Soul Land: Raiden Shogun Is My Martial Soul

Chapter 210: After All, It's the Opening Ceremony—The Audience Paid for Tickets!

"?"

The second squad's captain agreed so readily that Tang San felt a bit uneasy. He glanced at the captain with some doubt but didn't notice anything unusual.

Meanwhile, the second squad's supervising instructor wore a bitter smile. The Royal Battle Second Squad was strong—so long as they didn't encounter one of the Five Element Academies, they were almost guaranteed to win, even without Tang San.

But luck wasn't on their side—they drew Blazing Fire Academy, one of the Five Element Academies.

The expressions of the three education committee members, Emperor Xue Ye, and others shifted, and they cast suspicious glances at Salas.

Could this guy have deliberately set up Heaven Dou's second squad to fail?

In this case, however, Salas was truly innocent. He hadn't rigged anything!

It was pure luck—or misfortune—that the draw paired Blazing Fire Academy against Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

Even in the original storyline, Salas had no intention of targeting either Heaven Dou Imperial Academy or Shrek Academy.

If he had been targeting Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, why wouldn't he have matched them against a stronger team from the Five Element Academies to outright crush their second squad?

As for Shrek Academy, the idea was even more ridiculous. Why would a prestigious Platinum Bishop target an obscure, unheard-of academy?

In fact, given the original storyline's draw, one might even argue that the pairing was advantageous to Heaven Dou's second squad—if not for Tang San's "special advantages."

"I swear on the honor of Spirit Hall that this draw is absolutely fair!" Salas declared solemnly.

Having made his statement, Salas returned to his seat, unconcerned about whether the crowd believed him. He sat to Emperor Xue Ye's immediate right, a position of high status, equal to that of Ning Fengzhi, despite being merely a Platinum Bishop.

Hearing this, the murmurs of doubt among the audience quieted considerably. Salas had sworn on Spirit Hall's honor—how could he have cheated?

In the world of Douluo Continent, oaths were taken seriously, especially by high-level Spirit Masters. The stronger the Spirit Master, the more binding an oath seemed to be.

Breaking an oath carried grave consequences: at best, cultivation setbacks and difficulties breaking through; at worst, death, spirit shattering, or mental demons.

"I can't believe our first-round match is against Heaven Dou's second squad. Haha…"

The members of the Blazing Fire Team burst into laughter. To most advanced spirit academies, the Royal Battle Second Squad was formidable. But to Blazing Fire Academy, they posed no threat.

The only team that could truly challenge and potentially defeat Blazing Fire Academy—the Royal Battle First Squad—wouldn't cross paths with them until the finals.

"Don't get overconfident. It's still Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, after all," said the Blazing Fire Team's coach with a smile. It was clear he also didn't take the second squad seriously, but he made sure to say the right things, granting Heaven Dou Imperial Academy some face.

"Yes!"

Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and the others replied enthusiastically, though it was evident they didn't view the second squad as a real opponent.

As they saw it, the second squad was nothing more than a group of pampered noble kids. What real combat ability could they possibly have?

"Try to make the match last a bit longer. After all, it's the opening ceremony, and the audience paid for their tickets!"

"Hahaha…"

Even the hot-tempered students of Blazing Fire Academy knew better than to embarrass their opponent completely during the opening ceremony. Winning was fine, but they'd still leave their opponents with some dignity.

After all, most spirit academies relied on imperial funding for subsidies. Offending a major academy like Heaven Dou could have long-term repercussions if grudges were held.

The players' lounge was spacious, but Blazing Fire Academy's resting area wasn't far from where the Royal Battle Second Squad was seated.

Though the second squad members were angry upon overhearing these remarks, they had no choice but to hold their tongues. Blazing Fire Academy's words weren't wrong—there was no counterargument when one lacked strength.

However, Tang San's expression grew increasingly strange as he listened.

What Exactly Is This Blazing Fire Academy? How dare they act so "arrogant"?

The Royal Battle Second Squad's captain was relatively short in stature. His girlfriend, the squad's only female Spirit Master, was originally the vice-captain. However, due to Tang San's involvement, she was promoted to an official team member.

Knowing they had little chance of winning this match, the captain naturally wouldn't let his girlfriend take the risk. Instead, he casually replaced her with a substitute member.

"Tang San, I know you don't respect me as captain because your strength has already reached the Spirit Ancestor level, just like mine."

"This match against Blazing Fire Academy is your chance to prove yourself! If you win, I can't give you the captain's position, but I can hand over command of the second squad to you in the future."

The captain's expression didn't change as he spoke.

Tang San's spirit was Blue Silver Grass, a plant-based spirit. Facing the fire-attribute team of Blazing Fire Academy, winning seemed nearly impossible.

In fact, the captain thought his own odds of winning were higher than Tang San's.

Hearing this, Tang San had a nagging feeling that things weren't as straightforward as they seemed, but he couldn't pinpoint why.

Could Blazing Fire Academy be stronger than he thought, for this pampered nobleman to say something like that?

While Blazing Fire Academy ranked last in combat ability among the Elemental Academies, their overall strength was nothing to scoff at.

"Thank you, Captain," Tang San replied calmly.

His opponent might be formidable, but not enough to scare him. He prided himself on his abilities. Even with a supposedly useless spirit like Blue Silver Grass, he believed he was no weaker than anyone else.

The captain's eyes flashed with disdain before he turned away, taking his girlfriend with him. He couldn't be bothered to waste more words on Tang San.

In truth, the captain felt he owed Tang San a bit of gratitude. He had already prepared an excuse for losing this round.

Tang San, eager to prove himself, had insisted on taking over the second squad's command. To maintain harmony within the team, the captain had reluctantly agreed.

But once Tang San was utterly defeated...

The captain shot Tang San a meaningful glance, a cold smile playing on his lips. Tang San would take the blame, and it was entirely self-inflicted. The captain couldn't be faulted for this!

"Kong, who do you think will win between the second squad and the Blazing Fire Team?"

Dugu Yan's question immediately drew attention from many nearby. Everyone turned to the first squad, eager to hear their captain's evaluation of the second squad.

After a moment of thought, Kong replied, "The second squad's overall strength is likely within the top ten of this preliminary competition. While their lineup is simple, their brute force can overcome many strategies..."

Kong hesitated briefly, feeling a bit awkward as he recalled how the second squad had defended the first squad before their arrival. It was a gesture he wasn't entirely accustomed to.

After a pause, he continued, "Apart from the Five Element Academies, I can't think of many teams that could defeat a squad like ours."

"Of course, luck is also part of strength. The second squad's opening match may not be ideal, but who's to say how far they can go in the end?"

After all, Tang San, the originally destined protagonist, was part of the second squad. If they lost this match, who could guarantee he wouldn't suddenly turn the tide?

(End of Chapter)

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