Chapter 839: Drawing Names [GT Ranking Bonus Chapter]
AlyxAtlas didn’t wait for them to dwell on it for too long. Instead, she spoke, "Now, how does one get eliminated?" Her question resounded throughout the entire Coliseum.
"Unlike the first round, you can’t just fight everything head-on, then go and rest, nurse your injuries, or stumble upon a healing Positive Zone," AlyxAtlas spoke as she shook her head. "No, here, things are much more interesting and tricky."
Thomasinho snapped his fingers. The moment he did, fifty staff members stepped into the open space and approached the students. They didn’t speak; they simply went straight to work.
Asher saw one of them approach. They placed a hand on his chest, and the next moment, Asher felt something envelop his body, cloaking him within it. It didn’t suppress any of his abilities or movements. Instead, it seemed to possess some defensive properties, as though it were some sort of protective barrier.
"What you sense around your body is the cloaking barrier," Thomasinho began to speak. "It is your lifeline throughout this Thinning Round," his tone remained flat. "The cloaking barrier possesses what are called Vitality Points. And what are Vitality Points? Simple. They are there to protect you and keep track of you. Each cloaking barrier is loaded with one thousand (1000) Vitality Points, which are reduced according to the damage you take. The moment your Vitality Points hit zero, you are automatically disqualified."
The students looked at the cloaking barrier. While this meant they wouldn’t be truly injured during this round, it also meant every injury counted, rendering anyone with healing capabilities practically useless. An attack capable of killing them in one blow could make them lose over nine hundred Vitality Points in a single strike.
"But don’t get confused, you will still feel the pain that comes with every attack, so don’t go becoming bold and suicidal," AlyxAtlas stated as she stared down at the students.
"So now, there are two ways of being disqualified. Losing your Vitality Points and directly attacking another student," Thomasinho followed up.
"Now, back to the point-gaining system. In this round, you don’t just kill and gain points; there are other ways to earn them. You can steal another person’s kill, for one. If two or more people fight a being together, they share the points based on their contributions during the battle. Indirect damage dealt to another student’s Vitality Points also generates points. If your indirect actions chip away ten percent of another student’s Vitality Points, you gain ten percent of their personal points, not their team score," AlyxAtlas explained calmly.
’Does this mean they would introduce enemies that would force students to work together?’ Asher thought to himself in silence.
Asher didn’t have a problem with this round. Instead, all his affinities seemed perfectly tailored for it.
"Now, in the case where eight teams qualify, but one of those teams has only one student due to their partner being eliminated, which leaves us with fifteen students instead of sixteen, the solution is simple. We will simply pick the student with the highest personal score outside of the eight qualified teams," Thomasinho explained.
The rules were almost ironclad. You couldn’t just ride your teammate’s coattails. You also couldn’t simply abandon your teammate. It all seemed exhausting.
"Now, as we said earlier, we will tell you how the students for each team will be selected after we are done explaining the rules," Thomasinho began to speak again.
"Worry not, we won’t purposely burden you with dead weight. Instead, you will all test your luck here and pick your partners accordingly," AlyxAtlas spoke, her eyes turning towards Finch.
She wasn’t the only one. Everyone’s eyes turned towards Finch, wondering if he was going to pull Asher or Arianna as his teammate. Such outrageous luck didn’t seem beyond him.
"Now, twenty-five random students should step forward," Thomasinho stated.
Asher didn’t hesitate to walk forward. Finch followed, as this was a luck-based event, so how could he possibly stay behind? Arianna stayed behind, while Teo Swig remained where he was.
AlyxAtlas floated downwards as a black box with a single hole at the top, just large enough for a hand to enter, appeared in her left hand while her right still held the microphone.
"Since twenty-five students are here, then the names of the other twenty-five students who stayed behind are inside this box. Simply put your hand inside and pull out a name," AlyxAtlas spoke as she motioned for the students to come forward one by one.
Some of the students’ faces immediately twisted as they saw the names written on the papers they held. They couldn’t help but curse their luck, regretting stepping forward.
Finch walked forward, and everyone’s eyes were on him. Since Asher was also among those standing in line, it meant his name wasn’t inside the box, meaning Finch could potentially pull Arianna’s name. Finch slipped his hand through the hole and pulled out a piece of paper that bore a single name.
Acker Holloway.
A smile couldn’t help but spread across Finch’s face. Although he didn’t get Arianna, he had gotten the next best person. This was a huge win for him. Although the Buddhist seemed delusional, to Finch, it was perfect, as he wouldn’t have to put up with other students who carried arrogant airs and demeanours.
"Amitabha. It seems we are destined for each other. Your luck and my belief, faith, and prayers. We are destined for greatness," Acker spoke with a light smile as Finch approached with his name on the paper.
Finch could only smile and accept this fate.
’Imagine if Asher and Arianna end up together,’ Finch mused as he turned towards Asher.
Asher didn’t waste any time. He simply reached into the box and pulled out a name.
Teo Swig.
Asher heaved a sigh of relief. Although he didn’t look down on people, he certainly didn’t want to draw the student who had ranked fiftieth.
’At least it’s someone from the Zarethorne Empire. It seems my luck is quite good,’ Asher thought to himself before turning away. With this, he didn’t have to worry about being dragged down. Although he didn’t know Teo Swig’s abilities, the guy was powerful and had finished fifth in the rankings. That was all that mattered.
"It seems we are teammates for this round," Asher spoke as he came to a stop before the man.
"It’s an honour to be on the same team as a Wargrave," Teo Swig spoke as he gave a small smile that seemed to require all the effort he could muster.
Asher simply nodded and remained silent as he waited for everyone else to pick their names. Within a few minutes, everything was done.
Thomasinho stared down at the students, some happy with their partners, while others simply clicked their tongues at the thought of having to protect people weaker than themselves.
Although they were all within the top fifty, their combat prowess was far from the same.
"Since everything is set and done, I wish you all a safe battle. I expect nothing but absolute cinema," Thomasinho stated as an orb appeared in his hand. Another appeared in AlyxAtlas’ hand, and they crushed them simultaneously.
A white light poured downwards and swallowed the students whole, teleporting them to their battlefield.
And with that, The Thinning Round began.
