Third Place Was Pretty Good Too

The preliminary round ended, and Shrek Academy advanced to the Promotion Tournament in third place.

Flender was quite pleased with that ranking.

"Third place is good."

He stood before the Bulletin Board, running his finger back and forth over the prize money as his smile grew increasingly benevolent.

"High enough to place well, without stealing all the limelight. Even the betting odds are right."

Dai Mubai reminded him, "Dean, isn't our goal to win the championship?"

"The championship is the goal. Prize money is how we live. Don't mix the two up."

Bai Jin passed behind him and casually pulled away the prize breakdown.

"Done looking? Then take a holiday."

Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up. "A real holiday?"

Bai Jin took out a training schedule folded into quarters.

"You'll only train six two-hour periods a day. The rest of the time is yours."

Everyone crowded around for a look.

Morning: weighted one-on-one fights. Afternoon: Soul Power Control. Evening: simulated Promotion Tournament relay battles. A corner of the paper was sticky with sugar, and at the bottom was a crooked line of small print: Anyone who loses three matches accompanies Teacher Bai shopping.

Ma Hongjun asked in all seriousness, "Can I choose to get beaten instead?"

"No."

Their month of rest and adjustment officially began at dawn the next day.

The Promotion Tournament used one-on-one relays. Seven fighters entered in sequence; the loser left, while the winner could keep fighting. Weaknesses that teammates could cover in a team battle would be magnified in the arena.

The first thing Bai Jin did was break up Shrek's usual pairings.

Dai Mubai was thrown into a Training Ground covered in iron sand. Every time he exerted force, his feet sank. He had to catch the Wooden Balls Bai Jin flicked at him without wasting