Mr. Barnes speculated the marvelous acupuncture therapies developed by that research institute might be based on the core information of those boosting one's talent temporarily.

"I thought I was the only one who knew about those therapies!" Mr. Barnes was filled with a mix of shock, anger, and a growing sense of fear. He wondered whether he had picked a fight with the wrong person.

Mrs. Jenkins had tightened her facial expression.

Roy, on the other hand, failed to grasp the gravity of the situation and kept making snide remarks.

“I'll help you get these needles out," Maria said gently.

Maria reached for Anthony's forearm and deftly removed one of the seven small metal plates, her movements as precise as a professional go-player.

The sharp-eyed among the crowd could now see the tiny needles in each plate, embedded in Anthony's forearm.

These needles were so fine they didn't even leave a drop of blood.

Buzz! Suddenly, the Oracle stone buzzed to life!

It seemed to be getting charged, its faint misty glow becoming more intense.

"What's happening here?" Roy blurted out, visibly shocked.

Only one needle was removed, but the Oracle Stone's reaction mirrored Roy's earlier experience driven by Mr. Barnes’ acupuncture therapies.

Roy pondered about Anthony's martial prowess if all the remaining needles were removed.

Mrs. Jenkins shut her eyes, unable to watch any longer.

But Maria didn't stop. She removed the second needle, and the Oracle Stone's reaction grew stronger, emitting light and a continuous low-frequency vibration.

“Such a rare talent maybe once in ten... No, twenty years. A genius seen only once in thirty years..." Mr. Barnes quietly assessed the situation, keenly aware of Anthony's impressive skills.

He kept his thoughts to himself, though.

With five tiny metal plates still attached to Anthony's forearm, Mr. Barnes' judgments were based solely on what he'd seen so far.

Now, it was clear to everyone that Roy was outclassed.

The real question became how much more capable Anthony would be once all those needles were removed.

But then, something unexpected occurred.

Maria abruptly stopped her actions. She adjusted Anthony's sleeve, covering his forearm again.

“What? You're not going to take out the rest of the needles?" Canaan inquired, puzzled.

"This is enough," Maria calmly stated.