Saturday, November 1st.
Liu Yi stood on the hotel room's balcony, her hands resting on the railing, her gaze fixed on the distant cluster of floating islands shrouded in mist.
Jinyao lay on her shoulder, its golden fur gently swaying in the morning breeze. Its small paws gripped her collar tightly, the entire lion draped around her neck.
It wasn't fully awake yet, its eyes half-open, occasionally letting out a small yawn before tucking itself back in.
“Today’s the last day,” Liu Yi said softly.
Ziyue’s ears twitched, and it looked up at her.
“Bingbing.”
Yes, the last day.
Chiying opened its eyes, its crimson gaze calmly fixed on the distance.
Jinyao poked its head out from her shoulder, its golden eyes still sleepy as it stared blankly at the distant floating islands.
“Yanyan?”
The last day? The last day of what?
“It’s the last day of the first stage of the competition,” Liu Yi said, reaching out to rub its small head. “After today, the first stage will be over.”
“Yanyan! Yanyan!”
Does that mean we can go home after this? I can see Boxing Bunny!
Last week, when Liu Yi was on a video call with Auntie Chen, Jinyao had somehow made plans with Boxing Bunny to have a battle once they got home.
Ever since then, it had been looking forward to going home.
“That’s right.”
Liu Yi smiled and turned to walk back into the room.
On the coffee table were Ziyue’s and Chiying’s latent energy pills and Jinyao’s nutrient solution.
The three pets each began to eat.
Liu Yi sat on the sofa, picked up her phone, and opened the School Team group chat.
【Wei Xiuyu: @everyone Today is the last day. We are currently still ranked first, leading Monte Beast Taming Academy by 12 points and Skywing High School by 18 points. Everyone, play your matches well and don’t slack off just because it’s the last day.】
Liu Yi replied with “Understood” and then exited the group chat.
For the third week and the first five days of this week, most of her opponents were second-year students, with a few third-year students occasionally, but none of them had Advanced pets.
Although those matches weren't as easy as the first week's, there wasn't much suspense. Ziyue and Chiying took turns competing, winning what they should and earning every point.
But today was different.
Liu Yi tapped open the Beast Tamer Forum and entered the Monte Competition Zone section. Today, the section was exceptionally lively; the pinned post was a predictive analysis of the first stage’s final rankings, with over five hundred replies.
【OP: Monte Competition Zone First Stage Final Ranking Prediction (Personal Opinion)】
【1. Tianqi Beast Taming High School (Predicted Total Points: 2700-2750)】
【2. Monte Beast Taming Academy (Predicted Total Points: 2680-2730)】
【3. Skywing High School (Predicted Total Points: 2670-2720)】
...
【OP: Tianqi currently leads by 12 points, but this advantage isn’t stable. Today is the last day; if Tianqi’s main players unexpectedly lose points, Monte Beast Taming Academy could absolutely overtake them.】
【OP: Key matches: Liu Yi, Ouyang Qin, Li Chengying, Gao Xue. None of these four have weak opponents today, especially Liu Yi, whose opponent today is Monte Beast Taming Academy’s third-year student Ji Hongyuan.】
Ji Hongyuan.
A third-year student from Monte Beast Taming Academy, a Beast Tamer who owns the Advanced rank pet, Rockwing Giant Lizard. She had seen this name in the first week’s information.
【88L (Anonymous): Liu Yi is fighting Ji Hongyuan today? Isn’t that a guaranteed loss? Ji Hongyuan’s Rockwing Giant Lizard is Advanced rank, while Liu Yi’s pets are only Intermediate stage. No matter how strong her tactics are, the Level gap is there; she can’t possibly win.】
【92L (I’m Waving the Flag for Yi Bao): Don’t be so absolute, commenter above. Liu Yi has fought Advanced pets before, like Pei Yingwu’s Nightblade Wolf. Although that Nightblade Wolf didn’t listen to commands, it was still Advanced rank. Moreover, Liu Yi’s Chiying and Ziyue have excellent teamwork, as you saw in the match against Shui Heyu in the second week; the Burn status and Feather Dance’s weakening effects were completely ineffective against Chiying. While Ji Hongyuan is strong, it’s not without a chance.】
【103L (Anonymous): Heh, can Pei Yingwu’s Nightblade Wolf even compare to Ji Hongyuan’s Rockwing Giant Lizard? One is a disobedient good-for-nothing, the other is a partner of many years; they’re not even on the same level. If Liu Yi can last five minutes today, that’s a win.】
【117L (Ti Wangxing): Do you all look down on Liu Yi that much? When she fought Shui Heyu, Shui Heyu’s Molten Blast Lizard and Blazing Feather Eagle were also partners of many years, and what happened? She still won.】
【126L (Why Do You All Have Cheats!): Rational analysis. Liu Yi’s strengths lie in flexible tactics and diverse pet skills, while her weakness is the Level gap. Ji Hongyuan’s strengths are...】
Liu Yi finished reading the last comment and exited the post.
---
Sky Colosseum.
Today, the venue was exceptionally lively.
The final day of matches in the fourth week would determine the Monte Competition Zone’s final ranking for the first stage.
The large screen continuously displayed the points rankings and contestant information for each school, and the commentator’s voice echoed throughout the venue via a loudspeaker.
“Attention, everyone! Welcome to the final match day of the National High School League’s first stage in the Monte Competition Zone!”
“Currently, on the leaderboard, Tianqi Beast Taming High School holds a slight lead over Monte Beast Taming Academy and Skywing High School. Every match today could change the final rankings!”
“Without a doubt, the most anticipated match of this morning’s half-session is the one about to take place in Arena 1 in District A — first-year contestant Liu Yi from Tianqi Beast Taming High School, against third-year contestant Ji Hongyuan from Monte Beast Taming Academy!”
On the large screen, both contestants’ profiles were displayed side-by-side.
On the left, beneath Liu Yi’s photo, images of Silver Snow Fox and Moling Dragon slowly rotated. On the right, beneath Ji Hongyuan’s photo, images of Rockwing Giant Lizard and Windbell Bird were equally clear.
“Contestant Ji Hongyuan’s Rockwing Giant Lizard, Rock and Flying-type, Advanced rank! It has maintained a perfect record in previous matches!”
“And Contestant Liu Yi, as this competition’s biggest Dark Horse, has overcome all obstacles with her two Intermediate pets, even defeating opponents with Advanced pets! Can she create another miracle today?”
In the spectator stands, discussions rose and fell.
“Liu Yi versus Ji Hongyuan? How is she going to win that?”
“The Rockwing Giant Lizard is Advanced rank, and Ji Hongyuan isn’t like Pei Yingwu, who can’t even control his pet. His Rockwing Giant Lizard has been with him for several years, and they have excellent teamwork.”
“Didn’t Liu Yi beat Shui Heyu before? Shui Heyu is also a strong second-year contestant.”
“Shui Heyu’s pet is Intermediate stage, and Ji Hongyuan’s is Advanced rank. Can they be compared?”
“That’s not necessarily true. Liu Yi’s tactics have always been impressive; she might have a trump card.”
In the rest area, Li Chengying held Cloud Howler Sparrow, her eyes glued to the large screen.
“Senior Qin, do you think Liu Yi can win?”
Ouyang Qin leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, her gaze calm.
“I don’t know.”
“How can you not know!” Li Chengying exclaimed anxiously. “Haven’t you analyzed Ji Hongyuan’s match footage?”
“I have,” Ouyang Qin said. “The Rockwing Giant Lizard has extremely strong defense, with Rock Cannon for long-range attacks and Rock Armor Protection for close combat.”
“Then she can’t win, can she?” Li Chengying’s voice held a hint of frustration.
Rate on N.U.
