Chapter 558: Heizhou's S-Class? Instant Kill!

"Jingming! Over here!"

At that moment, Su Yu, who had entered the preparation area earlier, waved and called out.

Xu Jingming walked over with a smile, only to discover a young man already standing beside Su Yu.

This person had a tall, slender build, with a head of flowing long hair.

"Let me introduce you — this is Lü Liang, who possesses a Psychic-type S-class ability, Grade Six, Lower Tier," Su Yu said with a smile.

"Lei Di Xu Jingming! I've long wanted to meet you, but unfortunately there was never a chance before." Lü Liang extended his right hand in a very friendly manner.

"Hello." Xu Jingming also reached out and gave his hand a light shake.

There were only five Great Xia contestants in the Genius Tournament in total, gathered together at Su Yu's call.

Everyone had gathered, and among them was Wang Dong as well.

As for the last one, Liu Ran, she was a young woman who possessed an Enhancement-type Divine Beast System S-class ability.

Her looks couldn't be called especially pretty — just the girl-next-door type.

But her figure was very tall and slender, just like a runway supermodel.

Apart from the Great Xia contestants gathering together, contestants from other regions also had their own little circles.

Xu Jingming was finally seeing the SS-class from the US and Bear Country up close for the first time.

The US's SS-class, Catherine, had exquisite features, yet never smiled.

She seemed just like a true angel, carrying a faint air of holiness.

As for Bear Country's SS-class, Andrei, he was the opposite — looking very talkative.

Chatting and laughing with the other Bear Country contestants who had advanced to the Top 32.

Sakuragi Rin had also made it through the resurrection match and entered the preparation area.

But she kept hovering around Catherine's side, not even daring to glance in Xu Jingming's direction.

"All 32 contestants have entered the preparation area! Then now, the Top 32 advancing to the Top 16 match officially begins!"

"First, the contestants for the first round!"

In the host's resonant voice, two rolling cylinders appeared at the very center of the stadium.

Each contestant's name was engraved on the cylinders.

At this moment, both cylinders began to spin rapidly.

After quite a while, they gradually stopped, and different names appeared on each cylinder.

'Xu Jingming: Ross'

"Oh? The first match is me — looks like my luck isn't bad." Xu Jingming stood up with a smile.

On the other side of the spectator stands, another contestant also stood up.

This was a black man, with a very burly build, carrying a heavy alloy shield and a battle blade.

Obviously, this was an Enhancement-type ability user.

"Ross? It's actually him?" Su Yu's brow furrowed slightly.

Ross was Heizhou's S-class, Grade Six, Middle Tier, and his strength was extremely formidable.

Powerful enough to contend for a spot in the Top 8, or even the Top 4. Against him, Xu Jingming's odds of winning would be relatively low.

Though worried at heart, Su Yu showed nothing unusual on the surface:

"Jingming, give it your all — try to get us an opening win."

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

Xu Jingming grinned and walked along the corridor toward the arena.

"For the first match of the Top 32 advancement round, the contestants are Xu Jingming from Great Xia, and Ross from Heizhou!

Please both contestants take the stage!"

Amid the host's resonant introduction, Xu Jingming arrived at the left side of the arena.

About two thousand meters across stood Ross.

"Damn! Lei Di's first-round opponent is Ross — that's a bit troublesome."

"I've watched Ross's matches — his Enhancement-type ability 'Black Gold Body' has insanely broken defense!"

"We're done for — feels like Great Xia's win rate is already very low in this first match."

"..."

A wave of discussion rose from the spectator stands.

Like Xu Jingming, Ross was also a contestant who had advanced directly to the Top 32.

In his previous matches, Ross had displayed an extremely astonishing dominance.

This inevitably made some spectators worry whether Xu Jingming might lose.

Especially the Great Xia audience, who watched the arena with tense expressions.

"Ross, an S-class ability awakener from Heizhou.

Once the Black Gold Body ability activates, his entire skin and bones become metal-like, extremely hard.

And his blade-and-shield technique is also wielded with extreme finesse, both reaching master-level proficiency."

Information on Ross surfaced in Xu Jingming's mind.

This guy is absolutely the nightmare of every close-combat ability user.

"Please both contestants get ready! The match... officially begins!"

At the host's command, Ross across the arena activated his ability directly!

His already dark skin became even deeper.

Under the stadium lights, it gleamed with a metallic sheen, looking extremely hard!

"Big Xia's SS-class, get ready to be eliminated!"

With his ability activated, 罗斯 held a shield in his left hand and a battle blade in his right, charging forward like a heavy truck!

Though his build was massive, his speed was astonishing—he covered hundreds of meters in just a few breaths!

"In close combat, you're truly formidable."

"But unfortunately, you won't even get the chance to touch me."

In Xu Jingming's cold, clear black-and-white eyes, there was a stillness like an ancient well.

The next moment,

he suddenly activated Thunder Extreme State, his pupils transforming into brilliant golden irises!

A terrifying aura surged outward with thunder, filling the entire stadium.

"Is this... the aura of a sixth-rank ability user?!"

"Holy shit! At this critical moment, Lei Di has broken through to sixth rank!"

"Sixth rank at twenty years old—how terrifying!"

"......"

The audience first froze, then instantly fell into stunned shock.

No one expected that after only a five-day break, Xu Jingming had advanced from fifth-rank upper tier to sixth rank!

"Sixth rank?!" On the arena, Ross's expression changed abruptly as he charged forward.

SS-class abilities are vastly stronger than S-class abilities.

Originally, he was sixth-rank middle tier, while Xu Jingming was fifth-rank upper tier—he held a full-rank advantage.

But now that Xu Jingming has reached sixth rank, that rank advantage has shrunk drastically!

"This is bad," Ross's face darkened.

At that very moment, Xu Jingming's solemn, deep voice rang out across the arena:

"Die! Thunderbolt Art!"

Boom—boom—boom~~~

Rolling, muffled thunder rumbled above the stadium.

Then came a sharp hiss—every spectator's vision flashed bright.

A golden lightning bolt, as thick as a water barrel, split down from the sky!

"Thunderbolt Art? S-class combat technique! Block it! Black Gold Enhancement!"

Faced with the lightning strike, Ross had no way to dodge—he could only take it head-on!

His body suddenly swelled by a full circle, the metallic luster deepening further.

He raised his thick alloy shield above his head.

Boom!!

The golden lightning struck him directly!

Despite the alloy shield and his enhanced form,

his metalized body was pierced clean through, his head nearly melted, his entire frame instantly charred black!

Before the audience's stunned gazes, he collapsed like an ordinary man struck by lightning—lifeless!