Head Soul Bone!
The Soul Bone Skill activated! Huyan Li's aura instantly surged violently! His strength, defense, and Soul Power all doubled in an instant! His previously weakened state due to injuries and backlash now became exceptionally fierce and powerful! The Diamond Keratin Layer on his skin surface grew thicker and more dazzling, his eyes completely filled with a yellow glow!
"Power! Boundless power!" Feeling the terrifying energy surging within him, Huyan Li's confidence instantly returned. He stared intently at Marco, "Force out your true strength! Let me see just how powerful you really are!"
"Third Soul Skill, Death Crush!" Amplified by the Head Soul Bone, Huyan Li unleashed his strongest offensive Spirit Ability! His massive body descended with mountain-crushing momentum, all his Soul Power concentrated into a single point, hurtling toward Marco like a meteor! The power of this strike had already surpassed the Soul Ancestor level, even approaching that of a Soul King!
A flicker of surprise finally appeared in Marco's eyes: "Oh? A Head Soul Bone? And an amplification type? Interesting." His initial intention to end the game was temporarily set aside; he wanted to see how much strength this Huyan Li could unleash under the Soul Bone's enhancement.
Facing this overwhelmingly violent Death Crush capable of crushing everything, Marco still didn't release his Martial Soul, but he became slightly more serious. His right fist clenched once more, Armament Haki quietly gathering.
"BOOM——!!!"
Fist collided with the mountain-like body! The resulting explosion far exceeded any previous impact! Terrifying shockwaves erupted from the two combatants, sweeping across the entire Soul Duel Stage! The solid platform surface cracked inch by inch!
Huyan Li felt an even more violent, condensed, and irresistible force crashing back against him! Even with the Head Soul Bone's amplification, his entire skeletal structure seemed to groan in protest. Once again, he was sent staggering backward, each step shattering large sections of the platform. A sweet taste rose in his throat, nearly making him spit blood again! But he managed to steady himself! He had withstood this blow! With the Soul Bone's enhancement, he had barely endured Marco's slightly serious punch!
"I blocked it!" Huyan Li's heart surged with wild joy! Though his entire body screamed with pain, he saw hope!
"Captain, magnificent!" His teammates' spirits soared, regaining their courage as they coordinated with Huyan Li to frantically assault Marco from all directions!
Marco's figure flickered, his fists, feet, elbows, knees... every part of his body transforming into deadly weapons. He no longer relied solely on brute force, instead sometimes blocking, sometimes evading, sometimes using clever techniques to neutralize attacks, as if testing the limits of Huyan Li's Soul Bone enhancement and their coordination patterns.
"Bam!" A punch repelled a sneak attacker from the left.
"Slash!" A hand chop dispersed a Spirit Ability from the right.
"Thud!" A shoulder check sent a teammate lunging from behind stumbling backward.
His movements remained effortless, as if Huyan Li's frenzied attacks under the Soul Bone enhancement posed no real threat to him. In the VIP seats, Hu Yan Zhen, who had just caught his breath, felt his heart sink again at the sight. Bishop Salas maintained a calm expression, but his flickering eyes hinted at some unknown observations. Bone Douluo Gu Rong clicked his tongue in amazement, "Old Rhinoceros's kid has a decent Soul Bone, but what a pity... his opponent is far too monstrous." Emperor Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi watched with intense focus, attempting to discern the true nature of Marco's power. Li Zhaoyan's eyes held satisfaction and a trace of curiosity—he too wanted to see how his son would handle an opponent enhanced by a Soul Bone.
The members of various teams below the stage were already stunned into silence. The Shrek Seven Devils wore expressions of extreme gravity. Tang San, with his Purple Demon Eyes operating at their peak, murmured, "Soul Bone enhancement... his power approaches that of a Soul King... yet he... still hasn't used his Martial Soul..." Dai Mubai swallowed hard, muttering, "Monster..." Members of other academies were equally horrified, elevating Marco's threat level to the highest in their minds.
After testing for a while, Marco seemed to lose patience.
"Soul Bone enhancement—this is all it amounts to. Testing complete," he remarked indifferently.
Before his words faded, his speed abruptly surged! No longer leisurely, he transformed into a blurry black shadow!
Thump! A side kick sent one teammate flying off the stage like a ball!
Smack! A hand chop struck another teammate's neck, dropping him unconscious without a sound!
Thud! An elbow strike—another one down!
In the blink of an eye, all six teammates were cleanly and efficiently dealt with! Only Huyan Li, empowered by his Soul Bone and eyes blazing red, remained!
Huyan Li roared and charged again! Activating Death Pressure Kill at full force, his massive frame descended with devastating momentum!
This time, Marco didn't meet him head-on. With a slight sway, he evaded the crushing assault like a phantom, reappearing at Huyan Li's side. Then, under Huyan Li's horrified gaze, he lifted his leg and delivered a seemingly casual yet lightning-fast whip kick to Huyan Li's flank!
BOOM!!!
A dull impact echoed! The Diamond Keratin Layer covering Huyan Li's body instantly cracked all over! An indescribable force slammed into him, making his organs feel as if they had shifted! His enormous frame lifted uncontrollably from the ground, arcing through the air before crashing heavily off the Soul Duel Stage, kicking up a cloud of dust!
After landing, Huyan Li struggled briefly but failed to rise, his head lolling to the side as he fell unconscious. The glow of his head Soul Bone rapidly dimmed.
Marco stood at the center of the Soul Duel Stage, surrounded by roaring cheers and shouts. Countless spectators rose to their feet, chanting his name with fervor, the sound waves nearly shaking the dome of the Great Spirit Arena. Yet, at the eye of the storm, his expression remained placid, as if the earth-shattering victory and adulation meant nothing to him. His gaze swept indifferently over the seven Elephant Armor Academy members lying scattered and unconscious below the stage before he turned and descended from the platform with composed steps, under the watchful eyes of countless fervent, reverent, and fearful onlookers. Against the backdrop of the seething crowd, his silhouette appeared exceptionally tall and solitary.
The moment he left the arena, the rest areas of the major teams erupted into chaos. Whispers swiftly escalated into unrestrained exclamations and heated discussions.
"Is... is this really someone our age?" Feng Xiaotian stared in the direction Marco had departed, his usual carefree demeanor completely gone, replaced only by deep astonishment.
Huo Wu's pretty face turned pale as she murmured, "He could withstand the Death Pressure Kill enhanced by a Soul Bone and still win so easily... just how strong is he?"
Shui Bing'er's eyes were filled with gravity and a trace of helplessness: "Facing such an opponent, do we really stand a chance?"
The elites from other academies exchanged pale glances, their hearts shrouded in a thick shadow. The power Marco had displayed had already exceeded their understanding of the word "genius" - it was a despairing, bottomless kind of strength.
In the Shrek Academy area, the atmosphere was even more oppressive to the extreme. Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang stood rigidly in place, cracks rarely seen appearing on his usually expressionless face, his eyes filled with disbelief and the confusion of having his theories overturned. He repeatedly whispered: "Impossible... how can this be... without releasing his Martial Soul, relying only on his physical body and some unknown power, he crushed a Soul Ancestor enhanced by a Soul Bone... this completely defies the principles of the Soul Master system..." His lifelong research into Martial Soul theory seemed pale and powerless in the face of Marco's unbelievable performance.
Dean Flender adjusted his crooked glasses, his mouth bitter. Zhao Wuji scratched his bald head and inhaled sharply: "This kid... is way more fierce than I was back in the day, what a monster!"
The Shrek Seven Devils' morale hit rock bottom. Dai Mubai clenched his fists, his tiger-like eyes filled with unwillingness and frustration. Tang San frowned deeply, light flickering in his Purple Demon Eyes as if frantically calculating and analyzing, but ultimately it turned into a helpless sigh. Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar all remained silent. The joy from their previous victory over the Blazing Glory Academy had completely vanished, replaced by tremendous pressure and confusion about the future.
"Is... this really the opponent we'll face later?" Oscar asked hoarsely, his voice dry. An invisible, suffocating pressure enveloped the seven of them.
"All of you, pull yourselves together!" A sharp shout exploded like thunder! Liu Erlong suddenly stood up, her fiery temper instantly erupting, powerful Soul Power fluctuations sweeping through the surroundings. She glared at the dejected students, "Look at what you've become! The competition hasn't even started and you've already lost your spirit? You're scared because the opponent is strong? Then go back to planting fields in Suotuo City! If you want to become strong but don't even have the courage to face powerful enemies, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes!"
Her furious scolding was like cold water being poured over their heads, making the Shrek Seven Devils tremble and suddenly lift their heads.
Liu Erlong's sharp gaze swept across each young face: "He has his path, you have yours! The tournament isn't over yet, who will win is still unknown! Now, all of you get back to training! If you want to win, show me the determination to fight with your lives on the line!"
Amid Liu Erlong's roaring, the Shrek members finally awoke from their low spirits, flames reigniting in their eyes. Although the road ahead was difficult, at the very least, they could no longer be intimidated before the battle even began.
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