One Against Seven?

Day four of the tournament, Star Luo Plaza.

The weather was exceptionally clear today. Sunlight spilled across the massive arena, gleaming brightly off its surface. As the defending champions, Shrek Academy naturally drew everyone's attention.

"First match of the first round of the round-robin stage! Shrek Academy versus Yunluo Advanced Soul Master Academy!"

At the host's booming announcement, cheers thundered across the venue.

"Captains, please come up and draw lots!"

Huo Yuhao stepped onto the arena. Across from him, Situ Yu, captain of Yunluo Academy, looked tense. Beads of sweat had even appeared on his forehead.

Any academy would feel pressured facing the mighty Shrek, especially when their opponent was a monstrous captain with such an absurd Soul Ring configuration.

The draw was revealed soon after.

"Individual elimination match!" the host announced. "Each side, please send out your first contestant!"

Situ Yu's face turned pale. An individual match was definitely bad news for their Soul Engineer academy. Soul Engineers were better suited to covering an area with team firepower.

Huo Yuhao didn't leave the arena. He simply nodded to the referee. "I'll stay here."

"Shrek Academy's Huo Yuhao will compete!"

After a brief commotion on Yunluo Academy's side, a slightly plump student stepped forward.

"Yunluo Academy, Ma Yingjun."

Despite his name meaning "handsome," Ma Yingjun looked rather comical.

But he couldn't find anything to smile about now. Looking at the young man opposite him, standing with his hands behind his back, Ma Yingjun felt his legs go weak.

"Begin!"

At the referee's signal, Ma Yingjun bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Click, click, click—"

A series of metallic mechanisms clattered. More than a dozen cannons of varying sizes appeared on Ma Yingjun's body, and he raised a heavy Soul Tool shield with both hands. He looked like a walking arsenal.

Three yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring revolved beneath his feet.

"I... I'm not afraid of you!" Ma Yingjun shouted, trying to bolster his courage, and aimed every cannon at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao only watched him quietly, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

The next moment, Huo Yuhao's eyes glimmered, like two brilliant stars.

Spiritual Shock!

"Ugh..."

Ma Yingjun's shout cut off as if someone had suddenly grabbed him by the throat.

His eyes rolled back. Without even a scream, he toppled stiffly onto his back.

"Thud!"

The heavy impact rang out especially clearly across the silent arena.

The entire venue fell silent.

The spectators hadn't even seen what happened.

There'd been no dazzling Soul Skill, no fierce clash. The fully armed Soul Ancestor had simply fallen?

"He's a spiritual-type Soul Master!" an observant Soul Master cried out from the stands.

The referee went over to check and announced, "Ma Yingjun is unconscious. Shrek Academy wins!"

Huo Yuhao stood right where he was. He hadn't even moved his feet, much less raised a hand.

"Next!" he said casually.

The faces of everyone on Yunluo Academy's side turned ashen.

The second contestant was a tall girl named Shang Yue. She was a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor with two yellow Soul Rings and two purple ones.

As soon as she stepped onto the arena, she said nothing. She reached out with both hands, and two gleaming long blades appeared in them. They were Level Three close-combat Soul Tools, sharp as could be.

"I'll avenge Yingjun!" Shang Yue cried. She shot forward like lightning, both blades slicing through the air toward Huo Yuhao's throat.

Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Too slow."

He reached out with his right hand, and a pitch-black greatsword appeared out of thin air.

The sword had no ornamentation whatsoever, and a heavy, oppressive aura radiated from its entire length.

A Level Five close-combat Soul Tool—Dawn's Edge!

Huo Yuhao didn't dodge the incoming blades. He simply swept his sword across.

"Clang—!"

The shrill clash of metal rang throughout the arena.

To everyone's shock, Shang Yue's two Level Three Soul Tool blades shattered like fragile glass, bursting into countless fragments.

Then a terrifying force struck her.

Shang Yue felt as if she'd been hit by a charging dragon-elephant. She flew backward like a kite with its strings cut, out of the Soul Fighting Arena and onto the ground with a heavy crash.

One move!

Another instant victory!

And he'd defeated her head-on with a Soul Tool!

"Is... is this the strength of Shrek?"

"That greatsword... it must be a Level Five Soul Tool at least, right? How old is he? How can he even wield a Level Five Soul Tool?"

A somber air hung over Yunluo Academy's rest area.

"I'll go!"

Captain Situ Yu took a deep breath and stood up.

As captain, he couldn't just watch his team lose without putting up any resistance.

The moment Situ Yu stepped onto the arena, he displayed an aura entirely different from that of the first two contestants.

"Fortress Tactics!"

A dense series of metallic clanks rang out as metal plates flew from the Storage Soul Tool on his body, swiftly assembling around him.

In the blink of an eye, Situ Yu had become a humanoid steel fortress. Countless cannons jutted out at every angle, and he even had Milk Bottle devices specifically designed to restore Soul Power.

This was Soul Cannon Turret Tactics! A powerful battle technique said to be invincible among those of the same rank and capable of challenging opponents of a higher rank!

"Huo Yuhao, I know you're strong, but my Fortress Tactics aren't for show!" Situ Yu roared. Dozens of Soul Cannons charged at once, and the terrifying fluctuations of Soul Power made the air around them distort.

"Boom, boom, boom—!"

A rain of cannon fire poured down, instantly blanketing the area where Huo Yuhao stood.

Yet faced with the overwhelming barrage, Huo Yuhao smiled.

Spiritual Detection activated!

In his vision, the trajectories of the seemingly impenetrable barrage became crystal clear. He could even calculate the point of impact and blast radius of every shell with perfect precision.

"Too slow, too scattered, full of openings."

Huo Yuhao darted through the dense artillery fire at a speed granted by his extraordinary physical abilities, dodging with effortless precision. He seemed to be dancing on the edge of a blade, yet not a single corner of his clothes was touched.

Closer!

Ten meters, five meters, three meters!

Watching Huo Yuhao approach unharmed through the barrage, Situ Yu's confidence finally gave way to fear.

"Impossible! How can you dodge all of that?!"

Huo Yuhao didn't answer. He was already right in front of Situ Yu.

He raised the greatsword high but didn't bring it down. Instead, he turned the blade and gently tapped Situ Yu's heavy Soul Tool shield.

"Vrrm—"

A terrifying tremor traveled through the shield.

Situ Yu felt a tightness in his chest, and his Soul Power scattered in an instant.

The charging Soul Cannons went silent one after another, losing control.

Huo Yuhao rested the greatsword on Situ Yu's shoulder and looked down at him. "Do you want to keep going?"

Huo Yuhao was only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, yet the calm, commanding aura he gave off made Situ Yu feel as though he were facing a Spirit Emperor or even a Spirit Saint.

Situ Yu looked at Huo Yuhao, who was completely unharmed and hadn't even broken a sweat, then at his own Soul Tools, which had been intercepted before they could unleash their full power. Bitterness filled his heart.

The gap was too wide.

This wasn't a difference in equipment. He'd been utterly outclassed in awareness, technique, and strength.

"I... I admit defeat."

Situ Yu forced out the three words, as though they'd drained every last bit of strength from him.

The referee announced, "Shrek Academy's Huo Yuhao wins!"

Situ Yu struggled to his feet and looked at the four teammates still behind him. Their faces were pale, and not one of them had any fight left in their eyes.

Even their strongest player had been defeated like a toy. Going up against Huo Yuhao would only mean getting crushed.

"We... forfeit the rest of the matches." Situ Yu lowered his head, his voice full of resignation.

The crowd erupted.

He'd taken down three opponents in a row—and left the other side utterly helpless.

Huo Yuhao stood in the middle of the arena, his expression as calm as still water. To him, this level of competition wasn't even a warm-up.

"You were most gracious."

Huo Yuhao cupped his hands slightly and turned to walk off the arena.

Shrek Academy had won its first match of the round-robin stage, stunning the entire venue!