"I hope everyone has understood the rules." Lenna Zelu got out of the arena and called out: "Ana Li and Harl Rora!"

Ana Li was a tall and strong-looking female human and Harl Rora was a silver-skinned male goblin. They got on the arena, and stood facing each other.

Holding a heavy sword with both hands, Ana Li said: "Special Awakened Skill, its name is Multiple Burst. Right now, it can berserk my physical capabilities up to three times."

"Earth Element Awakened Skill." Harl Rora said emotionless. Actually, it was evident that he was an Earth Element Awakened Skill user since he had a heavy-looking backpack. To save Complex Energy, Earth Element Awakened Skill users usually carried all kinds of energy minerals and zenaniums with them.

"Very good! You can… begin!"

The moment Lenna Zelu's voice fell, they started their fierce battle.

Thorn and Rose's seats.

"… I wonder if my turn will come soon…" Thorn muttered lazily.

"Who knows…?” Rose answered without thinking. Suddenly, she remembered something and said: "You were talking about some Second Pace. What is that?"

"Mmm…" Thorn hesitated for a few seconds, but finally he sighed and said: "I suppose if we'll going to work together, it'll be necessary we comprehend the abilities of each other." He gave a solemn look at Rose and continued: "I'll explain to you how strong I am right now." He stopped talking for a moment, stealthily looked at his surroundings, and said: "But first, you should activate your Awakened Skill."

With excited curiosity in her eyes, Rose sent out her Complex Energy and used it to cover the space around them, then she activated her Awakened Skill.

Rose smiled broadly, and nodding strongly said: "It's done, nobody will hear us. Come on now tell me how strong you really are!"

"You already know that I can use an understanding degree at Final-Star Use of the Skill, right?" Thorn mentioned.

"Yeah, I know. You're at the Second Level Intermediate Awaken stage, and your dual cultivation multiplies your strength by 100, which puts your combat capability at the Second Level Full Awaken stage. We agreed that you would use just one tenth of that strength in this tournament, in other words, a strength equivalent to the Second Level Advanced Awaken stage. That way people would assume that you have the Special Wind Element Awakened Skill: Berserk. Normally, berserk skills can at most increase cultivator's basic strength by 10. We decided to do this because an increase of 100 times would be too conspicuous." Rose summarized.

"That's right, but come on Rose! Even though, until now, I've only shown you an understanding degree at the Final-Star Use of the Skill, you didn't really think that that was my limit, did you? I mean, even you–little monstrosity–have reached the Final-Star Control of the Skill!" Thorn scolded.

"Hahahaha…" Rose laughed blushing profusely.

She wasn't surprised at all by the fact that Thorn knew her level of understanding.

Actually, she had been using and even was using right now her Awakened Skill with an understanding degree at the Final-Star Control of the Skill. Undoubtedly, she was a genius without rival in the entire world when it came to talent. This coupled with her extreme hardworking personality ensured the extraordinariness of her achievements.

Of course, it was a shame that her Awakened Skill wasn't meant to be used in direct combat, otherwise she would have been able to surmount an entire cultivation stage with it alone.

That being said, her understanding degree still reduced the amount of Complex Energy she needed to activate her Awakened Skill, and allowed her Awakened Skill to be used at long range. When her understanding degree was just at the Use of the skill, she could only use her Awakened Skill on the surface of her skin.

Rose's born-out-of-shame laughter finally stopped, and she explained: "Well, to be honest, yes I did. And it seemed to me weird and very, very disappointing that you, a more than a million-year-old existence, had an understanding degree just at the Final-Star Use of the Skill. I had the theory that this was because you were restrained and deprived of your cultivation in Complex Energy." She glared at him with sparkling eyes. "Then, your understanding degree, what height has it truly reached?"

"The full extent of my Second Pace is basically me using the Final-Star Control of the Skill." Thorn affirmed.

"Final-Star?!" Rose turned her mouth into an 'O'. "So, just like me, you already are at the highest understanding degree that can be reached in this world!"

Thorn laughed arrogantly and asked: "Do you think I named it 'Second Pace' just for fun?"

"I thought it was because you wanted to look interesting, you didn't success by the way." Rose's face was saying 'obviously'.

"Haha." He gave a dry laugh. "I don't need tricks to look interesting." Thorn's gaze then became unprecedentedly serious. "At Normal Pace I am using Use of the Skill, at Second Pace I am using Control of the Skill, at Third Pace I am using the understanding degree without name that is beyond Control of the Skill, and at Fourth Pace… Well, never mind… It's too dangerous to use my Fourth Pace for now anyway."

Rose remained stiff for quite some time, unable to utter any word.

Thorn didn't have a reason to lie in such a way, so Rose believed him.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The silence continued as Rose couldn't even find the right expression to put on as response for Thorn's words.

Finally, she began to muster a response that gradually increased in intensity.

“Hehehe… hehe… HAhaHAhaHA… HAHAhahaHAHA…!!!"

Mad laughter; wild, passionate, foolish, and absurd laughter.

There appeared a craziness in her look, a craziness like no one.

This sight didn't baffle Thorn in the slightest. The concept of an understanding degree superior to Control of the Skill had always been just a yearning dream, a beautiful illusion impossible to touch, even a million years ago. No to mention an understanding degree superior to the superior understanding degree of Control of the Skill…

Thorn waited patiently for Rose to calm down.

Only when her throat was already in pain did she stop laughing.

"Tell me the characteristics of your Third Pace." Suddenly Rose requested, her eyes scary.

After pondering for a few seconds, Thorn said: "Hmm… Firstly, it multiplies my strength further by 100. Secondly, it allows me to use my Awakened Skill as 'eyes'. And thirdly, it lets me 'see' the past state of what my Awakened Skill controls."

Her face lit up as she said softly: "The third understanding degree is called Memory of the Skill…"

Now, it was Thorn's turn to be stunned. "Memory of the Skill? Such a befitting name…"

Rose explained: "There is a myth very, very few know about. It states that there is indeed an understanding degree beyond Control of the Skill and its name is Memory of the Skill. Also, it describes the characteristics that you just mentioned. Though, it is sad that probably nobody believed such a thing was possible, even I didn't believe it."

Thorn now understood: "Oh… So that's how it is. Anyway, now you do know what I meant by saying all that about using the full extent of my Second Pace if it is necessary to win the prize."

"I see… But the understanding degree of a berserk skill is too hard to cultivate, and you seem very young. People would get really suspicious if you show an understanding degree at Control of the Skill while still pretending that you have the Special Wind Element Awakened Skill: Berserk…" Rose remained in deep thought for a while. "Let's do this: pretend that you're a broken human and reveal that your Awakened Skill is actually just the Wind Element Awakened Skill. This way you'll be able to use Control of the Skill, and they'll think that you just were playing around using Control of the Skill as if it were Use of the Skill. Although we'll be pushing it, this should be enough to win the tournament without provoking strong enough individuals to cause us problems…" Rose concluded.

Thorn nodded in understanding, and then his gaze turned back to the arena.

Ana Li and Harl Rora were still fighting, it seemed they were in a stalemate. Ana Li was destroying Harl Rora's range attacks with brute force while trying to shorten the distance between them, albeit unsuccessfully.

"It looks like they're taking their sweet time about finishing the match. I think I should take advantage of this and sleep a little to recover my Complex Energy quicker. Protect me from the noises and wake me up when it's my turn." Thorn closed his eyes throwing his head backward. He then entered into the dream world in just a second.

(That's an expert sleeper for you.) Rose giggled and said: "As you wish." Evidently, she had gained quite a bit of respect for him thanks to her newfound knowledge of his strength.

Many hours later…

"Thorn!" Lenna Zelu's voice was heard in every corner of the hall.

Rose hit the back of Thorn's head with a gentle slap as she said deactivating her Awakened Skill: "It's your turn!"

He opened his eyes and got up. Just like that, in an instant, he turned from being deeply asleep to being completely awaken and aware of the situation he was in.

He walked toward the arena analyzing his opponent, who was a gargoyle with big muscles. (There isn't a single wound on his body, he must have defeated his previous opponent with ease.)

At that point, Rose cheered shaking her little fists: "Thorn you are the best! Wipe the floor with all of them, don't dare to lose!"

At the same time, on the southern seats.

Arnold Alch, that good-looking young guy, gave a sideway glance at Rose. (That person…! P-p-princess?! It can't be, she isn't supposed to be here… is my imagination playing tricks on me? No, she is definitely the youngest princess: Rose! The fact that she is hiding her face is proof of it!)

His face changed from confusion to shock, from shock to doubt, from doubt to amazement, all within a second.

Of the four present individuals that knew Rose, just Arnold Alch ended up recognizing her.

There was a reason for this.

Years ago, he went to Flowing City with his foster father Cley Alch. At that moment, he crossed paths with Rose in a hallway.

She was walking alone, drenched in her own blood, and with many of her broken bones exposed. She got enough wounds to put almost every intelligent living thing curled up on the floor quaking in agony. Walk? It would be a true miracle if someone with such wounds could even be standing.

However, she was walking with steady steps, and her clear green eyes were the definition of tranquility. Her face was so at ease that it could have brought the misconception of thinking that those wounds were just an illusion.

He wasn't captivated at all by such a sight.

The only thing he felt was deep fear, an intuitive fear that came from his very soul.

At that time, he kept her eyes and silhouette clearly engraved within his memory.

Putting his palm on his forehead, Arnold Alch looked over at Thorn. (Why is she encouraging this participant so fervently? How came he to be worthy of the support of someone of her status? I only can see a nameless guy with a low cultivation. The only remarkable thing about him is that he is as good-looking as me. Mmm… I didn't pay much attention to the boring battles of the first phase, so perhaps he is actually… strong?)

While Arnold Alch sank in deep thought, following the example of Rose's action, some members of the audience who had seen Thorn fight began to cry out cheers.

"Good luck, Thorn!"

"Without doubt, you'll pass to the third phase!"

"Kick some asses to us to behold, Thorn!"

"Hahahaha…!" The guy who was being highly praised started to laugh wildly as he climbed up the arena.

Evidently, he was weak against flattery, and had just now lost a substantial chunk of rationality.

"I am sorry, but, from now on, no one will win a battle in the second phase except me!" He declared proudly posing on the arena.

"UuoOhh…!!!"

"T-that is so daunting! I love it!"

"That's a cute voice, so she was a woman after all…"

Instigated by thorn's words, the public couldn't help but make an uproar.

At this moment, Crok Alch, head of the Medical Center of Lurep Village, that middle-aged human with black and disheveled hair, also reacted after hearing Thorn's voice. (A woman? Mmm… Eh?! A-a flat-chested girl?!) His eyes then blazed with fire. (She is exactly my type!!!)

Stealthily, he turned his head to his left, and then to his right. After confirming that nobody was paying attention to him, he smiled nastily, and activated his Awakened Skill. His eyes then began to emit a faint blue light, and he gained the ability to see through any object he wanted.

It was a really helpful skill for a doctor.

However, he wasn't planning on using his skill with a professional purpose in mind right now.

These shining and smiling eyes slowly fell on Thorn's virgin body. In the next second, a naked body appeared within Crok Alch's view; there it was, the picture he would never fail to recall.

Immediately after, his eyes lost their light, and he just remained there speechless, expressionless, and soulless.

(What is this overwhelming sense of defeat…? What kind of heartless trap is this…?) He wondered bitterly.