The Shrek Seven Devils spotted their opponents at a glance. Though the battle had yet to begin, the savage, murderous aura radiating from the other team was already bearing down on them.
The Shrek Seven Devils didn't know the exact number of members in the Fiendish God Battle Team, but the seven who had stepped onto the platform were clearly their strongest—and they matched the seven individuals listed in the intelligence they had received.
Their captain: Meng Li, the Berserk Giant Bear Soul Master. The remaining six were all Battle Soul Masters. This Fiendish team was composed entirely of assault-type Battle Soul Masters. That was precisely why their offensive power was so terrifying.
As a pure assault-type squad, their strengths and weaknesses were both glaringly obvious. Their advantage lay in explosive burst damage that was nothing short of monstrous. As for their weakness—well, that was equally straightforward. With no support-type, control-type, or agility-attack-type Soul Masters among them, their sustained combat ability was severely lacking.
All seven members of the Fiendish God Battle Team appeared to be men around thirty years of age. Each one was tall and powerfully built, with bloodthirsty glints in their eyes. As they strode toward the center of the dueling platform, they cracked their knuckles, producing sharp, teeth-grinding pops.
If aura alone were the measure, this team was the most formidable the Shrek Seven Devils had ever faced. The aura of carnage emanating from the seven members of the Fiendish God Battle Team was something the Imperial Battle Team could not even begin to compare with. This was the kind of presence that could only be forged through constant killing. And looking at the bloodthirsty gleam in their eyes, one could almost smell the metallic tang of blood on them.
Due to the unique composition of their team, the Fiendish God Battle Team's formation was also markedly different from other squads. The seven of them stood in a single tight line, arranged in a dense formation. At the announcer's signal, they simultaneously released their Martial Souls.
Because they were all assault-type Soul Masters, these seven ferocious individuals with beast-type Martial Souls almost physically swelled as their Martial Souls manifested. In that moment, it was as though a gaping, blood-soaked maw capable of devouring everything had risen up around them.
The Fiendish God Battle Team had earned such infamy among Soul Masters for good reason—it was no empty reputation.
Perhaps sensing the savage aura emanating from the opposing team, the spectators hidden in the VIP stands had already begun erupting in waves of frenzied cheers, the sound booming through the arena's specialized amplifiers.
"Tear them apart… Kill them…"
The countless jeers and cries only inflamed the Fiendish God Battle Team's murderous fervor even further.
Amid the heated atmosphere, the spectators failed to notice that the Shrek Seven Devils—who were fully equipped across every role type—had likewise assumed an unusual formation. Just like the Fiendish God Battle Team opposite them, they stood in a single line and simultaneously released their Martial Souls.
Oscar lowered his voice and asked Dai Mubai, "Boss Dai, if they really charge us—with Rongrong's Soul Skill boosting you, can you hold them off?"
Dai Mubai answered without a moment's hesitation. "No."
"Uh…"
"Uh my head—are you really that lacking in confidence in Xiao San's treasures?" Xiao Wu said irritably.
Oscar chuckled sheepishly. "It's not that I don't have confidence, it's just—well, what if the worst happens? A fine young man like me—handsome, dashing, suave, a veritable paragon of grace and—"
"All right, everyone, get ready." Tang San's voice cut neatly through Oscar's rambling. In unison, the Shrek Seven Devils flipped their wrists and pulled out, from their Soul Guides or from inside their clothing, a black box roughly a foot long that looked utterly unremarkable. One end of each box was pointed quietly toward their opponents.
Perhaps it was because the Fiendish God Battle Team had committed so many atrocities that the roaring chants from all around drove their savage nature into a frenzy. Each of them was beating his chest and bellowing at the sky, showing off his Soul Rings to the audience. They paid no attention whatsoever to the subtle movements in the Shrek Seven Devils' hands.
The Grand Soul Duel Arena did not prohibit the use of weapons. Generally speaking, though, weapons were nothing but a burden for Soul Masters, so very few ever used them.
The Great Master, Flandre, and the others were watching the developments from inside a private VIP box. Flandre's Martial Soul was the Owl Cat, and despite wearing glasses, his eyesight was actually the keenest of all. Every subtle motion as Tang San and the others drew their Zhuge Divine Crossbows was captured in his field of vision.
Flandre was somewhat anxious about this duel and couldn't help but turn to the Great Master beside him. "Xiao Gang, are Tang San's Hidden Weapons really capable of killing these forty-level Soul Masters? They're all assault types—their defensive capabilities among all Soul Master classes are second only to the defense-type specialists. Even their Soul Skills can't block Tang San's Hidden Weapons?"
The Great Master replied coolly, "They can block them."
"What did you say?" Flandre's eyes went wide as he stared at the Great Master. Even his usual composure cracked, revealing a flash of alarm.