“Didn't expect this guy to come up too. Looks like the spot is out of our reach now.”

“I've already given up. Whoever can win is fine by me.”

The person next to him fell silent.

Indeed, it was assumed that the school team spot would go to whoever stepped up first.

Yet, after 49 rounds, nearly everyone from their senior year had tried, and not a single person won.

The number of attempts could practically form a class of their own…

In the year to come, they probably wouldn't be able to hold their heads up in front of the underclassmen.

At this point, it didn’t matter who went up, as long as they could win.

“Xu Chuhua should be able to handle this, right?” One student hesitated.

“Of course. Even though Xu Chuhua does have a bit of an arrogant air, his skill is undeniable. Don’t forget, he was once part of the school team.”

Xu Chuhua, a senior in Class 9, got into Shengshui High School through a special admission program.

Before the school year even started, he was selected for the school team and impressed everyone with his skills at the opening ceremony.

However, after competing in one national campus beast-taming competition, he chose to leave the school team.

His reason was simple: He didn’t think there was any realistic chance to beat Litan for the provincial championship.

Since he couldn’t qualify for a spot to test for the top academies, he figured he might as well focus on his studies to get in through college entrance exams.

This kind of self-defeating reasoning earned him the scorn of nearly the whole school at the time.

Still, some understood his decision. After all, cutting your losses early is the smart choice.

High school only lasts three years, and every day counts.

If the goal is to get into a top academy, failing to place first in the provincial competitions leaves you without even the chance to test. Better to make use of the time and pursue another path.

He had chosen a different path, indeed, but a winding one.

This guy had zero clue about his own academic ranking.

To get into a top academy, he’d need to be at least in the top 15 of the whole school. But he ranked beyond 400 every time.

With scores like that, unless something drastic happened, he was almost guaranteed to miss out on a top academy.

It was likely that now, going up there, he regretted quitting the team.

The others weren’t wrong; Xu Chuhua regretted it so much he could feel it in his bones.

But he’d been a big figure before, and with the entire school watching, there was no way he’d show his regret openly!

No one knew how he’d managed to hold out until now.

Xu Chuhua, looking intentionally nonchalant, took his hand out of his pocket and said arrogantly in a flat tone:

“I didn’t really want to come up, but your Treasure-Seeking ghost has caught my interest. It’s just a shame, your winning streak ends here.”

As soon as he spoke, the arena erupted in cheers from the senior students.

“Xu Chuhua! Xu Chuhua!”

“Xu Chuhua! Xu Chuhua!”

The freshmen weren’t to be outdone.

“Qiao Sang! Qiao Sang!”

“Qiao Sang! Qiao Sang!”

Xu Chuhua raised his hand for silence, and the crowd respectfully quieted down.

“Ugh, this guy’s so smug, it’s unbearable.” Grumbled a student from Senior Class Three.

“Who cares? As long as he wins.”

“True enough.”

Despite the showy attitude, Qiao Sang wasn’t careless.

After seeing the Treasure-Seeking ghost’s lengthy winning streak, she knew that Xu Chuhua was no ordinary opponent.

The match began, and Xu Chuhua formed a seal with his hands.

In the next instant, a gray star array lit up on the ground. The ground trembled slightly, and a strong wind swept outward from the center where his pet beast appeared.

Seeing this beast, Qiao Sang’s mouth twitched.

The pet before her was massive, nearly three meters tall, with reddish-brown fur covering most of its body and a white belly.

Its rounded eyes looked dazed, giving it an adorably foolish appearance.

Good grief, it was a Hunshi Bear.

Hunshi Bear, a mid-level beast of the general type. As its name suggested, it was both silly and gluttonous. Normally dopey, it grew even more sluggish after eating.

Once it was full, it would lie down, barely moving a paw, and wouldn’t care even if someone danced on its belly.

Due to its sheer size, it had impressive destructive power, and its body, mainly made of fat, boasted remarkable defense, earning it a reputation among mid-level beasts.

But despite its strength, few would think to contract it.

The simple reason was that it was impossible to afford.

Experts had warned repeatedly: unless you have a fortune, don’t even think about contracting a Hunshi Bear.

Known as a glutton, it consumed close to a hundred pounds of food daily.

Even as a mid-level beast, its appetite was terrifying. Once it evolved to a higher level, its food demands would be enough to bankrupt an average family in no time.

He must be loaded…

Qiao Sang looked at her theatrically edgy senior with newfound understanding.

Little Treasure had fought so many matches in a row and was clearly worn out.

Although his energy and stamina had been replenished, his enthusiasm for battle was all but gone.

When the whistle blew, his eyes glowed blue, attempting to control the opponent with telekinesis to end the fight quickly.

However, the Hunshi Bear didn’t budge.

“Xun!”

Little Treasure looked stunned. This was his first time encountering such a situation.

As he stood there, unsure what to do, Qiao Sang spoke up, “Focus on his feet.”

The Hunshi Bear’s size was overwhelming. Although Little Treasure's telekinesis was highly trained, it was still just a low-level beast with limited energy.

Trying to control the entire Hunshi Bear was too challenging; it was better to concentrate on one area.

“Xun! Xun!”

The little ghost quickly fixed his gaze on the bear’s left foot.

“Destroyer, Shadow Ball." Xu Chuhua commanded, unhurried.

“Hun Hun.”

Though the Hunshi Bear looked a bit foolish, its movements were fast. It opened its mouth, launching a black Shadow Ball filled with intense energy, nearly as large as the treasure-hunting ghost itself.

Due to the vast difference in size, the ghost’s telekinesis failed to move the bear’s foot in time, and the Shadow Ball shot toward it first.

The little ghost had no choice but to abandon control and teleport to dodge.

Boom!!

The Shadow Ball exploded in midair, creating a loud noise.

In the wake of the explosion, Little Treasure vanished from sight.

Watching the scene unfold, the crowd began to discuss.

“It’s hiding again. What now?”

“The Hunshi Bear’s size makes it a slow target, facing the ghost that can appear anywhere, it’s practically a sitting duck!”

“Yeah, but so what? The bear’s defense is famous; the ghost’s attacks probably won’t even hurt it.”

“True enough.”

Hiding, huh… Xu Chuhua smirked and shouted, “See through!”

“Hun Hun.”

The Hunshi Bear’s round eyes widened, glowing a strange red.

Qiao Sang’s expression grew serious.

The See Through skill could reveal hidden targets, making ghost-type beasts visible and serving as a powerful countermeasure against them.