"That was a good attack," the Core Elder said. "You're making your title as Core Disciple proud!"
The Core Disciple became a bit red in the face.
"Thanks," he quietly said as he quickly hurried back to the other Core Disciples.
Naturally, the TV broadcast had been stopped as soon as the Core Disciple Trials ended.
The Core Elder didn't want to embarrass himself in front of the members of the Array of Stars. At least, not embarrass himself more than he had already done.
Only the Highman's Club would see the Core Disciple Rankings.
The Core Elder called for the next Disciple, who quickly attacked the Core Elder before leaving just as quickly.
They couldn't handle as much shame, humiliation, and embarrassment as the Core Elder.
However, a few of the Core Disciples felt admiration for the Core Elder.
Yes, the Core Elder was embarrassing himself publicly, but he was doing that for the Highman's Club.
He was probably just as embarrassed as they were, but for them, he was willing to embarrass himself.
He was throwing away his own dignity to save theirs.
As the Core Disciples grew stronger, the Core Elder took more steps back.
Eventually, it was the turn of the top three Core Disciples.
The one ranked in third place made the Core Elder move five steps, while the other two made him move eight and nine steps.
The difference between third and second place was so big since the actual third-ranked Core Disciple was currently being an Inner Disciple.
"Nine steps," the Core Elder shouted with pride in his voice as the first-ranked Core Disciple finished his strike. "Truly outstanding! You are a rarely seen genius! This is a new record amongst Core Disciples! Amazing!"
The Core Disciples did their best not to shout in anger.
New record?!
The old record for Core Disciples was to move this guy ten centimeters!
Nine steps?!
Four and a half meters?!
When the first-ranked Disciple was done, the Core Elder grandly pulled off the top half of his robes, revealing a chiseled and bulky body.
His aura shot through the roof as dense Energy gathered around his body.
From a casual stance, he changed into a battle stance.
His eyes narrowed as he looked at Kyle.
"Exchange Seeker. It's your turn," he said with a serious voice.
The Core Disciples looked away.
The Core Elder wasn't even pretending anymore.
Earlier, he stood there like he was waiting for the barista to finish his coffee.
Now, he stood there like he was in a fight for his life.
Kyle arrived in front of the Core Elder.
Naturally, he had already realized what was going on…
Somewhat.
'He's still scheming against me, huh?' Kyle thought in annoyance. 'You still want to take my job?'
Meanwhile…
'I'll just let myself be pushed back enough so that my foot touches the edge of the circle,' the Core Elder thought. 'I can't possibly act like he's weaker than my Disciples. Nobody would believe me.'
'But what I can do is to make him just barely win.'
'We can't get his position anyway. I can only save my Disciples' dignity.'
Of course, the Core Elder was planning to let Kyle win, just not by too much.
Sadly, Kyle believed that the Core Elder was still trying to play tricks on him.
'You wanna fuck around?! Sure, I'll make you find out!' Kyle thought.
"You can just launch a fist or a kick at me," the Core Elder said. "I won't fight back."
Kyle narrowed his eyes. "You're not allowing me to use my weapon?"
The Core Elder's eyes widened in realization.
"Excuse me, I was under the assumption you were fighting barehanded," the Core Elder said. "You are allowed to use your weapon."
He had been so distracted by Kyle's performance that he hadn't even considered that he also used a weapon.
Kyle's display had been so dominant that the Core Elder hadn't anticipated that he could improve his performance even more.
'He has a weapon, right...' the Core Elder thought. 'Let's just hope it's a sword or a bow.'
The next moment, Kyle pulled out his hammer.
The head of the hammer hit the ground, and the entire arena shook.
The eyes of the onlookers widened in shock and horror. Several of them even gasped.
The Core Elder grew a bit nervous.
The other Core Disciples grew worried.
This hammer looked awfully heavy.
"I'm supposed to go all-out, right?" Kyle asked.
"Yes, of course," the Core Elder said, trying his best to remain stalwart.
In the past, the Core Elder had managed to become a 9/12 Primal due to his great physical talent.
Sadly, the Compression Realm was all about the Center and Energy, and the Core Elder's talent lacked quite a bit in that department.
When it was time, he would become a Fake or Failed Sage in the future, but the organization needed to save enough money first.
But for now, he was only in the lower half of the Compression Realm.
One's physical power barely improved after becoming a Crusher, but in exchange, one's Energy storage increased dramatically.
The Core Elder also had a Complex Level 2.5 Law involving the Law of Body.
He knew that Kyle's attack would be powerful, but he should be able to deal with it.
After all, he was an entire Realm above him.
Nevertheless, the Core Elder was still nervous.
His instincts told him that this was not a smart idea.
Yet, he had already committed.
There was no way back.
Kyle's eyes narrowed as he lifted his hammer.
"You wanted this," Kyle said.
The Core Elder didn't say anything.
The next moment, Kyle started to swing his hammer.
His swing missed, but he wasn't planning on hitting anyway.
Kyle started to spin, and he put more and more Energy into his swing.
The violent spins created a storm in the arena, and the Core Disciples took several steps back.
The arena shook as Kyle put more and more Energy into his swing.
At some point, the walls even started to creak.
The Core Disciples started to become afraid for their Core Elder.
He could survive that, right?
He was an entire Realm higher!
The Core Elder felt like he stood in front of a Level Eight Primal Beast.
While he could kill them with relative ease, he needed his Laws and his vast storage of Energy to kill them.
Yet, withstanding one of their attacks was not something he liked to do.
Suddenly, Kyle's spinning body moved forward in a very strange and abrupt way.
At the same time, Meteor Energy gathered on the tip of his hammer.
He wasn't using it to increase its speed but to give his hammer more penetrative power.
The Core Elder quickly gathered all of his defenses.
But then, the Core Elder's mind stopped for just an instant as Kyle activated his brutal Momentum.
The Core Elder had a stronger Momentum, but the surprising intensity and suddenness of Kyle's Momentum still caught him off-guard.
His defenses failed to manifest.
Kyle's hammer arrived.
The Core Elder's mind went wild.
'I'm going to die!'
The blunt side of Kyle's hammer hit the Core Elder's abdomen.
CRKSH!
And the Core Elder's lower body farted exploded off his upper body.
BANG!
The Core Elder's upper body flew into the distance.
BOOOM!
And was buried in the arena walls.
Silence.
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