"Who is that?" the Emperor asked.

"Your Most Radiant and Eternal Imperial Majesty, that is the great-grandchild of the Duke of the Vane household."

"The what now?"

The Grand Chancellor held back an eye-roll.

"Sire, he was one of the generals back then. He was famous for his [Quake] ability."

"Quake?" The Emperor’s expression brightened with recollection. "Oh, the kid that gave a good massage? I saw him kill an ant once and took a liking to his ability. Hehe. I had the vision his ability would be used for great things. He was a good masseuse." He paused. "The only bad thing was that he was male." He shook his head in regret.

Would you have married him? The Grand Chancellor sighed internally. Only you would call a genius capable of killing a peak saint demon as an early saint a ’kid.’ And he was older than you back then.

He could only nod with a smile.

"Yes, Sire. He’s the one."

"I hear the child has the same level of ability as the duke. What rank again?"

"SS rank, Sire."

"Oh, boring. But he does look like he can kill five of them. Back then you couldn’t join my fan group if you couldn’t kill ten demons of the same rank. I only chose his great—" He paused. "What generation was he to the duke again?"

"His great-grandchild."

"Anyway. I only allowed the duke because he did a cross-kill, and you normies praised it. That was a very basic outcome for me back then."

"Indeed, Sire."

"Is that sass I hear?"

"It must be the wind."

"No ’Sire’?"

"Sire."

---

Elijah stared at the five greatback apes in front of him.

He cracked his neck. "Come."

He planted his feet, sending a shockwave toward the rushing apes, tripping them. Then he rushed the first.

[Quake Arts: First Form: Thousand Fist of Rumble]

He struck the ape in quick succession, each blow sending a tremor through its body. The final blow sent air flying.

He rushed the next.

[Quake Arts: Second Form: Distortion]

A charged blow landed on the ape, cratering the ground beneath it. The crater expanded as the ape was lifted upward from the force.

Elijah returned to the first form, launching barrages of punches. Midway, he changed his hands from fists to flat palms.

[Quake Arts: Third Form: Quake Stab]

He drove his hand straight into the ape. His hand emerged from its back.

He pulled free and stepped forward.

[Quake Arts: Fourth Form: Quake Step]

A tiny, highly pressurized burst of seismic force released from the soles of his feet, propelling him forward at blistering speed.

---

"Since when has he been able to do that?" Kya was shocked.

"Heh. As expected." Eden grinned.

Elijah had gone from simply spamming his ability and hoping for the best to using it in a systematic way.

"Is that the kid you fought?" Anton asked Jude without turning his head.

"Yes."

"How did you even beat him? He seems a lot stronger than you."

Jude stared at him. Really?

"I guess you must be ’quaking’ in your boots." Anton teased.

"He does have a decent ability." Jude shrugged. "Last time he could not apply it properly, but it seems he’s learned a lot in the time that’s passed. But I’m not scared either way."

"Jude, Elijah is mine to defeat." Eden called out from his position.

"Then you have to face him before I do."

---

"What do you guys think of my humble protégé?" Beckett asked.

"His ability can never beat the versatility of magic." Aldric sniffed from his chair.

"Go to sleep." Zeke kicked the head of his chair.

"You... I can’t even muster the energy to put up with your barbaric behavior."

"You haven’t seen my Kya." Camille’s voice carried a note of pride.

"Talk to me when she faces five monsters of the same rank."

"That’s the equivalent of an appetizer." Elio took a puff of his cigar.

---

Elijah faced the last ape. Their fists met, and the ape’s recoiled.

Elijah slipped into its guard and placed his palm on its chest.

[Quake Arts: Sixth Form: Full Application]

Shattered-glass lines appeared faintly across the ape’s skin as vibrations tore through it. For a split second, a sickening, heavy hum filled the air. Then the energy violently erupted.

Total internal collapse. The seismic force reverberated entirely within the ape’s body, pulverizing its internal organs, shattering its entire skeletal structure, and bursting outward from its back in a massive cone of kinetic force.

Elijah staggered, regaining his footing. Exhaustion was palpable, yet he refused to break. Stepping over the shattered remains of his opponent, he squared his shoulders and held his head high. Completely spent, a man walking on the absolute edge of collapse, he exited the arena with his posture utterly unconquered.

A roar erupted from the stands.

---

"I get to see the legendary application of the [Quake] ability!" a spectator exclaimed. "It may not be on the level of the duke destroying a demon, but this was awesome."

"Mm-mm. Although a grayback ape’s defense is not as strong as a demon’s, to do that highlights the strength of [Quake]. As expected of the genius touted to have the same ability rank as the duke."

"Nobles are on another level."

"Woooow!"

---

"Your Most Radiant and Eternal Imperial Majesty, how did you see this fight?" the Grand Chancellor asked. "Was it reminiscent of the old days when the duke fought alongside you?"

"Has old age clouded your mind?" The Emperor sneered. "When has anyone fought alongside me? They cleaned the dregs of the war while I focused on the heavy hitters. We did not fight together."

"Ahem. Of course, Sire. I was mistaken."

"Say what you will and don’t nest around the bush. You’re too old for that." The Emperor’s sneer deepened.

We are the same age. The Grand Chancellor rolled his eyes internally. This emperor really is shameless.

"I cannot hide anything from you, Your Most Radiant and Eternal Imperial Majesty." The Chancellor’s voice grew more pointed. "I wanted to remind you of the reason you appointed most nobles back then: their war merits. I would suggest, my lord, that we rearrange the noble peerage again in this coming war. Most of them have become lax and unbridled."

"Like you?" The Emperor’s gaze sharpened. "Or do you just want to be the only one who can do whatever he likes?"

"Surely you jest, Sire. What do they have on me? I’ve been through thick and thin with you from way back. I can surely say no one knows your embarrassing secrets the way I do. Not even your wives." The Chancellor smirked.

"Chancellor, dare to leak one imperial secret and see if I don’t have your head on a plate."

"I have backups. If I die, the whole world will know. Hehe."

"I command you by the edict of emperor to forget you remember those secrets. Or I’ll tell your wife what kind of pervert she married."

"What secrets?" The Chancellor’s tone turned solicitous. "The emperor has a secret? We must keep it at that, Sire. Allow this one to make sure that secret never sees the light of day."

"Hmph. We can do what you proposed. After all, it is imperial law and standard. Nobles are elected on strength and merits." The Emperor waved his hands.

---

"It seems I can now talk to you, Beckett. My disciple has soloed five monsters as well. What do you have to say?"

"She’s a mage." Beckett shrugged. "It’s guaranteed. She’s spamming long-range spells one after the other."

"Hmph. What a sore loser."

"And she hasn’t killed the last Hobo Goblin."

Zeke and Elio stared at him strangely. Is that even a human thing to say? Even a blind man can tell she’ll kill the last Hobo Goblin.

---

[Thunderclap]

Kya stepped forward, throwing an open hand toward the Hobo Goblin. In a fraction of a second, ambient static electricity violently rushed toward her palm. With a sharp pull-back of her trailing hand, a brilliant, crackling arrow of pure white-blue lightning solidified in mid-air. The pressure was so immense that loose pebbles and dirt around her feet began to float.

Release.

The arrow vanished. A blinding flash illuminated the area, followed instantly by a concussive CRACK that blew back her clothes and left a scorched, smoking line seared into the ground all the way to the goblin.

BOOM!

Kya turned back gloriously, marching away with a smug expression.

---

"That’s what a grandmaster mage can do." Camille’s smile was satisfied.

"As if none of us has seen a grandmaster mage before." Beckett rolled his eyes.

"We have faced them as well. I can say your disciple is good, but meh. She’s a better mage thanks to her noble descent." Aldric looked as if he had made the analysis of the year.

Camille threw a look of disdain, ignored him, and turned to Elio to hear his remark.

---

"Yosh. Good fight." Khan congratulated Kya as she walked up to them. "Now it’s our turn."

Kya smiled and joined them.

"It’s not even the inter-field section," Eden said. "Why are you happy? It’s just facing a couple of monsters."

"What a way to dampen the mood, Eden." Khan deadpanned.

"Eh." Eden shrugged.

—