With the power of the Cosmos supporting him, his speed, strength, and reflexes surged to new heights.

With a single step, sonic boom. A punch was launched straight at Jiang Chen.

He didn't hold back at all.

Even if he couldn't fully sense Jiang Chen's true level, Temon could feel his terrifying presence. He knew that this was no time for restraint.

And Jiang Chen? He didn't dodge or block.

Just as Temon's punch approached, Jiang Chen raised his right hand from his abdomen, twisted his wrist, and--

BOOM!

Launched a fist of his own, releasing a shockwave of air.

CRASH!

In the next instant, the two fists collided against each other in mid-air.

The explosion of force thundered through the arena like a lightning strike,

causing the trainee Saints watching below to feel like their eardrums were about to burst.

Some even turned pale, their heads buzzing with the aftershock.

Gale-force winds tore outward as a terrifying shockwave spread in all directions.

And then,

A figure was sent flying.

BANG!

Temon's body slammed down, and his face was ghost-white, and his pupils were filled with disbelief.

"What… how?" His eyes were blank, filled with shock.

One strike, it was just one strike and his Cosmos was completely shattered and his body had been sent flying along with it.

But it wasn't just Temon who was shocked.

All around, people stared in disbelief.

Jiang Chen's earlier one-punch defeat of a trainee Saint hadn't been widely noticed,

But this clash had drawn far more attention.

The shock it brought was even greater.

Many people widened their eyes; some couldn't help but swallow nervously.

"Th-this…"

"Him!"

"How did he do that?!"

Everyone around the arena, trainee Saints and even the instructors, was stunned, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

A genius who had awakened the Cosmos… was defeated with a single punch. This outcome shattered their previous understanding of strength.

"Wait, wasn't he just admitted into the Sanctuary this year?" Someone seemed to recognize Jiang Chen. His body shuddered, and he stammered out the words involuntarily.

"This year?!"

"You, You've got to be kidding, right?"

"How is that even possible?!"

"There's nothing impossible about it. Don't forget those few people, they also joined the Sanctuary just this year."

"Hissss, "

Gasps and murmurs spread rapidly.

After all, many of those present had been in the Sanctuary for over ten, even twenty years. Now, someone who had only been there for one year possessed such terrifying strength… For a moment, they questioned everything they believed.

"Too weak." Jiang Chen shook his head as he muttered to himself.

Even though this was live combat, Temon was simply too weak. He gained less insight from this battle than he had from fighting Aiolia and Kanon.

"Next." Jiang Chen's calm voice echoed in the surrounding while his swept his gaze across the crowd.

Wherever his eyes passed, figures instinctively stepped back.

Still, someone couldn't hold back.

"I'll go!" A crisp shout rang out as a lean and muscular youth charged onto the arena.

And combat erupted again.

But the result was no surprise as in just an instant, the figure was sent flying, just like the others.

First.

Second.

Third.

One after another, even five or six trainee Saints who had awakened the Cosmos couldn't withstand even one move from Jiang Chen. This made Jiang Chen's presence impossible to ignore.

Even the gazes from the high platform shifted toward him.

"Such a powerful physique?" Pope Shion's expression revealed a hint of astonishment.

With his keen insight, he instantly noticed that Jiang Chen wasn't using the power of the Cosmos, he was relying solely on physical strength.

Which only made this display all the more shocking. That one's body alone could reach such overwhelming might…

"Aries, this kid, is he from Huaxia (China)?" As if remembering something, Shion turned and asked.

"Yes," Alex replied respectfully. "That child is indeed from Huaxia. The one from the Bootes constellation brought him back."

"Huaxia, huh? The power of that Land...?" Shion focused slightly, his thoughts drifting, in his mind, he recalled an old friend.

Alex remained silent, quietly standing by.

"Out of the five selected, add this kid as the sixth. I believe my old friend will be very pleased." Returning to the present, Shion spoke with a faint smile.

"Yes!" Alex responded respectfully.

After that, Shion no longer looked at Jiang Chen.

While Jiang Chen's strength was impressive, to someone of his level, it was only "impressive", and it was not enough to truly captivate him. Of course, Jiang Chen himself had no idea that Shion had already taken note of him, or misunderstood him.

At this moment, Jiang Chen was fully immersed in the ongoing battles.

Even though he was winning instantly each time, the continuous burst of Cosmos from his opponents was seemingly driving his comprehension ever higher.

He was faintly touching the threshold, only a single step away from awakening his own Cosmos.

BOOM! BOOM! RUMBLE---!

Another figure jumped onto the stage, and this time, Jiang Chen's eyes lit up because this opponent was clearly stronger than the previous ones.

Jiang Chen instinctively suppressed his own power, adjusting it to match that of the new challenger, and began exchanging serious blows.

Fist clashed with fist. Ki intertwined with the Cosmos.

"Just a little more… What am I missing?" He murmured to himself, his consciousness fully immersed.

On the other side, the burly youth became increasingly shocked and sweat began to bead on his forehead and run down his back. He felt Jiang Chen's punches grow heavier, his speed increasing.

At first, he could keep up. Then, he couldn't even see the blows clearly. He was being forced back, step by step.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Heavy impacts echoed across the stage.

…

Boom. Boom.

Rumble Rumble—

On the arena, the combat kept spreading.

Within the Sanctuary, it was not uncommon for thousands of people to comprehend the Cosmos. Dozens had already achieved this level of understanding, but comprehending the Cosmos was not the end.

Next came a critical step.

That was to become an official Saint Seiya. Only by becoming one could they continue progressing forward. Without the empowerment of the Sacred Cloth, the growth of the Cosmos was destined to be limited. Don't even mention reaching greater heights, they might not even break through the sixth sense.

Therefore, every three years, during the Sanctuary's grand tournament, none of the apprentice or reserve Saint Seiyas were willing to miss it.

This was their one and only chance to become an official Saint Seiya.

On Jiang Chen's arena—

One figure after another leapt up and combat kept breaking out. At the same time, the other arenas weren't much different.

Time passed quietly.

Jiang Chen was fully immersed in the battles. Until, at a certain moment, a particular boundary suddenly seemed to open within his body.

"Boom!"

A roar exploded in Jiang Chen's mind, and in an instant, the entire world around him seemed to vanish into nothingness.

No, it wasn't nothingness exactly. It was as if he had entered the cosmos itself, a vast starry sky.

"What is this?" A soft whisper escaped his lips, surprise flickering in his eyes.

Though his feet still felt solid ground, what his eyes saw was not the arena. Void spread endlessly, with countless stars adorning the heavens, looking dazzling and brilliant. This was an unimaginable sight that shook him to the core.

The starry sky was vast, and the scene before him equally so. There was no end in sight, because there was no end.

…

(To Be Continued…)

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