NOVEL NEXT Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Chapter 19: Shadows of Ambition
The evening sun cast long shadows over Soto City, bathing the towering walls of the Grand Soul Arena in a crimson hue. The Shrek Seven Devils' resounding victory in their first match had silenced laughter, replacing it with the uneasy respect that came only from fear.
Grandmaster stood at the edge of the balcony above the preparation rooms, his gaze fixed on the bloodstained arena floor below, though his mind… was far from the present.
This was only the beginning.
---
The Plan
For Grandmaster, watching the Seven Devils fight wasn't entertainment.
It was validation.
Every maneuver, every counter, every seamless shift in formation was living proof that his soul master theories — once dismissed as nonsense — were correct.
"A single soul master's strength is nothing compared to a coordinated team."
That belief had cost him everything… but soon, the entire continent would see.
Shrek Academy, a no-name institution with seven prodigies… would become the catalyst of his resurrection.
"They'll have no choice but to acknowledge me," Grandmaster thought, his lips twitching into a grim smile. "When we crush every academy, when we stand at the pinnacle… the name Grandmaster will no longer be a joke."
He clenched the railing tightly, veins standing out against his pale skin.
The world was cruel to those who dared to challenge its conventions.
He knew that all too well.
---
A Glimpse of the Past
The metallic taste of nostalgia crept up on him.
It had been years… but some memories never faded.
The vast, intimidating halls of Spirit Hall flashed in his mind — towering columns, golden emblems of twin angels, and the cold echo of boots on marble.
It was there that he'd once stood, young, hungry, and brilliant beyond his years.
They'd mocked him too.
The elders of Spirit Hall had dismissed his theories about martial spirits, soul rings, and optimal cultivation paths.
But there had been… one exception.
Bibi Dong.
---
Bibi Dong
She had been his salvation… and his ruin.
The memory of her was vivid, painfully so — dark violet hair cascading over pale shoulders, those piercing, intelligent eyes that seemed to see through him.
They had been young, ambitious, and reckless.
What began as intellectual companionship had quickly become… something more.
A secret, forbidden affair.
She, the rising star of Spirit Hall.
He, the outcast theorist.
They had spent long nights together, discussing soul master techniques, analyzing martial spirit mutations, and compiling forbidden knowledge from the Hall's archives.
And when he had finally pieced together the foundation of his theories — the very same theories that now guided the Shrek Seven Devils — it was Bibi Dong who had believed in him.
Or so he thought.
---
The Betrayal
The bitterness of that memory was still fresh, even after all these years.
When he published his findings, claiming that soul master evolution was not solely dependent on innate martial spirit quality, but on proper cultivation and teamwork, he expected recognition.
Instead…
He was exiled.
Branded a heretic.
And Bibi Dong…
She had stayed behind.
More than that — she had thrived.
Within a few short years, she had risen to Supreme Pontiff of Spirit Hall, her power and influence eclipsing anything he could have imagined.
And worst of all… she had taken the knowledge they built together.
Claimed it.
Published it under Spirit Hall's name.
His life's work, stolen.
---
The Fire That Burns
Grandmaster's grip on the balcony railing tightened until his knuckles went white.
"They called me a fool."
"They took everything from me… and now, they will watch me rise."
The Shrek Seven Devils were not just students to him.
They were his weapon.
A living, breathing testament to the truth of his theories.
He would mold them into champions — not just of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, but of the entire soul master world.
When they stood at the pinnacle, when they crushed Spirit Hall's sponsored teams, when the name "Shrek Academy" echoed across the continent…
Bibi Dong would know.
She would see.
And she would remember what she threw away.
---
A Calculated Risk
"Grandmaster?"
The voice was soft but familiar. Tang San stood behind him, his quiet presence a stark contrast to the storm raging within Grandmaster's heart.
"You're thinking too much again," Tang San observed, as though he could sense the tension.
Grandmaster exhaled slowly, forcing himself back into the present.
"I'm always thinking," he said, his voice carefully neutral.
Tang San didn't press — he never did.
But Grandmaster knew that Tang San's instincts were too sharp.
One day, Grandmaster thought, he'll start asking the right questions… about me.
That day, though, had not yet come.
---
The Long Game
"We need to keep winning," Grandmaster said finally, turning to face Tang San.
"The more victories you accumulate, the higher your reputation grows… and the more powerful opponents you'll attract."
Tang San nodded, his calm eyes unwavering.
"We're ready."
No, Grandmaster thought, studying the boy's determined expression.
Not yet. But you will be.
The training, the battles, the pain — it was all necessary.
He would forge them into a force the soul master world couldn't ignore.
And when they stood victorious at the Continental Tournament…
His name would no longer be spoken with mockery.
It would be feared.
---
The Silent War
As night fell over Soto City, Grandmaster remained at the balcony long after Tang San had gone, the cold wind biting through his thin robes.
He stared at the distant horizon, where Spirit Hall's influence stretched across the continent like a shadow.
They didn't know he was coming.
Not yet.
But when Shrek Academy rose to the top, when the Seven Devils tore through every opponent…
Bibi Dong would understand.
The war between them had never ended.
And now… he had a weapon.