Evelyn was initially indifferent to this gathering. She attended mainly as a formality, harboring no intention to socialize or analyze the participating candidates like her fellow disciples. Instead, she hoped to avoid interruptions so she could continue improving herself through the rewards obtained from retrieving the Artifact for Azure Lake Academy a few days prior. Sadly, Mirela wasn't participating this time. The girl's cheerful, constant chatter truly brought joy to Evelyn.

  Callum's arm had been quickly healed after being severed by the Nightmare Weaver. Though his complexion remained poor, a day or two of rest would likely resolve any lingering issues. Reza, meanwhile, acted as if nothing had happened in the cave at Moirath Forest, as though he believed Evelyn would forget his mental weakness if he pretended it away.

  Lost in thought, Evelyn noticed a commotion around her. Curious, she peered through the crowd to see a young man in military uniform pointing and berating another disciple.

  She glanced over, and her face immediately brightened.

  He's here.

  The fact that he hadn't sent her a single message had somewhat upset her. Taking the initiative to message someone wasn't something she was accustomed to. She had always been on the receiving end of PsiLink communications, which led her to set her chat settings to silent mode, limiting disturbances and only allowing notifications from a select few like Mirela. She had kept postponing her return, wanting to ask Nathan if he needed anything she could help with. She hesitated until today when she would meet him.

  Comments about the red-robed disciple caught her attention. She absorbed everything from mentions of the chef to Aspect Affinity and angering Lachlan Rourke. The Azure Lake Academy disciples' chat group participating in The Shifting Trials immediately shared videos of Nathan's cooking process.

  She scrolled through them, watching a young man completely immersed in his craft, displaying masterful cooking skills. From the smallest movements to his demeanor, everything made others wonder where he found the time to practice. Now she understood why the Two-horned Boar meat had tasted so delicious and memorable.

  She heard Nathan's voice from the front, pointing directly at Lachlan in challenge, reminiscent of when he had jumped out to confront the Nightmare Weaver. No matter how she looked at it, she and her teammates owed him their lives. That night, even if they had called for help, it likely wouldn't have arrived in time. She might have had to choose to abandon one or two people if circumstances demanded it. Naturally, she wouldn't have been bothered by the moral implications. It was a mission Reza had proposed without properly assessing the dangers. She wouldn't risk her life and Mirela's for someone else's mistake, especially when Reza had been reckless just to impress her. That made her despise him even more.

  That night, she hadn't called for reinforcements because she still had her trump card. Using it would have left her weakened, unable to carry all three people. She had hidden this from Nathan because there had been no trust between them. She hadn't dared imagine a stranger would willingly risk their life like that. Although she later learned his objective had been her blood, after being refused, he had simply forgotten about it, showing no concern, forcing her to reevaluate her assessment of him. Others would have either left her to fend for herself or demanded something in return. She couldn't tell if Nathan was foolish or simply carefree.

  Nathan's mouth remained as crude as ever, insulting his opponent with vulgar words just as he had when confronting Callum. Evelyn shook her head slightly. She had never met a Tier 1 cultivator as peculiar as him. So talented, yet so crude.

  Yet she hadn't doubted Nathan's strength when he faced Thalos. Not just because he could defend against The White Ward with his bare hands, but because she realized Argentius was actually the one who should be taking orders. Nathan might not have noticed, and neither had her teammates, but in his casual manner, he had revealed this. While constantly claiming Argentius was a friend, he had commanded the tiger monster to manage the Vermilion Apes. Later, during the exchange with the Nightmare Weaver, it became clear that Argentius always turned to seek the human's opinion. The true master was obvious.

  The more she thought about it, the more fearful she became, believing the Nightmare Weaver must have known something about Nathan to accept the peace proposal. For the monster's safest option would have been to kill everyone present, possibly excluding Argentius. That would have been optimal. Yet the monster didn't—or more accurately, didn't dare. The most plausible answer was that it wasn't certain of its chances against a combined Nathan and Argentius.

  A Tier 1 human and a Tier 2 monster threatening a Tier 3 monster. She dared not voice her analysis when facing Azure Lake Academy's higher-ups, knowing she would be labeled delusional.

  Thus, she wasn't surprised when the victor turned out to be Nathan, now sporting a broad smile showing his gleaming white teeth, his face smeared with bright red liquid.

  Evelyn found herself smiling unconsciously. Immediately after, she returned to her usual self, her face wearing its characteristic indifference.

  Reza, standing nearby, had observed this slight change in his goddess. He narrowed his eyes at the stands, his fists clenching.

  Nathan wiped away the tomato sauce smeared across his face. Some had gotten into his eyes, causing a burning sensation, but nothing too concerning.

  All those attacks from Thalos were actually nothing that could penetrate the skin enhanced by his Physical Cultivation Tier 2. In comparison, those hits weren't even close to what Lunar Shadow or Argentius could deliver. Thalos's weakness was his lack of piercing attacks. His strength lay in wide-area techniques. Nathan could see the potential for enemy disruption in Thalos's chosen style.

  What surprised Nathan himself was his own attacking capability. He didn't think Darkan had misjudged, but rather that his master couldn't fully understand the Titan bloodline's potential. His destructive power couldn't be calculated by level alone. First, his level was still higher, Tier 2 Phase 3.9 Physical Cultivation compared to Thalos's Tier 2 Phase 1 Spirit Cultivation. Then there was the latent power that [Titan's Descendant] provided. Though he lacked precise measurements, calculating the superiority, he estimated he was equivalent to a Tier 2 Phase 5 or higher.

  The spectators around still seemed stunned by how the match, which had been favoring Thalos, had reversed so dramatically. When they saw Nathan licking the red liquid, some gaped in astonishment while others laughed loudly.

  "Heavens! He just smeared food on his face instead of being injured."

  "How is that possible? He couldn't use mana shield and didn't use any equipment."

  "I'm becoming more interested in tasting his food now."

  Nathan smirked at the comments. He had deliberately appeared vulnerable. Because of that, Thalos had become overconfident, not thinking his opponent was actually formidable.

  Lachlan waved for his entourage to help Thalos down. He snorted in criticism.

  "Useless fool. Would it kill you to wear armor?"

  Thalos, having just regained some consciousness, grimaced. Fighting a Tier 1 opponent who used no equipment while he, a Tier 2, relied on gear would be too shameful. Yes, losing was humiliating, but winning while requiring assistance would be even more embarrassing.

  Then Lachlan turned to Nathan, smiling brightly as if his previous irritation had never existed.

  Nathan rolled his eyes, sighing deeply because what had to come would come.

  His fighting style had been dissected. Anyone here, unless completely foolish, could see his limitations—short-range and direct attacks. Thus, maintaining initial distance like Thalos had done, without underestimating the opponent, could prolong the fight and secure victory. The only issue was Nathan's extraordinary toughness. Taking that barrage of flying rocks, others would either be bleeding or aching all over. Yet Nathan showed no signs of injury whatsoever.

  He wasn't too worried; his trump cards remained unused. He wasn't foolish enough to reveal everything here for everyone to see his full capabilities. He hadn't touched Berserker, and his explosive force wasn't at maximum. Just one moment of closing in, and he could take them down like he had with Thalos.

  As for activating the Titan's Berserker State, that was out of the question. For some reason, before departing for Maelivar, Darkan had warned him absolutely not to use his ultimate technique. Even if it meant forfeiting The Shifting Trials, he couldn't use it. The reason given was that it would leave severe aftereffects, not worth the risk. He was somewhat skeptical of this warning but didn't question it much. He trusted Darkan enough to comply.

  Lachlan clapped his hands, not sparing his praise.

  "Your food truly lives up to its reputation, Nathan Reed. Eating it even increases combat power like this. Perhaps Caelindor's future will see a trend of eating food instead of taking medicines for battle. Truly a revolutionary scene worth anticipating."

  "Stop spouting nonsense," Nathan showed Lachlan no face whatsoever. "Name your next challenger."

  Lachlan pouted, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

  "Would anyone like to challenge this young man before me? Any Challengers?"

  No one stepped forward; rather, they dispersed to other areas. The Challengers had their own targets and had already made their choices. The arena wasn't the only one available. Most importantly, they didn't want to offend someone like Nathan. They agreed with Zahra's and the Artificer's earlier words—Nathan was participating in a supporting professional role. Unless competing with him in cooking, which none were capable of, there was no reason for confrontation. This was a matter of proper conduct. Only those like Lachlan would rely on brute force.

  Seeing no response and people dispersing, Lachlan lost his enthusiasm. Suddenly his eyes lit up, and he straightened his posture, asking Mingxia.

  "Can we change the form of challenge?"

  "What do you mean, Young Master Lachlan?" Mingxia asked neutrally.

  "What if my side challenges Nathan to a football match?"

  "As long as Nathan agrees."

  Nathan heard this and furrowed his brows, analyzing the pros and cons.

  "Well?" Lachlan raised his chin. "Scared? It's just football. Or perhaps you don't know how to play."

  Nathan remained silent, ignoring the provocation. He wasn't too eager to agree. He had watched football in this world before; the rules weren't too complex. With the structure and rules of the game, it was quite suitable for 1v1 matches.

  Suddenly, his mind flashed to something from Earth. If his thinking was correct, he might be able to do it.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  "I'm gonna lose."

  Triggered [Bad Omen]. Prediction is false. One credit given.

  He hadn't meant to say that; he had intended to say "This should work!" when this quirky skill interrupted.

  But the system's response made him excited, discovering this skill could be used in such a way.

  By extrapolation, I'm going to win? he silently rejoiced.

  Wearing a smile, he raised his head, his words becoming confident.

  "I accept the 1v1 football challenge."

  Mingxia remained expressionless, merely nodding once. The previous arena transformed into a football field fifty meters long and thirty meters wide. Surrounding it was the usual oval-shaped wall. The field's dimensions were smaller than regulation size to accommodate matches between small teams or individual duels.

  The field's shape reminded Nathan of Futsal matches he had occasionally watched.

  "Kenna, enter the field," Lachlan ordered another of his followers to step up.

  Someone not wearing a military uniform stepped out from the ranks, bowing respectfully to Lachlan before passing through the barrier and entering the football field.

  This person's presence confirmed Nathan's hypothesis. Lachlan's power base wasn't limited to young military personnel but extended beyond. This could be through recruitment, or they might belong to lesser powers needing support from Regional Commander Axel Rourke. Wandering cultivators were a similar force. It sounded good in theory, but freedom wasn't always beneficial. Surviving alone in this world required not just determination and great courage, but also, inevitably, luck. And who would stake everything on their luck?

  Kenna differed from Thalos in both his gait and demeanor. He was calmer, more deliberate. However, his eyes were similar, burning with the desire to prove himself.

  Nathan felt as if those eyes could truly burn him. Unlike the crude Thalos, Kenna remained courteous, clasping his hands in greeting.

  "Kenna Wight. Please guide me."

  "Nathan Reed. Please guide me."

  Nathan would always be polite to those who showed him respect.

  The two proceeded to stand at the edge of the center circle as per regulations, their spirits highly focused.

  "Does he even know how to play?" Zahra asked, waving her hand. She was one of the stars at this game, so she understood it wasn't something just anyone could play.

  "Probably can," Zeryn shrugged in response. "Nate wouldn't do something unless he was at least ten percent sure."

  "Ten percent?" Celene and Zahra exclaimed in unison, eyes widening.

  "He's a risk-taker," Xander concluded for Zeryn.

  The three Verdant Spire Sect disciples nodded in agreement. From the outer sect tournament to single-handedly organizing evening feasts to build his reputation, anyone could conclude this bastard had a seriously high appetite for risk.

  Celene stared at the three, unsure how to defend her master. She agreed with their opinion but didn't dare say it aloud.

  Nathan picked at his ear, silently cursing whoever was cursing him.

  Since the arena was closest to him, Mingxia continued as the presiding referee.

  "Begin!"

  A hard metal ball was dropped from above toward the center of the field.

  Two explosions sounded simultaneously. One clearer, one weaker.

  However, both shin guards had already crossed each other, trapping the floating ball in mid-air.

  Nathan's eyes widened at the smoke still lingering around Kenna's legs.

  Fire mana aspect! Nathan concluded.

  Kenna extended his hand to one side, creating an explosion to increase his own force. His calves looked like heated steel, gradually turning a golden-orange color.

  Nathan's weakness was aerial combat; he couldn't create additional pivot points when his entire body was suspended in the air.

  As a result, Kenna's kick, enhanced by two explosions, won out, sending Nathan spinning once before landing.

  When Nathan looked up, Kenna had already caught up to the ball, his leg swinging in an arc, delivering a powerful kick.

  The jet-black metal ball whistled through the air, going straight into the three-meter-wide net.

  Kenna 1:0 Nathan.

  The fifteen-minute match clock stopped at fourteen minutes and forty-seven seconds.

  Now this is a player, Nathan marveled inwardly.

  Kenna smirked slightly, returning to his position. The side that conceded would receive the ball rather than contesting like the first time.

  Lachlan Rourke's side applauded vigorously, shouting support for their teammate.

  Nathan's side was weaker in comparison, with only Zahra cheering.

  "Go on, Nathan! Show them what you've got!"

  Nathan looked toward his friends. Zeryn only gave a thumbs up, his face showing sympathy as if to say losing wouldn't be the end of the world. Xander stood straight, his expression serious, which Nathan understood meant 'don't give up.' Celene bit her nails, muttering to herself, barely daring to watch.

  Looking back at the opposition's camp, he had already lost in terms of morale. But his spirit was incredibly invigorated. He knew he couldn't lose.

  The ball was dropped from above, and Nathan immediately jumped up, swinging his leg for his kick.

  The force, enhanced by passive skills, especially [Amplifying Strike], created a small shockwave at the point of contact.

  Kenna was watching intently, ready to make a move but hesitated, as Nathan's kick made the ball travel too fast for him to keep up.

  The whistling sound passed his ear. Without looking back, Kenna already knew the result.

  Kenna 1:1 Nathan.

  "Now this is interesting," Kenna smiled and said. He had felt some aversion when Lachlan pointed him out to fight a Tier 1. But now he understood how surprised Thalos must have felt when facing Nathan.

  In the next ball delivery, Kenna increased his explosiveness, making the ball shoot like a meteor, straight into the net. The ball hadn't even fallen when it hit the wall, still spinning, with smoky friction rising.

  Nathan turned back to look for the first time, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

  What the hell! Is this playing or trying to kill someone?

  Seeing Nathan's panicked face, Lachlan's entourage pointed and laughed loudly.

  Nathan's friends shook their heads vigorously, gradually considering the third challenge.

  Shaking his head to clear his mind, Nathan returned to the match.

  This time, learning from experience, Kenna had moved back, no longer standing too close, but choosing a position mid-field. At this distance, he could intercept the ball when Nathan shot toward the goal.

  Snorting in contempt, Nathan received the ball, still drawing back his leg to kick as before.

  Kenna clearly wasn't a specialist goalkeeper, so he misjudged the direction when the ball curved in an arc past him, going into the net.

  Kenna 2:2 Nathan.

  Fourteen minutes remained in the match.

  Kenna couldn't control his widening eyes as he stared at Nathan. This wasn't a skill that amateurs could perform. He wondered if Nathan might be one of the talents in sports.

  Meanwhile, Nathan was laughing internally. He knew nothing about football, even in his old world. Watching football was a hobby, but when it came to playing, his most suitable position was sitting on the bench, from the beginning to the end of the match, never entering the field. Currently, to achieve what he just did relied entirely on [Martial Art Mastery].

  He remembered movies where kungfu was used in football, so he thought his skill could be used similarly.

  The result proved him right. Just by viewing the ball as a type of weapon, [Martial Art Mastery] would automatically tell him what to do. The exact position on the ball's surface, how his foot should be positioned, how his body should lean—everything poured into his head. Now that he had reached Tier 2 Physical Cultivation, the adaptation between mind and body was as natural as clouds floating and water flowing, no longer facing major obstacles like before.

  Amidst Zahra's screaming, Kenna launched his counterattack.

  Nathan decisively stood blocking in front of his goal.

  Seeing this, Kenna gently caught the ball, leading it forward rather than kicking immediately.

  When close enough, a series of explosions rang out from behind his calves. The ball glided through the air glowing red-hot, aimed straight at Nathan's head.

  I have to dodge!

  Nathan followed his instincts, shifting his head to one side, not daring to meet the force head-on as initially planned.

  The ball crashed straight into the mana wall behind, making the entire formation flicker.

  Looking back at his opponent, he saw Kenna wagging his finger in warning.

  "Trying to block isn't wise."

  Not just Lachlan's team but the majority of spectators applauded Kenna's performance. Football was one of the few common recreational sports, so most young people followed and had some passion for it.

  "I really want to compete with this Kenna," Zahra bounced excitedly.

  "Ten percent, Mr. Zeryn?" Celene asked worriedly.

  Zeryn chose silence, not answering this thorny question.

  When it was Nathan's turn, Kenna immediately advanced the moment his opponent's foot touched the ball.

  Kenna used explosions to quickly deflect the ball away. But his foot kicked through air. Looking again, he saw Nathan had trapped the ball with his ankle, bringing it down. Just like that, Kenna let another goal through.

  The spectators were tongue-tied. The ball wasn't made of rubber, but solid metal. It was quite heavy, making Nathan's recent movement extremely difficult. Yet, he made everything look as if the ball was as light as a feather.

  Kenna 3:3 Nathan.

  Nathan decisively chose not to defend, letting Kenna kick however he wanted. He suspected that even if he extended his leg, he couldn't block the ball. His leg strength was immense, but it couldn't compare to the explosive force Kenna possessed with each kick. It was like being shot from a cannon. His Physical Cultivation level wasn't enough to withstand it.

  During his turn, Nathan led the ball to mid-field only to encounter something he'd only seen in comics and movies before. A wall of fire blocking his path.

  When everyone thought he would be stumped, Nathan swung his leg to kick. The ball bounced off the right wall then ricocheted straight into the net, passing through the wall of fire.

  "Knowledgeable enough to play like that?" Kenna had to admire and marvel.

  Nathan's accuracy wasn't something an amateur could achieve. He had fine-tuned the angle enough that Kenna couldn't catch up, while keeping the distance not too far, giving the opponent time to react.

  In subsequent exchanges, Nathan continuously changed his tactics. His versatility gave Kenna headaches. The fire wall couldn't always be used effectively, so there were times when Kenna had to close in on his opponent. However, Nathan's ball control, feinting, fake movements, and physical presence all gave him trouble. Several times he was even humiliated by the ball being played through the gap between his legs. Meanwhile, Nathan calmly led the ball toward the empty goal each time this happened.

  When Kenna used Firebolts to interfere with Nathan's ball trajectory, he discovered his opponent had anticipated it. Nathan reacted very quickly, changing his kicking position slightly in an instant, making the ball change direction. In cases where the Firebolt was used after the kick, he used [Martial Art Mastery] and [Better Vision] to analyze, using his body's maximum speed to clear the ball in a different direction, or kick it against the wall making the ball bounce unpredictably.

  After a while, [Improved Pattern Recognition] memorized Kenna's types of actions, helping Nathan read his opponent like a book, moving more lightly, gracefully, and effectively.

  8:7.

  9:9.

  11:12.

  15:14.

  The score changed constantly. The ball bounced back and forth frantically in the field. Fire flickered following the explosions. Not just from Kenna, but Nathan's forceful steps on the playing field also produced similar sounds.

  Both sides were so absorbed in their duel they forgot everything else.

  The spectators couldn't help but marvel. They seemed increasingly intrigued by Nathan, wondering what else this chef knew.

  Zeryn joined Zahra in cheering when he realized his close friend could compete so skillfully. Celene shed her worried exterior, raising both hands to cheer, hoping for her master's victory. Xander, as usual, didn't do anything excessive, but his hands trembled with excitement.

  Evelyn watched quietly from a distant corner, finding this sport not as boring as she had always thought.

  Only Lachlan's face showed some displeasure. Except for Thalos, his followers were all Tier 2 Phase 4 or above. Sending them to fight Nathan wouldn't work. Not just for face, but because it would damage morale. Beating a Tier 1 wouldn't be glorious, but losing would be shameful. That's why he had proposed football, using Kenna to bring victory. Just one more win in the third match and Nathan's participation slot would be his. Then, being on the same side, Lachlan wouldn't need the winners of rounds two and three to fight to determine who would own the slot—he could decide himself.

  However, the current situation didn't look too promising.

  The match had only twenty seconds left. The score was 32:31 in Kenna's favor.

  Nathan wasn't too anxious seeing the little time remaining. He believed in [Bad Omen]'s result. He had prolonged the time whenever he had the ball, which was why the score was at its current level. Kenna's destructive power was truly frightening, scoring every five or six seconds.

  Kenna was exhausted, sweat covering his head, squinting as he saw time running out. By his calculations, Nathan would score next. Then it would be his turn, and he just needed to delay a little to win.

  Unable to keep up with Nathan, Kenna didn't even try anymore, letting his opponent score.

  32:32.

  The score made viewers tense up, all taking deep breaths in anticipation.

  Only thirteen seconds remained.

  Kenna received the ball. But instead of kicking immediately as usual, he turned and ran backward.

  Nathan recognized the intention and gave chase.

  Kenna spread his arms out to the sides, palms facing the ground. Under his feet seemed to be placed a large bomb.

  Not good, Nathan silently exclaimed.

  He stopped his pursuit, rushing backward to return to the goal.

  Nine seconds remained.

  The explosion from hands and feet sent both Kenna and the ball straight up, hovering momentarily at the apex.

  Seven seconds remained.

  Kenna descended slowly, not immediately kicking the ball.

  When the clock above showed three seconds.

  BOOM!

  His foot contacted the ball with two seconds left.

  In that instant, Nathan understood what he had to do. Thanks to careful observation of his opponent, he knew how the ball's trajectory would go. For the first time, he was forced to attempt a block.

  Concentrating force in his legs, he launched forward.

  Kenna couldn't believe his opponent would dare do such a thing.

  Celene and Zahra simultaneously let out a startled cry. Zeryn positioned himself ready to take Nathan for emergency treatment.

  Lachlan grinned broadly seeing his desired outcome about to happen.

  Evelyn in the distance slightly furrowed her brows.

  As for Nathan, in the final moment he understood his mistake.

  [Bad Omen]'s prediction being false didn't necessarily mean he had to win. It could be a draw.

  Mocking himself, he prepared for impact.