Li Ming stood in the middle of the courtyard, Pride Shatter Orbs glowing faintly in his hands. Dust swirled around him, and every student paused to watch.

Bai Guo, human form this time, hovered nearby. "This is it, descendant. The real challenge. Don't underestimate him."

Li Ming's chest tightened. The Head Mentor floated above, robes dark, eyes calm but sharp. Six Pride Shatter Orbs circled him like tiny suns, spinning faster with each second.

Li Ming tightened his grip. "I've been through a lot. Feathers, chickens, exploding rocks… I can do this."

The Head Mentor's voice echoed, low and deliberate. "Li Ming. Your progress is notable. But can your pride withstand a true test?"

Li Ming squared his shoulders. "I'll find out."

The first orb shot forward like a streak of lightning. Li Ming barely sidestepped, rolling forward and deflecting it with both of his orbs. Sparks flew, and the courtyard shook.

"Not bad," the Head Mentor said. "But your spirit wavers too easily."

Li Ming's arms burned. His feet ached. Every instinct screamed to run. But he remembered Bai Guo's words: True strength comes from understanding yourself, not escaping.

He steadied his breathing. He wasn't dodging anymore—he was facing. Each orb, each strike, he met with focus and timing.

The Head Mentor smiled faintly. "Clever. But can you maintain it?"

Li Ming adjusted his stance. His previous self—the boy who joked his way through danger—was gone. He was serious now. Every move, every swing, was calculated. He felt the energy of the Pride Shatter Orbs syncing with his own flow.

A student behind him whispered, "Is he… fighting without fear?"

Bai Guo flapped, half-chicken, half-human. "Finally! He's learning! Watch closely, everyone. This is how pride grows—not by laughing, not by luck, but by standing firm."

Li Ming ducked a spinning orb, then countered with one of his own. It grazed the mentor's orb, and a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard. Dust rose, and the crowd gasped.

The Head Mentor raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. You are improving faster than expected."

Li Ming gritted his teeth. "I'm not done yet. I want to be stronger… better… smarter. I won't just survive. I'll fight with everything I have."

The Head Mentor's six orbs suddenly formed a wall around Li Ming. Light reflected from every direction, making it hard to see. Li Ming's heart pounded. He focused, moving not with strength, but with precision. He weaved between the orbs, dodged attacks, and found openings to counter.

Sweat dripped down his face. His muscles screamed. Every move required timing, focus, and courage. He stumbled, barely avoiding a strike, but he rose immediately, refusing to falter.

Bai Guo watched, impressed. "Yes! That's how you turn fear into focus!"

Li Ming paused briefly, catching his breath. He realized he wasn't just fighting the Head Mentor. He was confronting his own weaknesses—hesitation, doubt, fear of failure. And every strike he blocked, every attack he dodged, was proof he was growing.

The Head Mentor's voice rumbled, calm but commanding: "Your pride is stronger than before, Li Ming. But do you truly understand it?"

Li Ming clenched his fists. "I do. Pride isn't about being better than anyone else. It's about never giving up on myself, no matter how impossible it seems."

The Head Mentor's eyes glowed briefly, a sign of acknowledgment. "Then show me that strength, not just with your arms, but with your heart."

Li Ming inhaled deeply. His aura flared brighter. He didn't just hold the Pride Shatter Orbs—he became one with his will, standing firm in the middle of the storm of spinning orbs.

For the first time, the Head Mentor moved slightly—testing, observing, not attacking. Li Ming's stance didn't waver.

He wasn't invincible. He wasn't perfect. But he had grown, and he knew it.

Bai Guo hovered closer, whispering, "This… this is the Li Ming who can face anything. Not by luck. Not by accident. By heart."

Li Ming straightened. Sweat streaked his face. Dust coated his robes. But his eyes burned with resolve.

The Head Mentor floated higher, arms crossed. "Good. You are ready to learn what true challenge means."

Li Ming's grip on the orbs tightened. His mind was sharp, his body ready, and his pride… more solid than ever.

The Pride Shatter Games had reached a new level.

Li Ming didn't know what would happen next, but he felt something new inside: confidence, clarity, and the hunger to truly grow.

And in that moment, he realized: he wasn't just fighting the mentors. He was fighting for himself.

----

Li Ming's arms ached. Sweat dripped into his eyes. Dust swirled around him like a mini sandstorm. The Head Mentor hovered above, six Pride Shatter Orbs spinning, each pulsing with power that could crush mountains.

Bai Guo flapped beside him. "Okay, descendant… now the fun begins."

Li Ming tightened his grip on his remaining orb. "Fun? I think you mean terrifying."

"Call it what you want. Just survive!" Bai Guo squawked.

The Head Mentor's voice cut through the air: "Li Ming. Pride is more than power. Strength is more than survival. Can you withstand the truth of your own limitations?"

Li Ming's eyes narrowed. "I'll find out."

With a sudden motion, the Head Mentor spun his six orbs in a deadly spiral. Li Ming's aura flared, his orbs glowing brightly. Every instinct screamed at him: dodge, block, counter.

He moved like water—sliding, jumping, spinning. Sparks flew from clashing orbs. Dust clouds rose, making it almost impossible to see. His arms burned. His legs trembled. His mind raced.

Bai Guo darted between human and chicken form, intercepting stray attacks. "Focus! This isn't just a fight—it's a lesson!"

Li Ming's vision cleared. He realized that this wasn't about who had more strength—it was about control. Control over his movements, his mind, his pride.

A massive orb came barreling toward him, spinning faster than anything he'd seen. Li Ming braced… and used a new technique he had just discovered: orb reflection.

He tilted his Pride Shatter Orb, catching the spinning orb just right. It ricocheted into another, and sparks exploded like fireworks. Students gasped.

Bai Guo clapped his wings. "Finally! That's my descendant! Not relying on luck, not panicking—thinking!"

Li Ming felt a surge of confidence. "Yes… I can do this!"

The Head Mentor's six orbs converged, forming a massive glowing wall. "You are learning, but can you endure the final trial?"

Li Ming took a deep breath. He remembered every failure, every laugh, every moment that made him question himself. And he realized: this was not just about the Pride Shatter Games. It was about him.

He stepped forward, golden aura blazing, Pride Shatter Orbs spinning with him like extensions of his body. Every movement was precise. Every strike calculated.

The orbs collided with the Head Mentor's in a dazzling explosion of light and energy. Shockwaves rolled across the courtyard. Students shielded their eyes. Dust and sparks filled the air.

Li Ming staggered backward. His body screamed, his legs wobbled, but his eyes burned with determination. He wasn't done.

The Head Mentor hovered calmly. "Not bad… but true pride comes from knowing your limits."

Before Li Ming could respond, the Head Mentor unleashed a final barrage—six orbs converging at once, spinning faster than ever. The ground cracked beneath their power.

Li Ming's aura flared. He felt every fiber of his body screaming. His energy surged—but it wasn't enough. He collided with the orb wall, falling to the ground.

Bai Guo squawked, "Descendant! Don't… don't give up!"

Li Ming lay on the cracked stone, chest heaving, Pride Shatter Orbs dimming. He realized something crucial: this loss wasn't the end.

It was a lesson.

Even in defeat, he felt strength. Not the kind that comes from winning fights or mocking chickens. The kind that comes from standing, trying, and pushing beyond what he thought he could endure.

He looked up at the Head Mentor. "I… understand now. I know what I need to grow."

The Head Mentor's eyes glimmered. "Good. True strength is born from realizing your weaknesses—and refusing to be broken by them."

Li Ming slowly rose to his feet. His body ached. His pride had been tested and bent—but not shattered.

Bai Guo landed on his shoulder, grinning. "Not bad for a human who used to get beaten by a chicken."

Li Ming chuckled weakly. "Yeah… I think I've grown… just a little."

The Head Mentor descended slightly. "Rest now. You have passed the first stage of the Heartbreaker Arc. But know this: the true trials are only beginning."

Li Ming's eyes narrowed. "I'm ready. No… I want the next trial."

Bai Guo flapped, half-proud, half-anxious. "Uh… careful what you wish for, descendant. Things are about to get way more intense."

The courtyard cleared. Dust settled. Students whispered, mentors observed, and Li Ming—though bruised and exhausted—stood taller than ever.

He had faced his pride. He had faced failure. And he had learned something more valuable than winning: true strength comes from confronting yourself, not just your enemies.

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