And his aura...
When Qin Feng tried to sense Zhou Xiong’s aura, his brain nearly shut down in that instant.
Because what he "saw" wasn’t light, nor heat, nor any definable form of energy.
What he "saw" was a true... black hole.
Zhou Xiong just stood there, but the space, the light, and even all the ambient Spiritual Energy around him were irresistibly attracted to and distorted by his unassuming frame.
It was as if he had transformed into the most extreme celestial body in the Cosmos, forming a boundless accretion disk.
All surrounding matter and energy spun frantically at extreme speeds, emitting a light and heat of ultimate brilliance, before finally being completely absorbed—devoured—into his body, which was as unfathomable as a black hole.
It was the ultimate form of power, the infinite condensation of mass, an absolute gravitational singularity from which not even light could escape!
A Black Hole-level Martial Artist!
"WAAAGH!!!"
Someone in the crowd, overwhelmed by the miraculous scene, couldn’t contain their excitement and subconsciously let out that iconic war cry once more.
The entire arena was once again whipped into a frenzied peak.
The students cheered wildly, waving their arms and venting their excitement and adoration in the most primal way.
From the high platform, Zhou Xiong’s gaze slowly swept across the roiling sea of people below.
His eyes were calm and profound, as if they could pierce through every soul.
He smiled faintly, his rock-steady features softening with a trace of warmth.
"The Greenskins shout ’WAAAGH!’ because they are warlike by nature. To them, battle is like our hunger, our need for sleep, or our desire for fun... It’s a pure desire, born from the instincts of life itself."
His voice wasn’t loud, yet it entered the ears of the millions present with perfect clarity, silencing all the clamor.
"But we of the Human Race are different."
His voice suddenly turned solemn and grave, filled with the ring of iron and blood.
"We fight to protect!"
"To protect our families, to protect our homes, and to protect this great Empire at our backs, an Empire that spans countless stars!"
"So, the next time you wish to express the passion and fervor in your hearts, do this."
The moment he finished speaking, the terrifying, all-consuming aura of a black hole vanished from Zhou Xiong without a trace.
He reined in all his power and pressure, becoming just like the most ordinary soldier of the Empire.
He abruptly raised his right fist and struck it hard against the double-headed eagle insignia on his left breastplate, producing a heavy, powerful THUD.
Then, his right arm shot out, hand straight, and rose in a crisp, clean motion, stopping beside his brow.
A perfect, sacred salute of the Imperial Army!
His gaze swept across the stadium, his voice filled with an unshakeable loyalty and fervor powerful enough to burn away everything else!
"For the Empire—"
"LOYALTY!!!"
That single word, "Loyalty," was like a thunderclap at the dawn of creation, detonating deep within every soul!
In the next moment, a tsunami-like response erupted simultaneously from every corner of the arena!
THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!...
Hundreds of millions of fists hammered against their own chests!
The perfectly synchronized sound, like the beating of war drums, merged into an iron torrent powerful enough to make the very stars tremble!
And then came millions of voices, converging into a single word!
"LOYALTY!!!"
"LOYALTY!!!"
"LOYALTY!!!"
The thunderous, tsunami-like shouts morphed into a storm of faith that swept across heaven and earth!
In that moment, whether they were first-year students or powerful seniors on the verge of graduation, ordinary students or high-ranking instructors, the same fervent flame ignited in every heart.
It was the most ardent, purest, and most unconditional loyalty to the civilization of the entire Human Empire!
Squad Leader Zhou Xiong’s ability to control the crowd was simply unbelievable.
One moment, he was using his Will of iron and blood to whip the arena’s atmosphere into a fanatical frenzy of loyal faith.
The next, as the thunderous shouts of "Loyalty" died down, the grim authority on his person quietly faded away, replaced by a gentleness and anticipation as refreshing as a spring rain.
His gaze swept gently across the stadium, falling upon the young, reddened eyes of the excited crowd as he slowly began to speak.
"You are all the future of the Empire."
"You are to the Empire as a star is to its orbiting Life Planets. You are the morning sun, the Empire’s most vibrant and dazzling hope."
"The future belongs to you."
He paused, an encouraging smile gracing his lips.
"May you all find great fortune in your martial paths. Let it begin with this Newcomer Cup. Go forth and make your names known, let them resound throughout the starry sky!"
Finally, he raised a hand and swept it forward, his voice booming with power.
"I declare, this year’s Canaan Newcomer Cup begins now!"
BOOM—!!!
As his voice fell, the Energy Shields covering the hundreds of floating battle platforms in the center of the arena erupted with a brilliant light, heralding the official start of the grand event!
The first to begin was the Fourth Level Division, which had the most participants and the fiercest competition.
The fifth and sixth level divisions would begin in succession after the Fourth Level Division had determined its top one hundred competitors.