The next morning.
As the first golden ray of sunlight fell upon Themyscira, the main island quickly became bustling with activity. Female warriors usually engaged in drills or standing guard wore full armor, while beautiful female civilians in white dresses gathered in groups, forming a vast crowd that flowed toward a massive ancient structure by the shore.
The entire structure resembled an open-air ancient colosseum. At its center lay a flat, empty super plaza, while the Amazons filled every tier of stone steps surrounding it.
"Silence! Her Majesty the Queen has arrived!"
As Antiope's shout rang out, the noise in the arena immediately died down.
Under countless gazes filled with worship, respect, and affection, Queen Hippolyta—the supreme ruler of the Amazons—appeared on an elevated platform at one side of the colosseum. Wearing a crown that symbolized authority, she sat upon the golden throne with dignity and poise.
"Her Highness the Princess has arrived!" Antiope, standing on the platform, continued to announce loudly.
Diana, dressed in golden royal attire, appeared behind the queen. Nearly every Amazon instinctively looked toward the top of her head.
The Silver Coronet she once wore was gone. In its place was only a vibrant flower crown resting upon her black hair.
"Her Highness really gave her crown to a human..."
"That is the Amazon Royal Family's divine artifact, the Star-Spangled Tiara!"
"The queen actually agreed to it!"
"Why would something like this happen?"
At the sight, the Amazons in the colosseum stands immediately erupted into discussion, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
Over the past few days, only some of the Amazons had seen it themselves. Most had merely heard about it.
But now that they saw Diana replacing the coronet with a flower crown in person, they still found it difficult to accept the truth.
A smile rested on Diana's face as she stood gracefully beside the queen's throne, head held high and chest lifted. She still radiated confidence and beauty, still the strongest and most beautiful jewel of the Amazons!
"Begin."
Queen Hippolyta spoke calmly, as if she had not heard the murmurs.
Antiope nodded. She immediately leaped down from the ten-meter-high platform and announced loudly, "The competition is about to begin. Now, let the contestants enter!"
Tall, sturdy female warriors in light leather armor entered the center of the plaza through the colosseum gates, receiving the Amazons' attention and applause.
The eight competing female warriors stood in a line across the plaza.
Antiope looked behind them in surprise. Xi Nian was nowhere to be seen.
Did he change his mind? That would be for the best.
Antiope secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at Diana on the platform. Yet she found Diana smiling as she continued to watch the direction of the colosseum gates, her beautiful eyes gleaming.
"Something's wrong!" Before Antiope could lower her head, the enthusiastic applause within the colosseum came to an abrupt halt.
From the Amazon queen above to the Amazon civilians below, everyone turned in unison toward the colosseum's main gates.
There, a figure appeared in the vast colosseum plaza at the very last moment before the entrance deadline.
Silver-haired Xi Nian wore white cuffed casual clothes. A highly conspicuous coronet sat atop his head, while an ancient sword with a hilt formed by two intertwined dragons hung across his back.
No Amazon could fail to recognize that sword—
It was the Sword of Hephaestus, a supreme divine artifact forged by Hephaestus himself, capable of slaying gods!
The meaning represented by that divine sword was far weightier than the Star-Spangled Tiara!
The former symbolized Diana's strength, while the latter represented her identity and honor. Yet at this very moment, both exclusive divine artifacts were on a human teenage boy!
There would be no true combat in this competition, so the weapons brought by the contestants would basically be useless.
Thus, this represented Princess Diana standing behind him.
Queen Hippolyta looked at Xi Nian, who had entered last, surprise flashing through her eyes. She had not expected their first meeting to take place under these circumstances.
In the colosseum plaza.
Antiope swept her gaze over the contestants, including Xi Nian. "Now that everyone is here, the competition will—"
"Wait a moment!" Xi Nian suddenly raised his hand and asked curiously, "Could you explain the contents and rules of the competition?"
The plaza instantly fell silent.
The competing female warriors were dumbfounded. You did not even know the rules, yet you entered the competition? What the hell!
Antiope frowned deeply. Forcing down her temper, she raised a hand and explained, "It is simple. Starting from this plaza, you will swim through the sea outside and land on the beach on the other side of the island. Horses have been prepared on the beach. Using a bow and arrows, you must each hit three targets set up along the route."
"Finally, whoever returns here through the colosseum's main gates first and throws a spear from here through the ring atop the colosseum will be the winner."
Worried that Xi Nian had not heard clearly, Antiope slowly added, "Do you understand? If there is anything you do not understand, I can explain it to you—"
"No need. Let's start already." Xi Nian waved a hand, looking exceptionally casual.
Antiope could barely stand to look at him anymore. Gritting her teeth, she declared, "I announce that the competition has officially begun!"
The instant her words fell.
While Xi Nian remained where he was, the other eight female warriors swiftly charged forward.
They climbed the dozens-of-meters-high ladder set up before the plaza, preparing to use it to reach the sea beside the colosseum.
Seeing Xi Nian remain motionless, many assumed he had given up immediately.
Just as a female warrior was about to reach the top of the ladder, Xi Nian finally prepared to move. He merely lowered himself slightly into a starting stance.
The next instant.
Antiope's expression changed.
She could clearly sense that Xi Nian seemed to have become a different person. His eyes were as sharp and tranquil as a god's, while his aura transformed from harmless and benign into a fierce pressure carrying tangible energy!
"Divine Power? How is that possible?!" Antiope cried out.
Boom!
Divine Power coursed through Xi Nian as he pushed off with both feet, launching himself twenty to thirty meters into the air and landing atop the empty ladder!
His silver hair whipped wildly in the fierce wind. Xi Nian sprinted forward and leaped toward the opposite shore across the hundred-meter stretch of sea!
Thud!!
Xi Nian landed in the shallow water and followed with another powerful step. Seawater exploded outward as he reached the place where the horses and bows had been prepared.
He did not choose to ride a horse, nor did he pick up a bow.
After all, there was no need.
Xi Nian casually took three arrows and charged up the mountain path at incredible speed, no slower than a horse—if not faster!
The first target appeared along the way.
Xi Nian did not slow down. Instead, he threw an arrow with his bare hand. It sliced through the air and struck the bullseye without question!
Blue smoke representing him rose into the sky like a signal flare!
Unlike the first time he had obtained his aunt's power, perhaps because this was the second time he had received it, or perhaps because of the training from the past few days.
Furthermore, the direct medium exchange and the medium's quantity allowed him to possess the power of the medium's owner even more perfectly!
At this moment, Xi Nian was like a Demigod who had been born that way!
He continued running along the mountain path, using speed and endurance far beyond human limits to pass the remaining checkpoints!
Inside the colosseum.
Though they could not see Xi Nian himself, everyone could clearly see three plumes of blue smoke representing him rise from different points on the island, each separated by less than ten seconds!
The Amazons in the arena were stunned, as though witnessing a miracle.
Only when smoke of a second color finally appeared in the sky.
At the same time, at the colosseum's main gates.
Kicking up a rolling trail of sand and dust, Xi Nian in his Demigod State charged into the plaza with afterimages trailing behind him!
From departure to return, it had taken less than a minute.
"Finally, I just need to finish this, right?" Xi Nian walked over to the still-dazed Antiope, took the not-yet-prepared spear from her hand, and hurled it with all his strength toward the golden ring ahead!
"Wait, the ceremony isn't complete yet—" Antiope suddenly realized.
But it was too late. The spear transformed into a streak of light and pierced through the air!
Gurgle!
At that moment, a golden goddess statue rose from the center of the plaza. The spear Xi Nian had thrown struck it squarely in the chest, piercing through its back. The deflected spear did not lose any speed, knocking a chunk off the metal ring amid a shower of sparks before vanishing into the distant sky!
"Um, did I mess something up?" Xi Nian looked at the hole in the center of the goddess statue and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
Queen Hippolyta: "..."
Diana: "..."
All Amazons: "..."
Before you continue