URBAN VILLAIN SYSTEM

Chapter 168: News About Second-Round

The first round ended amidst cheers, disappointment, and endless discussions.

Thousands of eliminated participants slowly left the mountain region while the thousand successful qualifiers gathered near the central stage. The giant projection screens floating above the academy continuously replayed important moments from the competition. Every famous genius had become the topic of discussion.

Mark Smith was the first person to obtain a flag.

Emma Rock bulldozed through multiple challengers.

Several hidden talents shocked the world.

And Tony Clark...

Tony Clark somehow managed to make people angry despite qualifying successfully.

Even now, many participants complained about him.

Not because he cheated.

Not because he broke any rules.

But because his method felt shameless.

While everyone else fought through pressure formations, climbed dangerous routes, and battled dozens of competitors, Tony seemed to appear exactly where opportunities emerged.

Nobody could prove anything.

Yet many people felt uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, near the academy grounds, Julie Frost finally emerged from the crowd.

The moment she stepped into the resting area, her legs nearly gave out.

Her clothes were stained with dust. Sweat soaked her back. Her breathing remained uneven despite the competition having ended several minutes ago.

Unlike Lily, who possessed overwhelming talent and advanced relatively comfortably, Julie had experienced a nightmare.

Ever since obtaining her flag, she had spent almost two hours protecting it.

Every person she met seemed interested in robbing her.

Every path contained opponents.

Every shortcut contained ambushes.

By the time she finally reached the qualification stage, she felt more exhausted than after a life-and-death battle.

Just then, a familiar figure appeared before her.

Tony.

When Julie saw him, she immediately walked forward and leaned against him without caring about appearances.

The exhaustion in her body was simply too much.

Tony laughed while supporting her shoulders.

"Julie, congratulations. Looking at you now, I can confidently say you’ve earned your place among the top thousand."

Julie closed her eyes and groaned.

"Don’t congratulate me. I don’t even want to think about flags anymore. Ever since I came down from the mountain, I’ve been fighting without stopping. One group tried to rob me near the eastern ridge, another group ambushed me near the valley, and after escaping those people I somehow attracted another three idiots who followed me all the way to the central stage. If I hear the word ’flag’ one more time today, I’m going to punch someone."

Tony nodded seriously.

"A reasonable reaction."

Julie opened one eye.

"Easy for you to say."

At that moment Lily arrived as well.

Compared to her younger sister, she appeared far more composed. There was some dust on her clothes and a few signs of battle, but nothing serious.

The difference between their performances was obvious.

Julie looked at Tony again.

Then she looked at Lily.

Then back at Tony.

Her expression immediately became suspicious.

"You know what annoys me the most?"

Tony already knew this conversation would be dangerous.

"What?"

Julie pointed at him.

"You don’t look tired."

Tony smiled.

"Natural talent."

Lily immediately snorted.

"Talent?"

Tony looked toward her.

Lily crossed her arms.

"You’re the last person who should talk about talent today. I watched what happened. Hundreds of people were risking their lives trying to reach hidden flag locations while you wandered around looking bored. Then you suddenly appeared near one of the hidden areas and snatched a flag right under the noses of people who spent almost an hour reaching it. Even now I still don’t know whether you’re lucky, shameless, or secretly receiving help from heaven."

Tony coughed.

"I prefer the word efficient."

Julie immediately laughed despite her exhaustion.

"See? That’s exactly why people get angry when talking about you."

Tony spread his hands.

"Did I break any rules?"

"No."

"Did I steal somebody’s flag after they obtained it?"

"No."

"Then what’s the problem?"

Lily stared at him for several seconds.

"The problem is that your face makes people want to hit you."

Julie nodded immediately.

"Agreed."

For the first time all day, all three of them laughed.

The tension from the competition slowly faded.

Around them, countless participants were discussing the same thing.

The second round.

The announcement from Academy Master Da Vinci had already spread across the entire academy.

Five hundred stone stools.

One thousand participants.

Five hundred survivors. freewёbnoνel.com

The rules sounded simple.

Which made them terrifying.

Julie’s smile disappeared first.

"I have a bad feeling about tomorrow."

Tony looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because there are exactly five hundred stools and exactly one thousand participants. That means every single person walking into the arena already knows half of us are going home. Nobody needs to search for flags. Nobody needs to explore mountains. The moment the competition starts, everyone will rush toward the same location."

Lily nodded thoughtfully.

"The first round tested awareness and adaptability. Tomorrow’s round will test strength directly. Once someone sits on a stool, they’ll immediately become a target."

The more they discussed it, the uglier the situation appeared.

Every stool would become a battlefield.

Every qualified participant would be fighting for territory.

Temporary alliances would emerge.

Family members would cooperate.

Strong participants would likely dominate entire sections of the arena.

The weaker ones would be forced into desperate battles for the remaining positions.

Far away, the Battle God Arena stood illuminated beneath the evening sky.

The massive structure resembled a sleeping beast waiting for dawn.

Inside the arena, five hundred stone stools had already been placed.

Tomorrow they would become the center of attention for the entire martial world.

Mark Smith would enter.

Emma Rock would enter.

Leo Clark.

Kevin Clark.

Jean White.

Hank Cooper.

Hidden geniuses.

Old Peak Grandmasters.

Every survivor of the first round would gather there.

And somewhere among them stood Tony Clark, who remained surprisingly calm despite the growing tension.

As they prepared to leave the competition grounds, Tony glanced toward the distant Battle God Arena and smiled faintly.

The first round had been a game of opportunity.

The second round would be a game of strength.

And unlike most people, he was actually looking forward to it.