Eight remained.
Out of forty-eight commanders who entered the Capital Evaluation, only eight still stood inside the massive arena.
Eight elites.
Eight monsters.
And one of them was me.
The air inside the Evaluation Hall felt heavier than before.
Not because of noise.
There was none.
But because of pressure.
Each of the remaining participants radiated overwhelming aura. No arrogance. No wasted movement. No careless expressions.
They had survived this far.
That alone made them dangerous.
The system panel hovered in my vision.
[DING!]
Capital Evaluation – Final Phase.
Remaining participants: 8
Peak commander count: 6
Near-breakthrough individuals: 3
Threat density: Catastrophic.
Survival probability:
Event completion — 31%
Rewards upon success:
System evolution trigger
Realm advancement opportunity
My pulse quickened.
Good.
This was what I came for.
Elder Han stood and raised his hand.
"The final phase," he announced,
"will not be standard elimination."
A murmur spread through the arena.
"From this point forward, the evaluation becomes…"
He paused.
"…a survival trial."
Silence.
Even the elders leaned forward.
"The eight of you will enter the Inner Combat Domain," he continued.
"A sealed subspace designed for peak commander combat."
The air trembled slightly.
"Killing remains forbidden," he said calmly.
"But surrender is no longer guaranteed."
The message was clear.
This would be brutal.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
New Event: Inner Combat Domain.
Event Type:
Battle Royale.
Victory conditions:
– Be last standing
OR
– Achieve highest dominance score.
Rewards:
Legendary title unlock
System evolution
High-tier recognition
My lips curved upward.
A battle royale.
Perfect.
The arena floor split open.
A massive glowing portal formed in the center.
Golden light poured out, carrying dense energy.
One by one, the remaining commanders stepped forward.
No hesitation.
No fear visible.
Only focus.
Chen Varek glanced at me briefly before entering.
Yan Kuro gave a small nod.
Then stepped into the portal.
I walked forward last.
The moment I crossed the threshold—
The world changed.
We stood inside a massive stone domain.
Towering pillars stretched toward a dark sky.
Ruined platforms floated in midair.
Energy storms flickered in the distance.
The ground trembled slightly beneath our feet.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Inner Combat Domain initialized.
Energy density: Extreme.
Suppression effect: Minor.
All participants free to engage.
Dominance scoring active.
I inhaled slowly.
This place was built for monsters.
No one spoke.
No alliances formed.
The eight of us spread out instinctively.
Watching.
Measuring.
Waiting for the first move.
It didn't take long.
A tall, silver-haired commander attacked first.
He lunged toward a spear-user across the broken terrain.
Their clash exploded immediately.
Shockwaves rippled across the domain.
The battle had begun.
I didn't rush in.
Not yet.
The system panel tracked movement rapidly.
[DING!]
Two peak commanders engaged.
Estimated outcome: 60 seconds.
Power absorption opportunity: High.
I stepped onto a floating platform.
Watching.
Waiting.
Then—
A presence approached from behind.
Yan Kuro.
He landed lightly across from me.
Blade already drawn.
"You and I both know," he said calmly,
"only one of us walks out of here at the top."
I nodded.
"Then don't hold back."
He smiled faintly.
"I never do."
He vanished.
Faster than before.
The system pulsed urgently.
[DING!]
Extreme-speed engagement detected.
I stepped forward.
Shadow Step activated.
Our attacks collided midair.
Blade against fist.
Shockwave.
The floating platform shattered beneath us.
We landed on separate pillars.
He attacked again.
Sharper.
Deadlier.
I countered.
Faster.
Stronger.
Each exchange felt heavier than before.
The system chimed.
[DING!]
High-pressure combat detected.
Growth acceleration active.
Power +16.
Heat surged through my body.
My aura expanded.
Yan Kuro's eyes sharpened.
"You're still growing," he muttered.
We clashed again.
This time, I didn't dodge.
I stepped into his attack.
My fist struck his ribs.
Crack.
He staggered.
I followed with a knee.
He flew backward and crashed into a stone column.
Dust erupted.
He slid down slowly.
Breathing hard.
He looked up at me.
"…You're insane," he said quietly.
He raised his hand.
"I yield."
The system chimed.
[DING!]
Dominance victory achieved.
Opponent eliminated from final scoring.
Power +24.
Seven remained.
A massive explosion shook the domain.
I turned.
Two peak commanders had knocked each other into a collapsed ruin.
One lay unconscious.
The other stood barely upright.
Blood covering his armor.
He looked at me.
Fear flickered in his eyes.
He knew.
I stepped forward.
He raised his weapon shakily.
But his aura wavered.
Too slow.
Shadow Step.
One strike.
He collapsed.
The system pulsed.
[DING!]
Dominance victory achieved.
Remaining participants: 5.
The domain grew quieter.
The energy storms intensified.
Only five of us still stood.
Including Chen Varek.
And a tall woman with glowing eyes.
And two others radiating near-breakthrough aura.
This was it.
The real monsters.
Chen Varek stepped forward.
"No distractions this time," he said.
The glowing-eyed woman joined him.
The other two moved closer.
Not an alliance.
But an understanding.
If they didn't eliminate me now—
I would eliminate them later.
Four against one.
Good.
The system pulsed violently.
[DING!]
Extreme multi-opponent scenario detected.
Survival probability: 18%.
Extreme Domination chain available.
Reward potential: Massive.
My blood roared.
Perfect.
They attacked together.
Four auras erupted at once.
The domain trembled.
I stepped forward.
Shadow Step chained.
Left.
Right.
Above.
Their attacks collided with mine in midair.
Shockwaves tore through the domain.
Pillars shattered.
Platforms collapsed.
The sky itself flickered.
The system pulsed repeatedly.
[DING!]
Extreme combat detected.
Growth acceleration at maximum.
Power +21
Power +33
Power +41
Heat exploded through my body.
My aura surged outward like a storm.
I struck one opponent across the jaw.
He flew backward.
I kicked another into a collapsing pillar.
Chen Varek blocked my strike.
But slid back several meters.
The glowing-eyed woman lunged—
Too slow.
My palm struck her chest.
She crashed into the ground.
Silence.
Then—
One by one—
They fell.
Breathing.
Alive.
But defeated.
The system pulsed violently.
[DING!]
Inner Combat Domain – Dominance score: Highest.
All opponents incapacitated.
Victory condition achieved.
Realm breakthrough imminent.
The domain began to fade.
Light swallowed everything.
When the world returned—
I stood alone in the Evaluation Hall.
The eight platforms were gone.
Only one remained lit.
Mine.
The hall was silent.
All eyes were on me.
Elder Han stood slowly.
"The winner of the Capital Evaluation…"
He paused.
"…Zhang Wei."
Silence.
Then murmurs.
Then shock.
Then awe.
The system pulsed one final time.
[DING!]
Capital Evaluation: Completed.
System evolution ready.
Next realm threshold unlocked.
I exhaled slowly.
The capital had tested me.
And I had crushed it.
But this—
This was only the beginning.
Because now—
The real capital monsters would come.