On the day of the finals, the stands of Barak City's Soul Fighting Arena were packed with people.
Nearly twice as many spectators as in the previous rounds crammed the entire venue to the brim, with even the aisles filled with standing attendees.
Barak Royal Academy was the kingdom's long-established powerhouse, drawing hordes of local fans to every match, while Shrek, the dark horse that had suddenly emerged, attracted plenty of curious attention as well.
Before the match, discussions of whether "the new academy could overthrow the old hegemon" rose and fell without end. The atmosphere in the stands was far more fervent than it had been in the previous rounds.
The Shrek group made their final preparations in the resting area.
For once, Ma Hongjun was not eating. He stood silently in a corner, regulating his breathing. Oscar handed him a Recovery Sausage, but Ma Hongjun waved it away, indicating that he was not hungry.
Xiao Wu loosened up her ankles, Zhu Zhuqing checked the sharpness of her claw blades, and Dai Mubai sat calmly on a bench with his eyes closed, resting his mind.
Tang San sat beside Yun Tian. Neither spoke, each quietly settling his mind.
Clutching her little fan, Ning Rongrong paced back and forth a few times before Zhao Wuji raised a hand to stop her. "Rongrong, sit down and rest for a while. Stop pacing around. Once you get on the Soul Fighting Platform, you'll be more important than anyone."
Ning Rongrong took a deep breath, nodded, and sat down on the bench.
Flender pushed open the door and entered, followed by a staff member carrying a list of participants. "The finals order has been confirmed. The team battle comes first. The winner will then play two individual matches. Best two out of three.