If anyone else had made such a statement, they would have likely burst into laughter and playfully poked fun at them. However, when it came to this extraordinary individual, no one could be entirely certain that he would lose to Evan and Victoria.
"For the final battle, the three remaining participants will step onto stage one. The last one standing on the stage will be the winner, and the battle will begin in a minute."
"Alright, it's time to show them who's the new boss here," Michael declared with a nonchalant demeanor. He brushed away some dust from his shoulder and turned to make his way to the battle stage. Just as he was about to take a step forward, someone grabbed his hand. He turned and saw the worried expression of the sect leader, Claire.
"All the best," she said with a hopeful look. If he could win the tournament and secure the rewards for the sect, it would help them settle a portion of their debt with the collectors and potentially buy back some of their lost lands. With Ghost's unexpected strength, they now had a fighting chance to survive without having to close their gates.
"Thank you, Sect Leader," Michael replied warmly. He gently patted the sect leader's soft hand and offered her a reassuring smile. Evan and Victoria were already making their way to the stage, and the crowd's anticipation was palpable.
As his black robes and hair fluttered in the wind, Michael walked confidently toward the stage and landed on it with a single leap. He faced the two stars of the younger generation and the dark horse of the tournament, and the crowd was buzzing with excitement.
The final battle was about to commence. Victoria's strength was undeniably remarkable, and Evan was equally formidable. Their battle held a deeper significance, representing the rivalry between two major sects. And then there was Ghost, the enigmatic dark horse who had demonstrated extraordinary abilities. After witnessing his prowess, no one was underestimating him despite his low-level cultivation.
"Step down, you two can't defeat me," Victoria declared suddenly, her tone dripping with arrogance as she looked disdainfully at everyone.
"Don't be too arrogant, Victoria," Evan responded calmly.
"You never learn," Victoria retorted before closing her eyes momentarily. In an instant, a colossal golden phoenix made of Arch Energy materialized behind her. The phoenix appeared as a lifelike holographic image, exuding a majestic presence.
"It must be the Flaming Phoenix spell from Golden Valley!"
"She actually learned it!"
"They say the spell can only be learned by someone truly worthy!"
Whispers and astonished gazes filled the air as people marveled at Victoria's display of power. Even Evan couldn't help but be taken aback by the sheer might of the phoenix.
"She truly lives up to her title as the Princess of Golden Valley. Learning the Flaming Phoenix spell and wielding it so impressively."
The crowd was in awe, trembling with excitement. Suddenly, a brilliant blue light radiated from Evan's body. A majestic white tiger materialized behind him, and the holographic beast roared, sending shockwaves through the area with its incredible presence.
"Wow," Michael couldn't help but express his admiration for the spells unleashed by these two formidable opponents. It was as if he were watching a spectacular magic show from the front row.
"A majestic tiger!"
"It must be an ancient spell; I can practically feel the power radiating from the tiger!"
"This journey was truly worth it!"
"Evan is incredibly strong. It's still hard to predict the winner of this fight." Many spectators were overwhelmed by Evan's strength and Victoria's beauty. They admired and idolized both fighters, with Victoria capturing most of the attention due to her striking looks. Her exceptional talents and the awe-inspiring Flaming Phoenix spell left the audience eager to witness her future growth and unveil her potential powers.
"She's remarkably powerful, wielding the Flaming Phoenix spell; she should be nearly invincible."
"I'm not so sure. Evan hasn't unleashed his full strength yet, so it's impossible to make a judgment."
"Don't forget about the Ghost. My intuition tells me he might pull off a win."
Everyone in the audience voiced their opinions on the potential winner, with the majority leaning towards either Victoria or Evan. Only a minority believed that Ghost had a fighting chance. While Ghost was now recognized as immensely powerful, most still believed that only two participants had a real shot at victory among the final three.
In the center of the stage stood two exceptional and formidable cultivators from the Bredia Kingdom: Victoria Parker and Evan. Meanwhile, on the other side, a mysterious yet powerful young contender, Ghost. The three formed a triangle formation, with Victoria locking her gaze onto Evan from the very beginning. Evan reciprocated her intense stare, as if they were engaged in a one-on-one battle through their eyes alone.
While the intense stare-down continued, Michael appeared remarkably relaxed, pondering which skill to invest his Badass Points in after advancing his cultivation.
After a while, Victoria's attention shifted away from Evan. She sported a smug smile, speaking with an air of arrogance. "You're not too bad. If you decide to leave that humble sect of yours and join us at Golden Valley, I might consider offering you some personal cultivation guidance from time to time." Victoria's expression oozed arrogance, unintentionally revealing the deeply ingrained sense of superiority within her.
Michael couldn't tolerate Victoria's demeaning reference to the Sunrise Sect as "lowly." Compared to their sects, Sunrise valued principles like humanity and compassion, even though he didn't consider himself a moral paragon. He couldn't bear to witness innocent lives being massacred without taking action. In a world as harsh as this one, he had come to appreciate kindness and compassion more and more.
Victoria's offer to assist him in cultivation caught him off guard. Her arrogance was palpable, and she clearly considered herself superior in every way.
"You...want to help me with my cultivation?" he asked, concealing his true feelings. It was evident that this girl saw herself as the best in the world and was utterly arrogant.
"Yes, I can personally guide you in your cultivation," Victoria replied, oblivious to his underlying skepticism. She even assumed he felt deeply honored by her offer.
"This is a unique opportunity, one that comes once in a lifetime. I don't usually take on mentoring roles, but for you, I'm willing to make an exception."
"Can we kill this bitch now, human?"
Gaya's disgust with Victoria's arrogance was palpable, and she couldn't wait to see Michael teach this self-assured girl a lesson.
Victoria's proposition was indeed tempting to many common people. For ordinary cultivators, the chance to have a mentor as powerful, attractive, and alluring as her was a dream come true.
"Imagine Victoria coming to my room to teach me..."
"Dude, you're drooling."
"Lucky bastard getting offers from two of my dream girls!"
Jealousy-filled eyes from the crowd were fixated on Michael, envious of the opportunity presented to him. However, Michael didn't take her offer seriously, as he considered the system to be the best mentor. Moreover, dealing with an arrogant snake was enough for him, and he had no intention of adding another one to the mix.
"Honored, huh?" he responded with playful sarcasm, his tone teasing. To his surprise, Victoria didn't catch onto his sarcasm, unlike Evan.
"Why wouldn't you be?" Victoria replied, her smile slightly diminished from before.
"I'll pass. You're not good enough to teach me how to cultivate, or anything else for that matter."
The stadium fell into a stunned silence, and in Evan's eyes, Michael appeared even more arrogant and narcissistic than Victoria. Upon hearing his words, Victoria's face flushed with anger, and she trembled in fury.
"How dare you!" Victoria shouted aggressively in an ice-cold tone.
"Can we just fight and get this over with?" Michael asked Evan, disregarding Victoria's outburst.
"Who do you think you are? Today, I will break your arrogance and your body," Victoria declared. The flaming phoenix behind her opened its mouth and exhaled an illusionary stream of fire. Instantly, her entire body was enveloped in a magnificent golden light, resembling the rays of the sun. The breathtaking sight left the onlookers in awe.
"Flaming Phoenix, how awesome!" the crowd exclaimed, mesmerized by the spectacle. Victoria, in that moment, appeared majestic and exuded a divine aura.
"Evan Clark, I will defeat you first and show everyone who the real genius of our generation is," she declared, her long hair billowing in the air. Coupled with the golden aura surrounding her, the crowd couldn't help but be captivated.
"And then, I will deal with you," she added, not even sparing Michael a glance. Her entire focus was now on Evan and his white tiger.
"Might of the Phoenix!"
"Supreme Slap!"
Evan saw her preparing to attack and mirrored her actions with a loud shout. He had no intention of letting his majestic tiger spell be overshadowed by her flaming phoenix spell.
However, just as they were about to clash, a bolt of lightning streaked between them, interrupting their confrontation.
"You two should attack me simultaneously. I don't want people to think I only won because you exhausted each other in a pointless fight," Michael suggested.
"Human, what the hell are you doing? Let them fight each other first, and then we can take on the last one standing."
For a moment, the entire stadium fell into stunned silence, with everyone looking as though they had turned into statues upon hearing his words. Logically, it would have made more sense for him to let Evan and Victoria fight one another, then face the weakened survivor. By suggesting this unusual approach, he left everyone baffled.
"You're the strangest human I've ever encountered!" Gaya exclaimed in Michael's mind, echoing the general sentiment in the crowd.