In this world—might make right!
It was a world where everyone trained in martial arts, a society built upon strength and power.
Thus, even though Tongcheng was an unremarkable city within the entire Nanjiang Province, and the number of Ability Users it produced each year ranked near the bottom among the province's dozens of cities, the Tongcheng Ability User Guild was still bustling with activity.
People came and went in a constant stream.
However, according to Zhao Xuan's observation, the vast majority of them were only First- or Second-Tier Ability Users.
Third-Tiers were as rare as phoenix feathers.
As for Fourth-Tiers—Zhao Xuan hadn't seen a single one.
When he finally reached the dueling arena behind the Guild building, his first reaction was—huge!
The arena was as large as the kind of sports stadiums Zhao Xuan had seen in his previous life.
Massive, expansive, and imposing.
Inside were numerous elevated platforms—dueling rings.
Some stood empty, while others were already occupied by Ability Users locked in combat.
The atmosphere in the entire arena was thick with intensity and discipline, the air itself humming with energy.
Zhao Xuan waited for a while, but seeing that his examiner still hadn't arrived, he couldn't help wandering around the arena.
Before long, he came to one of the rings.
On top, a young man and woman were engaged in a fierce battle.
Zhao Xuan glanced twice, then shook his head and walked away.
There was no particular reason—
Their strength was simply too low. At best, they were First-Tier, and watching them fight held no interest for him at all.
Out of the roughly twenty dueling platforms currently in use, most were being used by First-Tier combatants.
Only three rings had duels between Second-Tier Ability Users.
Zhao Xuan strolled around several times but still didn't find a single Third-Tier fight. He couldn't help feeling a little bored.
"As expected of a small city like Tongcheng… You can barely even find a Third-Tier here. I've heard that in the big cities, you can often see Fourth- or even Fifth-Tier Ability Users battling it out in the guild arenas. Now that's something worth seeing!"
Watching the two Second-Tiers exchange blows on the stage, Zhao Xuan couldn't muster any excitement.
With a helpless sigh, he was just about to find a quiet spot to meditate for a while—
When suddenly—
"Beep-beep-beep!"
The notification tone from his phone went off.
Zhao Xuan took it out and saw a message from the Ability User Guild:
"Dear Mr. Zhao Xuan, your appointed Third-Tier Ability User Examiner has arrived. Please proceed to Arena No. 13 within ten minutes to begin your assessment."
"Finally!"
Zhao Xuan's eyes lit up instantly.
—Meanwhile, on the other side of the arena—
A burly man with a broad frame was walking toward the dueling grounds, led by a staff member from the Guild.
"Examiner Cao Hu, your next assessment candidate is named Zhao Xuan, age 18, a soon-to-be high school graduate. He possesses a Zoan-type Devil Fruit ability—specific classification unknown, strength level unknown…"
As the staffer explained Zhao Xuan's details, he led Cao Hu toward Arena No. 13.
"Eighteen? A senior in high school?"
Cao Hu's expression froze in surprise. "Are you sure he applied for the Third-Tier Ability User Exam, and not the Second-Tier?"
"Positive," the staffer replied quickly.
Cao Hu couldn't help but snort. "Kids these days sure are cocky! Just graduated and already applying for a Third-Tier exam? I don't care if you've got a Zoan-type Devil Fruit— even a Logia-type wouldn't dare try that!"
The staff member chuckled. "Heh, fearless youth, Examiner Cao. Haven't we all been young once?"
"Hah! Fearless as a newborn calf, huh?"
Cao Hu grinned. "Well, that's fine by me. Means I can earn this sixty-thousand-yuan commission without breaking a sweat!"
As the two chatted, they arrived at Arena No. 13.
By then, Zhao Xuan had already been waiting patiently beneath the platform.
"Before the exam begins, I'll first read out the rules."
The Guild referee stepped forward and spoke solemnly:
"To pass the Third-Tier Ability User Examination, you must endure the examiner's attacks for a full thirty minutes. If, after that time, you remain on the stage and conscious, you will be deemed to have passed."
"The entire assessment will be recorded and monitored. Should any disputes arise, the footage can be reviewed for verification."
As the referee explained, Zhao Xuan suddenly raised his hand.
"What if I defeat the examiner?" he asked.
The question immediately drew laughter from the onlookers.
Even Examiner Cao Hu couldn't help grinning broadly.
"Hah! Forget defeating the examiner—if you can knock him off the stage within thirty minutes, it'll still count as a pass!"
The referee, however, was a professional. Quickly regaining his composure, he nodded seriously.
"Any other questions?"
"No more," Zhao Xuan replied with a shake of his head.
"Then, both participants—please take the stage!"
Under the watchful gazes of everyone present, the two of them leapt one after another onto the specially reinforced dueling platform.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/HorizonStudios0