Gao Xue's reply followed immediately.
【Gao Xue: You arrived at the staging area at 7:30? Isn't your match at ten?】
【Li Chengying: Early preparation! That's professionalism!】
【Gao Xue: ...You're just nervous.】
【Li Chengying: No way! [Lightning Leopard looking guilty emoji]】
Liu Yi looked at the screen, a slight smile curving her lips.
【Wei Xiuyu: Today's matches are the first of the second week, and also the first of the cross-grade matching. Everyone, adjust your state; don't be nervous or underestimate the opponent because of their grade.】
【Ouyang Qin: Understood.】
【Gao Xue: Received.】
【Li Chengying: Received! [Cloud Howler Sparrow saluting emoji]】
【Wei Tan'an: Received.】
Liu Yi also replied "Received," then put her phone into her pocket.
...
The morning passed quickly in preparation.
As the elevator descended, her phone vibrated.
【Li Chengying: We won, we won! [Cloud Howler Sparrow showering flowers emoji] +10 points, feeling great!】
Gao Xue replied almost instantly.
【Gao Xue: I won too. How about Senior Qin?】
【Ouyang Qin: I won.】
【Li Chengying: What about Liu Yi? Has your match not started yet?】
【Liu Yi: 2:20 PM.】
【Li Chengying: That's still early! You get some rest; I'll wait for your good news! [Lightning Leopard clenching fist emoji]】
Liu Yi put away her phone just as the elevator stopped on the first floor.
In the lobby, several School Team members were discussing the morning matches. Seeing Liu Yi emerge, someone waved to her: "Liu Yi! Good luck this afternoon!"
She nodded and walked towards the door.
The maglev sightseeing vehicle arrived shortly.
Liu Yi found a window seat. Ziyue and Chiying had been recalled to her Beast Taming Space, leaving her side empty. She leaned back in her seat, watching the cluster of floating islands recede rapidly outside the window.
At 12:40 PM, she arrived at the Sky Colosseum.
There were already many people in the player tunnel; some were discussing the morning matches, while others quietly studied the afternoon battle schedule.
Liu Yi passed through the tunnel and arrived at the F-District staging area.
The F-District staging area was located on the third floor, south of the main arena.
There were already some contestants in the staging area.
Liu Yi found a window seat, from which she could clearly see the entirety of F-District Battle Zone 1.
F-District Battle Zone 1 consisted of four floating islands.
The two larger central floating islands rotated slowly in a double helix trajectory, intertwining and separating; the two smaller outer floating islands moved rapidly along irregular elliptical orbits, speeding up and slowing down, their paths unpredictable.
There were no direct connections between the four floating islands, only a surging sea of clouds and whistling high-altitude winds.
Liu Yi observed the movement patterns of the floating islands, her fingers unconsciously tapping on the armrest.
"Hello, is anyone sitting here?"
A voice came from beside her.
Liu Yi turned to see a girl standing next to her, holding a bottle of energy drink.
She was wearing the school uniform of Skywing High School.
"No," Liu Yi replied, looking away.
The girl sat in the empty seat beside her, unscrewed the drink, took a sip, and then followed Liu Yi's gaze out the window: "Looking at Zone 1?"
Liu Yi nodded.
"The floating island movement trajectory in that zone is the most complex in District F," the girl said. "The two central ones follow a double helix trajectory, and the two outer ones are on chaotic orbits. Everyone at our school calls it the 'meat grinder.' New students fighting in this kind of arena for the first time are almost guaranteed to get upset."
Liu Yi glanced at her. "Are you from Skywing High School?"
"Yes, a second-year," the girl smiled. "My name is Bai Lu, and I have a match later in Zone 3."
"Liu Yi."
"I know you," Bai Lu's eyes lit up. "The Beast Tamer with the Silver Snow Fox and Moling Dragon from Tianqi, right? Are you in Zone 1 later? Your opponent is Fang Mingming?"
"Mm."
Bai Lu's expression became subtle, and she hesitated before speaking: "Fang Mingming... how should I put it, he has strength, but he's a bit... overconfident."
She carefully chose her words. "His Balloon Sheep and Torrent Hound have been with him for a long time, and their cooperation is tacit. The Balloon Sheep has strong harassment abilities, and the Torrent Hound has good burst power. However..."
She paused, then lowered her voice: "He tends to underestimate opponents. Especially against junior opponents, he always feels there's nothing to fear from first-years."
Liu Yi's lips curved slightly. "Thanks for the heads-up."
Bai Lu waved her hand. "It's not really a warning, just something I happened to say. And besides," she looked Liu Yi up and down, "you got 60 points in the first week, so you're definitely not an easy opponent. Maybe Fang Mingming will get upset this time."
She stood up and patted her clothes. "I need to go prepare. Good luck, teach Fang Mingming a lesson!"
With that, she waved to Liu Yi and turned to walk deeper into the staging area.
...
At 2:10 PM, the staging area's broadcast chimed.
【Contestants for F-District Battle Zone 1, please proceed to the teleportation point. Repeat, contestants for F-District Battle Zone 1, please proceed to the teleportation point.】
Liu Yi stood up and walked towards the teleportation point.
The teleportation point was located at the end of the staging area, a circular platform about three meters in diameter. A staff member stood beside the platform; seeing her approach, he smiled and gestured for her to step on.
"Please stand in the center of the platform. You may feel a slight sense of weightlessness during teleportation; please do not panic."
Liu Yi nodded and stepped onto the platform.
A faint hum came from beneath her feet, followed by a flash of white light before her eyes.
When her vision cleared, she was already inside F-District Battle Zone 1.
Four floating islands slowly rotated around her; the two central ones followed a double helix trajectory, and the two outer ones moved rapidly along elliptical orbits.
The energy shield had already activated, a faint blue light film enveloping the entire area, isolating it from the whistling high-altitude winds outside.
Her maglev skateboard floated quietly beside her.
Liu Yi lightly leaped onto the skateboard, ascending to about ten meters in the air.
From this height, the movement trajectories of the four floating islands were even clearer. The two central islands were intertwining at a steady speed; the two outer ones, however, sped up and slowed down unpredictably.
Across from her, another figure simultaneously appeared.
It was a boy of medium build, wearing the school uniform of Monte Beast Taming Academy, with short hair and a somewhat nonchalant expression.
He ascended on his maglev skateboard, meeting Liu Yi's gaze across the distance.
Fang Mingming.
Their eyes met in mid-air. Fang Mingming looked Liu Yi up and down, a slight curve to his lips, as if amused by something.
Liu Yi's expression remained calm.
【F-District Battle Zone 1. National High School League, First Stage, Second Round, Match One: Liu Yi of Tianqi Beast Taming High School, against Fang Mingming of Monte Beast Taming Academy.】
A mechanical voice echoed throughout the battle zone.
Rate on N.U.
