"Damn, Dai! Am I seeing things? Did Teacher Zhao just get his butt kicked?" Oscar's eyes were as wide as saucers, and he hollered at Dai Mubai. "If I didn't know how tough the Indestructible Vajra Body soul skill is, I'd think Teacher Zhao was throwing the fight to give this newbie a chance to shine."
Blake, standing beside him, rolled his eyes. "This kid is getting more and more out of line. He's actually got the nerve to make fun of Teacher Zhao right to his face. Doesn't he know Teacher Zhao might drag him into some brutal training tomorrow to teach him a lesson?" But to be honest, this year's examinees were just out of this world. Ryan was already a handful, and now this Leo, with only level - twenty soul power, had actually broken through Teacher Zhao's Indestructible Vajra Body. It was mind - boggling. Blake couldn't help but wonder if all his years of training had been for nothing. Why was the gap between people so huge?
"No wonder Zhuqing has her eyes on this guy. His strength is no joke," Blake muttered under his breath. He was secretly glad he hadn't stepped into the ring. Otherwise, he'd be the one making a fool of himself. At first, just like Gordon, he didn't take Leo's soul skill seriously. Sure, it was a bit more powerful than that of soul masters at the same level, but with his higher level, he thought he could crush Leo easily. Who could have guessed that this seemingly ordinary soul skill would break through the Indestructible Vajra Body? It was like a slap in the face.
"Brother!" Xiao Wu covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with shock as she watched Gordon get blasted to the ground in one move. She had just experienced Teacher Zhao's might firsthand. The overwhelming pressure had made her feel as small as an ant, filled with a sense of powerlessness. But now, seeing Teacher Zhao, even with his Indestructible Vajra Body activated, being taken down by Leo, who had nine levels less soul power, it all seemed so surreal, like a dream.
"Xiao Wu, do you remember when that little fox used its soul skill on the big tree outside?" Ryan furrowed his brows, his expression serious. "I bet his soul skill can ignore defenses." Recalling the strange scene before the big tree fell, Ryan felt something was off. Based on the power of the little fox's first - stage attack, even adding the second - stage, the tree shouldn't have toppled. But it did. Now, looking at Teacher Zhao's sorry state, Ryan finally got it. When the second - stage of this soul skill comes back, it most likely can ignore defenses.
"Ignore defenses?!" Xiao Wu's eyes bulged, and her voice went up an octave. "That soul skill would be totally OP!"
"Yeah, but hold on a sec." Ryan chuckled and shook his head. "Sure, ignoring defenses is terrifying, but this soul skill isn't as overpowered as you think. Take a closer look. Its attacks follow a fixed path. Both the first - stage attack and the second - stage when it returns are in a straight line from the user." Ryan really hit the nail on the head. He quickly grasped the key features and flaws of Deceptive Orb.
After hearing Ryan's explanation, Xiao Wu let out a sigh of relief. Ignoring defenses would be a nightmare for any soul master. But luckily, this skill had an obvious weakness. As long as they knew how to deal with it, there was nothing to fear. Only those who faced it for the first time, not knowing its characteristics, would get the short end of the stick. Just like Teacher Zhao, who stood there like an idiot, not knowing the trick, and ended up flat on his face. If there was a next time, Teacher Zhao definitely wouldn't make the same stupid mistake.
"Ouch..." After a while, Gordon, who was lying on the ground, pushed himself up with his hands, gritting his teeth. His face was contorted in pain, and he winced as he looked at the bruises on his sides from the orb attacks. The veins on his forehead throbbed with anger.
"Damn, that really hurts!" Gordon couldn't help but curse. He'd been knocked down twice in a row. The first time, he'd been caught off - guard because he underestimated the opponents and didn't use his soul power. That was somewhat understandable. But this second time, he'd activated his Indestructible Vajra Body right away, and yet he still got his butt handed to him. It was hard to swallow. "What the hell are these examinees eating? They're all like monsters!" Gordon raged in his mind. Of course, he never expected Leo's soul skill to have the ability to ignore defenses. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have just stood there like a sitting duck.
"Kid, you've got a pretty cool soul skill there. You got the better of me this time." Gordon took a deep breath, trying to endure the pain in his sides, and then growled in a low voice, "But don't think I'll fall for it again!" With that, he strode forward, charging towards Leo like an enraged bull. He'd fallen flat on his face twice in the same place and in the same way. If he couldn't beat this kid now, he'd be the laughingstock of the other teachers. This time, Gordon was determined to strike first.
Leo watched the charging Gordon calmly. He casually waved his hand and said softly, "Deceptive Orb, go!" The orb that had just returned to his hand shot out again like a bolt of lightning.
"Hmph, kid, the first - stage of your soul skill can't break my defense." Gordon snorted disdainfully when he saw the approaching orb. "I just need to take you down before your soul skill comes back!" Relying on his tough body, he not only didn't dodge but charged right at the orb. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Leo. His right hand slowly rose, and then he roared, "Mighty Vajra Palm!"
In an instant, a wild, surging force rushed towards Leo, like a tidal wave. The howling wind made Leo's clothes flap loudly, and his hair flew wildly. But to Gordon's utter surprise, Leo stood there, motionless, as if he were frozen. He didn't show any sign of dodging, as if he intended to take the full force of the Mighty Vajra Palm head - on.
"Is this kid out of his mind?" Gordon muttered to himself. "Can he really withstand my Mighty Vajra Palm? Or is he just so nervous that he's lost his wits as soon as I get close?" Gordon frowned, his eyes fixed firmly on Leo. But soon, he realized something was wrong.
He clearly remembered passing through the orb Leo shot, but now it was right in front of him again. "When did this orb come back?" Gordon was completely puzzled, his brows knitted into a tight knot. "Didn't I just block the first - stage of his soul skill? What's going on with this orb? Am I seeing things?" Gordon rubbed his eyes hard, but the orb was still there, as clear as day.
Suddenly, it dawned on Gordon. His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Right! The little fox! It's that little fox!" He slapped his forehead, finally getting it. "This orb isn't from Leo; it's from the little fox!" He then realized that the little fox was behind him, while the orb was in front. That meant the orb flying towards him now was the second - stage attack!
"You little sly dog!" Gordon gritted his teeth in anger. He finally understood why Leo didn't dodge. The kid was trying to lull him into a false sense of security, making him think he could win easily, while actually setting a trap for him. If he had really ignored this orb, his Mighty Vajra Palm wouldn't have even reached Leo before he got hit by the second - stage attack of the orb.
Realizing the danger, Gordon let out a loud yell. His charging body came to a sudden halt. He stomped his right foot on the ground with all his might and leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the second - stage attack of the little fox's orb.
"Phew..." Gordon let out a long breath, secretly glad that he had reacted quickly. He could take the first - stage attack of the opponent's soul skill, but the second - stage was a whole different ballgame. The pain from that attack was no joke. Even though he was tough as nails, he was still made of flesh and blood.
However, things weren't over yet. Before Gordon could catch his breath, he saw Leo standing right in front of him. There was a faint, almost teasing smile on Leo's face. To Gordon, that smile was like a sharp knife, making his heart pound with fear.
"Huh?!" Gordon's heart skipped a beat when he saw that smile. He immediately recalled the embarrassing fall just now. He had fallen for this once, and now, seeing that smile again, a strong sense of foreboding washed over him.
"Right!" Gordon suddenly came to his senses. "His position, the orb behind me... everything indicates that the second - stage attack of the soul skill is coming again!" His heart tightened, and he instinctively turned around. Sure enough, the orb had somehow quietly appeared behind him, aiming right at him, ready to strike.
"Shit!" Gordon thought to himself. Without hesitation, he immediately mobilized all his soul power and condensed a golden light on his back. This was his defensive move, hoping to block this deadly blow. But he knew very well that this time, he had really met his match. This Leo kid was far more difficult to deal with than he had imagined.
"This battle is getting more and more exciting!" Oscar exclaimed, rubbing his hands together in excitement. His eyes were glued to the arena. "I can't wait to see who'll come out on top, Teacher Zhao or Leo."
"Leo is really something else," Blake nodded slightly, his eyes full of admiration. "But Teacher Zhao isn't one to be messed with either. This battle is far from over."
Xiao Wu nervously clutched the corner of her clothes, her eyes filled with worry. "I hope Leo doesn't get hurt. He seems really strong, but Teacher Zhao is no pushover either," she whispered.
Ryan stood quietly to the side, his gaze deep and focused on every move on the field. He knew that this battle was not just a contest of strength but also a battle of wits and strategies. Leo's arrival had brought new energy and challenges to Shrek Academy, and this battle would be an important lesson on their journey of growth.
On the field, Gordon and Leo faced each other, the tension in the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. Their eyes met, and sparks seemed to fly. Both were looking for the other's weakness. In the next second, they would launch another round of intense combat. And what would be the final outcome of this battle? Everyone held their breath, waiting with bated breath to find out...