When it was over, the boy stood amidst the wreckage, his expression unreadable. The students lay sprawled on the ground, their pride and potential shattered.
"I should kill you," he said, "But I won't. Not because you deserve mercy, but because this isn't over yet."
He knew they were not the true masterminds behind the scenes; someone else, an elder figure from the school, ordered them. Moreover, he was still part of the school, so he could not kill them.
The boy stepped closer, his shadow looming over the tall youth, who was now trembling, his once-arrogant demeanor crumbling like a fragile facade.
Sweat beaded on the youth's forehead as he clutched his abdomen protectively, fear and desperation etched across his face.
"Wait!" the tall youth cried, raising a hand in a futile gesture to stop the boy. "Please, don't destroy my core! I'll do anything, anything! Just spare me!"
The boy tilted his head, his lips curling into a cold smirk. "Anything, you say?"
"Yes!" the youth stammered, his voice cracking. "I... I have a future! I've been chosen, destined, to ascend to immortality! If you destroy my core, my life is over. I'll be nothing but a cripple. Please!"
The boy's eyes gleamed with disdain as he crouched down, bringing his face level with the trembling youth.
"Pathetic! Do you see yourself right now? You are begging for your life. You can never become immortal with that weak heart."
The tall youth opened his mouth, but no words came. His lips quivered as his gaze darted around, seeking some escape and intervention but finding none.
Before the youth could respond, the boy's fist moved like a blur, slamming into his abdomen.
A burst of energy erupted from the impact, sharp and devastating. The youth's scream pierced the air, raw and filled with anguish.
The boy pulled his fist back, watching as the tall youth collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach. His spiritual core, once the foundation of his ascendancy, shattered beyond repair.
...
The boy stepped onto the school grounds, his figure drawing every gaze like a storm looming on the horizon.
His blood-streaked robes, worn and torn from the brutal fights in the forest, stood in stark contrast to the pristine white of the students bustling through the corridors.
Whispers ignited as his presence cut through the air, rumors fanning out like wildfire.
"Has he lost his mind?" someone whispered in disbelief.
"is he seeking death??" another muttered.
The elder's face betrayed a flicker of unease before hardening. "We'll see how long your insolence lasts. I will see in the trails."
...
The central courtyard buzzed with tension, its wide expanse now packed with hundreds of students. The elders stood in a solemn circle, their expressions grave.
In the center of the courtyard, the boy stood alone, his posture straight. Across from him, that elder and the crippled students' flanked him, their accusations ready.
That Elder stepped forward, his voice sharp and commanding. "This outer school's outer sector student has committed an unspeakable crime! He ambushed his fellow students during a mission, driven by jealousy and rage. Their cores were destroyed, their futures ruined, all because of his petty envy!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs, whispers, and speculation flying among the students.
"That's outrageous! Destroying cores... it's unforgivable," someone whispered.
"But why would he attack without reason?" another questioned.
The boy chuckled.
"Jealousy and rage?" He shook his head, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Is that the best excuse you could come up with?"
"You dare mock this trial?" That elder bellowed, his spiritual energy flaring.
"Mock? No, I'm here to reveal the truth. These students you defend attacked me first. They were sent to dispose of me." His voice hardened. "Or perhaps were You a part of it all along?"
The accusation was a thunderclap. Gasps rippled through the crowd, and even some elders stiffened.
"You're just an outer sector student!" That Elde barked, his voice filled with contempt and barely suppressed fury. "How dare you accuse an elder of such vile actions?"
The boy took a bold step forward, his eyes blazing with defiance. "Because it's the truth!"
The crowd froze, disbelief etched on every face. Gasps rippled like waves through the sea of students. The sheer audacity of the boy's words seemed to hang in the air, daring anyone to challenge him.