Five thousand sacrifice points!
If Huo Feng remembered correctly, he already had two or three thousand sacrifice points saved up. Adding these new five thousand points to his current total would bring him close to the next big reward at nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.
His spirit power was currently at rank thirty-eight, and he could feel himself on the verge of breaking through to rank thirty-nine. The only thing holding him back was his fourth Spirit Ring. Unlike other Spirit Masters, Huo Feng couldn't absorb Spirit Rings from hunted spirit beasts. His only source was the rewards from his system.
If he could just save up enough sacrifice points by the time he reached rank forty, the level of a Spirit Ancestor, his next Spirit Ring would be secured. Wouldn't that be perfect?
While Huo Feng was lost in these thoughts, the rest of the Shrek team was in serious trouble. They were being pushed back across the stage, struggling to defend themselves.
Dai Mubai shot a desperate glance at his captain. "Huo Feng!" he yelled, but there was no reaction. With no time to spare, he gritted his teeth and braced for the next onslaught.
At this moment, six of the seven members of the Berserker Team were in a strange, heightened state. The only one who seemed to be fully conscious was their female spider-type Spirit Master. The Ruyi Pan Spirit Master who had caused all this trouble was already lying unconscious on the ground.
Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Evil Fire was the perfect counter to the spider woman, but she cleverly used the massive body of the Berserk Rhinoceros in front of her as a shield. The moment Fatty's flames touched the rhino, its tough hide began to sizzle and burn, but it protected her completely. The advantage Shrek had held just moments ago had been completely reversed by a single spirit ability from the enemy's support master. A thousand-year Spirit Ring ability was truly on another level.
What the Shrek team didn't realize was that the Berserker Team was named for this very state they were in. The Ruyi Pan Spirit Master's third spirit ability came from a Frenzied Devil Lizard. Once activated, this thousand-year Spirit Ring plunged his entire team into a frenzied state for three minutes.
While under this effect, they lost all sensation of pain. If their mental fortitude was weak, they would even lose their consciousness, fighting on pure instinct. In exchange for this, all of their attributes were monstrously boosted by fifteen percent. Furthermore, any support-type spirit abilities already affecting them would be locked in place for one full minute. This meant that even with their Ruyi Pan Spirit Master knocked out, the buffs he had cast would remain, stacking on top of the power of the frenzy itself.
It was this terrifying combination that allowed them to instantly turn the tide of the battle.
Of course, such an overwhelmingly powerful ability had to have a major drawback. The frenzy only lasted for three minutes. After it ended, every team member affected would be completely drained, unable to use or even gather their spirit power for an entire hour. It was a desperate, all-or-nothing ability. If they couldn't defeat their opponents within those three minutes, they would be the ones to lose. But when used at the right moment, it was more than capable of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
"Surrender. If you don't, I can't promise you'll walk out of here unharmed," the spider woman's enchanting voice called out. It was a pleasant sound, but her tone was laced with a hint of impatience.
The frenzied warriors around her let out heavy, animalistic breaths, and the raw pressure from their surging spirit power washed over the Shrek team.
Dai Mubai shot back a cold reply, "Surrender? In your dreams. You'll have to beat us first!"
His expression was grim, and sweat was already pouring down his face. The truth was, he didn't know if they could last another half-minute, let alone three. If he had known about the time limit on their opponents' frenzy, he would never have spoken so defiantly. Right now, his only real hope was Huo Feng.
Of course, this is all assuming Huo Feng doesn't do anything, Dai Mubai thought desperately. Dean Flender told him not to fight for the first five minutes, but surely he won't just stand there and watch us get beaten, right?
Dai Mubai knew Huo Feng was strong—much stronger than him. But he didn't think even Huo Feng could take on all seven members of the Berserker Team by himself, especially not while they were in this frenzied state. Besides, if the rest of them were knocked out and they lost the match, Huo Feng wouldn't get any arena points either.
Hearing Dai Mubai's refusal, the spider woman's lips curled into a disdainful smirk. "If it wasn't for the girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School over there, I wouldn't even be wasting my breath on you. But since you insist, don't blame me for what happens next."
A strange, high-pitched shriek suddenly erupted from her mouth. The frenzy only lasted three minutes; she couldn't afford to waste any more time. The Berserker Team was on a seven-match winning streak. If they kept winning, the rewards would be immense. They wouldn't give up, not even with a member of one of the great clans standing on the other side of the stage. This frenzied strategy was how they had defeated so many powerful opponents in the past. It was also why they often ended up seriously injuring their opponents, as most of them lost control completely.
"Is Huo Feng ever going to move?" Dai Mubai clenched his fists, stealing another look at his captain, who remained as still as a statue.
Ma Hongjun and Oscar were thinking the exact same thing. Big bro, if you don't do something soon, we're going to lose!
Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing also wore anxious expressions. If Huo Feng didn't step in, they knew they couldn't possibly withstand the next wave of attacks.
In a private viewing box high above the arena, Zao Wou-Ki watched with a deep frown. "Dean, are you sure you explained the plan clearly to Huo Feng?" he asked, turning to Flender.
The situation on the stage was critical. The rest of the Shrek team was at a complete disadvantage. If their captain continued to do nothing, the match would be over in an instant.
"Uh..." Flender's expression was a little awkward. He had, in fact, told Huo Feng not to get involved for the first five minutes. But he had also told him to adapt to the situation as needed. A boy as smart as Huo Feng wouldn't have misunderstood him, would he?
Composing himself, Flender answered calmly, "Huo Feng has his own plans. He knows what he's doing."
Zao Wou-Ki sighed helplessly. If the Dean said so, what more could he do? He could only turn his attention back to the match and hope that Huo Feng really did have a surprise in store for them all.
"What in the world is the Shrek team doing?"
"Seriously! The Berserker Team is going all out, and their captain is just sitting there meditating!"
"How can he just sit there?! I don't get it!"
"Look at the rest of his team! They're about to be wiped out. A few more hits and it's over."
"Tch, I got my hopes up for nothing. So much for all the hype."
"I told you all this Shrek team was just for show! The Berserker Team is the real deal!"
A wave of boos and confused shouts erupted from the audience. They were completely baffled by Shrek's bizarre strategy and openly voicing their dissatisfaction.
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