Squad Showdown (3)
Kang Hak rolled his eyes. The fearless punk grabbing him, the annoying one leading with summons, and even the one messing with his Yeong-ryeok.
These bastards for real.
If only he'd taken out the last-place loser in one go.
If only he'd charged in with the resolve to kill from the start.
This humiliation wouldn't have happened.
He was pissed. All he needed was to scrape into the finals without much fuss.
"Don't provoke me anymore."
His low voice spread across the battlefield.
"I have a reason I must reach the finals. So when I'm asking nicely, just behave."
But the response was pure mockery.
"Hey, kid, ever seen a villain let someone off just 'cause they whined?"
Self-proclaimed villain, huh...
Seo Tae-yun and Yun Ga-eun shot Do-gyeol a glance.
"I definitely gave you a chance."
"Not something the guy who got nabbed should be saying, right? Yun Ga-eun, keep that grip tight."
Do-gyeol curled his lip in a smirk and stepped up to Kang Hak. Then thwack! He slapped his palm right on top of the guy's head.
Suuuuuuck—
Yeong-ryeok started pouring into his palm like a vacuum.
That instant.
"......"
Veins bulged on Kang Hak's forehead. He didn't say another word.
Drip! Drip drip!
The Yeong-ryeok threads shooting from Yun Ga-eun's fingertips let out a screech.
This resistance...
She'd figured holding down both of Kang Hak's teammates at once would hit her limit fast anyway.
"Wait! At this rate, it's gonna snap any se—!"
Her words cut off.
And the threads snapped first.
"What? Why'd they break?"
Do-gyeol's question hit just as the tropical fish sprang into motion.
But.
Pop pop pop pop!
The tropical fish burst like cheap balloons in a shower of glittering shards. Behind them, Kang Hak's bloodshot glare locked onto Do-gyeol.
And in a flash, Kang Hak vanished—reappearing right in Do-gyeol's face.
This is bad...
Dodge or not—no time to even think it.
"Do-gyeol!!"
His teammates' desperate cries rang in his ears.
The moment he sensed the end.
Thud.
A sharp crack, like a catcher snagging a fastball.
"......?"
When Do-gyeol snapped back to reality, his vision wasn't filled with a fist—it was a back.
The back's owner twisted around to face him.
"You good?"
It was Pi Yu-jun. One hand jammed in his pocket, his free bare hand casually twisting Kang Hak's fist aside.
"Y-Yeah... thanks to you... my savior..."
Pi Yu-jun's eyes chilled over at the response, swinging back to Kang Hak.
"I told you, didn't I?"
Candy-sweet breath laced the words, but the killing intent chilled to the bone.
"Tone down that bloodlust. You planning to actually kill him?"
Kang Hak's mouth twitched open, but Pi Yu-jun wasn't listening.
"If I hadn't stepped in, this punk's head would've been gone."
Pi Yu-jun flicked the gripped hand away like trash.
"Irrecoverable killing intent. Kang Hak—you're disqualified."
A suffocating silence gripped the field.
And Pi Yu-jun shattered it, naturally.
"Teammates bound. Leader DQ'd. No need to continue. Team 1 wins."
Kang Hak's gaze dropped to the ground. When it lifted, his eyes still burned with rage—but calmer now.
He fixed that stare on Do-gyeol.
"Next time, cheap tricks like that won't fly."
And with that, he accepted the outcome. No resistance.
Though his hands trembled with fury.
Kang Hak...
Baek Seo-rin's eyes iced over as she watched it all unfold on the waiting room monitor. Her usual sly, playful smile? Gone.
Really been waiting for today, huh.
Pathetic.
Then you really shouldn't have.
Her gaze shifted to Do-gyeol.
But that Do-gyeol guy...
He hadn't factored into her plans. She'd pegged him as dead last, but he'd not only tripped up Kang Hak—he'd dragged real killing intent out of him.
Ruined my whole setup.
One more headache on top of Seo Tae-yun.
The exam venue wrapped up fast. The next match was about to kick off, but Yun Ga-eun's focus was elsewhere.
"Gyeol-ah, you really okay?"
"I'm fine."
Do-gyeol waved it off, but Yun Ga-eun's expression stayed tense.
And for good reason—Do-gyeol looked anything but normal at a glance.
"Your body's like a furnace—what're you talking about? Don't push it here; let's forfeit? Tae-yun-ah, cool with that?"
"Yeah."
"No way! I'm telling you, I'm fine!"
Words aside, his whole body was boiling like a brutal flu. Cold sweat poured like rain, face flushed beet-red.
Kugh...
Do-gyeol clenched his molars.
Why the hell? The wavelength sync had been perfect!
What the hell was the chat on about? He'd synced the wavelengths first, then eaten. Stabilized it, then eaten—what more?
Do-gyeol's eyes nearly rolled back as he fought a faint.
No, you're telling me this now...?
Expel it? This precious stuff? Hard to snag easy—really dump it?
How the hell did I even absorb this much!
Now he got why sorcerers died chasing greed.
Yeah, no choice...
But nope—canceled.
One chat line stabbed his eyes.
Stitch the dantian with Yeong-ryeok while expanding it?
Seemed doable.
Problem was.
How long do I gotta hold this?! Finals right after! When does it end?!
Internal breathing on autopilot? Sure, he'd gotten used to that.
But unconscious wavelength shifts? Never even tried.
Difficulty level's in another dimension—obvious dead end.
Who knew how many days till the wavelength stabilized? Keep shifting it and stitch the dantian with Yeong-ryeok control?
If stitching works, there has to be another way...
Sudden spark.
Advice from last time, imitating Seo Tae-yun in his room.
And the fresh tip: Stitch with Yeong-ryeok.
Meant he could repair the dantian via Yeong-ryeok control.
Then just remake it from scratch.
Do-gyeol shut his eyes.
Deep in his body—an empty cosmos of infinite potential—he sketched a form.
A rock-solid, unbreakable chamber. Sealed tight on all sides like an iron fortress.
Room built in seconds.
He flung the door wide.
You're locked up for now. Get in.
Shoved the thrashing mass into the fresh-hot room and slam! bolted the door tight.
Stay put till digested.
Instantly, the body-roasting heat vanished clean.
The dantian-tearing agony? Gone like a lie.
The chat exploded.
As they yapped, Do-gyeol grinned and flexed his fist. Separate from the new prison, he could feel his dantian—vast, rock-solid now.
Embarrassing to even compare to before.
Yun Ga-eun's eyes went wide beside him.
"Gyeol-ah! Your color's back? You're really good now, right?"
"Yeah. Told ya, really fine."
"Yun Ga-eun! Your prediction nailed it!"
Back to normal, Do-gyeol whooped while watching Team 3 vs. Team 4.
Baek Seo-rin had sent her teammates out front—saving herself for the rear.
"Damn, true genius brain."
But Yun Ga-eun's face stayed grim. She glared at the monitor hard.
"Our finals formation? Total overhaul."
"Huh? Why? We're doing it your way?"
Do-gyeol tilted his head. Seo Tae-yun eyed her curiously too.
"She's watching this match like we are. She saw ours—knows our power now."
Yet she flaunts that tactic? Nine times out of ten, smokescreen.
Make us think it's fake, then run the same play anyway? Fine.
Team 1 formation changes, no question.
"Remember homeroom teacher's rules? 'Gather all three to win. Time-out goes to whoever has more.' And 'Can steal till recovered to start point.'"
"Yeah."
"Means once recovered to start, can't steal 'em. Rule's blind spot."
Yun Ga-eun laid it out steady.
"Not a do-or-die op. School exam. Baek Seo-rin chasing sure win won't clump three together."
Seo Tae-yun crossed arms, nodded.
"Start signal, they scatter—each grabs one, quick recover."
"Exactly."
Yun Ga-eun's eyes lit up.
"Even if one falls to our trio, other two snag two? They win."
Do-gyeol got it. She's faking that tactic to make us prep for it.
"So we hit back same way. Start scatter, each secure one."
"But if that's their real play?"
"Even better. We exploit the loophole—they lose easy."
And the finals began.
Do-gyeol cut through the forest, Yun Ga-eun's words echoing.
Baek Seo-rin prioritizes efficiency—high chance she goes nearest or farthest.
So she stuck Do-gyeol with farthest.
Even if he bumped Baek Seo-rin, just stall a bit—game over easy. She'd said he could, since he'd hobbled Kang Hak.
Baek Seo-rin wouldn't flash killing intent like Kang Hak, either.
If it plays that smooth, other two secured for sure.
Worst case, bump Seo Tae-yun on nearest. Same deal—Do-gyeol and Yun Ga-eun grab the rest.
Minutes later, a rundown shrine popped in Do-gyeol's view. Target outside, not in.
Vibe doesn't scream trap...
Me faster, huh. Time-attack loser's revenge! Muahaha!
Hand outstretched to snag it.
"Do-gyeol!"
Desperate shout from behind—someone leaped in.
Just one. Peeked back, hoping—but yeah, solo.
Yun Ga-eun's instincts are razor-sharp.
Not Baek Seo-rin. One of her teammates—10th place guy.
"How'd we sync up like that?"
The guy eyed Do-gyeol, dropped the hostility, flashed a friendly grin.
"Caught your first match. Didn't think you'd handle Kang Hak like that—impressive."
Big steps forward, stuck out his right hand casual-like.
"Let's play it fair, yeah?"
Do-gyeol blinked. Smiled back, reached out.
"Sure, thanks."
Clasped the no-thought hand.
Whoosh!
Friendly grin twisted demonic. Yanked Do-gyeol hard.
Yeong-ryeok-loaded fist rocketed for his jaw.
Stupid fuck! Now you see why I'm last!
The guy's lip curled vicious.
No Kang Hak slop—full throttle, one-shot end it!
Whoosh—
Air-slicing whistle.
Lonely sound.
...Huh?
The guy's pupils quaked.
Do-gyeol—no talisman—just torso twist, dodged clean.
Do-gyeol just as shocked. Why so slow? Slo-mo vision?
After clashing with Kang Hak?
Nah, not the point.
"Your manners are filthy."
"H-Hey, real fights? Weaklings come out swinging hard?!"
Guy sweated, scrambling excuses.
"Yeah, sure. But no spells? Body boost with Yeong-ryeok your best shot?"
"What?"
Do-gyeol shrugged.
"Wavelength's too plain—not hiding spells to drop guard."
Grinned wide.
"Anyway—you grabbed first, right?"
Do-gyeol lifted their still-locked hands.