Lin vanished from his position the very moment the Fifth Elder announced the start of the battle.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The stone floor exploded beneath his feet, and his body turned into a flashing blue streak that immediately made the eyes of most disciples widen in shock.
"He disappeared?!"
"What is that speed?!"
"Damn it! I didn't see anything at all!"
"Where did he go?!"
Even some first-generation disciples stretched their necks trying to follow his movements, but it was useless, because all that remained of Lin was fragmented blue afterimages circling above the arena like endless flashes of lightning.
Meanwhile, Daren—
Remained standing in place without taking a single step.
His massive hammer rested steadily on his shoulder, and his gaze remained fixed toward the spot where Lin had been standing before the battle started, as if he did not care at all about what was happening around him.
In the next moment—
Blue lines began appearing in the sky, then beside Daren, then behind him, then directly above his head.
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Lin was moving around him at a terrifying speed, to the point it looked as though multiple copies of him were spinning around the entire arena.
Once from above.
Once from the right.
Once from behind.
Then suddenly from the front.
The blue light continuously cut through the air, while violent winds began striking the edges of the arena because of his speed.
"My god…"
"He's literally flying!"
"No, that's not flying! That's just pure speed!"
"How is Daren even supposed to keep up with him?!"
Meanwhile, Daren—
Did not even blink. He simply remained standing there with overwhelming calm.
Then—
Lin's smile widened as he spun even faster.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Dust suddenly exploded in the middle of the arena, and the ground shook violently enough to make several disciples rise from their seats.
"It started!"
"Did he hit him?!"
"What happened?!"
The wave of dust slowly retreated… revealing the true shock.
Lin was directly behind Daren, his spear extended toward Daren's back after delivering a lightning-fast strike at terrifying speed.
But—
Daren stopped the spear with his hammer effortlessly and without even turning around or moving from his spot.
Without even lowering the hammer from his shoulder.
Silence filled the arena for an entire second.
"W…What?!"
"He blocked it?!"
"He didn't even look behind him!"
Meanwhile, Lin—
Showed obvious irritation on his face.
"Tsk!!"
He jumped backward quickly and returned to his side of the arena, while Daren slowly pushed the spear away before bringing his hammer back in front of him and planting its tip into the stone floor.
Boom…
Then he raised his eyes toward Lin and calmly said in a mocking tone:
"Your strikes are as light as feathers, Lin."
A brief silence spread across the arena.
"Despite your speed…"
He slightly raised his hammer.
"…your movements are easy to read."
Then the corner of his mouth lifted into a faint smile.
"Is this really all you have?"
Lin lowered his head for a moment.
But suddenly—
His laughter echoed through the arena.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
He raised his face again, wearing an irritatingly wide grin.
"A light strike?"
He laughed even harder.
"You really are an idiot, Daren."
Then he pointed his spear at him.
"I was only warming up my body before actually starting the game."
"Don't tell me you seriously took that attack seriously?"
Meanwhile, Daren—
His expression did not change. He only gave a tiny smile, and in the very next moment—
He disappeared from his spot.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Lin's eyes widened instantly as he saw Daren's gigantic body leaping directly toward him from above while the massive hammer descended toward his head like a falling mountain.
"Hah!"
Lin dodged the attack at the last second.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The floor shattered violently, and rocks flew into the air.
But Daren did not stop.
He immediately turned and leapt toward him again.
Then another strike.
Then another.
Then another.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
Meanwhile, Lin—
Was dodging everything with terrifying ease, moving gracefully between the strikes as though dancing across the arena.
"Hahahaha!"
He jumped backward while laughing.
"Slower! Slower, Daren!"
"Do you really think you'll hit me like this?!"
Up above—
The disciples began laughing and talking excitedly.
"He can't even touch him!"
"Lin is dodging everything effortlessly!"
"Daren is strong… but he's way too slow compared to him!"
"Damn, the difference is obvious!"
"He hasn't managed to hit him even once so far!"
Meanwhile, Shin—
Was watching the battle with wide eyes.
"Lin's speed is disgustingly ridiculous…"
Then he looked toward Faiser.
"I think Daren is actually in trouble."
Even Shireen slowly nodded.
"All of his attacks are being dodged…"
"If this continues, he'll only exhaust himself."
Meanwhile, Faiser—
Sat there with absolute calm while a small smile appeared on his face.
"Haha…"
He lowered his gaze toward the arena.
"Well done, Daren…"
"…it seems your idea is finally starting to work."
Shin quickly looked at him.
"Hah? What do you mean?"
But Faiser did not answer. He simply continued staring silently at the arena.
Down below—
Lin was still dodging every strike effortlessly while Daren continued chasing him with his gigantic hammer.
Then suddenly—
Daren stopped attacking.
He calmly returned to his place and rested the hammer back on his shoulder as if nothing had happened.
"Hmm?"
Lin laughed lightly.
"What's wrong?"
Then he spun his spear mockingly in his hand.
"Hahahahaha, did you finally get tired of chasing me?"
He stepped forward.
"You know you're much slower than me, so why exhaust yourself with all those random attacks in the first place?"
He laughed louder.
"Don't tell me you actually expected to hit me!"
Meanwhile, Daren—
Finally smiled.
"Really?"
Then he gestured toward him with his free hand.
"Then come attack me."
"Your turn now, Lin."
Lin narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Tsk…"
Then his smile returned again.
"You're starting to get arrogant, Daren."
He lowered his body slightly.
"But fine…"
"…I'll finish you quickly."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Lin vanished again, charging directly toward Daren at a speed so fast the air exploded behind him.
But—
Just a moment before reaching him—
He stumbled.
"Hah?!"
His movement slowed for an incredibly tiny fraction of a second.
Just a moment. A tiny moment barely noticeable.
But—
For Daren… it was enough.
The gigantic hammer suddenly appeared directly beside Lin's face without warning.
Lin's eyes widened completely.
"Hah!! Wha—?!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The hammer slammed directly into Lin's face, blasting his body violently into the ground and completely shattering the arena beneath him.
The entire arena shook, and everyone stopped breathing for a moment.
"H…He hit him?!"
"How?!"
"Impossible!!"
"Lin slowed down?!"
Even Shin violently rose from his seat.
"What just happened?!"
Meanwhile, Shireen—
Covered her mouth in shock.
"Lin…!!!"
Above on the elders' platform—
The Third Elder's eyes widened.
"Hoooooh?!"
Meanwhile, the Fifth Elder—
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"So he finally noticed it…"
Meanwhile, the Fourth Elder—
The corner of his mouth quietly lifted without saying a word.
And only Faiser…
Was smiling as though he had been waiting for this moment from the very beginning.
"Exactly as I expected."
He sighed lightly.
"He finally fell for it."
Inside the arena—
Lin was kneeling over the shattered floor, blood dripping down the side of his face while his breathing was unstable.
He slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with shock.
"What…?"
He breathed heavily.
"How did he hit me…?!"
He gritted his teeth.
"I'm faster than him…!"
Then he screamed inwardly in rage:
"How?! How how HOW?!"
Suddenly—
Loud laughter echoed through the arena.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
Despite the pain, Lin immediately raised his head.
Only to find Daren standing before him, the hammer resting on his shoulder while his other hand covered his face as he laughed loudly.
Even the disciples looked confused by his laughter.
"Why is he laughing?!"
"Has he gone insane?!"
Meanwhile, Lin—
Shouted angrily:
"What's so funny, Daren?!"
Daren's laughter gradually stopped before he slowly began walking toward him.
One step… then another…
The gigantic hammer resting on his shoulder while a heavy gray aura gradually spread around his body.
Every step he took released a low sound across the shattered arena.
Boom… Boom…
Even the air itself began growing heavier.
He stopped directly before Lin, then looked down at him silently for two full seconds before finally speaking:
"Lin…"
His smile disappeared completely.
"…you're fast."
A brief silence followed.
"But…"
He lowered his gaze toward him coldly.
"…you're stupid and reckless."
Lin's eyes widened furiously.
"What… do you mean?!"
Daren answered with calm mockery:
"Look at the arena."
"…Beneath you."
"And around you."
"Look carefully this time."
Lin nervously looked around.
Then suddenly—
His eyes widened completely.
"The arena…"
"…it's all destroyed… when?!"
The floor was filled with craters and cracks caused by Daren's previous attacks. Nearly every part of the arena had become unstable.
Meanwhile, Daren—
Laughed lightly.
"See?"
Then he pointed his hammer toward the ground.
"You thought I was attacking randomly because I couldn't keep up with you."
His smile widened.
"How stupid."
Then he stepped closer.
"I was deliberately destroying the arena from the very beginning."
Silence spread across the arena.
Meanwhile, Lin—
His eyes gradually widened as he finally began understanding what had happened.
"You…"
Daren continued:
"You rely too much on your speed."
"And because of that, I knew…"
He slightly raised his hammer.
"…all I had to do was make you angry."
"Then you'd charge straight toward me without thinking."
Lin gritted his teeth.
Meanwhile, Daren—
Continued with a cold smile:
"And when your foot stumbled because of the shattered arena…"
He rested the hammer back onto his shoulder.
"…you slowed down for only a single second."
Then he looked directly into his eyes.
"But that second…"
A heavy silence spread throughout the arena.
"…was more than enough to crush you."
Lin clenched his fist tightly.
Meanwhile, Daren—
Finally sighed while lightly shaking his head.
"So I'll say it again, Lin…"
"…you're reckless."
Then his voice gradually lowered.
"…weeeeeeeeak."
At that moment—
A terrifying blue aura suddenly erupted from Lin's body.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
What remained of the arena cracked beneath his feet while he slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with terrifying rage.
Then—
He smiled… but this was not a normal smile this time.
"Haha…"
"…are you finally done talking now?"
At the top of the stands—
Faiser's small smile finally disappeared.
"Oh…"
Then he narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…so he's finally going to reveal what he's truly hiding. Hahahaha…"