The Evaluation Hall was silent.
Forty-eight commanders stood across the wide arena floor, each radiating their own presence. Some were calm. Some arrogant. Some visibly nervous.
But all of them were strong.
Very strong.
The system panel hovered in my vision.
[DING!]
Capital Evaluation Event: Active.
Participants: 48
Average rank: Commander
Peak commander count: 9
Threat density: Extreme.
Survival probability:
Event completion — 49%
Rewards upon success:
System evolution trigger.
My blood stirred.
This wasn't like the region.
Here, everyone was dangerous.
And that meant—
Everyone was useful.
Elder Han stepped forward.
His voice echoed across the hall.
"The rules are simple," he said.
"No killing. Surrender is allowed."
Murmurs spread.
Some looked relieved.
Others looked disappointed.
"The evaluation will proceed in elimination rounds," he continued.
"Only the strongest will remain."
A crystal pillar rose from the center of the arena.
It glowed with golden light.
"First round," Elder Han announced,
"ranking assessment."
One by one, participants stepped forward.
Each placed their hand on the pillar.
The crystal glowed.
Numbers appeared.
Commander Level 2.
Commander Level 4.
Commander Level 3.
The rankings weren't official titles.
They were power estimates.
A rough measurement of strength.
A tall man stepped forward.
Scarred face.
Cold eyes.
The crystal flared.
Commander Level 7.
Murmurs spread.
"Level 7 already?"
"That's near peak commander."
"He's a monster."
He smirked slightly and stepped aside.
Then it was my turn.
I walked forward calmly.
The entire hall seemed to grow quieter.
Whispers spread.
"That's Zhang Wei…"
"The regional tyrant…"
"The one who beat the legion…"
I placed my hand on the crystal.
It pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then—
The light flared violently.
Commander Level… fluctuating.
The numbers flickered rapidly.
The elders leaned forward.
The crystal finally stabilized.
Commander Level 6.
A murmur spread across the hall.
"Level 6?"
"That's high."
"For someone from the outer regions?"
"Impossible."
I removed my hand calmly.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Capital ranking assessment complete.
Host estimated combat rank:
Commander Level 6.
Potential during combat:
Level 7+.
My smile widened slightly.
Good.
That meant I still had room to grow.
After the final participant was assessed, the pillar sank back into the ground.
Elder Han raised his hand again.
"Second round," he announced.
"Direct combat."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
This was what everyone had been waiting for.
Names appeared in the air.
Pairs.
Matchups.
One after another.
Commanders stepped into the arena.
Battles erupted.
Shockwaves spread across the hall.
Some fights ended quickly.
Others dragged on.
But every single one was intense.
These weren't weaklings.
These were capital-level elites.
"Next match," the announcer called.
"Zhang Wei versus Liu Ren."
A tall, lean man stepped forward.
Sharp eyes.
Twin daggers at his waist.
Commander Level 5.
He smiled coldly.
"So you're the regional tyrant," he said.
I didn't respond.
He stepped into the arena.
"Let's see if you deserve the title."
The match began.
He vanished instantly.
Fast.
Very fast.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
High-speed opponent detected.
Combat focus recommended.
A blade flashed toward my throat.
I tilted my head.
It missed by an inch.
Shadow Step.
I vanished.
Reappeared behind him.
My fist drove toward his back.
He twisted midair and blocked.
Shockwave.
He slid backward.
His eyes widened.
"Fast," he muttered.
He attacked again.
This time, more aggressively.
Blades flashed from multiple angles.
Left.
Right.
Above.
I dodged each one.
Shadow Step chaining.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Commander-level combat detected.
Growth acceleration active.
Power +8.
Heat surged through my body.
I stepped forward.
My fist struck his ribs.
Crack.
He gasped.
Before he could recover, I followed with a knee to his chest.
He flew backward and hit the arena floor.
Hard.
Silence.
He tried to stand.
His legs trembled.
"I surrender," he said through clenched teeth.
The announcer raised his hand.
"Match over!"
The hall erupted into murmurs.
"That was fast."
"He crushed a Level 5 like that?"
"He's stronger than the ranking showed."
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Combat victory achieved.
Evaluation progress: Advanced.
Power +11.
I stepped out of the arena calmly.
One round down.
Many more to go.
Elder Han watched from the high platform.
His eyes were sharp.
Thoughtful.
"He's still growing," one elder muttered.
"Yes," another replied.
"And quickly."
Elder Han said nothing.
But his gaze never left me.
The system pulsed again.
[DING!]
Next opponent detected.
Rank: Commander Level 7.
Threat level: High.
Victory reward: Major growth spike.
I smiled faintly.
"Good," I whispered.
Because the stronger the opponent—
The faster I would evolve.
And in this hall—
There were many strong opponents left.