"I… I concede!"
The moment that trembling, despair-filled shout rang out, a scalp-tingling roar swept across the entire Star Luo Plaza.
This time, it was no longer simple cheering—it was a thunderous outcry mixed with shock, disbelief, and unrestrained fanaticism.
"He won? Just like that—it's over?!"
"My heavens! From the referee shouting 'Begin' to the end, has even a minute passed? I don't think it was even thirty seconds!"
"Terrifying! Is this really Liu Yuan? He took down the entire Star Luo Team by himself!"
In the stands, countless spectators waved their flags frantically. Some were so excited that their voices gave out entirely.
Although most people had bought tickets expecting a fierce, evenly matched battle, this kind of overwhelmingly one-sided victory—so visually shocking and utterly unreasonable—was even more effective at stirring humanity's instinctive worship of absolute strength.
Liu Yuan stood calmly at the center of the arena, his expression indifferent, as though he had merely done something trivial.
Yet in the eyes of the audience, his figure seemed to grow endlessly taller, becoming an insurmountable mountain.
…
In another corner of the stands, within the resting area that had belonged to Shrek Academy, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt suffocating.
"Hmph!"
A cold snort filled with anger and unwillingness rang out.
Xuan Zi abruptly rose to his feet. His grease-stained robes fluttered without wind as surging soul power radiated from him. He stared fixedly at the young man on the stage who was basking in the cheers, his clouded eyes bloodshot.
He couldn't keep watching.
He truly couldn't.
As an elder of Sea God's Pavilion, Xuan Zi had witnessed countless moments of Shrek's glory throughout his life. Never had he imagined that one day he would personally witness Shrek's elimination—and then be forced to watch as their greatest rival, the Sun Moon Empire, stepped on the Star Luo Empire and ascended to the summit in such a humiliating fashion.
"Let's go!"
Grinding his teeth, Xuan Zi forced those two words out before turning away and striding toward the exit without sparing anyone a glance.
That slightly hunched back now looked strangely flustered—and lonely.
Yet not everyone left with him.
Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others all wore complicated expressions, but their gazes remained fixed on the youth standing on the stage.
"You won… Liu Yuan. Congratulations."
Bei Bei murmured softly. A bitter smile appeared on his refined face, though beneath it was a sense of relief.
He and Liu Yuan had once been friends back at Shrek.
Though they stood on opposing sides in this tournament, the competition was now over.
Privately, they could still be considered friends.
"Even though we lost this time… I'm really happy for you, Brother Liu," Huo Yuhao said quietly. In his Sea of Consciousness, he sighed to the Heavenly Dream Iceworm. "Brother Heavenly Dream, Big Brother Liu is just too strong. With that kind of speed, even my Spiritual Detection couldn't keep up."
"Tch, of course," the Heavenly Dream Iceworm replied lazily. "That kid's aura is extremely strange. You still have a long way to go before you can catch up."
Behind them, Ma Xiaotao—dressed in crimson—was unusually quiet.
She didn't storm off in anger like Xuan Zi, nor did she sigh like the others.
She simply stood there, her pale pink eyes reflecting Liu Yuan's tall, straight figure.
There was no jealousy. No resentment.
Only the pride and tenacity of a true powerhouse.
"So this is the man who defeated me…"
Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath.
She was a pure Soul Master—she revered strength.
Liu Yuan was younger than her, yet stronger than her. And his strength was open, upright, and overwhelming—so powerful it inspired despair. Losing to someone like that was nothing to be ashamed of.
"Liu Yuan."
She silently repeated his name, her hands slowly clenching. The pain of her nails biting into her palms made her mind even clearer.
"Just wait. You may have won this time—but not forever."
"When I go back, I'll cultivate a hundred times, a thousand times harder! The next time we meet, I'll win it back—fair and square! Absolutely!"
Casting one final look at the youth standing in the radiant light, Ma Xiaotao turned sharply. Her fiery red hair traced a resolute arc through the air as she strode off to catch up with Xuan Zi.
…
On the stage.
"I hereby announce—"
The Chief Referee's voice, trembling with barely restrained excitement, echoed through the amplification soul tool and spread to every corner of Star Luo City.
"The final champion of this All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament is—the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Team!"
Boom!
Salute cannons fired in unison as streamers filled the sky.
The other members of the Sun Moon team could no longer contain their joy, rushing onto the stage like wild horses released from their reins.
Yet when they gathered around Liu Yuan, the atmosphere turned subtly… cheerful in a different way.
"No way, Brother Liu Yuan!"
Xiao Hongchen slapped his thigh exaggeratedly, wearing an aggrieved expression. "Tell me—was that one-versus-seven sweep really necessary? Sure, it was insanely cool! But did you ever consider how we teammates would feel?"
He pointed at his brand-new team uniform, looking utterly resentful. "I just finished charging my soul tool, struck my perfect pose, and even drafted my victory speech! And then what? I didn't even get a chance to appear! I just stood there watching!"
"Exactly, Liu Yuan," Ma Rulong said with a smile, unable to resist teasing him as well. "I was planning to show my skills in the finals. But look at you—you didn't leave us any room to perform at all. Winning the championship like this makes me feel guilty, like I just took a sightseeing trip and picked up a prize along the way."
Meng Hongchen's eyes sparkled as she rushed over, hugging Liu Yuan's arm and giggling. "Brother, stop complaining! This is called real strength! Isn't winning without lifting a finger the best? I'm thrilled!"
Looking at these teammates he had trained and fought alongside day and night, a gentle smile finally appeared on Liu Yuan's usually indifferent face.
"Sorry. I'll definitely leave a few opponents for you next time."
"Get lost! 'Next time' again?" Xiao Hongchen laughed as he lightly punched Liu Yuan's chest. "You always take all the spotlight for yourself!"
Despite his words, the admiration in his eyes was impossible to hide.
As everyone joked around, a somewhat chubby figure suddenly rushed onto the stage at a speed completely mismatched with his body.
It was Jing Hongchen, the Hall Master of Mingde Hall.
At this moment, there was no trace of the normally shrewd and calculating authority figure.
His round face was split by a grin as radiant as a blooming chrysanthemum, his eyes squeezed into narrow slits.
"Good! Good! Excellent!"
Jing Hongchen rushed forward and, without a word, wrapped Liu Yuan in a powerful hug, as if afraid he might disappear.
"Liu Yuan, you were magnificent! You're the hero of the Sun Moon Empire! A true hero!"
His voice trembled with emotion.
No one understood the weight of this championship better than he did.
For thousands of years, the three nations of the Douluo Continent had looked down upon the Sun Moon Empire's soul engineers, while Shrek Academy loomed over them like an immovable mountain.
But today—right at the doorstep of the Star Luo Empire, witnessed by hundreds of thousands—they had won.
And it was a crushing victory.
Releasing Liu Yuan, Jing Hongchen gave his shoulder a firm pat, his eyes slightly moist. "Liu Yuan, thank you. You helped me fulfill this dream—and helped the entire Sun Moon Empire stand tall."
Faced with such heartfelt gratitude, Liu Yuan showed no arrogance.
He looked at the elder who had once recognized his talent, nodded solemnly, and smiled. "Hall Master, you give me too much credit. Since joining the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, you've treated me extremely well."
"Since I've received such treatment, then winning this championship—for you and for the academy—is simply my duty."
"Good! Well said!"
Jing Hongchen was overjoyed. Secretly, he resolved to further improve Liu Yuan's待遇 once they returned. Such a powerful and level-headed genius had to be firmly bound to the Sun Moon war machine.
…
After the celebration came the long-anticipated award ceremony.
As the supreme ruler of the host nation, Emperor Xu Jiawei of Star Luo personally stepped down from the grandstand.
Though he had already adjusted his emotions, his expression was still somewhat stiff.
Especially when he saw the young man who had knocked his sister unconscious and dealt a brutal slap to Star Luo's pride now standing at the center of the podium, basking in thunderous cheers—it felt like swallowing a fly.
Yet regardless of his unwillingness, his royal upbringing demanded that he complete the ceremony.
"Congratulations to you all."
Xu Jiawei approached the Sun Moon team and took the medals and championship rewards from the tray held by the attendant.
He first presented medals to Ma Rulong and the others. Though he wore a smile, it looked strained and bitter no matter how one viewed it.
Finally, he stopped in front of Liu Yuan.
Looking at this youth—far younger than himself, yet possessing terrifying strength—Xu Jiawei took a deep breath and forced a relatively warm smile.
"Captain Liu Yuan, so young and accomplished. You've truly broadened my horizons."
As he spoke politely, Xu Jiawei lifted the heavy, pure-gold championship medal and slowly hung it around Liu Yuan's neck.
"Your Majesty flatters me," Liu Yuan replied, lowering his head slightly. His tone was calm, neither servile nor arrogant.
Standing so close, Xu Jiawei's emotions were complicated.
If only such a genius had been born in Star Luo…
Unfortunately, there were no "ifs."
As the ribbon settled against Liu Yuan's neck and the cool metal touched his chest—
At this very peak of glory.
At the moment when the cheers of the entire stadium reached their absolute climax—
Deep within Liu Yuan's mind, the mechanical voice that had been silent for a long time suddenly rang out like divine music.
[Ding!]
[Detected: Host has successfully won the overall championship of the "All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament"!]
[Mission Evaluation: Perfect Completion!]
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Random Divine-Rank Pokémon Spirit ×1! (Rarity not lower than Mega Rayquaza)]
-------------Author---------------
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