"Ro-Lente" Royal Castle.
Located at the deepest part of the capital, this royal castle was built atop a hill, visible from afar with its connecting walls formed by over twenty massive circular towers.
It separated the capital's citizens from the royal castle, and combined with the hill's elevation, gave the entire royal castle a status that loomed above all others.
To the west at the base of the hill stood a colossal arena, where the annual "Imperial Trial" had been held for years.
This competition wasn't merely a grand event—it served as one of the Li Yestige Kingdom's methods to display its military might to outsiders.
Amidst the noisy crowd,
Tang Zheng entered the arena with some reluctance, taking a seat in the outermost spectator stands.
And this terrible seat had cost him a full five silver coins!
"Quite the profitable business," Tang Zheng muttered as he glanced at the sea of heads filling the surrounding seats.
Witnessing historical events did satisfy some people's curiosity.
Had he known the tickets would be this expensive, he wouldn't have come—especially since he already knew the outcome.
Tang Zheng sighed helplessly.
The Captain of the Warriors and Nail Clipper hadn't appeared yet, though several figures moved about the platform below, seemingly conducting inspections.
Directly north of the platform stood the arena's only elevated viewing area—a tower-like structure significantly higher than other sections.
No guessing was needed.
That must be the exclusive viewing area reserved for the kingdom's nobility and royal family.
Compared to the lively atmosphere elsewhere, this tower seating remained eerily quiet.
The unnatural silence gradually spread to other areas, like cold water dousing the fiery excitement.
Even the surrounding discussions grew noticeably quieter.
Tang Zheng tugged at his rough linen collar and shrugged boredly, calmly observing the scene.
While others might not understand this strange atmosphere, he had some clues.
On the surface, this level of competition aimed to find powerful warriors for the kingdom and showcase national strength.
From the very beginning, the "Imperial Trial" had served as a stage for nobles to flaunt their subordinates and display personal military power.
All commoner participants were merely stepping stones for these noble lords.
This involved the kingdom's own aristocratic system!
Beyond the firstborn heirs, other noble sons couldn't inherit titles. This led to the creation of another aristocratic rank—"Knight"!
This title came without land grants and lasted only one generation, yet remained highly sought-after by noble younger sons.
Not just for the noble status—once obtaining the "Knight" title, recipients would receive substantial royal stipends, freeing them from financial worries.
This was also the royal family's strategy to cultivate a new generation of "royalists" among noble offspring.
The "Imperial Trial" existed for this purpose—an overt political maneuver. Thus, outstanding noble youths who distinguished themselves would be granted the "Knight" title.
However, in recent years, participating nobles and their subordinates had increasingly been defeated by commoner adventurers, much to the aristocracy's displeasure.
The appearances of Gejiefu and Brian, who had bulldozed their way here, turned the "Imperial Trial" into a stage for two commoners' duel!
A smile crossed Tang Zheng's face. He could perfectly imagine the nobles' current expressions.
After Gejiefu's victory, he should have received the "Knight" title. Instead, the newly created position of "Captain of the Warriors" emerged under these circumstances.
The reason this duel became legendary among commoners was precisely because the "Imperial Trial" was abolished afterward.
Clearly, no noble wanted a second Captain of the Warriors appearing.
This had nothing to do with Tang Zheng. Compared to the future Great Cataclysm, these events were mere trifles.
No matter how displeased the nobles were, this match could neither be stopped nor canceled!
About ten minutes later.
Tang Zheng straightened up, his gaze sharpening as he watched the future Captain of the Warriors and Nail Clipper simultaneously approach the platform.
Upon reaching the platform, the two shook hands and appeared to exchange words.
From Tang Zheng's distant spectator seat, he could only make out their figures—their conversation remained inaudible.
The two separated, turning to create distance before facing each other.
All noise from the spectator stands completely vanished as countless eyes locked onto the two figures on the platform, afraid to disturb their duel.
Gejiefu and Brian moved simultaneously. Despite the twenty-meter gap between them, a brief charge brought them crashing together.
Their sword-like weapons collided violently, sparks flying wildly.
Tang Zheng's eyes widened in astonishment, barely able to track their movements. Their swinging blades became complete blurs.
Only the continuous sparks around their bodies remained visible.
Tang Zheng leaned back slightly.
These two were practically different species from ordinary humans!
The sheer power displayed during their clashes couldn't be fully appreciated through anime alone.
Witnessing this level of combat firsthand, Tang Zheng truly grasped the insurmountable chasm between ordinary people and such warriors!
And this was only around level 20?
Suddenly, Tang Zheng gained some understanding of Nail Clipper's despair when facing Shalltear.
The "Nail Clipper" nickname carried no derogatory meaning!
On the platform, Brian's body flashed with pale blue light.
Brian seemed to teleport behind Gejiefu.
Gejiefu appeared prepared, rolling away to recreate distance.
"So this is Martial Arts." Tang Zheng's eyes widened further.
"Martial Arts" were techniques unique to this world—absent from "YGGDRASIL"—essentially a warrior's equivalent of magic.
Their usage consumed something called "Focus," essentially mental concentration. More Martial Arts usage increased brain fatigue.
This was a game-absent metric, more aligned with reality.
Whether in anime or light novels, "Martial Arts" demonstrated considerable power.
Only human level limits made them appear weaker.
Tang Zheng's status panel appeared before him.
『Skill "Flow Acceleration" discovered. Requires basic warrior-class profession. Current conditions unmet...』
『"Genius" profession activated. Conversion successful. Learning conditions met. Consume 1 Skill Point to learn?』
Seeing the panel's message, surprise and realization flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes as he murmured: "So this is how Skill Points work!"