Chapter 501: The last Test!
A voice rang out from the gathered crowd, "These invaders were stronger than our weapon masters, yet Roy defeated them effortlessly. I suspect he's not unawakened. He should be disqualified from this competition."
In response, Roy maintained his calm, "I am an unawakened. If you have doubts, feel free to inspect my awakening status."
Without hesitation, Princess Seraphina stepped forward to examine him.
After a thorough inspection, she announced her findings to the audience, "Indeed, the divine executioner has no class weapon. He is still an unawakened. It's just that he possesses a truly exceptional physique, allowing him to store thousands of units of mana and aura directly within his body. No wonder the invaders were easily taken down by him."
Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd at this revelation. It was common knowledge that ordinary people couldn't directly store energy within their bodies. They could only store aura in their inner world and mana in their magical sea. But Roy had defied this accepted norm.
"He is extraordinarily talented, a phenomenal genius of unparalleled caliber!" Prince Victor exclaimed.
Everyone nodded.
The crowd then turned on the accuser, booing him and hurling insults, "Shame on you! You attempted to discredit the very person who protected you!"
"I have never seen someone as disgusting as you."
The man who had pointed the finger at Roy crumbled under the public backlash. His face flushed with embarrassment, and his gaze lowered, avoiding the accusing eyes of the crowd. He had become a scapegoat in his own plot, a testament to the adage of 'what goes around, comes around.'
With a stern gaze directed towards the accuser, Princess Seraphina raised her voice, ringing clear and authoritative over the crowd, "Due to the unfounded accusation against the Divine Executioner, a clear act of splashing dirty water on his heroic reputation, you are hereby disqualified from this competition."
The young man could only stare at the ground in humiliation as her words echoed through the clearing. A wave of murmurs swept over the spectators while an uncomfortable silence enveloped the accused. His actions had not only backfired but had also cost him his standing in the awakening ceremony competition.
Meanwhile, the princess turned her attention towards the other competitors. "For those who could not complete the second test," she began, her tone taking on a more comforting note, "It was due to unforeseen circumstances and through no fault of your own. You will not be disqualified and are permitted to continue onto the next stage."
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the participants. The fear of disqualification was washed away by the princess's words. Despite the unexpected chaos, their dreams of emerging victorious in the challenges and awakening this year were still very much alive. Their journey in the awakening ceremony competition was far from over.
....
The golden sun was slowly dipping in the horizon, casting long shadows over the Central Coliseum that was located in the second floating mountain of the Empire's forbidden capital.
The grandeur of this architectural marvel was astonishing, its scale beyond comprehension.
The coliseum seemed to be carved out of pristine white marble, and it glistened under the waning sunlight, imbuing the surroundings with an ethereal atmosphere.
The vast coliseum buzzed with the energy of the gathered masses. Countless spectators filled up every inch of the stands, their cacophonous chatter about the last event of this year's awakening ceremony competition creating an intense atmosphere of anticipation.
Dominating the landscape were ten regal thrones laid out in the heart of the coliseum. They appeared to be hewn out of a single block of marble, their ornate craftsmanship a testament to the grandeur of the ceremony.
Surrounding the thrones were a multitude of contestants of the awakening ceremony competition.
These contestants encircling the thrones represented the cream of the crop from various regions of the Great Sun Empiee, each having conquered the demanding tests set forth by the different hosts of the Awakening Ceremony to reach this point.
"All competitors," Princess Seraphina's voice echoed majestically, silencing the din of the crowd. "The next stage of the Awakening Ceremony Competition will be a Battle Royale. A trial where you will pit your strength against each other. Every one of you will engage in this contest, fighting tooth and nail till only a hundred remain standing. Do not worry about your lives, as each of you will be equipped with a life-saving item. So, go all out, display your might and skill without fear in this battle royale.
"You should also know that as you brawl for supremacy in the battle royale, you can also vie for a place on one of the ten thrones here in the center. If you are sitting on it by the time the battle royale ends, you will be given the chance to sit close to the center of the awakening platform! As some of you might already know, proximity to the center of the Awakening Platform is a key factor in awakening a powerful class weapon. The closer you are to its center, he greater the chance of you awakening a powerful class weapon!"
"Among these thrones, the one at the center, the King Throne, guarantees its occupier the most distinguished position on the Awakening Platform and the highest probability to awaken the ultimate class. This is an opportunity that has never been presented before, even the Sun Emperor didn't have this privilege. This is an unprecedented opportunity, so seize it well."
The crowd erupted into a chorus of excited whispers at her words, the enormity of the situation dawning on them.
"An opportunity like this has never appeared before!"
"I wonder what kind of power one would awaken if they manage to occupy that spot!"
"It will definitely be something we have never seen before!"
"Who do you thing will get it?!"
"I will claim the King Throne," came Roy's resolute voice, cutting through the commotion. His words were ice-cold, instilling fear and respect. "The rest four thrones will be for my comrades."