OBS Chapter 76 First Battle
Chapter 76 First Battle
"Bud level?"
The referee glanced at the badge on Lin Yongxi's chest, frowned, and asked.
Before going on stage, participants need to check in with the referees offstage to ensure there is no impersonation and to register the weapons and props to be used in the match.
Tactics like "suddenly pulling out a stick from the ring and hitting the opponent" are not feasible, but Lin Yongxi did not plan to use his trump card in the first round of the competition.
She explained, "I'm only at the species level; the story behind this badge is a long one..."
The story was indeed quite long, so long that she didn't know where to begin, while the referee opposite her stared at her with a suspicious look.
Perhaps there have been instances before where budding students participated in the beginner group's "cross-border challenge."
The referee looked unfamiliar; she was also a young and beautiful magical girl, seemingly from the Ring City, but not the [Rei] level referee who had just been on stage.
"She's telling the truth."
Fortunately, another referee in uniform came over and came to Lin Yongxi's rescue: "This is a special award, it doesn't mean it's a bud-level award, I can vouch for that."
"That's good, go on stage."
Upon hearing this, the first referee nodded and let Lin Yongxi pass.
Lin Yongxi then noticed that the second referee who helped her out was the same woman who had served as a referee in the Demon Academy preliminary rounds. She smiled gently.
"Thank you," she whispered as she passed by.
"Just play well, I'm betting on you to win, you know?"
The other person patted Lin Yongxi on the shoulder and helped her upstairs.
"Sigh... Can we still place bets on the referee? Won't that break the rules?" Lin Yongxi muttered as she went up on stage, unsure whether the other person was joking or serious.
As I stepped onto the ring, I immediately felt the spotlight shining on my face, which was slightly dazzling and even started to feel hot.
The arena uses a design where the central ring is illuminated by spotlights, while the surrounding stands are relatively dark, creating a movie-like atmosphere. This design also helps viewers concentrate on the match. It is said that the spotlights are not just for illumination; they are actually mirrors that collect and refract sunlight.
Because the "Phoenix Pavilion" is not an open-air, spacious venue like the "Phoenix Hall," this is the only way to gather magic in an indoor venue.
Ensuring a sufficient supply of magic power for the contestants is crucial for these beginners at the "seed" level.
"It feels pretty good."
Lin Yongxi looked around and silently clenched his fist.
She discovered that in this light source environment, the flower within her heart could also be nourished and replenished, accumulating magic power at a speed several times faster than usual.
It seems this device is one of the Demon Court's most prized possessions. I'm so envious... I wish I could bring it home.
Moreover, she could barely see the faces of the audience below the ring, allowing her to focus more on the match without being distracted by unnecessary things.
Unbeknownst to the girl, the moment she stepped onto the stage, she had already caused a stir among the audience.
"Look, the next group is coming up."
Whispers rippled through the stands, where people sat sparsely and quietly, barely daring to cheer or shout.
"Ugh, I should have bought tickets for the intermediate group. The ones we just watched weren't very good. I should have just watched the live stream on my phone."
"You're talking like you can buy tickets. We're already here... Look, this contestant seems a little different?"
"Hmm? She's really pretty. She seems a bit older than her age, or are kids these days just too precocious?"
"Let me see, the list of contestants... Lin Yongxi, 18 years old."
At this moment, someone finally noticed something amiss. What started as a ridiculous thought grew increasingly strange as they looked, and they couldn't help but shout out:
"Look, doesn't she look a bit like Lord Dawn?"
"What? You must be joking!"
After all, it had only been a few months since Dawn sacrificed himself, and the entire city was still in an atmosphere of grief and mourning. To say such things would be disrespectful, so the person involved immediately shut up.
However, when other viewers looked closely, they couldn't shake off this preconceived notion either, and some even took out their phones to compare and take pictures.
"What's going on... I actually think it looks a lot like it too..."
"That can't be true, it's been reported in the news!"
Seeing the girl's black hair and face, almost no one could completely deny her resemblance to Lin Chaojing. Although there were subtle differences in their expressions, the hazy light made the resemblance even more divine, making it undeniable. However, no one dared to say that [Dawn] had been resurrected; they could only hold their breath and wait to see what would happen next.
"Maybe they just look alike, or maybe they're related?" someone suggested.
For a flower-level magical girl like [Dawn], her identity is strictly kept secret. She has used the codenames [Sunflower] and [Gold], but only those within the industry know her real name is Lin Chaojing. Therefore, most viewers cannot deduce much information from the surname "Lin".
"Those must be students from [Dawn]."
Beside them, a veteran with a deep expression offered his opinion: "It is rumored that Lord Dawn is secretly instructing a student in the Magic Academy, but no one has ever revealed who it is. That new magical girl has exceptional talent, which is why she received personal instruction from a Flower-level expert. It's possible that it's this one..."
"Wow! They've got quite a background, I'll have to take a good look at them!"
At this moment, Lin Yongxi on stage was unaware of how far the audience's discussion about her identity had gone.
She was completely focused, watching the opposite corner of the ring.
A young magical girl slowly walked onto the stage. She had short, neat hair and wore professional sportswear, looking very serious.
"She's really popular... I'm so envious."
She looked at Lin Yongxi with obvious apprehension, but still bowed slightly and said, "Please give me your guidance."
Please give me your guidance.
Lin Yongxi returned the greeting earnestly. She had seen the list of opponents, but the information only showed their names and ages, not what their "Heart Flower" was or what kind of magic it contained.
All of this can only be learned through experience in battle, or by summarizing based on what you see in the games – that's the rule of the league.
"We must end the battle as quickly as possible, forcing out the opponent's magic, while simultaneously concealing the power of [Ephemeral Bloom] and [Flash of Light]!"
She recalled Chen Mu's pre-match instructions: under these rules, it was essential to keep one's trump cards hidden until later in the game to maintain an intelligence advantage!
"Three, two, one."
"The match begins!"
At the referee's signal, Lin Yongxi immediately rushed out!
The short-haired girl opposite her narrowed her eyes, only managing to raise her arms in a defensive stance, the thought "So fast" flashing through her mind—
Lin Yongxi had already closed in! He reached out with his left hand, precisely grabbed the opponent's wrist as he was blocking, and pulled it to the side, while simultaneously lifting his foot sharply.
The short-haired girl felt a strong force coming at her, and her body instantly lost its balance. She felt herself being lifted into the air, and her vision spun around.
boom!
A muffled thud.
Before the audience could even fully react, they saw a figure fly cleanly and decisively out of the ring boundary in a parabolic trajectory.
The referee paused for a second before raising his hand and announcing loudly:
"The winner is Lin Yongxi!"
Lin Yongxi's first official match ended in less than ten seconds.
Not only the audience and her opponents, but even she herself probably didn't fully realize what was happening.
"Um?"