Their First Team Battle Ended in Failure

Flender had been in a bad mood lately.

It wasn't because the academy's expenses had gone over budget again, though that was true too. It was because those four "special extracurricular" students were too much trouble. Han Li had run up a tab in the cafeteria ledger, Xiao Yan had challenged Zhao Wuji and ended up laid up in the infirmary for three days, Shi Hao woke the entire academy at four every morning, and Wang Lin had sealed the Soul Power of three passersby in Suotuo City.

"We have to teach them what teamwork means!" Flender smacked the table and said to Yu Xiaogang, "Let's organize a friendly match. The Shrek Seven Devils against those four troublemakers... plus Tang San."

Yu Xiaogang adjusted his glasses. "Why add Tang San?"

"Because without Tang San, they only have four people. They can't make a five-man team." Flender sounded entirely justified.

"That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking why Tang San?"

"Because he's a floor tile. Slotting him in won't affect the balance."

Yu Xiaogang fell silent. He felt there was something wrong with Flender's logic, but couldn't figure out what it was just then, so he chose to keep quiet.

And so, the friendly match destined to go down in Shrek Academy's history was settled.

On the day of the match, the training ground was hastily converted into an arena. Six of the Shrek Seven Devils, excluding Tang San, lined up in a row: Dai Mubai, Oscar, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ma Hongjun.

Opposite them stood Han Li, Xiao Yan, Shi Hao, Wang Lin, and Tang San, who had been forcibly shoved into the role of "captain."

Standing in the middle of the four, Tang San puffed out his chest, feeling that he had finally found a use for himself. He cleared his throat and struck a leader's pose.

"Teammates, listen up. I'll assign our tactics."

He pointed to Han Li. "Brother Han, you're skilled in formations. You'll handle ranged control and support."

Han Li stared at him expressionlessly without a word.

Tang San pointed to Xiao Yan. "Brother Xiao, your Heavenly Flames have powerful output. You'll be our main attacker."

Xiao Yan folded his arms, nose in the air, and didn't even look at him.

Tang San pointed to Shi Hao. "Brother Shi, your body is tough. You'll take the front line and absorb damage."

Shi Hao was warming up, muttering "Arbitrary Eternity" under his breath. He hadn't heard a word.

Finally, Tang San pointed to Wang Lin. "Brother Wang, you..."

Wang Lin gave him a distant look.

Tang San's words caught in his throat, and a chill crept down his back.

"I think..." Tang San pressed on despite his misgivings. "Brother Wang, you can roam around and finish off weakened opponents..."

"Done?" Han Li finally spoke.

Tang San nodded.

Han Li turned and walked straight toward the edge of the battlefield.

"Brother Han? Where are you going? We haven't finished discussing the tactics..."

"Quiet. I have my own arrangements." Han Li didn't look back.

Tang San turned to Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan scoffed. "Who's going to listen to you? Who do you think you are? Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—I'll fight my own way!"

Tang San turned to Shi Hao.

Shi Hao slammed his fists together, his fighting spirit surging. "I'll fight ten of them! Who needs tactics? Just charge!"

Tang San turned to Wang Lin.

Wang Lin brushed nonexistent dust from his sleeve and said coolly, "I don't team up with floor tiles."

Tang San: "..."

He hadn't even put on his captain's armband, and the entire team had already rejected him.

Flender stood in the referee's stand and raised his right hand. "Both sides ready? Begin!"

Before the words had even left his mouth, Dai Mubai struck first.

"White Tiger Intense Light Wave!"

A beam of white light blasted from between his palms, hurtling toward the five opponents at tremendous speed. It was Dai Mubai's signature Soul Skill: powerful, wide-ranging, and the perfect way to open a team battle.

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up. "Just what I wanted!"

He pushed off the ground and shot forward like a cannonball. The Heavenly Flame markings on his right arm glowed green, and the Flame Splitting Wave Ruler took shape in his hand. He was going to meet the White Tiger Intense Light Wave head-on.

At almost the same moment, Shi Hao charged forward too.

"Arbitrary Eternity! I'll suppress everything!"

The muscles of his bare upper body bunched as he clenched his right fist and charged toward Dai Mubai with unstoppable momentum.

Two men, headed in the same direction, toward the same target.

Then they crashed into each other.

"Bang!"

Xiao Yan's shoulder slammed into Shi Hao's arm. Both men lost their balance and staggered. Xiao Yan's Flame Splitting Wave Ruler nearly struck Shi Hao in the head, while Shi Hao's fist nearly smashed into Xiao Yan's chest.

"You're in my way!" Xiao Yan snapped.

"You're in mine!" Shi Hao shot back.

"I charged first!"

"I charged faster!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you?"

The two faced each other and hurled insults, spittle flying all over one another's faces.

Dai Mubai stared at the two of them arguing right in front of him. He froze for a moment, then seized his chance. The White Tiger Intense Light Wave was already bearing down on them, but neither man showed any intention of defending himself.

"Smack! Smack!"

Dai Mubai struck with both claws, landing one blow apiece and knocking Xiao Yan and Shi Hao flying at the same time.

They shot off in opposite directions like meteors. One smashed into the training ground's outer wall, leaving a person-shaped dent; the other crashed into the weapon rack, sending weapons clattering everywhere.

"Two idiots." Dai Mubai flicked his claws and sneered.

At the edge of the battlefield, Han Li had already slipped unnoticed into the farthest corner. Crouching behind a large tree, he pulled formation flags and spirit stones out of his Storage Bag and began setting up a Lost Track Formation.

His movements were quick and practiced, clearly honed through endless repetition. He planted the flags and arranged the spirit stones in the proper positions. In less than two minutes, he would have a simple trapping formation ready.

"A bunch of reckless fools," Han Li muttered as he set up the formation. "Once it's finished, I'll trap all of the Shrek Seven Monsters, and victory will be mine. Everything is under control."

His lips curved into a slight smile. He felt like a genius.

On the battlefield, Wang Lin stood perfectly still.

It wasn't that he didn't want to move. He simply didn't think he needed to.

Clad in white, his long hair flowing and his face pale as snow, he stood in the middle of the battlefield like a statue, like a painting, like a perfect target.

Zhu Zhuqing was too fast.

She cut in from the side like a black bolt of lightning, silent and swift enough to leave no afterimage. Her target was clear: the white-clad sissy who looked the weakest.

One kick.

"Bang!"

Wang Lin's body flew through the air like a kite with its string cut. He spun twice before crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

His white clothes were dirty.

Zhu Zhuqing landed where he had been standing. She gave the airborne Wang Lin a cold glance, then turned to help her teammates.

Then she heard a voice.

"You've offended this venerable one."

Zhu Zhuqing turned around.

Wang Lin got to his feet and dusted off his white clothes. His expression remained as calm and detached as ever, but a chilling glint had appeared in his eyes.

He raised his right hand, gray light gathering at his fingertips.

Zhu Zhuqing instinctively took a step back—not out of fear, but caution.

Wang Lin didn't pursue her. He stood where he was, staring at Zhu Zhuqing, a dangerous smile curling across his lips.

"This venerable one will remember you."

Zhu Zhuqing furrowed her brow. She didn't know what the words meant, but she had a vague feeling that she might have provoked someone she shouldn't have.

But this was a match, not a time for pleasantries.

Zhu Zhuqing vanished from the spot again.

Tang San decided he had to do something.

As captain—though nobody acknowledged him as captain—he felt responsible for leading the team to victory.

"Blue Silver Grass!"

Tang San pressed both hands to the ground. Dozens of strands of Blue Silver Grass burst from the earth, winding like snakes as they raced toward the opposing team. His plan was to bind Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, then create opportunities for Xiao Yan and Shi Hao to attack. One of those two was currently stuck on a wall and the other in a weapon rack, but they should be back soon.

The Blue Silver Grass grew quickly, spreading across the battlefield in an instant.

Tang San was overjoyed. "It worked!"

Just then, Ma Hongjun made his move.

"Phoenix Fire!"

Purple flames burst from Ma Hongjun's mouth, sweeping across the entire battlefield. Phoenix Fire was scorching hot—the natural enemy of Plant-type Martial Souls.

The Blue Silver Grass met the Phoenix Fire like paper meeting flame.

It burned.

It all burned.

In just a few seconds, the Blue Silver Grass Tang San had worked so hard to summon had turned into a field of ashes. The flames even spread back along the path the grass had taken, nearly setting Tang San's hair on fire.

Tang San stared at the ashes scattered across the ground, dumbfounded.

"My grass!"

His voice was full of shock, heartbreak, and unwillingness, along with the sorrowful sense of "why am I always the one who gets hurt?"

Ma Hongjun drew back the flames and scratched his head. "Sorry, I didn't control the range properly and burned your grass."

Before Tang San could answer, a pink figure appeared in front of him.

Xiao Wu.

She had been circling the edge of the battlefield, waiting for her chance. The moment Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was burned away, his defense had a gap. Xiao Wu seized it.

"Waist Bow!"

Xiao Wu darted in front of Tang San, grabbed him around the waist, and leaned backward, using the strength of her waist to fling his entire body into the air.

Tang San traced a graceful arc over half the training ground before crashing hard into the dirt. He bounced twice, rolled three times, and finally stopped beside the tree where Han Li was setting up his formation.

Tang San lay face down, mouth full of dirt and consciousness fading. He vaguely heard a voice.

"Don't get in the way of my formation."

It was Han Li. Then Han Li kicked him aside.

Tang San rolled away, turned onto his back, and stared up at the blue sky. A tear of humiliation slid from the corner of his eye.

"Resurrect... my beloved..."

He whispered the words, then closed his eyes. It wasn't because he was injured. He simply didn't want to face reality.

Flender stood in the referee's stand, watching the stopwatch.

Less than three minutes into the battle, four of the five on Tang San's side were already down: Xiao Yan was on the wall, Shi Hao was in the weapon rack, Tang San was sprawled on the ground, and although Wang Lin was still standing, his white clothes were dirty. Han Li was still hiding behind a tree, setting up his formation.

Not one of the six opponents had gone down.

"Time." Flender hit the stopwatch. "Three minutes and seventeen seconds. The Shrek Seven Devils win."

Silence fell over the training ground.

Then Xiao Wu started clapping. Ning Rongrong clapped. Oscar clapped. Dai Mubai flicked his claws, Zhu Zhuqing let the Hell Spirit Cat state fade, and Ma Hongjun snuffed out the Phoenix Fire.

The Shrek Seven Devils slapped one another's hands in celebration, even though the victory had come so easily that it was almost boring.

"Wow, they're weak," Ma Hongjun said.

"They're not weak. They just have absolutely no teamwork." Dai Mubai shook his head.

Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but she glanced toward Wang Lin and sensed that he might be dangerous.

Ning Rongrong secretly gave Oscar a thumbs-up and whispered, "With those four and Third Brother, they're the worst team in history."

Oscar nodded in full agreement. "They couldn't even last three minutes. They're softer than the sausages I make."

"Your sausages last five minutes before they go soft, at least."

"...Are you complimenting me or insulting me?"

"You decide."

On the grass, five people lay sprawled in a heap.

Xiao Yan climbed back from the wall, covered in dust, his right arm dislocated, and cursing under his breath. "That reckless fool Shi Hao's to blame! He got in my way!"

Shi Hao climbed out of the weapon rack with an iron pot on his head and several spears hanging off him. "You got in my way first!"

"You charged first!"

"You insulted me first!"

"Stop arguing, you two!" Han Li emerged from behind the tree, still clutching several unplanted formation flags, his face livid. "This is all because you refused to follow my instructions. If I'd finished setting up the formation, I could've trapped every one of them, and we would've won."

Xiao Yan glared at him. "You were hiding in the back and you still have the nerve to say that? We're all down, and you haven't even finished your formation!"

"Formations take time!" Han Li said coldly. "You couldn't even hold out for three minutes. How's that my fault?"

Shi Hao pulled the iron pot off his head. "I want to fight alone! None of you get involved! I can take on ten by myself!"

"You couldn't even beat Dai Mubai," Wang Lin said coolly, twisting the knife.

Shi Hao glared at Wang Lin. "You've got some nerve! Zhu Zhuqing kicked you flying, and you didn't even fight back!"

Wang Lin's face turned even paler. "This venerable one was caught off guard. If she dares try that again, I'll make her wish she were dead."

"Yeah, right," Xiao Yan said with a sneer.

Gray light flickered between Wang Lin's fingers. "What did you say?"

"I said you're all talk. What about it, sissy?"

"Say that again?"

"Sissy! Sissy! Sissy!"

"This venerable one—!"

"Enough!"

Tang San finally couldn't take it anymore. He climbed to his feet, covered in dirt, with a few blades of grass stuck in his hair and tear tracks still on his face. He looked at the four of them and took a deep breath.

"It was all my fault."

The four of them looked at him at the same time.

"If I'd been a little stronger," Tang San's tears started flowing again. "If my Blue Silver Grass hadn't been burned away, if Xiao Wu hadn't kicked me flying, if I..."

"Enough, enough." Xiao Yan waved a hand. "It was your fault, sure, but it wasn't all your fault."

Tang San froze for a moment. "Then who do you think was mostly at fault?"

The four exchanged glances, then answered in unison: "You."

Tang San: "..."

His tears flowed even harder.

In the distance, Flender watched the scene and covered his face.

"What sins did I commit in my past life to end up taking in four little tyrants... No, five."

Yu Xiaogang pushed up his glasses and wrote a line on his clipboard: "Recommendation: disqualify this team from competing. Reason: beyond saving."

Zhao Wuji stood beside him, taking malicious pleasure in it. "I told you not to take them in back then, but you wouldn't listen. Now you see?"

Flender glared at him. "Shut up!"

On the training grounds, the five were still blaming one another.

Han Li said Xiao Yan was too reckless, Xiao Yan said Shi Hao was too crazy, Shi Hao said Wang Lin was too girly, Wang Lin said Han Li was too sneaky, and Tang San said it was his fault—only for all four to shout at him at once, "What's it got to do with you?"

Their voices rang throughout the entire academy. Even the old gatekeeper heard them.

The old gatekeeper shook his head and muttered to himself, "The students these days are all nuts."

He went back to reading his newspaper. One of the headlines read: "White-Clad Menace Spotted in Suotuo City. Citizens Urged to Stay Alert."

The old gatekeeper didn't know that the White-Clad Menace was right there in the academy, arguing with people.

And the argument was about who was the most useless.