#37 Who the Hell is That Guy? Gauntlets of the Constellation!
The shockwaves from that name—the Gauntlets of the Constellation—rippled far wider than anyone anticipated. Such a rare artifact left the general public clueless about what it even was. But the Lebadon family? They were thrown into disarray.
"Why the hell are the Gauntlets of the Constellation...?"
"Aren't those exclusive to Carron in Belgium?"
"It might not even be real."
The second and third sons exchanged frantic words. But the eldest's face hardened.
"Father said there were exactly two pairs of the Gauntlets of the Constellation."
"Two pairs?"
"One's with Carron in Belgium, and the other... there were rumors it was in our country, but it vanished thirty years ago..."
Kang Tae-wang shook his head wildly as he overheard his brothers. Even if that's the real deal, I've got the family artifacts.
Lee Min-ah stared at the gauntlets, then shifted her gaze to Kang-ho. A flicker of complex thoughts crossed her eyes before fading.
"Let the ranking match begin!"
Kang Tae-wang and King slowly began to draw up their mana.
Whoosh!
Flames roared across Kang Tae-wang's body, surging outward and licking perilously close to the spectators.
—Gah!
—Hot, hot!
With a sneer at their panic, Kang Tae-wang strode forward and planted himself in front of King.
"You seein' this?"
"What?"
King's voice had dropped to an icy chill.
"You see these spectators? These bugs are gonna live-stream your final moments."
King glanced around. Smartphones were trained on them from every angle. It was the modern era. Sure, mass media swarmed with massive cameras, but personal media packs a deadlier punch. Lose here? King would have nowhere left to stand.
Paradoxically, the modern world had devolved into a brutal law of the jungle. People devoured global info with a single click. In that arena, King had always fought alone—like a lone wolf.
Climbing the rankings, leading hired guilds to snag raid priority. A martial artist's life! For him, battle was daily bread and butter, survival itself.
"You..." King murmured low. "Why do you hate me so damn much?"
"What?"
His tone was utterly calm. "We haven't done anything wrong to each other."
"Wrong?" A savage grin twisted Kang Tae-wang's lips. "You were wrong from the start—getting that wind power."
"......"
"That talent of yours? Wrong too."
"......!"
Kang Tae-wang leaned in, whispering into King's ear. "Even your bloodline's wrong."
"What...?"
"Listen up. Punks like you screw up my spot. Father's love is mine. The top seat in Lebadon is mine. No room for a bastard like you."
Jealousy. Craving for affection. Lust for power. It all churned in Kang Tae-wang's warped heart, reeking of rot and decay.
"......"
But King just looked indifferent.
"Today's your funeral."
Kang Tae-wang sneered and stepped back. King could see it—the massive Lebadon clan looming behind him. That unbreakable backup had molded the bastard into a monster of desire.
Alone.
Damn, it's lonely as hell.
As King echoed the thought and retreated, a hand touched his back.
"......!"
He turned. Kang-ho's palm rested there. Seeing his face, a faint smile tugged at King's lips. Kang-ho patted his back twice, then slipped to the rear. He smacked the back of Theo's head, who was glued to his smartphone.
Theo rubbed his head, grumbling. King finally chuckled.
They weren't alone.
Ziiing!
King channeled his mana, spreading it through his body.
What the—?
His limbs, honed to muscular perfection, felt rock-solid and thick. Shoulders broad, legs planted firm. Mana surged from his heart, fiercer than ever.
Mana's the same, but...
The way his body absorbed it felt different. Before, mana use left him strained; now, it felt almost insufficient. Like he could unleash it all.
Whoosh!
And then—
King's gauntlets glowed, scattering brilliant starlight everywhere. His mana exploded outward.
Whoosh!
Gale-force winds whipped through the arena. King's eyes widened.
This... this ridiculous power?
But he grinned fiercely.
Boom!
Mana blasted forth, morphing into a massive gust.
Screeech!
It felt like a storm ravaging the world. Mana poured from King's mana core, swirling into a colossal vortex. The domed stadium echoed with apocalyptic winds.
"Tch...!"
Kang Tae-wang unleashed his family rings—artifacts amplifying and channeling mana.
Whoosh!
Flames erupted. He drew his magic sword from his waist, thrusting at King.
Boom!
Fireballs hurtled toward King.
Screech!
In the center, wind and fire clashed in a eerie standoff.
"Damn... incredible."
One spectator muttered in awe.
* * *
[Pretty damn useful.]
"What do you think?"
Theo shrugged at Kang-ho's question.
[Long fight? He wins. Better mana efficiency. Our kid's burning through it like water.]
"Looks that way."
[But short burst? Kid takes it. He's got the edge in raw skill—artifacts were the only gap, but...]
Theo turned to Kang-ho.
[Those gauntlets are insane. They even the score.]
"Yeah."
[Something like that'd be one-of-a-kind even in the Demon Realm... Yours too?]
"Nah."
Kang-ho shook his head, adding softly, "Old friend's."
[Hmm...]
* * *
The fierce exchange dragged on. Fire and wind clashed in eerie silence—only the whoosh of colliding mana pierced the air, surreal as a dream. A mages' duel!
Flames surged.
Whoosh!
In a blink, Kang Tae-wang closed in. King's eyes flicked to his shoes.
Hermes's Boots!
Impossible-to-predict teleportation. As King scrambled back, the magic sword speared toward his heart.
"Become a cripple, you bastard!"
Boom!
The blade hurtled at his core, brimming with deadly mana. Flames raced along it, engulfing King.
Gah!
That instant—King's nightmare flashed. The one haunting him nightly!
—Nooo! His mother's final scream amid inferno.
—Exile. Childhood banishment without reason.
—Heh heh heh! Kang Tae-wang's vile, sadistic grin.
As memories flooded—
—Shall we begin?
A voice shattered them. Kang-ho's.
Chills raced through him. That sensation from past beatings resurfaced.
Flames... mean nothing.
Why?
Because I can win this.
Kang-ho couldn't. That's why he's far scarier.
So...
"Shut your damn mouth, you dog!"
King roared, twisting away. Reflexes his old frail body could've never managed.
Screech!
The sword grazed his heart.
Thud!
Agonizing pain tore his left shoulder. The wound cauterized instantly in flames. A blatant kill shot—to wreck his mana.
But King pulled free, unleashing full mana into a gale regardless.
Whoosh!
Flames recoiled.
"Guh!"
Kang Tae-wang staggered. King clenched his left fist.
Whoosh!
Immense mana converged, supercharged by the peerless Gauntlets of the Constellation.
"Wh-what...!"
Kang Tae-wang panicked. The wind's pressure rocked him. His combat suit barely held, but backlash hit hard.
"Gaaahhh!"
His scream echoed through the gym.
King's right hand moved.
Zing!
Eerie mana gathered; silence fell. Spectators held their breath. Mana dominated the arena—the eye of the storm.
Whoosh!
His right fist rocketed like a gale.
Crack!
"Screeech!"
Kang Tae-wang's suit shredded, debris flying.
King's left hand struck again.
Crack!
The wind's onslaught was a tempest. Kang Tae-wang floated helplessly, tossed about.
"Gaaah!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth. Veins burst in his eyes. Ears bled.
Crunch! Crunch!
"Now it's your turn to die."
King intoned coldly, prepping the finisher.
Whoosh!
Ominous mana surged.
"......?"
From the entrance—a gale blasted toward King. Lee Min-ah flung flames in shock, but it barely slowed.
"Tch!"
King strained to evade, but escape seemed impossible. The wind took form—a gray arrow, condensed malice.
Am... am I dead?
That instant—a man's back blocked his view.
Zing!
Thick mana blades from the man's wrists slashed the arrow.
Slash! Slash!
Boom!
Before Kang-ho, the wind arrow shattered into swirling shards, scarring the air.
—Agh!
—Ow!
Innocent spectators crumpled from debris.
"B-bro?"
King stammered. Kang-ho waved without turning.
King looked up. A man strode from the entrance—forehead bulging with veins, nearing sixty.
King knew him instantly.
K-Kang Tae-yong!
—It's the Wind God.
—Wind God's crashing the ranking match.
Murmurs rose.
—Isn't this cheating?
—Duh, total foul.
—What about Pyro?
Thud!
Kang Tae-wang crashed to the floor, gasping blood with every breath. His mana scattered wildly.
—Mana core... shattered?
Shock rippled. Lebadon's S-rank #1, Pyro Kang Tae-wang—mana core destroyed! A career-ender.
But eyes locked on Kang-ho.
—Who the hell is that guy?
That wind arrow? Monstrous. From SS-rank Wind God Kang Tae-yong. Shattered in one strike by a twenty-something nobody—not on SS or even S lists.
Kang-ho met the stares, facing Kang Tae-yong head-on.
"What the hell are you doing, butting into kids' fights?"