Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 274: The Challenge Ends

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Ten days later.

Aoki stood in the center of the ring, surrounded by a sea of people. The crowd was silent, their eyes fixed on him with expressions of awe and fanaticism.

"Anyone else?" Aoki's voice echoed through the still air.

No one responded.

Over the past ten days, countless challengers had stepped into the ring—some alone, others in groups, some unarmed, others fully equipped. Yet none had succeeded. Not a single person had managed to defeat him, or even inflict a scratch.

With his overwhelming combat prowess and Najenda's relentless promotion, Aoki's reputation had soared. He was no longer just a man; he was becoming a god in the eyes of the people.

Aoki turned his gaze inward, focusing on the system.

The task progress for becoming The Supreme of One Realm was at 20%. It had been the same yesterday and hadn't budged all day.

The potential here was exhausted.

It was clear now—hype wasn't just useful; it was extraordinarily effective. Without Najenda and her team's efforts, he wouldn't have achieved this level of recognition so quickly.

"Well," Aoki said, his voice calm but commanding, "this challenge ends here."

As he spoke, his body began to rise into the air.

A deep rumbling sound accompanied the scene as the arena and its surrounding steps sank into the ground, gradually returning to the square's original form.

High above, Aoki hovered for a moment before flying away, disappearing into the sky.

The crowd seemed to awaken from a trance.

"Master Aoki has left!"

"No! Master, please don't abandon us!" someone wailed.

"These past ten days have been like a dream. I never imagined anyone could be as powerful as Master Aoki."

"Master Aoki is the strongest!"

"Even General Esdeath wouldn't stand a chance against him!"

"We've witnessed a legend!"

Among the Crowd

A burly man laughed loudly, his face lit with excitement.

Those around him stared in surprise.

"Are you crazy?" someone asked.

The man puffed out his chest with pride. "Don't you recognize me?"

Most of the crowd looked puzzled, but a few faces lit up in recognition.

"I remember you! You were the first to challenge Master Aoki!"

"That's right!" the man declared proudly. "I was the first challenger!"

A voice from the side cut in, dripping with sarcasm. "What's there to be proud of? You didn't even make it onto the ring."

Unfazed, the burly man smirked. "I'm still the first challenger!"

Initially, he had felt humiliated for failing to even step into the ring. But as Aoki's unmatched strength became evident, his perspective shifted.

Master Aoki had defeated countless challengers in ten days without suffering a single loss. This was no ordinary feat—it was the stuff of legends. And he, as the first challenger, believed his name would forever be tied to Aoki's legacy.

Another voice chimed in.

"Stop bragging. Master Hoffman was the first real challenger."

The burly man, who had been basking in his own glory, bristled. He jumped up, his face flushed with anger.

"I was the first! Even if I didn't step onto the ring, I was still the first!"

"No, you weren't!"

"Yes, I was!"

Their argument devolved into a childish shouting match, drawing amused glances from the crowd.

In the Palace

Aoki reappeared in the palace, greeted by a room full of familiar faces.

"Everyone is here," he observed.

Najenda stepped forward. "Aoki, your fame has spread across the country. But if you want universal recognition, there's still more work to do."

Aoki shook his head. "That's enough for now. Let's move on to the next country."

Najenda nodded, her expression composed. "According to the plan, our next stop is the northern alien nation. They've been devastated by Esdeath and are currently the weakest of the three alien tribes."

"Alright"

Aoki responded succinctly.

They had already discussed their plans in detail beforehand, including the course of action, publicity strategies, and contingency measures, so there was no need for further deliberation.

Tatsumi approached, his face brimming with excitement.

"Mr. Aoki, you're so, so strong!"

Tatsumi had also stepped onto the stage to challenge Aoki, even wielding his Imperial Arms, but he had been utterly unable to land a single effective blow.

Aoki glanced at Tatsumi and then shifted his gaze to Mine, letting it linger on her for a moment.

"Congratulations," he said.

Tatsumi blinked, confused. "What?"

"Congratulations on becoming a father, of course," Aoki clarified.

The room fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into chaos.

Leone was the first to rush over.

"Becoming a father? Tatsumi's going to be a father? What's going on?"

Najenda turned to Mine, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Mine, are you pregnant? I couldn't tell!"

Lubbock sidled up to Tatsumi, grinning. "Damn, Tatsumi, you guys move fast!"

"Hehehe!" Tatsumi could only scratch his head and smile sheepishly.

Mine, meanwhile, rested her hand on her stomach, looking equally bewildered.

That evening, the group held a grand celebration. All the members of Night Raid gathered, and Aoki even went out of his way to bring Akame and Kurome back for the occasion.

The Next Day

Their journey resumed.

When they reached the northern ethnic minority country, Aoki implemented the same strategy he had used in the imperial capital.

The northern regions were vast, sparsely populated, and plagued by a harsh climate. Additionally, they were beyond the Eastern Empire's reach, making them a foreign land in every sense.

It took them a full half-month to complete the challenge. The process was far more arduous than in the Eastern Empire.

In the Empire, Aoki had the unwavering support of Najenda, who managed all the logistical and political challenges. In the northern territories, however, there was no such support system, and their growing influence inevitably led to conflicts with local authorities.

Fortunately, Aoki completed the challenge before the situation escalated into full-blown chaos.

After leaving the northern territories, they bypassed the closer western nations and instead headed south.

The western regions, being the second most powerful after the Eastern Empire, required far more thorough preparation.

The southern ethnic groups, on the other hand, had always been a minor presence. Their strength was marginal, only slightly greater than the crippled northern tribes who had suffered under Esdeath's campaigns. Throughout the thousand-year history of the Eastern Empire, the southern regions had consistently been at a disadvantage, often facing crushing defeats.

Aoki's visit to the southern territories proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

The level of civilization there was rudimentary, and when Aoki demonstrated his invincible strength, he was quickly revered as a god.

Even the southern king knelt before him, and no one dared to challenge him.

The entire process took just ten days.

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When they finally arrived in the Western Kingdom, however, they faced significant obstacles.

The Western Kingdom was the second-largest nation in the world, surpassed only by the Eastern Empire. Despite their meticulous preparations, unforeseen issues arose.

The Western Kingdom was not a place that would tolerate an outsider of unknown origin behaving recklessly within its borders.

As Aoki's influence grew, tensions with the kingdom's authorities escalated. By the tenth day, the friction had reached a boiling point and could no longer be contained.

To resolve the situation, Aoki personally visited the Western Kingdom's palace.

In this powerful nation, it took him a full twenty days to complete the challenge.