When he heard the suggestion, Xie Xie instinctively pointed a finger at his own chest, then at Gu Yue, Tang Wulin, and Xu Xiaoyan standing next to him.
He could not help but raise his voice to double-check if he heard correctly. He asked if Yuhao really meant the few of them were going to do this.
Huo Yuhao looked over at them with a very calm expression, his voice sounding flat and indifferent. He told them there was no one else there besides them to do it.
Xie Xie was left without anything to say. Even though he had been talking a lot of trash earlier, he had seen the Shrek team's power with his own eyes. He had to admit that they were truly a strong group of rivals.
Their perfect teamwork and the way they fought far beyond their actual ranks made him feel a heavy weight of pressure.
In their own group, he felt that maybe only Gu Yue and Huo Yuhao were actually good enough to stand a chance against people like that.
As for himself, Xie Xie was very self-aware about his own limits. He knew that facing a team of that high quality meant he probably would not be very helpful if he went up to fight.
Teacher Wu Changkong did not give an answer to Huo Yuhao's sudden request right away.
Instead, his icy blue eyes seemed to grow even darker and deeper, as if he were thinking about the whole situation very seriously.
A moment later, Wu Changkong finally looked up and put his focus back on Huo Yuhao. His voice was completely empty of any emotion. He asked Yuhao exactly how he wanted to handle the fight.
Huo Yuhao did not have to stop to think because he already had a plan. He answered without any hesitation that he wanted it to be just like the exhibition match they had just watched.
His eyes looked over the large arena that had been built in the center of the stadium. He said he wanted to have a five-person team battle against them right there on that field.
Wu Changkong thought for another moment, but in the end, he slowly shook his head to say no.
He told them that if it were just a private practice match or a duel they set up on their own, he might be able to use his relationship with Shen Yi to make it happen.
He used a steady voice to explain the reality of the situation. He said that having a public fight right here on the official grounds of the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition was likely impossible.
He pointed toward the huge, formal stadium buildings and the many staff members who were still walking around finishing their work.
He explained that this was the official venue used by the Alliance for the entire competition. Every single part of the schedule, the timing, and the use of the field was strictly planned and controlled by the organizers.
He added that adding a new match at the last minute would be too hard. Since it involved a special guest team like Shrek Academy, it wasn't something they could just do simply because both sides wanted to fight.
When he heard this, a small flash of understanding appeared in Huo Yuhao's eyes. He had found the specific problem that was standing in his way.
He nodded his head and did not try to argue or push the point anymore. It looked as if the idea had just been a random thought that he had now completely moved on from.
The excitement from the exhibition match eventually started to fade away, and the opening ceremony finally came to an end.
The teachers from the different schools started leading their teams away in an organized line. They were all heading back to their hotels to rest so they would be ready for the official start of the competition tomorrow.
Late at night, a cool sea breeze that smelled like salt blew against the windows of the hotel.
Not long after they finished eating dinner, the other four members of Class Zero were called to meet in Huo Yuhao's hotel room.
The room was not very big, so the five of them being in there at once made the space feel a bit tight. Despite the small space, the mood in the room became strangely serious.
Gu Yue's calm, dark eyes looked at Huo Yuhao's steady and determined face. She then looked at the others who had been called there, and she already knew what was happening in her mind.
She was the first one to speak up, her voice sounding cool and collected. She asked if he still hadn't given up and if he truly still wanted to fight against Shrek Academy.
As the others looked at him with faces full of confusion and curiosity, Huo Yuhao slowly nodded his head.
In his mind, he and Shrek Academy were already like old enemies who had met many times before.
He remembered the rude and bossy Shrek teachers and students he met in Ten Thousand Stars City who didn't care about the rules of the Spirit Pagoda at all.
He thought of Fan Yu, the man he met in the spirit tool shop in Shrek City ten thousand years ago, who tried to bully him just because he was an eight-ring Soul Engineer.
And then there was today, with that arrogant and mean girl named Ye Xinglan who thought she was better than everyone.
Every memory Huo Yuhao had of Shrek was always linked to things like being a bully, picking on the weak, and acting like they were above the world.
The feelings of anger and the times he felt insulted were starting to pile up in his heart like small pieces of sand.
Today, the way Ye Xinglan acted—pretending to be fair while actually being totally unfair—was the final straw that broke his patience.
He was tired of feeling like he was being treated wrongly by these people.
He wanted to hit back and give the arrogant face of Shrek Academy a very hard slap to show them they weren't untouchable.
That was exactly why he had asked Teacher Wu to set up a fair, public duel at the competition site.
Huo Yuhao looked at the classmates he spent every single day with. He asked them if they didn't think Shrek's behavior today was too much and if they didn't want a chance to let out their anger.
To his surprise, Xu Xiaoyan was the very first one to agree. She shouted that they definitely did, and her small face was full of anger.
But when everyone started looking at her, she got a little shy. Her voice got much quieter, and she looked away from their eyes.
She whispered that they were just too weak to do anything about it.
She said that in a team battle, she was worried she wouldn't be able to help at all. She was scared that she would just be the one holding the rest of them back.
She asked if it wouldn't be better if Yuhao just fought them by himself in a one-on-one match instead.
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie did not say anything, but they both nodded their heads. A look of regret and sadness showed in their eyes.
It was clear that they agreed with what she said. They both felt like they would just be a burden to the team if they tried to fight such strong opponents.
When he saw that they were losing their confidence, a very sure and strong smile appeared on Huo Yuhao's face.
He asked them who told them they wouldn't be able to help.
His words made everyone stop moving, and they all turned their heads to look at him at the exact same time.
He told them that as long as they worked together, used the right plan, and let everyone use their best skills, they would be fine.
He promised them that every single person would have their own chance to shine in the middle of the match.
He leaned forward a little bit and lowered his voice to a whisper. He told them to listen closely to what he had in mind for the plan.
After they heard the way Huo Yuhao wanted to handle the battle and his ideas for the tactics, everyone's eyes started to glow. Their doubt was gone, and they were suddenly very excited to start.
Yuhao's plan was not just a dream. It was based on a very deep study of their spirits, how much they could do, and how well they worked together as a group.
The plan was very smart, with every part connecting to the next. It made every single person feel like they had a very important job to do.
This meant that if they actually got to have the duel, it wouldn't just be Yuhao winning on his own. It would be a victory for the whole team because all five members of Class Zero worked together.
Xie Xie could not sit still anymore. He slapped his own leg and tried to look very serious as if he were doing his duty, but the look in his eyes showed how happy he was.
He said they should just go for it. He said that after hearing what Yuhao had to say, he felt like they had to fight this match or they would never get over their frustration.
Tang Wulin also looked very ready to fight, but he quickly remembered the main problem. He reminded them that Teacher Wu said a public match on the official field was almost impossible because the organizers wouldn't allow it.
Huo Yuhao just gave them a mysterious smile. He told them that where there is a will, there is always a way to make things happen. He said that while rules are hard, people can be changed.
He looked at his friends and told them that if they all agreed and wanted to work for this chance together, he would handle the rest tomorrow.
Xu Xiaoyan answered almost instantly while shaking her small fist in the air. She said she agreed and that she had hated those Shrek people for a long time.
Xie Xie and Tang Wulin looked at each other and then spoke at the same time to say they agreed too.
Finally, every person in the room looked over at Gu Yue to see what she would say.
She did not say anything right away. Instead, she looked into Huo Yuhao's eyes, and a strange kind of power seemed to move deep inside her own dark eyes.
A moment later, she spoke in a very soft voice. She told Yuhao to just go ahead and do whatever he needed to do.
She promised him that no matter what happened or how things went, she would always be there to support him.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion