Melissa nced at Billy and curled her lips in disdain. "You talk like you know everything."


    Billy chuckled. "Of course I do. That unnamed mountain? Its core has been hollowed out quite a bit. The interior is massive, with a space that looks like some kind of martial training arena.


    "There are four enormous stone tforms in total, and even masters in Boneforging Realm can''t leave a single scratch on them.


    "Surrounding the tforms are stone-carved seats, clearly designed for spectating duels. The exact age of the site is unknown, and the government has been studying it for years.


    "Unfortunately, they haven''t uncovered anything extraordinary about it. So, they decided to use it as the venue for this martial artspetition."


    Felix gave Billy a skeptical nce. Somehow, hearing it from him didn''t make it any more believable. "Yeah, right. Keep talking," N said as sheughed.


    "Melissa, he''s actually telling the truth."


    When they arrived at the base of the unnamed mountain, Felix noticed more than just the armed guards patrolling the area. He could also sense the presence of several powerful experts hidden nearby.


    It seemed the recent banquet incident had caused a significant boost in security.


    Thinking about it, it actually made sense. The allure of Lone Paragon was simply too overwhelming. No matter who the masked figure from that night was, the force behind them clearly saw it as a worthwhile gamble.


    Sacrificing even a master in Boneforging Realm to eliminate strongpetitors and increase their odds of obtaining Lone Paragon was a calcted move.


    Felix couldn''t help but specte. Was Lone Paragon really just what Gerald had described? Or could there be some deeper, hidden secret tied to it? Regardless, the artifact''s ability to triple one''sbat strength without any side effects was more than enough to drive people mad with desire.


    At this point, Felix and Ronan split off from N and the others, taking separate paths up the mountain. The distinction betweenpetitors and spectators became clear.


    That said, N''s connections were truly impressive. While it had taken great effort for people like George and Ryan to secure even a single spot, she managed to bring multiple people in without breaking a sweat. "Stage One on this side. Stage Three on that side," someone called out.


    When they reached the mountainside and stepped into a cavern, the space began to open up, exactly as Billy had described.


    Felix''spetition badge designated him as contestant number eight for Stage One, which meant he and Ronan had to take separate tunnels.


    As soon as he entered, he saw several people already gathered. Some people were standing, and some were sitting.


    The sheer number of young talents participating in this martial artspetition was evident at a nce.


    ???


    Felix stood still for a moment, taking in his surroundings. The space was nothing short of a masterpiece, a marvel of ancient craftsmanship Intricate patterns were etched into the rocky walls, vivid and lifelike, making the ce feel like a resting area meant for masters preparing for battle.


    The ingenuity of the ancients, in some ways, didn''t seem inferior to the advancements of modern times.


    "Stand aside, mutt!" A sudden, sharp voice broke through his thoughts.


    Felix turned to see a burly man ring at him with open hostility.


    "Could you move aside?"


    The burly man frowned.


    "Hey, brat. If it weren''t for the no-fighting rule in the rest area, you''d already be crippled by now."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than his expression shifted. Out of nowhere, three figures appeared on either side of Felix, their gazes sharp and threatening as they locked onto the man.


    "Apologize to Dr. Zeller immediately! Otherwise, if Ie across you during the tournament, you won''t even have the chance to surrender."


    "Just a mere Martial Saint, and you think you can act so arrogantly? Who gave you the nerve to disrespect Dr. Zeller?"


    "Apologize immediately!"


    The pressure radiating from the


    three was enough for the burly man to realize he had messed with the wrong person. He swallowed hard, fear evident in his every movement.


    What? This brat was Dr. Zeller? How was that even possible?