The referee nodded and raised his right hand high.
"Three, two, one..."
"The match begins!"
The moment the words fell...
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie moved at the same time.
Xie Xie flashed forward, leaving a blur in his wake. His speed was astonishing.
As an Agile Attack Battle Soul Master, speed was his greatest advantage.
He tapped the ground with his feet, circling around Wang Zhi's flank like a ghost.
Tang Wulin, meanwhile, charged straight ahead.
He stomped his left foot down, using the recoil to launch himself forward like a cannonball.
His right hand quickly transformed. His fingers grew thick and were covered in golden scales as the Golden Dragon Claw emerged.
The two moved in perfect coordination, clearly having trained together many times.
One launched a head-on assault while the other harried them from the side, trying to break through the defense at once and go straight for Wang Zhi.
Behind them, Gu Yue raised both hands and began controlling the elements.
A ball of crimson light gathered in her palm, its temperature rising rapidly.
She aimed at Zhou Tian'er and Zhou Hanyou.
Those two girls looked like support-type Soul Masters. If they took them out first, they could turn it into a three-on-one fight.
Countless pairs of eyes in the stands were fixed on the stage.
But just as Tang Wulin and Xie Xie charged out, Zhou Tian'er and Zhou Hanyou were about to act when Wang Zhi raised a hand to stop them.
"Tian'er Jie, Hanyou Jie, leave this match to me."
His voice was soft, yet carried an unquestionable certainty.
Zhou Tian'er paused and looked at him.
Wang Zhi offered no explanation, merely giving a slight nod.
As Zhou Tian'er looked at his calm profile, she remembered every time he had acted over the past few days.
From the initial Combat Training, to his stunning performance at the Spirit Ascension Platform, and then the battle in which he defeated Ye Xinglan.
She chose to trust him.
"Sure, it's all yours, Xiao Zhi."
Zhou Hanyou nodded as well, succinct and to the point.
"Stay safe."
The two retreated several steps to the edge of the stage, leaving the entire arena to Wang Zhi.
The crowd erupted.
"Why are they backing off?!"
"Two against three? No, one against three?"
"Are they crazy?!"
A wave of discussion broke out in the stands.
Zhang Zhenpeng sat in the coaches' section, brows slightly furrowed, but said nothing.
He knew how strong Wang Zhi was, but could one person really handle three opponents who worked so well together?
Tang Wulin was also taken aback, but he didn't dwell on it. If their opponent was arrogant enough to take them on alone, then this was their chance!
He surged forward, the Golden Dragon Claw ready to strike.
Xie Xie circled in from the side, the Light Dragon Dagger in his hand gleaming coldly, ready to launch a sneak attack at any moment.
The fireball in Gu Yue's hand had already taken shape. She was about to launch it...
Then they saw Wang Zhi smile.
The smile was faint, but all of them felt a sudden, ominous foreboding.
The Shadow beneath Wang Zhi's feet began to writhe.
One.
Two.
Three.
Ten!
Ten dark figures emerged from the Shadow!
Five Ghost Shadow Warriors, clad in black armor and wielding Shadow Warrior Blades, radiated a murderous aura.
They lined up shoulder to shoulder like an iron wall.
Five Ghost Shadow Ninjas, dressed in black bodysuits and wielding kunai, fixed their opponents with their dark eyes.
They spread out around them like hunters lurking in the shadows.
Ten Ghost Shadow Soldiers stood in formation before Wang Zhi.
The entire arena fell silent.
Then...
"Holy crap!!!"
"Ten of them!!!"
"Didn't he only summon two before?!"
The stands exploded into an uproar.
Countless people stood up, eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the young man onstage.
Xie Xie swore aloud.
"Holy crap!"
"What the hell is this?!"
His steps slowed by half a beat without him realizing it.
Ten summoned creatures?
How were they supposed to fight that?!
Tang Wulin's pupils contracted, shock surging through him.
So two hadn't been his limit.
So he'd been hiding his true strength all along!
But the arrow was already on the string; there was no turning back.
He gritted his teeth and kept charging.
The fireball in Gu Yue's hand had already launched, its target Wang Zhi.
The battle erupted in an instant.
One Ghost Shadow Warrior charged to meet Tang Wulin.
Its Shadow Warrior Blade swept out, the dark blade gleaming with a chilling Killing Intent.
Tang Wulin swung the Golden Dragon Claw to block.
"Clang!"
Blade clashed against claw, sparks flying.
Tang Wulin felt a tremendous force slam into him. His arm jolted, and he staggered back half a step.
But before he could steady himself...
A second slash came down.
He hurriedly raised his claw to block.
But a third and fourth slash followed right behind.
Three Ghost Shadow Warriors surrounded him at once, their blades slashing in from every direction in an unending tide.
Tang Wulin desperately parried, swinging the Golden Dragon Claw in a tight, impenetrable flurry.
But the three blades were wielded in perfect coordination, one slash after another, each heavier than the last.
After only a few breaths, several wounds had appeared on his body.
Xie Xie was faring even worse.
He had just circled around to the side when a Ghost Shadow Ninja set its sights on him.
The Ninja flashed forward, appearing right in front of him.
Its kunai thrust in from an impossible angle, as fast as lightning.
Xie Xie was startled and hurriedly dodged.
But though he was fast, the Ghost Shadow Ninja was faster.
No matter how he dodged, that dark figure stayed glued to him, relentlessly keeping him occupied.
He tried to create some distance, but the Ninja gave him no chance.
Kunai, Shuriken, and darts rained down like a torrential storm, leaving him struggling to fend them off.
In just a dozen seconds...
Xie Xie had been driven to the edge of the stage.
Gu Yue was under even greater pressure.
She had just launched her fireball when she saw two Ghost Shadow Warriors charging straight at her.
She hurriedly conjured an Ice Wall to block them, but in the next moment, four dark figures rushed in from both sides.
Four Ghost Shadow Ninjas!
They launched Hidden Weapons from different directions all at once.
Shuriken, kunai, and darts filled the air, sealing off every possible route of escape.
Gu Yue's expression changed. Silver light flashed around her, and she vanished from the spot.
When she reappeared...
She was at the other end of the stage.
But before she could catch her breath, the two Ghost Shadow Warriors had already caught up with her.
Their blades slashed at her again, forcing her to dodge once more.
Gasps rose from the stands one after another.
"They're so fast!"
"Eastsea Academy is completely on the back foot!"
"Ten summoned creatures—that's terrifying!"
Xie Xie was the first to falter.
The Ghost Shadow Ninja drove him to the edge of the stage, and his foot was already on the very brink.
He tried to counterattack, but the Ninja gave him no chance. Another Shuriken flew at him.
He barely dodged it, but lost his balance.
The next second, the Ghost Shadow Ninja struck him in the chest with its palm.
Xie Xie was sent flying backward and crashed heavily to the ground below the stage.
The referee appeared beside him at once, checked him over, and raised a hand.
"Eastsea Academy's Xie Xie is out!"
A thunderous cheer erupted from the stands.
Tang Wulin gritted his teeth, blood covering his body.
He had lost count of how many slashes he had blocked. He only knew that both his arms had gone numb and the wounds on his body kept multiplying.
Yet an unyielding look filled his eyes, and he refused to fall.
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