Free Web NovelChapter 174: Golden Flag [2]
The shock created by Tony Clark’s appearance beneath the Golden Flag refused to die down.
Even several minutes later, spectators throughout the arena continued staring toward the same location. Some people rubbed their eyes repeatedly as though expecting Tony to suddenly realize he had walked to the wrong place. Others began questioning whether the rules contained hidden details nobody else understood.
After all, this was Tony Clark.
The same person who had spent the first round stealing opportunities.
The same person who somehow advanced through the second round while looking more relaxed than most spectators.
Yet now he stood among the strongest competitors remaining in the entire tournament.
It made no sense.
Around the battlefield, the final numbers had already stabilized.
Fifty participants gathered beneath the White Flag.
Thirty stood beneath the Red Flag.
Only thirteen had chosen the Golden Flag.
The contrast looked absurd.
The flag containing thirty available World Tree slots had attracted the fewest participants because everyone understood one thing.
The strongest monsters had gathered there.
Mark Smith stood there.
Emma Rock stood there.
The giant carrying the iron pillar stood there.
The bald monk stood there.
Several terrifying hidden talents stood there.
And now...
Tony Clark stood among them.
The spectators could understand courage.
They could understand ambition.
What they couldn’t understand was Tony.
Meanwhile, Tony looked completely relaxed.
As though he had accidentally wandered into the wrong gathering and simply decided to stay.
Leo Clark stood nearby with his sword resting against one shoulder. The moment Tony stopped beside him, Leo laughed and shook his head.
"I honestly thought you would choose a black flag and spend the entire day avoiding trouble."
Tony patted his brother’s shoulder.
"Brother, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Leo looked at him for a moment.
"A shameless person."
Tony immediately nodded.
"Exactly. Which means if I choose the safest option, people will expect it. Since they expect it, I naturally have to do the opposite."
Leo stared at him.
Unfortunately...
The explanation somehow sounded logical.
Nearby, Lily Frost silently listened to the conversation.
Unlike most participants, she wasn’t surprised by Tony’s choice anymore. Experience had taught her a simple lesson.
Trying to predict Tony Clark usually ended in disappointment.
The moment a person thought they understood him, he would immediately do something ridiculous.
"You should stop trying to find logic in his decisions," Lily said calmly.
Leo sighed.
"You’re probably right."
Behind them, Emma Rock happened to overhear everything.
Her expression immediately darkened.
The Healing Tower genius had spent the entire night analyzing possible opponents and preparing for difficult battles. She expected pressure, competition, and dangerous confrontations.
Instead, she arrived this morning only to discover Tony smiling as though he were attending a family gathering.
The contrast annoyed her more than she cared to admit.
Tony eventually noticed her glare.
He turned around and smiled.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Emma crossed her arms.
"I’m trying to understand whether you’re brave or stupid."
Tony thought for a moment.
"Can I choose both?"
Several nearby participants almost laughed.
Emma simply looked away.
Continuing the conversation would only raise her blood pressure.
At that moment, another familiar figure entered the area.
Kevin Ten.
The young genius had originally been walking toward the Red Flag section. However, the moment he noticed Tony standing beneath the Golden Flag, he stopped.
His expression changed slightly.
The favor Tony had done for him earlier remained fresh in his memory.
Without Tony’s help, certain matters would have ended very differently.
Kevin Ten remained silent for several moments before changing direction completely.
The spectators immediately became curious.
He walked directly toward the Golden Flag.
Straight toward Tony.
When he arrived, he nodded respectfully.
Tony returned the gesture.
Neither spoke much.
The exchange lasted only a few seconds.
Yet the meaning behind it wasn’t lost on the crowd.
"Kevin Ten changed flags."
"He was originally heading toward Red."
"Why?"
Several people quickly noticed the connection.
The answer stood directly before them.
Tony Clark.
Far away, Kevin Clark witnessed the entire scene.
His original choice had been practical.
A black flag.
A guaranteed path.
A sensible decision.
Unfortunately, the more he looked toward the Golden Flag gathering, the more uncomfortable he felt.
Leo stood there.
Tony stood there.
Kevin Ten stood there.
The strongest competitors stood there.
Meanwhile he would be standing alone at a black flag while everyone else fought glorious battles.
The thought irritated him.
"Damn it."
Before anyone from the Clark Family could stop him, Kevin Clark changed direction.
The spectators erupted once again.
Even several elders stood up.
"What is he doing?"
"Has he lost his mind?"
"He already chose a position!"
The complaints accomplished nothing.
Kevin Clark ignored everyone and walked directly toward the Golden Flag group.
When he arrived, Leo immediately laughed.
"You changed your mind?"
Kevin snorted.
"I simply don’t want outsiders thinking the Clark Family lacks courage."
Tony looked touched.
Then he ruined the moment.
"I knew you came because you couldn’t bear being separated from me."
Kevin immediately regretted everything. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Around them, the number beneath the Golden Flag increased.
Fourteen.
Then fifteen.
The strongest battlefield continued attracting dangerous people.
Far above the arena, Academy Master Da Vinci finally rose from his seat.
The discussions gradually faded.
The participants became serious.
Everyone understood that the selection phase was about to begin.
Unlike the previous rounds, Da Vinci personally floated toward the center of the battlefield.
His appearance immediately attracted attention.
Even the commentators became excited.
The Academy Master himself acting as Arena Master could only mean one thing.
The final qualification round would not be simple.
Da Vinci’s gaze swept across the gathered competitors before he smiled faintly.
"I see most of you have already made your choices. Good. A martial artist should be responsible for his own decisions. Whether those decisions lead toward glory or humiliation depends entirely upon your abilities."
His voice echoed clearly throughout the enormous arena.
Several academy elders soon appeared carrying crystal boxes.
Inside the boxes rested dozens of colored balls.
The participants immediately understood.
Opponent selection.
Random.
Fair.
Direct.
The elders approached the Golden Flag group first.
A strange excitement spread through the crowd.
Everyone wanted to know which monsters would collide first.
Mark Smith stepped forward.
Emma Rock followed.
Leo Clark.
Kevin Clark.
Kevin Ten.
The giant.
The bald monk.
One after another, the competitors reached into the crystal box.
Colored balls appeared continuously.
The tension grew.
Because every color represented a future opponent.
Some participants smiled.
Others frowned.
Then Tony stepped forward.
Without much interest, he reached into the box and pulled out a ball.
The elder responsible for the draw suddenly froze.
The crowd noticed immediately.
Da Vinci raised an eyebrow.
Even the commentators stopped speaking.
The elder checked the remaining balls.
Then checked again.
Finally, he looked toward Tony.
"Participant Tony Clark..."
Tony blinked.
"Yes?"
The elder coughed awkwardly.
"You advance directly to the next phase."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then the entire arena exploded.
Out of all the competitors beneath the Golden Flag...
Out of all the possible outcomes...
Tony Clark had somehow drawn the only unmatched ball.
Once again, he escaped the first elimination battle.
Emma Rock nearly crushed her own ball.
Mark Smith’s face darkened visibly.
Kevin Clark looked ready to curse.
Meanwhile, Tony stood there blinking innocently before a smile slowly spread across his face.
Somewhere among the spectators, a frustrated participant shouted: "Does heaven have a personal relationship with this bastard?!"
For the first time that day, the entire arena agreed with him.
-Tq
