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As Harry excitedly ran toward Fleur, he unexpectedly bumped into a large, dejected figure slouched at the entrance of the resting area.
Xiong Dezhen sat there with drooping brows, his expression clouded with confusion and uncertainty.
"What did I just do?"
"What just happened?"
"How did I end up off the stage?"
"Hey! Hey! Black Pot! Black Pot!" Harry patted Xiong Dezhen's head and leaned in, calling out to him. Then, with an exaggerated tone, he said, "Wow! That white bear girl is really pretty!"
"Where?! Where's the white-silk bear girl?!"
Xiong Dezhen shot up in an instant, shaking his head wildly as he scanned his surroundings. But after looking around for a long time, the only thing he saw when he lowered his gaze was Harry, who was struggling to hold back his laughter.
"You little rascal!"
With a heavy smack, he slapped Harry on the shoulder. The dull thud echoed through the floor, sending a tremor beneath their feet. Harry winced in pain, rubbing his shoulder with a grimace.
"You won, huh?" Xiong Dezhen glanced at Harry, then slumped back down with a gloomy sigh. "Your big bro here took a massive fall today—lost real bad."
"How exactly did you lose?" Harry was curious. His own match with Anna had lasted only a few minutes, which was already considered fast. But judging by how long Xiong Dezhen had been sitting here in a daze, it seemed like his match had ended even quicker.
"I wish I knew!"
Xiong Dezhen scrunched up his bear-like face, waving his hands in a failed attempt to illustrate what had happened. He reached out, struggled for a moment, but still couldn't come up with a coherent explanation.
"I went up there, turned my head, and the next thing I knew, I was back here! I didn't even see what happened… Wait, no—"
He paused, frowning in deep thought. Then, as he rubbed his neck uncertainly, he murmured, "I think… I think I saw my own butt in front of me?"
A sudden chill ran down his spine. His entire body tensed up, and his thick bear fur stood on end. He stiffly turned his head to meet Harry's silent, wide-eyed gaze.
"I'm going to find Professor Flitwick."
Harry, who also felt that something was definitely off, immediately got up and strode toward where Professor Flitwick was seated.
"Take a look at this."
Before Harry even had to ask, Professor Flitwick knew exactly what he wanted to see.
This time, however, Flitwick didn't conjure a 3D magical projection. Instead, he pointed toward the arena where the first round of matches had concluded.
Unlike other competitions, dueling matches were nearly impossible for ordinary spectators to understand without post-match commentary. All competitors used silent casting, and their intricate spell combinations made it difficult to discern how victories were achieved.
At this moment, the holographic magical projection displayed Harry's duel with Anna. The panel of duel referees—each a master duelist on par with Professor Flitwick—was now breaking down the battle for both the live audience and the MagicNet stream viewers.
Only powerhouses of their caliber could analyze so much information at a glance, peeling apart the fight in a way that made it understandable to the spectators.
Harry sat obediently in the resting area, listening intently as these experts dissected his match. While these analyses revealed his tactics to future opponents, they also provided valuable insights into his rivals.
The referees only discussed skills and strategies demonstrated within the match itself—they wouldn't expose a competitor's hidden trump cards unless the competitor had intentionally revealed them. Some duelists deliberately exposed specific abilities to mislead future opponents. Even if the referees noticed, they wouldn't point it out; they would only explain the thought process and techniques displayed during the battle.
After watching his own match review, Harry awkwardly scratched his head.
One of the commentators, without mincing words, had given him a blunt evaluation:
"Too flashy. Too playful. Even a lion uses its full strength when hunting a rabbit."
Harry knew they had a point.
When Anna began her Phase-Two Animagus transformation, he could have teleported behind her and ended the match instantly.
But he didn't.
Because he wanted to see just how powerful a Phase-Two Animagus transformation really was.
The next match up for commentary was Li Jiannan versus Xiong Dezhen, which also happened to be the shortest battle in the Top 12 finals—so fast that the moment the referee fired the starting gun, they immediately declared the match over.
The instant the gunshot rang out, Xiong Dezhen, inheriting his father's formidable combat skills, entered battle mode without hesitation. His inner energy erupted, his psychic armor manifested, and layers of primal berserker buffs surged over him in an instant. His already imposing two-meter-tall frame expanded to three meters, muscles rippling beneath his thick bear fur, their steel-like definition clearly visible despite the dense coat. His once round and plump belly had completely vanished, replaced by a sculpted physique as solid as cast iron.
However, just as this towering beast of a warrior was about to turn to face his opponent, Harry could've sworn he saw Li Jiannan holding a gourd and calmly saying:
"Baby, turn around."
A flash of cold light.
The next second, Xiong Dezhen's massive bear head soared into the air.
A faint red glow enveloped his body, instantly yanking the severed head back down and reattaching it to his shoulders in the blink of an eye.
Xiong Dezhen was carried off the stage.
Match over.
"I knew it! That's why I saw my own butt!"
After watching the replay of his match, Xiong Dezhen let out a mournful wail.
"Coming in and lopping my head off right away?! Was that really necessary?! I'm a panda-man, you know! A little respect would be nice! Our village's ancestors even drank with your grandmaster back in the day! This is overkill, man!"
With puppy-dog eyes full of grievance, he turned to the swordsman standing in the distance, his cries causing the man to pause for a brief moment.
The Azure Lotus Sword Immortal was known for his love of fine wine, and the panda-folk were legendary brewers. Coincidentally, the Azure Lotus Sword Sect was located not far from Panda Village—just a half-hour's flight on a sword.
"…You're a cat-panda?"
Li Jiannan, who radiated an unmistakable "stay away" aura, suddenly appeared before Xiong Dezhen in the blink of an eye.
He gave him a once-over, then casually reached into his robe and pulled out a fresh, juicy bamboo shoot, handing it over.
"You're too dark—I didn't recognize you."
Xiong Dezhen's eye twitched as he stared at the bamboo shoot. After a long, complicated moment, he reluctantly took it and mumbled in a muffled voice:
"…Is it because I'm too dark? Then how come you're standing so damn close? My neck still feels like it's about to fall off."
With a heavy sigh, he shifted his bulky frame, shuffled into the corner, and began nibbling on the bamboo like a pitiful child.
Meanwhile, after shifting his gaze away from Xiong Dezhen, Li Jiannan turned—only to lock eyes with Harry.
There was no tension, no hidden sparks of battle readiness—just the same reaction as last time.
A faint nod of acknowledgment.
As if greeting an old acquaintance.
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
Harry scratched his head in confusion.
He was sure he had never met this guy before, yet…
Why did it feel like Li Jiannan had seen him somewhere before?
(End of Chapter.)