"Only five minutes..." Chen Feng shook his head, dissatisfied with this result. Three months of grueling ** training, combined with the Blazing Dragon bloodline and the King of Fighters techniques, he had expected to last at least ten minutes, perhaps longer. To exhaust the Cyclone Force within five minutes was unexpected.

"It seems the Cyclone Force is still too thin. Otherwise, I could have held out for a while longer," Chen Feng felt a dull ache in his forehead, a direct result of excessive mental strain. Though the duration was brief, five minutes of intense mental focus had completely depleted his spiritual power.

"Can... I know your... name?" The face of the magic apprentice flushed with excitement, revealing a soft crimson. "Today I actually saw... a warrior who could last five minutes inside the sphere. I'm... so lucky... If Mercedes knew... she would surely be envious..."

Chen Feng smiled faintly, ignoring the apprentice's question, and turned toward his quarters. He found it beneath him to answer the query of someone of such low cultivation.

The Cyclone Force recovered slowly once depleted, but his ** strength rebounded quickly. By the time he stepped out of the sphere, he had recovered about seventy or eighty percent—enough to walk, even skip. The main discomfort was the throbbing, cramp-like pain in his head.

After traversing several corridors and passing flowerbeds, just as he approached a small gate, he suddenly heard Judy's voice. "You two, go back!" There was a distinct edge of anger in Judy's tone. "Why? I just can't understand why you insist on teaming up with that arrogant red-haired brat! Are we two really inferior to him?" Danny's voice sounded agitated. "Inferior to him? Heh. Let alone you, even if the two of you teamed up with your Earthly Savage Beast, you would still stand no chance against Iori Yagami!" Judy mocked. "No chance! Hmph, you think too little of us. After you left, Moko and I practiced our coordination constantly; it's seamless now. Forget that red-haired youth, we wouldn't even fear a rank one Fighter!" Danny flushed with anger at Judy's disdain, explaining his supposed prowess. "If you're so formidable, why did you get injured before even fighting? How come Iori Yagami wasn't harmed?"

Inside the room, Chen Feng attacked without warning. Danny was caught completely off guard and took a blow to the abdomen, leaving a bloody gash. If Moko hadn't intervened, Danny would likely be dead by now. This was the greatest humiliation of Danny's life. Hearing Judy bring it up again, he could not help but retort, his face turning crimson: "I know. You’ve taken a liking to this red-haired guy. But it seems he doesn't appreciate your affections—he sent you flying with one elbow!" "You..." Judy was so angry she couldn't speak. "Fine, Danny. Don't ever come to see me again!" With that, the sound of her footsteps receded, growing fainter until she was gone.

Seeing Judy leave, Danny raged, "Hmph, that damned woman! Always lukewarm toward me. She’s only known that red-haired brat for a few days and she’s already casting me aside! There must be some unspeakable relationship between those two. Maybe the bitch has already been laid by that red-haired kid!" Moko listened to his friend's rant, shaking his head with a wry smile. "You shouldn't speak such nonsense. If those words get out, it would be disastrous. Although Miss Three is young and a bit willful, she usually maintains her composure. I truly don't know what the reason is this time!" "Isn't it all because of that red-haired guy?" Danny remembered the look the youth had given him, filling him with rage. "I will find an opportunity to kill this guy. Otherwise, I won't quell the hatred in my heart." Moko hesitated, as if recalling something. "Don't act recklessly. That red-haired guy's grabbing motion just now was incredibly fast; I didn't even see it clearly. Based on that single move alone, I know I wouldn't be his match. I even suspect that Miss Three might be right about the two of us teaming up not being enough..." "I say, Moko," Danny interrupted, "Stop praising others and undermining ourselves, alright? We were able to hold off even Vice-Captain Griff without fighting seriously. How can we not handle a mere Fighter! Remember, Vice-Captain Griff only advanced to Fighter last year and has learned Human-rank Qi this year; his strength is formidable." "Vice-Captain Griff naturally held back from using lethal force against us, which is why he couldn't defeat us..." Moko stopped, his eyes suddenly lighting up, and he chuckled, "If you truly want revenge, why bother doing it yourself?" Danny was momentarily stunned. "What do you mean?" Moko continued, "The entire mercenary corps probably knows about Vice-Captain Griff's affections for Miss Three. Since Miss Three is defending that red-haired youth so fiercely, why don't we tell the Vice-Captain about this? Given his temper... hehe, the outcome is obvious..." Danny slapped his thigh and laughed, "Right! Moko, your mind is sharp. If we really tell the Vice-Captain, with his fiery temper, he won't stop until he demands an explanation. Then... if the Vice-Captain kills him, that's best. But if he only injures him, we can take the opportunity to... snap." He made a throat-slitting gesture as he spoke. They looked at each other and smiled, full of smug satisfaction.

Chen Feng stood in the adjacent small courtyard, a cold sneer playing on his lips. He didn't take Danny and Moko seriously at all; in the past, he would have already killed them both. However, upon hearing that they planned to summon a Fighter, a faint thrill stirred within him. Fighting opponents below the Fighter rank no longer interested him. Only engaging with newly promoted Fighters could push him to improve and yield unexpected gains. "I'll spare you both today, but don't disappoint me," Chen Feng thought, a spark of fervor igniting in his eyes. The KOF fighters, in their relentless pursuit of martial arts perfection, constantly challenged themselves, always seeking opponents stronger than themselves. When faced with such formidable adversaries, a joy would well up from deep within, an eagerness so strong they wouldn't shrink even from death in battle. Although Chen Feng's current cultivation hadn't reached the level of challenging the world's mightiest, he genuinely yearned to encounter opponents whose cultivation surpassed his own, yet not by an insurmountable gap. Only then could he unlock more memories of the King of Fighters stored in his mind and achieve breakthroughs!

Chen Feng walked toward the small gate; Danny and Moko had already gone far off. Just as he was about to return to the room he had stayed in the previous night, a young girl wearing an apprentice mage robe approached him. "Are you Mr. Iori Yagami?" "What is it?" Chen Feng responded. "Oh, it’s like this. Given your performance during the test, we'd like to move you to a different room," the girl said. Chen Feng merely nodded. He didn't even ask why he was being moved or whose decision it was. In truth, testing within the "Rookie Barracks" served not only as entry credentials but also as a method for the Empire to gauge the cultivation of these individuals. Those with superior test results and capabilities usually became the primary targets for various major powers. Isolating these individuals in the same area made management and control easier, and it also provided convenience for the powers seeking to recruit them.

The girl looked curiously at the cold, young man who appeared to be around her age. She couldn't fathom why the superiors had specifically requested him to be escorted to the best quarters. The best rooms were reserved for the most highly anticipated figures in this Rookie Selection Tournament, such as the Seventh Prince, Alex, and Joseph. Why was this young man, who looked so young, also being invited to that area? She pondered for a long time but could find no answer.

They walked down a series of pathways to a spacious courtyard. A single glance confirmed that this location was hundreds of times superior to where he had stayed last night. If his previous quarters were like a roadside inn, this place was a five-star hotel. Artificial rockeries, fountains, various exotic plants, a wide training ground—everywhere exuded unparalleled luxury. As the girl led Chen Feng into the courtyard, she watched his expression closely, but his face remained stone-like, showing no change whatsoever. The first time she had entered this place, she had been so stunned by its opulence that she couldn't speak for a long time. Yet, this youth remained perfectly calm, like an ancient well, reflecting no ripple. It was no wonder he was assigned to this area; his composure alone commanded admiration.

The girl thought silently to herself as she led Chen Feng toward his assigned residence. Chen Feng followed slowly, then suddenly turned his gaze toward a specific direction, alerted by a premonition. On one side of the courtyard, a youth was diligently executing the most basic techniques, punch after punch, flawlessly. With every strike, a faint sound of air explosion echoed in the atmosphere. As the sound rang out, the Qi emanating from him grew denser, and the surrounding flowers and grass seemed to subtly incline their tops toward him, influenced by his Qi.

"This young man's punches are steady and powerful; the force behind every strike is identical. And the Qi he cultivates is strange, giving off a sense of intimacy. This person is no worse than the so-called Seventh Prince; perhaps even superior," Chen Feng assessed him internally. The youth practicing the punches seemed to sense something as well; he stopped his movements and looked toward Chen Feng. Both stood motionless, gazing at each other. "This red-haired youth breathes evenly, stands as immovable as a mountain, and his gaze is steady—he must also be a master," the punching youth thought to himself. If Chen Feng could hear his thoughts, he would have burst out laughing. The so-called standing "immovable as a mountain" was merely because he lacked Cyclone Force to stabilize the immense weight of the Black Gold Iron, making movement difficult. As for a "steady gaze," that was his permanent expression; where was the composure in that?

"He is Alex, the grandson of Kankhart, the Grandmaster of the Winged Dragon Knights. He’s rumored to be one of the top contenders for the championship," the girl interjected. "Oh!" Chen Feng responded, turning his face away from the practicing youth. A cold smile touched his lips: "With me here, all the hot favorites will turn into cold footnotes!" (To be continued. For the next chapter, please visit www**com for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)

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