Huo Wu's challenge erupted like thunder, shattering the silence of the training ground! All eyes instantly focused on the arena as the atmosphere grew intensely tense!
Having just suffered a crushing defeat with their captain Huo Wushuang severely injured and withdrawn, Blazing Academy's vice-captain Huo Wu actually stepped onto the platform without hesitation to issue a challenge! This unyielding fighting spirit and courage moved many present.
The elderly referee looked toward Marco, who remained calm and gave a slight nod to accept the challenge.
"The first round of the advancement tournament: Marco from Heavenly Dou Royal Academy's first team versus Huo Wu from Blazing Academy! Begin!" the referee announced loudly before quickly stepping back.
"Marco!" Huo Wu shouted sharply, her beautiful eyes blazing with a mixture of fury and fighting spirit as if about to spit fire! Without any further words, her Martial Soul instantly manifested! Blazing flames erupted from within her body as the Fire Shadow Martial Soul appeared, making her figure seem to merge with the flames—swaying gracefully yet carrying an explosive aura. Two yellow and two purple Soul Rings, perfectly configured, spiraled up from her feet!
"First Spirit Ability, Fire Stars Like Silk! Second Spirit Ability, Repelling Fire Ring! Third Spirit Ability, Blazing Fire Barrage!"
Huo Wu held nothing back from the start, going all out! Her hands moved swiftly as countless dense, scorching fire stars spread toward Marco like a spider web, attempting to restrict his movement; simultaneously, a ring of blazing fire erupted around her and expanded outward; immediately after, fist-sized fireballs concentrated with intense heat shot toward Marco like a chain of artillery!
The layered release of three Spirit Abilities demonstrated Huo Wu's exquisite Soul Power control and precise grasp of combat timing! She aimed to seize the initiative and suppress Marco with the most ferocious offensive!
Facing this overwhelming flame attack that covered nearly all angles of evasion, Marco's eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly as he thought to himself, "This girl really has quite the temper. What grudge is this?"
Yet his movements showed no delay! Just as the fire stars, fire ring, and fireballs were about to reach him, Marco's figure suddenly blurred!
"Shave!"
The next moment, his form seemed to transform into a wisp of azure smoke, leaving a faint afterimage in his original position while his true body—moving at speeds barely visible to the naked eye—slipped through the gaps between the fire star net, the edge of the repelling fire ring, and the intervals between the blazing fireballs! His movements were fluid and natural, as if taking a leisurely stroll, yet swift as a ghost!
"So fast!"
"What kind of speed is that?!"
"Is that a Self-created Soul Skill? He actually dodged everything!"
"Incredible! That movement technique is amazing!"
A wave of astonished exclamations immediately rose from the spectator stands! The students from the various kingdoms were especially stunned! Huo Wu's well-coordinated triple attack would have left any one of them flustered and likely instantly injured and defeated, yet Marco had avoided it all so effortlessly! Such speed and timing were simply unbelievable!
Huo Wu gritted her teeth in frustration as her attacks missed, but she didn't lose heart. Channeling her Soul Power, she prepared to launch another assault. However, Marco, having evaded all her strikes, didn't pause for even a moment. Like a shadow clinging to bone, he instantly closed in on her! Without using his Martial Soul flames, he simply executed a swift hand chop, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle as he aimed for Huo Wu's neck, attempting to end the battle quickly.
A flicker of panic flashed in Huo Wu's eyes, but her extensive combat experience prompted an immediate reaction!
"Third Spirit Ability, Repelling Fire Ring!"
Another blazing ring of fire erupted from her center! This time, the distance was too close—the fire ring burst forth with incredible speed and covered a wider area!
Marco hadn't anticipated that Huo Wu's Repelling Fire Ring would have such a short cooldown, or perhaps her mastery of Spirit Abilities had reached such a level that she could execute them so seamlessly. The powerful repulsive force and scorching heat surged toward him. If he forced his attack, he would inevitably be thrown back by the fire ring. In that split second, Marco lightly tapped his feet, his body drifting backward like willow catkins, skillfully dissipating most of the impact, though his offensive momentum was broken.
"An interesting Spirit Ability," Marco remarked, a trace of surprise in his eyes. The instantaneous burst and control effect of the Repelling Fire Ring truly made it an excellent defensive and crowd-control technique.
Seizing this brief respite, Huo Wu's eyes gleamed with determination! She knew ordinary attacks were useless against Marco—only her strongest strike would suffice!
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Fire Dance Sun!"
With a sharp cry, the deep purple Soul Ring on her body suddenly blazed with dazzling radiance! Cupping her hands as if holding something, all the fiery Soul Power around her converged and compressed violently into her palms! The surrounding temperature soared sharply, the air distorting as a fist-sized, crimson-white orb took shape in her hands, emanating a heart-palpitating wave of destructive energy! Inside the orb, what seemed like molten lava churned, its blinding glow resembling a miniature sun!
This was Huo Wu's ultimate offensive Spirit Ability—Fire Dance Sun! By highly compressing and concentrating all her Soul Power into a single point, it generated terrifying explosive damage!
"Go!"
With all her strength, Huo Wu hurled the crimson-white orb brimming with destructive energy toward Marco, who had just stabilized his stance! As the orb shot forth, the air hissed as if being scorched, its speed astonishingly fast!
Sensing the terrifying energy within the orb—enough to severely injure an ordinary Soul King—Marco's eyes narrowed slightly. He could tell Huo Wu had poured all her strength into this strike, possibly even overdrawing her Soul Power. Seeing her pale, delicate face from the intense Soul Power consumption and the stubborn refusal to admit defeat in her eyes, Marco felt a slight stir in his heart.
"Very well, I'll shatter it head-on and make her concede completely."
His mind made up, Marco ceased evading. Facing the roaring "Fire Dance Sun," he abruptly raised his right leg! In an instant, his entire right leg became coated in a deep, light-absorbing black luster—Armament Haki! Simultaneously, azure-red phoenix flames coiled around it, merging with the Haki and radiating an incredibly condensed, sharp aura!
"Tempest Kick Battle Axe!"
He inwardly roared, his right leg shrouded in Armament Haki and Azure Flame descending like a giant axe splitting a mountain! A massive, crescent-shaped slash solidified to near-tangibility, its edges shimmering with azure, crimson, and black light, tore through the air with a piercing shriek as it met the blazing white sun-like sphere!
"Screech—!!!"
Instead of a deafening explosion, a teeth-grating sound—like a red-hot iron slicing through ice—echoed across the arena! The Tempest Kick Axe Slash struck the very core of the Fire Dance Sun with unerring precision!
Under countless horrified gazes, the crimson-white sphere containing terrifying energy was cleanly split in two by the tri-colored slash, resembling a watermelon sliced open by a sharp blade! The severed halves of the sphere instantly lost control, releasing two dull thuds as they transformed into chaotic streams of energy that dissipated into the air on either side!
Huo Wu's all-out fourth Spirit Ability—Fire Dance Sun—had been forcibly dispersed by Marco's single Tempest Kick!
"Whoosh—!!!"
The entire arena erupted in uproar! Shouts of astonishment shook the skies!
"S-split in half?!"
"That was Huo Wu's fourth Spirit Ability! And it was just shattered like that?"
"What kind of leg technique is that? Its power is terrifying!"
"He didn't even use a Spirit Ability! Just a self-created Martial Art?!"
"Monster! He's truly a monster!"
Even the experts in the VIP seats showed astonishment. This method of breaking an energy core by concentrating force on a single point required terrifying control and insight into power!
Watching her strongest Spirit Ability so effortlessly dismantled, Huo Wu's face instantly drained of color. Her body swayed, nearly losing balance. The immense emptiness from Soul Power exhaustion and the backlash of her technique being broken caused a trickle of blood to escape the corner of her lips. Staring at Marco, who stood calmly as if he had merely done some trivial task, her eyes filled with disbelief, frustration, and... deep resentment!
"Why... why is the gap so vast...?" she murmured, her voice trembling.
Marco dissipated the Haki and flames around his leg, watching her calmly without pressing the attack.
Huo Wu abruptly lifted her head, her gaze locking onto Marco. The fury in her beautiful eyes was replaced by a more complex emotion—a stubbornness born of desperation. Taking a deep breath, she mustered all her strength and shouted, "Marco! I... I have one more move! If you can withstand it, my Blazing Academy... will forfeit all remaining matches!"
Her declaration sent waves of commotion through the arena!
"Another move?"
"What other trump card does Huo Wu have?"
"Blazing Academy forfeiting? That's too big a wager!"
"Could it be a self-created Spirit Ability?"
All eyes focused intently on Huo Wu and Marco.
Observing Huo Wu's pale, resolute face and glancing at the Blazing Academy's preparation area where her teammates watched with anxious yet hopeful expressions, Marco understood. Huo Wu was staking all her hopes and pride on this final strike. If not allowed to unleash it completely, it might become a lingering regret.
After a moment of silence under Huo Wu's tense gaze, he finally spoke, his voice calm:
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