The main arena was electric with anticipation. The moment Lin Ke and Chen Hao stepped onto the field, a roar erupted from the crowd. It was the semi-final match that everyone was waiting for: the tactical dark horse versus the orthodox genius.
"On my left, the top scorer of the written exam, the tactical prodigy, Lin Ke, and his Rock Vole!" the announcer's voice boomed. "And on my right, from the prestigious No. 3 High School, the powerful fire-type specialist, Chen Hao, and his Flame-mane Cub!"
Chen Hao stared across the field at Lin Ke, his eyes burning with intensity. "No more tricks, Lin Ke. Let's see if your little rock can withstand true firepower."
Lin Ke simply gave a calm nod to his opponent, then looked down at the Rock Vole at his feet. "Stay calm. Follow my lead."
"Battle... begin!"
"Full power! Fire Spin!" Chen Hao commanded immediately, wasting no time.
The Flame-mane Cub roared and unleashed a vortex of swirling flames that swept across the arena, aiming to trap the Rock Vole in a fiery prison.
"He's trying to limit our movement," Lin Ke analyzed instantly. "Dodge back, then use Rock Harden."
The Rock Vole moved with practiced agility, leaping backward to escape the epicenter of the fire vortex. As the flames closed in, it planted its feet, and the now-familiar earthy yellow glow enveloped its shell. It braced itself as the outer edges of the Fire Spin washed over it.
The flames licked at its hardened shell, but the Rock Vole stood firm, taking minimal damage.
The crowd gasped. "It withstood Fire Spin!"
Chen Hao frowned. He had expected the attack to at least scorch the Rock Vole and force it into a defensive corner. "Don't let up! Use Ember continuously! Barrage it!"
The Flame-mane Cub began spitting a rapid-fire volley of fireballs. It was a relentless assault designed to overwhelm and exhaust the opponent.
For the next two minutes, the arena was a stage for a spectacular, one-sided assault. Fireballs exploded constantly around the Rock Vole. But under Lin Ke's precise, minimal commands—"Left step," "Duck," "Shield with hardened shell"—the Rock Vole moved like a seasoned veteran. It dodged what it could and used Rock Harden to block what it couldn't, weathering the storm with incredible resilience.
Lin Ke wasn't just defending. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations, the Gene Editor's data streaming through his consciousness.
[Opponent Energy Level: 68%... 59%... 47%...] [Opponent Stamina: High consumption rate due to continuous skill usage.] [Own Pet Energy Level: 81%... 75%... 69%...] [Own Pet Stamina: Excellent energy conservation due to superior conversion rate and defensive posture.]
The data confirmed his strategy was working. Chen Hao was burning through his pet's energy at an alarming rate.
Chen Hao was also starting to notice. His Flame-mane Cub was panting, its movements slightly less explosive than before. But the Rock Vole... it was still standing, looking almost completely unfazed.
"How is this possible?" Chen Hao thought, a seed of doubt sprouting in his mind. "How can a Rock Vole have this much stamina?"
"He's getting desperate," Lin Ke noted internally. "He'll use his strongest move now."
As if on cue, Chen Hao roared, "Enough! This ends now! Flame-mane Cub, use Flame Charge!"
The cub's body became wreathed in a brilliant, intense fire. It lowered its head and charged forward, a living comet aimed directly at Lin Ke's pet. This was its strongest, all-or-nothing attack.
"He's put all his remaining energy into this one strike," Lin Ke's mind was ice-cold. "This is our chance."
"Meet it head-on," he commanded. "Rock Harden, full power!"
The Rock Vole didn't dodge. It faced the oncoming comet of fire, its body glowing with its most powerful defensive light yet.
BOOM!
The collision created a small explosion of fire and dust, momentarily obscuring the view. The crowd held its breath.
As the dust settled, the result was revealed. The Flame-mane Cub stood panting heavily, its own flames extinguished, its energy completely spent from the final attack.
And a few meters away, the Rock Vole stood firm. Its shell was covered in soot and new cracks had appeared, but it was still standing. It had taken the final, most powerful blow.
The Flame-mane Cub, its energy depleted, stumbled and fell to one knee, unable to continue the fight.
Silence. Then, an uproar.
"The winner," the examiner announced, his voice filled with disbelief, "is Lin Ke!"
Lin Ke walked onto the field. He looked at the defeated Chen Hao, then at his own, tired but victorious Rock Vole. He had won not with power, but with superior knowledge, superior strategy, and superior endurance.
He had won like a scientist.