I Regressed and Gained the Power of a Dragon (98) Duel of Superhumans (3)

Ziiing.

The dungeon portal's entrance trembled violently before spewing out a brilliant light.

"We're out!"

"Who's that?"

"It's Kim Jehyun! Kim Jehyun came out first!"

"No way, did Kim Jehyun win?"

The crowd gasped in shock as they spotted Kim Jehyun emerging first from the portal. Since the events inside the dungeon weren't broadcast live, they assumed his victory from his early exit.

"N-No, this can't be."

Yoon Jiyong, who had been waiting for Kim Sang-hwi at the portal entrance, blinked in disbelief, his face draining of color. Had his boss really lost? No way. They'd poured so much into this operation. But according to plan, Kim Jehyun should never have seen the light of day outside again. Kim Jehyun walking out unscathed meant Kim Sang-hwi's failure.

'Where's boss?'

Yoon Jiyong waited for Kim Sang-hwi to emerge, desperate to understand what had happened. But then...

Ziiing.

The portal entrance began shaking irregularly.

"......!"

Yoon Jiyong and everyone else fell silent, staring in awe. This was the phenomenon of a dungeon collapsing—its core destroyed, no life forms remaining inside.

Ziiing.

Fwaah.

The portal shuddered one last time before vanishing completely. In its place lay ordinary terrain, as if nothing had ever been there.

"What the hell is this?!"

Yoon Jiyong whipped his head toward Jehyun.

Kim Sang-hwi hadn't escaped? Dead inside? Yoon Jiyong stormed up to Jehyun and bellowed.

"You bastard... what dirty trick did you pull?!"

Jehyun replied to his rage with an icy tone.

"The dirty tricks came from that 'boss' of yours."

He continued coldly.

"If you're gonna stab someone in the back, you gotta risk your own first, right? Common sense."

"What bullshit is that?! Notary! This punk must've screwed over my boss with some foul play! Fuck! Even in an official duel like this?!"

This scenario hadn't been in their plans, leaving Yoon Jiyong unable to think straight. Confusion, fury, absurdity swirled within him. In his muddled state, branding Kim Jehyun the villain felt like his only escape.

He snarled at the notary.

"Uh... w-well, this is..."

Han Myung-hee stammered, looking equally flustered. With the notary frozen, the atmosphere descended into chaos.

"What? Did Kim Jehyun really do something shady inside?"

"Does that mean everything the Black Snake Clan said was true? Even Jang Gwang-seok's story?"

"Whoa......"

Murmurs grew among the onlookers. That's when Jehyun stepped forward, pulling an item from his pocket.

"A recording orb?"

Han ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Myung-hee's eyes lit up in recognition. She instantly sensed it held the truth.

"This records everything that happened in the dungeon. Please verify."

"Ah! Y-Yes, of course."

She carefully took the orb from Jehyun, confirmed its authenticity, and announced it to all. Activating it projected a massive hologram for everyone to see.

"......"

A hush fell over the crowd as they watched breathlessly.

It started with Jehyun slaying the boss—to prove he'd claimed it and obtained the manastone.

"Insane!"

Their eyes bulged at the sight. He'd felled the giant black ant king with just two spells. And it wasn't even a normal boss—a mutant. Its aura screamed beyond B-rank.

"C-Casting speed's basically zero! How?!"

"And that power—why's it so overwhelming?!"

"Whoa, so that's the might of fire magic blessed with golden mana."

Exclamations of shock, awe, and amazement erupted as the boss crumpled.

"Then why'd Kim Sang-hwi...?"

Someone muttered. Suddenly, Kim Sang-hwi appeared behind Jehyun, unleashing Death Formation to eliminate him. The betrayal played out vividly.

"......"

Speechless. No one had imagined the Black Snake Clan pulling this in a formal Duel of Superhumans.

Kim Sang-hwi's words exposed the Black Snake Clan's vile intent. Faces ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠twisted in disgust.

'F-Fuck. We're screwed.'

Cold sweat beaded on Yoon Jiyong's forehead. Survival no longer mattered—the clan faced public ruin.

'You mad bastard! Die alone—why spill everything?!'

He inwardly cursed his former "boss" in panic.

The footage continued: Jehyun summoning the light spirit and World Tree Bow. Fresh waves of shock rippled out.

"Whoa! What the—? That's the light spirit?!"

"No way... Kim Jehyun's the first to contract it, right?"

"A mage summoning a light spirit? Possible?"

"I-Is that really a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠5th Circle mage?"

Only gasps from the crowd. Then, piercing Death Formation with the bow and erasing Kim Sang-hwi—the reaction exploded.

"That destructive power... What even is that bow?"

"Whoa... Legendary-grade at least, right?"

"Kim Jehyun's a beast."

"Good riddance to that filthy demon Kim Sang-hwi!"

"Wait, we've all been played by the Black Snake Clan?"

Gazes mixed admiration for Jehyun with hostility toward the lone Black Snake remnant, Yoon Jiyong.

"Notary, your judgment, please."

Han Myung-hee snapped out of her daze.

"The Duel of Superhumans victor is Magic Tower mage Kim Jehyun. Black Snake Clan, hand over the promised spoils... And due to rule violation, Kim Jehyun decides their fate."

Jehyun approached Yoon Jiyong, claiming the dark ant king manastone. Then he spoke.

In cases of foul play exposed, victims could demand one thing and atonement from the culprit. All eyes fixed on him curiously.

"No need for apologies. I want the Black Snake Clan... dissolved."

"......!"

Stunned silence from the expectant crowd.

* * *

Jehyun smiled faintly at the new Dragon God Temple ticket. One more visit, and hitting level 60 would be trivial.

'200,000 points are nice too.'

He checked his status window.

His points already topped 900,000. A bit more, and he'd hit a million—enough to skip stage 5 gear for stage 6, or buy elixirs.

'Dragon God Temple first, then...'

His excitement bubbled—until his phone buzzed. Song Jiseok calling.

Jehyun tilted his head and logged into the community.

Jehyun stared blankly at the boards flooded with his name, then chuckled and clicked one.

Admiration and praise overflowed—enough to embarrass him.

"......Whoa."

He'd thought he'd adapted to attention, but this explosion left him dazed. Yet it felt good—heart tickling, a grin spreading naturally.

'Those in the spotlight lived like this, huh.'

He chuckled. Alkasha muttered beside him.

Jehyun shrugged it off.

"What, think they'll react more?"

He figured the hype would fade soon.

"Anyway, challenging level 50 today."

His eyes gleamed at the Dragon God Temple ticket.

Stage 6 realm. The sixth dragon legacy. Time to claim them.