Shrek Academy, Outer Court
Elder Cai's voice dripped with anger as she questioned the Shrek instructors, "What do you mean you couldn't find the attacker?" One of the instructors stepped forward and replied, "Elder Cai, the woman who attacked those Evil Soul Masters and us vanished instantly using space movement. We didn't have the capabilities to track or investigate her whereabouts."
Understanding the difficulty of capturing Soul Masters with space capabilities, Elder Cai calmed down and further inquired, "Where is that brat and his girlfriend?" The Shrek instructor explained how Nero had escaped through a portal. Elder Cai nodded in acknowledgment and then dismissed them.
Shen Yi, who had been standing to the side, hesitated for a moment before addressing Elder Cai, "Elder Cai, shouldn't we send instructors to look for both of them?" Elder Cai shook her head and offered an explanation, "That brat is probably going to spend some time with his girlfriend and will likely return tomorrow. Besides, he managed to escape under such attacks, so there's no need to send Soul Sages to protect him." Elder looked out of the window, her thoughts focused on finding a way to deal with aftermath of the incident in Bright City.
------
Silverpeak City
In a room on the top floor of a luxurious hotel, Nero sat on the bed, swiping through the news regarding the explosion in Bright City. Yuanen Yehui emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a bathrobe, and asked Nero while drying her hair, "Were there any casualties?" Nero shook his head and replied, "Aria made sure that passersby wouldn't get affected." He then glanced at her and continued, "Can you please put on some clothes and not stay in a bathrobe?"
Yuanen Yehui teased Nero with a playful tone, "Why? I feel comfortable." Nero sighed and gently admonished, "Please, stop tempting me; we have work to do." Yuanen Yehui responded with a mischievous smirk and replied in an innocent voice, "I don't understand what you're talking about; I'm just drying my hair."
Nero set aside his tablet and vanished from his spot. Before Yuanen Yehui could react, Nero reappeared behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently turning her around. The sudden proximity caught Yuanen Yehui off guard, and she felt her heart rate quicken, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
With his arms wrapped securely around her waist, Nero tightened his grip and whispered, "I warned you not to tempt me." Before Yuanen Yehui could respond, Nero silenced her with a kiss, his lips meeting hers in a moment of passion. Yuanen Yehui wanted to gain control but under Nero's touch, Yuanen Yehui's determination wavered, and she found herself succumbing to the gentle allure of the moment, her resolve melting away as if it were made of butter.
" LOCK THE DOOR, if you both are making out " Aria's sudden exclamation disrupted the intimate moment, prompting Yuanen Yehui to quickly release Nero. He turned towards Aria with a touch of annoyance in his voice and stated, "For your information, this is our room."
Aria retorted, "Well, idiot, I am also living here currently, and unlike our dorm room, I don't have a separate space." Realizing that an argument was brewing, Yuanen Yehui intervened to defuse the situation.
Nero decided to change the topic and asked Aria, "So, what did you find after scanning those guys?"
Aria replied, "First, you both should take a look at Gungbang Li's Martial Soul." She sent a document to Nero's tablet. Although confused, Nero and Yuanen Yehui still opened the document to see what Aria had discovered.
As Nero's expression turned serious, Yuanen Yehui exclaimed, "Why is his Martial Soul an ice wolf in this document?" Aria then proceeded to explain the situation, "This Ice Wolf is Gungbang Li's Martial Soul. In fact, all of his companions had normal Martial Souls."
Confused, Yuanen Yehui asked, "Then why were their Martial Souls during our fight such high-grade beast spirits?"
Nero who was reading the document answered " Gene Interference ".
Yuanen Yehui asked, "Gene Interference?"
Aria explained her doubts once more, saying, "Gene interference is the process of forcefully introducing foreign materials into a soul master's bloodline gene chain." Yuanen Yehui pondered, "Is it something like the evolution of Martial Souls?"
Nero shook his head, providing a clarification, "Evolution affects both our bloodline gene chain and the spiritual origin of our Martial Soul, while Gene Interference forcefully alters the Martial Soul by changing the gene chain." He then turned towards Aria and asked, "They must all be taking suppressors to mitigate the resistance of their Martial Soul's spiritual origin, right?"
Aria nodded and added more details, "They all had the suppressors, but the potion was unusual. Even after breaking it down to its individual components, I couldn't find any material that is available in mankind's known material list."
Observing Nero's knowledge on the subject, Yuanen Yehui asked with curiosity, "Is this a well-known field of study in Martial Soul research?"
Nero responded, "No, in fact, this is considered forbidden research. This theory was developed by a member of the Qiangu family whose innate soul power was very low. However, as far as we know, he disappeared the day before his research was discovered. Now, it seems like he joined this unknown organization."
Nero continued his inquiry, asking Aria, "What was the foreign object that was forcefully injected into their bodies?"
Aria replied, "I don't know, as the material, after absorbing their vitality, disappeared."
Nero decided to change the topic, saying, "Forget it, we've gathered enough information for now. Let's enjoy our time here; we can look into these matters later." He closed the tablet and tried to lighten the atmosphere.
Yuanen Yehui nodded in agreement as they both prepared to explore the city and make the most of their time together.
-----
Unknown city
A white-haired boy adorned in red and black theme outfit was eating a burger while scrolling though a tablet " Ren, ". The white-haired boy who was none other than Ren looked up upon hearing his name, the voice belonged to a beautiful girl with a bewitching figure. She had long black hair, gray eyes, and a beauty mark on her chin. Her attire was a skin-tight gray bodysuit with jagged patterns resembling thorns, a frilly collar, sharp shoulder pads, and a chest cloak made of hair. She wore triangular earrings, blue gloves with frills at the wrists, and her suit featured diamond-shaped openings and cutouts on her legs. She completed her look with glasses featuring a ribbon design near the lenses. { Picture in comments}
The girl reminded Ren, "Ren, what are you looking at? We need to collect the bounties on these evil soul masters."
Ren explained, "I was looking through something my idiot brother sent me," and he tossed the tablet to the girl. He added, "Take a look, it might jog that forgotten memory of yours."
As the girl reviewed the document, she sighed, "I can feel myself getting angry, but I can't remember a single thing other than what I told you."
Ren comfortingly put his arm around her shoulder and assured, "Don't worry, it will come back sooner or later." The girl nodded and smiled. Ren then excitedly suggested, "Now, let's go collect the bounties and have a feast to erase all this sadness."
The girl playfully knocked on Ren's head and said, "Why do you always mention parties and food?" Ren retorted, "As if you're one to talk. Have you seen yourself after one drink?"
They both laughed and continued their playful banter as they headed off to pursue the bounties.
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Sea God Pavilion, Shrek Academy
"Elder Cai, do you have any recording of the battle?" Yun Ming, seated at the pavilion master's seat, asked Elder Cai.
"Yes, Pavilion Master, but the footage of fifteen minutes is missing, as at that time a dome covered Bright City, isolating the city," Elder Cai replied. She then played the footage that recorded Nero's battle.
Yun Ming, Ya Li, and the other elders watched in astonishment as Nero and Yuanen Yehui fought the soul sage without any apparent pressure and then survived against fifteen evil soul masters. "That boy never ceases to amaze me," Ya Li commented as the footage came to an end. The other elders nodded in agreement.
"Elder Cai, were you able to find any information about the woman in armor?" Ya Li asked Elder Cai. Elder Cai shook her head and clarified, "It's like she disappeared out of thin air; we couldn't find anything."
Yun Ming turned toward Zhou Shi and asked, "I heard that Mr. Zhou killed an Evil Soul Master Titled Douluo in Bright City." Zhou Shi nodded and explained, "Upon hearing that his grandson was attacked, that old guy immediately went towards him. On his way, he encountered that evil soul master. As for the rest, the Pavilion Master already knows."
Yun Ming continued, "The operations of evil soul masters have been increasingly rampant lately. It has reached the point that they need to be taught a lesson. The federation has sent us a request, hoping that we could collaborate with them to combat this growing threat. The only way to counter the mysterious appearance of these evil soul masters is by strengthening each city's safety measures, as well as gathering more military forces to guard them at all times."
"We'll approve of the federation's application, while the academy's inner court disciples will aid in the siege on the evil soul masters. At the same time, contact the Tang Sect. Mobilize all our contacts and search for the evil masters' whereabouts. Report to us as soon as there's news."
"Yes," all the elders responded in unison.
"Pavilion Master, there is another matter. The Star Luo Continent representative expressed hope that we would send an exchange team to their academy, you see..." Elder Cai spoke.
Yun Ming gave a slight smile. "Accept their request. Send the top five teams of the exam and assign Wu Zhangkong to lead the team. The new students of both years aren't bad."
Zhou Shi spoke, "Pavilion Master, with their abilities, wouldn't it be..."
Yun Ming waved his hand. "The representative of the Star Luo Continent just arrived not long ago. They won't be leaving so soon. The academy should adjust the resources for the youngsters accordingly so that they can elevate as soon as possible. We are going for an exchange, not to show off our own prowess, and as far as I know, Nero is already at Rank 46. By the time the competition starts, he will easily break through Rank 50. At the soul ancestor level, he is easily fighting a soul sage. Do you really think that at the soul king rank, someone amongst his peers can defeat him?"
Elder Cai nodded and said, "Yes, the representatives will return to the Star Luo Continent around half a year later. It will be enough time for the students to break through, especially that brat."
The discussion proceeded with some countermeasures and overall planning on how to handle the evil soul masters and the upcoming exchange with the Star Luo Continent.
Meanwhile, in Silverpeak City, the individual under discussion at the Sea God Pavilion meeting was going about their day, unaware of the deliberations taking place concerning their actions.
Yuanen Yehui couldn't hide her astonishment as she asked Nero, "You've already broken through to Rank 47?" Nero simply nodded, and her curiosity got the better of her. She inquired, "How did you manage to break through so rapidly?" Nero took a moment to explain, "Devil Trigger represents a threshold that unlocks the true potential of the Sparda bloodline. Thanks to the inherent benefits of the Sparda bloodline, both my and Ren's physical, mental and soul power grow as we engage in battles."
"Your Sparda bloodline is truly incredible," Yuanen Yehui commented, admiration and slight envy in her voice. Nero rubbed her head and said, "You can also cultivate twenty-four hours if you improve your control over the earth attribute." Yuanen Yehui sighed and said helplessly, "I know, but the level of control that Aria said I should have for twenty-four-hour cultivation is still very far away. It will take me approximately half a year to achieve that level."
Nero intertwined his hands with hers and said, "Now, forget about that. Let's have fun while we're out of the academy." Yuanen Yehui nodded, and they carried on with their night stroll.
_________________________________________________
From now on this will be Yuanen Yehui's image. { Photo in comments}
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Elder Cai's office, Outer court yard, Shrek Academy
Nero, who had just returned to the academy with Yuanen Yehui, was summoned to Elder Cai's office by Shen Yi. Facing Elder Cai, Nero raised an eyebrow and said, "So, let me get this straight. Because of our exceptional performance, the academy is sending us to the Star Luo Continent Tournament, which indirectly allocates more resources to us, and third-year students have a problem with it. So, they requested a match against me, right?" Elder Cai nodded, confirming it.
Nero sighed in resignation and asked, "And I don't have a choice other than fighting them, do I?" Elder Cai replied firmly, "No, you have to fight them." Accepting this unnecessary battle, Nero proceeded to ask, "So, when am I fighting them?" Shen Yi, who was standing at the side, answered, "Tomorrow at 8 AM sharp." Nero nodded and left the office, heading back to his dormitory.
As soon as Nero entered the room, Yuanen Yehui asked in an anxious voice, "Why did Elder Cai call you? Did they find something? or..." Nero hugged Yuanen Yehui and calmed her down. "It was nothing like that," he reassured her, "she called me to inform me that I have to fight third-year students." Hearing that it had nothing to do with the Bright City incident, Yuanen Yehui breathed a sigh of relief.
"See, I told you there is nothing to worry about, I left no dead ends," Aria added in her drone form. Yuanen Yehui retorted, "Why wouldn't I worry when Nero was suddenly called to Elder Cai's office?" Turning towards Nero, she asked in confusion, "Why do you have to fight third-year students?" Nero explained to her what Elder Cai had told him.
"Poor third-year students," Yuanen sighed after learning the reason behind the upcoming fight. Aria asked in confusion, "Why are you pitying them?" Yuanen Yehui replied, "Because all of them are very arrogant and confident in their strengths. Although some of them act modest, when I faced them last year, I observed that they all had that confidence and arrogance in their bones. But now, facing Nero, their confidence might be fully shattered." She paused, shifting her gaze towards Nero, and continued, "And, I'm sure my dear boyfriend won't just stop after defeating them."
Nero smiled and replied, "You know me too well; of course, I wouldn't let them go so easily for wasting my time." Yuanen Yehui asked in curiosity, "What are you going to do?" Nero replied with an innocent smile, "I will not do anything directly; I would just give them hope and have it shattered again." Yuanen Yehui and Aria both became confused, not understanding the meaning behind Nero's words. Seeing their confused looks, Nero just smiled, choosing not to explain further.
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Next Day,
The day of the battle had finally arrived, and it had captured the attention of all the outer court students. Normally, joining the inner court after reaching the fourth grade was nearly impossible. The only alternative was to become a one-word battle armor master before the sixth grade and receive a graduation certificate from Shrek Academy. As a result, there weren't many one-word battle armor masters in the higher grades, since they would graduate directly from the outer court once they became one and were over 20 years old. The third grade, however, was considered the most powerful grade in the academy's outer court even before a certain anomaly entered the outer court yard.
The sparring arena was bustling with outer court students and teachers, all eager to witness the battle. Everyone was curious to see if the third grade could defeat the undefeated Demon King of the outer courtyard. Perhaps, if they were to watch the recording of Nero's recent battle in Bright City, their opinions might undergo a significant change. Students from the first and second grade, especially those from Class One, had arrived much earlier, as their class president was participating in the battle. The anticipation in the air was palpable.
Third-grade students were already standing at their stand while Nero was nowhere to be seen. Finally, ten minutes prior to 8 AM, Nero arrived in the arena. Unlike the third-grade students, who were dead serious, Nero's face had a nonchalant expression as he sipped from his energy drink. Shen Yi wanted to slap her forehead for expecting this guy to be serious.
' How powerful are these famous third grade geniuses?' Nero inwardly asked Aria.
Aria responded, [You don't remember them from the original timeline?]
Nero shrugged his shoulders and replied, 'You expect me to remember every side character.' Aria simply displayed their status.
[
Name: Ye Wu
Age: 17
Martial soul: Flame Body
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣
]
[
Name: Li Qiankun
Age: 18
Martial soul: Heaven and Earth sphere
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣
]
[
Name: Mo Jue
Age: 18
Martial soul: Black Swan
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣🟣
]
[
Name: Wu Rui
Age: 18
Martial soul: Heaven's book
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣
]
[
Name: Li Mengyang
Age: 18
Martial soul: Blazing Demon Lion
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣
]
[
Name: Li Mengtian
Age: 18
Martial soul: Blazing Demon Tiger
Soul ring configuration: 🟡🟡🟣🟣
]
Nero didn't react much to the presence of a soul king on their team. If it were some other martial soul, then Nero might have become a little bit excited. However, a darkness attribute martial soul against a Demon was like trying to burn magma with fire.
Nero and the Third Grade team made their way into the arena. Shen Yi looked at them and asked, "Are you guys ready?" Nero and the third-grade students nodded. "Start!" As soon as Shen Yi announced the start of the match, Ye Wu's feet blazed in flames as he dashed towards Nero. Simultaneously, he used his first spirit ability, Flame Burst Fist, and threw a punch straight at Nero.
Contrary to Ye Wu's flashy attack, Nero simply raised his hand and caught Ye Wu's punch. Ye Wu sneered, as his Flame Burst hit would release a burst of intense flames upon contact, but the next second, he became stunned as the burst of flames was encaged in a spherical spirit energy sphere. Nero, with his mental power, threw the sphere into the sky and then dispersed it, creating fireworks in broad daylight.
Nero raised his other hand, clenching it into a fist, and threw a punch at Ye Wu. Sensing the danger from Nero's fist, Ye Wu activated his third spirit ability, Heat Shield Aura, while Li Qiankun simultaneously used his first ability, Celestial Barrier that added an extra layer of protection on top of Ye Wu's flame barrier. Perhaps, thinking that Nero's martial soul was a sword, they both assumed that Nero's physical power wouldn't be outrageous. However, the term "capable of overpowering Golden Dragon King" wasn't just a casual claim.
Nero's punch effortlessly tore through both their barriers like a hot knife through butter. Wu Rui wanted to use his second spirit ability to teleport Ye Wu, but Nero used the Law of Separation to erase the spatial fluctuations. As a result, Ye Wu was sent flying backward like a rocket, becoming yet another victim of Nero's face punch.
Li Mengyang and Li Mengtian both managed to catch Ye Wu, but the force of the impact still sent them sliding backward several meters. Wu Rui, on the other hand, attempted to use his first spirit ability to conjure numerous vines in an effort to bind Nero. However, before the vines could even reach him, they were sliced into tiny pieces.
In the stands, Tang Wulin was utterly astonished and couldn't contain his surprise. He exclaimed aloud, "What was that?" Seeking an explanation, Ye Xinglan clarified, "It's sword consciousness. At this stage, Nero can control sword intent with just a thought, and he doesn't even need an actual sword for it." Curious about his own experience, Tang Wulin inquired further, "Then why was I able to bind him in our match?" Xu Xiaoyan, who was sitting nearby, sighed and said, "Boss, it's clear that you still haven't figured it out. Obviously, it's because of Sister Yehui that Brother Nero didn't use his full capabilities." The members of Class Zero all turned their gaze toward Yuanen Yehui, who couldn't help but blush in embarrassment.
Mo Jue, who possessed the highest spirit rank, finally decided to take action. She unleashed her spirit ability, Weakness Curse, in an attempt to weaken Nero. However, the black skull, the manifestation of her ability, couldn't even affect Nero before it was promptly destroyed. Undeterred, Mo Jue activated her second ability, Shadow Devil Flame, but the result was the same—the flames dissipated like a gust of wind upon contact with Nero. Growing increasingly anxious, Mo Jue resorted to her third spirit ability, Darkness Erosion, but once again, it had no effect on Nero.
Li Qiankun attempted to intervene and stop Mo Jue, but she ignored his efforts. She activated her Battle Armor and unleashed her fourth spirit ability, Cursed Spear. Mo Jue watched intently, hoping that Nero would finally be affected by her abilities. However, her hopes were dashed when Nero simply caught the spear and effortlessly broke it, dissolving it into particles of spirit energy.
Shen Yi, who was observing the battle, shook her head in disappointment. The moment Mo Jue realized that her most frequently used ability had no effect on Nero, she lost her composure. Instead of considering the team dynamics, she expended all her spirit energy to activate her sixth spirit ability, Swan's Feathers, which unleashed rings of dark green airflow.
Nero, growing tired of the futile attempts, unsheathed Yamato and executed a series of slashes. His slashes not only disintegrated Mo Jue's attack but also eliminated Mo Jue herself from the battle.
Nero's swift and decisive victory over Mo Jue left the third-grade students in a predicament. Li Qiankun, who had taken charge of the battle, quickly issued commands to his remaining teammates.
"Mengyang, Mengtian, Ye Wu, use your Martial Spirit Fusion Skill. I'll provide defense until you merge," Li Qiankun directed.
He then turned to Wu Rui, instructing him, "Wu Rui, engage with him in battle to stall for time."
According to the new strategy, Ye Wu, Li Mengyang, and Li Mengtian joined hands, preparing to execute their Martial Spirit Fusion Skill. Meanwhile, Wu Rui, in his Battle Armor, activated his first spirit ability, Bind. Countless dark-green vines erupted from the ground, racing toward Nero.
Nero, surrounded by a rotating ring of Mirage Blades around his waist, advanced calmly. The vines attempting to trap him were effortlessly cut down by the Mirage Blades before they could make contact. In retaliation, Nero unleashed a rapid barrage of slashes, the movements so swift that they appeared as blurs, aimed at Wu Rui.
Wu Rui, determined to continue the fight, summoned a clone of Nero using his fourth spirit ability. This clone replicated Nero's third spirit ability, Shadow Void, attempting to evade Nero's incoming attacks. Unfortunately for Wu Rui, Nero was the bane of his own skills. The bug ability of moving the body into a different layer of space was ineffective as his control over the Law of Separation allowed Nero to effortlessly cleave through the very space itself. As for making the Clone Nero attack, just cloning Nero and using Shadow Void drained away most of Wu Rui's spirit energy.
As a dozen Mirage Blades closed in on Wu Rui, he made one last desperate attempt to counter Nero's onslaught. He employed his third spirit ability, Reflective Mirror, to bounce back the incoming attacks toward Nero. However, Nero teleported behind Wu Rui and incapacitated him with a blow, rendering him unconscious.
Li Qiankun activated all his spirit skills to create a defensive barrier around himself and the trio undergoing Martial Fusion. Nero shook his head, realizing that breaking the barrier directly would be a waste of effort. Under the astonished gazes of onlookers, Nero sat cross-legged on the ground and continuously fired exploding Mirage Blades at the barrier, turning it into a battle of endurance to see whose spirit energy would run out first.
Five minutes later the barrier disappeared revealing Li Qiankun unconscious due to spirit energy depletion. There was no way Li Qiankun could have won against Nero's Bug first spirit ability which restored his physical, mental and Demonic-spirit energy amidst battle. Third Grade who were feeling hopeless cheered up as the trio finally completed their Martial Fusion skill.
The trio's flame barrier dissipated, revealing an Armored Flame Knight atop a Blazing Liger. Nero's expression turned puzzled. He inwardly asked Aria, ' Aria, a liger is a child of Tiger and Lion, right ' Aria answered [ Yes ] Nero continued, 'And a rider and their mount have a master-servant relationship, correct?' Aria, still puzzled by Nero's question, replied, [Yes.] Nero finally made his point, ' Then, it technically means that those Sibling have an incest relationship and they both have some submissive kink going on with Ye Wu '
Aria was initially stunned by Nero's reasoning, but she quickly regained her composure and shouted, [ STOP WASTING TIME AND FINISH THE MATCH! ]Nero inwardly raised his hand and thought, 'Jeez, no need to be so angry; I was just joking.' Then, addressing the Martial Fusion skill, Nero continued, "You guys shouldn't have used the Martial Fusion skill against me." The third-grade students looked puzzled, while the first and second-grade students sighed, recalling Nero's previous match against both classes combined.
A blue halo enveloped the entire arena as Nero snapped his fingers. "Snap" the Martial Fusion skill of the third-grade team vanished, revealing the trio who now stared at Nero with fear in their eyes.
A pin-drop silence enveloped the arena as everyone processed what had just happened.
________________________________
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