Chapter 129: Warriors from Distant Cities

The sun's last light vanished, enveloped by the inky darkness of night. Yet, the arena remained luminous, illuminated by countless lanterns and the eager anticipation of the audience. The next competitors hailed from cities known for their legendary card monsters.

First up was Tara from Sky Wind City. Her piercing blue eyes scanned the ranked challengers, settling on the 93rd ranked student. His name was Cassian, a determined youth with a reputation for being hard to defeat. Cassian's card monster was the Inferno Wolf, a fierce beast with fur as red as flames and eyes that gleamed with fiery passion.

"You think you can beat me, Tara?" Cassian confidently questioned, an arrogant grin stretching across his face.

Tara smirked, pulling out her card. "You're about to find out." With a flick of her wrist, the Silver Gale Falcon materialized. Its silver feathers glistened, and its piercing eyes stared down its opponent with unmatched intensity.

The duel between the Inferno Wolf and the Silver Gale Falcon was nothing short of breathtaking. The wolf unleashed torrents of fire, trying to scorch the falcon. Tara's falcon, however, soared gracefully, using its wings to fan away the flames and create powerful gusts of wind.

In the final moments, as Cassian commanded his Inferno Wolf to launch a devastating firestorm, Tara's Silver Gale Falcon flew directly into the blaze. Using its mighty wings, it created a whirlwind, redirecting the flames back to the Inferno Wolf, ensuring Tara's spectacular victory.

No sooner had the dust settled than Mei Ling of Liu Li City stepped onto the platform. She was renowned for her calm demeanor and unparalleled strategy. She challenged the 95th ranked student, Arion. Arion's card monster was the Terra Tortoise, a massive creature with an impenetrable shell and the power to cause earthquakes.

Arion, intrigued by Mei Lin's reputation, asked, "You've come a long way from Liu Li City. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Without missing a beat, Mei Ling responded, "I've trained my entire life for moments like this." With elegance, she revealed her card monster: the Jade Serpent, a majestic creature that shimmered in shades of green, embodying the beauty and grace of the dragon it resembled.

The Terra Tortoise wasted no time, stomping its massive feet to create tremors that threatened to tear the arena apart. Mei Ling, however, calmly directed the Jade Serpent to slither around, using its agility to avoid the cracks forming in the ground.

In an unexpected move, the Jade Serpent wrapped itself around the Terra Tortoise, neutralizing its seismic power. With a final constricting squeeze, the Jade Serpent immobilized the Terra Tortoise, granting Mei Ling a well-deserved victory.

As the night's duels continued, two things became clear: the challengers were formidable, and the battles were far from over.