The referee gave the signal, and the final match officially began.
As scripted, the first two members of each team stepped up. From Asian International High School was a black belt in Karate; from Tran Hung Dao was Hoang Long.
The MC yelled, "The first match of the final of the century! Can Hoang Long create an upset?"
But no upset occurred.
The Karate fighter from the Asian team was clearly on another level. He attacked like a storm, his hand and foot techniques both fast and powerful. Hoang Long could only defend with difficulty. In less than three minutes, he was hit by a high kick to the head and was knocked out.
Next, Le Van Hung entered the ring. He tried his best, using the flexibility of Vovinam to hold on. But against superior strength and technique, he too only lasted about five minutes before being defeated.
In less than ten minutes, Tran Hung Dao High School had lost two members.
Once again, a frighteningly familiar script repeated itself. All the burden, all the hope, fell once more onto the shoulders of a single person: Lam Minh.
"Unbelievable! It's a one-on-three scenario again!" the MC roared. "Is this fate's design, or a strategy by Tran Hung Dao to pile all the pressure on their captain?"
Ly Thien Ba stood in his corner, arms crossed, sneering. "Let's see what kind of act you pull this time." He believed that these two swift losses would exert immense psychological pressure on Lam Minh.
But Lam Minh, sitting in the waiting area, showed no signs of pressure. He kept his eyes closed in meditation, his expression unchanging, as if the two teammates who had just lost weren't even on his team.
"And now! Please welcome the final contestant and captain of Tran Hung Dao High School! The Male God in the hearts of millions of girls! LAM MINH!"
Lam Minh slowly opened his eyes, stood up, and walked onto the stage. All noise seemed to quiet down as everyone focused on his every step.
His opponent was the second member of the Asian team, a burly guy specializing in Greco-Roman wrestling. He looked at Lam Minh with contempt.
"Don't think you're so great just because you beat a few weaklings," he growled. "Let's see how many of my throws you can take!"
The referee signaled the start.
The burly guy charged forward, arms outstretched, intending to grab Lam Minh and execute a thunderous throw.
But, the moment he entered attacking range, Lam Minh moved.
It wasn't a martial arts move. He simply took one step forward, sidestepped, and swung his hand.
A slap.
SMACK!
A resounding, crisp slap echoed throughout the dead-silent stadium. The sound was so clear that the referee's microphone picked it up and broadcast it through the speaker system.
The burly guy, weighing over 100kg, froze on the spot. His whole body seemed to turn to stone. He didn't fall, but one of his cheeks was already swelling, imprinted with five bright red fingers. His eyes were wide with disbelief and utter shock. He... was just slapped? In front of tens of thousands of spectators and millions of television viewers?
This humiliation was more painful than a thousand punches. His fighting spirit completely crumbled.
"I... I forfeit..." he stammered, then staggered off the stage, covering his face with his hands.
The referee was dumbfounded. The audience was dumbfounded. The MC was dumbfounded.
What in the world just happened? A win with a single slap?
Lam Minh stood there, lightly rubbing his hand, his expression as if he had just touched something dirty.
[Used the "Psychological Humiliation" skill at Godly Level. Inflicted maximum mental damage on the opponent. Reward: 800 Immortality Points.]
"Hmm, attacking pride is even more effective than attacking the body," he thought.
The entire stadium finally snapped out of its stupor and erupted. But not with cheers, but with unrestrained laughter.
"Oh my god! A slap! He won with a slap!"
"Haha, so humiliating! I'd rather have my arm broken!"
Lam Minh's fan club, however, had a different perspective.
"Aaaaah! Our Male God is even handsome when he's slapping someone!"
"That slap was so domineering! So cool and aloof!"
Now, only two people remained on the stage.
Lam Minh.
And Ly Thien Ba.
The showdown everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Ly Thien Ba stepped onto the stage, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot. Lam Minh's "humiliation" move was not just aimed at his opponent, but was also an indirect warning to him.
"You..." Ly Thien Ba ground out each word.
"What about me?" Lam Minh interrupted, his voice calm. "Are you planning to speak with your muscles, or do you want to try a slap like your friend?"
A blatant provocation.
The TV commentator screamed, "Unbelievable! On the eve of the decisive battle, Lam Minh continues to provoke his opponent! This is an extremely risky psychological tactic! Will it enrage the Monster Ly Thien Ba and make him lose his cool, or will it ignite a destructive fury?"
In the surveillance area, Quynh Nhu had to laugh. "This kid... he really knows how to get under people's skin."
To Quyen, however, clasped her hands worriedly. She knew Lam Minh was strong, but this arrogance might come at a price.
On the stage, Ly Thien Ba took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger. He knew Lam Minh was trying to provoke him.
"I won't fall for your trap," he said, his voice calm again. "I will use absolute power to grind you into dust."
He began to channel his power. The muscles on his body bulged, and green veins popped out all over. An invisible wave of pressure radiated from him, making even those in the front rows feel a little breathless.
This was the power of an Awakened.
Lam Minh stood opposite him, his expression still nonchalant. But internally, he too had begun to silently circulate the qi of his Mid-stage Qi Refining realm, preparing for a real collision.
Their eyes met. One was a raging fire, the other a tranquil lake.
The entire stadium held its breath.
The final of the century was only now truly beginning.