"Aside from Monitor and Deputies, all four Specialist Officers are confirmed," Shen Yi's voice echoed through the classroom.
"Now—we head to the Grand Arena for a free-for-all battle to decide the Monitor and two Deputies."
Her gaze swept the class, tone calm.
"You have ten minutes to prepare."
"Fight solo or form teams—any strategy. Only results matter."
"Captain—should we recruit allies?" Tang Wulin asked cautiously.
Fang Yang smirked faintly: "With our strength? Unnecessary."
"Understood," Tang Wulin nodded.
"Wulin—relax," Xie Xie clapped his shoulder, confidence radiating.
"We've got Captain, our Spirit Fusion Skill, and raw power—more than enough."
"True," Tang Wulin laughed, realizing he'd overthought it.
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi exchanged amused glances—Tang Wulin's caution was almost endearing.
---
Meanwhile, Shen Yi conferred with Wu Zhangkong, while classmates scrambled to form alliances, tension crackling.
Yang Nianxia scanned the room, eyes locking onto fellow Genius List elites.
He strode over, blunt:
"We're all on the Youth Genius List. Alone, we can't challenge their seven. Temporary alliance?"
"I'm in," Luo Guixing agreed instantly.
Yang Nianxia turned to Wu Siduo, Zheng Yiran, and silent Xu Yucheng.
After brief hesitation, Wu Siduo and Zheng Yiran nodded—intimidated by Fang Yang's squad.
Xu Yucheng just gave a curt nod, gray eyes unreadable.
"Five of us still trail their seven," Luo Guixing analyzed coolly. "We need two more."
"Others lack the strength…" Yang Nianxia frowned.
Zheng Yiran called out: "Zheng Long, Zheng Hu—join us!"
"Yes, Miss!" Two burly, identical-looking boys approached respectfully—her clan members, Shrek-qualified, formidable in their own right.
"Now we're seven—matched in numbers!" Yang Nianxia declared, spirits lifting.
No objections arose.
A squad of five Genius List elites and two clan warriors formed—ready to clash.
---
Ten minutes passed. Teams finalized.
"Follow me," Shen Yi clapped, leading them out.
They marched through Shrek's colossal main building—vast beyond Donghai Academy's wildest dreams.
Deeper in, they entered a spacious circular hall.
Although bigger than it seemed, it was still too small for a hundred-person brawl—but Shen Yi smiled:
"You'll enter a virtual space—like the Ascension Platform. Fight freely!"
"Stand outside the white circles on the floor!"
Students stepped back, clearing the center.
Shen Yi activated a wall panel—soul-guided arrays blazed.
Thrum…
Egg-shaped pods rose from the floor, splitting open—2.5-meter-tall capsules, 1.2 meters wide, interiors gleaming with intricate tech.
"Choose a pod. You'll spawn in a simulated forest—limited range, easy encounters."
"Allies—pick adjacent pods. Three minutes. Buckle up!"
Then—
Wu Zhangkong's icy voice cut in:
"Fang Yang—no Fire Lotus."
(He hadn't forgotten Fang Yang's "accidental" destruction of the Junior Ascension Platform.)
"Understood, Teacher Wu," Fang Yang sighed, guilty as charged.
(He'd only wanted to test Buddha's Wrath Fire Lotus… not demolish the platform!)
Classmates stared at Fang Yang—awe and dread deepening.
Teams filed into pods, marveling at Shrek's tech.
Fang Yang's group chose seven adjacent pods, buckling in.
Hiss…
Pods sealed—darkness swallowed them.
Stars twinkled—energy cocooned them—space twisted.
Fang Yang opened his eyes in a dense forest.
Ancient trees blotted out the sun, earthy scents thick in the air.
He unleashed his spiritual sense—instantly pinpointing Gu Yue, Xu Xiaoyan, Tang Wulin.
Then—a shadow slithered behind him—silent, scentless, merging with the gloom.
"No honor among youth? Trying to ambush me?" Fang Yang murmured, not turning.
The shadow jolted—exposed!
It exploded upward, coalescing into a boy—third purple ring blazing.
"Third Soul Skill: Shadow Bind Kill!"
A razor-thin black tendril lashed at Fang Yang's throat!
"Interesting," Fang Yang mused.
Blue light flickered—he vanished, reappearing behind the shadow-boy.
"How?!" The boy gaped, terror flooding his veins.
His Martial Soul—Shadow—was undetectable! Yet this monster…
He'd spotted Fang Yang instantly upon spawning, hoping to eliminate the strongest threat first—but the gap was abyssal.
Fang Yang's hand clamped his neck.
"Kid—you want to dance too?"
His voice calm, yet freezing blood.
"You—!"
Before the boy could finish—he dissolved into shimmering particles, consciousness yanked back to his pod.
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