Crimson Inferno looked at Kyle.
"I swear that I have gone through exactly five Compressions and that I am still in the Compression Realm," he said.
The two referees looked at Crimson Inferno for a while.
Then, they looked towards Kyle. "Descending Mountain, step forward."
Kyle floated forward a bit.
"I swear that I have gone through fewer than six Compressions and that I am still within the Compression Realm," he said calmly.
Crimson Inferno's oath had been a bit different from the oaths the other people had spoken, but it basically came down to the same thing.
However, just because Crimson Inferno changed his oath didn't mean that Kyle had to do the same thing. He simply went with the standard oath.
"Your opponent gave their specific level," the first referee said. "You should answer in kind."
"I don't have to," Kyle answered, looking back at the referee. "Besides, what would that accomplish? I can't be at a higher level than a Fulfilled Crusher. I could only be at a lower level."
The first referee narrowed his eyes a bit, but he didn't protest.
"Combatants, enter the arena," he announced a moment later.
Kyle and Crimson Inferno looked at each other for a moment longer before entering the arena.
Kyle passed through a couple of Formation Arrays before he found himself inside an isolated space with his opponent and the two referees.
"As soon as we teleport out, the battle begins," the first referee announced. "Are both combatants ready?"
Kyle nodded with a smile.
Crimson Inferno also nodded as he pulled out his humongous sword.
"Then, the battle starts now!" the first referee transmitted to everyone.
An instant later, both referees teleported out of the Formation Arrays, leaving Kyle and Crimson Inferno to themselves.
Crimson Inferno clenched his sword as he prepared to charge forward.
Yet, he hesitated for a moment when he saw Kyle calmly stretching.
"Finally, I don't have to keep this stupid disguise up anymore," he transmitted to Crimson Inferno as his body started changing.
His wrinkles and grey hair vanished. Kyle's body became a bit more athletic but not bulky. After all, his Complex Body Law was still active.
At the same time, Kyle's uniform also changed to the dark-blue uniform of a member of the Array of Stars.
When Crimson Inferno saw Kyle's new appearance, he became serious.
After they had lost the last battle, Crimson Inferno started to suspect that their opponents might not be simple. There was a high chance that their opponents came from another powerful Organization.
Seeing his guess confirmed, Crimson Inferno knew that this would be a brutal battle, but there was also something else that made him take the situation very seriously.
Kyle's eyes.
For some reason, Crimson Inferno felt like there was something about Kyle he hadn't seen in any other Crusher before. He didn't know what it was, but he felt like Kyle was somehow… different.
Naturally, this effect came from Kyle's new Complex Mind Law.
He had fully integrated his Law of Meteor, and his eyes subtly demonstrated that fact.
Aspects of Power showed themselves in certain ways.
When Kyle had undergone the Aristocrat's Body Ritual, his aura had also changed considerably, but the effects had been a bit different back then.
Kyle's Complex Body Law changed the appearance of his body, while his Complex Mind Law showed itself in a different manner.
His eyes.
His eyes didn't exactly look different from before. They still had the same color and form. Kyle's mannerisms also hadn't changed a lot.
A normal person wouldn't be able to feel the subtle difference, but that was because their Energy Sense wasn't strong enough.
The closest connection one's mind had was with the eyes, and a mind also gave off Energy. Powerful Seekers could subconsciously sense the fine traces of someone's mind that exited through the eyes.
A Fulfilled Crusher wasn't strong enough to consciously discern and analyze these traces since they were so subtle, but they were strong enough to sense them subconsciously.
They just felt that something was different.
Kyle sighed in relief. He really didn't like constantly wearing a disguise.
Kyle moved his hand through his hair for a moment before looking at his distant opponent with a slight smile. "Don't you want to wear your real uniform as well?" he asked.
Crimson Inferno furrowed his brows.
For a second, he didn't do anything.
Then, his uniform changed to the black and white one of the Contrast Empire.
"There, doesn't that feel better?" Kyle asked with a smile.
"Why do you care?" Crimson Inferno asked.
"One of us is going to die soon," Kyle said. "If I am going to die, I don't want it to happen while I feel uncomfortable."
Crimson Inferno just kept looking at Kyle. "Are you not confident you can win?"
"Half-half," Kyle answered. "There's probably a 50% chance that I'm going to die."
Kyle smiled casually. "But I'm fine with that."
"You're fine with dying?" Crimson Inferno asked with a raised brow.
"Under the right circumstances, yes," Kyle said. "If some Sage appears and just kills me, I would feel pretty frustrated about my death, but this is a fair battle. We both have a good chance at winning, and if I don't win, it just proves that I don't have what it takes to reach the top."
"I want some semblance of control over my life, you know? As long as there's a chance, I'm fine with failing."
Crimson Inferno looked at Kyle for a bit longer.
Then, he shook his head. "I don't agree. Death represents an eternal end to a temporary existence. If you can't reach eternity, everything you have ever done will be for nothing. You're paying the ultimate price."
"I agree with you," Kyle answered casually. "Dying would suck a lot. Despite my words, I really don't want to die, but it's not death itself I fear. I think I'm more afraid of the regret I would have before dying. If I had just done this differently… if I had just trained more…"
"However, these regrets will only manifest if I haven't given my all. So, as long as I give my all, the regrets shouldn't be an issue."
"And even if I die…"
Kyle shrugged. "I tried my best and still failed. Whatcha gonna do?"
"Anyway," Kyle said as he summoned his hammer, an excited smile on his face. "I've been waiting for this fight for a while now. No more worries. No more uncertainty. Everything is decided right now!"
"Get ready!"
Crimson Inferno narrowed his eyes as he tightened his hands around his sword's handle.
This was the moment Crimson Inferno had dreaded the most. Today, his journey might end.
This was the moment Kyle had anticipated the most. Today, he would finally get to take another important step forward… or die.
He had prepared as much as he could.
There was nothing he could've done that he hadn't.
No regrets.
All or nothing!
A purple glow appeared in Kyle's mind as he activated his Momentum.
Yet, the surroundings didn't turn grey and oppressive.
As Kyle activated his Momentum, his Complex Mind Law also activated.
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