C287 The Magical Equipment(1)
The battles unfolding were far from what the seeded players had anticipated.
As seeded players, they embodied the pinnacle of combat prowess within the entire Adirang Region, each backed by formidable and fearsome support. Yet, this did not imply they were indifferent to their reputations.
There are those among the strong who disregard such matters, focusing solely on tangible benefits.
But these individuals are often of an older generation.
Let's not overlook the fact that these seeded players, despite their near-supernatural abilities, comparable to High Order Diamond or even the apex of Diamond Level, are still of a youthful age!
These competitors are, at their core, just young people!
And with youth comes an innate desire to showcase one's abilities and to seek validation from the masses.
This desire is magnified in such a competitive setting, where they long to make a mark even more.
Initially, their profound backgrounds propelled them into the ranks of High Order Gold.
In years past, this would have been a staggering achievement, the epitome of success.
Consider that historically, in the National Examinations, achieving Silver was enough to be deemed the top performer. Reaching Elementary Gold was, in eras blessed with talent, a feat that shook the annals of history.
But now, wielding power on par with Diamond Level, they have set a new historical benchmark!
Despite the prevalence of such exceptional talent in this year's National Examinations, it doesn't diminish their might or the dread they inspire.
Yet, the outcome was unforeseen by all.
Their debut failed to stir any excitement; many spectators remained unimpressed, even bored.
The blame falls squarely on Chu Yi and Zhao Wuheng!
They were meant to simply warm up the crowd, but instead, they ignited a fire that left everyone else struggling to follow.
In such situations, there's no easy explanation—it's simply the harsh reality.
They had no choice but to come to terms with it...
The second match of the morning suffered the most from this shift in energy, and the afternoon's contests were hardly an improvement.
In truth, the afternoon battles saw both sides unleashing their full potential, pushing their abilities to the limit, and even deploying their most lethal secret techniques—those closely guarded within their families or by the government.
But alas...
It was a shame!
The afternoon bouts were indeed an improvement over the morning's, but only marginally so.
At the very least, countless people were still being selective.
It's important to note that in the two afternoon battles, three individuals were severely injured!
Even with their families' most prized treasures, a full recovery would not be a simple matter.
Fortunately, with two days remaining before their next match, there was still hope for these injured seeded players to make a decent recovery...
In his room, Chu Yi lay quietly on the bed, his gaze vacant.
While he appeared to be lost in thought, Chu Yi was, in fact, on high alert.
His awareness extended to every nook and cranny of the entire recovery center, ensuring that not even a fly could evade his detection.
This level of control over the situation allowed Chu Yi to relax considerably.
For others, maintaining such vigilance for several days would be exhausting, but for Chu Yi, it was a minor issue.
After all, compared to his experiences and the time spent in the Immortal Demon Temple, this was trivial.
Upon noticing the arrival of two individuals in the recovery center, Chu Yi's expression shifted.
The next moment, he vanished from the room.
Such speed was truly astounding, a feat only Chu Yi could accomplish.
The newcomers were none other than Reinhard and Cage.
Chu Yi thought Reinhard, despite his remarkable talent, was somewhat lacking in intellect.
He must have invested all his intelligence points into his talent; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such a foolish move.
For some inexplicable reason, he wanted to become sworn brothers at their first meeting, as if we were still living in ancient times.
The idea of a young hero seeking to form bonds with five great warriors was outdated.
Since last night, they had somehow obtained his number and began incessantly harassing him.
Even after Chu Yi blocked him, Reinhard persisted, using different numbers to continue the harassment.
He bombarded Chu Yi with a plethora of ancient poems and references to classical texts, all to prove one thing:
that their brotherhood was fated by the heavens, and that together, they were destined to forge a legendary tale.
Chu Yi felt utterly tormented by the ordeal.
However, it was admittedly rare and somewhat impressive that someone from Oleini could recite so many anecdotes and verses from Adirang's rich heritage.
It's worth noting that even the so-called literary masters Chu Yi encountered in his past life might not hold a candle to Reinhardt.
Admiration aside, Chu Yi was truly irritated.
He was itching to give Reinhardt a piece of his mind and, if possible, a good thrashing.
Unfortunately, in Fairmoor, he was powerless to act.
Chu Yi was well aware that if Reinhardt were to unleash his full potential, defeating him wouldn't be an easy task.
If Reinhardt were an enemy, it would be a different story.
Chu Yi would draw him to a secluded spot and overpower him with sheer force.
Reinhardt had pushed him to the point where Chu Yi had no desire to speak of martial spirit; he just wanted to end it quickly for some peace of mind.
But Reinhardt's status was of great significance.
He was a contestant poised to compete in the national battle for the Oleini region.
And Chu Yi was certain that Reinhardt was the top contender in Oleini.
His identity was incredibly delicate; any mishap in Fairmoor could lead to more than just a casualty.
Thus, Chu Yi felt utterly at a loss with Reinhardt, merely wishing for the national exams to conclude so he could leave and keep his distance.
Upon their arrival, Reinhardt and Cage had barely stepped foot in the area when Reinhardt halted.
Cage gave Reinhardt a look of exasperation.
He wouldn't have bothered coming if not for Reinhardt's insistence.
Cage thought Reinhardt must be obsessed; why else would he so persistently seek out Chu Yi to become blood brothers?
After all, if Reinhardt expressed a desire for a sworn brother in Oleini, he'd likely have volunteers lining up across the region!
Chu Yi was decent, Cage conceded that.
Just decent, though. Through Reinhardt's influence, Chu Yi had become the next prodigy after Reinhardt in Cage's estimation.
But that didn't justify Reinhardt's lack of dignity.
Indeed, Cage saw Reinhardt's behavior as downright shameless.
He truly hadn't wanted to accompany Reinhardt on this visit.
However, he had no choice. Reinhardt had been acting out of character these past few days, and he feared something untoward might happen.
So, despite knowing it would be humiliating, Cage still followed Reinhardt to this place.
Maybe this is what true love is...
"Why have you stopped?"
Cage was puzzled to see Reinhardt come to a halt.
After all, it was Reinhardt who had been insistent about coming here.
"Let's go..."
Cage didn't know why, but he couldn't help the surge of elation in his eyes.
"You've finally seen the light."
Reinhardt gave Cage a look and nodded solemnly. "Yes, I've finally seen the light."
Cage was so overjoyed he was on the verge of tears, but Reinhardt's next words sent him crashing down from cloud nine.
"It must have been my lack of sincerity before; my little brother just couldn't see me as his big brother!"
"So, I must redouble my efforts..."
The smile that had just appeared on Cage's face instantly stiffened.
What could he say?
What was there to say?
If he could have bested Reinhardt, Cage probably would have lost his temper by now...
Reinhardt's gaze was profound.
He was well aware that his behavior was shameful.
Who was he?
He was the Lionheart King, Reinhardt!
He was the preeminent figure among Oleini's younger generation, the absolute idol of countless admirers!
Yet...
Reinhardt sighed internally.
He was conscious of his talent, his strength, and the true significance of his heritage.
