"..."
Qin Tian turned his head to look, hadn't the counterattack been too fast?
Not only the assassin but even Qin Tian and the others hadn't reacted.
Before the other person had even finished speaking, you directly fired a rocket?
"You thought you could run after showing off? Did you really think you were me!"
Chen Shu pouted, retracting the rocket launcher and patting the spatial rabbit beside him.
His sudden counterattack was naturally aided by his contracted spirit's spatial channel.
"But speaking of which, are you out of rocket ammunition?"
Qin Tian raised an eyebrow. He already knew the rocket launcher was obtained from a criminal group Chen Shu had eradicated earlier, but what confused him was whether it had infinite ammo.
"Uh... it's not like it can't be bought..."
Chen Shu shrugged and said, "This thing is useful and not expensive!"
"..."
Qin Tian shook his head and asked, "Why are you so fond of firearms?"
He simply couldn't understand it. A single skill from a Husky was far more destructive than a rocket. Was there a need for this thing?
Chen Shu said with a serious expression, "Isn't this standard for a bandit?"
Bandits all have various wide-area weapons. He, on the other hand, carries a dog every day. Wouldn't his peers laugh him to death?
"..."
Qin Tian's mouth twitched; he still couldn't comprehend the guy's thought process.
Just then, A Liang asked in confusion:
"Principal, how did that bullet get in just now?"
Everyone looked over. Their protective shields had been useless?
For a moment, the contestants felt a sense of crisis.
"There was a fluctuation in spatial skills!"
Before Qin Tian could speak, Chen Shu preempted him,
He calmly explained, "Besides the assassin from before, there should also be a Beast Tamer with a spatial contracted spirit providing assistance!"
"That's correct."
Qin Tian nodded, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
He hadn't expected the Silver-ranked Chen Shu to have detected the skill fluctuation.
This guy, it had to be said, was not simple...
"The bullet just now bypassed the earth elemental defense skills by using spatial skills."
Qin Tian smiled and said, "But you don't need to worry. I can detect the fluctuations of all skills, so the bullets won't hit you!"
The crowd then breathed a sigh of relief.
It would be too frustrating to be headshot for no reason while sleeping.
"Chen Pi, do you know your ability to attract aggro now?"
Liu Feng turned his head and looked at him, saying, "We've just left China's border, and people are already waiting for us..."
"What's there to say? They're all weaklings!"
Chen Shu pouted, his eyes filled with calmness, appearing unconcerned.
"I understand the logic!"
Qin Tian's mouth twitched, saying, "But can you get off the Earth Elemental?"
Chen Shu was seen with his feet hooked onto the Earth Elemental Spirit, showing no signs of letting go...
"Uh..."
Chen Shu then released his legs but stood next to the Earth Elemental Spirit.
Seeing everyone's strange expressions, he chuckled dryly and explained,
"I used to like playing with mud, a childhood habit, a childhood habit..."
"..."
Everyone shook their heads and set off again, heading for Origin Island.
...
Apart from them, contestants from other countries were also setting off.
The coastline of the Free Alliance was already bustling with activity. Tens of thousands of people gathered there, their expressions excited and fervent.
They had come to escort their nation's geniuses, striving for a good ranking!
In the middle of the crowd stood twelve people. Their expressions were calm, and their eyes were filled with confidence.
Especially the leading three Silver-ranked Beast Tamers, their demeanor was extraordinary, setting them apart from the rest.
"Joanna, it's up to you this time!"
A vigorous old man dressed in black looked at the leading girl, his eyes filled with anticipation.
The girl had blue eyes and exquisite features, but her eyes held a proud expression.
She smiled slightly and said, "Minister, please rest assured! I will definitely claim China's Divine Skill!"
"Good!"
The old man nodded. He also didn't understand why China was willing to use a Divine Skill as a reward.
But since it had appeared, it naturally had to be held in the hands of the Alliance.
He gazed at the boundless sea and said softly, "Time is almost up, let's depart!"
"Minister, we'll be going first!"
A Watcher wearing a black armband summoned a King-ranked contracted spirit.
The group stepped onto the contracted spirit's back, waved to the crowd,
The old man looked at the golden-haired middle-aged man beside him and smiled,
"Patriarch Buck, you're really not escorting them personally? Jack is your own grandson!"
"No need. I had a conflict with the people from China last time. If we start fighting again, I won't go."
Buck smiled and shook his head, merely watching the contestants gradually depart.
The old man nodded, but inwardly he knew that the other party was probably intimidated by the three King-ranked individuals from China last time.
It had to be said, those guys were indeed a bit unreasonable...
...
At the northern pier of Sakura Country, contestants were also waiting, but the people seeing them off were not too many.
As a small country, their participation in the competition was merely going through the motions, and they were looking to get some consolation prizes.
"Kosuke! Just try your best to showcase your strength!"
An old man patted the shoulder of the youth in front of him and said,
"Aim for the top sixteen; I won't demand anything more."
"Mm."
The youth nodded, but deep in his eyes, there was confidence.
The top sixteen were not his goal!
The old man's eyes held a look of admiration, understanding that the other party had aspirations and wanted to compete for a higher ranking.
He said softly, "Tenhō, let's depart!"
Patriarch Tenhō nodded, summoned his flying contracted spirit, and took the four contestants off the ground.
They had only one spot each in the Black Iron and Silver groups, and they had competed for it with neighboring small countries.
Patriarch Tenhō's expression was solemn. He looked at the four of them and said word by word,
"Remember one thing: once you reach Origin Island, do not provoke anyone named Chen Shu!"
"Hm?"
The four of them blinked slightly, not understanding why the King-ranked Patriarch Tenhō would be so cautious.
Takahashi Kosuke asked with confusion, "Lord Tenhō, could he perhaps also be King-ranked?"
"No!"
Patriarch Tenhō shook his head, his expression a little unnatural, as if recalling unpleasant memories.
"He's just a Silver-ranked Beast Tamer!"