douluo dalu: Dark Phoenix

Chapter 10: The Shrek Training Begins

The first rays of dawn crept over Shrek Academy, casting long shadows across the dew-soaked grass. A faint mist hung in the air, making the grounds feel ethereal, as if the small academy stood at the edge of reality.

Ayanokoji stood at the far end of the training field, leaning against a wooden post, watching. Always watching.

His body was relaxed, but his mind was sharp, calculating every subtle shift in his surroundings.

Today marked the official beginning of their training at Shrek Academy. And Ayanokoji knew it would be far from ordinary.

---

A Rough Awakening

"WAKE UP, MONSTERS!"

The voice was loud enough to shake the walls.

Xiao Wu groaned, her long ears twitching as she rolled over in bed. Tang San, already dressed, glanced toward the door calmly.

Ayanokoji, of course, was already awake, standing near the window, watching the pinkish hues of dawn stretch across the sky.

"Who…?" Xiao Wu muttered sleepily, blinking as the dormitory door flew open.

Flender stood there, arms crossed, his eagle-like gaze sweeping over them like a predator eyeing its next meal.

"You've got two minutes to get outside," he barked. "Or you'll run double the distance."

"Distance?" Tang San asked, puzzled.

"You'll find out soon enough."

---

The Morning Run

The students gathered in the academy's central courtyard, where the Shrek Seven Devils were already assembled, stretching casually.

Dai Mubai's heterochromatic eyes gleamed with anticipation, while Zhu Zhuqing stood silently, her cold gaze fixed on the forest beyond.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong whispered quietly to each other, both looking less than thrilled about the early hour.

Ma Hongjun, yawning, rubbed his belly with a grimace.

"You look way too awake," Oscar muttered to Ayanokoji, noticing the calm, attentive expression on his face.

"I'm used to early mornings," Ayanokoji replied softly.

"Alright!" Flender's voice cut through their conversations like a blade. "Today, we test your endurance. A twenty-kilometer run around the academy grounds."

Ning Rongrong groaned. "Twenty kilometers? Are you serious?"

"And…" Flender smiled, and it was not a comforting smile. "We've released spirit beasts into the forest. So, if you want to live, you'd better run fast."

A cold hush fell over the group.

---

The Whistle Blows

The starting whistle echoed sharply, and they took off.

The students spread out quickly, with Dai Mubai immediately taking the lead, his powerful strides eating up the distance.

Zhu Zhuqing moved like a shadow, silent and swift, following closely behind.

Tang San and Xiao Wu kept a steady pace, working together smoothly.

Ayanokoji, as always, ran alone.

His form was effortless, fluid — conserving energy, controlling his breathing, keeping his senses wide open.

He wasn't just running.

He was hunting.

---

The First Threat

Ten minutes into the run, the forest thickened, the canopy above blocking out most of the light.

The sounds of the group's footsteps were accompanied by another sound — something following them.

The faint rustling of leaves.

A low growl.

A predator.

Ning Rongrong was the first to notice, her pace faltering as she glanced nervously toward the trees.

"Something's out there…" she whispered.

Before she could react, a Shadow Wolf lunged from the underbrush.

Fast. Silent. Deadly.

Its eyes locked on Ning Rongrong — an easy target.

She froze.

But before the wolf's claws could reach her, something shifted.

A pulse of energy.

The air around Ning Rongrong seemed to shimmer, and the wolf's eyes glazed over for a split second — confused, disoriented.

Ayanokoji passed her in that moment, his gaze calm and distant, golden eyes faintly glowing.

The wolf stumbled, as if its perception had been subtly… altered.

It hesitated.

Ayanokoji didn't stop.

The wolf backed off, slinking into the shadows, unsettled.

Ning Rongrong stared after him, her heart pounding.

Who… is he?

---

The Power Dynamic

By the halfway point, the group's dynamic was becoming clear.

Dai Mubai was the strongest — his raw physical strength and spirit energy made him a natural frontrunner.

Zhu Zhuqing was fast, agile — a silent predator.

Tang San and Xiao Wu's teamwork gave them an edge, keeping them steady and efficient.

Oscar and Ma Hongjun, though slower, kept up through sheer determination.

And Ayanokoji…

He ran just behind Dai Mubai.

Never pushing forward.

Never falling back.

Always there.

Watching.

Waiting.

---

The Final Stretch

The last leg of the run was uphill, winding through a dense part of the forest where visibility was low.

This was where Flender's test became cruel.

The spirit beasts waiting here were stronger.

Faster.

More aggressive.

A massive Ironclad Bear lumbered onto the path, blocking their way.

It wasn't a beast they could outrun.

Dai Mubai was already activating his White Tiger spirit, preparing to fight.

But Ayanokoji moved first.

His Spirit Eyes flared, and the bear froze, confused, as though it had momentarily forgotten what it was doing.

Ayanokoji didn't attack — he didn't need to.

He redirected its aggression, subtly influencing its perception, causing it to lose interest.

The bear turned and wandered back into the trees.

Dai Mubai stared.

"That… was a 1,500-year Ironclad Bear," he said slowly. "You made it walk away."

Ayanokoji's expression didn't change.

"We didn't need to fight it."

The unspoken implication was clear.

Fighting wasn't always strength.

Control was.

---

The Finish Line

By the time they reached the academy again, Dai Mubai crossed the finish line first — but Ayanokoji was a close second, mere steps behind him.

Dai Mubai, panting, glanced at him sideways.

"You're fast," he admitted.

Ayanokoji, barely out of breath, only nodded.

The challenge was there, unspoken.

And it wasn't over.

---

The Aftermath

As the students collapsed onto the grass, Flender watched them with a calculating smile.

"You all survived," he said, clearly impressed. "That was the easy part."

Oscar groaned. "That… was the easy part?"

"You're at Shrek Academy," Flender said simply. "Nothing here is easy."

---

A Silent Understanding

That night, as the moon rose over Shrek Academy, Ayanokoji stood alone outside the dormitory, gazing up at the stars.

The tension of the day still lingered, but beneath it…

Anticipation.

Shrek Academy wasn't just a school.

It was a battlefield.

And Ayanokoji had never lost on a battlefield.