Roling followed closely behind Gan Jin, somewhat curious, following the direction of his gaze, and casually asked, "What are you looking at... Mccaus!"

Roling's sudden exclamation immediately drew the attention of those nearby, triggering a cascade of surprised whispers. In an instant, nearly every eye was fixed on the person Gan Jin was watching.

He was of average height, with short, golden hair, his shoulder muscles noticeably bulging and tense; even concealed beneath his warrior uniform, they couldn't hide the sheer aura of power emanating from him.

Before Gan Jin rose to prominence, Mccaus was unanimously recognized as the top student among all attendees at the Oakland Academy of Magic and Warriors—a third-year student holding the rank of Level Six Warrior, coupled with extensive combat experience, he had long held the undisputed top spot.

The members of the small formation they had created parted to the sides, carving out a relatively spacious path for Mccaus, who was now striding toward Gan Jin.

"You are Gan Jin?" Mccaus utilized the advantage of being two years older and half a head taller than Gan Jin, speaking in a condescending tone from his vantage point above: "I wasn't at the school the last few days. I heard last night upon my return that many people are touting you as the best in the academy..."

The faces of the surrounding students shifted almost simultaneously; excitement and anticipation replaced the dull fatigue that had clung to their features from waking up so early.

For the past few days, considerable debate had raged over whether Gan Jin had already surpassed the strongest student in the academy. Some argued that Gan Jin would only become the strongest next year, and that Mccaus, still in his third year, remained the current champion. Others maintained that Gan Jin’s fighting style was equally refined and that he might not necessarily lose to Mccaus, who was renowned for his superior technique.

The academy had subtly divided into two factions regarding the identity of the strongest fighter among the students: the Pro-Gan camp and the Anti-Gan camp.

Now that Mccaus had returned to the academy and immediately sought him out, while his words were calm, the nakedly challenging gunpowder within them could not be concealed—or perhaps he had never intended to conceal it at all.

In any academy, there could only ever be one number one! No academy’s top student would willingly surrender that throne. This was not merely about glory; the foremost student genuinely enjoyed numerous unique privileges among the general student body.

"Uh..." Gan Jin raised a hand and scratched the back of his head with his pinky finger. Then, he suddenly lifted his right foot, channeling his Level Seven Dou Qi into his leg and stamping it forcefully onto the ground. A dull thud, resonating deep enough to strike the hearts of everyone present, echoed across the quiet campus!

Level Seven Dou Qi! Many people gasped, inhaling sharply, while others simply forgot to breathe. A large contingent of students stared at Gan Jin in disbelief, wondering if they were still dreaming. Gan Jin was only a first-year warrior student; how could he possess the power of Level Seven Dou Qi!

Mccaus’s challenging expression froze momentarily, his eyes wide with surprise mixed with considerable suspicion. He secretly wondered if Gan Jin had somehow illicitly accessed the Dou Ling Grand Array through secret channels beforehand. Otherwise, this was inexplicable—how could a first-year warrior student possess Level Seven Dou Qi? Could he be a bloodline warrior who had awakened his power prematurely? Impossible! He must have entered the Dou Ling Grand Array! That had to be it!

In that instant, Mccaus met Gan Jin's eyes! His entire body jerked, and his legs instinctively recoiled backward at high speed. Large beads of sweat erupted across his forehead in the blink of an eye.

Killing intent! Mccaus stared at Gan Jin in terror, his body shaking uncontrollably. He secretly questioned whether this young man was even human. He was only a first-year warrior student, yet his eyes could emit such astonishing killing intent! That was the kind of aura possessed only by those who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood on a battlefield, after having slain hundreds, perhaps even thousands!

To fight against someone like this? Mccaus couldn't muster the slightest will to fight; a single glance at Gan Jin’s gaze, saturated with murderous intent, had utterly terrified him!

Mccaus kept his eyes fixed on the ground, unwilling to meet Gan Jin’s gaze. He kept asking himself, how was this possible? How could he harbor so much killing aura? Forget me, even veteran warriors who have actually seen combat rarely possess killing intent like his.

"So..." Gan Jin looked up at Mccaus, "Senior, may I now claim to be the strongest student in this academy? If not..."

Bang! Another resounding stomp echoed across the campus. Mccaus’s face changed drastically, his pupils contracting instantly to pinpricks. A few more drops of shocked, cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His legs lost the strength to support his body, and with a thud, he collapsed to his knees, staring blankly at the ground.

"This... how is this possible..." Mccaus's eyes were filled with sheer disbelief. In that moment, his entire spirit seemed to have utterly collapsed. The power unleashed by this first-year warrior junior's second stomp was Level Eight Dou Qi!

The other students, having not witnessed Level Eight Dou Qi, couldn't discern the difference between Gan Jin’s first and second stomp. However, Mccaus had seen an old warrior use Level Eight Dou Qi; the sensation was exactly the same as what Gan Jin had just unleashed!

"This... should be sufficient, right?" Gan Jin’s words drifted back to Mccaus from behind him.

Sufficient... Mccaus’s lips twitched with inexpressible bitterness. Level Eight Dou Qi was certainly enough to secure the title of the strongest student at Oakland Academy of Magic and Warriors. Even if his experience and technique were superior to Gan Jin’s, a two-level gap in Dou Qi was enough to negate any advantage gained from experience or finesse.

The highly anticipated clash, the battle everyone awaited, came to an abrupt halt after Gan Jin’s two stamps, leaving a crowd of students utterly confused about what had just transpired. Even with the difference in Dou Qi levels, Mccaus’s experience and technique could have compensated for a lot of the gap, and a real fight might have offered him a chance. Why had this person surrendered the title of the academy’s strongest so easily?

"Indeed, having sufficient strength feels quite satisfying," Gan Jin jogged lightly across the campus training ground, recalling the effect of those two stomps on Mccaus’s expression, and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Gan Jin, what happened just now?" Roling moved his bulky body, panting heavily as he trotted alongside Gan Jin. "The teachers and the principal aren't here today, so I have nowhere to ask. What exactly happened? You stomped twice, and Mccaus conceded?"

"You should be asking him that, not me. I’m not entirely sure either."

"Classmate, we’re roommates and classmates now, and I’ll soon be your brother-in-law. How can you refuse to tell me the truth..."

"Classmate, you can't just claim relatives casually. Alright, I’ll quietly tell you the reason: my second stomp utilized Level Eight Dou Qi..."

Plop... Under the immense shock he received, Roling’s stout legs failed him. He tumbled straight onto the ground with a solid thud and shouted looking up, "Are you serious!?"