Marco slowly descended from the Soul Duel Stage, ignoring the thunderous applause behind him and the admiring gazes directed at Yu Tianxin. Alone, he passed through the bustling corridor and returned to the exclusive resting room prepared for him by the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy.
The door closed softly behind him, cutting off the noise from outside. The room was quiet, with only the faint, enduring applause from outside the window reminding him of the thrilling battle that had just taken place.
Marco walked to the center of the room, sat down slowly, and closed his eyes. Instead of immediately meditating to recover, he began to review the recent battle.
Yu Tianxin's frenzied figure, gathering the full strength of his team and disregarding his own life; the bolts of lightning tearing through the sky; the final, mutually destructive "Azure Lightning Divine Dragon Strike"; and the tingling sensation in his own arms... Each scene replayed clearly in his mind.
"Arrogance, huh..." Marco murmured to himself, a faint, bitter smile forming at the corner of his mouth. He hadn't been completely oblivious to Yu Tianxin's furious roar on the stage, the audience's gasps of astonishment, or the complex gazes from the VIP seats. Forming a team alone, treating the championship as if it were already his, declaring victory before the battle even began... To others, this indeed appeared to be the pinnacle of arrogance.
He carefully examined his own heart. Had he truly developed a condescending attitude, looking down upon his peers and viewing prodigies his age as insignificant, all because he possessed powers beyond this world's understanding—Dual-Color Haki, the Azure Flame Phoenix Spirit, and foreknowledge of the "plot"?
Perhaps... yes.
Marco admitted it frankly. A vast gap in strength inevitably led to changes in mindset. When he could easily crush Soul Ancestors, contend with Soul Kings, and even hold his own against a Soul Douluo by revealing all his trump cards, it was indeed difficult to treat these young Soul Masters, whose strength peaked at the Soul Ancestor level, with a completely equal mindset. This wasn't intentional but a natural cognitive bias arising from an absolute disparity in power. Just as humans wouldn't seek a fair duel with ants, different levels naturally led to different perspectives.
"However..." Marco opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. "So what if I have pride? This pride is supported by the strength I've cultivated with my own fists and feet, bit by bit! I, Marco, have the capital to look down upon my generation! This isn't baseless arrogance but confidence built upon a foundation of absolute strength!"
Having realized this, the slight turmoil in his heart caused by Yu Tianxin's words and the battle instantly settled. Yu Tianxin's fighting spirit was worthy of respect; his tactics and determination were indeed unexpected and had even cost Marco something. But this didn't change the fundamental gap in their strength. Respecting an opponent was different from acknowledging them as an equal.
"I have pride, and even more so, I have integrity. This integrity supports me as I advance, pursuing the pinnacle of Soul Mastery. If my resolve were shaken by others' words and actions, that would make me truly weak." Marco's eyes regained their firm and calm determination. "Yu Tianxin... you've shown me the power of conviction and resolve, and you deserve my serious consideration. But if you wish to be truly regarded as my equal, this alone... is far from enough."
He stopped dwelling on it and began to focus on regulating his breathing, recovering the Soul Power and Haki consumed during the recent battle. For Marco, this confrontation served more as a mirror, allowing him to see his current mindset and position with greater clarity. It served as a warning, but not enough to alter his fundamental path. His journey would continue steadfastly along the course he had set for himself.
While Marco was reflecting and recuperating in the quiet room, the outside world was swept up in a tidal wave of excitement over the battle!
Yu Tianxin's name swept through Heaven Dou City like a whirlwind and spread across the continent at an astonishing speed!
"Have you heard? Yu Tianxin from Thunder Academy gathered the strength of six support-type Soul Masters and challenged Marco, the number one genius of Heaven Dou!"
"My heavens! By uniting six supporters to forcibly elevate his realm, he fought Marco to a standstill! That final move, Azure Lightning Divine Dragon Strike, nearly blasted Marco off the stage!"
"Marco was forced back! He even suffered minor injuries! Yu Tianxin is too powerful!"
"Honor in defeat! That's the true spirit of a Soul Master!"
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan truly lives up to its reputation as the number one Beast Spirit! Unyielding even in the face of defeat!"
In teahouses, taverns, and every street corner, everyone was fervently discussing this earth-shattering battle. Yu Tianxin's heroic figure, gathering the full strength of his team for that desperate, all-out strike, was deeply etched into the hearts of all who witnessed or heard of the event. He was no longer just a genius relying on his clan's prestige and top-tier Martial Soul; through his tenacious will and decisive tactics, he had earned everyone's respect and admiration!
Among the younger generation of Soul Masters, Yu Tianxin became an idol-like figure! Countless young Soul Masters saw him as a role model, worshiping his spirit of fearing no powerful foe, daring to draw his sword, and fighting to the very last moment!
"Yu Tianxin is so cool! Even knowing he couldn't win, he still drew his sword!"
"That's the integrity we Soul Masters should have!"
"From now on, whenever I face a strong opponent, I'll fight to the end, just like Yu Tianxin!"
Even many older-generation experts, when discussing the matter, viewed Yu Tianxin in a new light and were generous with their praise.
"This young man has a resilient heart, a will of steel, and what's even rarer—he has responsibility and courage! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has a worthy successor!"
"This battle showcased the might of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
"Yu Tianxin's future is limitless!"
As a result, the prestige of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan soared during this period! Clan members walking abroad stood taller than before, their faces filled with pride. The fame of the number one Beast Spirit in the world became even more deeply rooted in people's hearts because of Yu Tianxin's battle.
But the impact of this fight extended far beyond reputation. More direct changes occurred in the subsequent matches!
The battle between Yu Tianxin and Marco seemed to inject a shot of adrenaline into all participating academies! Especially those weaker academies that might have strategically surrendered or felt demoralized when facing stronger teams—it was as if their meridians had been unblocked!
"Even Yu Tianxin dared to gather his entire team's strength and go all out against a monster like Marco! What excuse do we have to shrink back before the fight even begins?"Losing isn't scary; what's scary is lacking the courage to even draw your sword!""
"Let's fight! Even if we lose, we'll lose gloriously! Just like Yu Tianxin!"
Thus, the atmosphere of the tournament abruptly shifted!
In the subsequent preliminary matches, regardless of opponent strength, nearly every academy brought two hundred percent fighting spirit and determination! Previously one-sided matches became exceptionally fierce and deadlocked! Weaker teams no longer conceded easily against stronger opponents—instead, they racked their brains, employed every tactic, and fought desperately! Even when victory seemed nearly impossible, they battled to the last moment, striving to tear a chunk out of their adversaries!
The overall intensity and spectacle of the tournament soared several levels as a result! Spectators cheered wildly, while academy leaders and mentors felt conflicted—pleased by their disciples' growth and fighting spirit yet worried about casualties and excessive exhaustion.
Yet for one individual, these changes brought… minor annoyances.
Days later, at the Heavenly Fight Grand Arena, another match for the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy's first team was about to begin.
Marco stood alone on the Soul Duel Stage, observing the opposing team—an obscure academy whose strongest members barely reached Soul Honour level. Based on his original plan and the "intimidating reputation" he'd built in prior matches, opponents of this caliber would typically shrink from his aura, perhaps even forfeiting outright to save time and effort.
But today felt different.
Though the seven Soul Honour-level students opposite him wore tense, fearful expressions, their bodies trembling slightly, their eyes held unwavering resolve—even a hint of… fatalistic determination? Clenching their fists, their Soul Power fluctuations, while weak, were unusually active as they assumed a stance of all-out, desperate combat.
Marco: "…" A bad feeling stirred within him.
Sure enough, after the referee announced the match's start, the opposing captain let out a (self-perceived) tragic roar reminiscent of Yu Tianxin: "Brothers! Yu Tianxin set an example for us! Face the strong with the spirit to draw your sword! Form up! Give it everything!"
"Give it everything!!" the other six shouted in unison, their voices trembling yet resolute. Unleashing their Soul Power without restraint, they formed a flawed but fiercely determined defensive formation, glaring at Marco as if declaring: Bring it! We're not afraid! Even in defeat, we'll make you bleed!
Marco watched these seven "lambs" trembling in fear yet pretending to be fearless, his lips twitching slightly in speechless exasperation.
His initial plan—to release a hint of aura and intimidate them into retreat—was now unworkable. In this situation, applying pressure would likely provoke them to "draw their swords" like cats with stepped-on tails, charging forward recklessly…
"Sigh…" Marco inwardly sighed, glancing skyward (at the ceiling) with resignation. Yu Tianxin, oh Yu Tianxin… You fought fiercely and gained fame, but you've made things difficult for me…
He could already foresee it: in the matches to come, he'd likely never again encounter opponents who'd yield without a fight. Every one of them would probably be pumped up, howling to "draw their swords" and "give it everything" against him…
The thought of having to face countless "clumsy brawls" in the future—fights that, while predictable in outcome, would inevitably be tedious in process—weighed heavily on Marco's mind.
"It seems... winning the championship won't be as easy as I thought," Marco rubbed his temples and shook his head helplessly, observing the seven Soul Honours across from him. Though their legs trembled visibly, they stubbornly maintained their formation.
Then, he took a step forward, advancing toward his opponents. His movements remained composed, but his pace... seemed slightly quicker than usual.
Since intimidation had failed... he might as well end this swiftly.
He could only hope that future opponents would prove slightly... more durable. Such were Marco's thoughts.
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