Overlord's Thunder Domain

Overlord's Thunder Domain

After the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy team took the field, the host launched into another round of fawning praise. Amid the audience's cheers, it was finally Shrek's turn to enter.

As the wave-like cheers grew louder and more fervent, rising and falling without pause, the faces of the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy members turned even paler. The pressure weighing on their hearts became increasingly immense.

Led by Beibei, the seven of them ascended the platform ahead in an orderly formation.

At the very front were Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan. Behind them were Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, with Huo Yuhao and Ning Tian at the rear.

As the seven took the field and faced the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy team from afar, the previously excited cheers faltered somewhat.

Even the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy contestants were stunned, because they could all see that the Shrek Academy members were far too young.

This clearly was not Shrek Academy's Main Team, but merely its Reserve Team. Yet this was the first elimination match—the most crucial and most closely watched match. Wasn't Shrek Academy afraid of suffering an upset?

The cheers supporting Shrek Academy gradually died down. Everyone in the venue was deeply puzzled, but the match still had to proceed as normal.

Once the referee for this match had taken his position, he gestured for both sides to step forward.

The students from both teams moved toward the center of the arena to listen to the referee explain the rules.

The referee said solemnly, "First round: team battle elimination match. Both sides may use most types of Soul Tools, but once either side surrenders during combat, the other side may not continue attacking."

"At the same time, Soul Engineers may not use high-lethality Soul Tools such as fixed-installation Soul Tools. Any questions?"

"No," Beibei replied first.

"Understood." The captain of Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy and his teammates still seemed somewhat slow to react, only responding after a moment.

The way they looked at Beibei and the others was rather strange. Although Beibei's group, thanks to sufficient nutrition and training, had physiques no worse than those students approaching twenty years old, their youthful faces made it obvious that these Shrek Academy contestants could not be old, much less official team members.

Even so, Shrek Academy's renowned reputation still made them uneasy.

"Alright. Both sides, retreat to opposite ends of the arena. You may begin only when I give the command. Before the match officially begins, no one may release their Martial Soul in advance, or they will immediately be declared defeated."

Everyone slowly retreated to the sides of the arena, while Shrek's formation remained exactly as it had been from the start.

Beibei gave everyone one last confirmation of their tactical arrangements. By the time the final deployment was complete, both teams had reached their designated positions at either side of the arena.

Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy's formation consisted of three Soul Masters at the front, two in the middle, and the final two positioned one before the other at the very rear.

The referee standing at the center of the arena slowly raised his right hand. The somewhat noisy venue instantly fell silent; one could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone widened their eyes. At that moment, the one hundred and eight metal pillars around the edge of the platform shone brilliantly. Beams of white light shot into the sky, then curved in arcs toward a point twenty meters above the center of the arena.

They ultimately formed a hemispherical barrier, its white curtain of light enveloping the entire competition platform.

As the referee's raised right hand came down, a loud shout amplified by Soul Power spread through the venue and reached everyone's ears. "The match begins!"

At the command, students from both sides released their Martial Souls. The Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy students were visibly a beat slower, clearly due to excessive nervousness.

Still, Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy's Soul Ring lineup was quite impressive. Of the seven, five had four rings, while the remaining two had three.

That was far superior to Shrek Academy's side, which had three four-ringed members, two three-ringed members, and even two with only two rings.

Some spectators below the stage could not help discussing it. "No way, it really is the Reserve Team. I thought they just had baby faces."

"Exactly. They even have two-ringed students. This is an elimination match! In previous tournaments, Shrek Academy always sent out its Main Team at full force for the first match. Why are they being so careless this time?"

Listening to the murmuring spectators in the viewing stands of Star Luo Plaza, the Star Luo Emperor, watching from the imperial city's walls, revealed a smile where no one could see it. It was as gentle as ever.

But he knew exactly why his good minister and good brother, Dai Hao, the White Tiger Duke and commander of an army group, had abandoned his legion and rushed to Star Luo City for this opening match.

Because his eldest son had died. One of his two sons—the steady and reliable Inner Court Disciple of Shrek Academy whom Dai Hao had regarded as a crucial future support—had died during a mission of the Shrek Monitoring Group.

To an emperor like him, this news was simply wonderful. Dai Yueheng's death would certainly create a rift between Shrek Academy and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in this generation.

Moreover, he had long received intelligence through his covert agents regarding Dai Hao's younger son. Though the boy possessed the Hell White Tiger, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill passed down through generations of the Dai Family and Zhu Family and their most important bond, he was arrogant, conceited, and utterly lacking in guile. Even if he inherited the title of White Tiger Duke, he would not be able to threaten the position of the Star Luo Imperial Family's Xu Family for at least three generations.

He might even be able to use the opportunity to reclaim part of the legions controlled by the White Tiger Duke. Dai Hao's hasty arrival was nothing more than an attempt to show goodwill toward Shrek Academy and make his position clear.

He was declaring that even though his eldest son had died, he was still willing to firmly support and respect Shrek Academy, and that he held no grudge against Shrek Academy because of Dai Yueheng's death.

However, the Shrek Monitoring Group had also suffered a massive loss of face this time. It was truly a double blessing: not only had the White Tiger Duke's Mansion suffered a severe blow, but the Shrek Monitoring Group's towering prestige had also developed a few cracks.

It would be even better if Shrek Academy stumbled in this tournament. In that case, the Douluo Continent's unconditional reverence for Shrek Academy, maintained for a thousand years, would also begin to waver.

A peculiar glint flashed through the Star Luo Emperor's eyes. In his youth, he had attended Shrek Academy as well, only to be expelled in the end because of certain academy regulations.

How wonderful it would be if, within his lifetime, he could witness Shrek Academy's glory being tarnished and seize the chance to strengthen the unstable imperial authority of the Star Luo Empire. Hahaha.

The contestants from the other academies also began discussing the matter.

"Hey, hey, hey, is Shrek Academy serious?"

"Yes. According to reports from our informants, Shrek Academy only brought twelve competitors this time."

"Oh? If seven are here, doesn't that mean Shrek Academy only has five Main Team members?"

"..."

No matter how the people below discussed it, neither team on the stage could be affected.

Beibei and the others were determined to win. They had to win! They absolutely could not allow Shrek Academy's glory to end here. Otherwise, it would be an extraordinarily heavy blow to both Shrek Academy and themselves.

As the distance between both sides gradually closed, they soon reached thirty meters apart. Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy's Control Type Soul Masters had already begun releasing Soul Skills for long-range harassment.

Besides long-range control Soul Skills, Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy's Soul Masters had also prepared Soul Rays. Their power was not great, merely ordinary third-grade Soul Tools.

However, the opposing four-ringed captain charging at the front had already entered the maximum range of Xu Sanshi's Darkwater Displacement.

"Now, Sanshi, junior brother!" Beibei gave the command.

After Xu Sanshi's towering figure blocked a wave of incoming Soul Skills for everyone, he instantly vanished from where he stood. In his place appeared the bewildered enemy captain.

The confusion in the enemy captain's eyes instantly faded, replaced by emptiness.

It was Huo Yuhao. Using his Second Soul Skill, he temporarily controlled the four-ringed Soul Ancestor.

Even Ling Luochen, a Soul King from Shrek Academy's Inner Court, had been unable to effectively resist Huo Yuhao's Soul Skill, let alone this insignificant Soul Ancestor from Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy.

As Ning Tian quickly chanted her soul incantation, the enhancement from her Martial Soul swiftly fell upon Beibei and Jiang Nannan. Strength Enhancement! Speed Enhancement!

Wrath of Thunder! Thunder Dragon Claw! With a single strike, Beibei directly shredded the defensive Soul Tool worn by the Soul Ancestor before him.

Jiang Nannan struck next. As Beibei created an opening for her, her supple waist bent, and she flipped through the air. Her legs clamped around the head and neck of the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy captain, who had already lost the will to resist.

Another flip—her First Soul Skill, Waist Bow—followed immediately by her Second Soul Skill, Gravity Control.

Enhanced by speed and strength, the beast-transformed body of the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy captain smashed heavily into the ground headfirst, cracking the solid floor.

At the same time, his skull fractured from the blow. He lost consciousness immediately and was rescued from the arena by the referee.

Meanwhile, Xu Sanshi alone withstood the firepower of the other six. Empowered by his Third Soul Skill, Darkwater Power, he activated his Second Soul Skill, Darkwater Shield Array. The enlarged Darkwater Tortoise Shell Shield transformed into a wall of shields, its waves of rebounding force holding the enemies back.

After Beibei's group dealt with the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy captain, they continued closing in on the remaining opponents. At the same time, Beibei silently counted down in his heart.

Three, two, one!

Beibei let out an uncontrollable roar.

The blue-violet lightning generated by Wrath of Thunder around his body, which had been enhancing him, all transformed into gold at that moment.

Dazzling golden light flashed as a brilliant golden radiance condensed above his head. Then, his body and the lightning surrounding him were displaced by Xu Sanshi.

Guided by its master, the golden lightning flashed rapidly from its original location toward Beibei's final landing point. The afterimages formed by the golden lightning shocked everyone.

Beyond the change in color, an indescribable dominance radiated from Beibei and the lightning coiling around him. The rumbling in the air was the roar of Dragon Clan bloodline.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon had mutated into the Golden Holy Dragon!

At this moment, Beibei awakened the hidden power of his bloodline, and his entire aura underwent an earth-shaking transformation.

The originally gentle and mild Beibei now displayed unimaginable forcefulness and kingly majesty.

This was the instinctive reverence that Soul Masters held within their bloodlines toward high-level dragons.

For the origin of Soul Masters was Soul Beasts, while Soul Beasts originated from the aura left behind after the Dragon God's fall.

Thus, it could be said that the Dragon Clan was the source of the unique power system cultivated on the Douluo Continent—the system of Soul Masters.

The Golden Holy Dragon already held an exalted status among the Dragon Clan. Now, its tyrannical Dragon's Might filled the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy team facing it with uncontrollable panic.

At this moment, the fear they had felt because of Shrek Academy's prestige was magnified infinitely beneath that immense Dragon's Might. Their limbs stiffened, and they could not even organize a shred of effective resistance.

Beibei's aura surged to its peak. He shouted, "Overlord's Thunder Domain!"

Centered on Beibei, rings of golden furious lightning erupted like crashing waves. Golden light flooded everywhere they passed, wrapping around the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy members near him.

Then waves of furious lightning rose and fell under Beibei's control like the breath of a giant dragon.

Without taking any defensive or counteractive measures, the Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy students' protective Soul Tools shattered. The golden lightning enveloping their bodies left them paralyzed.

With Beibei's final exertion, the power of lightning became more violent than ever, surging madly.

In this situation, even if the six Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy members wanted to surrender, they were already unable to do so.

The two weaker three-ringed Soul Elders had even been forced out of their Martial Soul Possession states. Their skin was turning charred black under the lightning's power, and they were on the verge of collapse.

Seeing this, the teacher leading Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy hurriedly shouted at the referee below the stage, "We surrender! We surrender! Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy surrenders!"

Seeing this, the referee immediately announced, "The winner is Shrek Academy!"

Upon hearing those words, the golden lightning spilling from Beibei's body swiftly faded and disappeared.

The six Heaven Spirit Advanced Soul Master Academy students received emergency treatment from the medical staff. Aside from the two more seriously injured Soul Elders, the others were unharmed.