Chapter 635: 629: Consecutive Victories

“`

“Sigh!”

Upon hearing the captain of the Sunbeam College team choose to surrender, a deafening chorus of jeers immediately erupted from the audience.

With Rosewood College’s team being one of the hot favorites to win this competition, coupled with the inherent home field advantage, it’s no exaggeration to say that at least ninety percent of the tens of thousands of spectators came for Rosewood College, only to be disappointed by not seeing a match.

It was exactly because of this that the audience’s displeasure, led by some, grew from a murmur to a roar, with some fun-seekers even starting to demand a refund.

Meanwhile, the number of comments on the live streaming platform skyrocketed, quickly filling up the entire screen.

[Pfft! They’ve surrendered just like that?]

[Well, that’s the deterrence of a King-level Trainer!]

[Wait a minute, we’re not going to see Rosewood College’s team compete today, are we?!]

[Possibly.]

[I mean, although the Trainer Cooperation Competition allows for surrender, isn’t this too quick? I haven’t even tasted the Scorched Chicken Rice with Purple Centipede I just made. What am I supposed to do with it if there’s no performance by Sunbeam College…]

[The guy above is hardcore, even daring to eat Scorched Chicken Rice with Purple Centipede.]

[What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve been eating this stuff for over a decade, just need to cook it thoroughly. It’s just that the medical expenses at the hospital across my house keep getting more expensive every year, making it harder for me to afford Scorched Chicken Rice with Purple Centipede.]

[Wait a minute, medical expenses?]

[…]

Not to mention the increasingly off-topic comments online, the live broadcast camera switched to the two commentators who were glancing at each other in bewilderment.

“With such a huge gap in paper strength between the two teams, Sunbeam College’s decision to surrender might be a wise one, allowing them to conserve their team’s strength for the upcoming challenges…”

Following the commentators’ explanation, the broadcast switched to other teams’ matches.

In the rest room, Sanne stared at the screen, showing intense battles and feeling a mix of emotions.

She hadn’t expected her first national appearance would lead to victory without a fight.

She knew deep down that the opponent’s fear wasn’t of her, but rather the unassailable mountain that stood behind her team.

“Still nervous? Want a drink?”

David Jones passed her a cup of water — it was spring water transported from the Mesona Space that could relax the mind and restore energy.

Sanne didn’t take the cup, but directly voiced her concerns instead.

“Captain, what if I don’t get to fight in even one match?”

Her words immediately caught the attention of her teammates, who were browsing online comments.

“Why would you say that?”

David Jones was surprised, as he had been arranged to compete last in the list of matchups submitted, serving as the anchor for the team.

In such a scenario, it seemed improbable that earlier contestants like Sanne and Jedbrook Harvey wouldn’t get a chance to compete.

“Captain, you’re too strong, so strong that no team in Group B dares to risk their Pets getting injured in battle. Now everyone online believes that you’ll be the first to fight, demonstrating your overwhelming strength against seven challengers in succession, showcasing the style of the Rosewood College team!”

Sanne made a face of bitterness and aimed her phone at David Jones, showing him the exaggerated comments that slightly startled him.

On the other side, the dispirited Sunbeam College players sat down under the peculiar stares of other competing teams.

“`

“Supporters back home are practically tearing us apart online, saying that cowards who surrender without even daring to fight a single match have no right to represent Sunbeam College.”

The girl with the wavy hair looked at her phone while wiping the corners of her eyes.

Hearing this, Raphael Joe, the team captain, sighed.

“What matters more, momentary pride or the rankings? Didn’t we decide on our strategy the night the matchups were drawn?”

It was a minority in the team who had a stable disposition, another boy spoke up: “But this is just too suffocating.”

“If we’re not as strong as our opponents, then we have to endure it.”

Raphael Joe didn’t turn his head and replied, “This is already the best draw for us. A weaker team has its advantages. If both Dragonsoar Academy and Thundurus Academy’s teams can’t swallow their pride and end up severely injured after losing to Rosewood College, that gives us a chance to make a dash for the top sixteen.”

“Just think about it, if we could achieve Sunbeam College’s goal that has been held for who knows how many years, becoming a King Trainer in the future is not a dream at all. Compared to that, what’s the worth of face?”

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. That pie in the sky did look enticing, but whether they could actually taste it was another matter.

However, at this moment, not only Sunbeam College, but also some teams about to face Rosewood’s team were in a silent dilemma.

“King Trainer!!!”

The thought alone made the captains of Dragonsoar and Thundurus hold their breath.

To put it bluntly, that was a fearsome strength comparable to college lecturers. Among the students, it was a complete slaughter.

Even now, no one online thought David Jones’s declaration of leading the team was boastful; they even felt it was a bit modest.

After all, David Jones had already surpassed the historic records of the Origin Emperor. There was no need to prove who was the number one talent in Flowery Kingdom at the national competition!

…

“Ladies and gentlemen, the upcoming match is the second round of the 1028 National Trainer Cooperation Competition B-group matches, where Ocean College will face off against Rosewood College!”

During the commentator’s introduction, the team line-ups for both sides appeared on the big screen.

Among all the Pet Profiles, Rainbow’s was the most eye-catching, with its Strength Level and Normal Arcane Force Value towering above many other teams, which shocked the audience.

“A Normal Arcane Force Value of eight hundred thousand, are you sure this is just a newly promoted Class VI lower-level King Flood Dragon?”

In the face of such terrifying stats, some King Trainers couldn’t help but click their tongues in amazement.

The talent of a Trainer was shocking enough, but the Pet was also a complete freak. If you covered the Species Level and only looked at the Normal Arcane Force Value, anyone would think this was a Class VI lower-level Overlord True Dragon’s data, not that of a Class VI King Flood Dragon.

The furrowed brows of all seven players from Ocean College at the scene indicated that the pressure they were under was indeed pushed to the limit.

“The Ocean team isn’t going to surrender as well, right?” the commentator on the left worriedly said.

The reason the National Trainer Cooperation Competition divided the Five Greats schools into five groups to meet the challenge of the eight academies and many first-class Beast Taming Colleges was to temper domestic Trainer talents. Through competition, these talents could experience what it meant to be the pride of the human race.

If the teams facing Rosewood chose to surrender to preserve their strength, it would undoubtedly result in them missing out on a valuable opportunity to be tempered.

Of course, in situations of overwhelmingly disparate strength, the so-called tempering would turn into a one-sided crushing. That is why the Trainer Guild did not prohibit participating teams from surrendering.

Now, he saw a hint of regret in the eyes of his familiar co-commentator, making his heart skip a beat.

The next second, a voice tinged with disappointment rang out.

“Unfortunately, Ocean College has chosen to surrender and admit defeat. Let’s welcome the next team to take the stage…”