Chapter 43: Mantis Beast vs. Spirit Beast (Requesting Recommendations)

“Ladies and gentlemen, up next is the first match of the quarterfinals in the Shashi Newcomer Cup: Group A’s top contender, Lin Feng, will face off against Group E’s leader, Hua Feihua.”

“That’s right, this promises to be an exciting match. Lin Feng’s Mantismon is both fast and powerful, while Hua Feihua’s Fairy Beast is a rare Digimon indeed.”

Zhao Zhe and Xiao Ming took turns introducing the two competitors about to step into the arena.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jie sat quietly in the lounge with his Agumon, waiting for the match to begin. Whether it was the Mantismon or the Fairy Beast, either would be a formidable opponent. As Zhao Zhe had said in his commentary, this was sure to be a thrilling battle.

Not just Zhao Jie—all those who had reached the top eight were anything but ordinary. The other contestants were also watching the match with keen interest.

“Sister Hua,” Lin Feng greeted the girl beside him with a smile.

“Mm,” she replied indifferently, then said nothing more. Lin Feng shrugged lightly. If she had said more to him, he would have felt uncomfortable anyway.

“The match begins!” At the referee’s command, the battle officially commenced.

Mantismon darted forward, launching itself toward the Fairy Beast on the other side. The blades on its arms gleamed coldly, its signature move, Cross Slash, ready to be unleashed at any moment.

With a soft thud, Fairy Beast pressed its hands against the ground. Earthen walls rose up around it, blocking Mantismon’s approach.

“We can see that Mantismon is on the attack, its twin blades flashing with a cold light. Is it really casting Cross Slash while in motion? Impressive!” Zhao Zhe’s voice echoed from the commentator’s booth. “How will Fairy Beast respond? Earthen walls—a clever choice from this Fairy Beast.”

Mantismon’s pace didn’t falter at the sight of the walls. With a decisive swing of its arm blades, it unleashed its special attack.

Under the force of Cross Slash, the walls raised by Fairy Beast shattered into pieces.

Gone? Passing through the ruined walls, Mantismon saw no sign of its opponent.

“Behind you!” Lin Feng’s voice rang out. Instinctively, Mantismon sidestepped two meters to the left—a feat difficult for most Digimon, but effortless for it.

Bang! At its previous position, an earth spear thrust out, slamming into the ground with force.

“Good speed,” Hua Feihua praised, her tone calm. She had thought that, even with a warning, Mantismon might not react in time. Clearly, she had underestimated her opponent.

“Not at all, not at all. Compared to your Fairy Beast, there’s still a gap,” Lin Feng replied with a nervous smile, though his expression was tense.

This Fairy Beast wielded the power of earth. Normally, elemental techniques weren’t so formidable—at least, not at this stage. Yet this Fairy Beast had mastered several earth-type moves. For a Digimon in its first year of growth, this was nothing short of monstrous.

Still, considering Hua’s family background, it made sense. As a family of Fairy Beast tamers, they knew exactly how to nurture these creatures.

Back on the arena, Mantismon pressed its speed advantage once more, lunging at Fairy Beast.

With Fairy Beast on guard, Mantismon’s arm blades cleaved through the earth spears that flew at it. In just a few breaths, it was face to face with its opponent again.

Slash! A sharp, cross-shaped burst of energy formed in mid-air as Mantismon hurled it at the Fairy Beast.

Earthen wall. The instant the Cross Slash descended, Fairy Beast summoned another wall before itself.

The Cross Slash split the wall in two, but as the debris fell, yet another earthen barrier rose up, absorbing the last of Mantismon’s energy.

Bang! An earth spear condensed beside Fairy Beast, striking Mantismon and knocking it back.

Bang! Where Mantismon landed, another earthen wall erupted upward, delivering a crushing blow.

“Do you want to continue?” Hua Feihua asked quietly.

“I concede,” Lin Feng said, unable to hide his disappointment as he looked at the two Digimon on the stage. If it had been a Fairy Beast with a different element, Mantismon might have stood a chance. But this one’s earthen walls crushed all hope of victory.

“In the first quarterfinal match, Group E’s Hua Feihua is victorious!” The referee’s announcement marked the official end of the match.

“So this is the power of a rare Digimon,” Zhao Zhe mused, relaying the outcome while keeping his expression neutral.

“To raise two earthen walls in succession, pushing even Mantismon—a Digimon famous for its offense—to exhaustion… it seems the rest of us will struggle to break through that defense,” Zhao Jie thought, watching the scene before him. This was the Fairy Beast’s true strength—its mastery of earth techniques was terrifying.

Mantismon, famed for speed and attack, couldn’t even touch it.

Still, that was not his immediate concern. Unless he made it to the final, he wouldn’t have to face this Fairy Beast. Right now, his focus was on the next opponent.

Group B’s Hu Lin, with his Impmon.

Impmon was another extremely rare Digimon. Its mature form, Devimon, was nothing to underestimate—a Digimon with an evil attribute. What tricks would this still-maturing Impmon have up its sleeve?

In previous matches, Impmon had only used a single move: a dark purple flame. If it had any other abilities, Zhao Jie didn’t know.

“And now, the second quarterfinal: Hu Lin of Group B versus Zhao Jie of Group F. Mr. Zhao, what are your thoughts on this matchup?” During the break, the host smiled as he turned to Zhao Zhe for his opinion.

“I think Impmon will win. We’ve all just witnessed the strength of a rare Digimon like Fairy Beast. I, too, am looking forward to seeing what this equally rare Impmon can do,” Hu Zhe replied with a calm smile, fully aware of what the host wanted him to say.

“And what about Agumon? What do you think of it, Mr. Hu?” Though Hu Zhe had taken a clear stance, the host pressed on.

Hu Zhe glanced at him impassively. “It’s strong enough, but to have made it this far—I’d say luck played a bigger role.”

PS: Please vote for us!