Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 182
Chapter Title: Ferocious Beast Championship
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Time flew by, and the day of the Ferocious Beast Championship had finally arrived.
The people of the Southern Frontier began gathering at the arena located in the heart of the Southern Frontier Beast Palace.
The arena, meticulously crafted over many years by the Southern Frontier's architects, was circular in shape, resembling a shallow well.
Surrounding it were iron bars that stretched up to block out the sky, through which the warriors of the Beast Palace looked down upon the arena.
The height wasn't too great, allowing for a vivid experience of the battles, but the black iron bars separating the arena from the spectator seats were sturdy enough to withstand any ferocious beast.
And right in front, overlooking it all.
In the spectator seats, there was a special area with the best view of the arena.
There sat the Palace Lord, the Vice Palace Lord, and Hyeok Mulin in a row, gazing at the arena.
"Fascinating. To think they'd devise an arena like this."
Ferocious beasts had always been a part of Southern Frontier history.
The arena where these events took place was no different.
"It started as entertainment, pitting beasts against each other, but at some point, it grew into this grand event called the Ferocious Beast Championship."
Hyeok Mulin spoke up after hearing the Palace Lord's leisurely tone.
"You sound awfully relaxed. Quite confident, aren't you?"
"Of course. In all the Southern Frontier, I've never seen a beast that could beat my Black Tiger. You might not understand the feeling of entering a fight you can't lose."
"Heh. That confidence will shatter today."
Suma Geon, who had been listening silently, chimed in.
Suli Tae replied nonchalantly to his words.
"I don't know what you've brought, but it'll be for naught."
"We'll see about that when we match long against short. Watch, and you'll get your answer."
The two exchanged words without yielding an inch, tension thick in the air.
When a brief lull fell, Suma Geon glanced sidelong at Hyeok Mulin and spoke.
"By the way, I've heard some strange rumors lately. Is it true that the Cult Leader has sided with the Eldest Princess?"
This was information the Palace Lord had also heard, so he subtly turned to look at Hyeok Mulin as well.
Receiving their gazes, Hyeok Mulin slowly curved his lips.
"That's right. I'm supporting the Eldest Princess as the next Palace Lord."
"Hmm..."
"As expected..."
At Hyeok Mulin's answer, the two showed subtly different yet similar reactions.
With two outstanding candidates available, they couldn't fathom why he'd choose the hopeless path.
"Does the Cult Leader truly believe she can ascend to the throne?"
"Why not?"
"I see. I understand your intent, Cult Leader."
Suli Tae and Suma Geon still looked unconvinced, but their conversation ended there.
Already, their eyes were fixed solely on each other.
The Eldest Princess no longer existed in their view, so there was no need to dwell on her.
Soon after silence returned, a warrior with prominent abdominal muscles stepped into the center of the arena.
"Thank you for waiting."
With his greeting, he looked up at the upper seats, packed with most of the Beast Palace residents who had come to watch.
"I am Bang Tara, chieftain of the Gair Tribe."
The hot-tempered Gair Tribe was a core clan in the Beast Palace, and its chieftain oversaw the main event.
After introducing himself, Bang Tara boomed out.
"No more delays. I now declare the Ferocious Beast Championship begun!"
"Waaaaah—!"
Cheers pierced the sky. He continued his explanation.
"Only eight beasts qualify for the Ferocious Beast Championship."
Four had clawed through hundreds-to-one preliminaries to reach this point. The other four had advanced straight to the main event without preliminaries, thanks to their owners' or their own reputations.
"The rules are simple."
Winners faced winners, climbing higher. Losers left the arena; winners awaited the next challenger.
"Now, we determine the bracket. It will be decided by the hand of our great Palace Lord."
Snap.
Suli Tae stood and drew the lots right there.
The revealed bracket drew gasps from the crowd.
"Ooooh!"
"In that case..."
"The semifinals will pit those two against each other."
The spectators swallowed hard upon seeing the bracket.
Hyeok Mulin, watching from nearby, nodded with interest.
'The Palace Lord and Vice Palace Lord's beasts are on the right bracket.'
Their beasts were clustered on the right side.
Not facing off immediately, but one win each would send them to the semifinals against one another.
'Not a bad bracket.'
Meanwhile, the Golden Leopard he'd specially trained was on the opposite left side.
They wouldn't meet until the finals.
Well, the bracket didn't really matter anyway.
It was a battle to the last one standing.
To win it all, he'd just beat whoever came, no matter who.
Finishing his thoughts, Hyeok Mulin looked toward Sua Rang in the distant spectator seats.
"Plea...se... win... Gold..."
She had her hands clasped, murmuring some chant.
Her personal way of easing her tension and worry, it seemed.
As Hyeok Mulin smirked and turned away, Bang Tara spoke again.
"Now, the first match begins! The beasts are the Flame Bear and the Black Iron Ape!"
The battle started the moment the gates opened.
Bang Tara signaled and retreated.
Rumble rumble—
Soon, the iron gates on both sides of the arena creaked open amid ground-shaking vibrations.
Thud. Thud.
Gigantic footsteps echoed through the arena.
From the left emerged a brown-furred Flame Bear, rearing up on its hind legs.
It was a colossal beast as tall as five grown men stacked.
Grooooar—!
The bear unleashed a savage roar that shook the entire arena.
The crowd shivered, legs weakening at the sound.
"Impressive resonance."
"One-on-one, head-on against a bear? Not easy."
"But the opponent is..."
Despite the bear's mighty presence, the crowd's anticipation shifted rightward.
Out came a monkey with jet-black fur and a robust build.
An animal rare in the Central Plains, it was a burly, muscle-bound beast.
But the real reason for the excitement was elsewhere.
The Black Iron Ape had won the previous Ferocious Beast Championship.
Though the Palace Lord's Black Tiger hadn't participated then, its championship proved its strength, earning it a direct bye to this main event.
Flame Bear versus Black Iron Ape.
The bear had the larger frame.
But.
Whoosh!
The Black Iron Ape kicked off the ground and leaped onto the bear's back.
Grabbing its shoulder, it let out a bellow.
Astonishingly, the bear's arm tore clean off, bone and all.
Unbelievable strength.
The Flame Bear screamed in agony, rolling to shake it off, but the Ape clung fast.
The rest unfolded the same.
Ripping off the other arm, the Ape seized the bear's head and yanked it upward.
With the spine dangling from its hand alongside the head, the duel ended.
The crowd had watched the bear's entrance with high hopes.
But it was an overwhelming victory for the Black Iron Ape, leaving them in awe of the former champion.
"As expected."
"That overwhelming power never fails to impress."
"Those hands could tear steel apart."
"No beast survived against it in the last tournament."
"Poor next opponent."
The Black Iron Ape returned to its cage amid the crowd's admiration, and warriors cleared the bear's corpse.
"The first match ends with the Black Iron Ape's victory."
Once the arena was cleaned, Bang Tara announced the next.
"Now, the second match. Twin Venom Giant Dragon Serpent versus Golden Leopard!"
"Hm?"
"Golden...?"
The crowd tilted their heads.
"Is the Eldest Princess entering the main event?"
"Unexpected choice."
Sua Rang had advanced directly via her status as Eldest Princess, skipping preliminaries.
The warriors, learning of her participation now, voiced their doubts.
Given her personality, sending a beloved pet like a friend into this brutal arena was surprising.
Moreover, her leopard had shown only curiosity toward other beasts, no aggression, deepening their puzzlement.
Hiss...
When the Twin Venom Giant Dragon Serpent appeared, their doubt turned to worry.
It was a snake massive enough to coil around the Flame Bear several times—a dragon in all but name.
Its twin fangs, protruding from its maw, were as thick as a man's torso, its size evident even from afar.
"That thing..."
"The Eldest Princess's leopard has to face it?"
The Golden Leopard was average-sized for its kind; the crowd couldn't imagine it beating that serpent.
The size difference was immense; even approaching would mean being crushed in its coils.
As the worried crowd buzzed, the opportunistic Vice Palace Lord spoke up.
"Looks like the result is in even without watching."
Hyeok Mulin turned to Suma Geon and Suli Tae.
"Do you both think the Golden Leopard will fall here?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"Against an average foe, maybe hope, but with the Twin Venom Giant Dragon Serpent? Forget it."
A rare moment of agreement between Suli Tae and Suma Geon.
Hyeok Mulin, hearing them, lightly lifted the corner of his mouth.
"How about a little wager, then?"
Wager...?
"I'll bet a thousand gold taels on the Golden Leopard winning this Ferocious Beast Championship."
"What?"
A thousand gold taels was no small sum, even for the Heavenly Demon.
Suma Geon's eyes widened at Hyeok Mulin's words; soon, he couldn't hold back a scoff.
"Pfft, you're joking, right? How could that thing, which can't even win once, take the championship?"
"Agreed. You must not know beast ecology well. Withdraw now, and I'll pretend you never said it."
But Hyeok Mulin ignored them, simply gazing down at the arena.
Then.
Flash—
Something shot from the iron gate like lightning, charging the serpent.
And.
Gulp.
It vanished straight into the snake's maw.
The crowd was speechless.
Moments later, laughter erupted from those who couldn't hold it.
"Puhaha! Walked right into the snake's dinner!"
"No chance of winning, so it gave up."
"What a ridiculous fight..."
But before their words finished.
Rip tear!
The Golden Leopard burst out through the serpent's body.
Covered head to tail in snake blood, it stood firm.
Soon, the serpent's massive corpse, gutted through, collapsed lifelessly.
The crowd gaped, unable to speak, lost in shock at the scene.
Kyaaaak—!
In the sudden silence, the Golden Leopard's gleaming eyes flashed as it roared skyward.
Bang Tara snapped to and hurriedly shouted.
"Th-the second match is the Golden Leopard's victory!"
Even after his declaration, the spectators stared with mouths agape, eyes wide in disbelief.
Suli Tae and Suma Geon were no different.
"What just happened...?"
"I bet a thousand taels on the Golden Leopard's championship."
As they reeled from the blink-of-an-eye victory, Hyeok Mulin slowly smiled.
"So, what will you wager?"
Hyeok Mulin's gaze drifted leisurely toward them.