“Bang.” The girl struck toward Kyoot Kint only to hit another barrier. This barrier was shaped like a turtle shell. She flew around the shell attacking multiple points.

Kyoot Kint watched the girl as she placed her hands down. Before her a broken ki sword appeared.

In the stands, the woman from the Lerup Sect smiled. When she used this technique at our sect it was already strong for her stage. Now, it’s even stronger.

Kyoot Kint’s ki sword waved about with its cracks before slashing toward the girl. The girl struck out forcing the sword backward. She also felt a strength that made her narrow her eyes.

“Not bad for an eighth stage,” said the girl.

Kyoot Kint slashed forward again. While the ki sword went forward; a second, weaker ki sword appeared. The weaker sword swiped while the stronger slashed. Forcing the girl to be on the defensive.

Kyoot Kint says, “If you don’t get serious then you’ll only grow tired. By that point you’ll lose your chance to get picked.”

The girl knocked the swiping ki sword away. “You can’t talk big with only this level of attack. Not to mention you were quite hasty in setting up these arrays.”

Kyoot Kint didn’t respond as she yelled to the surrounding people. “Everyone, let’s team up against this girl. She can’t take all of us on. And we’ll have an extra slot free from a ninth stage.”

Many people glanced over with differing expressions. Kyoot Kint seeing this sent her swords forward.

The girl frowned as she fought back. In the corner of her vision she saw a quick shadow. She turned and pierced forward connecting with a person who tried a sneak attack. “Ants can’t topple a great tree.”

The slashing ki sword arrived on her right. With her left hand tied up she used her right hand. The swiping sword appeared on her left side. Outside of her field of vision. “Ugh.” She grunted from the unexpected attack.

When those nearby heard the grunt and that she was already struggling. Many people turned their attention toward her.

A girl spoke out, “Seems your cockiness that you’re so known for. Will be your downfall.”

Someone else said, “Geniuses fall all the time, today doesn’t need to be any different.”

The girl flew to gain distance. The two swords kept up with her, continuously harassing her. Her eyebrows lowered. “Let me teach you all something.” The ki technique around her body dispersed.

Kyoot Kint didn’t hesitate to attack with both swords. Others used their ki techniques for this chance as well.

Moments before the attacks would’ve landed. Around her body appeared a ki wasp. “Buzz.” She rapidly flew upward dodging the ki techniques.

Some people couldn’t stop in time causing a scene of clashes.

Kyoot Kint retracted her two ki swords to her side as she looked at the girl. She was truly covered in a ki wasp body. This is the full-body version of her ki technique. I wonder what properties of this insect she inherited besides flight and its piercing ability.

“Bang.” Kyoot Kint turned her head to see someone attacking her array. She sent her ki swords toward that person. The person attacked in kind, clashing with the slashing ki sword.

Upon impact their faces changed as they were forced backward. The slashing ki sword spun before continuing forward. Clashing again. This time the swiping ki sword struck when the person was wide open.

“Urgh.” The person fell to their knee from the pain. When they looked up a slashing ki sword filled their vision. “Boom.”

Kyoot Kint retracted her swords and looked toward the full-body ki girl. She was surprised to see a heap of bodies sprawled on the arena. In the middle of these bodies is the girl still battling. Kyoot Kint dispersed her slashing ki sword. Sending her swiping ki sword. This won’t take much attention. I can use this to recoup a bit. She looked around the arena to see there were already far less than half of the people remaining. At this pace I should be good. Master A was right about smarts being more important than combat ability in moments.

After a few minutes, from her right appeared Kaze Kint. His clothes were ragged, lines of blood from his nose and mouth. He looked at Kyoot Kint with tired eyes. “This competition is insane.” He slouched outside of her array, his eyes slowly drooping before opening them again.

Kyoot Kint didn’t say anything. If it wasn’t for them being sect mates she would’ve sent him outside of the arena. She could only sigh to herself. If Raja were in my position he would attack without a thought. But, I can’t just do such a thing to him.

Someone approached Kaze Kint. “Seems you should just give up your shot.” Seeing Kaze Kint not moving. “You need help, well I’ll be glad.”

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Kaze Kint unsteadily rose as the girl closed the distance.

Kyoot Kint only watched as Kaze Kint was brutally beaten until he teleported away. As soon as he left Kyoot Kint erupted with her two ki swords. The girl blocked the slash and ducked the swipe as she pressed forward. Her right and left arm had a ki crocodile mouth. Her right arm holding the upper jaw, left arm the lower jaw. She placed her right arm over her left and punched the barrier.

Kyoot Kint didn’t miss a beat. As the barrier was hit her two ki swords hit the girl too. The girl’s eyes squinted from the pain. Before she could prepare for another attack. The ki swords were quicker. Blood flying through the air, hair bloodily sticking to her neck. The girl wasn’t ready to give in as she launched another attack on the array.

Kyoot Kint smirked. “You’ll never destroy this array.” Her two ki swords went in for another spray of blood.

The girl turned around to attack the two ki swords. The swiping ki sword fell back. The slashing ki sword strikes the girl. Forcing her to slide back a few feet. She watched the swiping ki sword go behind her. She quickly went to attack when she noticed in the corner of her eye. The slashing ki sword was already coming back.

“Shik.” Both ki swords lacerated her skin as she fell to her knees. Her ragged breathing expressing how severe her situation is.

Kyoot Kint sent her ki swords to deliver another set of moves. Coming from opposite sides of the girl’s vision. Just as the ki swords were about to send more blood flying. The girl disappeared.

Kyoot Kint took a deep breath as the ki swords returned to her side. She turned to the full-body girl to find the girl looking back at her.

She was covered in blood from head to toe. Her eyes were as frightening as a wasp as her chest heaved up and down. A smile filled the girl’s face as she walked near Kyoot Kint and sat down. “Not bad arrayist. Although I’m more of a direct fighter I can appreciate all forms of combat.”

“You seem quite tired, maybe I should just send you on your way,” Kyoot Kint replied with a hint of threat.

“You could try. I am a bit tired but I can still give everything I have.” The girl looked at Kyoot Kint.

Kyoot Kint felt goosebumps as her spine went cold. Dangerous. She kept a cool exterior as she calmly glanced across the arena. There weren’t many people left. She began counting, “Two, four… so there’s 28 people left.” She looked toward the girl again. Then focused on recovering her strength. Seems strategizing these past months hasn’t been for naught.

People continued to battle. The numbers dwindling when someone decided to set their sight on two people calmly sitting.

“Hey girls, why don’t you just leave now. It’ll spare the rest of us some energy,” said a short boy.

Kyoot Kint opened her eyes.

The girl says, “Can you take us both?”

The boy says, “Maybe I can take you one on one. But I don’t know who she is.” He looked toward Kyoot Kint.

“Come forward if you want to find out,” says Kyoot Kint.

The boy’s right hand stroked his naked chin as he looked over the arena. “On account of you both possibly teaming up. I don’t really want to take the risk. I’ll go jump somebody else.” He looked at the girl. “I wonder what the top ten will look like. There’s so many dark horses and those more well known in our territories like us.” Noticing the girl not responding he took off.

Kyoot Kint asked the girl, “You know him?”

“Yeah, we’re uncontestedly the two strongest from where we’re from.”

Kyoot Kint curiously asked, “Who’s stronger?”

“I’m stronger but it won’t be a cakewalk.”

The two continued a conversation until their arena battle ended.

Raja Kint nodded his head in satisfaction. “She should easily get picked now. Shouldn’t be too many arrayists at her level. She even surprised me.”

“She is quite strong. It would be something if the four of us entered the top ten.” Rhode Kint joked.

Raja Kint glanced at her. “You might be the weakest of us four.”

Rhode Kint frowned. “You might lose to me ya know.”

“It should be clear the top two are your brother and I. You and Kyoot and sort out the bottom two yourselves.”

Rhode Kint looked toward the screen. “Brother is next too. I wonder if he’ll be pushed.”

The third group soon appeared. Within the third group Exochos Kint smoothly passed without much difficulty. Even in his final fight he never showed a full body technique or any serious exertion.

As the sun was lowering. The 16 kids from each group were currently in their rest areas. The final group had finished about thirty minutes ago. Everyone who passed was teleported to the arena.

Raja Kint looked toward the standing regal man.

The man gazed down at the 128 cultivators. “Congratulations for making it past the arena. It was truly a difficult battle for you all. Now you have three days to rest and recuperate. Then you will battle one-on-one to determine who the strongest of your generation is. Or, in this rare era. The second strongest. Now go and prepare yourselves young cultivators.”

Everyone was teleported to their resting areas.

“Go on now. Sure you are all sick of staying here,” said the left guard.

Raja Kint and Rhode Kint left their resting area. Quickly meeting up with Kyoot Kint and Exochos Kint. The four looked around before finding: Master A, King Kint, Empros Kint and Martial Master.

Master A looked at Raja Kint and Kyoot Kint with a smile. “It’s great that you two were able to progress. You performed a great showing Kyoot. You were definitely one of the stronger arrayists today.”

“Luckily it worked out. I was nervous if that girl would attack me. I was seriously tired even with an array drawing in ki for me.”

“Just the risk you have to take sometimes,” said Master A, he looked at Raja Kint, “breaking through to the eighth stage in the middle of such an arena definitely caught my attention today. Not only did your breakthrough catch everyone’s attention. Your young appearance caught everyone’s attention as well.”

“Was my appearance that much of a standout?”

“You’re the only ten-year-old I on that stage!” Master A laughed as the group headed to their building.