The Astonishing Golden Soul Badge

Meanwhile, Flender kept his pace down because Oscar and Ning Rongrong were with them.

By the time the eight of them reached Suotuo City, it was already late.

Flender led them straight to the Soto Great Soul Arena.

"We're here."

Flender stopped before a colossal building.

Looking up, they saw a magnificent structure nearly a hundred meters tall. Its immense silhouette loomed dark against the night sky.

Above the main entrance, soul-powered lamps spelled out six enormous characters: "Soto Great Soul Arena."

All kinds of people came and went through the entrance.

Flender turned to the seven students behind him. "This is where you'll have your lessons."

He paused, then said seriously, "Your Martial Souls are all different, and each of you has your own way of training. What the academy can teach you is how to use your Martial Souls better, help you obtain better Soul Rings, gain more combat experience, and develop your potential as much as possible. Of all these things, combat experience matters most."

Flender pointed at the imposing building behind him. "This is the Soto Great Soul Arena. A Great Soul Arena is where Soul Battles take place, and it's the best place for you to gain combat experience. So your first lesson is actual combat. This place is your classroom."

Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar looked calm. Clearly, they had heard all this before.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing, whose expression had remained cold, all looked puzzled.

Tang San frowned. "Dean, what are the arena's rules? What do we need to watch out for?"

"Good question. I'll explain as we walk." Flender headed into the arena, and the others followed.

Flender said to Dai Mubai, "Mubai, explain the arena's rules to them."

Dai Mubai began, "After a Soul Master registers at the Great Soul Arena, they receive a badge. Each victory in a Soul Battle earns points, and once they have enough, their badge is promoted. The lowest rank is Iron, followed by Bronze, Silver, Gold, Purple Gold, Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond. Eight ranks in all."

Flender cut in. "Your assignment is to earn at least a Silver Soul Badge before you graduate. Mubai, tell them exactly what it takes to advance."

"Yes, Dean."

Dai Mubai continued, "You gain points for a win and lose points for a defeat."

"At the Iron Soul rank, each win earns one point. Reach a hundred points, and you advance to Bronze Soul."

"At Bronze Soul and above, each win earns ten points. Reach a thousand, and you advance to Silver Soul. Keep going, and five thousand points will take you to Gold Soul."

"There are also bonuses for winning streaks. At Iron Soul, once your streak exceeds five wins, each subsequent win earns ten points. At Bronze Soul and above, once your streak exceeds ten wins, each subsequent win earns a hundred points."

"The rules are a little complicated, but the heart of it is simple: keep winning. A winning streak earns points faster, and it's the best proof of a Soul Master's strength."

Dai Mubai paused and smiled. "Don't worry too much. If you work hard and improve your fighting skills, a Silver Soul Badge is within reach. Fatty, Little Ao, and I got where we are one step at a time."

Ning Rongrong's eyes brightened. "Boss Dai, how many Soul Battles have you three fought? What rank are your badges now?"

At her question, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing all turned to look at them.

Flender smiled. "You three, tell them your badge ranks and records."

Ma Hongjun spoke first, looking smug. "I started coming here with Boss Dai about two years ago. I've fought a hundred and fifty matches: a hundred and thirteen wins, thirty-seven losses, and a longest winning streak of fifteen. I've got nine hundred and seventy points right now. Just thirty more, and I'll have a Silver Soul Badge!"

He pulled a bronze badge from his coat and waved it, his eyes full of pride.

Oscar smiled and joined in. "I'm a food-type Soul Master, so I can only team up with them for two-on-two Soul Battles. I've fought seventy-two matches, with fifty-five wins and seventeen losses. I have a hundred and ten points right now, so I only recently earned my Copper Soul Badge."

Finally, everyone looked at Dai Mubai.

Dai Mubai said calmly, "I've fought quite a few more. Since I started three years ago, I've fought three hundred and sixty matches: three hundred and twenty wins, forty losses, and a longest winning streak of thirty-five. I have over six thousand points now, and a Golden Soul Badge."

He took a golden badge from his Storage Ring.

"A Golden... Golden Soul Badge?!"

Everyone gasped.

Oscar added at just the right moment, "Most of Boss Dai's forty losses came when he'd first started, or when I held him back in two-on-two matches. He holds the Soto Great Soul Arena's record for the longest winning streak. No one's broken it yet!"

Tang San's pupils contracted as he silently did the math.

Three hundred and sixty matches meant almost one Soul Battle every three days on average. With that frequency, intensity, and win rate, Dai Mubai really was a "monster."

A flicker of emotion stirred in Zhu Zhuqing's cold eyes. She looked at the golden badge in Dai Mubai's hand, shaken to her core.

So this was how he'd spent the past three years? Not living it up, but fighting in this cold arena.

Dai Mubai had never intended to fight so many matches. After earning his Golden Soul Badge, he had wanted to retire from the arena, but Flender had talked him into fighting a few more matches to earn some Gold Soul Coins.

Ning Rongrong's gaze lingered on Dai Mubai's shoulder-length blond hair and sharply defined profile. Whatever she thought of brought a blush to her cheeks.

By the time they had finished marveling, the group had reached the arena's service hall.

"All right, all right!"

Flender clapped his hands, snapping everyone out of their shock.

"There are three kinds of Soul Battle here. Contest Duels are sparring matches; killing your opponent is forbidden. Life-and-Death Duels settle disputes that can't be resolved any other way. In Wager Duels, both sides agree on a stake, and the winner takes it all. There are also three match formats: one-on-one, two-on-two, and team battles. Team battles generally have seven fighters per side."

He looked at Tang San and the others. "You'll be entering Contest Duels, of course. You four, go register and sign up. Pay the fees yourselves."

Before long, the four of them had registered and signed up.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun had all signed up for one-on-one Soul Battles. Ning Rongrong was a support-type Soul Master, so she had not signed up for a match yet.