The reason Eli appointed Jake as the temporary squad leader instead of the The burly man was twofold. Firstly, Jake's equipment, including the helmet, armor, and long sword, caught Eli's attention. He could tell that these were not ordinary items; even Eli himself, as a squad leader, wasn't qualified to wear such gear. The fact that a rural guy like Jake possessed them indicated that he was not an ordinary person. Whether it was Jake himself or someone behind him, there was something unique about him, setting him apart from other villagers.
Secondly, Eli sensed something different in Jake's aura compared to others. Jake seemed to radiate a sense of stability and composure that was even more pronounced during his breathing. There was a certain rhythm that allowed Jake to maintain an optimal state constantly.
Lastly, Eli couldn't quite explain it, but he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity and trust towards Jake after seeing him. It was as if he found Jake more agreeable than others.
Due to these reasons, Eli appointed Jake as the temporary squad leader instead of the visibly stronger The burly man.
"I've removed my helmet, armor, and long sword," Jake said calmly to The burly man.
"Even if you have all those, you're not my match!" The burly man said.
Although The burly man said so, he was secretly relieved. Though not as perceptive as Eli, he knew that Jake's equipment was not ordinary, and winning against Jake would be challenging if he had those items on him.
"Is that so? Don't just talk, come and try," Jake said.
In reality, Jake didn't take off all his equipment; his armguards and long pants were still on. However, both Eli and The burly man didn't think these two items could make any difference. Besides, was Jake supposed to take off his pants for the contest? That would be asking too much.
Jake's pants and armguards seemed very ordinary. which made Eli not see anything special about these two items either. They appeared just like regular pants and armguards, and nobody would think of asking Jake to fight barefoot to show the special features of his Flowing Cloud Boots.
"I'm coming, be careful!" The burly man was quite chivalrous and didn't attack Jake by surprise. Before attacking, he even gave Jake a warning, making Jake, who left two pieces of equipment on, feel somewhat guilty.
However, for the sake of his position as the squad leader and to keep his secret concealed, Jake believed it was better to be cautious and not too careless. Losing to the opponent would be quite a spectacle to witness.
The burly man indeed had some skill. His attack was fierce, his footsteps steady, and he carried an overwhelming aura, resembling Mount Tai descending. Regular individuals might have faltered at the sight of such a momentum.
But Jake was no longer an ordinary person. He had battled ferocious beasts, monsters, and even bandits, and had seen major confrontations. Facing The burly man's attack, Jake remained completely composed.
Jake didn't choose to evade, even though he believed that he could easily dodge all the attacks with his agility, and The burly man wouldn't even touch a corner of his clothes, let alone harm him.
However, in this contest, Jake wanted to establish his authority, not just win. He had to win gracefully and win the hearts and admiration of others.
The burly man sneered when he saw that Jake didn't dodge or evade, thinking that Jake was being too arrogant. In that case, he didn't mind giving Jake an unforgettable lesson.
The burly man's fist carried a fierce wind as it struck towards Jake's chest. The people around seemed to sense the power behind this punch; some even couldn't help but gasp, expecting to see Jake being knocked down in the next moment. However, reality disappointed them and, to their astonishment, the person pushed back was not the seemingly skinny Jake but the strong big man.
Jake effortlessly blocked The burly man's fierce punch with his right hand, which seemed slow but preemptively intercepted the attack.
"Bang!" The burly man's fist collided with Jake's palm, and then, much to everyone's surprise, The burly man was pushed back. He staggered and retreated about five to six meters before barely steadying himself. He looked at Jake in shock and even a bit of fear. People nearby could even see the trembling of The burly man's hanging arm, and the muscles on his face were also twitching. The strength behind that punch was truly terrifying!
"Again!" Jake beckoned to The burly man with a hook of his finger.
"Ahh!" Although The burly man was afraid of Jake's terrifying strength, being provoked by Jake, he let out a roar and charged at him again. This time, his momentum was even more ferocious, like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains, displaying immense power.
Jake still stood casually and relaxed in his original position, not dodging or evading. When The burly man swung his fist again, Jake's right hand reached out once more. However, this time, Jake didn't merely block The burly man's attack; instead, he grabbed the man's wrist with one hand. Following that, he stepped forward, using his left hand to support The burly man's abdomen. With a loud shout, to the astonishment of onlookers, Jake effortlessly lifted The burly man off the ground, leaving his feet dangling.
The burly man felt panicked and struggled to break free from Jake's grip. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape Jake's control. Jake lifted The burly man and spun him around before forcefully throwing him away. The burly man cried out as he flew through the air for about ten meters before crashing heavily onto the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
The whole place fell silent. Even The burly man didn't make any sound because he was knocked unconscious when he hit the ground. The onlookers, filled with shock and fear, stared at Jake, wondering how his seemingly frail body contained such terrifying power.
The burly man weighed nearly two hundred catties (approximately 100 kilograms), and yet Jake effortlessly lifted him. Moreover, with a casual toss, Jake threw him so far. Such power was simply terrifying.
"Is there anyone else who wants to challenge?" Jake lightly clapped his hands and calmly looked at the other members of his squad, as if what had just happened was a trivial matter.
"My intuition was right, wasn't it?" Eli said from a distance, his tone carrying a hint of satisfaction. His intuition was indeed accurate.