Atop a towering building outside Castle Voss, where one could survey the entirety of the inner city, a man sat cheerfully swinging his legs over the edge of the rooftop. In his hand, he held a slender rod that looked so fragile it might snap with a single wave. He used the rod to tap rhythmically against his shoulder as he hummed, his eyes bright as he gazed down at the gathered crowd in the castle below, as if he could see every detail with perfect clarity.

  "My, my, quite a few promising seeds this year," he muttered, ceasing his humming as he swung the rod in a swift arc. "Though the formation prevents me from seeing how their minds were disturbed anymore."

  Earlier, he had used his power to create an invisible ripple affecting all the young people present for tonight's gathering. Through this, he could observe who showed the most promise for him to pursue.

  Among all the young people present, his eyes were fixed on one youth in red attire. This young man had shown the strongest reaction when he had disturbed everyone's mental state.

  "A Tier 1 with such impressive mental defenses," he mused to himself. "Truly a promising seed indeed. This little detour through Maelivar hasn't been wasted after all. I should keep an eye on some of the others too. That boy with the Sword Intent shows similar promise."

  His brow then furrowed as he let out a breath of disgust before standing up, brushing off his clothes to straighten them.

  "These little rats are quick to catch the scent."

  After his complaint, he vanished without a trace.

  Mere seconds later, several shadows appeared on the rooftop. They clearly hadn't come in physical form, using only a portion of their Spirit to manifest.

  "You all sensed that presence just now?" one shadow spoke, their voice impossible to distinguish as male or female.

  "Stop stating the obvious!" another shadow snapped. "Why else would we waste our evening gathering here?"

  "You—"

  "Silence!" the third voice commanded with overwhelming authority. "If you can't contribute anything useful, return to your quarters."

  "Duke Kael," the fourth shadow stepped forward, purple eyes gleaming behind the black mist. "This stranger appears just as The Shifting Trials are about to begin. Could they have some ulterior motive?"

  The shadow identified as Duke Kael remained silent and motionless.

  "Should we cancel or postpone the event?" another shadow inquired.

  "No," Duke Kael replied instantly. "This isn't just about Maelivar's honor anymore—it's a national duty. Increased vigilance will suffice. If we're dealing with an existence beyond our ability to resist, canceling the event would serve no purpose."

  The other shadows nodded in agreement.

  "Disperse," Duke Kael ordered.

  No one lingered.

  Duke Kael's shadow drifted toward where the rod-wielding man had sat. His shadow fluctuated violently as he attempted to find traces. Anyone using mana would leave some kind of signature. Yet Duke Kael couldn't track anything—worse, the attempt nearly caused his shadow projection to collapse.

  This could only mean one thing: the stranger was an existence far beyond Duke Kael's level.

  Tier 5 wasn't enough. It had to be Tier 6 or higher.

  Duke Kael's shadow trembled more intensely, though whether from fear or something else remained unclear.

  After a while, the shadow vanished. The rooftop was left with only the wind and darkness, as if nothing had ever occurred.

  Back at the gathering, all eyes were fixed on Lachlan's pointing finger.

  Nathan knew people were using their full processing power to research him on PsiLink. Though he had prepared for this, he hadn't expected things to escalate so quickly. According to Celene's analysis, even if he hadn't invited Lachlan to the dinner party, today's confrontation would still have been hard to avoid. Lachlan could have used someone else as the first target, creating a chain reaction leading to Nathan. Without Lachlan's presence, the chances of success at the recent dinner party would have decreased. At that time, Nathan hadn't been sure if Emrys would actually attend, so he had to spread his chances by baiting Lachlan to come. Whatever the case, he didn't regret what he'd done to secure his place here.

  Lachlan's words confirmed Celene's analysis.

  "We have a Tier 1 among us. Don't you all find that ridiculous?"

  Several mocking laughs rose in agreement.

  "Even the Artificers here are Tier 2. That's the requirement to use advanced equipment in crafting. You all see that Spatial Pouch he's using, right? Meaning he can't even handle something as basic as a Spatial Ring."

  The laughter grew louder. Nathan clenched his fists, eyes narrowing.

  Lachlan pretended not to notice, turning to continue his lecture.

  "And he took over two years to reach that level. Hasn't even achieved Tier 1 Phase 5 yet. Tell me, should we allow someone like that to participate?"

  Whispers about Nathan spread like a plague. The Verdant Spire Sect disciples cast looks of contempt at their fellow disciple. They hadn't thought much of it when Nathan said he wanted to earn a slot by himself, even laughing it off, assuming he was bound to fail. They hadn't anticipated this current situation.

  "He's participating as a support profession, not as a combat specialist, you sharp-tongued jerk!" Zahra couldn't hold back from objecting.

  Nathan appreciated her action. But this truly couldn't change the outcome. If it could, Zeryn would have stepped in from the start.

  "That's right, he's here to participate like the Artificers or Herbalists, so why bring up cultivation levels?" a representative from the Artificer Guild spoke up.

  Lachlan shot him a piercing glance, making the words about to leave his mouth retreat.

  "Are your ears not working properly? I already said even those who lock themselves in laboratories all day are Tier 2. So is a Tier 1 here just for fun? From what I see, he doesn't even have a guardian. So when he faces monsters and enemies in there, he'll just give up? Remember, those life-saving bracelets are expensive. Wouldn't it be better if he stepped aside and let someone else participate? Of course, this still needs Duke Kael's approval. But him not participating wouldn't be a bad outcome."

  These words hit the core of the issue. Quite a few people here had brought attendants like Celene. Letting them compete for participation slots sound intriguing. Or the guardians could take the slots. That way, instead of having to leave when Artificers faced challenges, they could continue seeking opportunities to grow stronger.

  Lachlan's lips curled up, seemingly satisfied with how things were developing.

  "Duke Kael permits competition for participation slots," Mingxia announced, his eyes narrowing in confusion.

  Usually, participation rights could be revoked, but not transferred from one person to another.

  "Since this event is preparation for the Empire, Duke Kael wishes to see more competition," Ruby explained.

  People nodded in understanding. Previous events had proceeded rather peacefully, with various factions being cautious not to openly antagonize each other. Now things were different, with the Empire's involvement changing the situation. Even if factions were displeased, they wouldn't dare protest against the Emperor.

  "Can we call in our people?" someone in the crowd asked.

  "No," Mingxia replied firmly.

  "So you're creating a playground for the military?" a young disciple asked indignantly. "Everyone can see which faction has the most attendants here."

  The young people in military uniforms following Lachlan smirked condescendingly at the others.

  Mingxia seemed confused by what was happening. After receiving some information, he broke into an unusual smile.

  "Ladies and gentlemen," Mingxia raised his hand to signal for calm, "hear me out. Duke Kael's office anticipated this situation, so the invitations sent out weren't just the usual direct participation type. Please check your invitations—if they bear the 'Challenger' seal, these individuals must earn their official slots tonight. The list of those with official invitations has been posted on PsiLink. You can check there for information."

  Nathan smirked upon hearing this. He had kept his eyes on Lachlan and caught the flash of surprise on the troublemaker's face.

  "Duke Kael played him well," Zeryn chuckled in commentary.

  "Indeed," Nathan said. "If he hadn't stirred up trouble, they would have kept quiet about the invitation categories. But now they're using the wind to their advantage. Lachlan's attendants are in for an exhausting night."

  After hearing this analysis, Zahra finally understood what was happening. She laughed heartily and said, "So you're no longer their target, right?"

  "Not at all," Zeryn shook his head, his expression turning sour. "On the contrary, he'll be the sweetest target in the bunch."

  "Because he's Tier 1?" Zahra asked, eyes widening.

  "Exactly," Zeryn shrugged.

  "Idiots!" Zahra cursed.

  "You're judging me based on the Outer Sect Tournament, aren't you?" Nathan asked cheerfully, happy to see such support.

  "Do you know what smell you give off, Nathan?" Zahra asked seriously.

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  "What smell?"

  "The smell of monster blood. And not just any ordinary monster blood—the pure blood of Tier 2 monsters. The scent is so strong it's sometimes hard to bear."

  Everyone stared at Zahra, including Nathan. He couldn't believe her nose was that sensitive. He had heard about how killing left behind a faint blood scent. He'd never thought monster kills would lead to similar results.

  Celene finally started believing that Nathan hadn't been lying. He truly wasn't as weak as he appeared.

  "I don't want you targeted," Zahra shook her head and continued, "because I want you to keep your advantage."

  Nathan nodded in acknowledgment. This was something he had considered. Being underestimated could be an advantage. An opponent might expose a fatal weakness due to overconfidence, creating an opening he could exploit thoroughly.

  "It's fine," Nathan smiled at Zahra. "I'll try to live up to your expectations."

  "The greatest underdog," Zahra finished, her smile spreading from ear to ear.

  With his friends' expectant gazes upon him, he stepped forward.

  He raised his hand, pointing directly at Lachlan.

  "Send out your person, I'll accept the challenge."

  His voice rang clear and confident, silencing the surrounding commentary.

  Even if he failed tonight, the image of a Tier 1 daring to challenge a group of Tier 2s would be unforgettable. Such audacity either marked one as a foolish madman or someone dangerously confident. This was on top of his existing reputation as a top-tier chef.

  "You won't use your guardian?" Mingxia asked following procedure, though he understood the situation. Nathan wasn't participating as a challenger—Duke's office still valued the young chef's potential and future. It was only his low tier and entanglement with Lachlan that prevented him from having a guardian.

  "No," Nathan answered firmly. "I'll fight myself."

  The surrounding crowd couldn't believe what they were hearing. They had thought Nathan would invite one of the Challengers present to be his Guardian. That was the path support professions should take. Not every profession could be like Artificers, who could both fight independently and craft products to assist Cultivators. Challengers would likely choose to help rather than compete for official positions. Their purpose here could be relationship-building, trading future favors instead. Many who discovered they were Challengers had considered this approach, knowing the Aspect Affinity-enhancing dinner Nathan could provide.

  Nathan understood that Duke Kael had reversed his Guardian limitation. However, he disliked owing others, especially when it meant trusting strangers. He had somewhat decided to walk the path of rising through strength, so he should overcome this challenge himself rather than rely on others. Cooking was ultimately just a side profession. His fists were his true foundation.

  "Very well," Lachlan emerged from his contemplative state with a shake of his head, speaking loudly. "Thalos, step forward."

  An attendant in gray uniform stepped out. He had a clean military crew cut like the others. His sturdy build and square, serious face held a somewhat grim expression. Yet instinctively, he still looked down at Nathan with contempt.

  The young participants who were itching to challenge for participation slots contained their emotions, watching this match instead. Some even took out flying boots to get a better view. It wasn't every day they could see a Tier 1 fight a Tier 2. Usually, they would have surrendered immediately or run away.

  "Thalos is Tier 2, Phase 1," Lachlan explained. "He's not worthy to compare with many here, but he's suitable for you. Otherwise, people might say I'm bullying a chef."

  "So I should thank you?" Nathan narrowed his eyes and asked.

  "Isn't that how it should be?" Lachlan laughed as if it were obvious.

  Nathan ignored him, turning to face his opponent.

  "Everyone please step back," Mingxia said, raising his hand.

  A square platform materialized beneath Nathan and his opponent's feet. Then it separated, hovering half a meter above the ground. Surrounding it was a transparent barrier that only flickered with blue light when touched.

  The protective formation had been established. Similar areas were created around Castle Voss's courtyard. But no one rushed to them yet—they wanted to watch this first match. News about Nathan had clearly stated he was a direct disciple, ranking above inner disciples of Verdant Spire Sect. So everyone wanted to see if he had any real capability beyond cooking, since he had achieved this position before becoming a chef. He had used his Tier 1, Phase 2 strength to win runner-up, defeating those six to seven Phases above him.

  "The arena is ready," Mingxia announced. "You may begin. Each arena will have a Tier 3 referee ensuring safety. I hope everyone knows when to stop. The challenged party only needs to win 2 out of 3 matches to keep their participation slot. To avoid wasting time, only challengers have the right to issue challenges, not the other way around."

  Some questions and objections arose but weren't too forceful. In truth, most people here wouldn't be targeted by challengers. Choosing who to challenge required considering the backing forces. Everyone understood this was aimed at Lachlan's attendants, so the burning gazes were directed at the largest group of nearly twenty people.

  Thalos, seemingly impatient, lowered his stance as mana smoke rose through his pores, making the air pressure noticeably heavier.

  "STOP!" Nathan shouted, making everyone jump.

  Seeing Nathan's seemingly cowardly stance in the arena, laughter erupted around them.

  "See? How could he dare to fight!"

  "What's he planning? Surrendering? Was all that just for show?"

  "What's he digging for in his Spatial Pouch?"

  Nathan pulled out some dried meat and various bottles containing different solutions.

  "I'm allowed to eat before fighting, right?" he asked Mingxia.

  The Duke's office representative couldn't hold back an eye twitch, having never encountered such a contestant.

  "I suppose so," Mingxia said, not entirely certain.

  "You suppose so?" Nathan showed an annoyed expression. "I came here as a chef, this is how I fight."

  "By eating?" Thalos opened his mouth to ask.

  "What else, shit my pants like your mother?"

  Triggered [Bad Mouth]. One credit given.

  Yes, very timely, you cursed skill.

  A burst of laughter exploded among the crowd. They had truly never met someone as interesting as Nathan.

  His friends could only shake their heads helplessly. These people hadn't even seen Nathan's performance at the outer sect tournament. That had been even more spectacular.

  Thalos, the victim of the insult, turned red with anger and charged forward without hesitation.

  The match allowing Nathan to eat didn't mean waiting for him to finish eating before fighting.

  Seeing his opponent's swift speed, Nathan showed no fear, bending his legs to gather power. Leaving behind a wave of air, he shot upward to everyone's surprise. In mid-air, he skillfully opened bottles with one hand while simultaneously chewing crispy pieces of meat with obvious relish.

  Thalos looked up, and though confused, didn't waste too much time on this issue. His feet stomped the ground, two chunks of rock breaking off to attach to his feet, lifting him into the air. He leaned forward, his hands clenching to form stone gauntlets. He intended to intercept Nathan at their meeting point, throwing a punch to knock his opponent down.

  Seeing this, Nathan just shook his head, [Martial Art Mastery] having already read his opponent's intentions. In the moment before contact, he tapped his side, changing his falling trajectory to smoothly avoid the opponent's attack. Then he landed, casually dusting himself off with an air of composure. This only served to irritate Thalos further.

  Like Thalos, the spectators were gaping in amazement at Nathan's capabilities.

  "What the hell? He doesn't seem to be using mana at all."

  "Is this effect from his food?"

  "Must be."

  No one even considered Physical Cultivation. Because it was far inferior to Spirit Cultivation. Additionally, training it was expensive and full of dangers. All were too proud to believe Nathan had actually hung his life by a thread for three months straight. If enemy blood had been spilled, his own had flowed just as much.

  This was exactly what Nathan wanted. Partly to make people think food was his source of power. They would think they just needed to cut off this supply—his Spatial Pouch—to have a chance at victory. The second purpose was advertising. He might not need a guardian, but he could still sell food items. In the upcoming event's circumstances, he could use this to raise prices.

  Thalos landed on the ground. This floating rock technique wasn't his specialty—it was slow and consumed too much energy. He suddenly felt he needed to end this fight as quickly as possible.

  With renewed determination, Thalos thrust his hand forward, using his mana aspect to create floating rock shards in the air. He spread his fingers, and a rain of projectiles flew straight at Nathan.

  Biting his lip several times, Nathan activated [Quick Feet], combining it with [Better Vision]. He stretched forward, using his body's flexibility to create an impossible angle, successfully and elegantly avoiding six rocks flying at him. Continuing, he spread his legs and jumped up, continuing to avoid impacts.

  His movements were so skilled that the watching eyes could only show admiration. In contrast, most viewers would have used mana shields around themselves to block, rather than completely dodging.

  "His body's reactions are truly superior," everyone nodded in agreement, their minds analyzing what food could enhance these abilities.

  Some revelations about Thunder Embrace Wine shared by diners on PsiLink began spreading. This was a wine that could somewhat increase speed. People had more and more basis to conclude that Nathan was enjoying buffs from food.

  Seeing his attacks causing no damage to his opponent, Thalos showed no fear. The rock shards flying past Nathan gathered behind him at Thalos's command. The incoming projectiles changed direction when he clenched his fist, clustering together. Two walls formed with Nathan between them. Thalos's intention was clear to all watching.

  Nathan remained as before, continuing to avoid by jumping up, the only direction he could move in this situation.

  The two earthen walls below crashed together with a boom, sending rock fragments flying everywhere.

  Thalos's lips curled as his five straight fingers contracted, raising upward.

  The rocks shot back into the air in a fan pattern, maximizing the affected area to reduce the opponent's dodging capabilities.

  Seeing this, Nathan could only raise his arms to shield his face. The rocks slammed into him with loud impacts that the spectators could hear. The collision force jerked him from side to side, bouncing him around like a rubber pillow.

  The young people around involuntarily cringed at what they saw and heard. They could imagine the pain Nathan was enduring, especially without a mana barrier for protection. Although they knew Nathan's fighting style couldn't avoid bloodshed, they still shook their heads in disappointment. They had thought the fight would have something special, but everything Nathan showed was just defense after defense.

  A Tier 1 truly couldn't fight a Tier 2.

  Celene clenched her fists, her nails digging painfully into her palms. She didn't want her master to endure such treatment.

  "Everything will be fine," Zeryn spoke up to comfort her. "We're not even worried yet."

  She looked at Nathan's friends. Everyone was watching the fight with expectant gazes. She didn't understand why they had such confidence, but could only focus and try to convince herself.

  The rock rain hadn't ended. When they forced Nathan to the ground, the stones from above paused, then fell straight down.

  Unlike being limited in the air, Nathan could run and jump to minimize damage to himself. His face was covered in streaks of red liquid, flowing past eyes that seemed desperate.

  Seeing this, Thalos's smile grew deeper. He had thought he would face a great challenge when he saw his opponent's confidence. However, it seemed to be just an act. Just a few rocks and Nathan was already struggling this much—clearly he couldn't accomplish anything significant. The opponent wasn't even using items as if thinking they would be futile anyway.

  He's not creating distance, Nathan secretly smiled inside.

  His footsteps grew increasingly faster, with speed quite different from the beginning. His muscle fibers tightened with each forceful movement. In just a few steps, he had reached close to Thalos.

  Thalos showed no fear, pushing both hands forward. Earth bolts formed, shooting toward Nathan. Meanwhile, his hands were covered in earth and stone, forming solid and dangerous gauntlets.

  Nathan gracefully weaved through each earth bolt fired at him, letting them slip past without causing harm. His body's ability to adapt to mental analysis since reaching Tier 2 of Physical Cultivation was displaying its full potential.

  Finally, their fists met.

  Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Flowing Strikes]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Rebound]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Internal Trauma]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Bleeding]. One credit given.

  At the point of contact, Thalos's stone covering shattered with a loud explosion. The shockwave spread across the entire arena, pulverizing the rocks Thalos had created, stirring up a cloud of dust.

  Thalos only felt a violent shock pass through his arm. He didn't even have time to be horrified when he heard a whistling sound past his ear. By instinct, he raised a wall to his right side instantly. Though he was the weakest among Lachlan's attendants, he was still an elite warrior. His reaction speed was still very fast.

  CRACK!

  Thalos couldn't distinguish if that was the sound of the wall breaking or his bones snapping.

  Another whoosh. Through the chaotic air, he saw a kick heading straight for his chest. Not just that, but this force was even stronger.

  In the final moment before being sent flying, Thalos only saw his stone shield shattering against that kick. Then various strange forces hammered his body. The Mana Shield covering his entire body trembled violently. But it couldn't help him completely. It was effective against cuts, stabs, or shots, because it could automatically concentrate mana at a point to resist. It was also effective against mana attacks. But against wide-area attacks with blunt, physical nature like punches and kicks, excess force still affected the body.

  He was about to raise walls behind himself to slow down when a red shadow arrived, very precisely maintaining just enough distance for an arm's reach. Thalos was certain he had been hit by three distinct forces despite only one punch being thrown. His mind only had one frenzied question: how had his opponent achieved this effect?

  With a thunderous crash against the protective barrier, Thalos lost consciousness after enduring the One-inch punch.

  As the dust gradually settled, everyone could see the arena more clearly.

  The figure standing proudly with a straight back in red uniform.

  First round, Nathan's victory.