Seeing Roth step out first, Li Ming paused, something he hadn’t anticipated.
Many eyes landed on Roth, filled with a hint of expectation, while not many paid attention to Li Ming behind him in sunglasses.
Only a few people’s eyelids twitched.
Li Ming naturally did not think Roth was trying to steal his thunder; Roth was either scouting ahead for him, or he actually did not want him to take the stage.
If Li Ming were to go on stage and lose again, the opposing side’s orchestrated media onslaught would be flawless.
"He wants to use his own failure to warn me," Li Ming shook his head, choosing to stay put as he had no need to step ahead of Roth.
On the other side, Youke walked slowly, stepping onto the platform via the metal stairs, and after Roth climbed up, the referee, a professor from the University of Science and Technology, also took the stage, stated some rules, and then stepped down.
From each corner of the platform, shiny blue beams of light shot out, and with a hum, outlined the Energy Barrier.
The destructive power of a Class D Life Form was considerable; without limitations, they might as well demolish the entire stadium.
Youke and Roth stood opposite each other silently; to outsiders, it seemed as though they were staring each other down.
However, due to the angle, Li Ming could clearly feel that Youke was looking at him, not Roth.
The other party already knew he was there.
"Not letting him come up?" Youke spoke. The two hadn’t turned on their mics; separated by the Energy Barrier, no one could hear what they were saying.
Roth’s expression was grave, "A Class E Life Form, what’s he here for?"
Youke smiled, his curved green hair fluttering at the side of his ears: "Amidst the overwhelming public opinion, he never came forward to say a word, and just happens to appear today, a Class E Life Form... huh?"
"Are you scouting for him?"
Roth was expressionless, "Too much nonsense."
Youke’s smile faded, his eyes carrying a faint disdain, a condescension belonging to a civilized ruler, also indifference fulfilled by worldly desires.
"The more you talk, the longer you can stay on this platform. Since you’re reluctant," he paused, "then get off!"
As soon as his words fell, Youke moved, his pupils turning deep blue in an instant, even the tips of his green hair entwined with chill, his body covered with a layer of icy armor.
Water and Ice, these were the Elemental Powers Youke possessed, though appearing as two elements, they were actually part of the same system, complementing each other.
On the platform, the two collided, sending out a surprisingly crisp sound rather than the dull thud of a physical collision.
Roth’s fingers emanated golden filaments, his fists as if wearing beam gloves, clashing and sending shards of ice flying.
Both were exceedingly cautious at the start, not unleashing their destructive powers on a large scale, as the gap was not yet wide enough to easily crush the other.
Trained under rigorous conditions from a young age, even customized in combat skills, Youke’s shoulders moved unpredictably, his punches and kicks hard to discern, his movements trailing mist.
Roth’s defense was standard, but his movements gradually slowed; with each collision with Youke, his skin was sliced by ice shards, then covered in frost.
Such a match naturally didn’t allow lethal weapons, resorting to this simplest form of combat.
However, it was clear to those who watched that Roth was doomed to lose. Due to the gene seed and developmental discrepancies, Youke consistently held the advantage.
If he had been careless and made mistakes, it might have been okay, but Youke was ever stable and cautious.
Soon, Roth felt his joints freezing and knew he could not go on . Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward with a punch and then followed with both palms beside his ears, his palms bursting with dazzling light.
Youke’s expression tightened, but calmly, he opened his mouth and gently exhaled a breath of cold air, heading straight for Roth.
Seemingly just a gentle exhalation, but by the time it reached Roth, it had turned into a chill covering his entire body.
A thick layer of ice formed on his skin, movements becoming slower and eventually encasing his entire body. With a kick, Youke sent Roth flying.
The ice shell smashed into the surrounding Energy Barrier, shattering into pieces, and Roth fell onto the platform, barely propping himself up, his complexion extremely grim, yet he did not counterattack anymore, uttering, "I concede."
To continue would only waste time, excessive cold invasion also risked permanent damage to the body.
The surrounding people were dismayed, those from the University of Science and Technology sighing in disappointment, foreseeing this outcome, yet the inevitable result still brought a sigh.
As for the crowd from Sela Royal Academy, needless to say, they were pleased, their smiles ill-concealed.
The battle between the two was without suspense, even boring, yet it better demonstrated Youke’s overwhelming power.
After Roth left, the referee took the stage, his face also showing displeasure, but still he intoned firmly, "Half an hour later, if anyone wants to challenge, they can come up..."
"Referee, no need," Youke interrupted, "I voluntarily give up my rest time, no need for half an hour, those who want to challenge can come up now."
With these words, a stir broke out, implying that defeating Roth hadn’t taken much effort.
Though no outright scornful words were said, this attitude was more insulting.
The referee’s face darkened, yet he could only say, "The player voluntarily gives up rest time, is there..."
"Aren’t you coming up?" the referee hadn’t finished speaking when Youke interrupted again.
Huh? The crowd was taken aback, following his gaze.