Chapter 48: Chapter 48- Test of strength "Why did you let him join our team? He doesn’t look very strong," Ange whispered urgently into Grey’s ear, her eyes flicking toward the green-haired boy who stood a short distance away, nervously rubbing his hands together.
"I don’t know," Grey whispered back after a brief pause. "I just have a feeling about him. Besides, don’t worry, me and you are already more than enough for a team."
As he spoke, his warm breath brushed lightly against her neck.
Ange stiffened.
A faint heat crept up her cheeks, and her ears turned red almost instantly. She shook her head repeatedly, pretending to stretch her neck, doing her best to dispel the sudden embarrassment before anyone noticed.
At that moment, they still lacked two members.
Then, a loud and authoritative voice echoed throughout the underground chamber, reverberating off the steel walls and ceiling.
"You have ten minutes to form your teams!"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The previously noisy hall became chaotic.
People rushed around frantically, shouting names, grabbing acquaintances, pulling strangers into temporary alliances. Some cultivators argued heatedly, others begged to be accepted, while a few stood frozen in place, panic written all over their faces.
Grey, Ange, and the green-haired boy moved together through the crowd.
The boy finally introduced himself in a low, awkward voice. "My name is Zayne."
As time ticked away, two girls approached them almost simultaneously.
One was a petite girl with soft pink hair and gentle features. She carried herself quietly, her spirit fluctuations steady but restrained. She introduced herself as Sylvia.
The other was a tall blonde girl with sharp eyes and an obvious air of confidence. Her name was Alice. From the way she glanced at Grey, it was clear she already disliked him.
By the time the booming voice echoed again...
"Time’s up!"
...their group had solidified.
Five people.
Grey, Ange, Zayne, Sylvia, and Alice.
Two boys. Three girls.
"You shall now enter the arena!"
The space around them warped violently.
In the blink of an eye, the underground hall vanished, replaced by an enormous combat arena.
The arena stretched more than a hundred meters in length. The ground was dark stone, etched with faint runes, and the entire structure sloped upward toward a raised platform at the far end.
Teams filled the space, lining the sides.
With each team containing five to seven members, there were slightly over fifty teams in total.
"Choose a team captain," the voice continued, "and take a token. When the number displayed matches yours, you will enter the arena."
Golden light streaked through the air.
Dozens of tokens flew outward at once.
Almost instinctively, Grey reached out and caught one midair.
The moment he did, Alice’s gaze snapped toward him, sharp and irritated. Her eyes burned with clear provocation.
She had wanted that token.
Which meant she had wanted to be captain.
Grey noticed her expression and could only smile wryly. He turned the token slowly in his palm.
17.
Their team was seventeenth.
That meant they would have time to observe.
High above the arena, a massive screen of light flickered.
The number 1 appeared.
The first team stepped forward.
Their expressions were proud, confident, almost arrogant. Spirit energy surged visibly around them. Every single member was at least at the seventh level of Qi Accumulation.
They were geniuses.
Grey narrowed his eyes and focused on the arena itself.
Only now did he notice the true danger.
The path upward was steep, and lining both sides were massive guillotines. Each blade was nearly five feet long, suspended ominously, their edges reflecting cold light.
"Go!"
The command rang out.
The first team charged forward without hesitation, sprinting up the slope as if it were a simple obstacle.