Free Web NovelChapter 171: The End of Round Two
The Battle God Arena remained noisy as the second round entered its final hour.
The initial madness had long since settled.
Most participants who lacked strength had already been eliminated. The remaining five hundred seats changed owners less frequently now, and the battlefield had divided itself naturally into zones controlled by powerful individuals.
The central area belonged to monsters.
Mark Smith sat calmly with his eyes closed. The Serpent Spirit Sword resting beside him emitted faint pressure that discouraged challengers from approaching. Emma Rock had become another forbidden zone. The stone floor around her seat was cracked from previous battles, serving as a warning to anyone considering a challenge.
Leo Clark remained seated near the center as well, while several other famous geniuses successfully defended their positions.
The outer regions told a different story.
Every few minutes another battle erupted.
Someone would lose a seat.
Someone would gain one.
Someone would be thrown across the arena.
The competition had transformed into a battle of endurance.
The spectators watching through the live broadcast found themselves increasingly impressed by the hidden talents emerging from the tournament.
Several unknown participants continued surviving despite lacking family support.
The bald monk remained seated while calmly chanting scriptures.
The giant carrying an iron pillar appeared as stable as a mountain.
The mysterious woman with the bamboo umbrella continued defeating challengers without revealing her full strength.
Many powerful families quietly took notes.
The Golden Heir Tournament wasn’t merely a competition.
It was also an opportunity to discover future talents.
Meanwhile, Tony Clark continued doing what he did best.
Absolutely nothing.
He occupied his seat near the edge of the battlefield and looked so relaxed that many people wanted to hit him.
Julie sat beside him.
Lily occupied another nearby stool.
The three of them had become a familiar sight on the projection screens.
Every time the commentators showed Tony, spectators either laughed or complained.
The reason was simple.
While hundreds of participants struggled desperately to protect their positions, Tony looked as though he had arrived to watch a show rather than participate in one.
At one point he even yawned.
The live audience nearly exploded.
"How is he still sitting there?"
"Nobody is challenging him."
"Would you challenge him?"
"...Good point."
As the final thirty minutes approached, the atmosphere became increasingly tense. freewebnovёl.ƈom
Participants who had spent the entire competition hiding their strength finally began making desperate moves.
Several challengers launched attacks against stronger opponents in hopes of stealing better positions.
Others attempted surprise attacks.
One elderly cultivator successfully stole a seat after waiting patiently for nearly two hours.
Another participant lost his position with only twenty minutes remaining.
The cruelty of the competition became fully apparent.
The closer the end approached, the more desperate people became.
Near the western section of the arena, a young participant suddenly lost his seat after an exhausting battle. The moment he hit the ground, he stared blankly at the stool that had been taken from him.
Three hours.
Three hours of effort.
Gone within seconds.
The sight caused many spectators to sigh.
Such scenes had repeated throughout the entire afternoon.
Not everyone could win. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Not everyone could advance.
That was the reality of competition.
High above the arena, Vice Principal Merlin observed everything calmly.
Beside him, several elders discussed the performances they had witnessed.
"This generation is stronger than expected."
"The hidden talents are especially interesting."
"The World Tree competition should become very entertaining."
One elder nodded.
"Particularly after reducing the final spots to two hundred and sixty-four."
The others agreed.
The real competition hadn’t even begun yet.
These rounds merely selected who would earn the right to compete for those precious positions.
As time continued passing, the remaining participants gradually stopped provoking unnecessary conflicts.
Nobody wanted to lose a seat during the final moments.
Even the most aggressive challengers became cautious.
The giant clock displayed above the arena slowly approached zero.
Ten minutes.
Five minutes.
Three minutes.
The spectators stood from their seats.
The surviving participants tightened their grips on weapons.
Several final battles erupted across the battlefield.
One desperate cultivator launched a reckless attack and managed to steal a seat with less than a minute remaining.
The crowd erupted.
The atmosphere reached its peak.
Then the final countdown began.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
The entire arena joined together.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Participants held their breath.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
BOOOOOONG!!!
A deep bell echoed throughout the Battle God Arena.
The sound rolled across the battlefield before gradually fading into silence.
At that exact moment, every ongoing battle stopped.
The competition had officially ended.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then Vice Principal Merlin rose to his feet.
His voice echoed clearly throughout the arena.
"The second round has concluded. Congratulations to the five hundred participants who successfully retained their positions. You have advanced to the next stage of the Golden Heir Tournament."
Thunderous applause erupted from every direction.
Some participants smiled.
Others collapsed from exhaustion.
Several looked as though they could hardly believe they had succeeded.
Julie released a long breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.
"We survived."
Tony glanced at her.
"Did you ever doubt it?"
Julie immediately pointed at the battlefield.
"Half the people here got eliminated. Of course I doubted it."
Lily couldn’t help smiling.
Although she remained calm outwardly, even she felt relieved.
The pressure of the second round had been greater than expected.
Merlin waited until the applause subsided before continuing.
"The remaining five hundred participants will receive details regarding the third round this evening. You are advised to rest, recover, and prepare yourselves."
His expression gradually became serious.
"Because from this point onward, every round will bring you closer to the World Tree Blessing."
Those words immediately reignited excitement throughout the arena.
Five hundred remained.
Only two hundred and sixty-four would ultimately enter the World Tree.
The path was narrowing rapidly.
As participants began leaving the battlefield, discussions immediately spread through the crowd.
Predictions.
Rankings.
Rumors.
Everyone wanted to know the same thing.
What would the third round be?
And more importantly...
Who would survive it?
