Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

"How infuriating!" The proud Mu Tingying was the first to express her frustration.

What did he mean by they didn't know how to be humble, and it was unnecessary to be humble? Was everyone on the American team so arrogant and full of themselves!?

The rest of the team remained silent. It was indeed difficult to win the stamp from the USA's Training Hall. They had briefly scanned through the list. Many countries on it were ranked higher than China, yet they still lost the challenge here. It clearly implied how strong the American team was!

Oleena brought everyone to the American representatives. There were eight of them. A handsome man with a bandana covering his head was fairly outstanding, not because of his appearance, but because he was scolding his teammates loudly.

"That's our captain, Roberts," Fred pointed out for them.

Roberts stopped exhorting his team and turned around. He scanned the Chinese team and said, "Let's not waste any time further. Shall we start at once?"

"Shouldn't we decide on the rules first?" Nanyu felt like this captain was a bit too impatient.

"Oh, right. The usual, a single match of five versus five?" Roberts asked.

Nanyu discussed it with the others. They agreed a team battle was more favorable for them.

Captain Roberts immediately proceeded to choose their representatives. Oleena's brother Fred volunteered to join the duel, and purposely gave Mo Fan a provoking look.

"Your brother really wants to fight me," Mo Fan commented when he noticed Fred's challenging gaze.

"I don't think he can take you on," Oleena said honestly.

Oleena had watched Mo Fan take on the leader of the Red Ornaments Guild, Casso. The strength he had displayed was incredibly shocking. Oleena knew how strong her brother was, there was no way he could beat a maniac like Mo Fan.

Oleena's words instantly infuriated Fred, who snapped, "I could easily have arrested those bandits myself!. I don't think he's any stronger than me! Stop talking nonsense and come up here, so I can show you my strength!"

Mo Fan smiled. He looked at Ai Jiangtu, who was about to participate in the duel and said, "As the captain, it's better if you don't take part in the duel. It's unwise to expose too much now."

Ai Jiangtu was tempted to join the duel since they were up against a strong opponent. However, if the captain of their team had to join the fight against a team of substitutes, wouldn't that imply they were not worthy to take on the USA's national team during the World College Tournament in Venice?

Ai Jiangtu should not participate in the duel. He had to conceal his strength for now.

"We didn't take the badge in Peru. If we lose another badge here, it might affect our chance of making it to the finals. I must join the fight, just in case," Ai Jiangtu said seriously.

As a matter of fact, Ai Jiangtu was displeased by how proud the American team was. Didn't they say they had never tasted defeat? He would not mind letting them try it today!

"Stop fighting over the spot, both of you will take part in the duel! We must take the badge from them," Nanyu said.

Nanyu would not believe they would still lose the duel when both Mo Fan and Ai Jiangtu were representing them!

"That works too. We'll go, we still need three more people," Ai Jiangtu said.

"I'll go," Mu Tingying said.

Mu Tingying was eager to show off her talents since Mu Ningxue had rejoined the team. She volunteered right away as she was worried that Mu Ningxue would grab the limelight again. Defeating a team that had never lost before was something she could boast about too!

"Her Primary Element is Ice, mmm, maybe we'll need a Summoner, too."

"Do we need more destructive spells?"

"I don't think so, having Mo Fan is basically enough."

"How about the Psychic Element? Jiang Shaoxu can go."

"Psychic Element won't be of any help. Let Nanrong Ni take the spot, her primary Element is Healing, secondary is Plant, and third is Blessing; she will come in handy in a team battle."

The members discussed it and finally decided on a final formation consisting of Ai Jiangtu, Mo Fan, Jiang Yu, Mu Tingying, and Nanrong Ni.

The five on the enemy team were the captain, Roberts; Fred; a woman with golden-brown straight hair; a tall Oriental around one hundred and ninety centimeters tall; and a girl in a green shirt.

The two teams started the duel immediately without any unnecessary and over-elaborate formalities.

---

Up on the stage, Mo Fan noticed that the members on both teams all had stern looks on their faces. It seemed like they were treating the duel very seriously.

While Mo Fan was observing his opponents and trying to guess their Elements, a familiar sound appeared in his mind. It was pleasant, like the cry of a spirit descending from the starry sky.

Mo Fan immediately checked his Contracted Space and discovered that Little Flame Belle had woken up, right on time.

The lump of brown fire felt even more dangerous and mysterious. As it was spreading into the surroundings, a pair of long, elegant legs slowly stuck out from the fire.

Little Flame Belle was chubby and round when she was in her Youth Phase, kicking and stomping with her short, tiny legs. To Mo Fan's surprise, her legs had grown longer when she entered the Adolescent Phase. Her appearance totally resembled that of a young teenage girl...

Either Little Flame Belle had watched too much anime, or she actually looked that way in the Adolescent Phase. Little Flame Belle now had two stalks of burning mandrakes on her head, resembling the cute appearance of a certain Japanese anime's character.

The lines of her face were a lot clearer, too. Her round eyes glowed like black, shiny gems. They were extraordinarily attractive!

Little Flame Belle was still engulfed in flames, but instead of the patternless, spouting flames from before, the color of the Calamity Fire around her was deeper and more defined. From afar, she looked like a glamorous teenage girl in a blazing red dress. One could easily sense her sacred and otherworldly temperament, even if her flames were a lot gentler...

Little Flame Belle cried out happily, as if she was asking for a hug after not seeing her daddy for many years!

"Not now, not now, we're in the middle of a duel. You will have a chance to show off your strength soon!" Mo Fan did not let Little Flame Belle show herself. He asked her to lay low patiently.

Little Flame Belle happily flew around in the Contracted Space when she heard there was a fight coming. She seemed to have fully mastered the ability to float in the air after reaching the Adolescent Phase. Her slender legs, covered in a pair of burning red stockings, did not touch the ground, but they still formed tiny flames along the ground, just like little footprints.

"Alright, let's begin!" Oleena declared the start of the duel, acting as the judge.

Jiang Yu was standing at the back of the team. As the Summoner of the team, he desperately needed protection, just like Nanrong Ni. The more cunning Mages would avoid the Summoned Beasts and attack the Summoner instead.

Jiang Yu did not summon Night Rakshasa. He was planning to probe their opponent with his Giant Rock Beast.

Jiang Yu quickly Summoned the creature. It was a Rock Demon covered in white granite. The enormous figure of the creature had a great impact on the people watching the duel!

The creature uttered a deep groan. It stood at the very front of the team like a shield.

The Rock Demon had an outstanding defense. The spells that the American team cast to probe the strength of the creature had no effect at all, the Rock Demon took them all with ease.

"Are you trying to amuse us by Summoning the clumsy creature?" Fred chuckled. Fred shoved his palm out, firing beams of icy gas at one of the limbs of the Rock Demon.

Fred struck out continuously, firing the icy beams at different body parts of the Rock Demon.

A rock-type creature was extremely vulnerable to the Ice Element. Even if their defense was strong enough to resist the penetrating ability of Lightning Element, they were still afraid of being frozen and turned rigid by the Ice Element.

Before long, two-thirds of the Rock Demon were covered in frost. Jiang Yu had no choice but to ask the creature to withdraw temporarily.

Without the Rock Demon blocking the path ahead, the American team immediately charged ahead to disrupt the Chinese team's formation.

A battle between Advanced Mages was no longer a battle where two teams of Mages stood on different sides and kept firing spells at one another. After gaining better control of their Elements, allowing them to alter the form of their spells as they wished, some Advanced Mages would become experts at close combat.

Jiang Yu initially planned to temporarily withdraw the Rock Demon, so it could rejoin the battle once the ice on it melted. However, the tall Oriental on the American team stepped forward. His muscular body was quickly covered in a layer of stone...

"What is he doing? Petrifying himself?" Jiang Yu asked in confusion.

The tall fellow on the American team soon covered his entire body in the gray-white stony substance. However, the stuff was glossy and metallic, making him look extremely formidable!

BANG!

The guy that petrified himself was still able to move around freely. He started sprinting and rammed into Jiang Yu's Rock Demon.

The Rock Demon was basically as firm as a building, yet its thick leg was still shattered into pieces when the guy rammed into it!

On the other hand, the big fellow that petrified himself was perfectly unharmed!

The people watching the duel gasped upon witnessing this.

The ability to harden his skin!

The American representative was a close-combat Mage with the ability to harden his skin, just like Casso's poison mutated flesh!

As mentioned before, every Advanced Mage had different levels of control over their magic, allowing them to apply their spells in different ways. By applying the effects of Petrify to his skin, the man's flesh was suddenly sturdier than the Rock Demon!