Unlock Kamen Riders in Douluo's Way Ch 78

At that moment, Manla, seated comfortably beside the arena, savored the delectable refreshments Shrek Academy provided, a picture of relaxed contentment. He hadn't anticipated Flender orchestrating such a large audience. One more victory, and the ridicule that had weighed down Canghui Academy for the past two days would vanish instantly.

This event wasn't merely about reclaiming lost prestige; it was about securing the right to use Shrek's Soul Tower for a year. The very Soul Tower that every faction, including the Martial Soul Hall, coveted. If it fell into his grasp, even for a year, he would devise a means to make it permanently his.

However, he thought, I didn't foresee Shrek producing a second Titled Douluo. What manner of individual could they be?

He had clearly sensed the surge of energy Liu Erlong had unleashed next door. The new aura was unmistakably at the level of a Titled Douluo.

On the Douluo Continent, the ranks of Titled Douluo numbered merely a hundred. Yet, this aura felt alien to him.

Hmm... and strangely familiar. Could it be a Titled Douluo who has remained hidden for a great while?

Just then, a teacher from Canghui College, who had accompanied him, asked with concern, "Principal, do you anticipate any issues with this soul fight? We are, after all, on foreign ground."

"Shrek's outstanding students, the Shrek Seven Monsters, can all leapfrog opponents in battle. This emerald-haired girl managed to reach the Soul Master rank at a young age. Doesn't this make sending a level 39 soul master a somewhat risky move?"

Manla, unmoved by their worries, replied, "Rest assured, I never make preparations I'm not sure about. Before the fight, I already amplified his strength. Now, his attributes are akin to a Soul Sect. It's more than sufficient to handle a little girl who recently ascended to the Soul Sect rank."

The crowd released a collective sigh of relief. None present viewed this boost as cheating. After all, they had never agreed they could not give their own fighters the upper hand in a match.

Back in the arena, the two combatants had approached one another, their starting positions separated by a mere fifty meters.

Luo Pupu, having recently ascended to the millennium level thanks to her martial soul's evolution and her second spirit ring, had gained a degree of recognition within the academy. Yet, those peers who had known her before were hard pressed to recognize her now. After her appearance had changed so rapidly, she had acquired a completely new look.

Standing opposite her from Canghui Academy was a towering figure, nearly two meters tall. Had someone not recognized him, no one would have believed that this was Ding Yuan.

"Isn't that Ding Yuan?" one student said.

"You know him?"

"Yes, Canghui Academy had intended to put him in the Martial Soul Saint Meeting."

"Level 39? Wouldn't that have been too much of a hindrance to join the Martial Soul Saint?"

"You're unaware. While he appears to be an assault-type soul master, he is, in fact, a poison-type soul master. I'm sure you know what that means."

"Ah, I understand. I wonder how junior sister Luo will fare?"

"That's hard to tell... there are too many unknowns about her. Not to mention her connection with that Kamen Rider before, there are also those who've said she's already reached the Soul Sect level, despite not having obtained her new spirit ring. It's all so strange, that I can't be sure of anything."

"Really? It's only been a few days?"

Jing Tieyang, assigned as the match referee, focused on his task. He could not hear the whispers from the viewing platform, but the same concerns gnawed at him.

"Teacher Jing, I'm ready. We can begin at any time."

Luo Pupu's voice snapped Jing Tieyang back to the present. He glanced at her confident expression and at Ding Yuan, who radiated fighting spirit, and steeled himself.

As a soul fighting referee, his duty was not just to declare the winner, but, more importantly, to prevent fatal injuries at critical moments.

"Ten-second countdown. Both sides, release your martial souls and spirit rings!"

At his command, soul power began to emanate from both Luo Pupu and Ding Yuan.

The changes in Luo Pupu were the most striking. Within three seconds, dragon horns, wings, a tail, and claws emerged. Her top-tier martial soul, the Emerald Dragon, transformed her into a figure of jade, radiating jewel-like brilliance.

Ding Yuan's martial soul, on the other hand, was less impressive, even somewhat repulsive. His martial soul was called the Poison-Eating Toad. When it manifested, his entire body began to swell, his skin turned a dark purple, and his tongue elongated, turning black. A dark miasma surrounded him, clearly indicating his poisonous nature.

The typical arrangement of three spirit rings – yellow, yellow, and purple – appeared on Ding Yuan's body. He glanced at Luo Pupu, a confident smile on his face. But that smile faltered when two spirit rings materialized around Luo Pupu.

Exclamations erupted from the audience. Though many had heard of her achievements, seeing Luo Pupu release her spirit rings in person still came as a shock. The most astonished were the members of Canghui Academy, who had received no prior warning.

"What! Her second spirit ring is at the millennium level?!"

Even Manla shot to his feet, a look of fury etched on his face.

What a Shrek, to have such good seeds! No way! What I can't obtain at Canghui Academy, Shrek shall not possess!

Driven by jealousy, Manla muttered under his breath, sending a telepathic message to Ding Yuan in the arena.

"Utilize your spirit bone ability. Cripple that girl for me. Do not allow her the opportunity to grow!"

As one of Canghui Academy's most promising students, Ding Yuan had a soul bone implanted within him. This soul bone possessed a unique poison-type skill. Unless the opponent's soul power surpassed his or possessed a corresponding detoxification ability, there was no way to counter it.

The most terrifying aspect of the ability was its effect. Once it took hold, the toxin wouldn't directly harm the soul master, but it would render their body incapable of channeling soul power. In essence, it would induce an allergic reaction to their own soul power.

This meant that the victim would be unable to absorb soul power for the rest of their life and would have to discard their cultivation to purge the toxin from their body. It was tantamount to destroying a soul master's life.

Ding Yuan would only resort to such a vicious tactic with Manla's explicit permission. He felt no remorse for using it. Upon receiving Manla's order, a cruel smile spread across his face.

With the ten-second preparation time over, Jing Tieyang waved his hand, shouting, "Begin!" He immediately retreated, granting the two combatants ample space.

At that moment, Ding Yuan's aura flared, his soul power surged. He was a completely different person than he had been just moments ago.

Jing Tieyang's face darkened. He turned to the viewing platform where the Canghui Academy contingent sat. He knew that Ding Yuan had received some sort of boost before the match. Only a Titled Douluo like Manla could conceal such a thing so effectively.

Many others noticed as well, and some began to voice their outrage. But it was to no avail. It had not been explicitly forbidden before the match, and the soul fight had already begun.

"Manla, that old man, is so shameless," Flender muttered, rising from his seat. "I'll go confront him!"

"There's no need," Yu Xiaogang interjected, stopping him. Having finally emerged from his contemplation, he said, "This is the consequence of our lack of foresight. But, rest assured, Pupu will be fine."

Yu Xiaogang's words held weight. It meant that Luo Pupu truly had nothing to fear.

Flender's eyes gleamed with renewed hope. "Have you figured out what caused her change?"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head. "The power of the Kamen Rider is at work here, so I can't be certain of everything that transpired. But I believe I understand what her state is now. It's something I've long theorized about, but never witnessed in practice. In any case, let's wait for Pupu to finish this match first."

Misty, one of the Shrek Seven Monsters, frowned. "But master, the other party is already at a higher level, with one more spirit ring, and now this extra boost. Isn't that too unfair? Is there any point in continuing?"

Suddenly, Shi Er, who had been asleep since his arrival, opened his eyes, and asked softly, "I can superimpose effects on Pupu. Not even Titled Douluo can detect them."

Before Yu Xiaogang could respond, Bibi Dong reached out and patted their shoulders. "The other party may have exploited a loophole, but he hasn't broken any rules. If anyone outside the arena were to interfere after the soul fight has begun, that would be a different story. Don't worry. Watch closely. This won't be an ordinary soul fight. This is not a battle between soul masters."

In the arena, the battle commenced.

"First soul skill, Chasing Whip with a Poisonous Tongue!"

Ding Yuan's black, serpentine tongue shot from his mouth like a cannonball. With this soul skill, his tongue could extend up to two hundred meters in just ten seconds. A direct hit within that range could pierce a ten-centimeter-thick wooden board.

Moreover, it was incredibly resilient, nearly impossible to sever. Its elasticity rendered it impervious to cutting damage. It was a formidable weapon.

However, it would be a grave mistake to underestimate its capabilities. The most dangerous aspect of this soul skill was the poison. The saliva coating the tongue was highly corrosive. Even steel would dissolve into a liquid state within a day if exposed to this venom.

It took less than three seconds for the poisonous tongue to reach Luo Pupu's face. Most soul masters would have barely had time to evade it. But Ding Yuan was shocked to see that Luo Pupu showed no intention of dodging.

"Haha! Not even trying to dodge? You're finished! It's too late now!"

Instead of directly piercing her with his poisonous tongue, Ding Yuan knew that many soul masters possessed physical defenses stronger than mere wooden boards. He manipulated his tongue to lash around Luo Pupu multiple times in quick succession.

As the venom came into contact with Luo Pupu's body, a crackling sound erupted, indicating the corrosion had begun.

The crowd gasped, but Jing Tieyang did not intervene. He noticed that the attack seemed to have no effect on Luo Pupu.

The pained expression he had expected never materialized. Instead, she frowned slightly at the scent of the venom.

"It stinks."

"Wh...what!?"

Ding Yuan was dumbfounded. He realized that his attack had failed. He immediately released his tongue, preparing to retract it. But he was too late. A powerful force seized his tongue. Luo Pupu had reached out and firmly grasped it with her right hand.

A puff of poisonous gas emanated from her dragon claws, accompanied by a faint hiss. The venom was clearly still active, but Luo Pupu did not even flinch.

Some of the spectators with keener eyesight noticed something. The clothes on Luo Pupu's body that had been corroded by the poisonous tongue had left exposed patches of skin on her abdomen. On that skin, a layer of light green scales had emerged, glittering like jewels in the sunlight.

It was then that everyone realized that when Luo Pupu released her martial soul, dragon scales had manifested across her entire body. These scales were impervious to the corrosive effects of his venom. The sight of her unmarred skin was all the proof they needed.

"First soul skill, Kai, Emerald Dragon, Sharp Claw Tornado!"