The final whistle of the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament Preliminary Tournament rang out across the Heaven Dou Great Soul Arena, and the moment it did, a rain of colorful ribbons and deafening cheers seemed ready to lift the roof off.
The names of the twelve academy teams advancing to the finals were projected onto the giant screen in the center of the arena. Shrek Academy's name stood out in tenth place.
But unlike the thunderous cheers received by the other advancing teams, when Shrek's name lit up, the stands greeted them with nothing but a tidal wave of boos and jeers.
"This is hilarious. They actually qualified? They must've gotten lucky and only picked on the weak!"
"That twenty-seven-second joke? Even if they made the finals, they'd get knocked out in the first round!"
"Get lost already! Just looking at those shit-green uniforms makes my eyes hurt!"
Dai Mubai clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his nails digging deep into his palms. Standing in the competitors' corridor and listening to those cutting taunts, he felt the rage in his chest burning through his self-control, but all he could do was choke it back.
For more than half a month, they had won one match after another in the preliminaries, but their victories had never earned them respect—only ever harsher ridicule. Every hard-fought win brought accusations of "unfair play" and "dirty tactics." Even the way Yu Xiaogang ranted and raved had become a laughingstock across the continent.
"Third Brother, do we... really have to keep competing?" Ma Hongjun hung his head, exhaustion and shame written all over his round face. "Even if we make the finals, we have no chance against Imperial Dou Second Team, Nebula Academy, or the Spirit Hall teams."
Oscar sighed too, gripping