"We'll meet in the finals." Arthur clapped his hands together. "Simple enough. I'll just have a word with the organizers and get them to keep us in separate brackets."
As the adoptive father of Skysea City's governor, shuffling a few match brackets was trivial.
"Isn't that a bit underhanded?" Xie Xie scratched his head.
Before Arthur could reply, Na'er scoffed. "What, you got a problem with that?"
"Got something to say? Say it to me and I'll sort it out for you."
"No, no, not at all." Xie Xie shook his head quickly.
The afternoon arrived.
Wu Changkong seemed to have gone off to find that friend of his again. When the team competition was about to begin, it was the disciplinary director, Long Hengxu, who came to lead them.
"Not bad, right, Arthur? My technique's pretty solid." Long Hengxu was cheerfully kneading Arthur's shoulders. These days, the young man was practically his little emperor.
"It'll do," Arthur replied.
"Heh heh. Then you've absolutely got to compete every round, alright?"
Arthur, reclined in his chair with his eyes half-closed, answered lazily, "Relax. I'll be on the field every time. Got to give everyone a good look at who I am: a student of Eastsea Academy."
Long Hengxu's eyes crinkled into happy slits as he nodded vigorously. "Exactly, exactly! Let the whole Federation know that Eastsea Academy has produced a genius like you!"
The students of Class Zero were well past being surprised by any of this. Xie Xie pursed his lips and muttered internally: Director Long used to be strict as a drill sergeant, but now he treats Arthur like a sacred idol he's terrified of dropping.
Xu Xiaoyan crossed her arms, smiling. "Arthur's famous now. Director Long obviously wants you representing the academy as much as possible."
While they were talking, a staff member arrived to announce that the team competition was about to begin and asked all participating teams to make their way to the arena.
The team competition venue was considerably larger than the individual arena.
Their drawn opponent was Blue Sea Academy, a school from Skysea City.
Class Zero had watched several matches from the stands. None of the junior division competitors had stood out as particularly formidable, and the bouts had been largely unremarkable.
"This is putting me to sleep," Xie Xie said, exasperated. "They're absolutely hopeless."
Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head. "I know. Even I can spot all the holes in their fighting."
This was where Class Zero's edge became obvious. Forged under the combined, relentless training of Arthur and Wu Changkong, their practical combat experience far outstripped anyone their age. In this Eastern Coastal region, they were playing an entirely different game.
Tang Wulin scratched his head. "So, what's our strategy?"
Arthur had never really drilled team tactics with them before, and with him now joining the lineup, none of them quite knew how to organize themselves.
His overwhelming strength made the question feel almost unnecessary.
"The strategy," Arthur said casually, "is to have fun."
They stared at him for a moment, and then, strangely, those absurdly arrogant words put them completely at ease.
The group made their way onto the arena floor, chatting and laughing as they went. Blue Sea Academy's team was already standing across from them.
Watching Eastsea Academy stroll in so relaxed and carefree, Blue Sea's members didn't get angry. Instead, their expressions grew taut as their eyes locked onto Arthur, who was walking at the very back.
It seemed like this was going to be a very short tournament run for them.
Once the referee finished explaining the rules, the countdown began. Then came the announcement: "Seven-on-seven team match, Eastsea Academy versus Blue Sea Academy. Begin!"
"Leave no regrets. Let's go!"
Blue Sea's captain roared, and all seven members released their spirit souls simultaneously. Under the crisscrossing glow of spirit rings, their power, agility, and support roles each moved into position, launching a coordinated barrage of spirit skills at Class Zero.
At a glance: one three-ring Spirit Elder and six two-ring Great Spirit Masters.
"Here we go!"
Xie Xie's two yellow spirit rings flared to life beneath his feet. He blurred into a streak of motion, charging straight at Blue Sea's agility-type Spirit Master and cutting off the attack with a flash of his short blade.
Tang Wulin summoned the Blue Silver Grass. Two violet spirit rings shimmered around him — he had broken through to his second ring during this period.
Countless vines erupted and wove together into a solid defensive wall, absorbing the incoming spirit skills head-on. Then the vines twisted like living serpents toward Blue Sea's power-attack Spirit Master, coiling to bind.
Xu Xiaoyan, whose control abilities were limited in daylight, stayed at the back of the group and swung her little ice staff with enthusiastic effort. It wasn't doing a great deal, but at least she was trying.
Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi worked in perfect sync, their bond the tightest in all of Class Zero. Their spirit fusion had grown even more refined, and with their combined soul power surging, their dark attribute spiked sharply. They slipped past Blue Sea's front line and crept toward the support Spirit Master.
Na'er didn't even bother activating her spirit soul or rings. She became a streak of light, weaving across the battlefield and plowing through everything in her path, each punch and kick utterly unstoppable.
Gu Yue sat this one out.
With seven slots and eight members, Class Zero had agreed to rotate the odd one out by lottery. This time, Gu Yue won the honor, the first to be benched.
Class Zero fought with smooth coordination, throwing themselves into the match with obvious enjoyment.
With Arthur as their safety net, there was nothing to fear from losing, so they cut loose and gave it everything they had.
Blue Sea Academy's members grew increasingly bewildered. They had expected Arthur to be the core, but he hadn't moved a single muscle, just standing there watching. And yet the remaining six were already this impossibly difficult to deal with, their attacks sharp and unpredictable, leaving no opening to counter.
"Captain, something's wrong!"
"Arthur hasn't even done anything yet and I'm already at my limit!"
One of them cried out in alarm, and before he could say another word, Na'er came barreling in and planted a flying kick squarely into his face.
In that instant, Blue Sea's captain watched in horror as his teammate's face crumpled and distorted before he went sailing off the platform.
That girl was a monster.
She kicked his teammate off, then turned her gaze on him.
Blue Sea's captain panicked and tried to turn and run, but he was nowhere near fast enough. He had barely moved before Na'er's fist was already there.
Thud.
The captain followed the same arc his teammate had just carved through the air.
Without their captain anchoring them, the remaining members fell apart completely. Some surrendered outright. Others were knocked cleanly off the platform by Class Zero without much ceremony.
The referee called it immediately. "Match over! Eastsea Academy wins!"
Class Zero gathered together, high-fiving with wide grins all around.
Xu Xiaoyan hugged her ice staff, her small face glowing with pride.
She dramatically wiped away sweat that wasn't there. "Ahh, what a satisfying match!"
Xie Xie couldn't help poking her in the arm. "You were dead weight the whole time. Where exactly is this satisfaction coming from?"
"None of your business!" She pouted and shot him a look. "You're so boring. You just don't get my humor."
At that, Na'er gave her a quiet, sideways glance.
Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi exchanged a smile, both pleased with how they had applied their spirit fusion.
Arthur ambled over, sweeping his gaze across the arena. "Not bad. Let's go."
Long Hengxu had been waiting eagerly down in the stands and rushed forward the moment they descended, bottles of water already outstretched.
He slipped seamlessly into full cheerleader mode. "Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! Especially Na'er, you were absolutely ferocious out there!"
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~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones