C258 All Diamond!

Everyone was convinced that even if participants were selected based on personal preferences, the government's power players would never let such a scenario unfold. After all, the stakes involved the upcoming national war.

The national war was about more than just honor; it was crucial for determining their future rights within the Terran Federation!

Thus, despite the presence of many unfamiliar faces, the majority of citizens believed these unknowns must be top-tier prodigies.

The seeded players for the eight groups had been assigned, and now it was time to sort the regular contestants.

Of course, nearly everyone was aware that these remaining contestants were essentially just making up the numbers. Even though these prodigies were considered the elite by countless observers, and any one of them could be a formidable force capable of dominating previous national exams, they still paled in comparison to the seeded players.

Nonetheless, the battles among these underdogs were fiercely competitive.

As such, the anticipation was palpable.

But then...

"What's happening?"

"Why don't I recognize most of these people?"

"Where is Gao Xiong from our West Mountain District? Why isn't he listed?!"

"Qian Sen from our Western Grand Region isn't here either! He was the third-ranked in our region's assessment!"

"Exactly, and this time, not a single person from our Gan Su Region? Where is our top scholar?!"

The internet was in an uproar.

Many were shocked to find that none of the individuals they had pegged for success were present!

A change in the lineup of seeded players could have been understandable, as securing a strong performance in the national war would necessitate the inclusion of these elite geniuses.

They could accept that there would be no foul play involved.

But now...

It was a massive overhaul!

A tally revealed that from the previous regional rankings, only about sixty of the geniuses who had entered the national exam remained.

Nearly two hundred others had been replaced with people they didn't recognize at all!

A few substitutions might have been tolerable, but this...

This was a sweeping replacement of almost eighty percent with new faces, a change so drastic that the public could no longer contain their dismay.

During this live broadcast, there were at least ten billion viewers tuned in, meaning that even a minor incident would be amplified a thousandfold.

But this was no minor incident!

Countless viewers were fixated on the War God on their screens, unable to believe that the War God was unaware of the situation. If it had been just a few hundred million people, perhaps the War God might not have offered any explanation.

However, with over ten billion people watching, even the War God was compelled to provide a satisfactory answer.

And indeed, the War God began to speak.

"I've seen all of your questions and am aware of your concerns..."

A peculiar smile played at the corners of the War God's mouth.

"There was no need for an explanation initially, but seeing that so many of you are curious, let me clarify..."

He paused briefly before continuing, "Before this assessment, we conducted a preliminary round of examinations internally. Only the victors of that round were eligible for one of the 256 spots in the national examination."

"Unfortunately..."

He left the sentence hanging, but the audience was smart enough to draw their own conclusions.

The prodigies who had previously secured spots must have been defeated by these newcomers.

But who were these elite prodigies that had suddenly emerged?

"They come from the government, recruited from across the country, and have been nurtured by the government..."

Upon hearing this, the internet fell eerily quiet.

Not a single comment could be seen on the massive screens.

Clearly, everyone was still reeling from the shock.

"Prodigies from the government?!"

Those individuals were actually government-bred prodigies!

Many viewers had a moment of realization, while others were astounded.

It was unexpected that the government would take part this time around!

In previous years, the prodigies recruited by the government never participated in the college entrance exams.

Whether due to their strength or their assured futures, it was a given that these government-affiliated prodigies would not partake in the exams.

The primary purpose of the college entrance exam was to provide opportunities and a path forward for others, but those in the government already had a secure future and did not need to seek their fortunes through the exam.

It was common knowledge that government prodigies did not sit for the college entrance exams, but this time was different…

To everyone's surprise, a government prodigy had joined the fray, and judging by the number and caliber of participants...

It was clear that the government's elite prodigies had made their presence known.

After some contemplation, it was a reality that people came to accept.

In previous college entrance exams, not only did government prodigies abstain from participating, but so did those from the noble families.

The purpose of taking the college entrance exam was to gain visibility and attract resources from influential powers, or to secure a spot at a prestigious university.

Ultimately, their end goal was always to acquire resources.

Since neither the government's nor the noble families' geniuses were interested in such things, they saw no reason to take part in the so-called national exam.

But times have changed.

Now, even the most exceptional prodigies from the noble families had emerged. Given this, it made sense for the government to encourage their own top-tier prodigies to take part in the national exam.

"It looks like the government is really pulling out all the stops this time!"

"There's no choice. This matter affects future power dynamics! Even the high-ranking officials within the government can't afford to sit this one out."

"Who would have thought it would be the government's top prodigies!"

"It turns out that the government's top prodigies are far more powerful than those from the noble families!"

It was truly an eye-opener!

Many had assumed that the government's training methods were rigid and that their elite prodigies exuded a militaristic aura, which didn't match the image of the noble families' geniuses.

As a result, most people believed that while the government's geniuses might be strong at a mid-tier level, they couldn't match the top combatants from the noble families.

This time, however, their perceptions were completely shattered.

The scions of the noble families who stepped forward were the absolute elite of their respective houses.

Their strength was unquestionable; any one of them would have been the undisputed top scholar in previous exams.

Yet, even with such credentials, nearly eighty percent of these noble descendants were ousted by the government's formidable contenders.

In other words...

"Among the sixteen seeds, nine are unfamiliar to us. They must be the elite prodigies from within the government!"

"That's terrifyingly excessive!"

Indeed.

Seeing the stark contrast in numbers, the citizens were genuinely alarmed.

The government's elite prodigies outnumbered and outclassed the top talents from the Aristocratic Alliance!

"What's next is anyone's guess. Just how powerful are these government elites?"

While their ability to outmatch the aristocratic prodigies has demonstrated their strength, people remain skeptical until they see them in action.

On the screen, the War God at the center has already turned to leave.

This round of groupings has been finalized.

256 competitors, divided into eight groups.

Each group consists of 32 individuals.

And within these groups, they are further split into upper and lower halves.

Each seeded player is placed in one half.

Thus, the upcoming battles are straightforward.

Essentially, this division creates sixteen mini-groups, with the champion of each earning a spot in the national battle!

"We can view it as sixteen people per group, meaning each will have to compete in four rounds..."

"Watch out. I believe this year's high school exams are going to be exceptionally thrilling."

"Absolutely. The rivalry between the government and the Aristocratic Alliance is evident in this year's exams..."

As the discussion continues, staff members have made their way to the center of the Martial Arts Stadium.

They are setting up the arena.

The first and second stages of the assessment must be completed within a single day, leaving no room for delay.

These stages are not so much assessments as they are straightforward tests.

The third stage spans three days.

As for the fourth stage, the national exams...

The duration is longer and will vary depending on how the competition unfolds.

Sometimes it might take over ten days to conclude, while other times it could be just a few.

This time around...

Many anticipate that it won't be brief!

The national battle is scheduled for a month from now, giving ample time for the assessments.

Soon enough, the Eight Direction Arena is fully constructed.

The vastness of the Fairmoor Martial Arts Center is such that even with the arena in place, there's still no sense of crowding.

It's important to note that these arenas are massive, spanning tens of thousands of square meters each.

The Eight Direction Arena stood silently, ready for the battles to commence.

"Eight matches will take place simultaneously."

"First up is the competition for the first group..."

The examination proceeded group by group. Once every group had completed the first round, the second round would begin immediately.

As such, the pace at the beginning might seem slow, but as the competition advances and fewer contestants remain, the pace will quicken.

"Members of the first group in the upper bracket, please get ready. You're up first."

Chu Yi had already risen to his feet. Lee Zi offered no words of encouragement, as they were unnecessary.

Even if Chu Yi were to battle other seeded players, Lee Zi saw no cause for suspense.

All the contenders from the upper half of the first group had gathered in the Eight Direction Arena.

Within this group, including Chu Yi, there were only four individuals from the Aristocratic Alliance. The remaining twelve were elite prodigies from the government.

Undoubtedly, this was an astonishingly high number.

Chu Yi's upcoming battle was drawing considerable attention, especially since he was the seeded player of the upper half of the first group. Based on the published rankings, Chu Yi was regarded as the top contender in this national examination.

Of course, the intense focus on Chu Yi was also because his opponent was a formidable genius from the government.

This detail was crucial.

Even those skeptical of Chu Yi conceded that the government's elite genius would likely pose little threat to him, yet this battle was anticipated to reveal a glimpse of the government geniuses' capabilities.

More importantly, it would showcase a portion of Chu Yi's own strength!

And so...

"Let the battle begin!"

As the announcement echoed, the sixteen competitors on the arena sprang into action!

In that moment, an overwhelming presence burst forth.

The crowd was astounded.

Among them were formidable figures, not as powerful as the elite, but still recognized as strong by the public, like those known as Gold.

Thus, they immediately sensed the powerful auras emanating from the contestants on the arena.

"Diamonds!"

"They're all diamonds!"

Utter shock, an incomparable sense of astonishment!