It freaking hurt, Nathan gritted his teeth, suppressing a groan.

  His foot stretched forward, the sole catching the ball that was spinning like a tornado. His other leg extended behind him like a pillar bracing against the sky, serving as an anchor. Despite this stance, the ball's force was still pushing him backward.

  The Qi Armor was primarily used just to prevent injury, its effectiveness as modest as Thalos's mana shield when facing such a situation.

  His calves and thighs trembled continuously, seeming as though they might sprain or break at any moment. Despite his robust physique, it still wasn't enough to counter the ball kicked by Kenna.

  As Nathan had predicted, Kenna's skill wasn't limited to the initial impact. To simplify, Kenna had layered the ball's surface with explosions following explosions. This was why the ball hadn't stopped but instead appeared to be accelerating.

  The soles of Nathan's shoes were completely worn as they scraped across the arena floor. He felt both terrified and impressed by Kenna. This Fire Cultivator must have trained extensively and developed various ways to protect their legs from injuries caused by such powerful explosive attacks.

  Admiration was one thing, but the current dire situation was another matter entirely. The clock had struck zero, but the match wouldn't end while an attack was still in play. The ball was still airborne and aimed at the goal. Either it would score, or Nathan would successfully defend. Theoretically, this situation could continue indefinitely.

  That was exactly Kenna's intention - once he scored, the match would end. The defeat would belong to Nathan.

  Nathan's legs looked as though they'd been stung by wasps, the force coursing through them exceeding his body's endurance limits. He considered using Berserker but doing so would reveal his trump card. Briefly thinking about [Bad Omen], he wondered if he was misinterpreting its effects. 'Prediction is false' might indicate the skill had completely failed, meaning he shouldn't pay attention to what was foretold. Hence, he couldn't rely on the outcome to bet on the future.

  While contemplating whether to give up and fight a third match, his eyes lit up. Despite his reluctance and certainty of humiliation, he would use it - a skill he hadn't touched in a long time.

  Letting out a roar to boost his morale, he pulled back his foot, using his maximum speed to retreat slightly, his toes stopping just before the goal line. His posterior faced directly toward the ball that was rushing forward at extreme speed.

  Triggered [Butthurt]. One credit given.

  He tried to suppress the groan rising in his throat, worried that the cursed [Bad Mouth] skill would take advantage of the moment and activate.

  Instead of one leg, he now had two legs to create counterforce. Simultaneously, he raised his hands, continuously throwing palm strikes forward, creating additional counterforce. His backside, according to his assessment, wasn't too painful, as he had added an extra layer of Qi Armor for protection.

  The sad part was that everyone was looking at him with disbelieving eyes, more than half of them writhing with laughter. His posture looked both vulgar and crude. His posterior continuously wiggled with each movement.

  "Haha, that works too?"

  "It makes sense. If you've got thick skin and fat, that position would give you extra force to block."

  "But if it were you, would you dare do that in front of everyone?"

  "I certainly wouldn't."

  Nathan's friends' faces froze. Zahra, after a moment of surprise, started waving her arms and shouting - she wasn't seeing Nathan do this for the first time. Zeryn raised one hand to cover his face. Xander clenched his fists, stopping himself from making a similar move. Celene looked around, wondering if she was dreaming.

  Evelyn was so embarrassed she had to look away. She silently cursed Nathan for still being so crude, just like that night in Moirath Forest when he carelessly exposed himself wearing nothing but underwear.

  Kenna, as the opponent, was dumbfounded, his eyes twitching continuously. The same went for Lachlan and his entourage. This was just a game, not a comedy stage, right?

  Nathan was still being pushed forward, but he could feel the force weakening. Kenna had aimed directly at the center, preventing him from grabbing the goal posts for defensive leverage. Nevertheless, his strength held, allowing him to endure.

  The ball spun so frantically that it depleted all of Nathan's essence for Qi Armor. He hadn't eaten to replenish after accepting Kenna's challenge. Most of his energy had been used to defeat Thalos. Thus, the ball spun against his posterior. The generated heat spread through the fabric, nearly making him jump from the burning sensation.

  Straining with all his might, he kept his posterior still, preventing it from moving.

  Just when he had been pushed past the chalk line and thought the ball would follow through, it stopped. The ball ceased spinning, emitted a thin wisp of smoke, fell, rolled gently, and stopped before the boundary line.

  A breeze blew past. Nathan felt cool. Both externally and internally.

  He quickly grabbed another shirt and wrapped it around his waist.

  When he looked down at the spectating eyes, his face alternated between green and red.

  My reputation is completely destroyed, he wailed internally.

  People were still stunned by what had just transpired. When they finally understood, they burst into laughter until they were bent out of shape. Some even fell to their knees from running out of breath.

  Lachlan's group laughed the loudest, as if afraid Nathan wouldn't hear them.

  Kenna looked at him with some sympathy, though his lips still trembled uncontrollably.

  At this point, even Zahra fell silent.

  "Don't be quiet, Zahra," Zeryn spoke up, lips pressed together, trying to hold back. "If you don't say anything, our friend will die up there."

  Hearing this, Zahra sincerely complied.

  "Way to go, Nathan!" her voice stood out amid the ringing laughter.

  "That's right, way to go," everyone unanimously agreed. "That was spectacular."

  "Keep it up, Nathan!"

  Nathan glared at his friend with bulging eyes, hoping she'd stop adding fuel to the fire.

  Evelyn gave up, genuinely laughed once, then quickly concealed it.

  "How do we resolve a draw?" Nathan shouted at referee Mingxia, who still didn't understand what was happening.

  "No," Kenna spoke up. "In this football match, you win!"

  Mingxia glanced at Lachlan.

  "Why look at me?" Lachlan said irritably. "Listen to them."

  Shrugging once, Mingxia extended his hand toward Nathan.

  "Nathan wins. According to the rules, he will not accept any more challenges."

  "Are you sure?" Nathan asked Kenna.

  "This is what you deserve. For a Tier 1 to be able to do that, I find it extremely worthy."

  Why do I feel like he’s mocking me? Nathan wondered.

  With that, Kenna stepped down from the arena, bowing in apology to their leader. Lachlan waved dismissively, not paying much attention. He looked at Nathan.

  "Both a talented chef and comedian. You really shouldn't be fighting."

  "No need for your concern," Nathan replied firmly.

  "Really? You see, allying with me wouldn't be bad. Not only can I invest in you, but my teammates here can protect you in the coming time. Not a bad deal, right?"

  If there hadn't been prior conflicts, that would indeed be true. But without conflicts, these challenge events wouldn't have occurred. Without them, Lachlan wouldn't have seen Nathan's combat potential, leading to this invitation. A vicious cycle.

  Nathan knew Lachlan seemed to guess something through observation rather than focusing heavily on cooking skills. He thought bitterly that he must have revealed a weakness when exposing his sensitive area. Normal people would have suffered burns, skin peeling, or injuries from contact with that ball. Yet he remained completely unharmed.

  Thinking of his opponent as a troublemaker, Nathan turned away abruptly, leaving the arena for others. He had peacefully overcome tonight's trial; his spirit and body had been tired enough these past few days.

  Greeting him was a radiant smile from Zeryn.

  "What will your new name be?" his close friend teased.

  "What do you mean?" Nathan frowned in confusion.

  "I thought Nathan died up there. Don't you want to change your identity, change your name?"

  "Is that possible?" Nathan showed a glimmer of hope.

  "Of course," Zeryn said confidently. "Just let me name you, and I'll help."

  "What name?"

  "Buttshower!"

  A whooshing sound rang out.

  Nathan's punch hit empty air. Zeryn had already glided a good distance away.

  Nathan raised his middle finger, ignoring him.

  "Way to go, Nathan," Zahra said cheerfully.

  "Can you use a different phrase?" Nathan would probably be haunted by his friend's words for life.

  "WAY. TO. GO!"

  Clenching his fist, he decisively turned to Xander.

  "Way..." his friend with the spear opened his mouth.

  "Shut up!"

  Celene sheepishly approached.

  "Good performance, Nathan."

  "Do you know what you shouldn't say right now, Celene?"

  "Please enlighten me."

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "That was a compliment," Nathan sighed. "Any positive words said now will just sound grating. You just need to say 'everything will be fine' and that's enough."

  "What if I say that's wishful thinking?"

  Nathan felt truly lost amid the stifled laughter of his friends and subordinates trying to hold back their amusement. If he could turn back time, he wouldn't have remembered [Butthurt], would have accepted defeat. Better to fight until bloody in the third match than suffer this humiliation.

  Seeing Nathan's interaction with his friends, Evelyn finally understood why Mirela always wanted to meet Nathan again. Seeing there was nothing left to watch, she turned to leave, finding a quiet place to sit down and cultivate. Reza wanted to follow but held back. He still wanted to observe and make some friends, preparing thoroughly. This was also a way to score points after the humiliating encounter with the Nightmare Weaver.

  The surrounding crowd finally dispersed, either observing or attending to their own business.

  Nathan finally had room to breathe and immediately changed into different pants.

  When he came out, the arena had returned to normal with two young people standing above, preparing to fight. One side was one of Lachlan's subordinates. The number of regular military personnel with official slots following Lachlan still adhered to Duke Kael's imposed limit - just four people. As for the remaining members, around fifteen in total, they were mostly forces or relations from outside the military. Besides them were guardians protecting an Alchemist. The rest, like Thalos and Celene, were brought here to learn and issue challenges. If they performed well, they would accompany their superiors in the future event; if they failed, it would count as gained experience.

  Looking at the number gathered around Lachlan Rourke, other factions couldn't help but tremble in fear. This would be a formidable faction once in The Shifting Trials. The introduction of Duke Kael's challengers was meant to weaken this faction. However, the battle results weren't very promising.

  Lachlan's subordinate fighting was someone who possessed the Shadow aspect, not as rare as Illusion but still uncommon. She conjured small floating balls throughout the arena. The lighting cast shadows of these orbs on the surface. From there, she could appear and disappear at any of those shadow points. When her opponent realized this and tried to use fire to destroy the orbs, it was too late. She appeared from the opponent's blind spot, her nimble form gliding forward, placing a knife to their throat, ending the match.

  Nathan shuddered, wondering how one could fight against such an opponent. The answer was: with great difficulty. He had the ability to take hits, a strength that could be used against any opponent. But how long he could last was the real issue. Long enough for the opponent to tire and make mistakes, or too short to mount any resistance? Even using [Martial Art Mastery] to think it through, in his current state, he would struggle to defeat that girl. Unless his Spirit Cultivation reached Tier 2, or Physical Cultivation reached Tier 3. Of course, this excluded the possibility of transformation with Berserker.

  Seeing that demonstration, no one else stepped up to challenge the girl with the Shadow aspect. Other targets were chosen by the challengers.

  Nathan turned his eyes to other combat arenas. Battles were taking place but not too intensely.

  "Seems like the number of challengers isn't very high?" he half asked himself while probing Zeryn's opinion.

  "That's right," his friend answered. "There aren't challengers every year. This whole thing was mainly created to deal with Lachlan. Of course, those chosen Challengers have their own intentions. If Lachlan's team is too difficult to handle, they play with other participants. So the small number is understandable."

  "Is this to avoid offending the forces that received invitations?"

  "What else? Maelivar is close to Verdant Spire Sect, so this year there are many participants. In previous years, only four to five people were sent. First, it's far, second, it's to avoid affecting young talents from other regions. So if the challengers made things difficult for such a small team, it would irritate the young generation of various sects. They already had to struggle to come, and then they have to fight others to keep their positions? Sounds very complicated. Moreover, if there are any conflicts, people can resolve them during the event itself, no one stirs up trouble like Lachlan."

  "Then why have this challenge system in the first place?" Nathan didn't understand. "Wouldn't it be better to leave it out of the rules?"

  "Tradition," Zeryn shrugged. "This youth gathering event has been going on for several hundred years. Back then, Caelindor was still establishing relationships with surrounding powers, so they sent out invitations indiscriminately. It was a mixed bag, you know. That's why they had the challenge system to filter out the weaker elements. Until several decades ago, when all factions tacitly agreed not to clash before the actual event, this tradition was forgotten. Then Regional Commander Axel Rourke came along and reignited this issue."

  "Though I hate to admit it," Nathan said bitterly, "this bastard Lachlan is strong enough to ignore whether others see him as a thorn in their side or not."

  "That's right. The Challengers might target his subordinates, but no one dares to touch him. I also wonder if I could beat him."

  "I thought your Sword Intent had leveled up?"

  Zeryn took out a sword from his storage ring. His eyes focused on the blade, making it vibrate. Just when it seemed something dramatic would happen, a clear sound rang out. The sword shattered, cracks spreading like spider webs. Shortly after, the metal that had once formed the blade crumbled to dust.

  "Holy shit!" Nathan marveled. "And this isn't strong enough?"

  "This is a failed result," Xander corrected Nathan, who was gaping in astonishment.

  Zeryn dusted off his hands, calmly saying, "The desired result is for the sword to remain intact. That's how to create the intended effect. It's also the next level of Sword Intent."

  Nathan understood some parts and not others, but nodded anyway.

  "But you're close, right?"

  "Close, I just need a bit more refinement."

  Hearing Zeryn's confident tone, the one who reacted most strongly was actually Xander. This battle maniac was creating pressure from all sides. On one hand, he wanted a rematch with Nathan; on the other, he wanted to challenge Zeryn.

  The Resonating Blade not far away trembled, signaling to Sigrid. She looked up, glancing around making her red hair flutter, finally looking toward Zeryn. She had never had any hostility toward that young man, but somehow she felt herself being drawn into an unwanted battle.

  "It's time," her friends beside her exclaimed, drawing back her attention.

  Zahra simultaneously exclaimed, "They want to make their move."

  Nathan looked on, his face uncomprehending.

  "During the time you were preparing for the evening feasts," Celene explained, "the factions weren't peaceful at all. The Thousand Stars Pavilion has actually come to blows with The Obsidian Fang Sect."

  "Isn't Obsidian our ally?" Nathan asked Zeryn.

  "But not to the extent that we'll intervene in this matter," Zeryn replied indifferently, seemingly unconcerned.

  Nathan fell into contemplation, wondering what could have caused such intense opposition between the two factions. He had heard enough about The Thousand Stars Pavilion's reputation to instinctively avoid making enemies of them. Moreover, since Elder Nalani hadn't made any suggestions, the disciples turned a blind eye despite Verdant Spire Sect clearly being superior in combat strength.

  "How many people have been affected so far?" Nathan probed Celene.

  "Six people have been severely injured," she answered. "They're currently being treated, but the general situation is that they won't be able to participate in The Shifting Trials. The Thousand Stars Pavilion chose a very clever time to issue challenges. Unless the disciples from Obsidian Fang Sect have supreme-grade healing medicine, the side effects will be too severe to maintain their best condition for participation."

  "The Obsidian people wouldn't be foolish enough to decide to fight, would they?"

  "It's about honor," Xander said, his face rarely showing such disgust and irritation.

  "Individuals from The Thousand Stars Pavilion have been hurling insults at each member of Obsidian," Celene recited what she had concluded. "Most could be ignored, but some individuals couldn't control themselves and accepted the challenges at various arenas throughout the city in recent days. Especially when certain sensitive information was somehow dug up. This couldn't be prevented by either the authorities or other factions."

  "All because of one Tier 6," Nathan said sarcastically.

  "All because of one Tier 6," Celene repeated, confirming once more.

  Nathan wondered how his eccentric master compared to that Tier 6. He assessed that if Darkan couldn't win, they would at least be evenly matched. To be able to completely defeat the Sect Leader, Darkan must possess at least the attacking power of a Tier 6 or higher. And that was without considering Alaric using Verdant Spire's sect treasures.

  Unconsciously, he felt more reassured, lucky to have been accepted under Darkan's tutelage. Part of him also had his own pride, because becoming the old master's disciple wasn't an easy feat.

  A young man stepped out from The Thousand Stars Pavilion's ranks, walking toward the arena ahead. Though he wore the same blue-black uniform decorated with patterns resembling stars in the night sky like his companions, he exuded an aura that made him truly appear as a star that everyone had to look up to. His face was distinct with sharp features, his eyes half-lidded with pride, his long silver hair tied back swaying as one with his movements like an immortal being.

  "Who is he?" Nathan asked.

  No one answered him, because no one knew. Recalling the conversation while waiting outside the gate, he guessed this must be the secret member of The Thousand Stars Pavilion.

  "We still don't know who he is," Zeryn shook his head and said, "but my instincts tell me he's truly dangerous, perhaps even more so than Lachlan."

  Hearing how serious it was, Nathan paid even closer attention.

  "I wonder if Duke Kael's actions will truly bring the desired results," Celene commented. "We haven't managed to pressure Lachlan, but the biggest victims tonight surely won't be from the military side."

  "Do you know why the two sects are in such intense opposition?" Nathan asked.

  "Because the young master of Obsidian Fang Sect called off an engagement with one of The Thousand Stars Pavilion's inner disciples," Celene answered.

  "Just because of that?"

  "Of course not," Celene said. "The main issue is that Obsidian was the one who proposed this marriage, not the Pavilion."

  "Why does it sound so ridiculous?" Nathan's face wrinkled in assessment that this wasn't a sufficient reason.

  "I think Zeryn would know more about this matter," Celene humbly replied.

  Having maintained an observant mindset from the start, she knew this sword-wielding genius possessed knowledge far beyond ordinary people.

  "To get to the deeper issues, we need to go back a hundred or two hundred years," Zeryn explained patiently. "Back then, both sides found a document about some ancient cultivation technique. During the exchange, the higher-ups of Obsidian made some modifications to their part. So when practicing, the Leader of The Pavilion went berserk, went crazy. The result was damage to his cultivation base, from a Tier 5 becoming an ordinary person, barely managing to stay alive."

  "Holy hell! That's way too much!" Zahra exclaimed.

  "It's somewhat understandable! Obsidian was too paranoid, thinking The Pavilion would do the same thing, so they made the first move as a precaution. Once they had the complete technique, they planned to analyze it before cultivation rather than practicing it immediately. They just didn't expect that Pavilion leader to be a cultivation fanatic with few schemes, so he very innocently offered the real version for exchange. Unable to contain his excitement, he started cultivating immediately without testing, leading to unwanted results. Though that's what happened, the fault still lies with Obsidian."

  Everyone listened attentively, including Celene. This information was known only to a select few. After all, from the story, outsiders would mock The Thousand Stars Pavilion, saying their leader was a fool. But now with a Tier 6 ruling over them, this information was suppressed.

  "To make amends, Obsidian proposed the marriage alliance, viewing it as a way to bind their futures together and provide compensation to The Thousand Stars Pavilion. But then something happened near the wedding day. You must understand that by then, invitations had been sent out, heralding a wedding of the millennium. Everyone was anticipating and looking toward these two powers."

  "Then Obsidian backed out," Zahra said irritably, clearly disapproving of Obsidian's conduct.

  "Breaking off the engagement is one thing, but how they did it is what really matters. Word has it that the young master caught the eye of a princess, the Emperor's daughter, which led to this cruel decision. What's worse, it was right before the wedding day, causing The Thousand Stars to lose face. The bride-fetching ceremony became an endless stream of apologies. And this only happened a few decades ago."

  "Why do I have a feeling they deserved it?" Nathan said.

  He was met with nodding heads of agreement.

  "What Obsidian didn't anticipate was that Tier 6 cultivator of The Thousand Stars Pavilion," Zeryn continued. "Ironically, thanks to the failure in cultivating the ancient technique, the previous Leader had discovered the crucial point, not only successfully correcting it but also improving it, and passed it on to his direct disciple. This disciple later became the unrivaled Tier 6 in the Caelindor kingdom region. Upon taking leadership, he taught the disciples to hate Obsidian Fang Sect. Even more ironic, the marriage with the princess never happened. When Obsidian tried to reconcile, they were only met with more contempt from The Pavilion. Finally, it led to the current situation."

  Celene's eyes widened at Nathan's friend. She could be certain this information wasn't easily obtainable. There might be some public knowledge, but details to this extent were unthinkable. She silently assessed Zeryn's standing. Nathan might be casual because they were friends, but she had to stay vigilant for her master's sake in all aspects.

  "What happened to that injured Leader?" Nathan, truly admiring this person, voiced his curiosity. Just hearing about him was enough to know what kind of admirable genius he was.

  "Dead," Zeryn replied. "Couldn't extend his lifespan. The collapse from incorrect cultivation was too complete, leaving no room for hope. That's another reason for the later generation's irritation with Obsidian Fang Sect. If this person had lived, people speculate that The Thousand Stars Pavilion could have gone much further. The current Leader doesn't have the research capabilities like his master, but has talents in other aspects. That's life's truth - no one can be perfect in everything."

  "Indeed, it is quite regrettable," Nathan sighed, then furrowed his brows. "Then why are we allied with Obsidian? This might be obscure to disciples, but someone like the Sect Leader couldn't possibly be unaware."

  "Because Obsidian is willing to pay a considerable price to Verdant Spire Sect," Zeryn smirked. "Our sect appears peaceful and non-aggressive, but our capabilities are still among the top."

  From Zeryn's implications, Nathan realized that Verdant Spire Sect might not be as simple as he thought. Perhaps Darkan wasn't the only element intimidating the surrounding powers.

  At this point, Mingxia recognized the tense situation and moved to oversee the developing conflict.

  "Sir Zhanyu," Mingxia, who usually treated everyone equally, showed unusual deference to the young man. "Who do you wish to challenge? You're an official participant, you cannot issue challenges."

  "How boring," Zhanyu said, his voice gentle yet carrying an air of authority. "Then as long as it's not about competition, it should be fine. Consider it an exchange between young talents."

  Mingxia paused, seeing Ruby Voss nod, then let out a sigh. He too thought everyone would have to accommodate this disciple from The Thousand Stars Pavilion.

  "Then let it be as you wish," Mingxia said.

  Zhanyu's sharp gaze swept across the grimacing disciples from Obsidian Fang Sect.

  "You worms, who will have the honor of being crushed under my feet?"

  Commentary erupted among the spectators.

  Nathan's tongue went stiff. He truly hadn't expected there would be someone with a more venomous tongue than Lachlan.

  However, unlike that troublemaker, Zhanyu immediately proceeded to show everyone why he could afford such arrogance.