"First Spirit Ability, Thunder Dragon Claw!" Yu Tianxin's draconic claws shot forward, fingers spread wide. Each fingertip condensed highly compressed thunder energy, forming five razor-sharp blue lightning claws that tore through the air with piercing shrieks, attacking Marco's vital points from different angles! This was no longer simple physical attack, but energy tearing imbued with Spirit Ability characteristics!
Marco's eyes focused, not daring to be careless. His footwork shifted, his figure moving like a phantom as he narrowly avoided two direct claw strikes. Simultaneously, his arms covered in Armament Haki either parried or blocked, clashing head-on with the remaining three lightning claws!
"Zzzzt! Bang! Bang!"
The piercing sound of tearing electricity intertwined with dull collision impacts! Where the lightning claws met Armament Haki, brilliant sparks and scattered electrical arcs erupted! Though Marco blocked the attacks, the numbness in his arms intensified - the Thunder Dragon Claw possessed not only astonishing power but also strong penetration and paralyzing effects!
"Not finished yet! Second Spirit Ability, Thunder Fury!" Yu Tianxin pressed his advantage relentlessly. As soon as his first Spirit Ability ended, his second Soul Ring immediately lit up! The lightning around him suddenly turned violent and unstable, like a boiling thunder pool! A powerful thunder force field erupted from him as the center, not only boosting his own strength and attack speed but also generating continuous lightning impacts and interference against enemies within range!
Marco immediately felt the surrounding air fill with irritable thunder elements. Tiny electrical arcs constantly attempted to invade his body, and though most were blocked by his Armament Haki, they still brought persistent numbness and slight sluggishness to his movements. Meanwhile, Yu Tianxin, empowered by "Thunder Fury," moved faster and struck harder, his offensive coming like a storm of wind and rain!
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Fists, claws, elbows, knees! Yu Tianxin perfectly integrated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit's close combat capabilities with his Spirit Abilities, his attacks flowing like quicksilver in an unbroken chain! Thunder Dragon Claw specialized in breaking defenses, Thunder Fury enhanced himself while disrupting his opponent, combined with his powerful draconic physique and terrifying strength amplified multiple times - for a moment, he actually forced Marco into a defensive stance!
Marco's expression remained calm as he pushed his Observation Haki to the limit, predicting each of Yu Tianxin's attacks. His movements were simple, efficient, and precise to the extreme - every dodge, block, and parry was executed perfectly, always resolving crises at the last possible moment. His limbs covered in Armament Haki became both the sturdiest shields and sharpest weapons, continuously clashing with Yu Tianxin's dragon claws and heavy fists, producing dense collision sounds like rain beating on plantain leaves!
The entire Soul Duel Stage was completely enveloped in lightning and the glowing bursts of various Spirit Abilities. Their figures flashed, collided, separated, and collided again at high speeds within this maelstrom! The stage surface continuously cracked, charred, and melted as the violent energy impacts made the protective barrier flicker uncertainly, as if it might shatter at any moment!
"Third Spirit Ability, Thousand Kiloton Thunder!" After a prolonged assault failed to yield results, Yu Tianxin roared furiously, finally unleashing a more powerful Spirit Ability! He leaped high into the air, his draconic arms raised skyward as furious thunder-attribute Soul Power converged, compressed, and further compressed around his fists! In an instant, his fists seemed to transform into two miniature suns, radiating a heart-palpitating aura of destruction!
"Descend!"
With his furious shout, his fists, carrying the weight of ten thousand kilotons of thunder, crashed down like twin meteors toward Marco below! The terrifying pressure locked down the surroundings, leaving no room for evasion!
Facing this wide-ranging yet intensely concentrated strike, a sharp glint erupted in Marco's eyes—he knew he could no longer rely solely on defense! Drawing a deep breath, he channeled his Soul Power and Haki at an unprecedented speed. His legs bent slightly, causing the ground beneath him to fracture explosively. His right fist retracted to his waist, where Armament Haki condensed and compressed, with faint black-red lightning flickering around his knuckles!
"Break!"
Marco exhaled sharply, his right fist surging upward like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss, meeting the descending Thousand Kiloton Thunder head-on with unadorned force!
"BOOM——!!!!!"
An explosion more violent than any previous collision erupted! A blue-black energy sphere over five meters in diameter detonated mid-air! The terrifying energy storm swept outward like a tidal wave, causing the protective barrier of the Soul Duel Stage to emit a piercing shatter and reveal several clear cracks! Spectators in the front rows were sent tumbling by the scattered energy remnants!
As the light faded, Yu Tianxin was seen flung backward by the tremendous recoil, tumbling multiple times in the air before barely landing. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, the lightning on his draconic arms dimmed significantly, and his breath grew erratic. Meanwhile, the spot where Marco stood was now a half-meter-deep, charred crater, the ground beneath his feet shattered to pieces. Yet he remained firmly standing, though a faint scorch mark had appeared on his Armament Haki-coated right fist, and his breathing was slightly labored.
"He actually... injured him?!" the audience gasped. Though only a minor mark, this was the first time Marco had shown any sign of injury in a direct confrontation!
Noticing that scorch mark, a trace of frenzied delight flashed in Yu Tianxin's crimson eyes, only to be overwhelmed by deepening exhaustion and the agony of power backlash. He knew he was nearing his limit. The effects of his support Spirit Ability were rapidly fading, and the backlash from his berserk strength grew increasingly severe.
"Fourth Spirit Ability! Azure Lightning Divine Dragon Strike!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Yu Tianxin unleashed his final, most powerful roar! He poured all his remaining Soul Power, along with the fading energy infused by his six teammates, the full Dragon Might of his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Spirit, and his own unyielding will, into his draconic right arm! The arm swelled to its limit in an instant, skin cracking and blood seeping out, yet the lightning compressed to an extreme—ultimately materializing into a vivid, scale-defined, claw-baring blue lightning dragon that roared heaven-shakingly! The destructive energy contained within this dragon made even the Titled Douluos in the VIP seats stir with alarm!
The lightning dragon tore free from his arm and, with a desperate, all-or-nothing momentum that illuminated the entire arena, charged roaring toward Marco! Where it passed, space distorted, and all matter was annihilated!
Facing this all-or-nothing strike from Yu Tianxin that surpassed the Soul Emperor level, Marco's expression turned grave. He could sense the desperate resolve and terrifying power contained within this attack. He activated Armament Haki to cover his entire body, his fists simultaneously coated with Haki as deep as ink and faintly shimmering with dark crimson light, crossed in front of him as defense. At the same time, he circulated his Soul Power at full capacity, forming a solid layer of Body Shielding Qi over his body!
"BOOM——!!!!!"
A destructive explosion occurred! Blinding white light devoured all sound and vision! The entire Great Spirit Arena shook violently, its protective barrier completely shattered amidst mournful cries! A terrifying energy storm swept outward, but fortunately the powerful figures in the VIP seats acted promptly, jointly deploying a barrier that prevented tragedy in the spectator stands.
The light persisted for several seconds before gradually fading.
At the center of the Soul Duel Stage appeared a massive charred crater over fifteen meters in diameter, its edges still smoking. Yu Tianxin knelt on one knee at the crater's edge, his body charred black, his dragonized state long since dissipated. His clothes were in tatters, blood continuously flowing from all over his body. Barely supporting himself with trembling arms, he looked up toward his opponent, his eyes filled with unwillingness, relief, and a trace of satisfaction, before his head tilted and he completely lost consciousness.
On the other side of the crater, Marco remained standing. However, the clothing on his upper body had turned to ashes in the explosion, revealing his robust physique covered in Armament Haki - without any visible wounds.
The entire arena fell into dead silence! So quiet you could hear a pin drop!
Several seconds later, the referee finally snapped out of his extreme shock and shouted in a voice trembling almost beyond recognition: "All members of Thunderclap Academy have lost combat ability! The winner... is Marco of Team One, Heavenly Dou Royal Academy!"
Following the announcement came over ten seconds of absolute silence. Then, like a volcanic eruption, thunderous, enduring applause erupted throughout the Great Spirit Arena! This applause was for the victor, but even more so for Yu Tianxin, who had fought to the very end and earned everyone's respect!
In the VIP seats, Emperor Xue Ye stood up applauding, Ning Fengzhi nodded deeply, while Bishop Salas's face darkened like storm clouds. All members of Shrek Academy showed solemn respect. Yu Luomian instantly appeared on the stage, lifting his grandson in his arms, tears streaming down his aged face yet filled with pride.
Marco slowly walked off the stage, watching as Yu Tianxin was carried away, his eyes complex as he murmured: "I won this battle, Yu Tianxin." He touched the charred marks on his arm, truly feeling the weight of this era's geniuses for the first time.