Sign-In System: Starting With Invincible Physique-Chapter 14: Direct Clash
Chapter 14: Direct Clash
"I challenge Brennan Graves."
The name dropped into the silent arena like a stone into a still lake.
Those who had been in the cafeteria that morning quickly began to spread the story.
Suddenly, the pieces fit together.
But the debate ignited just as fast.
Rhain had defeated Hallie with a single casual strike.
He never used his full strength to fight a single match today.
But Hallie was only Level 5.
Brennan was Level 8.
The gap between Level 5 and Level 8 wasn’t a step.
It was a cliff.
At the eighth level, a cultivator’s physical body was fortified to the absolute limits of the Awakening realm.
Could Rhain cross that massive gap?
In the lower rows, Seris’s face drained of color.
Rhain turned his head.
He looked at her.
Just a glance.
Calm, absolute, firm.
Seris’s mouth closed.
The words died in her throat.
She knew now that the challenge was issued, she could do nothing except praying that Rhain would be strong enough to challenge Brennan.
Rhain had already decided to do it when Brennan had dared to threaten his openly.
He isn’t the guy to only defend passively.
Brennan had sent Gaelen as his proxy.
The challenge was Rhain’s answer.
Maren’s sharp eyes had not left him since the challenge was issued.
She had watched Rhain obliterate every opponent placed before him today.
Someone like Rhain is either supremely confident or supremely reckless.
"The challenge has been issued," Maren said, her voice cutting cleanly through the chaos. The arena fell silent. "As the ranked first outer disciple, Rhain Voss has the formal right to challenge any inner disciple to a sanctioned duel."
She gestured to an attendant standing near the archway.
"Summon Brennan Graves."
Time stretched.
Disciples who had been preparing to leave sat back down. No one was going anywhere.
This was the most interesting thing that had happened in the Azure Cloud Sect in years. Perhaps decades.
Fifteen minutes later, heavy footsteps echoed from the upper stone path.
Brennan Graves walked into the arena.
His face was dark, clearly showing his displeasure.
He had been interrupted in the middle of a crucial cultivation session, pulled from his focus and summoned to the outer sect sparring grounds like a common errand boy.
He strode down the steps, his Level 8 Essence radiating in angry, uncontrolled waves.
"Instructor Maren," Brennan said, his voice low with suppressed rage. "May I ask the reason I was summoned here?"
Maren looked at him.
"The Outer Sect Sparring has concluded," she said flatly. "Rhain Voss has won the Outer Sect Sparring Match and claimed the rank of first among the outer disciples. He has exercised his right to formally challenge an inner disciple."
She paused.
"He has named you."
Brennan froze.
His eyes snapped from Maren to the center of the platform.
Rhain was standing there with his arms crossed. Unharmed. Unbothered.
When Brennan looked at him, Rhain also tilted his head to look at Brennan.
"Brennan Graves, do you dare to accept my challenge?" Rhain’s voice thundered in the arena.
Brennan’s eyes narrowed into slits.
He was not stupid. He was protective of his people’s reputation — but he was not a fool.
If Rhain had won the outer sect sparring match, then it was clear that his plan with Gaelen had failed.
And now he’s standing here. Challenging me. Publicly.
The sheer audacity to challenge a Level 8 Inner Disciple, he must have absolute confidence in his strength.
He must be hiding his true strength.
But even so — how strong can he actually be?
He was at the eighth level of the Essence Awakening Realm.
He sneered, suppressing the brief flicker of doubt.
"Arrogant, today I will let you see the difference between an Inner sect and an outer sect disciple." Brennan spat.
He stepped onto the platform.
At the same time, he released his aura at the level 8 Essence Awakening Realm.
He wanted to crush Rhain’s spirit before the fight even began.
The pressure crashed over Rhain.
Rhain didn’t even blink.
To the Abyssal Sovereign Physique, Brennan’s Level 8 Essence aura was nothing more than a gentle breeze trying to move a mountain.
"Is that all?" Rhain spoke with a mocking tone, "are you trying to tickle me?"
Brennan’s expression turned ugly.
Even after released his full aura, Rhain didn’t even flinch, it was clear that Rhain’s strength isn’t what’s showing on the surface.
"This is a formal challenge duel," she announced, her voice carrying cleanly across the silent arena. "The rules are the same as the sparring matches. The bout ends when one party concedes, loses consciousness, or is judged unable to continue. Killing is prohibited."
Her gaze lingered on Rhain for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.
"Are both parties ready?"
"Get on with it," Brennan growled.
Rhain uncrossed his arms.
"Begin," Maren said.
Brennan erupted.
He didn’t underestimate Rhain.
He drew upon every single drop of his Level 8 Essence.
A thick, suffocating aura of golden essence shrouded his massive frame. The stone beneath his boots cracked under the sheer density of his power.
He lunged forward like a siege ram.
His fist tore through the air, aimed directly at Rhain’s chest, carrying enough force to shatter a boulder into dust.
Rhain didn’t dodge.
He didn’t even shift his stance.
He simply met Brennan’s charging strike with a punch of his own.
Dark, abyssal essence coated Rhain’s knuckles, compressing into a point of absolute, terrifying density.
No flashy movements.
Just pure, unadulterated violence fueled by the Abyssal Sovereign Physique.
The two fists wrapped in black and golden essence collided.
All eyes were fixed on the two fist so intensely, that they even forgot to breathe.
BOOM!
A shockwave of compressed air exploded from the centre of the collision.
But the result was completely one-sided.
Brennan’s arm buckled instantly. His eyes widened in absolute horror as an overwhelming force crashed into him, shattering his momentum.
His body was launched backward like a ragdoll.
He crashed heavily against the hard stone of the arena, rolling several times before skidding to a halt.
The entire arena fell dead silent.
Two hundred disciples stared at the platform with expressions that ranged from shock to outright terror.
A direct clash.
And Rhain Voss — Essence Awakening Level 4 — had won against Brennan Graves — Essence Awakening Level 8.
They had expected many outcomes.
Rhain might be defeated in one move. Or maybe Rhain might fight Brennan to a standstill for sometime.
But this result was beyond everyone’s wildest dreams.
Was this real or a dream?
