hearing the command, she had no time to think; her body's instincts summoned a flaming rapier and thrust it towards Dangyukang, whose weapon was bulky and unable to protect him.
Her card power was undeniable; in just one hit, Yu Kang was eliminated.
On the other side, Ning Xi's mental energy swept across the entire area and finally discovered something noteworthy.
"Yu Xiangyin, someone has circled around from behind!"
Yu Xiangyin stopped playing the music. He activated the [Hunter's Giant Spear], threw it backward with his mental energy, and it hit his opponent's ranged hand squarely. With an incredulous look in his eyes, he disappeared from the field.
Without the ranged attacker's distraction, Wang Rengui consciously targeted the opponent's support. Meanwhile, the opponent's other main magic attacker was quickly defeated under Naliren's onslaught.
The fairies who were assisting in the summoning were also scattered by Wang Rengui, and he chose to surrender immediately.
"The 'First in Credits' team has emerged victorious!"
The referee was just as shocked as the others, but he still immediately announced the result.
"The game lasted two minutes and thirty-one seconds... less than three minutes."
His words immediately reminded the students watching the game of the betting match that had just taken place.
Yu Kang's team did indeed end the battle within three minutes, but not in a victorious manner.
Yu Kang, looking somewhat embarrassed, glanced at the captain of the "Golden Compass" team and realized that the other's attention wasn't on him. He breathed a sigh of relief and led his teammates outside.
Nariren also walked out of the competition area, and the captain of "Golden Compass" left the stands and walked towards her. For a moment, the two were very close.
"Congratulations on finding a good team." He smiled and spoke gently. "It seems you were well-prepared before leaving the team."
He was once Nariren's captain, so he naturally knew her strength. She was strong, but not enough to defeat Dangyukang so quickly.
Who helped her? Was it Yu Xiangyin, the unknown freshman majoring in auxiliary studies, or...?
His gaze swept around and landed on Ning Xi.
Nariren had no intention of reminiscing; she turned to leave. But the former captain came up again, closing the distance between them.
“But it didn’t work.” She heard his very low, malicious voice.
"For someone with low mental strength like you, whatever you gain is useless."
...
"A great start!" Ning Xi was in a good mood, but she quickly thought of another aspect, "It's a pity no one is treating us to dinner."
Yu Xiangyin immediately said, "It's my treat. See you at the food street tonight."
Zhang Min's attention was elsewhere. She asked, "Captain, why don't you say something tough too?"
"How so?" Yu Xiangyin asked humbly.
“When they say they are in a hurry, you should also say: ‘We are also in a hurry, so please leave the stage quickly.’”
Yu Xiangyin suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly.
The academy was closed today, so the group spent the whole day watching the academy matches. Ning Xi also took the opportunity to look at the materials Song Shichun had sent her.
After the competition ended, she and Yu Xiangyin drew their teams for the next match.
"The Golden Compass?"
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