Chapter 453: Target: Champion! (Request Monthly Votes)

"Clap! Clap!!"

The audience erupted into thunderous applause and roaring cheers.

"Too strong! What's there to analyze? Reality is just this unfair—Lin Qi is too strong!"

"Even Sakurakuni's fourth-year student Hattori Sōsai was crushed—does he mean to go for the championship?"

In contrast to the excited spectators from Xia, the Sakurakuni competitors looked as if they had suffered a personal loss.

Their country had few competitors to begin with, and now one more was gone, leaving only their final contestant.

Hattori Sōsai had been brutally humiliated, and many of them felt it as if it were their own defeat.

It felt as though Sakurakuni itself had been trampled by Xia.

On the Sakurakuni spectator bench, Hattori Sōsai was teleported back and immediately broke down, screaming:

"Bakā!!"

His eyes bulged, bloodshot, as he tried to rush at Lin Qi from Xia, but others held him back.

Not far away, Kitano Wakanami watched and felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

She had always known Hattori Sōsai couldn't beat Lin Qi.

Thinking of it, she grew even more admiring of Lin Qi—how wonderful it would be if he were her boyfriend.

At this thought, her cheeks flushed involuntarily.

Meanwhile, several other stronger competitors frowned deeply, such as a man in a green robe with small eyes.

He was Sakurakuni's top fourth-year genius—Aramuki—and this year they had no SSS-level talent.

But they had two SS-level geniuses, and he was the strongest; even Hattori Sōsai wasn't his match.

"Indeed very strong—if I stepped onto the stage, even without using my minor divine art, I couldn't defeat him."

Aramuki's expression was grave; Xia was truly the world's most powerful nation, producing nothing but monsters.

…

Meanwhile, competitors who had not yet been eliminated and were still supremely confident changed their expressions after watching this match.

On the Bear Nation spectator bench

Ivan Petrov, tall and broad-nosed, clapped and laughed:

"Lin Qi from Xia is very strong."

"He'll be a formidable rival in the future, but unfortunately, this is my last tournament."

"The juniors are going to suffer."

…

On the Indian Nation spectator bench

Nitin, an ordinary-faced bald man, exhaled slowly after watching:

"There's always someone stronger above, and higher heavens beyond!"

"I never expected another genius to emerge!"

The woman beside him spoke:

"Lin Qi from Xia is strong, but he won't be your match."

Nitin shook his head: "In another year, he might surpass me."

"The Global Martial Arts Tournament is just a small detour in his life."

"A genius like this might not even stop at the ninth realm."

…

On the White Eagle Federation spectator bench.

The burly black man Jenos grinned:

"Interesting—this Xia kid's talent is impressive!"

"Next year's Global Martial Arts Tournament will have no one to match him."

"But by then, I'll be gone."

"Of course, if he draws me, then he's just unlucky."

…

On the Xia spectator bench

Senior Shen Heng, Zhang Zhang Tianyang, and Lei Shuang exchanged glances and sighed:

"Lin Qi's junior has grown stronger again; defeating him now is even harder."

"His growth rate is astonishing!"

"Looks like I'm not the only one improving."

…

On the high-level spectator bench

Xue Zhou looked at Lin Qi and his eyes lit up:

"It's been months—has this kid grown this strong already?"

"Unless it's a seventh-realm martial artist, no one else can defeat him easily."

Someone nearby spoke slowly:

"Lin Qi now has the ability to contend for the championship." Everyone turned to see Mu Hong, clad in black robes with cold, sharp features, standing beside Liu Yuanzhang.

"Old Mu, looks like you're back."

"Old Mu, Lin Qi is your disciple—looks like you're very confident!"

Everyone laughed; Mu Hong nodded in greeting.

Liu Yuanzhang spoke slowly:

"Everyone who made it to the Top 32 is no weakling—it all comes down to actual combat performance."

"Lin Qi made it in, so his recent progress must be substantial."

"Far beyond our expectations."

Shanhe Wang, with his resolute face, also spoke slowly:

"Keep watching—there might still be surprises."

Everyone nodded and turned their gaze back to the spectator benches.

!

On the Sakurakuni spectator bench, the high-ranking officials frowned, but dared not vent their frustration.

Even whispering could be heard by Xia's martial artists.

They could only suppress their anger inside.

…

On the Xia spectator bench

Lin Qi was teleported back; Jiang Tao couldn't help laughing loudly:

"Lin Lin Qi Ge, you're insane!"

Others also gasped in awe.

Wan Ming sighed:

"Lin Lin Qi Ge, you're really going for the championship now."

"Everyone who made the Top 32 has the potential to contend for the title—it's just a matter of probability."

Others had to admit it: without realizing it, Lin Qi had once again set his sights on the championship.

They had already been left behind.

Defeating Hattori Sōsai didn't stir any strong emotion in Lin Qi.

His goal now was the championship—only a competitor like Senior Shen Heng could make him feel any real challenge.

His gaze locked onto the arena as he continued watching the matches.

As time passed, more and more top fighters took the stage.

Nitin Lei Di, the SSS-level genius from Indian Nation, awakened the special ability 【Frost】.

Ivan Petrov, the SSS-level genius from Bear Nation, awakened the special ability 【Psychic】.

Jenos Ferrato, the SSS-level genius from White Eagle Federation, awakened the special ability 【Earth Wall】.

And from their own Xia, Shen Hen, whose 【Lightning】 ability had left a deep impression on him.

Besides them, there was a group of elite fighters—all fourth-year SS-level geniuses who had mastered minor divine arts.

They were just slightly weaker than the SSS-level talents.

Then came the third-year SSS-level geniuses.

They were the absolute top talents of this Martial Arts Tournament.

Another hour passed, and the seventh round officially ended.

The Top 32 were finalized.

Jiang Tao chuckled beside him:

"Our Xia is still the strongest—we have seven in the Top 32, over one-fifth!"

Wan Ming also smiled: "In earlier rounds, there were also geniuses who could've made the Top 32."

"Like Hattori Sōsai from Sakurakuni—he just got unlucky facing Lin Lin Qi Ge."

At this, everyone laughed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, contestants!"

As the crowd chatted, Shanhe Wang reappeared in projection, his deep voice echoing:

"After an hour of fierce competition, our 32 strongest contestants have been determined."

"We will now seamlessly proceed to the eighth round to determine the top 16."

"Contestants who enter the top 16 will receive a prize of 160 million Xia National Currency, 6,000 kilograms of Level-7 Disaster Beast flesh, and 500 kilograms of Level-8 Disaster Beast flesh."

"The eighth round now begins!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than magnificent landscapes emerged behind Shanhe Wang.

They were famous mountains and rivers from various nations: Xia Guo's Five Sacred Peaks, the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

The Bai Ying Federation's Yellowstone Park, Rigu's Thames River, Mao Xiong's Lake Baikal, Fengye's Niagara Falls…

"BOOM!!"

All the scenic landscapes merged into a new battle bracket, revealing 16 match-ups.

…

(End of Chapter)