Worldwide Class Change: Minimal Effort, Maximum Reward!-Chapter 54, The Knockout Stage Begins

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

For the students of Jianghe Hunter Academy, those four days felt both long and painfully short. The elimination round had already ignited the excitement of the academy, but what was about to begin now carried a completely different weight.

The knockout stage.

Sixteen students remained.

Sixteen competitors who had survived the qualification matches and elimination round.

From this point onward, every battle would decide advancement or defeat. No more second chances. No more easy victories.

Only strength would decide who continued forward.

The arena of Jianghe Hunter Academy had never been more crowded.

Thousands of students filled the surrounding seats early in the morning, their voices merging into a loud sea of excitement. Some stood on the walkways discussing predictions for the matches while others argued loudly about which competitor would advance.

"Today’s fights will be insane!"

"I heard guild scouts are here!"

"Not just guild scouts... someone from a regional academy arrived!"

"The Phoenix Hunter Academy!"

"That place only accepts monsters!"

The atmosphere was electric.

Every student could feel it.

The chance to be recognized.

The chance to gain glory. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The chance to step into a greater world beyond Jianghe City.

Meanwhile, two figures walked calmly along the stone path leading toward the arena entrance.

Lin Yi and Wang Hao.

Wang Hao was practically vibrating with excitement as they approached the massive arena gates. His injuries from the elimination round had already healed completely thanks to the academy’s recovery classes, leaving only faint memories of the brutal defeat he had suffered.

"I can’t believe it," Wang Hao muttered while looking at the massive structure ahead of them. "The knockout stage is finally here."

Lin Yi walked beside him calmly.

His expression was composed as always.

Wang Hao glanced sideways at him before shaking his head.

"You really are something else, brother."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow slightly. "What now?"

Wang Hao chuckled. "Everyone is losing their minds about today’s matches, but you look like you’re just going out for a casual walk."

Lin Yi didn’t answer.

Because in truth, that wasn’t far from reality.

To him, the tournament had already become something inevitable. Whether he walked calmly or rushed forward nervously would not change the outcome.

Strength was already decided.

Then, they entered the arena, and the sight inside was even more overwhelming than usual.

The massive stadium was completely filled. Students from every department crowded the seats while academy instructors stood along the arena walls supervising the event.

Even several well-dressed outsiders sat in the front rows.

Guild representatives.

Hunter scouts.

Observers from outside Jianghe City.

Their presence alone increased the tension in the air.

"Look over there," Wang Hao whispered, nudging Lin Yi’s shoulder. "Those guys in black coats are from the Ironclaw Guild."

"And those people beside them?"

"Stormwolf Guild."

Wang Hao looked impressed.

"Even big guilds are watching the tournament."

Lin Yi simply nodded.

His gaze moved across the arena seats calmly.

Then something caught his attention.

A familiar figure walking through the aisle toward them.

Su Qinghan.

Her long dark hair flowed behind her as she approached with her usual composed expression. Many nearby students immediately glanced at her with admiration. As one of the strongest freshmen in the academy and the beautiful B-Rank Frostblade, Su Qinghan had become quite famous.

She stopped in front of Lin Yi. "Lin Yi." Her voice was calm, though there was a faint hesitation beneath it.

Lin Yi looked at her. "Yes?"

Su Qinghan hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I wanted to talk about what happened in the wilderness."

Lin Yi already knew what she meant. Zhao Lingshuang. Her trainer.

Su Qinghan lowered her gaze slightly. "Senior Zhao acted improperly that day," she said quietly. "I hope you don’t hold any grudges because of that."

Lin Yi looked at her silently for a moment. Then he shook his head slightly. "The tournament is more important right now." His tone was calm. "We should focus on that."

Su Qinghan seemed relieved. "Thank you."

But before their conversation could continue, a loud voice echoed through the arena. "Everyone, quiet down!"

The crowd immediately began to settle as the academy instructor stepped onto the central platform above the arena floor. It was the same instructor who had overseen the previous matches. His powerful voice carried across the entire stadium. "Students of Jianghe Hunter Academy!"

The crowd responded instantly with cheers. The instructor raised his hand slightly. "Today marks the beginning of the Knockout Stage of this year’s freshman tournament!"

Sixteen students remained. But by the end of the coming battles, only one champion would stand.

The instructor continued speaking once the noise settled. "As previously announced, the rewards for this tournament remain unchanged. The champion will receive academy recognition, resource rewards, and most importantly—a direct recommendation opportunity."

The crowd leaned forward. Then the instructor gestured toward the VIP section of the arena. "And today, we are honored to welcome several important guests."

Students immediately turned their attention toward the front rows. Several well-dressed individuals stood up slightly. "These representatives come from various hunter guilds across Jianghe City and beyond." A few of the scouts nodded calmly toward the students.

The instructor’s voice continued. "But that is not all." He paused again. Then his tone grew even more serious. "We are also honored to welcome a special guest today."

The arena grew quiet. The instructor pointed toward the center of the VIP seats. "The Dean of Heavenly Phoenix Hunter Academy has arrived to observe today’s tournament."

A ripple of shock moved through the stadium. Heavenly Phoenix Hunter Academy. One of the regional elite academies.

The instructor continued proudly. "Allow me to introduce—Dean Yan Honglie."

A tall man slowly stood up from his seat. He wore crimson robes that seemed to shimmer like living flames beneath the sunlight. Even from a distance, the aura around him felt powerful enough to make many students instinctively straighten their posture.

The instructor’s voice carried clearly.

"Level 90 Hunter."

"Class: Flame Lord."

"A-Rank."

The crowd gasped.

A Level 90 hunter.

That level of power was something most students could barely imagine.

Dean Yan Honglie raised his hand slightly, acknowledging the students before speaking calmly. "Jianghe Hunter Academy has produced many talented hunters over the years. I came today to see whether this generation contains someone worthy of entering Heavenly Phoenix Hunter Academy."

The crowd fell silent.

"The champion of this tournament will receive a direct recommendation," he continued. "This recommendation allows the student to participate in the entrance examination of Heavenly Phoenix Hunter Academy."

The students immediately reacted. Normally, entrance to such a regional academy required passing through countless preliminary examinations and screening rounds. Thousands of candidates competed every year. But a direct recommendation meant skipping most of those barriers. A golden opportunity.

Dean Yan Honglie’s eyes slowly swept across the competitors. "Show me your strength." Then he sat back down calmly.

The instructor stepped forward again. "With that said... The Knockout Stage will now begin!"

The crowd erupted into cheers once more. Meanwhile, Lin Yi returned to his seat among the competitors. Just as he sat down, someone took the seat beside him.

Lin Yi glanced sideways. Chen Feng. The Stormblade swordsman looked as calm as ever.

"You heard that, right?" Chen Feng said quietly.

Lin Yi nodded. "Heavenly Phoenix Hunter Academy."

Chen Feng smiled slightly. "That place is legendary." His voice carried quiet admiration. "Ninety-five percent of the students there possess S-Rank classes."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow. "Only ninety-five?"

Chen Feng chuckled. "The remaining five percent are monsters who managed to enter with lower ranks through sheer ability." He leaned forward slightly. "The strongest student there right now is already a National Guardian."

Lin Yi looked interested. "Already?"

Chen Feng nodded. "He protects one of the frontier cities. Blackstone City."

Lin Yi remained silent for a moment. Chen Feng leaned back in his seat. "That’s where I want to go. Heavenly Phoenix Academy." He turned toward Lin Yi. "What about you?"

Lin Yi didn’t answer. Before he could, the instructor’s voice echoed again. "The first match of the knockout stage will now begin!"

The crowd instantly quieted. The instructor looked down at the list in his hand. Then he announced clearly:

"First match! Su Qinghan!"

The cold beauty stood calmly from her seat.

"And... Chen Feng!"

The entire stadium erupted. S-Rank Stormblade vs. B-Rank Frostblade. Two of the strongest freshmen in the academy, facing each other in the very first knockout match.

Chen Feng slowly stood up. He looked at Lin Yi briefly, then smiled. "Looks like our match will have to wait. Let’s see how strong the Frostblade really is."

Su Qinghan and Chen Feng walked toward the battlefield from opposite sides. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation. Because everyone knew one thing: the knockout stage had begun, and the first battle was already destined to be spectacular.