078 : The Challenger Who Shouldn’t Exist.

Fang Wei barely had time to register what was happening.

Lin Tian's fist cut through the air, precise, efficient, unstoppable.

His movements were flawless—no wasted energy, no hesitation.

And in that instant—Fang Wei knew.

I lost.

CRACK.

Lin Tian's punch landed clean against Fang Wei's jaw.

The impact rippled through his entire body, sending shockwaves through his bones.

His vision blurred. His legs buckled.

And before he could react—he was falling.

The last thing he saw before hitting the ground…

Was Lin Tian's golden gaze staring down at him.

Then—darkness.

For a long moment—no one spoke.

The spectators, the overseers, the other contestants—they all froze.

Fang Wei, a fighter known for his raw strength, had been defeated in seconds.

By a nobody.

By someone who wasn't even a ranked talent.

And then—the silence broke.

The entire arena erupted.

Shouts, gasps, whispers of disbelief.

"Did you see that?!"

"He took down Fang Wei in a single exchange!"

"What the hell is this guy?!"

Lin Tian remained calm, standing over Fang Wei's unconscious body.

To him—this was nothing.

But to everyone else?

It was unheard of.

And as the overseer approached, his voice still uncertain, he raised his hand.

"Lin Tian… advances."

And just like that—his name spread through the entire colosseum.

From the private viewing platform above, the Sovereigns watched with interest.

The Sovereign of War chuckled. "Well, that was unexpected."

The Sovereign of Judgment narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't luck. That was calculated."

The young noble in golden robes, who had scoffed earlier, now gritted his teeth.

"A nobody like him? This must be a fluke."

The Sovereign of War smirked. "Fluke or not, he just proved he belongs here."

Meanwhile, down in the colosseum, the other contestants stared at Lin Tian.

Before this, they had dismissed him.

Now—they saw him as a threat.

A problem.

And for some, a target.

Lin Tian felt their gazes, but he didn't react.

Instead, he simply turned and walked away.

As if this fight hadn't even mattered.

Because in truth?

It hadn't.

As Lin Tian exited the battlefield, a figure stepped in front of him.

A young woman.

She had long dark hair, piercing violet eyes, and a calm expression. She wasn't nervous like the others.

Instead—she looked amused.

"You're interesting," she said.

Lin Tian raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

The woman smiled. "Someone who's watching."

She stepped closer. "You just made a lot of enemies today, Lin Tian."

Lin Tian chuckled. "Oh? And?"

The woman's violet eyes gleamed. "And that means you're either going to die soon…"

She leaned in slightly.

"…Or you're going to rise faster than anyone in history."

Lin Tian smirked. "I prefer the second option."

The woman laughed softly. "Then I'll be watching."

She turned to leave but paused. "Oh, and one more thing."

Lin Tian tilted his head.

The woman's voice lowered.

"If you really want to climb to the top… you'll need to kill a Sovereign."

Lin Tian's eyes gleamed. "Good. I was hoping for that."

And with that—the real war for power began.

That night, the name Lin Tian was spoken across the entire colosseum.

Among the commoners, warriors, and nobles alike, his victory spread like wildfire.

To some—he was a danger.

To others—he was a curiosity.

And to the Sovereigns…

He was now someone worth watching.

But Lin Tian didn't care about any of that.

Because he had only one goal now.

To reach the top of this world.

To claim a Sovereign Title for himself.

And no matter how many stood in his way—

He would take it.

Because in this world, power was not earned.

It was seized.

And soon—

A throne would be his.

Lin Tian sat in a small, dimly lit tavern, sipping a drink he barely tasted.

All around him, whispers filled the air.

"He's the one who took down Fang Wei…"

"Yeah, but he's no Sovereign. He'll die before he even gets close to one."

"He doesn't even have a title! What can he possibly do?"

Lin Tian ignored them.

He wasn't here for them.

He was here for information.

If the only way to gain power in this world was to take a Sovereign Title, then he needed to find one he could kill.

And that meant finding the weakest target.

As he sat in silence, analyzing his options, a familiar voice spoke.

"You're looking for a Sovereign to hunt, aren't you?"

Lin Tian didn't look up. "You again."

The woman from before—the one with violet eyes—sat across from him, a smirk on her lips.

"You don't waste time," she said, tapping her fingers against the wooden table. "Most people would be celebrating their victory, but you? You're already planning your next move."

Lin Tian took another sip of his drink. "You know something. Speak."

The woman chuckled. "So direct. I like that."

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Then listen carefully, Lin Tian. If you want to take your first step as a Sovereign…"

Her violet eyes gleamed.

"I know exactly who your first target should be."

The woman slid a small piece of parchment across the table.

Lin Tian picked it up and scanned the name written there.

"Sovereign of Ash?"

The woman nodded. "A minor Sovereign. Weak, isolated, and barely holding onto his title. If you want to make a move, he's your best chance."

Lin Tian tapped his fingers against the table. "Where is he?"

She smirked. "Ah, now that's the interesting part."

She leaned closer.

"He's currently hiding in the lower city, avoiding challengers. If you find him before anyone else does…"

Her voice lowered to a near whisper.

"You can take his throne for yourself."

Lin Tian grinned.

Then he stood up.

"Then I'll go kill him now."

The lower city was nothing like the grand arenas or the halls of the Sovereigns.

It was dirty, dangerous, and filled with the desperate.

Lin Tian walked through the narrow streets, his eyes sharp, scanning for signs of his target.

The Sovereign of Ash was hiding here somewhere.

And Lin Tian?

He would find him.

He stopped at a corner where a group of men loitered, whispering among themselves.

One of them—a man with a scar over his eye—noticed Lin Tian and sneered.

"You lost, boy?"

Lin Tian tilted his head. "I'm looking for someone."

The man chuckled. "That so? Maybe we can help. But information… costs."

Lin Tian smirked. "Then I'll take it for free."

And before they could react—he moved.

A single step. A single punch.

CRACK.

The leader collapsed.

The others froze in fear.

Lin Tian knelt beside him.

"Where is the Sovereign of Ash?"

The man, now bleeding, trembled. "H-He's hiding in the abandoned temple! Just don't—"

Lin Tian stood up. "That's all I needed."

And without another word, he walked away.

His first hunt had begun.

The abandoned temple stood at the edge of the city, its walls crumbling, its doors barely holding together.

Lin Tian approached slowly, his footsteps silent.

Inside, he could sense a presence.

A man.

Weak. Desperate. Afraid.

Lin Tian pushed open the door.

And there, sitting in the darkness, was his target.

The Sovereign of Ash.

He was thin, pale, trembling. His once-grand robes were tattered, his eyes sunken.

The moment he saw Lin Tian—he flinched.

"Who… who are you?" he stammered.

Lin Tian smiled.

"Your replacement."

And then—he attacked.

The Sovereign of Ash tried to run.

Tried to summon his power.

But Lin Tian was too fast.

He grabbed the man by the throat and slammed him into the temple floor.

The weak Sovereign coughed, gasping.

"P-Please! You don't understand!"

Lin Tian's golden eyes gleamed. "I understand perfectly."

He raised his fist.

And with a single blow—

He ended it.

BOOM.

The temple shook as the Sovereign of Ash collapsed, lifeless.

And in that moment—

Lin Tian felt it.

A shift.

A power flowing into him.

A throne being claimed.

[Sovereign Title Obtained: Sovereign of Ash.]

Lin Tian exhaled. "So this is how it works."

He clenched his fist, feeling the new power coursing through him.

This was just the beginning.

One throne down.

Many more to go.

And soon—

The entire world would be his.

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