Even if her soul skills couldn't directly manipulate those elements, it didn't matter. With the element's heart, she could bend the environment itself.

Fire. Wind.

She had grasped both.

A once-in-a-lifetime prodigy.

Yet the shock didn't end there.

Backed into a corner by the raging firestorm, Ursula and Matilda revealed their trump card.

Every high-level expert recognized it instantly.

A martial soul fusion skill.

Not just any fusion—but a dual-element fusion.

Even on the grand stage of a federal tournament, such a sight would be breathtaking.

And now it appeared in the Skysea Alliance Tournament's junior division.

Conrad finally understood Oswin's confidence.

So that's why he dared to ask for inner court quotas.

Ignoring the actual power of the fusion, the mere ability to perform it already qualified the sisters for inner court examination slots.

Even Skysea City wouldn't dare overlook talent like this.

If these sisters entered Central Academy's inner court, the Skysea Alliance would bask in the reflected glory. Sealand Academy would benefit the most, but the Alliance's standing as a whole would rise.

At the same time, Conrad's gaze drifted back to the West Ocean trio.

These kids… are monsters too.

That girl's elemental control alone was staggering.

Is that flaming tornado really the work of a two-ringed soul master?

Oswin stared, eyes wide.

It's too early to reveal your fusion skill!

Though he still believed his team would win the championship, the West Ocean team had exceeded all expectations. He had thought Ray was their core.

Now he knew better.

*

On the stage, Ursula and Matilda began to glow.

Their bodies sparkled like living spirits, cold radiance blooming around them as the temperature plummeted.

The air itself seemed to crystallize.

A world of frost descended.

Blue and green radiance braided together, spreading like a freezing veil across the arena. Ice-cold mist flooded the air, overwhelming the raging fire and wind elements and forcibly slowing the growth of Lily's firestorm.

Her expression sank.

A soul fusion skill… this was far beyond her expectations.

The next instant, white light bloomed before her eyes. From within it emerged a colossal tree, its trunk and branches icy blue, as if carved from solid frost, yet brimming with astonishing vitality.

The giant tree unfolded at the very heart of the firestorm.

Boom—

Fire and ice collided.

Violent waves of energy rippled outward. The blazing tornado tore leaf after leaf from the frozen branches, yet with every leaf that fell, the fire weakened and dispersed. Flames died away in chunks, swallowed by the endless cold.

Off to the side, Margery caught sight of the scene and immediately disengaged from Raziel Phoenix. Without hesitation, she sprinted off the stage.

She glanced back once, shouting sharply, "Run! Hurry up!"

Raziel Phoenix's instincts screamed danger. He didn't argue and bolted after her.

The sisters could barely unleash this soul fusion skill at their current level. Controlling it was another matter entirely. Margery understood this far too well.

The flaming tornado finally collapsed.

Lily's face turned deathly pale.

At the edge of the arena, the referee's voice cracked with desperation. "Stop! Stop immediately!"

But it was already too late.

Bang!

In box seven, the reinforced glass screen shattered as a white figure shot toward the arena.

In box one, two figures launched themselves out at nearly the same time.

Yet no matter how fast they moved, they were still a heartbeat too late.

An immense restraining force slammed down on Lily. Bone-chilling cold surged around her. The ground shook violently, then split apart as glacial-blue trees erupted from the earth one after another.

Soul fusion skill—

Forest of Ice!

In the instant Lily froze in shock, a powerful force swept her off her feet.

She felt arms close around her, strong and unyielding, and suddenly she was staring up at the sky.

When she looked down, her breath caught.

She was in Ray's arms.

Icicle after icicle stabbed into his body. They were not true icicles, but jagged branches born from the Forest of Ice. His body was tough enough to prevent them from piercing through to Lily—but they pierced him all the same.

Blood blossomed across her vision, splashing crimson against white frost.

Ray looked down at her.

There was no pain on his face.

Only a gentle, reassuring smile.

At the moment the Forest of Ice descended, he had slammed his dragon claw into the ground, shattered his restraints, and lunged for Lily without hesitation. He pulled her into his embrace and turned his body into a shield, accepting the storm of icy branches in her place.

"No—!"

A broken, inhuman scream tore from Lily's throat.

Six elemental lights erupted wildly around her—fire, water, earth, wind, light, and space—swirling out of control.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Ray's eyes, but his body was already numb. He felt no pain anymore. Still, as he looked at Lily in this state, a strange, familiar ache stirred deep within him.

Lily's eyes burned with fury. A terrifying killing intent poured from her like a tidal wave.

"Lily… don't…" Ray's weak voice reached her ears.

Her body shook.

Clarity returned.

She grabbed him tightly—and vanished in a flash of silver light just before the Forest of Ice reached its violent climax.

Tree after tree burst from the ground. Each one was smaller than the last, yet all radiated piercing cold. Though they did not rival the first two colossal trees, their frigid aura still seeped deep into bone and marrow.

The snow-white figure was the first to land on the stage.

But Ray and Lily were already gone.

Oswin arrived a moment later, his heart sinking as he took in the devastation. He had moved the instant he realized the sisters were unleashing Forest of Ice.

This is bad.

This is only a match… they can't control a soul fusion skill yet. An accident was inevitable.

He was still too late.

The fusion skill had fully completed. The Zhou sisters collapsed onto the ground, their faces pale as paper, gasping for breath. Their bodies had been pushed far beyond their limits.

"How could you use a soul fusion skill so recklessly!" Oswin barked. "Are you injured? Are your bodies alright?"

Regret flooded the sisters' faces.

The moment the Forest of Ice was unleashed, they had realized their mistake. Panic had driven them to reveal their strongest ability. Seeing Ray and Lily struck down left them wracked with guilt.

A cold voice pierced the air behind Oswin.

"Is this how you teach your disciples?"

He spun around.

A young man in white robes stood there, his presence radiating an almost demonic chill.

"Who are you?" Oswin demanded, his heart pounding. "How did a youngster like you get here?"

Alfred didn't answer.

His eyes glowed deep blue.

He stepped forward, and a Skyfrost Sword appeared in his hand. Six soul rings rose beneath his feet—two yellow, two purple, and two black.

White robes. Blue sword.

Cold as the frozen heavens.

The wind screamed as he slashed forward. Remaining frigid air converged around him, and in a single breath, the lingering Forest of Ice shattered into fine powder.

He pointed his sword ahead.

His fifth soul ring ignited.

A gigantic azure blade formed in the air. Then another. Then another—until nine massive swords hovered overhead, pressing down on the stadium with suffocating cold.

Oswin's face drained of all color.

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