The grand arena of Heaven Dou burned with noise like ocean tide. Tens of thousands crowded tiered seats, nobles waving banners, commoners shrieking cheers. At center spread the colossal battle platform, wide as twenty courtyards, stone polished smooth to echo steps of genius.
Shrek Academy's name was barely whispered, still mocked as ragged outsiders. But when their team marched onto platform, eyes widened slightly. They looked small in numbers but firm in stride. Dai Mubai bore white tiger aura sharp, Tang San calm precise, Rongrong's pagoda lifted, Oscar nervous but steady, Hongjun smirking flames. And among them, pale Leng Xue walked quietly, robe plain, eyes calm as snow.
Sneers echoed—"Who's that skeleton boy? Can he even fight?"
The first opponent was Ironblood Academy, known for brute force students wielding steel Martial Spirits. Their bodies glinted like armored beasts when spirit rings flared.
The horn blared. Almost instantly, Ironblood charged brute formation. Mubai clashed front, Hongjun spat flames, Tang San laid vines wide. But Ironblood were relentless, rushing direct.
At decisive moment, Leng Xue stepped calmly forward. Frost Veil spread instantly across ground, air plunging to chill. Ironblood's charge faltered; boots slipped fraction, rhythm breaking. Before they regained pace, his third ring surged—Glacial Barrier rose massive across center line. Ironblood smashed into it, sound crashing like boulder, but barrier held. Team gasped in relief.
Tang San's vines shot through cracks around wall, binding slowed rivals. Mubai lunged flanks, Hongjun roasted netted foes. Within breaths, Ironblood collapsed—not because they lacked strength, but because pace broken by frost.
Silence lingered before crowd erupted surprise. "Who's that frost?!" "He built wall before them!" Nobles muttered in shock—he had been dismissed as frail. Now entire match pivoted on his standing calmly behind barrier.
Shrek won first round in glory. Mubai roared, Tang San bowed polite, Hongjun cheered—but crowd eyes dragged toward quiet Leng Xue, standing pale, mist fading, as if he had done nothing. He only whispered within: Frost does not gloat, but frost builds victory.
Eternal Tome glowed: First Continental Victory Achieved. Frost Doctrine Witnessed by tens of thousands.