BANG!
The Dean took out his spear and impaled King Skythunder's fist.
When the Dean had seen how fast King Skythunder moved without using Mana, he knew that his body was more powerful than his own.
Just like how a powerful body nourished the mind, a powerful mind nourished the body.
And with King Skythunder's incredibly powerful mind, it wasn't strange for his body to be even more powerful than the Dean's.
And it wasn't just one level.
According to the Dean's judgment, King Skythunder had a body on the level of a Peak True Path Stage warrior, three levels above the Dean.
The Dean knew that he couldn't win against someone with such a powerful body, even if that person didn't know how to fight barehanded.
However, even if King Skythunder's body was powerful, the Dean's spear was still powerful enough to injure him.
A moment of silence passed.
King Skythunder's blood flowed out of his pierced fist and hit the ground.
And then, King Skythunder grinned.
CRKSH!
His injured hand became even more injured as he wrapped it around the head of the spear.
And then, King Skythunder punched forward with his other hand.
CRRRRK!
Suddenly, the Dean's spear rotated several times, creating a hole in King Skythunder's fist.
However, King Skythunder's speed was too fast, and the Dean couldn't get his spear out in time.
BANG!
The Dean barely moved his shoulder up to block the punch that had originally aimed for his head.
BOOOM!
The Dean's body shot into the distance and hit the wall, the sound of the impact thundering throughout the entire throne room.
The Dean's shoulder and back broke, but just like Shang, the Dean had a warrior's body, and his injuries healed in an instant.
However, King Skythunder immediately charged after him, and he arrived in front of the Dean just as he hit the wall.
BOOOM!
With all his experience, the Dean managed to evade the punch, and it hit the walls, creating several cracks.
At that moment, the Dean's spear spun again like a drill.
King Skythunder used his injured arm and slapped the spear to the side, but the spinning spear still cut off a huge part of King Skythunder's left forearm.
BANG!
But suddenly, King Skythunder was thrown back.
The Dean had angled his body in such a way that he could focus all his power on his left fist.
Shang had seen that kind of punch back on Earth.
It was the famous one-inch punch.
As King Skythunder's body shot back, he looked at the spear with interest.
Striking with a spear should have made this position impossible on such short notice.
Did that mean that the spear had moved of its own volition?
BANG!
The Dean exploded forward without his spear, and he kicked King Skythunder's retreating body.
WHOOOSH!
Yet, King Skythunder somehow managed to evade the kick by bending his body in a very strange way.
Shang could see that this was not some kind of martial art or practiced movement.
It was simply an instinctual action.
At that moment, Shang realized that King Skythunder's instincts regarding battle were unparalleled.
He obviously was a novice when it came to fighting with his body, but his instincts still made it possible for him to evade such a kick.
He instinctually just made the correct decision.
Then, King Skythunder punched at the Dean's extended leg.
CRACK!
The Dean's right leg was punched off his body.
However, the Dean's expression didn't change, and he used the force on his leg as leverage to punch King Skythunder with his left hand.
CRACK!
The Dean's fist exploded due to King Skythunder's physical power, but King Skythunder's ribcage caved in.
Blood shot past King Skythunder's grin, and he punched the Dean again.
But at that moment, King Skythunder's eyebrows lifted in surprise.
The spear was spinning again, and it was shooting towards King Skythunder's chest.
If he continued punching, the spear would shoot through him.
King Skythunder's grin widened.
BANG! CRKSH!
King Skythunder destroyed the left side of the Dean's torso as the spear punched through his chest.
More blood flowed out of King Skythunder's body and mouth.
BANG!
But his body was kicked away by the Dean.
Just like before, the Dean had used the destruction of his chest as force to unleash a kick.
Usually, a warrior would be incapacitated by such a heavy injury, but the Dean had a warrior's body.
With his incredible experience, the Dean was able to heal his injury as it was happening.
CRK!
As King Skythunder's body shot away, the Dean grabbed his spear, making it leave King Skythunder's body.
BANG!
King Skythunder's back hit the wall, and it cracked in several places.
The Dean lowered his stance, and his eyes shone.
After that, a terrifying energy gathered on his spear.
And the spear shot forward.
An arrow of explosive Mana left the spear's head, and it shot right at King Skythunder's injured chest a hundred meters away.
'This is the ranged attack from the trial,' Shang thought.
King Skythunder only grinned as he looked at the wave of energy.
BZZT!
A small bolt of lightning left King Skythunder's body, and the wave of energy was completely obliterated.
A second later, water gathered all over King Skythunder's body, and his injuries all healed in an instant.
When the Dean saw that, he didn't continue his attack, and he only looked at King Skythunder.
And then…
King Skythunder laughed.
The room remained silent as King Skythunder laughed.
King Skythunder wiped the blood on his mouth away with his left forearm and looked at the Dean.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"George," the Dean answered.
"Well fought, George," King Skythunder said with a grin. "You win."
"Comparing my strongest aspect with your weakest aspect is not something I take pride in," the Dean said.
King Skythunder laughed some more when he heard the Dean's answer.
"Well done," he said as he slowly walked back to his throne.
Nobody in the room had moved during the battle.
The group of warriors had nearly died of terror as they had seen King Skythunder attack their Dean, but now, they were only confused.
"It seems the path of warrior has some merit to it," King Skythunder said as he sat down on his throne again.
Then, he looked at Shang. "And based on the difference in power, your so-called Procedure will show even greater results than the path of the Barbarian."
At that moment, the Dean's and Duke Whirlwind's eyes shone in recognition.
King Skythunder noticed their eyes. "Surprised?" he asked with a smirk. "Not many people know that I wasn't born in this Kingdom."
No one answered.
King Skythunder chuckled. Obviously, he was in a very good mood now. "I wonder, how powerful would a barbarian become if they had access to the Procedure?"
"Honestly, the Procedure's effects seem to fit the Barbarian path far more than the warrior path."
"Are you sure you haven't accidentally created the wrong thing?" King Skythunder asked with a smirk.
"It doesn't matter," the Dean said. "Power is power. Splitting power into different categories devalues it."
"The weak die. The strong survive. The method with which the strong become strong isn't important."
King Skythunder only smirked.
"You've got my attention," he said.
"Tell me everything about the Procedure and how it works."
