A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1489 - 1006: Ranking Game_2

Chapter 1489: Chapter 1006: Ranking Game_2

Promotion is a rule in chess, where a pawn reaching the opponent’s final rank can transform into a Queen, Bishop, Rook, or Knight. In reality, this translates to a demon pawn gaining one of these powers upon nearing the enemy’s stronghold.

Duanmu Huai had played chess before, but he’d never paid attention to this rule—after all, his pawns were usually the first to die out, so who would care about what they could turn into?

"Well then... let the game begin."

With the sound of the class bell ringing, the ranked game formally commenced.

At this moment, Liliath also took out a map.

"Alright, our first priority is to find a way to break through Lessa’s soldiers..."

"No need to make it so complicated."

However, before Liliath could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Duanmu Huai. He stared at the window, then slowly walked over. At the same time, a jet-black Power Armor materialized on his body. Gripping the Thunder Warhammer tightly, he gazed intently outside.

"So, this is about deploying and arranging forces now, right?"

"Yes, Lessa will definitely use his superior numbers to put pressure on us, so..."

"No need to worry."

Duanmu Huai shook his head.

"I told you, this is my battle. All you need to do is sit back with some tea and enjoy the show!"

As the words fell, Duanmu Huai let out a roar and launched himself headlong at the window before him. He crashed through the old school building’s wall like an enraged bull, soaring high into the air with the Thunder Warhammer raised above his head!

"Die!"

As Duanmu Huai landed, the Thunder Warhammer in his hands smashed heavily into the ground.

"—————————!"

In that instant, an earth-shaking roar consumed the entire school.

Rushing to the window, Liliath and the others witnessed an unimaginable scene.

With Duanmu Huai’s hammer strike, the ground ahead caved in violently, as though thousands of tons of TNT hidden beneath the surface had detonated at once. The thick ground surged upward, cracks spreading outward like a spiderweb, and the air erupted as if inflating and combusting simultaneously. Trees and school buildings toppled; the explosive shockwave hurled debris skyward.

Their old school building wasn’t spared either. The structure shook violently, like a small boat caught in the raging waves of a storm. Even the demons like Liliath couldn’t steady themselves, collapsing to the ground amidst the chaos.

By the time they regained their senses and looked outside again, everyone was utterly stunned.

"My god... what just happened?"

Staring dumbfounded at the battlefield before her, Liliath was at a loss for words. Before her, the original hillside, as well as the new school building, the gymnasium—everything was completely gone. All that remained was a wasteland, covered in drifting dust like an ephemeral mist.

Just one strike?

With a single strike, he obliterated the entire school?!

Liliath couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew Duanmu Huai was strong, but she had never imagined he was *this* strong! She’d heard the myths—legends of the First Generation Demon King destroying an entire city with a single blow. But that was just mythology!

And now, she was witnessing, with her own eyes, a man who demolished nearly an entire school with just one attack!

Even the maid acting as the referee seemed stunned. After a long pause, her voice finally rang out again. Though still calm in tone, an unmistakable tremor betrayed her disquiet.

"Lessa Phoenix’s eight soldiers, two Knights, one Bishop, two Rooks, and one Queen... have been eliminated."

According to the game’s rules, sustaining critical damage during the battle would render someone incapacitated, automatically disqualifying and teleporting them off the battlefield.

Both sides had only just arrived at the battlefield and hadn’t even begun positioning their pieces. Yet, Duanmu Huai had obliterated the opponent’s entire base with a single strike. The demons hadn’t even had the chance to spread out before being completely annihilated.

One single strike incapacitated the entire opposing team of demons?!

Now it seemed like only the undead Phoenix and a single Bishop were left alive... Hmm, that Bishop sure got lucky.

But Lessa Phoenix didn’t feel lucky at all.

"What... what just happened?!"

Climbing up from the rubble, Lessa looked around in sheer terror. All he could see was floating dust, like mist covering the area. It was as if he were dreaming—how could this be possible? He had just entered the game, hadn’t even finished giving commands, and then... what on earth happened? How did it turn out like this?

He heard the referee’s announcement too, but his brain outright rejected the facts. How could his elite demons—so powerful—be wiped out in mere moments? That was impossible! That was absolutely impossible! Something had to have gone terribly wrong! Yes, that must be it...

"Thud... Thud... Thud..."

At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed. As the sound reached his ears, Lessa felt the hairs on his body stand on end, and even his blood seemed to freeze.