"The first match of the second round of the preliminaries officially begins!"
With the referee's command, dazzling spirit rings permeated the air. The seven members of the Elephant Armored Academy roared in unison as seven massive, yellow light projections soared into the sky. Phantoms of Diamond Mammoths, each slightly different but all resembling primeval beasts, enveloped the seven giants. Thick, diamond-like cuticles covered their entire bodies, shimmering with a hard, impenetrable luster. Huyan Li's phantom was the most solid and thick, radiating an explosive power that sent a heavy sense of oppression across the entire Spirit Arena.
On Shrek's side, Oscar immediately began chanting his incantation. "I've got a Mushroom Sausage!" Six Flying Mushroom Sausages were quickly made and distributed to Ye Yin, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Ma Hongjun.
Ye Yin, however, did not consume his immediately. Instead, a light flashed in his eyes. "According to the plan, begin!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! As soon as his voice fell, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan shot out like arrows from a bow. Two white lights from Ye Yin landed on Jing Ling and Huang Yuan, amplifying their defense and agility. Then, Ye Yin's fifth spirit ring flashed. He used his Lucky Duplicate ability, copying the agility amplification and instantly splitting it among the entire team.
They did not charge the enemy's main formation. Instead, like four ghostly streaks of light, they used their incredible speed to swiftly circle the massive seven-member group. Xiao Wu's figure was the most agile. She appeared beside an Elephant Armored member as if by teleportation, her massive jade pestle whistling through the air as she smashed it fiercely towards the opponent's weaker knee joint.
"Bang!" A dull thud echoed, but the diamond cuticle on the member's body remained completely still. The immense recoil, however, made Xiao Wu's arm go slightly numb.
"Hmph! Is that supposed to be a tickle?" the Elephant Armored member snorted disdainfully, casually swatting at Xiao Wu with a palm that created a terrifying sonic boom. But Xiao Wu had already used the force of the impact to execute a nimble flip, lightly dodging and reappearing in another direction.
At the same time, Zhuqing's figure moved like a true Hell Civet, leaving afterimages in her wake. Her sharp claws gleamed with a cold light as she targeted the enemy's ankles and joints. Although she couldn't break through their defense, the sharp scratching sounds and occasional attacks aimed at their eyelids forced the giants to divert their attention, making them incredibly annoyed. "Damn stinky cat! Get lost!"
Jing Ling and Huang Yuan were like two gray whirlwinds, their bone claws and wolf claws constantly striking at the Elephant Armored members' waists, armpits, and other difficult-to-defend areas. Their attacks also failed to cause any real damage, but their high frequency and tricky angles were like countless annoying flies buzzing around.
"If you've got guts, fight us head-on!" the giants roared in anger. "Why are you hiding?! You cowards! I'll crush you all!" They waved their large, fan-like hands, trying to catch the slippery "fleas," but the four Shrek members were simply too fast. They cooperated perfectly, striking and retreating instantly, never lingering in one place.
For a time, a comical scene unfolded on the stage. Seven massive, incredibly defensive giants roared continuously as they clumsily chased and swatted at four "little flying insects" that flitted around them, but they couldn't even touch the hem of their clothes. The constant "clink-clank" of claws on diamond skin and the furious roars of the Elephant Armored members echoed through the arena.
Bursts of laughter erupted from the audience. "Hahaha, the Elephant Armored Academy is being played for fools!" "All that strength with nowhere to use it!"
Huyan Li's expression grew increasingly grim. As the captain, he wasn't the main target, but watching his teammates being so thoroughly toyed with made his anger boil over. This feeling of frustration was even worse than losing a head-on fight.
"Enough!" Huyan Li let out a thunderous roar. "Seven-in-one! Immovable as a mountain! Crush them for me!"
Following his command, the seven giants quickly abandoned their futile chase. With Huyan Li at the center, they stood shoulder to shoulder, forming an incredibly thick, moving wall of flesh. They took large strides in unison, advancing like seven parallel road rollers with a terrifying momentum that seemed capable of crushing anything in their path. Ignoring the harassing attacks from Xiao Wu and the others, they rumbled towards Yin Ge, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun at the back of Shrek's formation.
The Spirit Arena vibrated violently under their heavy footsteps. The overwhelming sense of oppression even quieted the audience.
"Here it comes! The Elephant Armored Academy's signature pushing tactic!"
"This momentum is terrifying! How will Shrek stop it?"
Facing the crushing wall of flesh, Yin Ge, who had been observing with a slight smile, finally spoke, his voice calm. "Prepare for takeoff."
Ma Hongjun, who had been accumulating power beside him, had a glint in his eyes. Oscar quickly passed out the remaining Flying Mushroom Sausages. Without a moment's hesitation, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Jing Ling, and Huang Yuan swallowed them. With a soft "poof," a pair of illusory, transparent wings grew from each of their backs, and the four of them instantly shot up into the air.
Yin Ge and Ma Hongjun also consumed their sausages and flew up. In an instant, all seven members of the Shrek team had left the ground.
The Elephant Armored Academy's unstoppable advance suddenly lost its target. They rumbled to where Shrek had been standing, only to find nothing. The seven giants looked up, their faces filled with shock and frustration as they watched the Shrek members flapping their wings in the air. Huyan Li was so angry that veins pulsed on his forehead. The momentum he had so painstakingly built up had been like punching a ball of cotton.
Just then, Ma Hongjun let out a long howl from the air. "Phoenix Flame! Phoenix of Lust! Blazing Phoenix! Burn for me, fatty!"
His three spirit rings, all of which amplified his flame power, shone simultaneously. Bathed in scorching flames, Ma Hongjun looked like a small sun. He opened his mouth, and a highly condensed, terrifyingly hot purplish-red line of fire, like a laser cannon, swept horizontally towards the slow-moving group of seven giants below.
Sizzle!!!
The flames fiercely scorched the diamond cuticles on the Elephant Armored members' bodies, emitting a grating sound that made one's teeth ache.
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