n

n

n

n

nA dozen deep azure wind blades erupted, instantly tearing the crimson tiger before Howard into shreds.

nWith its physical form destroyed, the flames lost their potency and quickly dissipated.

nHolding Yan Wu and bathed in the flames, Howard presented a sight that made the hearts of the onlookers tremble.

nAt that moment, he appeared like a deity!

nThe wind blades swirling beside him and the fragmented flames nearby enveloped him, casting a divine aura around his figure.

n“Excellent technique, an instant Blink skill combined with a swift Multiple Wind Blade. Do you possess equipment that enables instant skill execution?” the man scrutinized Howard and asked abruptly, “Or is it that your understanding of the Multiple Wind Blade is exceptionally profound?”

n“Isn’t this just a friendly sparring? Is there a need to go so far?”

nHoward, understanding Rick and the others’ intentions, couldn’t help but lightly rebuke the man.

n“Sparring? For me, there’s no such thing as mere sparring!” the man retorted, “As long as the opponent isn’t dead, don’t they possess the ability to counterattack? If I held back and ended up being killed, what then?”

nHe laughed, “Someone from a grand academy like you wouldn’t understand these things.”

nHearing the mockery in the man’s words, Howard’s lips twitched involuntarily, and he chose to remain silent.

nHe could already anticipate the discontent from Rick, Glutton, and others towards him.

nMoreover, he foresaw that the opponents he would face next would also not hold back in their attacks.

nHowever, once this precedent was set, even if he were to be defeated later, it would be difficult for others to stop this aggressive trend.

nWhen it was his turn to step onto the stage, he would have to be extremely cautious.

nAfter stepping down from the arena with Yan Wu in his arms, Howard hadn’t yet spoken when two guards swiftly approached.

nSetting Yan Wu down, the guards exhaled in relief and quickly expressed their gratitude: “Many thanks for your assistance, sir!”

n“It was nothing,” Howard replied nonchalantly.

nYan Wu, finally coming to her senses, gave Howard a careful look.

nA slight blush tinted her cheeks as she spoke, “I am deeply grateful for your help, good sir.”

nHoward nodded slightly and then turned his gaze back to the man.

nThe opponent possessed Blink skills and his Pyro abilities were also formidable; indeed, a worthy adversary.

nThe man, recognizing Howard as a formidable opponent too, chose to challenge other awakened instead.

nA magus’ only weakness is close combat!

nWith the Blink skill at his disposal, other awakened, even those who were assassins and ostensibly countered mages, found it difficult to defeat him.

nIn just about a quarter of an hour, the man had secured five victories!

n“Who is this guy, really?”

n“We’ve never seen him before. And his attire and equipment seem quite modest. Could he be just a commoner?”

n“Impossible, right? How could a commoner possess Blink at such a young age? That skill isn’t basic. It’s not sold in regular magic shops and would cost at least a few thousand gold coins at an auction!”

n“Maybe he just got lucky and it dropped for him?”

n“If he truly is a commoner, even if he did come across such a skill, he’d probably sell it for a wand or gold coins, right? Without enough gold coins, even maintaining daily practice is impossible.”

nThe multitude of awakened individuals continued to discuss the man’s identity, their hearts filled with doubt and apprehension.

nAfter all, it’s the unknown that’s the most terrifying!

nThe backgrounds and strengths of most other competitors were well-known, including the factions they belonged to and the skills they possessed, making it easier to strategize against them.

nFacing an underdog, however, with no understanding of their potential abilities, could be fatal if caught off guard by an unexpected strike.

nIn essence, everyone dreaded the prospect of facing this plainly dressed man.

nYet, after his successive challenges and victories, the man in plain clothes didn’t step down.

nInstead, he turned to Glutton and suggested with a smile, “Senior, I find all this quite tedious. How about we have a free-for-all battle instead? Whoever stands last can claim the Starry River Map!”

nGlutton didn’t reject the idea, responding with a smile, “You might want to ask if the others are willing!”

n“No way!”

n“Exactly! In a melee, if we get ganged up on, wouldn’t that be unfair?”

nAs soon as these words were uttered, the majority of the awakened raised their voices in protest.

nIt was no joke; their classes or skills were not suited for a melee.

nIf in a one-on-one fight there was a chance to seize the Starry River Map, in a free-for-all, they would likely just be paving the way for someone else’s victory.

nSeeing the widespread refusal, the plainly dressed man pouted, “Waiting like this is just too boring. How about this: I’ll just stand here on the stage and take on challenges from everyone, one after the other!”

n“That could work,” Glutton laughed, “I too would like to speed things up!”

nWith Glutton’s consent, the man in plain clothes boldly remained on the stage.

nA sly smile played on his lips as he continued to challenge other awakened.

nThis action instantly ignited anger among the awakened.

nHow dare he challenge so many of them without taking a break?

nIt was a clear sign of not taking them seriously!

nEspecially those selected by the plainly dressed man felt a burning rage, almost wishing they could exert 200% of their strength in retaliation.

nUnfortunately, individual capabilities vary greatly.

nWhile some can unleash 10000% of their power in extreme anger, capable of slaying fierce beasts with bare hands, others, under the same emotional state, end up being severely beaten.

nWithout exception, even the long-renowned awakened fell one after the other to the plainly dressed man.

nEven Sword Seven was defeated.

nOf course, Sword Seven and the others managed to force the plainly dressed man to reveal many of his techniques.

nRegrettably, he had an arsenal of methods at his disposal. Besides the Blink skill, he also possessed a Duplication Skill.

nEach time he was approached closely, he relied on Duplication Skill and Blink to create distance, wearing down his opponent’s abilities before bombarding them from afar.

nMoreover, although the plainly dressed man didn’t have as diverse a skill set as Howard, nor were his skill levels as high, he was adept at using them flexibly.

nHe even managed to combine two completely different elemental skills in one attack.

nThe interaction of these elements merged together, unleashing an unbelievable force.

nEven Sword Seven, wielding a giant sword, couldn’t withstand it. He was sent flying, ultimately meeting his defeat.

nThe plainly dressed man demonstrated a profound understanding of how to secure victory in the arena.

nIf he saw a chance to injure his opponent, he struck decisively.

nIf not, he would simply force them to retreat.

nVictory was his as long as he could knock his opponent off the platform.

nLeveraging this strategy, the plainly dressed man successively defeated over fifty awakened.

nHis terrifying combat prowess thoroughly intimidated the remaining few competitors.

nOf course, Howard was not among those frightened.

nHe had almost completely figured out the plainly dressed man’s tactics.

nThe man had equipment that continuously restored his MP, likely a robe, as it emitted a blue glow each time his MP was replenished.

nFurthermore, the plainly dressed man mastered four types of elemental skills: Pyro, Geo, Anemo, and Hydro.

nThe synergy between these elements, in his hands, gave rise to a multitude of impressive skill effects.

nHowever, Howard did not step up to challenge him.

nHe would rather have the plainly dressed man eliminate the other awakened, allowing himself to reap the benefits, much like a fisherman watching the net.

nFortunately for Howard, having witnessed his instantaneous magic skill, the plainly dressed man was unsure of Howard’s full strength and did not challenge him. Instead, he continued his frenzied string of challenges against the others.

nAs the plainly dressed man continued his challenges, time slowly ticked away, and soon night fell. 𝑖𝘦𝑎.𝗇t

nMeanwhile, on the stone platform, apart from Howard, only the woman with the eight-eyed devil mask remained unchallenged.

nAll other awakened had been defeated, leaving their faces, and those of the powerhouses behind them, ashen with a mix of shock and anger.

nThey were shocked at how a previously unknown commoner could possess such formidable strength.

nThe anger stemmed from their collective defeat, which felt like a disgrace to their respective factions.

nFurthermore, the chance of obtaining the Starry River Map had slipped through their fingers.

nMany powerful individuals contemplated a desperate last stand, but upon glancing at Rick and his companions, they promptly abandoned any unrealistic notions.

nThe plainly dressed man weighed his options between Howard and the woman with the eight-eyed devil mask, feeling an indescribable pressure from both.

nEventually, with a steely gaze, he decided on the woman in the mask, saying with a smile, “I’ve long heard of the extraordinary strength of the Holy Maiden from the Solomon Sacred Assembly. Today, I shall learn a few tricks from you!”

n“Giggle, giggle!”

nThe woman with the eight-eyed devil mask let out a playful laugh, “Well then, let’s see how much of my power you can bring out!”

nUpdated from .𝘤𝘰

n