George glared at Velen and said coldly, "Your words sound impressive, but is your level and strength equally so?"
With that, he took a step forward, leaving a trail of illusory afterimages in his wake.
"D-level Low, Phantom Step!"
After activating his movement skill, George's speed surged. The ten-meter gap between him and Velen was closed in an instant!
The spectators below the arena couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
Seeing George charging at him with great momentum, the dense mana patterns within Velen's body lit up rapidly, seemingly stimulated. A vast wave of mana surged throughout his body.
Meteor Fist!
As he punched out, the void trembled. Earth elements spiraled around his fist, growing explosively, like a massive meteor descending from the heavens, hurtling directly toward George!
The fierce gale accompanying the punch blew George's long hair back, completely filling his vision and suppressing the mana surging within his body.
"How is this move so terrifying?"
George's heart trembled. This domineering force gave him a sense of utter helplessness!
The awakeners watching the battle all showed expressions of shock.
The oppressive aura emanating from this skill left them short of breath!
If they faced this move themselves, they would undoubtedly suffer severe injuries—or worse, annihilation!
"What a ferocious skill! This guy is no ordinary opponent!"
As Velen's meteor-sized fist approached, George felt an extreme sense of danger. He quickly countered with a punch of his own, his fist wrapped in golden light and tearing through the air.
This was his signature D-level Low skill: Golden Fist!
A technique powerful enough to threaten Adept Rank awakeners.
Bang!
The two fists collided head-on, causing the arena beneath them to sink slightly.
George's seemingly golden fist dimmed abruptly, and his body staggered backward uncontrollably.
In contrast, Velen appeared unscathed. He continued channeling his condensed mana and launched another powerful punch!
"Meteor Fist!"
"Meteor Fist!"
"Meteor Fist!"
Velen's offensive was ferocious, his mana surging like an unending river!
The oppressive mana-packed fists locked George in completely!
As the deathly aura closed in, George's face turned pale.
"What is wrong with this guy? How can he unleash so many skills? How dense is his mana, exactly?"
The higher the skill's level, the greater its power—but also the higher its mana consumption.
The attack skill Velen was using had to be D-level Advanced. Logically, it should be impossible to use it multiple times in such a short period!
George was already struggling to fend off one punch, let alone withstand three colossal meteors, each ten meters in diameter. That was a pipe dream!
Although Velen was also an Apprentice Rank Lv. 9, the sheer density of his mana completely overwhelmed George—it wasn't even close.
Terrified, George turned and leapt off the arena.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment he left, the massive fist projections, like meteors, crashed down one after another onto the arena. The ground caved in, debris scattered, and dust clouds billowed into the air.
The spectators near the arena felt the ground shake continuously, as if an earthquake had struck!
Soon, the dust was dispersed by an invisible wind, revealing the arena, now half-collapsed and littered with rubble.
This scene left everyone watching gasping in shock.
The arena was specially reinforced, yet it was reduced to such a state. If such an attack landed on them, they couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences!
Amid the horrified stares of the crowd, Velen took a deep breath. The mana surging through his body made him feel indescribably exhilarated.
"Not bad! So this is what it feels like to be an awakener?"
The powerful mana coursing through his body made Velen feel an addictive sense of thrill. He immediately turned his gaze to the other young men and women around the arena, his face brimming with excitement and provocation.
"Come on, all of you! Let's have a good fight this time!"
Velen's voice, infused with overwhelming mana, boomed in everyone's ears, making their eardrums tremble.
"This guy is so arrogant! Does he really think we're pushovers?"
"No way! He needs to be taught a lesson! The dignity of Ducal Manor will be upheld by us!"
The Ducal Manor prodigies standing closest to Velen, never having been so blatantly insulted, glared at him angrily.
The young talents of Ducal Manor, allowed to train here, were all exceptionally skilled.
At once, their restless mana surged as they charged furiously toward Velen on the arena.
The first ones to approach were the elites among the outer circle members, all Apprentice Rank Lv. 9.
Determined to subdue Velen quickly, they held nothing back. Multicolored mana waves illuminated the area around the arena, twisting and boiling the air.
"Even though they're only outer circle members, their combined strength would force any Adept Rank awakener to take them seriously!"
"Velen is too arrogant!"
Many of the Ducal Manor's core members shook their heads slightly.
But before they could finish their remarks, they saw Velen unleash a series of punches, creating a barrage of fist shadows. The domineering force of his punches tore through the air with piercing sonic booms.
The attacks from the group shattered instantly upon contact with Velen's meteor-like fists, dissolving into mana particles and disappearing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One by one, the awakeners who got close were sent flying by the sheer force of Velen's punches, coughing up blood and wearing expressions of utter shock.
"This… how is this possible…?"
The awakeners, wiping blood from their mouths, stared at Velen in disbelief.
The density of Velen's mana was unfathomable.
Coming into contact with him felt like colliding with a tidal wave—vast, boundless, and impenetrable!
The assistant steward narrowed his eyes at Velen, surprised by the depths of Velen's mana reserves.
Among awakeners of the same level, others seemed like mere ants in comparison. Even when the assistant steward extended his spiritual sense into Velen's body, it was like plunging into the ocean, unable to fathom its depths.
"Is that all the strength you've got?"
Velen looked at the hesitant crowd who dared not advance and became even more fired up.
Commanding mana and launching relentless attacks awakened a primal beast within him.
Thus, Velen continued taunting, "Come on, all of you! I only want to be defeated—or to defeat you all!"
These words further incensed the crowd around the arena. They surged toward Velen like a tidal wave.
But just then, the assistant steward's voice rang out.
"Don't act rashly! Velen isn't someone any of you can handle alone. Attack together and form a battle formation!"
Curious about Velen's limits, the assistant steward decided to let the crowd test him.
The assistant steward held great authority in the Ducal Manor. Though emotions were running high, the crowd instinctively followed his command, channeling mana and forming a formation.
From a distance, the sight of over a hundred outer circle members and several dozen core members combining their mana was awe-inspiring. The ground trembled faintly under their power.
"This is unprecedented—over two hundred young talents attacking together. If Velen withstands this wave, he'll definitely earn a spot on the Battleboard!"
The assistant steward squinted. Earning a place on the Battleboard was the dream of countless young awakeners.
"Once the battle formation is complete, even Adept Rank awakeners would be suppressed. Let's see how Velen remains arrogant now!"
"Attack!"
Within the formation's glowing light, the Ducal Manor prodigies roared as a towering barrier arose, spreading rapidly to envelop Velen, forming a new domain.
Sensing the formation's overwhelming pressure, Velen took a deep breath. If he defeated all two hundred people, his system task would be complete.
Thus, he silently commanded in his mind, "System, lock onto D-level Advanced attack skills and extract!"
Shwish! Shwish!
Light flickered before Velen's eyes. After seven rapid flashes, a notification appeared in his vision.
"Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the D-level Advanced attack skill: Thunderfall!"
As the system's voice echoed, Velen's mind was flooded with visions of endless thunder crashing down, roaring with destruction, replacing the heavens in an apocalyptic scene.
"Indeed, a D-level Advanced skill is extraordinary!" After fully comprehending it, Velen became even more excited and commanded again, "Extract another!"