Chapter 204: Being Weaker Turns Out to Be an Advantage?
The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament was about to begin, and the event was unprecedented in its grandeur.
At the crack of dawn, tens of thousands of spectators had already gathered outside the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena.
They weren't there just to enter the venue but also to get a closer look at the participating contestants outside the arena.
Among the crowd were many nobles, whose goal was to recruit young soul masters. For them, this was an endless pursuit.
Personal strength didn't matter much to these nobles; as long as they could recruit strong and promising soul masters, their families would continue to thrive.
After all, the young talents participating in this elite tournament were all under 25 years old. They had bright futures ahead of them and represented the strongest of their generation within the empire—the future of the empire itself.
The Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena had been under renovation for the past half month. All the partitions between the sub-arenas and the main arena were removed, turning the venue into a massive space capable of holding 80,000 spectators.
Even so, many spectators couldn't get a seat. The exorbitant ticket prices didn't dampen enthusiasm; instead, tickets were in such high demand that they were nearly impossible to secure.
Those who couldn't buy tickets for the opening day had no choice but to purchase tickets for later matches, which were equally difficult to obtain.
After all, this grand event occurred only once every five years!
Meanwhile, what was the main character doing?
"Kong, wake up!"
"???"
Kong blinked in confusion. Why was someone waking him up so early? Rubbing his eyes, he asked groggily, "What's going on, Sister Yan?"
Dugu Yan's eyebrow twitched at his response, and she looked visibly annoyed.
"What's going on? You're seriously asking me that?"
Today was no ordinary day—it was the opening ceremony of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament's Heaven Dou Division!
"Kong, it's the opening ceremony for the tournament! What do you think is going on?"
Dugu Yan said exasperatedly. She was baffled at how Kong could sleep so soundly on such an important day.
Hearing her words, Kong froze for a moment, then suddenly understood. However, after a moment of thought, he felt something was off and replied, "Sister Yan, it's the opening ceremony, sure, but what does that have to do with our Emperor Team? We're directly qualified for the finals, so we don't need to draw lots or compete..."
Both the Heaven Dou Empire, Star Luo Empire, and Spirit Hall each had a team automatically qualified for the finals. For the Heaven Dou Empire, the Emperor Team held that spot, meaning they didn't need to participate in the preliminary or ranking matches.
"We may not need to compete, but as the captain of the Emperor Team, you're the first one who needs to make an appearance today!"
Dugu Yan said, pinching her forehead in frustration.
"Uh…"
Kong paused for a moment, then let out a dry chuckle.
She was right. As captain of the Emperor Team, he was indeed required to make the first appearance during the team introductions, followed by the Emperor Team's second squad. While the first squad wouldn't be fighting today, they still needed to participate in the ceremonial opening—a tradition known as the "opening ceremony."
Realizing this, Kong felt a bit embarrassed. He had completely forgotten about it. If he had remembered, he wouldn't have slept in.
"Alright, I'll get up now," he said with a resigned sigh.
Knowing it was his mistake, Kong had no choice but to quickly get ready and head to the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena.
The Heaven Dou Royal Academy wasn't far from Heaven Dou City, so the team hadn't stayed in the city. Instead, they rested at the academy. It wasn't that there were no accommodations available in the city, but the academy had wanted to ensure a quiet environment for the team's rest, free from the city's potential disturbances.
"Hurry up; everyone's waiting for you," Dugu Yan said, glancing at the still-drowsy Kong.
She didn't particularly want to attend the opening ceremony either, but there was no choice. Since they were here, they had to follow the arrangements.
On ordinary days, they could afford to skip training or act willfully, but when it came to major events like this, there was no room for irresponsibility.
In no time, Kong and Dugu Yan arrived at the gates of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, where about ten people were already waiting. They gave Kong a faint look, clearly indicating they had been waiting for quite a while.
"Uh, let's go," Kong said awkwardly, waving his hand and signaling the group to move out.
The group collectively glanced at Kong but refrained from saying anything. This was just a minor issue, though a tinge of resentment lingered in their hearts.
After all, it wasn't every day they had to wait an entire hour just for one person!
Fortunately, there was still plenty of time before the opening ceremony. Otherwise, they might have become the laughingstock of the tournament—imagine the supposedly privileged team arriving late!
"The excitement in my heart and the trembling in my hands... Great Spirit Arena, here we come!"
Oscar murmured, his voice trembling slightly, a testament to his genuine excitement.
Just then, Ma Hongjun clapped a hand on Oscar's shoulder and said, "Oscar, you're the weakest among us. When the time comes for us to enter the arena, it's up to the captain whether he even takes you along. Besides, Sister Lingling's healing abilities are unmatched in the world!"
"Think about it—what's your advantage?"
Because of Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Dai Mubai joining the Emperor Team as substitute members, the team now had two auxiliary-type soul masters: Oscar and Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling was already at the Soul Ancestor level, while Oscar was still a Soul Elder.
"Fatty, laugh if you want, but my greatest advantage is that my martial soul's healing effects aren't as strong as Sister Lingling's!"
Oscar's lips curled mischievously, clearly unfazed.
His words immediately drew the attention of the group, who were still making their way forward. Being weaker was an advantage? What kind of logic was that?
"???"
Ma Hongjun looked utterly baffled, his head filled with question marks. What kind of nonsense was Oscar spouting?
"Hah! With our captain and vice-captain leading the team, is there any chance we could lose? Is there any possibility of severe injuries?"
Oscar's grin grew even more smug.
"Absolutely not!"
"???"
"!!!"
He made such a valid point that no one could refute him!
"Sister Lingling's healing abilities wouldn't even come into play—not because she isn't strong, but because her reputation as the world's best healer is well-deserved. She can bring someone back from the brink of death in a single breath—it's nothing short of miraculous."
"But I'm different. I'm more balanced. Even if my first two soul skills don't contribute much to the team—or if I don't use them at all—my third soul skill is no joke!"
Oscar was no fool. Among the original Shrek members, he was arguably the most level-headed.
First, he praised Ye Lingling to avoid offending her, then pivoted to highlight his own strengths, deftly showcasing his value while maintaining harmony.
"Hey, Oscar, speaking of which, what exactly is your third soul skill? Ever since you got your third soul ring, I haven't seen you use it even once!"
Dai Mubai suddenly chimed in.
(End of Chapter)
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