Solar Blood Masters

"That damned Sindoll! She dares to undermine my AUTHORITY?! In MY presence?!"

A terrifying hiss reverberated across the Emperor's platform, and with it, a wave of heat rippled through the Grand Mound Arena. Lava dripped from Lu Ignis's scales. It sizzled as it hit the floor and created tiny holes.

He glared across the platform and fixed his burning gaze on a lone figure.

Emperor Qi Hawk sat upon his throne with his single, milky-white eye narrowed in annoyance as his silver and black feathers ruffled.

"You find this amusing, Hawk?" Lu Ignis hissed. "Those words from the Void Emperor! Such a disgrace! She dares to allow that bull, that pathetic excuse for a Calamity, to continue participating?! After all that he has done?!"

He couldn't contain his fury. The bull had defied him. He'd stolen his daughter's power! He'd embarrassed him before his own court! And now… this?!

"It is YOU, Qi Hawk, who instigated this whole MESS! YOU and that damnable GOLDEN PALACE of yours! You think you can simply bribe your way to victory? Such arrogance! It's disgusting!"

"FIREBALL!"

He spat a massive ball of fire towards Qi Hawk! It left a trail of smoke and heat that singed the very fabric of reality.

Those unfortunate creatures who were near the Emperor's platform screamed and tried to flee as that intense heat approached!

"AHHH! It's too HOT!"

"My fur! It's burning! BURNING!"

"Help!"

But their pleas were lost to the fireball's scorching terror. They were utterly incinerated!

WHOOSH!

Qi Hawk flicked a single feather! It shot forth like a silver dart and intercepted the fireball with a deafening BOOM! The force of their collision sent heatwaves that rippled through the arena and claim the souls of those whose luck had truly run out today.

Lu Ignis wasn't done!

"You think a simple feather can stop my WRATH?! You pathetic bird! I'll BURY you in a sea of FIRE!"

He extended his head while releasing his potent Solar Essence.

But Qi Hawk was ready.

"Hmm! Such a barbaric display." He stood. Spread his magnificent wings. He countered the attack with his own potent Solar Essence.

BOOM!

The air was bombarded with opposing energies! The platform beneath them trembled violently! It was a clash of titans, a battle of wills that had the entire Grand Mound vibrating with unrestrained power!

Those who watched this unfold from the stands screamed and hugged each other. Some even fainted from the sheer solar pressure!

"They're going to destroy the arena!"

"Help!"

"Emperor Lala Zhen, DO something! Please!"

Even Muburt, the Director of the Great Divine Tribulation, who stood below on the central platform, felt the overwhelming force of their clash. He stumbled and dropped his staff.

"Damn these Emperors… Every single time! It's always chaos!"

"ENOUGH!"

A thunderous voice boomed.

The air around Qi Hawk and Lu Ignis shattered. The pressure vanished. They looked up!

Lala Zhen hovered above them. His normally placid demeanor was replaced by a furious glare that had those molten flames and icy winds dissipating instantly as if they'd never existed at all.

"You dare disrupt the Great Divine Tribulation? In MY domain?! Before the Void Emperor? You should both be ashamed!"

He returned to his throne with a sigh.

"Every time… Without fail, you two ALWAYS manage to give me a headache. It's truly an extraordinary talent you both possess, and not the kind I enjoy!"

He then glanced at those terrified faces below, those who'd wet themselves and the few that were still trying to fan away the smoke with whatever they had.

"If you two start a fight here… my Grand Mound will be destroyed. Millions of MY PEOPLE would perish! And I won't let that happen! Is that understood?!"

"Yes, Emperor."

They responded in unison.

A forced calm had descended.

The tension, however, lingered like a bad fart.

"Boboboboho! What a SHOW! Truly, truly something! That Solar Essence Output from old Iggy… It was a savage blast indeed! But Hawk, my brother, your SEO was smoothly delivered and your counter? Elegant! Precise! A masterful display of control."

Julian Ringtail, who was watching this exchange from his comfy position beside Qi Hawk, tossed a beetle snack into his mouth.

He then continued with his critique, "Lu Ignis, your power is vast. Destructive! It seeks to dominate! To crush! But Brother Hawk… he tamed your chaos effortlessly! Which means…"

He paused for dramatic effect, then smiled, "He is stronger! BOBOBOHOHOHO! Isn't this delightful?!"

Hearing this, Lu Ignis, whose scales had been glowing with pride, now bristled with rage! He glared at Julian. "You… you DAMN LEMUR!"

He was about to unleash a torrent of molten fury upon Ringtail, when Qi Hawk intervened.

"Ringtail! Enough of your drunken ramblings! Eat your snacks and be SILENT!"

"Hmmm… But those comparisons were quite accurate. And that fireball you intercepted earlier… It truly was a masterpiece! Such fiery passion, just like…"

"SILENCE!"

The lemur shut up. He shrugged and munched on his beetle.

Lala Zhen sighed.

"Every single Great Divine Tribulation. Without fail… You Emperors… you give me a serious headache. I'm just a simple ant! My heart can't take this level of stress!"

…

FLASH!

FLASH!

Across the vast expanse of the Grand Mound Arena, brilliant beams of light descended from the heavens. The surviving contestants who'd weathered the chaos and bloodshed of the 'Desolate Sands', materialized on their respective platforms.

WHOOSH!

Raphael, Lu Jade, Qi Fenwei, and Thienika reappeared, along with the other creatures who had survived the first stage by sheer luck, brute force or simple cowardice.

The moment the crowd recognized those familiar figures that had graced the numerous screens throughout the event, they erupted in a wave of thunderous cheers, whistles, and a few inappropriate comments.

"The BULL! Look! It's the BULL!"

"That little snake is so cute!"

"That tree woman! Didn't she slap that T-Rex silly? Truly something!"

"And WOW! Gastaroid has gotten even bigger! Did he absorbed all of Desolate Sands?!"

The most spectacular scenes replayed in their minds: Gastaroid's volcanic tantrum against Lord Lingshi's elegant strokes, and of course, that dazzling golden palace, the 'Golden Prism Citadel', raining down destruction with its 'Death Blow Cannons' as it greedily sucked up those Kepfu Eggs.

"Thousands of eggs! I bet that bull has at least TEN THOUSAND eggs!"

"Black Wind… surely they have won?!"

Their shouts and wagers had the other platforms bristling with envy.

Lu Ruby, who had just materialized beside Hellphet, glared at Raphael's team with a venomous fury.

"Those bastards! They're the reason I was humiliated! That BULL! That SNAKE! And that BIRD! They will ALL PAY!"

She watched as Qi Fenwei dusted off a speck of dust from her amethyst armor.

"I'll have my revenge!"

…

After the final contestant, a small, trembling field mouse with a single point hovering above his head, appeared on the Subterranean Gorge's platform, a hush fell across the arena.

Muburt, the Director, hovered before the massive crowd. He held the Red Ant Emperor's banner high.

"SILENCE!"

His command boomed. Then, with a more somber tone, he addressed the weary survivors,

"The first stage of the Great Divine Tribulation, the Desolate Sands… is OVER!"

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle as he observed the weary faces, some elated, many disheartened.

"To those who have emerged victorious… CONGRATULATIONS! You've survived! You've tasted the thrill of battle, the bitterness of loss and the sweet taste of stolen Solar Essences."

Muburt's gaze swept across the arena.

"I am AWARE that many of you have lost companions. Perhaps even… family members. A few of you have profited from their demises. Such is the way of Yama Yaguai."

He wasn't offering condolences.

No.

He would offer a truth that had been carved into his very exoskeleton from the moment he hatched, a million years ago.

"Sentimentality is for the weak! Those who cling to regret… they are destined to be devoured!

If you feel regret… if you mourn those who've fallen… Then INCREASE your STRENGTH!

Strength protects. Strength builds. And strength destroys!

With the ULTIMATE strength, you can command all THREE at your WHIM!"

He stamped his staff against the platform.

BOOM!

The crowd roared!

This was the law of Yama Yaguai, a truth that resonated deep within their souls.

"Now… the moment you've all been eagerly awaiting…" Muburt's voice had a dramatic lilt to it as he extended his hand.

"Which territory shall be eliminated?"

His words ignited a frenzy of anticipation.

The crowd craned their necks, trying to count the remaining participants on each platform. But due to the sheer size of Gastaroid, Lingshi and a few others, an accurate count was impossible.

"Just TELL us!"

"Which territory FAILED?!"

Their impatient shouts had Muburt smiling.

"Drumroll please!" As he called for this, many ants surrounding the arena began pounding large drums.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

From the edges of the arena, a thunderous drumming had every heart pounding! The sound resonated as Muburt raised his staff.

Then…

Silence.

"The calculations… are COMPLETE!"

He glanced at the nine platforms, his mandibles clicked, and then…

"One territory… has FAILED to emerge victorious… with more than ONE HUNDRED members…!"

The crowd gasped!

"WHO?!"

"Which territory?!"

"Tell us! TELL US!"

He allowed the suspense to build, then he announced:

"Black Wind Territory… has FAILED to meet the quota!"

A wave of shock rippled through the arena.

Then…

He revealed the current count for each territory:

…

Black Wind – 87 Members

Subterranean Gorge – 156 Members

Jingling Ocean – 171 Members

Ho Eastern – 192 Members

Kongming Mountain – 202 Members

Yunyin – 234 Members

Undying Valley – 283 Members

Desolate Huang – 340 Members

Skydom – 412 Members

…

"What?! But HOW? Black Wind… they had that drill! That GOLDEN PALACE!"

"Those idiots were probably too busy fighting EACH OTHER!"

"What a disgrace!"

"They deserve to be eliminated!"

The crowd's bewilderment was cut short as a dread settled on Raphael's team.

"Those Black Wind contestants… they're truly unreliable. Just like the weather…" He sighed.

"Raphael's right. We wasted time and energy fighting each other." Qi Fenwei nodded.

"It seems we're about to be disqualified, Big Brother…" Lu Jade spoke softly.

…

Above, on the Emperor's platform, Lu Ignis laughed.

"AHAHAHAHA! FATE has spoken! It seems you're about to be eliminated, Qi Hawk! Even with your CHEATING ways, your territory… It's at the BOTTOM!"

He glared at Qi Hawk who wasn't even paying attention to his insults. His single milky white orb was focused solely on the Black Wind platform. And on his daughter.

"Hmm?" Noticing Qi Hawk's gaze, Lu Ignis hissed.

"Beware, my fellow Emperors! That bastard! He's about to use his 'Reality Thwart'! He'll try to manipulate the results! We can't let him!"

The other Emperors turned to watch Qi Hawk, waiting, observing, their eyes narrowed with distrust.

Sensing their gaze, Qi Hawk sighed. "How pathetic! To think I, Qi Hawk, would stoop to such depths?"

He then closed his eye and settled back into his throne.

Lu Ignis' evil cackle resonated through the arena. "Kuhuhuhu! You've been exposed, Hawk! This time… you LOSE!"