077 : The Sovereign Trials Begin.

The arrogant Sovereign Seed youth from earlier sneered.

"Tch. A broken crystal? That just means you're nothing special."

Lin Tian glanced at him, unimpressed. "Oh?"

The youth smirked. "If you think you're strong, prove it in the next round."

Lin Tian chuckled.

"Don't worry," he said. "I will."

Because the next round?

That was where the real fun began.

The second test was combat.

The overseer raised his hand. "Now, we begin the Elimination Round!"

Hundreds of challengers were led into a massive colosseum.

Each person was given a simple instruction:

"Defeat two opponents to proceed. Lose once, and you are eliminated."

The crowd cheered as battles erupted across the field.

Lin Tian stretched his arms.

"So, I need to beat two people, huh?"

He smirked.

"Then let's make it quick."

A brutish warrior wielding a massive axe rushed at Lin Tian.

"You're mine, weakling!" he roared.

Lin Tian simply tilted his head.

Then, in an instant—he moved.

Before the warrior could react, Lin Tian appeared behind him.

A sharp crack echoed through the air.

And the warrior collapsed.

One hit.

One strike.

The audience fell silent.

Lin Tian smirked.

"One down."

The arrogant Sovereign Seed challenger from before watched with narrowed eyes.

"This guy…" he muttered. "He's no ordinary weakling."

Lin Tian cracked his knuckles.

"Who's next?"

Because this world had given him a new system.

A new way to rise.

And by the time he was done—

He would take the highest Sovereign Title for himself.

The moment Lin Tian struck down his first opponent, the air in the colosseum changed.

The cheering of the crowd dimmed. The jeering of warriors quieted.

For the first time, they were paying attention.

His first kill had been too fast. Too clean.

A single strike—and the warrior had collapsed.

This wasn't normal.

Even among the weaker contestants, fights should last minutes, not seconds. Combatants would trade blows, struggle, bleed.

Yet Lin Tian had ended it with one precise movement.

And now, as he turned to find his next opponent, eyes all around him watched with hesitation.

He had just entered the arena.

But already—he had broken the balance.

Far above the colosseum, in a private viewing platform, several figures of power observed the trials.

They were not mere spectators.

They were Sovereigns.

Men and women who held absolute authority over this world, each of them ruling under their respective Sovereign Titles.

Among them was a sharp-eyed man dressed in black robes, his expression unreadable. His title shimmered in golden script above him—

Sovereign of War.

Beside him, a woman with icy blue hair tapped her fingers against the railing. She carried an aura of cold, ruthless calculation.

Her title?

Sovereign of Judgment.

Her piercing gaze was fixed on one person.

Lin Tian.

"He's unranked," she murmured. "But that first strike… it wasn't luck."

The Sovereign of War nodded slowly. "That wasn't an accident. That was skill."

Another figure, a youth in regal golden robes, scoffed.

"He's nothing," the man said. "He got a lucky hit. He won't make it past the next fight."

The Sovereign of Judgment didn't respond.

But her eyes remained locked on Lin Tian.

Because she wasn't sure about that.

Back in the colosseum, Lin Tian stood unmoving, his gaze scanning the battlefield.

He had only eliminated one opponent.

He needed one more victory to pass.

And yet—no one moved toward him.

The warriors nearby hesitated, their hands gripping their weapons tightly. Some avoided eye contact. Others pretended to be engaged in other fights.

It was subtle.

But Lin Tian noticed.

They were afraid.

He smirked. "Already?"

And then—a voice broke the tension.

"I'll be your second opponent."

Lin Tian turned.

A man was walking toward him, his footsteps steady, confident.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, his arms wrapped in dark red bandages. His clothing was simple—a sleeveless black tunic, worn boots, and a long blade strapped to his back.

But what stood out the most—

Was his aura.

Unlike the others, this man was not afraid.

If anything… he looked excited.

Lin Tian tilted his head. "You're not hesitating like the others."

The man grinned.

"They're cowards. I'm not."

He reached up, cracking his knuckles. "Name's Fang Wei. And I've been looking for someone interesting to fight."

His eyes gleamed. "You'll do."

Lin Tian chuckled. "Fine by me."

And as they stepped into position—

The real fight began.

Fang Wei moved first.

Unlike Lin Tian's first opponent, he didn't rush in blindly.

His movements were controlled, precise, measured.

He shifted his stance slightly, lowering his body just enough to maintain balance. His footwork was sharp, and the way he carried himself told Lin Tian everything he needed to know.

This guy is a real fighter.

A second later—Fang Wei attacked.

His fist shot forward, aiming straight for Lin Tian's ribs.

Fast. Explosive.

Lin Tian's instincts screamed—dodge.

But he didn't.

Instead—he stepped in.

At the last possible moment, he twisted his body just enough for the punch to graze past his side.

The wind from the impact brushed against his skin.

But he was unharmed.

Fang Wei's expression flickered in surprise.

Lin Tian smiled. "Not bad."

And then—he countered.

His palm shot forward, aiming for Fang Wei's chest.

Fang Wei reacted instantly, raising his arm to block.

CRACK.

The impact sent a deep shockwave through the air.

Both fighters staggered back.

Lin Tian exhaled. That didn't break his guard.

Fang Wei rolled his shoulder, shaking off the impact.

Then—he grinned.

"You're better than I thought."

Lin Tian smirked. "You too."

They both stepped forward again.

And this time—they clashed at full speed.

The battle intensified.

Blow after blow, strike after strike, Lin Tian and Fang Wei exchanged attacks, their movements fluid, calculated, powerful.

The spectators leaned forward.

This wasn't just a brawl.

This was a fight between two people who actually knew how to fight.

Even the overseer, who had remained silent before, now watched with interest.

Lin Tian dodged a punch—then countered with a knee.

Fang Wei barely blocked, then retaliated with a spinning kick.

Lin Tian leaned back—dodging by a hair's width.

The arena was silent, watching every move.

And then—Lin Tian saw an opening.

Fang Wei's stance shifted, leaving a small gap.

A weakness.

Lin Tian's golden eyes gleamed.

Now.

He stepped in.

His fist shot forward—aiming straight for Fang Wei's jaw.

And before Fang Wei could react—

The fight was over.

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