Zhao Mu fixed his gaze on Zhu Meng.
Over the past few days, he had been carefully observing the man. Zhu Meng was the type who appeared straightforward and hot-blooded on the surface, yet beneath that rough exterior lay a surprisingly sharp and cautious mind.
Such people were often the hardest to truly win over.
And if Zhao Mu wanted Zhu Meng to follow him wholeheartedly during the upcoming Boot Camp, then words alone would never be enough.
He had to defeat him.
Not by schemes.
Not by status.
But in the most direct way possible.
Through strength.
Zhao Mu smiled faintly.
"Simple."
"I specialize in physical combat, while your Combat Level is higher and your Spiritual Power far exceeds mine."
"So why don't we settle this with a duel?"
The moment those words fell, the surrounding trainees stared at him in disbelief.
Then the whispers began.
"Did I hear that right?"
"He wants to fight Zhu Meng?"
"Has he gone mad?"
Everyone knew Zhu Meng's reputation.
His Talent Grade was B.
His Combat Level was 8.
Among this year's freshmen, he ranked within the top tier.
Even if Zhao Mu had recently used his spirit source to raise his Combat Level to 4, the difference between them was still massive.
A gap of four entire levels was not something easily crossed.
Although Zhao Mu had defeated Tian Hu previously through strategy during training, most people believed that victory came from clever tactics rather than real combat power.
But now he was openly challenging Zhu Meng?
To many, it looked like arrogance.
One trainee asked curiously, "Who exactly is Zhu Meng?"
The person beside him quickly explained.
"I studied with him at School 12."
"He was the strongest student in the Martial Arts Department."
Then he lowered his voice, unable to hide his envy.
"His father was once a Major in the Demon Sealing Army."
"After retirement, he founded a Security Company that escorts goods for major corporations."
That statement alone made several people gasp.
In this era, anyone capable of founding a Security Company was no ordinary citizen.
Those businesses only survived through strength, connections, and reputation.
It meant Zhu Meng's family was powerful.
And it also meant he had likely received elite training since childhood.
No wonder he was so strong.
Someone laughed excitedly.
"Then this will be worth watching!"
"We haven't seen any of the B-rank Special Recruits fight since entering camp!"
The atmosphere instantly turned lively.
Zhu Meng himself looked surprised.
He pointed at his own chest.
"You want to fight me?"
"Are you serious?"
Then he shook his head.
"You really don't need to do this."
"If I beat you, it won't be an honorable victory."
Zhao Mu raised an eyebrow.
"You don't want to win?"
Zhu Meng laughed openly.
"Of course I want to win."
"But Combat Level 8 against Combat Level 4?"
"Our Spiritual Power reserves differ by more than double."
"That's like me holding a blade while you're barehanded."
"If I win under those conditions, what is there to be proud of?"
Hearing that, Zhao Mu felt a trace of goodwill.
This man truly was straightforward.
No hidden schemes.
No petty arrogance.
Just confidence and integrity.
Zhao Mu chuckled softly.
"Relax."
"You won't be able to beat me."
The smile on Zhu Meng's face faded.
His eyes sharpened.
"Do you really insist on this?"
Zhao Mu extended a hand casually.
"Of course."
"We don't have time to waste."
"The deadline is approaching."
"This is the simplest solution."
Zhu Meng sighed helplessly.
"Fine."
"But we stop before serious injury."
"If either of us gets badly hurt, it will affect Boot Camp."
Zhao Mu nodded.
"That was my intention as well."
The crowd immediately surged forward, forming a wide circle around the two men.
Watching conflict was human nature.
And this battle involved Zhao Mu—the most talked-about newcomer in camp—and Zhu Meng, one of the strongest recruits.
Even instructors turned their attention.
Zhao Mu approached the equipment area and applied for training weapons. Permission was granted at once.
Soon, several familiar faces pushed through the crowd.
Mo Guanguan, Shen Moran, and Zhao Mu's roommates all came to watch.
Others instinctively made room for them near the front.
Among the crowd stood Shao Han.
His face looked calm.
But inwardly, he was deeply uneasy.
He himself was Combat Level 9.
Zhu Meng was Combat Level 8.
Their family backgrounds were also not far apart.
So if Zhu Meng defeated Zhao Mu easily, then Shao Han could reassure himself that Zhao Mu was still beneath him.
But if Zhao Mu won…
Then things would become dangerous.
Very dangerous.
For the first time, Shao Han began to feel genuine pressure.
Zhao Mu returned holding his chosen weapon.
The Heavenly Halberd.
It weighed fifty pounds, thick and heavy, forged for overwhelming power.
Zhu Meng selected a broad saber.
Unlike elegant swords, the saber was built for direct domination—powerful slashes, brutal force, and battlefield efficiency.
The trainees widened the circle even further.
Excitement spread through the camp.
Still, most people believed the result was obvious.
"Combat Level 4 against Level 8?"
"That's impossible."
"And Zhao Mu's Talent Grade is only E."
"Zhu Meng is B-rank."
"The difference is heaven and earth."
Another added:
"His only advantage is his physique."
"But no matter how much you temper the body, Spiritual Power cultivation surpasses that in months."
"If that advantage disappears, how can he fight?"
Only Zhao Mu's roommates, along with Mo Guanguan and Shen Moran, did not share that opinion.
They had seen glimpses of Zhao Mu's body.
It was no longer human in the ordinary sense.
It was closer to a young Exotic Beast.
The two men stood ten meters apart.
Zhu Meng rested the broad saber on one shoulder and spoke one final time.
"I'll repeat myself."
"We stop before serious injury."
"We still have Boot Camp ahead."
His tone was sincere.
He was reassuring Zhao Mu that he would hold back.
Zhao Mu smiled.
"Understood."
Zhu Meng inhaled deeply.
The easygoing smile vanished from his face.
What replaced it was pure focus.
He slowly drew his left hand across the flat of the saber.
At once, dense Spiritual Power flowed from his palm and wrapped around the weapon.
The blade gleamed sharply.
The aura surrounding it thickened visibly.
Gasps rose from the crowd.
The broad saber itself weighed around twenty pounds. It already required strength to wield.
Now, empowered by Spiritual Power, it became far deadlier.
This display demonstrated mastery of two techniques:
Entanglement — coating an object with Spiritual Power.
Condensation — compressing that power for greater effect.
After twenty days of hellish training, many recruits had learned the basics.
But the degree Zhu Meng displayed was clearly above average.
Even veterans among the trainees were impressed.
Shao Han crossed his arms and sneered.
"Now even Zhao Mu's final advantage is gone."
Zhao Mu watched quietly.
Then disappointment flashed through his eyes.
"The density is mediocre," he thought.
"His Spiritual Power Control proficiency is around fifteen at most."
"He's still far behind."
No one else could understand how terrifying that judgment was.
Because Zhao Mu's own proficiency had already reached 82.
That number represented a level beyond ordinary recruits.
Even the three primary instructors present—including Vice Minister Bai Meimei of the Discipline Inspection Department—were likely only in the sixty to seventy range.
Zhao Mu had already stepped into the realm of specialists.
Experts could instantly recognize flaws invisible to others.
The Heavenly Halberd in his hand tilted diagonally toward the ground.
Then Zhao Mu released Spiritual Power through his right hand.
It flowed along the shaft of the halberd like liquid mercury, smooth, controlled, and perfect.
No waste.
No leakage.
No turbulence.
Just precision.
The surrounding air subtly changed.
Several instructors narrowed their eyes.
They could immediately tell something was different.
Zhang Biao and others in the distance also sensed it.
Though they lacked Zhao Mu's ability system and could not read exact proficiency values, they instinctively felt that Zhao Mu's Spiritual Power was denser, purer, and vastly more refined than Zhu Meng's.
The difference was subtle.
But terrifying.
Zhu Meng's eyes sharpened.
For the first time, he no longer saw Zhao Mu as someone overestimating himself.
He saw danger.
Real danger.
The broad saber rose slowly.
Zhao Mu lifted the Heavenly Halberd with one hand.
Neither moved.
Yet the pressure between them grew heavier by the second.
The crowd unconsciously held its breath.
Some swallowed nervously.
Even Shao Han's fists tightened.
No one had expected the atmosphere alone to become this intense.
Two men stood facing each other.
One possessed overwhelming stats and elite upbringing.
The other possessed monstrous control, absurd physique, and unknown limits.
The sun glinted across steel.
Dust rolled across the training ground.
Then Zhu Meng stepped forward.
And Zhao Mu smiled.
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