The afternoon sun lazily spilled over the registration area of the Great Soul Battle Arena. The air was thick with a tense and excited atmosphere as everyone was engrossed in discussions about the upcoming competitions. But Leo's words were like a bombshell, instantly freezing the atmosphere to the point of absolute stillness.
"Boom... Boom..." A series of thuds broke the brief silence. It was as if an invisible force had struck everyone, causing their bodies to lurch uncontrollably. They then tumbled to the ground in a sorry state, creating a chaotic scene.
"Ugh, what on earth is going on with you guys?" Leo looked at the comical and awkward scene in front of him with an innocent expression. His eyes were filled with confusion, and his tone carried a hint of concern.
However, his question was like pouring gasoline on a fire, instantly igniting the anger in everyone's hearts. "You've got to be kidding me! How can you still have that innocent look on your face? Forty - nine consecutive wins? Is that even humanly possible?" Everyone was fuming inwardly, their expressions quickly changing from shock to anger and disbelief.
Ryan was no exception. Just moments ago, he had listened intently as Blake elaborated on how tough the competitions in the Great Soul Battle Arena were. Every victory was hard - won. But now, here was this seemingly ordinary Leo, a super - monster with an astonishing record of forty - nine straight wins. How could he not be left gaping in shock? His eyes were wide open, his mouth slightly ajar, like a statue frozen in time.
Blake and Max had firsthand experience of the battles in the Great Soul Battle Arena. They knew exactly how arduous it was. Every fight was like walking on a tightrope, with defeat lurking at every misstep. And Leo, achieving forty - nine consecutive wins? It was simply a myth beyond reach! They couldn't help but mutter to themselves, "Is this guy even human? Or is he some kind of monster? He's a total freak!"
After a long while, Blake finally managed to snap out of his shock. He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his agitated emotions. "So, what kind of badge do you have now?" he asked.
"Silver Soul Badge." Leo said as he casually pulled out the badge from his spatial ring. The sunlight hit the badge, reflecting a dazzling glow that seemed to tell the tale of its owner's glorious achievements. "I've got 3872 points now. I need over 1000 more to upgrade to the Gold Soul Badge. At my current winning - streak bonus rate, it should only take about ten more matches." His tone was relaxed and nonchalant, as if he were talking about something as ordinary as the weather.
Looking at the shiny Silver Soul Badge in Leo's hand, Blake and the others finally understood why the registration girl had looked at Leo with such adoration. With such a remarkable record, in any Great Soul Battle Arena, he was undoubtedly a star - like figure. It was impossible not to stand out.
"Looks like we've got a real super - freak among us monsters!" Blake couldn't help but exclaim, his tone a mix of amazement and a touch of helplessness.
Everyone knew that the Silver Soul Badge was usually only obtained by Soul Lords with a soul power of over forty. But Leo, with just a soul power of twenty, could not only take on Soul Lords but also come out victorious. What else could he be if not a freak?
Even if his martial soul was special, equivalent to the power of two soul masters, a Great Soul Master was still a Great Soul Master! Under normal circumstances, it was extremely difficult for two Great Soul Masters to deal with a low - level Soul Elder, let alone a Soul Lord.
At this moment, everyone was in awe of Leo. After all, in this continent, strength was king. The stronger you were, the more respect and admiration you'd earn.
At the same time, a fierce fire of competition ignited in Ryan's heart. His eyes burned with determination and eagerness. He couldn't wait to have a one - on - one fair fight with Leo. But before that, he had to at least upgrade his Iron Soul Fighter Badge to the Gold Soul Badge to stand a chance against Leo.
You might ask why not the Silver Soul Badge? Given Leo's speed of advancement, by the time Ryan got his Silver Soul Badge, there was no way Leo would be waiting around. Leo would have shot up to a much higher level.
Aria, standing nearby, finally realized the meaning behind Leo's words when he said that if they teamed up, they'd face stronger opponents. Leo wasn't pulling her leg, nor was he saying that because Blake was secretly signaling him. It was the plain truth.
She now felt a twinge of regret for her impulsive decision. Teaming up with someone as powerful as Leo, she was well aware that she'd likely hold him back and become a burden.
But then she thought again. Since Leo didn't seem to care if she was a liability, it meant he had absolute confidence in his own strength. And she, Aria! She wasn't about to be the dead weight. Having such a powerful teammate to constantly push and remind her was actually a stroke of luck. She secretly vowed not to let anyone down.
Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, loud announcements blared from the speakers beneath the high - hanging screen in the Soul Battle Arena, shattering the tranquility. "Iron Soul Fighter Xiao Wu, please proceed to the Fourteenth Sub - Battle Arena. Iron Soul Fighter Xiao Wu, please proceed to the Fourteenth Sub - Battle Arena." "Silver Soul Leo, please proceed to the Main Soul Battle Arena. Silver Soul Leo, please proceed to the Main Soul Battle Arena."
The sudden announcements left everyone stunned. Leo and Xiao Wu were set to compete simultaneously. What a coincidence!
"No way, this can't be real. They're both up at the same time?" Blake stared at the names and player information on the high - hanging monitor, completely dumbfounded. His eyes were filled with confusion and surprise.
This put the rest of them in a bind. The Main Soul Battle Arena and the sub - battle arenas were separate. If they went to the sub - battle arena to watch Xiao Wu's match, they'd miss Leo's in the Main Soul Battle Arena, and vice versa.
"Don't worry about it. You guys go watch Xiao Wu's match," Leo said, seeing the troubled expressions on everyone's faces. A warm smile spread across his face. "I've been in these Soul Battle competitions before. Xiao Wu is new to this. You should go cheer her on." As he spoke, he turned to look at Xiao Wu, his eyes filled with encouragement. "Xiao Wu, go for it!"
"Sure, Leo - bro. You do the same!" Xiao Wu replied, happily waving her little pink fist and nodding vigorously. Her fondness for Leo shot up. In her eyes, Leo was at least a considerate person.
"Alright." Seeing Leo's words, Blake and the others nodded. Leo was right. Xiao Wu, being new to the Soul Battle competitions, really needed their support, even though they were more eager to watch Leo's fight.
"Hey, how about this? Zhuqing, you go watch Leo's match, and the rest of us will go for Xiao Wu's. After all, you and Leo are in a two - on - two team. It'd be good to get familiar with each other's fighting styles in advance," Ryan suddenly suggested.
Before Aria could respond, Blake's face turned green in an instant. He glared at Ryan, his eyes blazing with anger. "You traitor, Ryan! I've always looked out for you, and you're sending Zhuqing to watch Leo's match? Don't you know I like her? Don't you know I'm her fiancé? Well, come to think of it, he probably doesn't know that last part."
"Yeah, Zhuqing, you should go. You two have a two - on - two match later," Xiao Wu added, which was like a final straw for Blake. He almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
Well, it seemed like he was doomed to wear the "green hat" and had no one to complain to. "God, what did I do to deserve this? Why are you doing this to me?" Blake wailed in his heart.
Aria didn't say much. She simply nodded slightly and then turned around coolly, her actions speaking volumes about her decision.
Watching Aria follow Leo until they disappeared from sight, Max patted Blake on the shoulder. Raising his right eyebrow, he said, "Dai - boss, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why hang on to just one? She's not the one for you. You'd better let it go."
"Max!" Blake roared in fury, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "You! Get the hell out of here!"
Blake's sudden outburst startled everyone. Fortunately, because Xiao Wu's match was about to start, they didn't linger in the corridor. But this made Max shrink back, not daring to utter another word.
"Why are you following me?" Leo asked, looking at Aria with a puzzled expression.
Aria replied in a cold voice, "We've got a two - on - two match later. I'm here to find out what level your opponents are."
"Don't worry about it. Soul Lord - level opponents are a piece of cake. Don't stress yourself out," Leo said with a smile. "And you're wrong. It's not a two - on - two."
"Not a two - on - two?" Aria was confused by Leo's words.
"Yeah, it's a three - on - two." Leo grinned meaningfully and then turned to the little fox on his shoulder. "Right, little guy?"
"Squeak squeak." The little fox happily chirped and nodded its cute little head.
Aria immediately understood, and her face turned slightly red involuntarily at Leo's smile.