Once a fleet gained a food-type soul master at the Titled Douluo level, it could even be called an Immortal Fleet—an Eternal Fleet!
Because of this, the Eastern Sea Fleet placed great importance on Xu Lizhi, a food-type soul master with exceptional potential.
Compared to Xu Lizhi, Ye Xinglan's path was entirely different. As a Soul Emperor with six rings, in another legion, she could've easily started as a Major. But that wasn't the case in the Eastern Sea Fleet. Their standards were strict, and they were overflowing with powerhouses. Pure strength wasn't enough—you also had to demonstrate actual combat ability, and the two weren't the same. Many soul masters from academic backgrounds found themselves unable to unleash even a fraction of their strength after joining the army.
As such, the Eastern Sea Legion had a clear regulation: the highest military rank for a combat-type soul master upon joining was Captain. Thus, when Ye Xinglan joined, she started as a Captain.
The Eastern Sea Legion revered personal strength. Competitions were common within the legion. Ye Xinglan, with her overwhelming strength, swiftly dominated the Eastern Sea Region's Star Battle Network competitions, winning multiple championships and catching the attention of higher-ups.
She was a breathtaking beauty, yet also a warrior of terrifying power. Her presence naturally attracted more attention from the legion's leadership.
Not long ago, she had used her unstoppable sword intent to defeat a Soul Douluo-level Two-Word Battle Armor Master. Though she had sustained heavy injuries herself, she still fought with a do-or-die resolve and overwhelmed her opponent with the ferocity of her sword intent. That Colonel-rank Soul Douluo hesitated in the face of her ferocious final strike and lost.
With that victory, Ye Xinglan became the Eastern Sea Legion's sole remaining representative in the individual tournament's top sixteen. The legion's leadership had promised her that if she reached the top eight, she would be promoted to Colonel. If she won the championship, she'd be promoted directly to Senior Colonel.
…
The finals had begun.
Nearly every soul device screen was broadcasting the Star Battle Network's All-Federation Challenge Tournament. Countless people sat in front of their screens, waiting for the next match to start.
There was no age restriction for participants—only a limit that no one could be above the Three-Word Battle Armor level. Rumor had it that in the future, even the most elite soul masters would be allowed to participate as the Star Battle Network continued to develop.
It had to be said: this tournament had successfully launched the Star Battle Network across the entire Federation.
All sixteen finalists were identified only by numbers. Each had betting odds, and anyone could place bets and guess who would become champion.
Based on performance in the previous rounds, the odds were constantly shifting. But this only raised the excitement to new heights. The betting alone brought massive profit to the Federation.
Number Thirty-Three: odds four to one. Ranked second overall.
Gu You walked confidently toward the battlefield.
Exclamations of awe echoed all around him, but due to system settings, no one could get within three meters of him. As he moved forward, the crowd naturally parted to make way.
"Honored contestant Thirty-Three, please come with me." At the venue entrance, rather than being directly transported into the arena as usual, a beautiful staff member stepped forward and gestured politely for him to follow.
From what Gu You knew about the Star Battle Network, everyone here was a real person accessing the system through a Star Battle pod.
He followed the staff member to a private room. The interior was luxuriously furnished and very comfortable.
"This is your exclusive rest area. When it's time for your match, I'll return to guide you to the battlefield. If you need anything, just let me know."
"All right."
The woman exited quietly, leaving the room for him. It was stocked with elegant snacks, fruits, and drinks. There was a bed and a meditation cushion—every detail was thoughtfully arranged.
Today marked the first round of the finals: sixteen contestants vying for the top eight. Each round was an elimination match, and everyone only got one chance. The draw results wouldn't be announced until the match began, so no one knew who they would face in advance.
'Doesn't matter who I go up against,' Gu You thought. 'I'm going to win.'
This year's tournament was technically Federation-wide, but Gu You had already noticed that most of the competitors came from military backgrounds. That made sense. The Star Battle pods were still too expensive, and few civilians could afford them. That limited who could even participate.
Once that problem was solved, the Star Battle Network's growth would skyrocket. Technology could accumulate over time, but popularity had to be ignited quickly. In the near future, the Douluo Federation would likely far surpass the Star Luo and Dou Ling Empires. Those older regimes might collapse without a fight.
Before long, there was a light knock at the door. The same staff member returned.
"Honored contestant Thirty-Three, your match is about to begin. To ensure fairness, this round of elimination matches will begin simultaneously. Your opponent is Number One Hundred Forty-Two."
Gu You stood. "Let's go."
"Please follow me." She led the way ahead of him.
This time, there was no teleportation. He followed her down a long corridor until they arrived at the battlefield. Even before entering the arena, Gu You could hear the deafening roar of the crowd.
"Honored contestant Thirty-Three, in order to simulate a real combat experience, crowd noise will not be filtered out today. Please prepare yourself."
She stopped at the arena entrance.
Gu You nodded. 'Won't make a difference to me.'
As he stepped into the battlefield, his opponent was also entering from the opposite side.
A beam of light descended from the sky—it revealed an old man.
The old man announced solemnly, "To ensure fairness and justice in the final stage, I will serve as the referee for this match alongside the system. After my signal, the match may begin. There are no restrictions. The objective is to defeat your opponent."
"Prepare!" The old man raised his right hand high.
Gu You stared at his opponent. If he remembered correctly, this one wasn't particularly strong—but was tricky to handle.
Number One Hundred Forty-Two: Martial Soul—Ghost. Possessed powerful defense against both physical and energy attacks. Weakness: vulnerable to light and holy-type energy.
…
"Number Thirty-Three, the Purple-Gold King, versus Number One Hundred Forty-Two, the Ghost King. Honestly, this isn't a matchup I expected…"
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, There is 2 Chapters Ahead of Release for Free Memebers on my Patreon.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.