Lü Bu's knee sank deep into the scorched crater, his heavy breathing stirring the lingering smell of sulfur and dust. His head hung low, disheveled black hair hiding his eyes. Only the dark purple blood dripping steadily from the corner of his mouth spread a small, ominous wet stain across the cooling lava. On his forehead, the dark purple crest symbolizing Giratina's power flickered like a candle guttering in the wind, its light barely perceptible. Sky Piercer stood embedded at an angle nearby, its tip dull and lightless, as bedraggled as its master.
The entire Martial Arts Training Ground was deathly silent. A hundred thousand spectators held their breath, their gazes fixed on the crater and the fierce warrior who had once been so overbearing, now kneeling in the dust. The lingering Dragon Dread and netherworld malice had yet to dissipate completely, weighing heavily on everyone's heart.
On the viewing platform, Chen Yu slowly rose. His Nine-Dragon Robe shimmered with golden light beneath the setting sun, and Arceus's Power flowed naturally around him, as though resonating with heaven and earth. His gaze swept over Lü Bu in the crater, passed Dian Wei, Ma Chao, and Zhou Yu with their complicated expressions, and finally settled on Guan Yu, who had returned to his place, his green robe as still as an ancient pool. Those deep eyes clearly reflected the humiliation and defiance churning within Lü Bu, along with the trace of unruliness that was struggling to re-form after being shattered by absolute power.
"The Military Examination is concluded." Chen Yu's voice was not loud, yet it reached every corner clearly, carrying an unquestionable authority that instantly dispelled the frozen atmosphere. "Heroes of the Four Blues, you have each shown your abilities. Today, I personally select these talents and bestow fruits upon