Cinderella looked at the scene before her, gasping for breath.
Her Soul Power had been completely depleted, and the curse brand had left her body too stiff to move.
She had lost.
Completely and utterly.
Ailuo looked at her, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through her pale golden eyes.
There was admiration, approval, and a faint hint of regret.
"You're very strong," Ailuo said softly, her voice as gentle as ever. "Stronger than I expected."
A bitter smile tugged at Cinderella's lips.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, only to realize she no longer had the strength even to speak.
Ailuo said nothing more.
She merely waved her hand gently.
The petals floating in midair slowly scattered, like a snowfall of crimson.
The second Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up again—Crimson Thorn.
A thick rose thorn rose from beneath Cinderella's feet, not to attack her, but to gently coil around her waist and lift her entire body.
Then, the thorn gave a gentle push.
Cinderella's body drifted off the arena like a feather and descended below the stage.
She staggered two steps before Ma Hongjun and Oscar rushed over to support her.
The referee drew a deep breath, his booming voice carrying across the entire grand training ground:
"Cinderella, eliminated! Ailuo wins!"
The referee's voice was like a cold iron hammer, striking every Shrek member in the heart.
Below the stage, Cinderella's body was like a kite with a broken string, gently held up by that rose thorn as she slowly descended.
Her face was pale as paper, her golden hair messily stuck to the sides of her forehead. Her battle robe had been sliced open by petals in dozens of fine cuts, exposing the bleeding wounds beneath.
Her amber eyes were half-closed, filled with exhaustion