Tom, having single-handedly cleared the stage, pulled out a small flag from behind his back that read: "I am Shen An's cat."
Holding the flag like a pageant queen, he strutted around the platform with elegant feline grace.
Shen An couldn't help but laugh. Tom really knew how to put on a show - who wouldn't adore such a cat?
When passing by the stunned Oscar, Tom pretended not to see him, subtly extending his tiny paw and spinning it 1080 degrees mid-air.
"Whap!"
A swift back kick sent Oscar and Xiao Wu flying off the stage.
Unfazed, Tom continued his catwalk. He knew Shen An loved fame, and as a dutiful cat, he was happy to deliver.
Dugu Yan stood frozen, speechless. The moment her teammates were incapacitated, she had felt true despair.
Had Tom not shielded her, she too would have been riddled with projectiles.
She had bravely declared she would fight alone, but inwardly, she knew - one versus seven? Impossible.
Yet Tom had single-handedly turned the tide.
The Heaven Dou Grand Spirit Arena's host was equally stunned, finally announcing after a long pause:
"The team battle is won by... Tom Cat and the Imperial Battle Team!"
Thunderous applause erupted. From VIP rooms to ordinary spectators, no one had ever witnessed such an unconventional match. The entire arena roared with cheers.
Except for Yu Xiaogang and Qin Ming.
Qin Ming's expression was complicated. Though his heart belonged to Shrek, he still carried guilt toward the Imperial Battle Team - his abrupt departure had been irresponsible.
When the Master permitted Tang San to use hidden weapons, Qin Ming had objected. But the Master insisted, and Qin Ming reluctantly relented.
Seeing Tang San's hidden weapons instantly incapacitate four of the Imperial Battle Team, Qin Ming had assumed victory was assured.
Yet against all odds, a cat had turned the tables.
While Qin Ming wrestled with mixed emotions, Yu Xiaogang trembled with rage, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked.
"Useless! Seven of them... lost to a cat?"
Fury gave way to helplessness. What could he do now?
"Teacher Qin, let's retrieve the children. Their injuries are severe - they need immediate treatment, or there may be lasting damage."
"Understood." Qin Ming nodded.
By now, Tom had already led the Imperial Battle Team offstage - six self-proclaimed geniuses trudging dejectedly behind a smugly strutting cat.
Yu Xiaogang and Qin Ming hurried onto the field to collect Shrek's fallen members, though extracting Tang San proved difficult.
Tom had hammered Tang San into the wall with the Clear Sky Hammer - a height Yu Xiaogang couldn't reach.
Qin Ming stepped onto Luo Sanpao, gripping Tang San's arms and pulling with all his might.
...No movement.
"Martial Soul, manifest!" Qin Ming roared.
Channeling his soul power, he yanked violently.
"CRASH!"
The entire wall collapsed as Tang San was finally dislodged.
How hard did that cat hit him?
The host descended, dryly remarking, "Gentlemen, battle damage is exempt from fees, but post-match demolition requires compensation."
Yu Xiaogang: "..."
Qin Ming: "..."
In the VIP room, Shen An scratched Tom's head affectionately. "Well done, Tom. Name your treat - anything you want."
He turned to the Imperial Battle Team. The Nine-Hearted Begonia truly lived up to its reputation as a miracle healing soul.
Though pale and bloodstained, the team's breathing had stabilized, and even the wounds from the Zhuge Divine Crossbows had fully healed.
After a long silence, Yu Tianheng stiffly approached Shen An.
"Uh... Shen An, thank you. Without your cat - er, Tom - we would've lost to Shrek."
Shen An smiled. "No need. Tom enjoyed himself."
As they spoke, Tom spotted walnuts on the table and gleefully smashed one with the Clear Sky Hammer.
"BANG!"
Truly, the Number One Tool Soul lived up to its name - walnut-cracking had never been easier.
The noise drew everyone's attention.
Meanwhile, Tang San - who had been on the verge of waking - suddenly paled as his recovered soul power drained again. His head lolled, and he fell back into unconsciousness.
Soul tools required their user's soul power to maintain. Every walnut Tom smashed consumed Tang San's energy.
At 600 pounds, the Clear Sky Hammer demanded immense soul power just to wield.
Nearby, Yu Xiaogang fretted over his prized student. He paid a fortune for treatment - why did he collapse again?
Even with his self-proclaimed brilliance, he couldn't fathom what was happening.
"Back to Shrek Academy - Shao Xin is a food-system Soul Sage. He'll diagnose the issue," Yu Xiaogang told Qin Ming urgently.
Soon, Yu Xiaogang carried Tang San and Xiao Wu while Qin Ming and Oscar supported the others, rushing back to Shrek.
Tom's hammering had drawn stares. Most dismissed it, but Yu Tianheng's pupils shrank.
"The Clear Sky Hammer?!"
His worldview shook. As the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's heir, he recognized the hammer that had overshadowed his family for decades.
But... why was it in a cat's paws?
Noticing Yu Tianheng's shock, Tom tilted his head, pointing at the hammer as if to say, "This thing?"
Yu Tianheng nodded numbly. The others crowded around, equally curious - the Clear Sky Clan had vanished years ago.
Ye Lingling voiced everyone's thoughts: "The legendary Clear Sky Hammer... but how does Tom have it?"
Tom suddenly clutched the hammer protectively, then pulled out a marker and drew a cat face on its head.
This isn't a Clear Sky Hammer - it's a Meow-Meow Hammer.
Shen An chuckled. "Brother Yu, you're mistaken. That's just Tom's Meow-Meow Hammer."
Tom nodded, casually dropping the hammer onto the marble table.
"BOOM!"
The table shattered.
The team nodded vigorously. Yes, yes - a hammer that crushes marble tables upon landing is definitely not the Clear Sky Hammer. Just an ordinary Meow-Meow Hammer.
Some distance away, Tang San whimpered in pain as his soul power drained yet again, his limbs twitching weakly.