Chapter 36
`CHAPTER 35: The Final Move`
Teraden recalled the words Big Brother had spoken, his face twisting into a grotesque grimace.
*He couldn't even beat him. Where did this crazy bastard come up with such ridiculous talk... Ah, I'm the fool for believing it.*
The strength of Hyeondo far exceeded the limits Teraden had assumed based on Big Brother's words.
*Ugh... Damn it!*
Teraden spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm that had been lodged in the shattered rubble.
*No matter how hard I try, I can't win with this body. That bastard's a monster.*
Even in peak condition, facing an opponent with a slim chance of victory, the situation now—with his body wrecked—was far more hopeless.
No, frankly, with Teraden's current state, there was no way he could beat Hyeondo.
*This is hopeless. Right now, you pose no threat to me whatsoever.*
*Ha! Just you wait and see!*
*Hmm, even if we fought at the absolute peak of our condition, the outcome probably wouldn't have changed.*
Tadat!
Teraden shot forward with blinding speed, teeth clenched, channeling his Hwigwang into his fist as he swung at Hyeondo.
Hyeondo easily deflected the blow, blocking several more attacks before countering with a fierce palm strike to Teraden's side.
Wuddeuk!
A sickening crunch echoed as Teraden's back bent sharply, launching him flying across the battlefield.
*Hup!*
Teraden used the recoil to snap upright, then fired the condensed Hwigwang straight at Hyeondo.
Though its power was still vastly inferior to moments ago, Hyeondo sliced it apart in a single effortless motion.
Pop-pop-pow!
The severed halves of the Hwigwang detonated in a blast right behind Hyeondo.
*What? He cut it with one hand...? That's impossible.*
To Teraden, it looked as if Hyeondo had casually blocked his own Hwigwang, yet the light still burned brightly. Even Hyeondo felt a flicker of surprise from the pain radiating through his severed arm.
*This... Even with the body condition from fighting Big Brother, his power is this high? If I'd been hasty, I might have struggled a bit. Time's running out. It's time for a decisive finish.*
Jjeojeojeok!
Hyeondo, thoughts locked, slowly stepped forward. The ground beneath his feet crumbled and split under the sheer force of his pressure.
Scattered debris on the cracked earth scattered like dust the instant they brushed against the swirling blue flames.
The sight of him enveloped in flames, charging toward them, was enough to make one's knees buckle. But...
*Good. Let's see what kind of taste your flames have. Come on, bring it!*
Teraden didn't flinch at all—in fact, he pressed his palms together and opened them rhythmically, as if mocking Hyeondo.
Compared to Crow's Duck, who was a true monster, Hyeondo was nothing more than a child playing at battle.
*The one who ignored the warning is you. Don't blame me.*
Kwaa-aang!
After delivering his line, Hyeondo kicked off the ground and charged at Teraden with terrifying momentum.
The towering blue flames surged forward like an ocean wave, swallowing the entire area.
Teraden threw everything he had into a punch, but...
*What...!*
Hyeondo used the explosive velocity of the flames as propulsion to vanish from sight in an instant.
Teraden, expecting an ambush from behind, lowered his head. His intuition saved him.
Whoosh!
Hyeondo's fist grazed the top of Teraden's skull by mere centimeters. The ringing in his ears was so loud his hair felt as if it had been singed off, but there was no time for such trivial concerns now.
Without hesitation, Teraden unleashed a backhand at the Hyeondo standing behind him.
Yet the man who had let even a sliver of caution slide—Hyeondo himself—caught the fist mid-air.
Chiiiiik!
The arm caught in Hyeondo's grip began to melt with a horrifying sound.
*Kruk!*
The unbearable agony rendered Teraden's face twisted in agony.
Teraden strained desperately to pull away, but he was simply too exhausted to move.
The blue flames greedily devoured the flickering Hwigwang with savage hunger.
The trapped arm merely twitched weakly inside Hyeondo's grip, unable to escape.
The longer it burned, the more the flames spread, slowly devouring Teraden's body and encircling him like living darkness.
*Kr, kuugh... It hurts like hell, you bastard!*
*It's over.*
*I... I can't...!*
*If I just give up like this and lose, I can't stand it!*
Hwaa-aak!
Teraden somehow managed to bring his fist close to Hyeondo's face.
*You knew my fist wouldn't reach you, didn't you?*
Hyeondo looked at him with a hint of curiosity.
Teraden, enduring the burning pain, slowly opened the fist he had been clenching with effort. Two small spheres of light burst forth.
At the same moment, Teraden shouted with all his strength.
*Now!*
Jjeoeok—!
The instant his cry echoed...
Taking advantage of the momentary blindness caused by the Hwigwang exploding right in front of his face, Haru burst into the battlefield and struck Hyeondo's face and arm with a flying kick.
*Ugh...!*
Hyeondo, caught off guard by the sudden fire, only managed to let Teraden go. His stance collapsed as he was slammed backward.
Haru pressed the advantage, trying to deal as much damage as possible to Hyeondo.
*You damn bastard!*
But to buy time to restore his vision, the retreating Big Brother charged forward with burning eyes.
Haru swept the area in a red torrent, assessing the situation—Big Brother approaching from the front, Hyeondo and Teraden in his sights.
*Teraden took that much damage... Did he get ganged up on? In that case, taking out the guy in front of me first makes sense.*
Haru had barely enough time to form a plan.
Swaaa.
Evading the relentless surge of the red tide, Haru lightly dodged Big Brother's successive attacks and slipped into his embrace. Big Brother, already completely drained, had no chance against Haru's rapid assault.
*Kr, kuhheh...!*
Eventually, after taking multiple critical hits in an instant, Big Brother's body staggered several steps before collapsing like a broken doll.
Haru glanced back upon seeing Big Brother fall, checking on Teraden.
His appearance was almost too horrific to behold.
His entire body was drenched in blood, with patches of black burns covering even his arms.
The wounds were something he could heal after the Grand Night ended, but thinking of the pain Teraden had endured, Haru couldn't bring himself to speak.
After all, if he hadn't abandoned his post—or if he had returned even a little sooner—Teraden wouldn't have been so badly injured.
*Sorry. I'm way too late.*
*No, you showed up just in the nick of time. This reminds me of that day in Dongye, somehow?*
Yet, as if the matter was nothing at all, Teraden's face actually lit up with a grin.
Haru knew that forced smile was meant to reassure him, but he chose not to show it.
*Our positions are reversed, but... You've worked hard. I'll handle the rest.*
*Yeah, time for the next one.*
After speaking, Teraden rolled backward.
*Teraden? Hey, you can't be...*
*Don't worry. I'm fine. Ah, last thing—eat this. Hahaha!*
Teraden propped himself up only with his upper body, throwing a heavy punch at Hyeondo before collapsing again.
It was the Teraden who always was to the end.
*...So one has fallen.*
*My left eye's vision isn't returning properly. My right arm won't move the way I want it. Is it because of that Hwigwang explosion earlier? Well, regardless, the result remains the same.*
Having confirmed Teraden's fall, Hyeondo deactivated his Ineung and murmured softly while covering his left eye socket.
*You, Aaron Blanser, and finally Amerik Junior. If I take down these three, it will be my victory.*
*It won't be as easy as you say.*
*Haaaaap!*
Pwaa-aang!
Hyeondo gathered his spirit, roared, and reopened his Ineung. A pillar of blue flames shot skyward from his body.
*One picture is worth a thousand words. In facing you, I have truly witnessed the power of the Arirang clan. Since you are also of the Arirang clan, I will use my utmost strength to defeat you.*
*As I wished.*
*Then, shall we begin?*
Slow, heavy steps. Jjeojeojeok!
Hyeondo and Haru, eyes locked without a word, began slowly advancing toward each other.
Tadat! Kwaa-aang!
The closer they got, the faster they sped until they collided in the center of the ruined rubble.
From the clash between Teraden and Big Brother to the duel between Haru and Hyeondo...
Those watching the decisive, pivotal battles found it impossible to keep their mouths shut.
Some even chattered excitedly like children, eyes sparkling.
*Hyeondo's strength truly lives up to its reputation—unbelievable!*
*Krhm! I should take the one raised in the North Kingdom.*
*What nonsense! Hyeondo belongs with our East Kingdom!*
Since roughly half the crowd had come specifically to see Hyeondo, their attention was fixed on him rather than Haru or Teraden.
If Hyeondo continued growing like this, he would surely reach the seat of the Seven Pillars in the future.
Many were already determined to recruit him into their own forces.
*No matter how you look at it, the one we must keep an eye on is the Arirang clan, right? Indeed, the Arirang clan is truly the Arirang clan.*
Others also praised the Arirang clan.
*Yes, that's right. The kid using Hwigwang dominated the entire Grand Night without rest!*
*Hwigwang. What an incredible Ineung. The kid who wielded it so skillfully...*
*The kid facing Hyeondo in his place—watching him fight so nimbly? He took down Big Brother faster than he defeated the Hwigwang user!*
Haru... Well, being of the Arirang clan, after taking down a dozen or so in the early rounds, he hadn't shown particularly outstanding performance and thus received less attention.
On the other hand, Teraden, who had displayed exceptional skill, drew significant notice.
The moment the Grand Night began, he had taken down over a dozen top students and pushed Big Brother, the second-ranked among them, to the brink of defeat.
Moreover, after the battle with Big Brother, he had stubbornly held his ground against Hyeondo, pulling back his power at the perfect moment.
*Ugh, I guess I underestimated this batch a bit too much.*
The headmaster, watching the Grand Night alongside the higher-ups, felt no different.
*Hehe, indeed?*
*Yes, perhaps this batch might even win. Hahaha.*
The headmaster, laughing heartily, focused once more on the communication mirror where Haru's and Hyeondo's fight continued.
* * *
At that same moment, in the women's dormitory.
*Haah... Haah.*
Even as the Grand Night drew to a close, Maru and Narak remained locked in battle.
Narak, hair now a complete mess with no semblance of order, panted heavily.
Maru, seemingly irritated, puffed out her cheeks.
*You... You stubborn bitch! Just fall already...!*
It was then, in the midst of Narak's half-mad screaming, that—
Boom! Boom! Kwoong!
*Move!*
Pwaaang!
*Kruhk...!*
Suddenly, Blanser appeared and kicked Narak square in the back.
He had come here first to check on Maru, having passed the entrance.
*Maru, are you okay?*
*U-um... Yeah, I'm fine.*
*Who's Narak? Where is she?*
Maru answered with a dazed look, pointing a finger toward the corner.
There, Narak was pinned against the wall, twitching pathetically before eventually going still.
*Eh... It's all over? Then let's go to the hyungs!*
* * *