ALL NOVEL Chapter 190 – Matchup
AN: Cringe Chapter
...
Nakamura, his voice echoing with anticipation, announced, "Now, let's commence the spinning of the roulette!" Chen Yu, poised at the roulette, gave it a vigorous spin, and the wheel began its mesmerizing rotation.
After a tense few moments, the arrow on the roulette flirted with landing on Oh Jiwon but ultimately settled on Xin Yuexin.
"Ah, already me? It feels too soon!" exclaimed Xin Yuexin, a hint of nervousness in her voice as she watched from a corner of the stadium. Clutching Chen Xin's arm, she half-jokingly pleaded, "Xin'er, send some good luck my way. I hope for an easy opponent."
Chen Xin, trying to lighten the mood, chuckled and teased, "What if it's elder sister Li?"
"If it's her, I'll surrender on the spot!" Xin Yuexin replied with a laugh, trying to mask her anxiety.
"Let's see who it will be," Chen Xin said, turning his attention back to her elder brother, Chen Yu, who was preparing for the second spin.
The roulette spun again, briefly pointing towards Jonathan before decisively stopping at Aizawa Haruko.
"Aizawa? Well, it's not bad, I think," Xin Yuexin mused, uncertain because she hadn't seen Aizawa train much, mostly observing him engaged in research with Professor Kanraku.
Aizawa, on the other hand, was overwhelmed with nerves, her mind racing with thoughts of the upcoming battle. Despite Ryota and Inoue's attempts to soothe her, her anxiety refused to subside.
The screen displayed the first matchup: Xin Yuexin vs Aizawa Haruko.
The third spin of the roulette brought a wave of nervous anticipation. It nearly stopped at Chen Xin, causing her a moment of anxiety, but then, to her relief, it shifted to Suzuki Ryota.
The fourth roulette spin stopped at Inoue Kazuki, prompting exclamations from both the villagers and the commentator. The upcoming battle would be between two Japanese competitors, both of whom were disciples of Kanraku.
Ryota and Inoue felt awkward; earlier, they had just been trying to calm down Aizawa, but now, they found themselves preparing to face each other in the competition.
The second matchup was set: Suzuki Ryota vs Inoue Kazuki.
As the fifth and sixth spins of the roulette concluded, they revealed the next pairing: Ivan Quinto and Chu Weihao. Ivan remained stoic upon hearing his name, but Chu Weihao was visibly nervous, aware that he was up against the Vice Captain of Scout.
The third matchup was announced: Ivan Quinto vs Chu Weihao.
The seventh and eighth spins brought another surprise. The roulette landed on Bianca and then Linh.
Phuong, Linh, and Bianca, who had been sitting together, reacted with surprise. Linh gave Bianca a sly smile, "Well, this is unexpected. We're up against each other. I'm looking forward to seeing what you bring to the battle, Bianca."
Bianca, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement, bowed her head, taking Swablu from atop her head into a comforting hug. Her grip tightened as she braced herself for the challenge ahead.
Phuong, sensing Bianca's apprehension, quickly stepped in, "Sister Linh, please be a little gentle with her."
Linh chuckled, "You might be underestimating Bianca. Her quiet demeanor shouldn't be mistaken for weakness. In fact, she could be as strong, if not stronger, than either of us," she said, patting Bianca's head reassuringly.
Phuong looked at Bianca with newfound curiosity, "Really? But why do I get the feeling that you don't seem that strong?"
Bianca, blushing and stuttering, tried to respond, "I-i-I'm not..." Her words trailed off as she struggled to articulate her thoughts.
Linh, arms crossed, gave Bianca a knowing look. "Appearances can be deceptive. Don't let her fool you," she said with a snort, then added teasingly, "Trying to play the pig to eat the tiger, huh? You're just like Floyd. You two really are a suitable couple."
Bianca's face turned a deeper shade of red, her embarrassment palpable as she hugged Swablu even tighter. "I'm not, I'm not," she protested softly.
Swablu, feeling the squeeze, chirped in protest, "Tweet!" (Bianca, I can't breathe!), but Bianca, lost in her thoughts, failed to notice.
Linh, sensing an opportunity to motivate Bianca, proposed a playful wager. "Let's make it interesting. If I win, you have to kiss Floyd."
Bianca's eyes widened in shock. "Wha-wha-what?" she stammered, turning to face Linh, her face now a fiery red.
"If I lose," Linh began, but before she could finish, Phuong cut in with her own teasing addition, "If you lose, you'll have to kiss Jonathan."
Linh shot Phuong a look of mock indignation, "You! How could you suggest that?" She was about to hit her, but Phuong quickly defended herself.
"Hahaha, Sister Linh, stop it. It was your plan to begin with, and now you're reaping what you sowed!" Phuong teased, her laughter ringing through their conversation.
"Of course, I'm confident, but of all the men, why him? I would rather kiss the youngest, hmph," Linh complained.
Phuong, with a mischievous grin, playfully challenged Linh, "Well, if you're so confident to win, then not kissing Jonathan should be easy, right? Or are you perhaps not as confident as you claim?"
Linh, accepting the challenge with a determined look, replied, "Fine, it's a deal. I don't plan on losing, so Bianca, brace yourself for a kiss with the youngest," she said, pointing at Bianca with a confident smirk.
Phuong leaned in close to Bianca, whispering with a snicker, "Bianca, give it your all. I can't wait to see Linh lose and then have to kiss Jonathan, kukuku."
Linh, overhearing the whisper, shot a glare at Phuong. "What was that you just said?" she asked, half-annoyed, half-amused.
Phuong, feigning innocence, replied, "Oh, just a little secret. But we have a deal now, right?"
"Hmph, yes, it's a deal," this time Linh felt a huge pressure. She knew she had to win this battle, or else she would lose face in front of everyone.
Bianca, listening to their banter, felt overwhelmed. She wanted to voice her opinion, 'How about my opinion?' but words failed her. The thought of possibly having to kiss Floyd if she lost sent a wave of embarrassment over her.
'I must win this,' she thought to herself, determined.
The fourth matchup was announced: Bianca Jimenez vs Le Mai Linh.
…
Half an hour later, the matchups were all set, drawing excitement and anticipation from the crowd:
1. Xin Yuexin vs Aizawa Haruko
2. Suzuki Ryota vs Inoue Kazuki
3. Ivan Quinto vs Chu Weihao
4. Bianca Jimenez vs Le Mai Linh
5. Huu Xuan Thao vs Park Taeyang
6. Xiao Yun vs Nghiem Min Tuan
7. Choi Yerin vs Huang Mai Phuong
8. Kang Jihoon vs Jeon Seungmin
9. Jonathan Perez vs Hu Tianyi
10. Go Jisung vs Nguyen Thanh Cuong
11. Li Qin vs Li Zhengui
12. Chen Xin vs Oh Jiwon
An interesting pattern emerged in the results. For the Southeast Asian members, the matchups were mixed. However, several East Asian participants were set to face their fellow countrymen – Suzuki Ryota versus Inoue Kazuki in a Japanese showdown, Kang Jihoon versus Jeon Seungmin in a Korean face-off, and Li Qin against Li Zhengui in a Chinese duel.
Jonathan, upon seeing his matchup against Hu Tianyi, couldn't hide his eagerness. He had long awaited an opportunity to defeat this bastard.
Now, the tournament presented him with just that chance. He looked at Hu Tianyi with a provoking smile, "I've been looking forward to this. It's time for some revenge on behalf of the youngest, hmph."
Hu Tianyi, in response, looked at Jonathan with disdain. "Just you?" he scoffed. In his eyes, losing to someone like Floyd might be acceptable, but Jonathan was a different story. To Hu Tianyi, Jonathan was the underdog of the Maharlika group, someone he consistently underestimated.
As the moment to face Jonathan approached, Hu Tianyi recalled all the times he had been provoked by him. Now was his chance to demonstrate the vast gulf between their abilities, as wide as the distance between heaven and earth.
Confidence surged through Hu Tianyi, bolstered by a secret ace up his sleeve. Gazing towards the sky with a look of pride, he proclaimed, "It's my time to shine!" He was ready to unveil his surprise and secure his victory.