Tang Jun gazed over the warm plains, the grass swaying in the gentle breeze, smelling flowers blooming, and the sun shining brightly upon them all. It was indeed a most beautiful day, though he knew that it would not be for long. The war against the Sun-Moon continent raged across the land, and this field was where he would engage a small group of their Spirit Masters sneaking across.

He was one of the Soul Land's oldest and strongest masters, a level 97 Titled Douluo! In any normal situation, he would never be sent out in active combat, but they had to because their losses were already too high. Tens of thousands died in every clash on both sides, their corpses coming back only to broken mothers and weeping brothers. Morale and manpower rapidly drained, and true despair had already taken root within everyone's hearts.

These Spirit Masters sneaking across were of the lowest profile; the only reason that the banded Douluo Empires gained information on this was a coincidental sweep through a city, finding and capturing a spy and forcing all information from her. There were to be four of them, all high-level Spirit Douluos, traveling from some Sun-Moon city to the heart of the Douluo Empires - Shrek Academy! In a normal confrontation, any Title Douluo could crush them, but these were wielding Spirit Guidance Weapons; extremely strong weapons that used Spirit Power to utilize. And against four of them, even Tang Jun had to be cautious of their power!

He waited for hours, sitting there - sensing anything and everything in the field, waiting for the Spirit Masters to pass through. He again saw the grass swaying, smelt the flowers blooming, and saw the sun shine brightly as ever. But at this moment Tang Jun felt a peculiar movement - some far away grass slightly rustling - and he knew the time had come. He summoned his spirit, a Clear Sky Hammer, gray and glowing crimson, and unleashed his Spirit Power.

Boom!

It felt as if the world was shaking, the earth was being torn apart, or the heavens were quaking in fear. Nine Spirit Rings floated behind Tang Jun, each one more domineering than the next. There were two yellow rings, two purple rings, three black rings and most terrifying of all, two red rings, symbolizing the power of two Hundred Thousand-Year old Beasts, the terrifying peak of Spirit Beasts. He truly is a tempered monster - worthy of being called the Hammer God Douluo!

He flew at them, his hammer raised domineeringly to crush anything thrown at him. Tang Jun heard the blast of some Spirit Guidance Weapon - and seconds later some projectile flew at him. He roared, and unleashed his first Spirit Skill, while one of his yellow rings glowed.

"First Spirit Skill: Forest Bear's Might!"

A silhouette of a tall, brown bear enveloped him, and Tang Jun felt his muscles tense and grow even stronger. He swung his hammer - smashing the projectile, its shrapnel flying everywhere. Tang Jun flew and advanced further, now finally seeing his targets. There were four, hooded figures, each with 8 rings of their own - Spirit Douluos. He smirked, and rushed to them, swinging away at the rapid projectiles flying to him. Two hooded figures wielded some sort of cannon, the other two were wielding some crossbow - all Spirit Guidance Weapons. As Tang Jun flew closer, they started to rapidly back off, using some movement skill to maximum effect. He continuously pressed on, smashing the arrows and cannon balls sent at him.

Boom! Crash!

A heaven-shaking blast resounded throughout the plains, scorching the earth and burning the grass. A Cannon-wielding hooded figure had unleashed some Spirit Skill - not at him, but at the ground. TangJun frowned.

'What are they doing?' He thought, 'They're firing at me, but clearly to no effect. They're running away - understandable, but why are they firing at the ground? Have they gone mad? I need them to reveal their intentions.'

Tang Du breathes, and then in a burst of Spirit Power, unleashes his 7th Spirit Skill.

"7th Spirit Skill: Holy Hammer Barrage!"

Hundreds, thousands, perhaps even ten thousands of hammers appeared; their numbers were uncountable. They glowed luminously golden: each identical and giving off immense pressure. Tang Jun lept towards the hooded figures and swung at them.

Woosh! Bang!

All of the hammers darted towards the figures, crashing either into the shields they had manifested or shot down by large scale shots by the cannon ball Spirit Guide Weapons.

Boom! Crash!

They retreated even further, and anyone could tell that they were at a massive disadvantage. One of the crossbow hooded figures gestured to the others, and they nodded back. Tang Jun narrowed his eyes. He did not like what they were doing. A plan? A Trap?

The four hooded figures took off, dashing at him with while shooting projectiles at him.

'Are they crazy?' TangJun thought again. 'Now they're running to me? What kind of plan is this?'

He ran towards them as well, but just as he got close they split apart, darting at each corner around Tang Jun. He did not like the current situation at all, and he needed to act fast. Tang Jun looked at the signaling hooded figure, who he had absolute certainty was the leader, and decided that they needed to get rid of. He charges at him, his pressure and bloodlust released to the maximum, to force out any tricks they might have up their sleeve. The 'leader' figure waits, then throws a small, gray object at Tang Jun.

'Not good!' He panickily thinks. 'Is it an explosive!? Some sort of trap!? I need to defend!'

"6th Spirit Skill: Heavenly Jade Turtle Defense!"

A colossal jade shell appears in front of him - Its aura dominating and unsurmountable. The object flies at him but falls short of about 10 meters. It is quiet for one second, then a brilliant golden hemisphere bursts out of it, covering the field in which they were fighting on. Whatever it is, he does not feel good about it. He turns and tries to fly out of the area, but the figures block him and barrage him with Spirit Skills and Projectiles, clearly not wanting him to leave.

No noticeable effects have occurred, he notices, and the fastest way out is through the hooded figures, so he rushes against them, and unleashes his 7th skill again.

"7th Spirit Skill: Holy Hammer Barrage!

Again the hammers come out and are sent barraging against the figures. They stall and defend, stopping his attempts to escape while using damned movement skills and Spirit Guidance Weapons to dodge the hammers. Tang Jun fought and fought but he just couldn't get out of the light!

Then the unthinkable happens, they disperse again, but his time doesn't try to block Tang Jun's attempt to escape the sphere. The figures also back out, but as soon as Tang Jun leaves the sphere, he feels some things very off.

Boom!Boom!Boom!

Huge explosions were detonated on his shield, shattering it and lightly wounding him.

'How is this possible! They don't nearly have the firepower to...'

Then he notices them, four more Sun-Moon Spirit Masters had shown up! And he had completely missed them as well, not feeling even a bit of their presence inside the light. Tang Jun then suddenly realizes the purpose of the light; not to kill him, but to mask the others arrival! He finds himself in a very dangerous situation - he could not possibly take down all eight of these Spirit Masters! Could the whole thing be a trap? To kill him?

The Spirit Masters then starts to fire, and he desperately tries to defend himself while retreating (strong and proud he may be, he knows when he is outnumbered and outclassed).Tang Jun unleashes his Heavenly Jade Turtle Defense again but is inevitably crushed only after a few barrages. Then he feels something pierce him; something silver and sharp. He grunts in pain, still attempting to retreat; but their movement skill coupled with their Spirit Guidance Weapons made it impossible. More projectiles piece and batter him; hearing the rapid thuds of connecting arrows. His Spirit Power is nearly depleted; coupled with his old age and disadvantages he knew he would not make this out alive.

Tang Jun roared, his voice hoarse from the battle cries shrieked some brutal hours ago.

"Will I die here? In the midst of burning plains by mere Spirit Douluos!?"

He then hears the mechanical clicks of those damned Spirit Guidance Weapons, as the group of 8 Sun-Moon Spirit Masters prepare the inevitable barrage.

He steadies himself, grasping his Clear Sky Hammer even tighter than before. Tang Jun channels all his remaining Spirit Power into it, the energy roaring through the long burnt plains. And with a deafening bang, cannonballs, arrows, and projectiles fly at him. He swings his hammer, once, twice, thrice! With every swing, Tang Jun crushed something aimed for him, but that was not enough. The old man feels arrows pierce through his armor and into his flesh, bleeding heavier in all its crimson glory. Pain racks his body, and he collapses on his knees.

"Is this my end?" He cries."I am not afraid of death, but to be humiliated like this? I will not stand for!"

"It is the end." Some cruel, mocking voice calls out. "For you at least."

"If It's so, then I will take you with me!"

He could barely register the brutal thud of the arrow penetrating his chest. Tang Jun violently coughs out blood and falls face first into the earth. Blood pours everywhere, staining his robe and the dirt in which he lay upon. Then both of his red rings glow, as the pressure increases and his power fluctuating, fueled by his very life force, and unleashed his strongest skill.

"8th and 9th Spirit Skill combination: Hammer God's Fury!"

Tang Jun floats up, blood still pouring out of his wounds, but his eyes now shine in the color of his blood. Then, a domineering golden ring bursts out of him, sending massive shockwaves to the Hooded Figures. They tried to defend, but they were still only Spirit Douluos; their attacks simply did not have the effect of the shock waves. As the shockwaves burst through them, they crumpled to the ground, dying by the last Spirit Skill Tang Jun would ever unleash. Now powerless, he also crumples to the ground, his hammer still faithfully by his side.

"So..." He weakly murmurs, "How humiliating... to die by mere Spirit Douluos, how pitiful. Perhaps in my next life...I will do better."

Then he says no more.

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