Chapter 981: Top 8

Read at: https://blogspot-translatedstories.blogspot.com/?m=1 

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"It's the Ghost Ring King!" Someone in the audience shouted in surprise.

In the last two matches, Qiao Sang had dispatched the Divine Blazing Lion and the Ice Emperor Ram, but the Ghost Ring King’s previous performances had left a deep impression on many. 

With the opponent having no King-level pets left, the audience preferred watching a back-and-forth battle between General-level pets rather than seeing a one-hit knockout.

On the commentary stand, Tian Yiwan announced: "For the third match, Qiao Sang has sent out her Ghost Ring King, while Qi Fuqing has chosen her Ink-Stinger Beast."

Tang Xueran added: "Will Qiao Sang seize this match point to advance to the Top 8, or will Qi Fuqing take a win and pull back a point? Let’s look at the field."

Every camera focused on the arena.

"Xun xun!"

Little Treasure looked at his opponent, his eyes filled with fighting spirit. Hearing the crowd cheering for him, a flicker of reluctance crossed his mind, he loved the attention, but he forced himself to tune it out. Concentrating on the opponent, and remembering Qiao Sang's instructions, he vanished from his spot.

Ink-Stinger Beast, a Water and Poison dual-type General-level pet. When annoyed, it habitually sprays ink. In water, it likes to create massive whirlpools to eliminate targets. Its spikes are highly toxic, and its Poison Point trait gives a chance to poison any opponent that touches it. It also has the Damp trait...

Qiao Sang recalled the data. She remembered that at the Emperor-level stage, it would evolve into an Ink-Crystal Dragon, transforming into a Dragon-type.

As her thoughts flashed, Little Treasure teleported to the ground behind the Ink-Stinger Beast. He raised his claws, and the shadow beneath him rapidly extended forward.

Qi Fuqing, familiar with Little Treasure's tricks, responded quickly: "Ink Ground!"

The Ink-Stinger Beast whipped its curled tail against the ground. Centered on its tail, a geyser of pitch-black ink erupted, spreading like a flood. In just a second, it covered dozens of meters around the beast, completely masking its shadow.

"Xun xun!"

Startled by the pungent ink, Little Treasure teleported ten meters higher. With a flick of his short toes, he transitioned his Shadow Control from 2D mode to 3D. Black shadows rose sharply from the ink like lengths of black silk, coiling ferociously toward the Ink-Stinger Beast.

"Back Spikes!" Qi Fuqing shouted.

The Ink-Stinger Beast arched its back, and hundreds of densely packed, black-glowing spikes shot out in all directions. Little Treasure had to teleport again, reappearing high in the air a hundred meters in front of the beast.

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Qiao Sang gave the command: "Big!"

"Xun xun!"

Little Treasure’s spirits lifted. He clasped his claws upward. Instantly, a thirty-meter-tall Shadow of Darkness of the Ghost Ring King appeared in the arena. The giant phantom looked down with cold eyes, its aura of majesty fully unleashed.

"Mo-ci..." The Ink-Stinger Beast's calm expression turned to wariness. It remembered it was in a match and its eyes glowed blue. Suddenly, a massive black wave, over thirty meters high, rose from the ink pool and surged toward the Shadow of Darkness!

Surf, a high-tier Water-type skill. Used in ink, it stains the target. If Little Treasure is hit, his invisibility will fail... Qiao Sang observed the wave and commanded: "Bind."

"Xun xun~"

Little Treasure extended his short toe. The Shadow of Darkness did the same. Broad black shadows shot from the phantom's fingertips, coiling toward the Ink-Stinger Beast. The massive black wave swallowed the shadows and then the Shadow of Darkness itself, causing the phantom to dissipate.

However, Qi Fuqing’s expression changed. Dozens of thin black shadows were now bound tightly around the Ink-Stinger Beast! She looked up at the tiny figure in the sky, her eyes wide with shock. She hadn't expected the Ghost Ring King's true body to be able to cast Shadow Control independently while the Shadow of Darkness was active!

"Xun xun~" Little Treasure grinned, seeing his opponent bound.

"I didn't realize the Shadow of Darkness's attack was just a feint." Tang Xueran remarked. 

"The real attack came from the Ghost Ring King himself."

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The Shadow of Darkness can't act on its own, but Little Treasure’s Substitute, perfected through hours of secret computer gaming, can... Qiao Sang remained calm. Little Treasure’s Substitute had reached the Ultimate level.

During his invisibility phase at the start, Little Treasure had summoned an invisible Substitute. The crowd thought he was controlling both the phantom and himself, but in reality, the Substitute was the one controlling the Shadow of Darkness.

"Poison Spikes!" Qi Fuqing yelled.

Hundreds of spikes shot toward Little Treasure. He moved rapidly, using his small size to weave through the barrage. As he circled to within thirty meters, the Ink-Stinger Beast blew a tiny, nearly invisible needle from its mouth. It reached within a centimeter of Little Treasure instantly, and then it stopped.

The Ink-Stinger Beast froze. It looked down and saw an identical Ghost Ring King standing below it, its eyes glowing blue with Psychic power.

"Wait, another Ghost Ring King? Is that a Substitute?"

Little Treasure grinned, bypassed the frozen needle, and finished coiling his shadows around the Ink-Stinger Beast. He pulled the shadow tight in a Seismic Toss posture. Seeing a tiny pet try to throw a six-meter-tall beast made the audience chuckle, until Qi Fuqing's eyes widened.

"Wave!" She cried.

But before the Surf could erupt, the giant Shadow of Darkness reappeared, linked to the shadows. Mimicking Little Treasure's posture, it grabbed the shadows and yanked with immense force.

"Mo-ci!" The Ink-Stinger Beast was launched into the air in a perfect arc before slamming into the ground.

Little Treasure spun his toes, and shadows wrapped around the beast like a cocoon. Then, the giant Shadow of Darkness leaned in, its head glowing with brilliant white light, and began to headbutt the beast ruthlessly.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Every time the Ink-Stinger Beast tried to fire spikes from within the cocoon, the giant head slammed down, suppressing it. Finally, Qi Fuqing called for a Hyper Beam, but Little Treasure tightened the shadows around the beast's mouth. No attack came.

Little Treasure sensed the beast weakening and withdrew the shadows. 

"Cleave!" Qiao Sang commanded.

Little Treasure and his Substitute both raised their claws, glowing with white light, and chopped down on the beast’s head. The Ink-Stinger Beast finally went still.

The Substitute grinned at Little Treasure and vanished. The referee observed the beast and waved the green flag toward Qiao Sang. On the giant screen, Qiao Sang’s photo moved to the center.

"Let us congratulate Qiao Sang for winning this round 3-0 and successfully advancing to the Top 8!"

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