Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

Now, with the support of the Celestial Hunter Guild, Lu Ming has successfully evolved his Falcon Beast into a Magpie Beast ahead of schedule, which should have been an opportunity to surpass Xu Xin.

Who would have thought that this year, Pengcheng No.1 High School would produce an even more abnormal Cheng Yuan.

Judging from its previous performances, Gatomon has clearly been hiding its true strength. However, considering only the holy power it displayed and its mind control skills resembling those of fairies or dark types, it is definitely a powerful opponent across different types.

"Game start!"

At the referee's signal, Gatomon unexpectedly rushed to the front line immediately, completely exposing itself to all its opponents.

This unusual behavior surprised the entire audience—why did Gatomon, who had been hiding in the back and using control and ranged attacks, suddenly act out of character this time?

Lu Ming's pupils contracted slightly, and alarm bells rang in his mind. Something was definitely amiss. He immediately ordered, "Magpie Beast, maintain altitude and provide long-range harassment! The rest of the team, proceed as planned!"

Seeing this, Cheng Yuan smiled. The magpie beast and its tamer were being cautious; by maximizing its altitude, its ground pressure would be reduced, and in that case…

Let's harvest the babies on the ground first!

Chapter 114 Tactical Victory

"What is Pengcheng No.1 High School trying to do?" The audience discussed among themselves. When Gatomon charged to the front line in a way that was not normal, everyone held their breath.

As soon as Lu Ming uttered the command, he realized he had made a fatal mistake.

After the Magpie Beast ascended to its maximum height, it ensured its own safety but lost its immediate control over the ground battlefield.

Tailmon's charge was not without purpose—its target was never Magpiemon in the air.

"Divine Barrier!" Gatomon emitted a dazzling golden light, and a semi-transparent energy shield instantly unfolded, firmly protecting its teammates within it.

The attacks from the four Rookie-level Digimon of the Overseas Chinese Academy rained down, but only managed to create ripples on the barrier.

"Now!" A glint flashed in Cheng Yuan's eyes.

Taking advantage of this opening, the Pengcheng No.1 Middle School team members unleashed their full firepower. Gearmon X's triple electric net roared out, Pangolin's Earthclaw tore through the ground, Floramon's deadly spray spread out, and Hedgehogmon's flashing needles poured down like a torrential rain.

The four Digimon's attacks were perfectly coordinated, forming a deadly barrage.

"boom!"

When the sacred barrier shattered with a "bang," the teammates' skills all landed on the four Rookie Digimon on the ground of the Overseas Chinese Academy. Two Digimon turned into streams of data and left the field, while the remaining two were also badly injured.

"Fish Stream Cannon!" Lu Ming hurriedly gave the order.

The Magpiemon in the sky finally reacted, opening its beak and unleashing a series of fish-shaped energy blasts. These fish-shaped missiles were incredibly powerful, each capable of covering an area ten meters in diameter. Any Digimon within that area that was hit by the shockwave was enough to instantly incapacitate a Rookie-level Digimon.

Magpie Beast

[Data Species, Bird Shape, Wind System]

[Maturity Stage]

[Skills: Frozen Claw, Waterfall Flash, Fish Stream Cannon]

[Description: A medium-sized predator with a pair of large wings, capable of agile flight in the sky and also adept at water movement. This amphibious capability allows it to roam a wide area in the Digital World, making it one of the important maintainers of the Digital World's ecological balance.]

Meanwhile, on the ground, Cheng Yuan's team had already established a strong hold, and Cheng Yuan's task was to withstand the pressure from the sky for his teammates.

"Intercept them!" Cheng Yuan responded calmly.

The holy ring on Tailmon's tail shone brightly, instantly deploying a holy barrier. Upon encountering the first fish-shaped cannon, the barrier shattered, and Tailmon immediately summoned holy light projectiles to intercept it, precisely meeting the incoming fish-shaped cannon head-on.

A spectacular explosion erupted in mid-air, like festive fireworks.

Although it takes two to three Holy Light Bullets to intercept a single Fish Stream Cannon, this has already bought valuable time for teammates.

With complete trust in Cheng Yuan and Gatomon, Gearmon and Sandslammon abandoned all defense and evasion, unleashing their full power to blast all four Digimon on the ground of the Overseas Chinese Academy out of the battle space or rendered incapable of movement.

When Magpiemon finally managed to detonate one of its fish-shaped projectiles upon contact with the ground, the four Digimon in the first class had already completed their mission of taking down the enemy's ground forces. They immediately dispersed their formation, and with Cheng Yuan's Holy Light interception, the fish-shaped projectiles could no longer cause any coverage damage.

"Despicable!" Lu Ming's forehead veins bulged. He hadn't expected Cheng Yuan to adopt such a "feint attack" tactic—seemingly concentrating fire on the mature phase while actually clearing out the ground troops first to create a local advantage.

Cheng Yuan's lips curled into a slight smile. This was precisely the new tactic he had discussed with Teacher Cao Jin: since it was difficult to defeat the Magpie Beast in a short time, they would first create a local advantage. Five against one, even if the opponent was in its mature stage, it would be difficult for two fists to fight five hands.

"Magpie Beast, Storm Wings!" Lu Ming gritted his teeth and gave the order. The Magpie Beast in the sky flapped its wings violently, stirring up a violent gust of wind. This was its signature development skill, which could both attack and disrupt the opponent's formation.

However, Gatomon was prepared. Its Holy Ring shone brightly, creating a protective barrier around its teammates.

"The time for a counterattack has come!" A sharp glint flashed in Cheng Yuan's eyes.

In an instant, the five Digimon from Pengcheng No. 1 High School launched their attacks simultaneously. Eight Holy Light Bullets, Super High Voltage Lightning Balls, Gear Saws, Flying Stones, Flash Needles, Seed Sprays—a barrage of attacks rained down on Magpiemon in the air.

The five Digimon acted like five anti-aircraft guns, intercepting and blocking Magpiemon in the air.

The magpie beast struggled to stay afloat in the air, constantly on its last legs. Any misstep could result in its flight path being locked and it becoming the target of concentrated fire.

While some of the skills of a juvenile beast may not be able to break through its defenses, they can disrupt its flight rhythm. If its flight rhythm is interrupted and it stops, it may fail to dodge, have its flight path locked, and become a target for concentrated fire.

At that moment, Gatomon's cat eyes suddenly flashed with an eerie red light, but it didn't intend to control Magpiemon; it merely activated its chaotic abilities. For Magpiemon, struggling to escape in the air, even a momentary lapse in concentration could be fatal.

Sure enough, Magpiemon's movements faltered in mid-air, and it was immediately struck by Gearmon X's ultra-high-voltage lightning ball, which had a mild paralyzing effect, making Magpiemon even more stiff.

"Focus fire!"

The five Digimon seized the fleeting opportunity, and all their attacks hit simultaneously.

"Boom boom boom boom boom—"

Amidst the deafening explosion, the magpie beast plummeted like a kite with a broken string.

"Magpie Beast!" Lu Ming shouted hoarsely.

At this shout, the magpie beast was startled awake when it was only two or three meters from the ground. It flapped its wings vigorously and finally regained its balance, avoiding serious injury from the fall. But at this moment, it landed on its claws and grabbed a handful of sand.

Just as it was about to flap its wings and fly away again, Cheng Yuan's voice reached Lu Ming's ears.

“Admit defeat,” Cheng Yuan said calmly. “Your Magpiemon has lost air superiority, while we still have five Digimon in good condition. We can’t make it fly again.”

At this moment, all five Digimon were preparing their skills, ready to unleash a barrage of attacks as soon as Magpiemon was airborne.

Cheng Yuan added, "Don't forget this is a round-robin tournament. Next, you'll be facing Meisha Bilingual Shell Beast. You don't want to lose your form and even lose the battle against the Shell Beast, do you?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. As the pride of the Overseas Chinese Academy, he had never suffered such humiliation. But reason ultimately prevailed over emotion—continuing to fight would not only prevent victory but also cause unnecessary harm to the Magpie Beast.

"We... admit defeat." These four words seemed to drain all his strength.

The referee's electronic voice then announced: "Overseas Chinese Academy concedes defeat, Pengcheng No.1 Middle School wins!"

The crowd erupted in uproar. No one had expected that the two teams with Champion-level Digimon would end in such a one-sided manner.

What's even more astonishing is that this battle perfectly illustrated the importance of tactical command—Digimon battles, especially team battles, are not simply about attribute advantages and skill clashes, but about creating advantages through ingenious tactics and gradually tilting the scales of victory.

This time, the No. 1 Middle School team used ingenious command tactics to exploit the opponent's psychological blind spots and manipulate the Overseas Chinese Academy at will.

If we had to put it in perspective, this psychological warfare began the moment Gatomon hid in the back row during the very first team battle.

"Thank you for the courtesy." Cheng Yuan extended his hand to Lu Ming.

Lu Ming did not respond immediately, but stared intently at Cheng Yuan: "In a head-on clash, my Magpiemon will be no weaker than your Gatomon. Your Gatomon's attack power is not high enough and lacks explosiveness. Hmph, let's see who comes out on top in the individual competition."

Cheng Yuan shrugged: "You're just like your Digimon, both stubborn and stubborn, even when you fall down you still want to grab a handful of sand."

The coaches from other schools looked serious, scribbling notes on their tactical boards. This tactician demonstrated a completely new tactical mindset—not bound by conventional tactics, but adept at exploiting every psychological blind spot of the opponent.

Inside the VIP box, several mysterious figures were also talking in hushed tones.

"Find out this student's background." The middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses pushed up his glasses. "Especially his combat skills, which surpass those of other animal trainers his age."

“The data shows,” the assistant quickly reported, “that he has received professional training from the Animal Trainers Association. This professional animal trainer is also studying at Pengcheng Animal Trainers University and has already made a name for himself in the student union.”

"A professional animal trainer...that's fast." The middle-aged man mused. "Keep observing. If he can demonstrate this tactical acumen in individual competitions...we might consider making contact early."

Chapter 115 Minister of Education Li Xiaochun

"Why did he suddenly admit defeat? He was acting like he was going to fight to the death just now." Back in the players' lounge, Teacher Cao Jin asked incredulously.

Cheng Yuan recounted the conversation on the field that made Lu Ming admit defeat.

Cao Jin gasped, "That's brilliant! Not only did it save Gatomon from a tough fight, but it also drew a lot of hatred towards Mesa Bilingual..."

Everyone looked enlightened upon hearing this. Both being recently evolved Champion-level Digimon, Shellmon and Magpiemon were roughly equal in strength, and both being Data-type, they had a certain type advantage over Gatomon. If they were to clash head-on, even if one won, they would be severely weakened.

"No matter how advanced the medical technology in the medical room is, it can't restore an exposed trump card," Kang Zhaodi added thoughtfully. Under the intense competition schedule, even Champion-level Digimon struggle to maintain their peak performance.

There are still several individual and team battles today. At this intensity, even Champion-level Digimon might not be able to withstand it.

Zhao Lu and Kang Zhaodi also looked at Cheng Yuan. In this competition, which was called a mock exam but was actually a league, Cheng Yuan and Dilu Beast carried the burden of the entire school team. If it weren't for them, Pengcheng No.1 Middle School would probably have been eliminated in the preliminary rounds long ago.

“This kind of psychological tactic can only be used once,” Cheng Yuan shrugged. “The opponent won’t fall for it next time.”

He secretly planned to emulate his senior, Xu Xin, and do everything in his power to bring glory to his alma mater. This spirit of inheritance would be the secret to Pengcheng No. 1 High School's ability to stand firm amidst fierce competition from other top schools.

Soon, online public opinion spread like wildfire:

"Pengcheng No.1 High School is going to become the number one high school this year."

"A shocking upset! A public high school receiving government subsidies has successfully defeated a prestigious private school backed by wealthy and powerful families?"

"I agree with what Lu Ming said. If it really comes down to it, Gatomon is no match for it. Its attack power is too low."

"If you're shameless, then so be it. You lose but don't dare admit it, you just stubbornly insist on it..."

"Unveiling Cheng Yuan: From an Ordinary Student to a Rising Star Animal Trainer!"

The Penguin Esports channel instantly turned into a battlefield, with students from various schools joining the fray, each defending their own players and schools, arguing heatedly even through the screen.

Cheng Yuan, who caused all this discussion, especially after leading his team to victory against Overseas Chinese Middle School, has also become a major subject of discussion.

Some animal trainer universities are already preparing to extend offers, such as lowering admission scores.

At this point, the format and groupings for the individual competition were also announced.

The individual competition will still use an elimination points system. If all goes well, Cheng Yuan will need to pass four rounds: the round of 16 to 8, the round of 8 to 4, the semi-finals and the finals.

Playing all four games is an honor.

As expected, the several mature-stage animals were placed on different advancement tracks.

Upon learning about the group assignments, Cheng Yuan rubbed his nose. The Ministry of Education really went to great lengths to enhance its influence; the groupings were so clever that no one would believe there was no behind-the-scenes manipulation.

But this is also what the audience is hoping for—to prevent the Champion-level Digimon from meeting too early, making the final battle more exciting. The three Champion-level Digimon are like carefully placed chess pieces, waiting for the final showdown.

As expected, Cheng Yuan won both of his matches and successfully advanced to the semifinals.

Eight instant-cast Holy Light Bolts, super-speed movement, kiting tactics and other signature skills were all on display, as well as Cat's Eye and Divine Barrier, which had been used before. All of these were recorded, analyzed and deduced by the opponent's think tank.

Zhao Lu was fortunate to be placed in the weak group, and did not encounter any Champion-level opponents in the first two matches. With her outstanding performance in Gearmon X form, she also fought her way through the individual competition.

Although the X-form remains in the same growth stage, still in the growth phase, its changes in form and enhanced abilities bring a considerable boost to combat power. It's fair to say that it's half a growth stage ahead of the normal growth phase, and even a semi-mature stage would be appropriate.

Many people are already curious and researching how Zhao Lu's Gear Beast evolved into its X form, including Wang Shu, the mechanic in the Security Bureau. If this evolution can be replicated and carried to maturity, it will be revolutionary for the development path of Gear Beasts.

Imagine a fighter jet evolved from a geared beast, capable of carrying two telepathically connected wingmen; its tactical value would increase exponentially...

Is it even possible that there could be more than two sub-gear sets?

Therefore, Zhao Lu's advancement to the semi-finals was within Cheng Yuan's expectations.

After all, although Gearmon X's data volume is not enough for evolution, her enhancement is backed by the entire Security Bureau, the Mechanic, the company behind the Mechanic, and her father, a professional Beast Tamer with a fully evolved partner.

However, Zhao Zheng was not in a hurry to improve her strength during her training. Instead, he took a steady approach and waited until she found the future she wanted before giving her further advice.

He no longer forces Zhao Lu to apply to the police academy, returning the opportunity to choose her own life to his daughter.

Of course, these were Zhao Lu's family matters, and she couldn't interfere. After all, Zhao Lu's father had also subtly encouraged Cheng Yuan to apply to the police academy through various channels, putting the pressure on Cheng Yuan.

……

Among the guests, there was an undercurrent of tension among the school leaders.

"Principal Liu, your school is truly full of talented people. Last year, you produced a grassroots genius, Xu Xin, and this year you have produced another one. Moreover, he was able to evolve to maturity during high school. Perhaps, in the future, Pengcheng will have another beast tamer with a complete form."

In the guest seats, the principal of No. 2 Middle School said sourly to Liu Guoliang, the principal of No. 1 Middle School.

"Thank you for your kind words. Although No. 2 Middle School was disappointed to be eliminated in the top eight, it is still an improvement over last year." Liu Guoliang smiled broadly.

The two started their business-like praise, which made the representative from the private school next to them roll his eyes.

Several representatives from private schools also began to whisper among themselves, clearly indicating that both public and private schools had formed their own small cliques.

Public schools are becoming more accessible to the general public, relying on association resources to select and cultivate talented individuals from among ordinary people. The model is more selection-oriented with training as a secondary focus, and the elites who emerge from these schools are closer to the Beast Tamer Association.

Private elite schools, on the other hand, invest heavily in the training and inheritance of elites, and the elites who emerge from them tend to have closer ties with organizations such as the Hunter's Guild.

Meanwhile, the observers from the Animal Trainer University listened quietly, absorbing information from the outstanding contestants in order to assess their growth potential and strength, and identify the true talents.