The morning following the draw felt different. The sun rose over Soto City, but the usual warmth was replaced by a sharp, biting clarity. In the courtyard of the Shrek Academy's temporary residence, the air was silent until the rhythmic *thud* of a fist hitting wood broke the peace.
## Chapter: The Weight of a Shadow
The Shrek Seven Devils gathered in the courtyard, but the usual banter was absent. Even Oscar, typically armed with a joke and a spirit-sausage, was quiet, fiddling with a silver casing in his hands.
Grandmaster stood at the center, hands tucked behind his back. Beside him, Dean Flender looked older than usual, his signature hawk-like gaze fixed on the horizon where the spires of the Soul Arena were just visible.
"You're troubled," Grandmaster stated. It wasn't a question.
"We shouldn't have drawn," Dai Mubai growled, his voice low. "If I had pushed harder, if I hadn't let Qin Ming's presence get under my skin—"
"If you had pushed harder, you would have revealed your fourth spirit ability's full evolution," Tang San interrupted calmly, though his eyes were sharp. "And Qin Ming would have recorded it. A draw was the only logical outcome that kept our secrets intact."
---
### The Hidden Objective
Ayanokoji leaned against a weathered pillar, his hood pulled low. He watched the interaction with the detached interest of a scientist.
> *Tang San understands the tactical value of restraint,* Ayanokoji noted. *But he doesn't yet see the psychological trap Qin Ming set. It wasn't a test of strength. It was a test of ego.*
"Ayanokoji," Flender called out, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "You were the closest to their formation when the match ended. What did you see?"
The group turned. Ayanokoji didn't move from his spot.
"They weren't breathing hard," Ayanokoji said simply. "Even after the collision with Mubai and Zhuqing, their heart rates were stable. They were operating at approximately **60%** of their total spirit power capacity. They weren't fighting us—they were measuring us like fabric for a suit."
A heavy silence followed.
---
### The New Training Regime
Grandmaster nodded, a grim shadow crossing his face. "Qin Ming is teaching the 'Blue Silver Team' at Tian Dou. They are the elite of the elite. If you wish to face them again in the Continental Tournament and win, the training you've done this past month is no longer enough."
He unfolded a map on a small stone table.
"We are leaving Soto City. Our destination is the **Sunset Forest**."
"The Sunset Forest?" Ning Rongrong gasped. "But that's near the capital... and it's famous for high-level spirit beasts and... toxins."
"Exactly," Grandmaster said. "You've learned to fight as a team. Now, you must learn to survive as a unit when the environment itself is trying to kill you."
---
### A Private Conversation
As the team began to pack their gear, Ayanokoji felt a presence beside him. It was Tang San.
"You held back the most last night," Tang San said softly, loud enough only for Ayanokoji to hear. "The Dark Phoenix... it didn't even flare once during the final exchange."
"There was no need," Ayanokoji replied.
"Qin Ming is interested in you. He told me that your presence felt 'wrong'—like a void in the middle of a storm." Tang San looked at his friend, his expression earnest. "Are you hiding something for our sake, or because you don't trust us?"
Ayanokoji straightened his collar, his eyes meeting Tang San's with a void-like neutrality.
"In a game of chess, the most dangerous piece isn't the Queen. It's the pawn that everyone forgets to watch until it reaches the end of the board."
Ayanokoji walked past him toward the carriages.
"I'm not hiding anything, Tang San. I'm simply waiting for the right moment to be useful."
---
### Departure
As the two horse-drawn carriages rattled out of the city gates, leaving the Soto Grand Soul Arena behind, Ayanokoji looked out the window.
In the distance, on a ridge overlooking the road, stood a single figure in white and blue. Qin Ming. He didn't wave. He didn't move. He simply watched the carriages until they disappeared into the treeline.
The hunt had officially begun.