C272 Lee Zi's Anticipation

Today marks the fifth day of the national examination, and the group stage is wrapping up for both the upper and lower brackets.

At the heart of the venue, government officials were busy making adjustments.

The previously square platforms in the center had been merged into two larger ones.

These remaining platforms were significantly larger!

With a full day ahead, there was ample time for eight matches.

Each of the two platforms was designated for a group.

Promptly at eight o'clock, the matches commenced.

Chu Yi was already standing in the arena.

His adversary was the final contender from the upper half of the first group.

As for the strength of his opponent—

Chu Yi had no clue about it, nor did he bother to find out.

He hadn't even paid attention to the seeded players; his only concern was Lee Zi's adversary.

Chu Yi might have been indifferent, but his opponent was anything but.

Despite having braced himself for this encounter and having tried to convince himself that he was not much weaker than Chu Yi, facing Chu Yi in person instilled a genuine fear in him.

Yes, fear.

Chu Yi, devoid of any intimidating aura, appeared utterly unremarkable. Yet, it was precisely this unassuming demeanor that filled the formidable foe with dread.

After all, Chu Yi had maintained this same composure against every opponent he faced.

But at the onset of the match, Chu Yi could suppress his opponent in an instant!

For the formidable foe, failure was not the issue.

He had not chosen an unbeatable path, and he had faced defeat more than once. So, failure was not what he feared. What truly mattered to him was the overwhelming sensation of being instantly suppressed by Chu Yi—rendered unable to fight back, feeling utterly worthless.

For someone of their extraordinary caliber, this was the most intolerable outcome.

Thus, at this moment, the formidable foe was genuinely terrified...

Chu Yi watched his opponent silently, waiting for the match to begin.

Though physically present on the stage, his thoughts were with Young Master Lee.

He pondered whether this time Lee Zi would need to unleash her full potential and hidden strength.

After all, Young Master Lee's capabilities were already formidable, and coupled with the trump cards provided by his family, if unleashed...

Chu Yi found himself momentarily preoccupied.

However, to his opponent, it seemed certain that Chu Yi was contemplating the most effective way to achieve dominance in the upcoming battle.

Chu Yi had become the epitome of a "fast man" in the eyes of many, a veritable one-punch wonder!

With just one punch, he had dispatched every challenger...

Reflecting on this, the formidable opponent finally found the courage to speak: "Chu Yi, you... just give up!"

"I will not... I won't be defeated by a single punch—"

"Begin!"

The referee announced the start of the match.

Then—

Bang...

Down to the ground.

It was over...

Chu Yi looked over at the formidable opponent struggling to rise outside the ring, his gaze somewhat bewildered.

"What were you trying to say just now?"

Upon hearing this, the opponent could no longer stand, spitting out a mouthful of blood before collapsing into unconsciousness.

Hmm... Whether he truly fainted or feigned it was a secret only he knew...

The surrounding opponents twitched their mouths slightly; they weren't fools and had guessed what he had intended to say.

However, many now regarded Chu Yi with something akin to fear.

It was unavoidable. Being knocked out with a single punch was not just humiliating, but also a profound psychological blow.

That was the hardest part to come to terms with.

As supreme talents, they found it unbearable to be unable to withstand even a casual punch from a peer...

Without another word, Chu Yi shrugged his shoulders and walked away from the ring.

The first group's upper bracket matches had concluded.

Seeded player Chu Yi had effortlessly secured his spot in the top sixteen.

This also meant that Chu Yi had secured his place in the national competition...

Aside from Chu Yi's battle, the other matches were somewhat predictable.

Take, for instance, the clash between the genius from the lower bracket and his opponent.

The opponent had demonstrated considerable strength to have come this far, clearly a cut above the rest.

While not on par with the seeded players, he was able to put up a real fight.

Even in defeat, he made the seeded players work for their victory.

Of course, none of this concerned Chu Yi. At the moment, he was at Lee Zi's side, calmly awaiting the start of her match.

The second round was about to begin.

The battle for the second group commenced, pitting two races and their top geniuses against each other. The level of excitement was on par with that of the first group—well, specifically the latter half of the first group's battle. Each contender who had made it into the top thirty-two was nearly at the level of a seeded player. They might not be able to stand against the actual seeds, but they were virtually invincible against anyone else.

Had it not been for Lee Zi, her previous opponent—an elite monster with dual genetic powers—would have been at this level. But now, Lee Zi had taken their place.

The morning session featured four rounds of competition. Aside from Chu Yi's matches, which lacked any real suspense, the other battles were quite impressive, sending the blood of over ten billion viewers racing.

During the midday break, everyone was eagerly awaiting the next round, unaware that several new figures had appeared in the venue.

"I say, Cage, is this the pinnacle of strength in the Adirang Region?" asked a blond youth with a hint of disdain.

"Are these so-called seeded players really going to be our opponents?" he continued, scoffing at the thought.

Cage, accustomed to such remarks, understood that to the Lionheart King, anyone less powerful than himself was considered worthless. This wasn't a slight against the Adirang Region's geniuses specifically, but rather a general disdain for all who didn't measure up to his standards. To date, Cage had yet to encounter anyone at the same level who could best the Lionheart King.

"Reinhard, can we just focus on the match, please?" Cage pleaded, a touch of exasperation in his voice. He glanced around at the hostile looks they were receiving, feeling that if Reinhard didn't keep quiet, they might not even make it to the international competition before meeting an untimely end.

Reinhard, sensing the gravity of their situation, finally quieted down. Cage breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that while these competitors were their current opponents, they were not their ultimate challenge.

Reinhard cast a doubtful glance at Cage. Despite Cage's youth, his talent and wisdom had long since earned him a role in the family business. Cage's primary enterprise was the trade of intelligence, and in that realm, he was unmatched.

"Our true adversaries," Cage explained, "are the Invincible Geniuses, shrouded in secrecy by the noble houses and the Adirang Region government. They may be few, but they are formidable."

Indeed, Cage saw the situation as a selection process, a contest for spots in the national war. The so-called national examination was, in essence, a qualifier.

"Those Invincible Geniuses are fearsomely powerful," Cage continued. "They might even rival Reinhard in strength."

At these words, a flicker of caution crossed Reinhard's eyes. He was confident in his status as the mightiest young genius under the heavens, yet he was not blindly arrogant. If he were to encounter a true top-tier opponent, his respect and attentiveness would surpass anyone's expectations. Reinhard's complex nature was precisely what allowed him to respect any adversary and consistently emerge victorious in battle, without ever capsizing.

"I detest such schemes," Reinhard remarked, referring to the tactic of concealing powerful contenders. "But my love for this land remains unwavering."

The afternoon battles commenced swiftly, losing none of the morning's intensity. Yet, as the first round for the fifth group began, the audience's patience had begun to wane.

While the morning matches had been thrilling, that didn't necessarily mean the same level of anticipation carried over to the afternoon's events. The reason was straightforward: Lee Zi was set to compete later in the day.

The impending clash between Lee Zi and Young Master Lee required no embellishment; anyone with common sense could predict it would be a monumental showdown. Lee Zi was a contender whose prowess was on par with the established seeded players.

Initially, many doubted Lee Zi's capabilities, believing her to be too inexperienced to make significant progress. Yet, through four subsequent battles, she consistently overpowered her adversaries, ascending to the pinnacle of competition.

Despite no apparent advancement in her realm, Lee Zi's strength was undeniable in the eyes of many. She was a legitimate seeded player; the only thing she lacked was formal recognition.

While most of the public, including several formidable figures, already considered Lee Zi a seeded player, this acknowledgment fell short of true acceptance. To earn that, Lee Zi had to engage in battle.

She needed to face off against a seasoned seeded player—only through such a confrontation could Lee Zi's might be validated, cementing her rightful place among the elite. This battle was destined to be that proving ground.

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