A wound of about the same size appeared, slicing through both the front and back, causing a shower of blood to spray out. The Great Ghoul was confused, unable to understand what was happening, and immediately collapsed to the ground.
In an instant, the three Great Ghouls that had just charged forward with great arrogance were reduced to only one, on the right. The Great Ghoul on that side widened its eyes in shock. It couldn't believe what it was witnessing. In just half a minute, it had knocked down its companions without even meaning to.
But then it reacted, instinctively turning its gaze toward the electromagnetic cannon. It felt its entire body tremble. This weapon was terrifying. Could it really kill a Great Ghoul like them in seconds? Fear paralyzed it; it dared not move, worried it might suffer another attack just like the last.
In the star space, Mok was stunned. The relaxed smile that had still lingered on his face had completely frozen. Two of the Great Ghouls he had worked so hard to create had fallen?
The creation of ghouls was an extreme test of personal skill. Some weaker ones never even developed the devouring ability, making their creation a testament to Mok's effort and ingenuity. Now, he had lost two of his strongest creations.
Although several ghouls remained, Mok saw no point in their usefulness. This weapon could kill a Great Ghoul with a single shot; no matter how many ghouls charged, it was a death sentence.
Suddenly, Mok felt a twinge of humiliation. Just moments ago, he was contemplating his next opponent, Ann, one of the twins from the Elves Empire. But he hadn't expected to be eliminated this round. His trump card was the Great Ghoul, yet even they had been instantly slain. There was no hope of victory now.
Outside, within the vast square, silence fell. The crowd was wide-eyed, stunned, and a little incredulous as they watched the match projection. The situation had changed too rapidly to believe.
Within seconds, two Great Ghouls had fallen. Most spectators didn't even see how it happened, especially those in Mok's area; they were utterly dumbfounded.
Before the match, Mok had confidently declared he would settle the battle within ten minutes. As it turned out, the fight was indeed over in that time, but not for the reason he expected. Instead of Sebastian, Mok himself was the one eliminated.
After firing two attacks, the Astra Militarum did not pursue further. They simply waited for the opponent's move; this was just a match; there was no need for unnecessary chasing.
About half a minute later, Mok let out a long, helpless sigh and reluctantly withdrew. The match between Sebastian and Mok had ended with Sebastian's victory.
The Astra Militarum also achieved a satisfactory result, as the electromagnetic cannon's battlefield effectiveness proved impressive.
When Sebastian reappeared in the vast square, all eyes turned toward him. Before his match with Mok, he had drawn attention mainly because of his status as the strongest freshman. Now, many viewers regarded him with a newfound awe.
Sebastian strode confidently toward the center of the Endless Star Territory.
"Sebastian, you're incredible, my friend," Huo Kong was the first to greet him. Clapping him vigorously on the shoulder, he said, "Even Mok isn't your match."
"Sebastian, congratulations, you've broken the record for the highest score by a freshman in the history of the Group Star Competition," Shia added with a smile, a hint of admiration in her tone. As the eldest princess of the Imperium, she had received extensive training since childhood and knew well that the Star Council would surely cultivate such a genius. His future achievements were limitless.
"Everyone was stunned just now. No one thought it was possible," Patton, usually silent, remarked with a smile. "Even those big shots, they were probably dumbfounded too, haha."
Indeed, as Patton said, after the electromagnetic cannon heavily wounded the Great Ghouls, high-level Planetary Lords watching the battle fell silent. Not a single word was spoken; they were stunned. But eventually, they recovered.
"This kid is hiding something quite deep; he actually has such a terrifying weapon," Bru said, his face showing astonishment.
Though others didn't show their shock openly, they thought the same. Many contestants might have some trump card, but how could it be so outrageous as Sebastian's? His power was well beyond ordinary grades.
"This should be the newly awakened weapon of the Musketeer," Svananóg guessed thoughtfully. "From my understanding, Musketeers are classified into levels: Ordinary, Elite, Commander, and so on. The higher the level, the more powerful the awakened weapon. I suspect Sebastian might have awakened a legendary-level Musketeer, something truly extraordinary."
"That makes sense," Bru nodded. "This kid has been hiding his trump cards all along… Uh…"
Suddenly, Bru's expression changed as a realization struck him. He said gravely, "It's over. We're in serious trouble now."
"Hahaha," Svananóg chuckled, amused by the dire prediction.
Sebastian advanced to the next round. If nothing unforeseen happened, he would likely face Ann, one of the twin sisters from the Elves Empire.
Originally, if Mok had advanced, Bru wouldn't have worried. Ann's units counter Mok's ghouls effectively. But now, with Sebastian's overwhelming power, the situation was far more complicated.
Judging by how quickly Sebastian killed the Great Ghoul, high-ranking Planetary Lords estimated his strength was nearly on par with the top contenders for the championship.
Because of Sebastian's upset victory and the dramatic process, other matches faded into insignificance. The results, however, remained predictable; higher-ranked contestants all advanced.
When the handsome blond Augustus emerged from star space and approached his area, he sensed something was amiss. Their expressions were uncharacteristically serious, especially Mok's, whose face still glowed with shock.
"Mok, you won't be delayed by that freshman until after ten minutes, right?" Augustus asked with a slight smile.
"Hmph!" Mok snorted coldly, refusing to answer.
"Hmm? What's wrong with him?" Augustus inquired of a young man nearby.
The young man in black replied with a strange expression, "Mok's match with Sebastian did end within ten minutes."
"Then why does he look so gloomy?" Augustus asked, puzzled.
"But…" the youth added, "Mok lost."
"You lost?!" Augustus blinked, unable to believe what he'd just heard.
"I lost," Mok said calmly. "That Sebastian has a powerful trump card, one that even killed my Great Ghoul. Augustus, be careful when you face him."
Hearing this, Augustus finally believed Mok's defeat was real. But then he thought, "Sebastian… still has such a formidable card?"
Not only Augustus, but the top contenders also turned their attention to Sebastian for the first time.
"Sebastian? A freshman from the Svananóg Star Area? Able to defeat Mok?" A girl looked at him with curiosity.
"Able to defeat Mok?" Eira added, sizing him up. "But he's not much of a threat to me."
"Interesting. This year's new students still hold surprises," Jeffrey said with a gentle smile. "Sebastian defeated Mok?"
The most shocked was Ann from the Elves Empire. In her recent matches, she had performed brilliantly, easily defeating her opponents and advancing.
She had thought her next opponent would be Mok. But unexpectedly, it was Sebastian.
"Exactly," Bru nodded. "Prepare yourself. For the rest of the competition, study Sebastian's recent match, especially his Musketeer. It's already at the legendary level, and the weapon that instantly killed the Great Ghoul is a prime example."
"Understood," Ann nodded. "If I could defeat Mok, our strength isn't far apart. I'll watch carefully and won't give him any chance!"
"Uh…" Bru hesitated briefly but then added, "Ann, don't underestimate Sebastian. If nothing unexpected happens, he might be more than a match for you."
Ann scoffed coldly, dismissing his warning.
Bru shook his head, knowing well her strength. Meanwhile, Svananóg kept a smile, hopeful that Sebastian could advance further.
"Ann's race, the High Elves, still isn't perfect. Be cautious. There's a good chance you can win," Svananóg advised.
"I understand," Sebastian replied with a nod.
The High Elf race was a renowned supernatural species, created by nearly everyone in the Elves' Star Region.
Ann remained a top contender, ranked among the top ten in strength. But after Sebastian's stunning victory over Mok, confidence in her waned.
After a brief break, the next match began. Sebastian and Ann were each transported to their respective star spaces.
"Hmph, my teacher says I'm no match for Sebastian. He'll get a rude awakening soon enough," Ann thought darkly, glancing at him. Everyone else was holding back their cards; did she have any up her sleeve?
"In ten minutes, I'll defeat Sebastian," she declared with determined resolve.
Just like her last match, this one also ended in ten minutes.