After deducting two small cakes from He Yuan in his heart, Luo Qi finally became happy. Humming a tune, he walked at the forefront with Ye Mu, and the group headed towards the gymnasium.
Luo Qi also remembered his disguise. To remain low-key, he not only put on sunglasses for himself but also for the remaining three. kuAiδugg
Little did they know that such an outfit made them even more conspicuous in the eyes of others.
In the stadium, many people had already arrived early to prepare for the first challenge match.
Although the stadium was indoors, it occupied a large area. Besides the metal wall that could accommodate the entire grade, as Luo Qi and the others had seen last time, many areas were also demarcated.
The entire gymnasium could accommodate all the students of the primary school, with designated areas for competition and spectating.
At this moment, everyone was gathered near one of the competition grounds. The ground was enclosed by special ropes, and spectator seats were set up around it.
Luo Qi pulled Ye Mu and the other two to find a corner seat in the spectator area and asked in a low voice, "See who is challenging?"
Ye Mu pointed to two students sitting in the lowest row of the stands. They were both wearing combat suits that allowed for easy movement, appearing to be the two who would compete shortly.
The people around them consciously avoided the two, allowing Luo Qi to clearly see the seriousness on their faces.
They seemed to be facing a formidable enemy in the upcoming match.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at Ye Mu, pondering, "If the challenged succeeds, the challenger will leave the school. What if the challenger succeeds?"
Ye Mu shook his head, "Then the challenged will have no other consequences besides being removed from the rankings.
But if they want to get back on the list, they will become the new challenger."
He Yuan chuckled, "Isn't it interesting? The positions of challenger and challenged are constantly shifting.
The school uses all conditions to force students to constantly improve."
He frowned, pursed his lips, and wore a very profound expression, "Honestly, I'm starting to fall in love with this school."
Ye Mu scoffed, "You never speak the truth."
He Yuan laughed heartily, "Seeing little Luo Luo nervous, I was just joking."
Luo Qi pouted. He wasn't nervous at all. He was being cautious and prudent; knowing oneself and the enemy leads to victory!
Just as he was about to retort to He Yuan, he saw the two people at the bottom of the stands stand up, ready to begin the match.
Luo Qi swallowed the words that were about to come out, secretly deducting another small cake from He Yuan in his heart.
The two stood up steadily and walked onto the circular arena built of sturdy stone.
To make it formal, a teacher from the primary school even came to act as the referee to determine the winner of the match.
Luo Qi had not seen this teacher before. His hair and beard were white, but he was energetic and commanded respect just by sitting there.
The surrounding audience spontaneously quieted down. This challenge might affect the situation of the challenge matches in the coming days, and everyone was looking forward to and predicting the follow-up of this match.
The two on the stage bowed to each other with clasped fists and raised their hands to press their weapon pouches at their waists.
The teacher, acting as the referee, waved his hand, his voice carrying spiritual power to every corner of the stands, while also ensuring that the sound remained within this range.
"Challenging parties, first-year freshmen, ranked ninety-ninth.
Rules for this challenge: weapons are permitted, combat techniques are permitted. The winner will be judged by one party being expelled from the arena or losing the ability to fight.
Internal school sparring, friendship first, competition second, stop when appropriate, no killing blows, no bringing personal grudges into the arena.
This match will be officiated by myself. Are there any further questions?"
Both contestants shook their heads. The teacher smiled and raised his hand, signaling that the match was about to begin.
Luo Qi couldn't help but clench his fists. The moment the teacher lowered his hand, the two participants simultaneously drew their weapons from their weapon pouches.
These capsule-like weapon pouches were made using special spatial compression technology, allowing weapons to be stored within them. On the battlefield, they were often the last resort for a warrior's survival.
However, in schools where high-damage weapons like lasers and particles were not allowed, these cumbersome cold weapons were the most practical.
With a flash at their waists, one took out a long sword, and the other took out two short daggers.
The long sword and daggers were different from the ones Luo Qi had seen on Planet Gu Di before. Both the material and the design had undergone some changes, but Luo Qi still watched with great interest.
The moment the daggers and the long sword appeared, the two unhesitatingly charged at each other.
The metal sword body gleamed with a cold light under the indoor lighting, stabbing straight towards the enemy. The other person, with dual daggers as agile as their own arms, parried and stabbed, not only easily blocking the opponent's attack but also returning the offensive.
The brief clash of a few seconds ended as quickly as it began, and the two retreated to their original positions, with a hint of solemnity in their eyes.
Ye Mu suddenly asked Luo Qi quietly, "Who do you think will win?"
Luo Qi shook his head. It was still difficult to tell who would win. However, a longer weapon had an advantage. If judging by the weapons, the one holding the long sword seemed to have a greater chance of winning.
Ye Mu did not reply after hearing this and continued to watch the stage.
The two had already engaged again. The one holding the daggers indeed seemed to be constantly evading the attacks of the long sword.
A slight swing of the long sword could cover most of his escape routes, so he could only retreat along the path planned by the enemy until his throat was finally exposed to the sword, or he was simply forced off the high platform.
However, he wielded the pair of daggers with great power, constantly making a whistling sound as they cut through the air, and when they clashed with the long sword, they produced crisp sounds of metal striking metal.
Suddenly, Ye Mu said, "The one with the daggers is about to win."
Luo Qi frowned in confusion, "But..."
On the stage, the contestant holding the daggers had been forced into a corner, his hands trembling slightly from the impact of the blows.
The opponent, as if strolling leisurely, pressed forward step by step, forcing him to the edge of the high platform.
"Isn't he about to lose?"
Ye Mu smiled without speaking. The contestant holding the long sword seemed to share Luo Qi's opinion, so he raised both hands, holding the sword, and slashed down at the opponent.
The opponent's expression sharpened, and he also raised both hands, holding the daggers to block the long sword.
At the critical moment, the person suddenly released his hands, bent slightly along the angle of the falling long sword, and with a tricky maneuver, circled behind the opponent.
The resistance from the long sword suddenly disappeared. The two daggers fell to the ground with a clatter, and then the long sword in the person's hand also fell to the ground, leaving a long mark.
The person behind him lightly pushed, and without any resistance, he fell from the high platform, landing heavily on the ground.