Free Web NovelChapter 172: The Final Rules
The moment the bell signaled the end of the second round, a wave of relief spread across the Battle God Arena.
Participants who had spent three exhausting hours defending their seats finally relaxed. Some collapsed directly onto the stone floor. Others immediately consumed recovery pills. A few simply stared blankly into the distance as the tension left their bodies.
Five hundred remained.
Five hundred had fallen.
The tournament had reached its final selection phase.
As the participants began leaving the arena, one figure suddenly changed direction. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
Mark Smith.
The Imperial Family genius walked directly toward Tony without the slightest hesitation.
His movement immediately attracted attention.
After all, Mark Smith and Tony Clark were considered the two most discussed participants in the entire tournament.
One represented overwhelming strength.
The other represented overwhelming shamelessness.
People quickly slowed their steps.
Some openly stopped walking.
Even reporters hurriedly focused their cameras.
Mark stopped before Tony and looked him up and down.
His expression contained obvious contempt.
"You know, watching today’s competition was disappointing. I expected at least a little dignity from a Clark Family heir."
Julie immediately frowned.
Lily silently looked away.
Trouble had arrived.
Tony glanced at Mark lazily.
"Oh? Did you come all the way here just to praise me?"
Mark sneered.
"Praise you? You spent the entire competition hiding behind your reputation and bullying weak participants. If this wasn’t a tournament, I would almost admire your talent for shamelessness."
Several nearby spectators struggled not to laugh.
The description was surprisingly accurate.
Tony nodded thoughtfully.
Then he looked at Mark.
Then at the sword.
Then back at Mark.
Finally, he sighed.
"Mark, you’re supposed to be one of the strongest geniuses in the world. Why are you standing here crying about me? Shouldn’t somebody as powerful as you be preparing for tomorrow instead?"
The surrounding crowd immediately became interested.
Mark’s eyes narrowed.
Tony continued with a smile.
"Honestly, I’m already worried enough. I’ve been thinking all day about how I’m supposed to beat your ass tomorrow. Now you’re making things worse by distracting me."
The silence lasted exactly one second.
Then laughter erupted from every direction.
Even some Imperial Family members almost choked.
Mark’s face darkened instantly.
Nobody in the younger generation dared speak to him like that.
Yet Tony looked completely serious.
As though he genuinely believed the problem wasn’t whether he could beat Mark.
The problem was how.
Mark stared at him for several moments before speaking.
"Tomorrow?"
Tony nodded.
"Tomorrow."
A dangerous smile appeared on Mark’s face.
"Good. I hope you survive long enough to try."
Tony immediately smiled back.
"Likewise."
The two men stood staring at each other for several seconds before Mark finally turned around and left.
The moment he disappeared, the discussions exploded.
Everyone understood one thing.
If those two met during the final round...
Things would become very entertaining.
Far away, deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, crystal-white structures glowed beneath the dark sea.
Inside the Demonic Sea Tribe settlement, several projection screens floated in the air displaying recordings from the tournament.
Luka sat quietly while reviewing important participants.
The giant with the iron pillar.
The bald monk.
Emma Rock.
Mark Smith.
Tony Clark.
Especially Tony Clark.
She had spent weeks hearing Da Vinci praise him.
According to the academy master, Tony possessed terrifying potential.
According to Da Vinci, Tony might become one of the most important participants during the World Tree Blessing.
According to Da Vinci...
Tony this.
Tony that.
Tony everything.
As a result, Luka had unconsciously developed certain expectations.
Then she watched the recordings.
The old woman remained silent for a long time.
Beside her, Elsa watched as well.
Then another recording played.
Tony loudly declaring himself Young Master Clark.
Another participant surrendering his seat.
Julie obtaining a seat through association.
Tony sitting comfortably while everyone else fought.
The room remained quiet.
Finally...
Luka nearly spat out her drink.
"Cough!"
Elsa immediately looked over.
The old woman stared at the screen.
Then stared again.
Then rubbed her forehead.
"This is the genius Da Vinci keeps talking about?"
Elsa burst into laughter.
"Grandmother, maybe he has hidden depths."
Luka pointed toward the screen.
"He stole a seat by threatening people with his family name."
Another clip played.
Tony smiling shamelessly.
Elsa laughed even harder.
Meanwhile, several Demonic Sea Tribe elders watched with equally strange expressions.
One eventually spoke.
"I don’t know whether he’s a genius or a bandit."
Luka sighed.
"At this point, I’m not sure he knows either."
Despite her words, however, her eyes remained thoughtful.
Because beneath all the nonsense...
Tony had still reached the top five hundred.
Without revealing much strength.
Without exhausting himself.
Without exposing important cards.
That alone made him dangerous.
The old woman eventually leaned back.
"I hope Da Vinci knows what he’s doing."
Elsa smiled.
"If not?"
Luka’s eyes sharpened.
"Then we’ll find out inside the World Tree."
That same night, a new announcement shook the entire martial world.
Every participant received it.
Every spectator read it.
Every major power immediately began discussing it.
The final selection round had been revealed.
Inside Nine Lotus Academy, thousands gathered before giant projection screens.
The atmosphere was tense.
Everyone understood that this round would determine who entered the World Tree Blessing.
Vice Principal Ruthorford personally appeared on the screen.
His voice echoed throughout the academy.
"The third and final qualification round has been confirmed."
Silence spread instantly.
Ruthorford raised one hand.
A giant projection appeared behind him.
The crowd immediately became confused.
Because what appeared wasn’t a battlefield.
It wasn’t a maze.
It wasn’t a mountain.
Instead...
Two hundred and seven numbered positions appeared in a long line.
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
Ruthorford continued.
"Tomorrow, two hundred and seven flags will be arranged."
The projection changed.
Three special flags appeared.
One golden.
One red.
One white.
The remaining two hundred and four flags were black.
The participants looked increasingly confused.
Then Ruthorford smiled.
"The rules are simple."
Every participant focused intensely.
"The Golden Flag grants thirty World Tree slots."
"The Red Flag grants twenty World Tree slots."
"The White Flag grants ten World Tree slots."
Shock spread through the academy.
Ruthorford continued before anyone could react.
"The remaining black flags each grant a single World Tree slot."
The projection immediately displayed the calculations.
Thirty.
Twenty.
Ten.
Plus two hundred and four.
Total.
Two hundred and sixty-four slots.
Exactly matching the available positions.
The crowd exploded.
People finally understood.
There would be no complicated scoring.
No hidden calculations.
No points.
No rankings.
Only choices.
Ruthorford’s next sentence stunned everyone.
"You may choose any flag."
Silence.
Then complete uproar.
Some participants immediately understood the implications.
Others took longer.
Then realization struck.
The black flags represented safety.
One flag.
One slot.
One winner.
Simple.
But the top three flags...
Those were entirely different.
Thirty slots.
Twenty slots.
Ten slots.
Meaning...
Multiple people could qualify through a single flag.
The temptation was enormous.
The risk was equally terrifying.
Ruthorford’s final words echoed through the academy.
"Tomorrow, you may decide your own fate. Choose the easy road. Choose the difficult road. Choose safety. Choose ambition."
His smile widened slightly.
"But remember..."
The projection behind him displayed the golden flag.
"If everyone wants the same prize, someone must lose."
Throughout the academy, participants fell silent.
The final round had suddenly become much more complicated.
Because tomorrow wasn’t merely a battle for qualification.
It was a battle between greed and caution.
And nobody knew which choice would prove correct.
