Noah's voice dropped into a cold, low register, his tone sharp enough to cut glass.
"So… I heard you like crippling other people's talents?"
The upgraded effect of Judgment was merciless. Under its suppression, Ethan Jiang's body trembled violently. The Weakened state wrapped around him like chains of lead, lasting a terrifying five minutes. He fought against it for a few moments, muscles bulging, veins popping across his forehead. But resistance was futile. Within seconds, his strength failed him.
Panic twisted across his face. Cold sweat soaked his back. For the first time, he truly realized—this was what it meant to face a Level 1 Demon-Slayer.
He wanted to scream it to the world: Nobody understands the power of Demon-Slayer better than me now!
Ethan's teeth chattered as he croaked, "D-Demon-Slayer, what… what do you want to do?"
The oppressive force of Judgment bore down harder. His twisted features revealed nothing but pain and despair.
Noah didn't answer. He simply stretched out his hand and walked closer, step by deliberate step.
A swirl of purple mist coiled within his palm, writhing like a living curse.
Ethan's eyes went wide with horror. His soul felt like it was being ripped apart.
"No… no way! How do you have the Doom of Talent?! That's impossible!"
Noah's reply was calm, indifferent, yet heavier than any mountain.
"Because I am the Demon-Slayer. Isn't that reason enough?"
Ethan's jaw clenched, words caught in his throat. Deep down, he knew it was true. The Demon-Slayer had already become an omnipotent figure in the eyes of every human player. For someone like him to wield a forbidden ability wasn't just possible—it was inevitable.
Finally, Ethan realized Noah's intention. His pupils shrank in terror.
"You… you're going to destroy my talent?!"
The thought alone froze his blood. Sheer panic exploded in his chest, and he began to scream.
"Demon-Slayer, you can't! I—I'm a top human expert! You need me!"
Noah lowered his gaze, eyes glinting with contempt. His words cut colder than ice.
"An A-rank piece of trash dares to call himself a top human expert?"
Without hesitation, his purple mist-coated hand clamped down on Ethan's head.
"NOOO!!!" Ethan shrieked, his voice raw with desperation. "Save me! Somebody, save me!!"
But the only answer was silence—except for a ripple in the air, something unseen darting toward the castle gates in a panicked rush.
[Warning: A Phantom Sprite is fleeing! Pull out your Void Staff and smash it before it gets away!]
The system's Eyes of the Gods prompt flashed. At the same time, Noah released the Doom of Talent in full force. The purple haze cascaded like a flood, invading Ethan's body and shredding everything it touched.
Ethan convulsed violently. Agonized screams tore through his throat. His once-vibrant aura shattered as his innate ability, the Thunderous Storm Talent, was obliterated.
Boom!
Ethan collapsed to the ground, limp and powerless. His talent was gone. He was nothing now. A cripple.
Noah's eyes flickered. Phantom Sprite? What level is it?
[Level 705.]
"Pathetic." Noah sneered. Without pause, he triggered Summon Deity.
"Dawn, lock it down."
"Yes, Master," the Goddess of Dawn's voice chimed.
A surge of divine power swept through the hall. A piercing scream erupted as the fleeing shadow was shackled mid-air, its invisible form writhing against luminous chains.
Noah studied it calmly. Can this thing cripple talents too?
[Negative. Talents are exclusive to humans. This Phantom Sprite is a demon lackey. It has no such power.]
"Then kill it," Noah ordered flatly.
"Yes."
The Goddess's divine light intensified. In the next heartbeat, the shadow disintegrated into ash, erased from existence.
Everything happened silently, unseen by anyone else. To the rest of the hall, nothing had transpired at all.
Turning back, Noah's gaze fell on Ethan Jiang, sprawled across the ground like a slaughtered pig. With his talent destroyed, he was already worthless. But Noah wasn't finished.
"Sanction."
Light erupted as holy power detonated inside Ethan's body.
Critical Hit! -33,645,373!
The number soared into the air, massive enough to make the onlookers gasp. Ethan didn't even have time to scream. His body exploded into fragments of light, shattering completely as he was forcibly revived by the system elsewhere.
The entire hall went silent. Noah's casual strike—damage in the tens of millions—made the gathered students from Imperial Capital University stare like they had just witnessed a god descend.
"T-That's the Demon-Slayer?" someone whispered, eyes wide.
"He's terrifying…"
In the crowd, Tang Xia muttered under her breath, unable to look away. Yesterday, she had still believed geniuses like the Demon-Slayer were unreachable beings—legends who could never be seen in a lifetime.
Yet now… she was standing right here, watching him in person.
Noah's clone stood beside her, lips curling into a smirk.
"Of course he's incredible. He's the Demon-Slayer."
Me praising myself, huh? Not bad.
Tang Xia's gaze softened. After a long moment, she added quietly, "Actually… Noah, what you did just now was even more impressive."
"What was that?" Noah tilted his head, pretending he hadn't heard.
Her face flushed bright red. She turned away sharply, grumbling, "Forget it. My dad says you're just a jerk anyway!"
When she turned back, Noah's avatar had already vanished.
Moments later, two school guardians burst through the ruined gates, staring in shock at the carnage. The blazing hall looked like a battlefield, and their expressions hardened.
Meanwhile, back at Jiangnan Second High, Principal's Office.
Noah had logged out of the Land of Divine Punishment. Rising from his chair, he turned to leave.
The old principal sat motionless by his crystal console, his hand frozen mid-gesture. He must have rushed in when he heard something was happening inside.
"Good. That saves me trouble," Noah muttered and strode toward the guest rooms on the third floor.
Bang!
The door slammed open under his boot.
Inside, Ethan Jiang lay slumped against a bench. Without his talent, his body was rejecting its own power, tearing him apart from within. Weak and drenched in sweat, he flinched at the sudden intrusion and fell to the floor with a thud.
"Noah, don't do anything rash!" Ethan wheezed, his voice trembling. "If you touch me, the Jiang family will hunt you to the ends of the earth!"
Noah crouched down, a mocking smile tugging his lips.
"Jiang family? Don't make me laugh. The evidence of your collusion with demons and forbidden arts is irrefutable. Your clan is already finished."
Ethan's eyes blazed with hatred. He forced out a snarl.
"You won't live long either! You've angered the organization. Even if you're an SSS-level prodigy, they'll put you on their death list. You'll never escape them!"
Noah's patience snapped. His fist ignited with roaring ice elements, frost swirling like a storm.
"Enough talking."
Boom!
His punch landed square on Ethan's skull. Blood and brain matter burst like a shattered watermelon.
Ethan Jiang died instantly.
To Noah, leaving him alive was never an option. Originally, he had planned to handle this later, after school. But Ethan's attempt to cripple him first sealed his fate.
At that exact moment, the door burst open. The old principal and a team of school leaders rushed in, faces grim—until they saw Ethan's corpse.
"Noah! What happened here?" one demanded.
Noah steadied his breathing, already preparing to feign an accident. But before he could speak, the old principal waved his hand dismissively.
"No need to explain. I already understand. Ethan Jiang brought this on himself. As long as you're safe, that's all that matters."