*****
The deadline for the martial arts tournament South China Martial Arts Ranking Board held for the University of South China was on the second day. There was a total of four thousand or so people who had registered for it. Among them were even students from some of the smaller universities around the area. Some of the alumni who had just graduated had also joined. It was incredibly lively.
The official developers set up a tunnel for the offline martial arts assembly in different regions. They had all the people who registered to join the tournaments get a number, and they could go to the space specifically set for the martial arts tournament from the government offices in their cities.
To prove that what he thought was true, Happy also registered and joined the tournament.
When he was in the government office in Gusu City, he ran into Nangong Ying before the martial arts tournament. She had also decided to join, but he did not know which region she belonged to.
"He-hello."
The woman who had been as arrogant as a goddess in Jade Gate Restaurant felt her heart race when she suddenly ran into Happy without being prepared for it. She was even a little nervous when she spoke to him. But once she s.u.c.k.e.d in a deep breath, she found that he seemed to be thinking of something and had not noticed her at all. She could not help but feel a little frustrated.
"Hey!"
"Good day," he said, and that was all.
When she noticed that Happy was not as domineering as he was during their second meeting, Nangong Ying let out a slight breath of relief before she summoned her courage and asked, "Are you here for the martial arts tournament as well? Which region do you belong to?"
Happy languidly wiped his Noble Sword. He ignored her.
'Hmph! If you don't want to say it, fine!'
But Nangong Ying did not dare voice her thoughts. She rolled her eyes in annoyance while criticizing him in her heart. She looked incredibly alluring and adorably wilful, which made her even more charming than usual.
However, in her mind, it was a sure thing that the Blue-robed Noble Sword User would show incredible splendour during the martial arts tournament. At that time, it would not be difficult for her to find out to which region he belonged through the information given by the official website.
Even though she was a little disappointed, she knew she had no chance of getting into the top ranks in this tournament. However, when she remembered that she could get to know his identity, she felt incredibly smug.
The two people did not say anything else to each other until the moment the martial arts tournament started.
The scene before Happy's eyes changed. He appeared on an empty stage and looked around. The stage was made of sturdy marble. It was elevated from the ground by around thirteen to sixteen feet, but the diameter of the stage itself was less than sixty-five feet. The space available for moving and dodging was very small, and there was no audience around him.
A light crease appeared between his eyebrows. He suddenly remembered Nangong Ying's getup, and he swiftly brought out an article of clothing from his Universal Bag. He drew his Noble Sword from its sheath and brandished it a few times before he cut the article of clothing into a triangular piece of cloth. He grabbed it and tied it around his face.
Once he was done with it, another person appeared across from him on the stage.
It was a girl.
The notification from the system showed up at that moment.
"This is an elimination tournament. Participants must go through seven battles. All those who win four battles can go to the next round!
"Each round is limited to ten minutes. If the participant admits defeat, they can withdraw from their current battle. If the participant dies or falls off the stage, they will be seen to have lost the battle. Both participants will automatically be sent to the next round.
"First round. Both participants are members of South China Martial Arts Ranking Board: Happy and Glutinous Rice."
"Glutinous Rice?"
"Happy?"
The girl across from Happy was rather pretty and looked like a heroine. She stood tall and straight while blinking rapidly. She seemed to be in the same mood as Happy, finding his name to be rather amusing.
Chapter 60 - Making Friends Through Martial Arts
"Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it! He makes me so angry! AAAAAHHHHH—"
In the girls' dorm of the University of South China was a good-looking girl. She threw her helmet on the bed furiously and panted while hissing through gritted teeth for a while. She then stood up and stomped about her blanket to relieve her gloom from the game.
Three girls hugged each other as if they had been scared by the girl while they stayed away from her bed. They looked at the girl venting her rage in great fear. After a long while, they opened their mouths and asked, "What's wrong, Young Wei? We just heard that you wanted to get yourself a spot on South China's ranking board for the powerful, but why are you acting like this soon after you got in?"
The girl on the bed snorted fiercely through her nose. "Forget it, the moment I think of it, I get angry. We're from the same department, but he showed no mercy the moment he attacked. With just one attack, he kicked me off…
"Ack, I still said it. I lost to his ambush and fell off the stage! Hmph! How dare he kick me? He must be bored of living… Damn it, he even refused to let me see his face. Who does he think he is? The department prince? He used a rag to cover his face as if he was afraid of others seeing his face. I'm so angry!"
She ranted like a machine gun while not forgetting to squeeze and trample her velvety smooth blanket to vent her anger.
The other girls were speechless. They looked at each other at a loss.
"So, our dear swordswoman, you lost in the first round?"
"Hmph." Young Wei's fierce glare made her look like a violent lady. It made the other three girls shudder in terror. Out of fear of violence, they quickly changed the topic. "Um… has the martial arts tournament ended?"
The violent girl was stunned for a moment before she became calm again.
"No."
"Then why are you out?"
"Ah!" she screeched. The violent girl quickly put on her helmet and returned to the game.
*****
Happy, who had caused a certain violent girl in the University of South China to fly into a rage, enjoyed great success all along the way. He did not need to spend any effort against the greenhorns. At most, he only needed two moves to defeat his opponent.
He made sure not to make his opponent feel any pain, so he ended all his fights by kicking them off the stage. However, during his fourth fight, he met a very popular person on South China Martial Artists Ranking Board. He was once a great person who occupied the third spot for a period of time. Right then, he might be in fourth place, but he was definitely not any worse than the two people placed before him on the ranking board in South China. It was B.u.t.t Shaker!
This person had been pretty close to Happy in his previous life.
When he saw B.u.t.t Shaker's figure, which was just as much of a mess as his name, appear on the stage, Happy felt a faint and inexplicable warmth in his heart.
B.u.t.t Shaker was an orthodox disciple of Beggar's Sect. His hair was usually a mess, and he habitually bit on a drumstick. There was always a wine gourd hanging off his waist. He loved lingering around the streets admiring beautiful girls, and he would sometimes stretch his perverted claws to touch the ladies' butts. Of course, anyone could tell just how much this person loved a certain body part based on his name alone.
As the tournament progressed, B.u.t.t Shaker had completed all three of his matches. He had a smooth journey up to that point. When he saw that his fourth match was about to arrive, he brought out a greasy drumstick that all Beggar's Sect disciples loved from his Universe Bag, and he did so in a very flippant manner. He tore off a piece of flesh from the drumstick in a very brusque manner while he waited for his next opponent.
When Happy appea
red before him with a relaxed gaze and a strange smile beneath his mask, the relaxed look on B.u.t.t Shaker's face disappeared. He quietly swallowed the chicken meat he had yet to finish chewing and threw away the drumstick without any care for social rules. His expression swiftly turned solemn.
During the past few months in the game, he had developed a pair of very good eyes. Based on the player's bearing, charisma, and the way they held their sword, he could tell whether the person was strong or weak.
He was certain that his fourth opponent was definitely not someone from the top thirty on South China Martial Arts Ranking Board, but the pressure he gave him did not lose to the top on the ranking board—Brother Tea Words!
"I am B.u.t.t Shaker! I don't think we've met before!"
Uncaring about how oily his hands were, B.u.t.t Shaker put his fist in his palm and gave Happy a greeting. He gave off a wild feeling, just like the wanderers wandering about the country.
"I'm Happy," Happy answered crisply.
B.u.t.t Shaker nodded in realization. He remembered all the names ranked in the top one hundred, so he was certain that this person might have not registered as a member before or had not renewed and provided a comprehensive data of himself in the game in time. In other words, he was a person who kept a low-profile.
"Reporting participants. B.u.t.t Shaker, fourth round. Happy, fifth round!"
The notification from the system made B.u.t.t Shaker's heart tense again.
He believed that he had ended his previous fights relatively quickly, so he did not expect that the person before him would be one round ahead of him. If that was the case, he could easily imagine his abilities.
He schooled his face, and his expression became even more solemn. The wooden staff he never brought out during his previous fights now appeared in his hands.
"Please grant me your instructions."
"Please."
Happy smiled. He tapped on the ground and moved with his sword. In an instant, he appeared in front of B.u.t.t Shaker. B.u.t.t Shaker's demeanor when facing an enemy changed. His Fire Burning Staff went charging at Happy with a low whistle as it sliced through the air.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing against metal could be heard.
Happy did not want to traumatize B.u.t.t Shaker. He changed his fierce attacks and used Black Cloud Sword Technique to fight against him. Once this sword technique reached the tenth realm, it placed an emphasis on attack and speed. It was the same as the Mad Demon Staff Technique from Beggar's Sect. When a powerful technique clashed against another powerful technique, it would naturally result in a fierce fight.
"Perfect timing."
B.u.t.t Shaker instantly felt a pressure he had never felt before. He felt as if he had just encountered an incredibly powerful enemy. He used his full strength, and his robes fluttered. The shadow of his staff moved about, and it looked like a mad demon had descended on the face of the earth. The momentum of his attacks was astonishing!
'A Grandmaster Realm Mad Demon Staff Technique?!'
Happiness showed on Happy's face. He no longer held back as well. He brought out the full power and the essence of Black Cloud Sword Technique. The speed, ruthlessness, and lethality of the technique was intentionally brought out. Even though the technique had yet to reach Grandmaster Realm, with Happy's understanding of the Mad Demon Staff Technique, they were equals. The two of them continuously moved about and attacked each other. They fought until they could not be separated from each other, creating a very lively atmosphere.
"This is fun!"
As time passed, the two of them became incredibly excited. When B.u.t.t Shaker was covered in sweat from the battle, he laughed loudly and asked, "Bro, which department did you come from? With your skills, you won't have a problem getting first place in this tournament!"
"You praise me too much! I'm from the Computer Engineering Department. Butt, you're pretty good as well."
B.u.t.t Shaker glared at him and cursed gloomily. "What a load of bull! I can't defeat you with my Mad Demon Staff Technique even though I've pushed it to Grandmaster Realm, and you're saying I'm good? What's all that fake modesty crap? Tell me your name! Argh, you bastard, you're the worst!"
"Heh heh, there'll be plenty of chances for you to find out my name in the future."
Happy knew that it was B.u.t.t Shaker's catch phrase, which was why he did not take it to heart. He smiled and suddenly changed the momentum of his sword. When B.u.t.t Shaker cried out in surprise, Happy's Black Cloud Sword Technique had already changed into Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword.
"Ack!"
The ruthless and straightforward sword attacks suddenly became strange and unfathomable. B.u.t.t Shaker could not get used to it on a short notice. He was caught in a difficult situation, and soon, he was forced to the edge of the stage. When he realized he was cornered, his expression changed!
"Eat this!"
A powerful aura suddenly appeared around B.u.t.t Shaker's body, and the presence of his power became much stronger than before.
'A secret technique?'
Happy was stunned. Still, he activated Gate Realm, and his qi surged. His body instantly rose from the stage, and under B.u.t.t Shaker's shocked gaze, he rose twenty to twenty-three feet while drawing his lancet knives…
"Sorry, bro!"
A chilling light sliced down to the stage like a bolt of lightning.
At the same time, a red light shot out from B.u.t.t Shaker's hand!
Chapter 61 - Three Dark Horses
B.u.t.t Shaker burned his Fire Burning Staff until it was a hot and fiery-red iron staff at the moment of danger. When he used his full strength, he knocked Happy to a much higher place, and he flew way out of the stage's area.
But B.u.t.t Shaker still did not win the round. The lancet knives were murder weapons in Happy's hands. Right after B.u.t.t Shaker attacked, he was killed. Even when Happy fell off the stage, he did not hear the system tell him that he had already been defeated.
Even so, Happy still broke out into cold sweat!
Secret techniques were indeed killing techniques that could easily turn the tides in a one-on-one fight. If he had not reacted quickly, B.u.t.t Shaker might have turned the tables before he lost.
By the looks of it, Happy had to practice Black Dragon Murder hard once the tournament ended.
B.u.t.t Shaker had nearly killed him. How was he, a veteran with experience of the game from his previous life, supposed to accept this?
How mortifying…
"You won the fifth round! You can now choose to enter the sixth round or wait for the next segment of the tournament."
He had already won more than four rounds. Based on the rules, even if he lost the next two rounds, he would still move to the next segment of the tournament, but he did not intend to end this segment just like this.
He wanted to understand the other people's strength and see whether he would run into more people like B.u.t.t Shaker who had secret techniques or someone who had other outstanding aspects in other areas.
He supposed this could be considered as him trying to get more information for the final segment, which was bound to come.
However, his next two opponents were of average skill. He easily went to the next segment.
But Happy did not know that once the first segment of the University of South China's martial arts tournament ended, the students who were eliminated from the tournament logged into South China Martial Arts Ranking Board and began to discuss the tournament with each other. One of the hottest topics was Happy, who was dressed in blue robes, used a triangular cloth to cover his face, and behaved in an incredibly arrogant manner!
"Happy?"
As the organizers of the event, the Three Lonely Wolves kept a close eye on the discussions on the forum and how they progressed. When they watched the battle replays some people uploaded, they looked at each other at a loss.
"No way."
Bai Lang gulped even though his throat was dry
. The masked swordsman in the battle replay acted just like the assassins who ruled over the country in movies. He ended his fights with at most two attacks, and his sword moved as agilely as dragons and snakes. He instantly subdued his enemies, and all of them were kicked off the stage without exception. When all his fights were gathered together, the feeling they got out of it compared to the other fights simply could not be compared.
However, they did remember vaguely that before he joined the game, Happy had refused to set his name as Young Lonely Heart, and he mingled around World of Martial Arts with Happy as his in-game ID.
If the masked swordsman was indeed Happy, then he would be that mysterious and powerful swordsman. It would mean that the brat's abilities would definitely give him a firm foothold in being one of the top three in South China Martial Arts Ranking Board! When they thought about this in-depth, the three's eyes went wide in surprise, and they sank into inexplicable excitement and extreme delight!
If that was true, then Happy might be able to bring back a part of the reward for them from the martial arts tournament.
"By the way, we must absolutely keep this matter a secret. We can't have any outsider know that Happy is from our dorm!"
"Yeah!"
"What about the reward?"
"Do you even need to ask?! All those who know his status have a share!"
The Three Lonely Wolves put their heads together and cackled nonstop at their shameless decision.
*****
The University of South China had only been able to join the regional martial arts tournament organized by the official developers because of Happy's unintentional suggestion, which led to the tournament being organized. The development of the event had progressed differently from Happy's previous life. Hence, a few dark horses had come out one after another in the martial arts tournament that should not have been organized! Aside from the masked swordsman Happy, there were also two other people who also caught everyone's attention.
Sword Among Us c1-1268 Page 35
