In the stands, Jamie Smith and his teammates, six hearts tightly bound together, their gazes like six laser beams piercing through the air, focusing on the commentary platform. There, the two teams were about to step onto their battlefield—the combat space. With the commentator's closing words, all the noise seemed to be paused by an invisible hand, and the world stood still for a moment.
"It's about to begin," Jamie Smith's voice was deep and forceful, his words carrying a hint of anticipation and a touch of tension. He knew that this match was not just a spectacle for them, but also an opportunity to learn. "Watch this game closely. The situation the Fairy Pose team is facing is similar to ours. We can gain some experience from it."
Emily Johnson, the female team member who always wore a slight smile, couldn't help but chime in: "Ray Willow has not truly shown his strength for a long time. I hope in this match, we can see some truth."
Everyone present held their breath, their eyes tightly locked on the upcoming battle. May Lee, the team member who always carried an air of mystery, also blended in with the crowd, her eyes flashing with a desire for what was about to unfold.
The first semifinal was on a mountain forest map. The forest, after the rain, was a bit muddy. Willows and Zhang trees stood in different areas, some on the hillside, some on the ground, and some in the trees.
"The four of you join forces to deal with those four seniors first," Celia Green said, wearing a form-fitting light armor and carrying two swords on her back. This was a very beautiful woman, but her eyes were as sharp as swords, "Ray Willow, the coach, will not interfere in your fight."
"Yes, Captain."
"Yes, Master." The four female team members responded in unison. Their eyes sparkled with the desire for battle and the determination to win.
In the forest, members of the Fairy Pose team—Yvonne Green, Willa Banks, Daisy Young, Jade Myers—and members of Ray Willow's team—Hugh Smith, Dane Tony, Michael Davis, Samuel Bell—engaged in one-on-one combat. The cooperation of archers, the howling of arrows, and the start of a fierce battle.
Ray Willow, standing on the edge of the battlefield, watched this scene with interest, appreciating the battle of these younger generations: "Samuel Bell and the others, after my guidance, after numerous competitions, have become more seasoned, and their cooperation has become better and better. Those young ladies... They are quite beautiful, but they are too young, still not stable enough."
After a fierce battle, the four members of the Fairy Pose team were all defeated, and the archer 'Samuel Bell' of Ray Willow's veteran team survived to the end!
"Whoosh."
When the team was reduced to just one person, Celia Green moved, her figure extremely fast, straight towards Samuel Bell. Samuel Bell did not escape, staying in place and watching silently. When Celia Green rushed to a distance of thirty meters, he suddenly began to shoot arrows quickly, one after another! Celia Green did not dodge at all, but charged straight ahead, her twin swords slightly flickering, blocking the arrows.
"Whoosh." A sword swept past Samuel Bell's body, and Samuel Bell's body turned into an illusion and disappeared.
Celia Green turned her head and looked at Ray Willow in the distance. Ray Willow had already walked over.
"Ray Willow, coach, are you not going to take a weapon?" Celia Green looked at the other party.
"I will take it when I want to," Ray Willow, tall and burly, with his hair spread out, his eyes burning with anticipation for this battle, "Go ahead and make your move."
Whoosh.
Celia Green, holding twin swords, flashed and rushed straight at Ray Willow. Celia Green's swordsmanship is different from others, it is extremely beautiful, as if it were an art. Therefore, Celia Green has many fans because watching her perform her swordsmanship is an ultimate aesthetic enjoyment.
Similarly, her swordsmanship, under the beautiful appearance, is also very cruel and is recognized as the number one swordsman in Xiaguo.
"Clang." At the moment when Celia Green approached, Ray Willow, who was still standing there with empty hands, instantly drew the waist knife and blocked the attack.
Celia Green did not stop at all, her figure moved, and at the same time, she made a sword after another, either stabbing, chopping, lifting, or cutting. It seemed that there was a dazzling sword light, and for a while, it was impossible to count how many swords she had made. All that could be heard was the sound of the sword and knife colliding again and again.
Celia Green seemed to turn into several figures in an instant, and countless sword lights attacked Ray Willow from all directions.
Ray Willow stood still, just a knife, and each time he blocked Celia Green's sword just right.
"Celia Green has brought her body technique and the agility of the sword to the extreme," Jamie Smith watched the live broadcast, his eyes flashing with a desire for battle, also flashing with a determination to win, "The most terrifying thing is the master, the master's knife, the distance it moves is very short. With the shortest displacement, achieve the best effect. I don't want to waste a bit of strength."
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"Master's control of strength, control of space, has reached an inconceivable level," Jamie Smith was somewhat shocked, his voice carrying a hint of awe, also carrying a hint of expectation, "Celia Green's figure is very fast, and the double swords are even faster. But all the trajectories of the swords are completely under the master's control."
"Master said, control the speed of the enemy. But now, the master has completely controlled the space," Jamie Smith felt the master's ease.
……
"I have received more than a hundred swords from you, and you have also received a move from me," Ray Willow, who had not moved a step, suddenly moved.
Boom.
A step forward, the figure blurred, Celia Green's face changed, she could only feel that she could not determine the area where Ray Willow would attack, and she was extremely vigilant, paying attention to the knife in Ray Willow's hand.
"Bang!"
Ray Willow's left fist, but as fast as lightning, penetrated the void, and directly hit Celia Green's abdomen.
This punch was so fast that there was no sign of it, and once it was launched... Celia Green couldn't react in time. It was a punch similar to Jamie Smith's shadowless thrust, beyond the speed of neural response.
Celia Green was like a projectile, flying back in an instant, slamming into the big tree behind her, and the tree exploded.
Celia Green knelt on the ground, clutching her abdomen in pain. Her light armor had a huge dent, and the terrifying impact force was destroying her internal organs. Her nose and mouth were bleeding, and she looked up at Ray Willow in disbelief: "One punch?"
Celia Green turned into an illusion and disappeared on the battlefield.
Ray Willow stood still, sighing softly: "Can't you even take one punch?"
He had passed the Star Tower in 38 minutes after it was opened, and after more than a month of hard training, coupled with national key cultivation, Ray Willow felt lonely. Even as good as Celia Green... his punch, Celia Green couldn't defend in time, and he was killed in one punch.
The mountain forest map collapsed, and Ray Willow's team still won.
******
The entire Xiaguo live broadcast room was somewhat suffocated, and the live broadcast room was still playing back the just-concluded fight in slow motion.
In the slow motion, everything was clearer. Celia Green's figure was as fast as an illusion, and the double swords were even faster. Ray Willow was just a single knife, and he didn't move a step. His single knife moved simply, and he completely blocked all attacks. This knife... It was like an absolute space defense, and any attack within three feet around would be blocked.
"Ray Willow didn't even use a shield. He passed the third level of the Star Tower with a shield and a knife," Victor Daniels, the male guest, said in a trembling voice. His words carried a hint of awe, also carrying a hint of expectation, "The virtual world has been open for more than a month, and Ray Willow has improved to what extent?"
"Is the gap between other masters and the masters on the Star List so exaggerated?" Sarah Johnson, the female guest, was originally a crazy fan of Celia Green, but the gap in this battle was too big. Her voice carried a hint of disappointment, also carrying a hint of confusion.
"Maybe Ray Willow is the number one person in the world, so the gap between others and him is so big," said the host, Shine Lewis. His words carried a hint of pride, also carrying a hint of expectation.
Victor Daniels, the male guest, retorted on the side: "Ray Cloud is the number one person in the world in terms of body technique, and his body technique speed is even more terrifying than Ray Willow."
"I understand why the official held this Fire Seed Cup competition and always fixed Ray Willow and Ray Cloud's teams as teams 1 and 2," Sarah Johnson, the female guest, shook her head. Her words carried
a hint of helplessness, also carrying a hint of admiration, "It's really too strong."
Countless viewers also felt confused. "I have seen so many competitions and have always felt that the Fairy Pose team is very strong."
"All the way to win, Celia Green has always been very relaxed and has never exerted her full strength. But in front of Ray Willow... why can't she even take a punch?"
"Isn't the light armor supposed to be able to defend against swords and bows and arrows? How can Ray Willow's fist kill the opponent when it hits the armor?"
"Is Ray Willow's fist a fist? It's more terrible than a hammer! You didn't see that before, Ray Willow's knife, the heavy armor is divided into two."
"Ray Willow's realm is too high, I guess his physical fitness is extremely high, and his combat skills are also extremely high, so he can roll over like this."
"Is this the strength of the world's number one?"
"People say that young people have potential, why do I feel that the gap between young people and this old man is getting bigger and bigger?"
Countless comments rolled.
The people of Xiaguo have a complex feeling about Ray Willow. First, they are proud that the world's number one is a person from Xiaguo, and second, they feel that Ray Willow is too strong, far beyond others.
……
"The master is really strong," Jamie Smith was shocked, his eyes flashing with awe for his master, also flashing with a desire for battle, "Throughout the Fire Seed Cup competition, I have always met Celia Green, and the master has finally shown some of his strength. But it's also a desperate strength."
Other teammates also feel looking up. If Jamie Smith can see a lot of truth and feel that he can fight for ten or eight moves, other teammates only feel strong, far beyond their strength.
……
"Ray Willow is really strong, and his realm should still be the world's number one now," Edward said on the stands.
Charles Bennett nodded gently: "Although the progress of other top masters in the world is also fast, Ray Willow has also been making progress. His current combat data is still the absolute world's number one."
"Such a master is a person from Xiaguo, which is a blessing for our Xiaguo," Edward said.
Charles Bennett said: "We are now very concerned about him and are willing to cultivate him with all our strength. It's just that Ray Willow, after choosing the shield and knife technique, did not ask for any new resources."
"I am very optimistic about him," Edward nodded, his eyes flashing with admiration for Ray Willow, also flashing with expectation for the future of Xiaguo, "His future is limitless."
Charles Bennett's heart moved. He was very clear about Edward's sharp vision.
"In addition to him, who else do you think is a master among the masters of Xiaguo?" Charles Bennett asked.
"Aren't you aware?" Edward smiled, his words carrying a hint of mystery, also carrying a hint of expectation, "Three years ago, I let my son learn gun techniques with Jamie Smith. Who do you think I am most optimistic about?"
Charles Bennett nodded slightly. So optimistic about Jamie Smith? His eyes flashed with curiosity about Jamie Smith, also flashing with expectation for the future of Xiaguo.