The waiting room was filled with both adrenaline and anxiety. Tang Wulin did most of the talking, so the others had the time to be excited and not think of the consequences of losing. The waiting room was large. A "could-fit mechas easily" large. From the outside, they could hear the audience gathered in record time mocking Shrek. The feud ran deep.
Ye Xinglan and Xie Xie were bickering in the background. The exchange seemed to have been won by Ye Xinglan who turned to Tang Wulin. "Any plan captain?"
They've been waiting for so long, meditating under surveillance of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy quietly; and now they've been thrown into the waiting room without much time to plan ahead.
Tang Wulin turned to Gu Yue, who in turn made an ice dome around them.
"Val Karni, block out the sound as well, just in case."
Karni did as told. For the small sphere they were in, he only had to summon his Martial Soul; he didn't have to use his third Soul Ring. He had comprehension of Sound, so he could manipulate the soundwaves around him. His third Soul Ring produced its own type of sound that he had to manipulate, though it did make normal sound manipulation easier.
"They're going to flood us with the pressure of the audience. Yue, can you make earplugs for us from the earth element?"
Gu Yue simply nodded.
Tang Wulin then turned to Karni. "I'm thinking of knocking them down a notch and aggravating them. Do you think you could help sell the thing?"
… … …
The group stepped out of the room. And Wulin grabbed Karni by the shoulder just before they stepped onto the stage. "By the way. Thank you. If not for you telling me that, someone might have died. As for anything else. I'll ask you some other time."
Wulin continued on, not letting Karni answer. But Karni felt gratified. Everything went perfectly.
The future Shrek Seven Devils walked out onto the stage, and the pressure they talked about before immediately flooded them. Jeers from the audience; the sheer spectacle of it. The stadium was enormous! 150.000 people!
Karni himself used to be in a high school band. An average one. Nothing special, but he knew how to deal with stage fright. Yet this wasn't just some good old high school stage fright. No, this was like being on the TV playing on a world stage in a sport, except here, everyone was his enemy. They had no supporters around them.
Stopping on the arena, the jeers doubled, while the cheers for the Imperial Sun Moon Academy increased. They even began a chant, though it didn't feel practised.
Tang Wulin walked at the forefront of his team. A Golden Ring was released to lessen the pressure from the rest of the team. On the other side, another group of 7 walked onto the battlefield. The voices raised in applause all around them.
The referee flew up in the middle of the arena. He was definitely a Titled Douluo. "Let me announce the rules:"
"Excuse me?" A voice interrupted him. "I can't hear you." It was Tang Wulin.
The referee looked at Tang Wulin a bit dumbfounded and raised his voice. "I'll now announce the rules:"
"I'm sorry I still can't hear you." Tang Wulin looked "apologetic". He turned towards Karni. "Val Karni!" He shouted, as if really having problems hearing. "Can you lower the volume!"
Karni put his hand next to his ear, as if barely hearing Tang Wulin, then nodded. He pulled out his Martial Soul then focused. The surroundings around the arena turned quiet immediately.
Part of it even enveloped the closest part of the audience, though this did tire Karni out a bit. He did it all without showing his Soul Rings!
Tang Wulin smiled. "Much better. How long do you think you can keep it up?"
"It won't be a problem, I'll just be at a bit of a disadvantage. Should still be enough to let us win somewhat easily."
The referee's eye twitched. Their own team was an answer to Shrek Seven Devils, called the Seven Shining Stars, but if they beat them like that, Shrek would have leeway in losing. He pointed his arm up, looking at someone outside of the arena.
A dome was raised around the whole arena, the voices outside disappeared almost completely. Karni nodded and put off his control over sound. "Can you hear me now?"
Tang Wulin also looked at the referee. "Yes. Thanks." He put his hand next to his ears and pulled out the earplugs. The rest of the team soon followed.
The referee's brows twitched even harder. How far can this boy go? What is this team? Their leader had a weird golden soul ring and was bold. The other guy just quieted down a large space without much trouble.
"I will now announce the rules." The man eyed Tang Wulin.
"The main purpose of this match is to learn from one another, but in order for both sides to unleash their full strength, I will only intervene in three situations: when someone is at risk of receiving a fatal attack, becoming handicapped, or dying. The condition of victory is wiping out the opposing team. Understood?"
"So what you're saying is, apart from killing each other, anything goes?"
"You could take it like that." The referee stared at the whole team.
Tang Wulin raised his arm, as if in a classroom. "Can I say something?"
… … …
Karni held his head. 'This is exactly why I didn't want to join.'
The referee was about to explode with anger. Tang Wulin just made the whole spiel about how they were the weakest in Shrek Academy as well as not-representatives but still representatives of it for this match. He did this with the whole audience hearing. Karni had to make sure that Tang Wulin was heard well. He was doing sneaky manipulation the whole time! The barrier was only a one way street. The audience could hear everything.
So Karni amplified Tang Wulin's voice, and now he was also getting a side-eye. The worst thing was, that he was also increasingly more aware of the cameras on them. Right. This was broadcasted on a continent wide television.
"Woah there! I'll stop joking now. We're from Shrek Academy and we're here to fight for our academy's glory. Our victory is predetermined." Tang Wulin had a change in demeanour.
The referee was a bit surprised at the change, but continued on. "Prepare for the match to begin."
"Oh right, I was lying about not being Shrek representatives, but everything else was true. We really are the weakest at Shrek," Tang Wulin smiled and focused on the word "weakest". Karni also knew to amplify that word, so the audience could clearly hear it.
The referee almost stumbled, but Tang Wulin stepped forward. "My name is Tang Wulin. I'm a student in the first grade."
The leader of the Imperial Sun Moon Academy's team stepped forward. He was huge. Bigger than Tang Wulin, and there was a similarly ferocious aura coming from him. "I'm Long Chen!"
Tang Wulin looked at the youth, he had to look up. "Whoa. You're huge. Are you sure you're not over twenty? If you are and you win, then it doesn't count."
"I hope you're as strong as you are good at talking." Long Chen retorted.
Gu Yue was the next to step forward. "Gu Yue of Shrek Academy's first grade."
A woman stepped next to Long Chen, supporting him like Gu Yue supported Tang Wulin. "Xue Liushuang!" With the woman next to Long Chen, the two looked like a perfect couple.
The Shrek Academy students lined up in turn. The people in the Seven Shining Stars lined up as well.
A man on the shorter side, but with wide shoulders. You Dingqi.
A fat boy like Xu Lizhi. Jian Mochen.
A petite girl put herself next to Jian Mochen. Kuang Zhantian.
A frail looking girl with short blue hair that had an incredibly tidy uniform. Weng Daimin.
Karni was the last of the Shrek Team to introduce himself. His introduction was the same as others'. "Val Karni of Shrek Academy's first grade." Their introductions told absolutely nothing about them.
The last member, the one who never appeared in the original story, was a lean teen, with short curly hair. He eyed Karni as he approached the team. "Sang Sheng"
Karni's ears twitched as he heard the introduction of the last member. He frowned. The sound he used when he said the name… The sound trembled in a surprisingly orderly way. The voice sounded beautiful, but intentionally so. This boy also has comprehension into the sound element. He seemed to challenge Karni due to what Karni was doing before.
"Prepare for battle. Both teams fall back to your corners. There must be one hundred metres between you."
The teams departed. Karni whispered to Tang Wulin. "The last guy should be left to me. He has a comprehension of Sas well. I might not necessarily have a better comprehension of it, but with my martial soul, I should counter him decently. The start stays the same."
Tang Wulin nodded to Karni. Karni was the only one who didn't completely listen to Tang Wulin's directions, and Tang Wulin appreciated that. Karni's ideas and understanding were similar to his own, Karni just didn't enjoy leading the team or directing it.
Even as a control system, Karni's style was more into nudging people where he wanted them to. Manipulation, instead of something like Xu Xiaoyan's Absolute Control. Even here, his role was to be the shadow Control System.
Both teams were in position. Tang Wulin's team was in a triangle style, with Tang Wulin at the very forefront. Xu Xiaoyan and Val Karni were in the middle. Karni adapted to the system easily.
He closed his eyes and focused as he breathed out a little. His eyes opened, concentrated on what was about to start. The teammates around him were the same. Determination and focus oozing from them. The opponents were no different. Everyone was determined to win.
"Let the match begin."
Tang Wulin dashed ahead. Strength coming from him. On the other side Long Chen did the same. The two captains dashed ahead alone.
Around Karni, the team encircled him, waiting for the clash to happen. They saw Long Chen summon his Martial Soul. The Holy Light Dragon. The team showed different reactions. Those of pity, smirking, holding back laughter. The clash came, and for the lack of a better word, Tang Wulin battered the guy as if kicking a ball.
The shock could be felt. "Now." Karni whispered. Every single member on the team released their Martial Soul, colours of their abilities shining. Karni did too, but he intentionally held back on the intensity.
His second ring shone, outshining the black Soul Ring that they were hiding. He looked everyone in the eye, even Tang Wulin glanced back for a second. Good. Everyone could now see a bit of the future.
Karni put away his Martial Soul, activating his Purple Demon Eyes and focused on the Spiritual Power to keep the ability active. His Soul Rings now invisible, the team moved in tandem.
Gu Yue immediately supported Tang Wulin, who already clashed with the next opponent, a fierce lady with a Glacial Sword.
Ye Xinglan moved as soon as she saw that sword. The lady with the Glacial Sword was Xue Liushuang. And she was commanding. "I'll act as the substitute captain! Target Tang Wulin!"
Ye Xinglan intercepted Liushuang, two Sword Arts meeting each other. Xu Xiaoyan and Xu Lizhi stayed behind. Xie Xie dashed at the frail lady, and Gu Yue caused chaos with her elements as usual.
Karni on the other hand stared at Sang Sheng. Both of them seemed removed from the rest now. But while Sang Sheng was actually removed, Karni constantly provided silent support. It was just hidden.
Karni brought out another Martial Soul. The Fluffy Bamboo Panda. Since he was a bit removed, and the plans they made with the team already finished, he should use his main Martial Soul as a surprise attack. He can play with Sound even without it. He wanted to test how far his pure understanding of Element's Heart could go against this man.
This would also serve as a testing ground of something he had yet to try. Just how would his Relaxing Aura influence Sounds surrounding him? Could he even do it? He wanted to see if he could add it to his repertoire as a back up.
Sang Sheng paused for a second when he noticed Karni's fur. He realised that Karni had two Martial Souls! He showed one when he silenced the surroundings before.
Both of them stopped for a second, before dashing. As Karni got close, Sang Sheng spoke, second Soul Ring shining. "Stop."
Karni felt a wave of Sound surround him, telling him to physically stop. The Spiritual Power in it commanded him. He circulated his Relaxing Aura, then quickly gained control of the Sound. He did not stop. In fact, as Song Sheng approached him and tried to say something, Karni threw him over with CCCD.
"Wait." The guy spoke again. This time, Karni could feel more than just a Soul Skill influencing the command. Just what was the guy's Martial Soul? His Voice? Vocal Cords?
Karni had to combine his comprehension as well as Relaxing Aura to fight this command. Both of them stopped in place, wrestling for control over an invisible force of Sound. In a few seconds, Karni took control. Indeed, their comprehension was similar, but the Panda helped.
Song Sheng's third soul ring shined. "HYAH!"
A boom of Sound was released towards Karni. He could tell that there was no way that his comprehension alone could fight this, even with the Relaxing Aura.
His Bo Staff was summoned, and the Panda disappeared. Karni spun the staff. Easily sucking in the sound without even revealing his Soul Rings. He split the Bo Staff into two Drumsticks and Song Sheng's face turned pale as Karni threw one of them at the guy.
The opponent had great comprehension of Sound, of course he could feel the Sound stuck inside that drumstick. That would not end well for him. His second Soul Ring shined. "Stop!"
Interestingly, Karni's Bo Staff stopped in mid-air. Karni had to use his comprehension and grab the drumstick out of the air fast. So there was a counter like this. Because the staff was removed from Karni, the Soul Skill was powerful enough to stop the Drumstick.
An explosion of energy was released behind Karni at that moment. Song Sheng and Karni both turned to take a quick look. Two people just fused. They formed a Martial Soul fusion!
"Shit!"
"Shit!"
Karni and Song Sheng both cursed. Karni because he finally remembered some details about this fight, Song Sheng because the situation looked bad.
The two looked at each other, Song Sheng's three Soul Rings shining together. "STOP!"
The force was more than Karni could imagine. If it went on like this… He finally summoned his Soul Rings. Purple, purple, purple, black. The third Soul ring shone brightly and Karni sent Sound around himself as a shield. Except, while doing it, he realised he did not need to. He just sucked the Sound in.
His very Sound was simply… on a higher plane. How couldn't it be, when it was sound that Manipulation with Space and Time released.
The opponent was shocked, though before any of them could attack each other, another explosion happened behind them.
It was Tang Wulin and the fusion, a tiger with wings, fighting. Tang Wulin used his Battle Armour without much worry. He had both arm pieces equipped, releasing some of the Golden Dragon Techniques. What was that? Dragon Claw and… Did he figure out a full technique from his teacher yet or not? Karni wasn't knowledgeable enough.
The tiger was hit… and was defeated. Curses sounded all around, Tang Wulin, despite seeming to defeat the guy quite easily, was clearly out of breath. It had to be the techniques.
Karni felt something from behind him. His instincts telling him to dodge. Sang Sheng wielded two daggers, knowing that Karni countered him perfectly in terms of his Martial Soul… Karni dodged with ease, the moves were a bit clumsy. Sang Sheng was not a twin Martial Soul master. This was a Soul Tool, which only ever saw the light of day as a backup.
Karni quickly grabbed a wrist with the dagger, using CCCD to throw the guy over and at the same time disarm him. Sang Sheng was out of his element in this, though he understood how Sang Sheng could be a danger otherwise. Karni was just better at the same aspect.
Since Karni revealed his abilities, and for this very moment not to happen again, he quickly activated his first Soul Ring. His alarm bells immediately went wild as well.
The two girls, one of which was running away from Ye Xinglan and the other away from Xie Xie, closed together.
"Right!" He finally remembered. There was another Soul Fusion!
Karni's black Soul Ring shone, he reappeared between the girls, throwing drumsticks at both girls.
"WAIT!" Sang Sheng shouted towards one of the drumsticks, all of his Soul Rings shining.
Karni cursed. One of the drumsticks hit its mark, but the other was weakened, while also being knocked away by the Glacial Sword.
Karni felt a chill, looking at the girl. This one went toe to toe against Ye Xinglan, with only one Drumstick returning, he'd be a dead man, he wouldn't have slowed her down either. He Shifted away, behind Sang Sheng, knocking on his head, while his third Soul Ring shone. He should've done that sooner. Hiding his abilities didn't work completely, but at least they can't do the fusion anymo- "Fuck."
Karni saw as the Glacial Sword girl, Xue Liushuang hugged the knocked out girl and forcefully started the fusion.
A chill assaulted the arena. Karni threw Sang Sheng off of it, then returned to Xu Lizhi and Xu Xiaoyan.
The two eyed each other. She'd been helping on the battlefield the whole time. This time, they would need to work together completely. With the abilities that Sang Sheng had, it was actually good that the guy decided to focus on Karni, he would've been dangerous.
"Go." Xu Xiaoyan said. Karni quickly took a Bloodthirsty bun from Xu Lizhi. He saw Ye Xinglan and Xie Xie already charging at the ice beauty that appeared in the arena. A quick glance told him a lot of things. These were the last opponents. The others were defeated.
He Shifted next to Xie Xie and Ye Xinglan. They nodded at each other. In a split moment, the ice beauty, called the Ice Goddess, paused. Karni's third Soul Ring shone, as well as his Skull Bone activating. Sound plus a ray of Spiritual Energy were released.
Ye Xinglan's sword shone like the stars itself, he could hear her mutter. "Starfall."
Xie Xie turned into a raging storm of dragons.
The attacks hit, but they all froze. Even Karni's Spiritual Ray froze. This was terrifying.
"Shit." Ye Xinglan complained. "Their fusion is higher than 80 percent! They're basically at the level of a full fledged Battle Armour Master!"
Karni felt a chill. So that was how a fully formed Battle Armour Master felt. He'd never actually faced one before.
"Leave it to us." Tang Wulin stepped forward, together with Gu Yue.
Karni blinked, finally remembering how these guys actually won last time.
Seven-colours shined, and a person of beautiful seven-coloured armour of dragon scales formed where Tang Wulin and Gu Yue used to be.
The figure made a single punch towards the Ice Goddess, tearing it apart.
Karni's ears shook. Space itself was torn apart. Space… Was that the sound of space? It was terrifying. It was beautiful. It felt like he just heard a melody, infinite yet closed.
The whole arena was silenced. Karni found it oddly beautiful. Silence was so… rare.
… … …
They ran through the arena grounds, everything finished. Gu Yue called the skill Dragon God Awakens, but now they were completely exhausted, and Tang Wulin still had to stand tall.
Karni held his arm on him constantly, making him feel relaxed, but Karni was focusing on the exhaustion itself, so it would be less felt. They ran through the crowd, onto the street. They won! But where to escape to now?
A car drove to them and opened the doors. Wu Zhangkong was inside. Thank god.
They entered it and quickly drove away. Tang Wulin collapsed as soon as he was inside and Karni could finally relax a little.
Karni wasn't sure how he felt. He really didn't want to join this fight originally. Hell, he still thought he shouldn't have joined it. It felt unsatisfying. It also felt… wrong. He wasn't used to cooperating with them as much. Last time was intentional, to prove something. This time, it was Siduo pulling a prank on him.
As soon as he saw the guy with Sound, he changed the strategy to one, where he would only need to be passively active in the whole fight, while he could focus on the private fight happening on the side. He only joined the team when he was forced to.
He was mulling over it the whole ride. Just what was it? He wished Siduo was there with him. Speaking of. She just looked into the car and smiled at him. They've arrived.
"Kiki, next time you should use those great control abilities you have more." She read right through him.
Karni sighed. "Never mind that. Did you guys finish already?"
Siduo nodded. "There were so many people gathered, some Soul Masters outside were making a show of it. We jumped at the opportunity."
Karni smiled, though it wasn't a full one. His thoughts still bothered him.
Siduo smiled widely, however, it seemed that Karni's current situation made her happy.
"What're you smiling at?"
"You didn't enjoy the fight did you."
"Yeah." Karni admitted. "I would've preferred you were there."
Siduo was a bit surprised at his directness, but she still smiled with slightly red cheeks.
Shishi smiled from the side as well. She was here as well. She found the whole conversation cute.
Tang Wulin's group entered Wu Zhangkong's car. Val Karni, Wu Siduo and the others entered Shishi's car. Both cars lifted from the ground. They were flying cars. Wu Siduo, contrary to Karni's expectations, suddenly paled before anything happened.
The cars sped up, bumpy, wild, intense. Every bit of wind could be felt. Karni got forced onto Siduo, Siduo got forced into him. They got forced into other people, but they simply couldn't feel embarrassed; it was just so horrifying!
… … …
"Congratulations." Wu Zhangkong smiled at the whole class, everyone was present. "No one was expelled."
The students cheered, Karni and Siduo also got caught up in the mood. The two hugged each other.
They waited a bit too long to separate, and looked into each other's eyes. This felt… It felt just as it should.