Quite a few spectators in the stands were stunned by Amphoreus Academy's move.
Not again, seriously?
Because Amphoreus kept sending out new contestants one after another, quite a few people had lost money betting against them.
"Just my luck. But this time, I'm betting on the newcomers!"
"Hey, take it easy, brother. It's not a sure thing. Their opponents are the Cat-Mouse Duo, and they've got a high win rate in doubles."
"That's right, brother. Don't do anything rash. They're newcomers, after all. They might still get turned over."
"Come on, you haven't seen enough of that one-eyed kid from last time? He scared Ironwood right to his knees!"
"This is a doubles match. It's different."
Arguments rose and fell throughout the Soul Fighting Arena.
The host spoke again:
"Let's welcome both teams to the arena!"
Two people, a man and a woman, emerged from the passage on the left.
They were the well-known Cat-Mouse Duo, who had a respectable win rate in the Soul Fighting Arena.
As soon as they appeared, cheers erupted from the stands.
On the right, Castorice and Polyxena also walked out at an unhurried pace.
The moment the spectators saw them, the stands fell silent for a beat.
"Two more young girls?"
"Don't underestimate them. Didn't Caesar look like a little kid last time, too? And look how that turned out."
"Fair point."
After seeing what had happened several times before, many spectators in the stands no longer dared to predict how Amphoreus's newcomers would fare.
All they could do was watch quietly.
The referee stepped onto the arena, swept his gaze over both sides, then gave the order:
"Both sides, prepare."
The Cat-Mouse Duo summoned their Martial Souls at the same time.
A standard pair of Soul Elders.
Castorice and Polyxena exchanged a glance and took each other's hands.
In the next moment, several Soul Rings rose from beneath their feet.
Yellow, purple, purple!
It was the exact same configuration as Phainon's.
At the sight of this, some people in the stands sucked in a sharp breath.
"Yellow, purple, purple again?!"
"Seriously, does that academy mass-produce this Soul Ring Configuration?"
But the referee gave them little time to think and immediately ordered them to withdraw.
"The Soul Fighting match begins!"
The Cat-Mouse Duo moved first.
They worked together seamlessly, their attacks fierce and swift.
Yet in the face of their assault, Castorice merely lifted a finger.
The next second, her First Soul Ring lit up.
A ring of purple-black ripples silently spread out from beneath her feet.
The Cat-Mouse Duo both paused mid-motion.
"Life does not break as easily as a butterfly's wings."
Her voice was cool and clear, like wind passing through a deep valley.
The Cat-Mouse Duo suddenly felt their steps grow unsteady.
"What's going on? Why is our Soul Power draining?"
But they had no time to dwell on it. In the next moment,
Polyxena suddenly raised her right hand.
Her Second Soul Ring lit up.
She instantly transformed into a scythe in Castorice's hand.
Castorice gripped the scythe and took a light step forward, her posture graceful, yet carrying a terrifying intent.
Her Third Soul Ring lit up, and Castorice slowly uttered:
"Restless souls, return to dust."
The next second, a dark purple fissure emerged from space.
The Cat-Mouse Duo had no chance to dodge.
It cut straight through their bodies.
Both of them froze in place.
The next second, their faces turned visibly pale.
Then their knees buckled, and they dropped to the ground, collapsing together and losing the ability to fight.
The match was over. The whole arena fell utterly silent.
The referee stood there stunned for a full two seconds before raising his hand.
"T-the match is over! The winners are the two contestants from Amphoreus Academy!"
The stands were quiet for a beat.
Then a flurry of heated discussion broke out.
"Holy crap! Two moves?"
"I blinked, and it was over?"
"What was that purple fissure?"
"What kind of attributes do their Martial Souls have? It looked like they could even merge together!"
In the VIP seats, Wang Sheng had already stood up, his mouth hanging wide open.
"Teacher, what was that skill just now?"
Ye Qiong leaned back in his chair and smiled as he explained to everyone:
"Their First Soul Skill: Lament, Omen of Bestowed Death."
"It creates a purple-black, shadowy domain on the field. Enemies within it continuously lose Soul Power."
Bai Chenxiang tilted her head.
"What about the Second Soul Skill?"
"Mourning, Ripples of the Dead Sea."
Ye Qiong lifted his chin and continued:
"Polyxena transforms into a scythe of death, which Castorice swings. Anyone struck by it suffers a bleeding effect."
The others were all surprised.
"Then what's her Third Soul Skill?"
"Silence, Caress of the Ghost Butterfly."
"It deals heavy damage to multiple targets while also inflicting bleeding and weakening effects."
Anaxa finally looked away and added to Ye Qiong's explanation:
"Their Martial Souls are symbiotic. Together, they can achieve an effect greater than the sum of their parts. After that little combo, I'd say the Cat-Mouse Duo are pretty much done for."
Symbiotic Martial Souls? This was the first time they had heard of such a thing.
From what Anaxa had said, and what they had just witnessed,
this was what a Symbiotic Martial Soul looked like.
As they chatted, Castorice and Polyxena returned to the VIP seats.
Wang Sheng was the first to greet them.
"You two were amazing!"
Huang Yuan crowded over as well, nodding repeatedly.
"Yeah! You took them out with one combo!"
Castorice smiled faintly, sneaking a glance at Ye Qiong.
"We were just lucky."
Ye Qiong rose from his seat and walked over to her.
"You both fought very well."
"That was an excellent performance for your first time in the arena."
At Ye Qiong's praise, Castorice immediately lowered her head, two faint blushes appearing on her cheeks.
"Th-thank you for the praise, Dean."
Her voice was a little softer than before.
Her fingers unconsciously pinched at the hem of her skirt.
For some reason, ever since she had met Ye Qiong, she had felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
That familiar feeling often sent ripples through her heart.
It was almost like the feeling between lovers that you only ever found in romance stories.
But no one noticed this scene.
Only Polyxena glanced between her and Ye Qiong, the corners of her mouth curling up.
Just then, a voice came from the entrance to the VIP seats:
"Is the dean of Amphoreus Academy here?"
Ye Qiong turned to look.
A tall, straight-backed young man stood at the entrance.
He looked about twelve or thirteen, with short, crimson hair.
The boy strode inside, fixing his gaze directly on Ye Qiong.
"I'm a prince of the Silves Kingdom."
As he spoke, he flicked his hand, sending a challenge letter flying straight toward Ye Qiong.
Ye Qiong raised a hand and caught it, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he looked at the boy.
The third Chrysos Heir he had summoned had arrived, too.
The boy was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his composure.
"That's right. I've heard your academy has been making quite a name for itself lately."
"I'm challenging you tonight. Do you dare accept?"
Ye Qiong unfolded the challenge letter and glanced at it, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"No problem at all. If it's you, we'll accept this challenge."