Chapter 103 – 1st Place vs. 152nd Place (3)

The life of a flower clinging to a side branch.

Blooming once a year, scattering traces of its fragrance for a long time without wilting.

– Ssssss.

“…Unbelievable.”

A man, having lost his composure, muttered as such. At the center of the arena, at that very point, the black peach blossoms he had conjured intertwined with each other, forming a single wave.

“Who is that person…?”

No one could keep their mouths shut.

The petals of the previous blossoms, the waves created by the flowers that bloomed one after another, and the illusion of the lingering scent that tantalizingly tickled the tip of their noses.

It was because it had shattered the consciousness of everyone seated in the audience.

“Was there such a student at the academy?”
“What is that…?”

How many people present, one wonders, know the name of the man standing before them?

Even those who knew Lee Si-heon could not have fully grasped the extent of his power.

Who could have possibly imagined that a cadet ranked 152nd would be able to exert such immense pressure against a behemoth like Jung Si-woo without anyone’s assistance?

Nevertheless, he managed to accomplish the feat during the brief window between admission and examination.

The petals he brought forth were imbued with emotions he had never before expressed.

The essence of his black magic lay in resistance and domination, reflecting the nature of the power he wielded as someone who had lived a life of suppression.

When the man who always laughed with superficiality wiped the smile from his face and burst into bloom, his true potential was finally unleashed.

Great talents mature late. Those destined for greatness grow steadily, albeit slowly.

The black petals that Lee Si-heon conjured were the fruits of his labor, borne of traversing the realms of past and death and representing his defiance against reality.

In this place, a tree with an unknown name began to reveal its true form.

Like a dragon.
Black-painted petals, tossing and turning as if they were my very own scales.

…Everyone held their breath, watching the scene unfold.

* * * * *

My burning body throbs with pain.

The magic emanating from me is akin to black paint haphazardly scattered across the sky, more expansive and potent than anticipated.

“…”

I shed the weight from my right arm and cast it aside. Soon after, the sound of metal scraping resounds from behind me.

I unfurl my hand, clenching it into a fist. The surging power ebbs and flows with the movement of my hand, the magic resembling the depths of an unlit darkness.

Power overflows within me.

Slowly, I thrust my fist forward, slide my other hand behind my back, and stretch one leg out firmly.

“Come.”

In the darkness, I fix my gaze ahead.

He gauged his opponent.

Until the undying white light threatened to engulf me.

──Kwaaaang!

The petals split apart with the explosive sound.

The stretched beam surged forth, as if it intended to cleave a part of my body, just as the Red Sea was parted.

Jung Si-woo’s power, which I had never witnessed before.
Si-woo’s ability, which until now I had only observed in his hands, was received by his entire body.

– Kwajijijik!

My whole body staggered once.
The muscles in my upper body twisted due to the sharply bent head, and my body was pushed back.

The arena, previously chaotic with petals and magical power, instantly became immaculate.

“Ah.”

Exclamation. As I straightened my bent head, I adjusted my mask.

The atmosphere in the arena was eerily quiet.
At first glance, it appeared as if Si-woo’s strike had swallowed all my magic and pierced my very core. But that wasn’t the case.

I checked my opponent’s face beyond the mask. I also assessed the remaining magic power and my condition.

“…”

“…….”

They had lost their laughter.

-Wham!

They raced towards each other. Black and white intertwined, and several explosive sounds echoed.

-Bang!

Once with the sword,

-Bang!

Once with the fist.

The referee couldn’t intervene in time as they pressured each other with a speed that reached their limits.

The sword that descended in a straight line struck my shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I dashed forward and punched him in the chest.

-Crunch!

His bones broke, and my collarbone was crushed. This duel, with each strike carrying lethal intent, displayed a completely different aspect from before.

The expressions of the audience changed from surprise to coldness and finally to astonishment. We read only each other’s movements, unable to notice the shift in the atmosphere.

Jung Si-woo charged towards me.

‘Right.’

No, left.

I stretched my foot to the other side.

The twisted sword stroke narrowly grazed my neck.

Waves of magical power tore through the battle garb, slicing into the flesh beneath and causing blood to spatter.

“Below.”

I struck my opponent’s abdomen. The sensation of burrowing into the muscles and twisting the entrails was exhilarating, coursing between my middle and index fingers.

Each area that we allowed to be struck was stained crimson, the flesh torn open. Still, we moved at a speed invisible to others, exchanging blows with one another.

Although we might have winced from the pain at times, we never lost our composure amidst the intense agony.

Both my adversary and I had long since surpassed even more severe ordeals.

I had been ensnared by deception, swords impaling my entire body. There was a time when an electric saw severed my tendons and neck muscles. I had endured torturous trials while trapped in the constraints of the past.

The sensation of my body becoming numb from the torment of tearing flesh was familiar. Beyond that familiarity, I had now grown completely numb. Perhaps even when I die, I won’t feel myself dying.

“You’re the same.”

This guy would be too.

Barely twenty. A young man who had only just begun to sprout in society. Yet, he threw caution to the wind, determined to save one of my siblings.

Would such a person fear defying the gods?
Wouldn’t a reckless soul like him set himself ablaze?

“Ugh-“

With a short intake of breath, Jung Si-woo’s swift sword, drawing a solid white line, struck my shoulder.

– Crack!

The broken wooden sword flew up into the sky.

“…Hah.”

Exhaling, I pulled back my fist and thrust it forward as if to pierce the vital point before my eyes. Jung Si-woo’s body wobbled and fell backward.

“Huff, ugh!”

Jung Si-woo, pinned against the wall as if soaring through the air.

Gasping for breath, I stumbled in my place.

It had been some time since the blackened body, transcending its own boundaries, had invaded and torn apart the deep, magical circuit. Still, the match was not over.

I limped forward.

“Ugh…”

Pain surged through me.

The barely secured mask fell off, revealing my face to the cool breeze that brushed against my skin. Why did my face feel wet? Ah, that’s right—I had been struck on the head.

I raised my hand to wipe my heated eyes, and bright red blood soaked my fingers.

– Hoo-wook, Hoo-wook.

My breath sounded as if it didn’t belong to me. I frowned slightly. Jeong Si-woo, now awake, looked at my face before struggling to his feet and gripping the broken sword once more. His handsome face was smeared with blood, making it difficult to discern his features. I must have looked the same.

Yet, the match was not over. As if to prove it, magic began to scatter around Jeong Si-woo’s sword.

– Ugh!

Pure white magic flowed along the edge of the broken sword. I, too, drew out the remaining mana and wrapped it around my body.

A black serpent appeared to slither up the body, but soon it turned into falling petals and slowly descended to the ground.

Inside the stifled eardrum, Jung Si-woo’s faint murmur echoed.

“…Black Shadow…”

Flash-

In an instant, the white magic transformed into black. My ankle sank below the floor. The entire arena’s floor tiles were dyed black, as if consumed by a black hole.

A sensation of constriction gripped my lower body, as if trapped in a swamp.

A subtle glow emanated from Jung Si-woo’s sorrowful eyes.

“Subdue.”

The air trembled. The sound of a whistle could be heard, but even the vibrations of its tone had grown faint. The magic power that shrouded this place pressed down on me, threatening to snuff me out with its own radiance.

I scanned the surroundings and stepped into the swamp. Layer upon layer of darkness enveloped the darkness, severing the shadows binding my feet.

The restraints were shed in an instant. Jung Si-woo continued to clutch his sword, closely watching my movements.

“Soul Theft.”

The hand moved up and down once.

A single strike so sharp, it felt as though death would follow if hit. The secret art known as Oui unfolded before my eyes.

– Flash!

A brilliant burst of light split into dozens of branches, separating the sky from the earth. It created the illusion that the world itself had been torn apart.

Magical energy surged chaotically. I bit my tongue hard. The pungent scent of blood filled my nostrils, and I quickly regained my senses.

‘If I don’t move like this…’

As I parted my lips, blood streamed out.

‘Whether it’s the referee or the chairman, they’ll come and finish it off.’

Using techniques that far surpass the opponent’s abilities is forbidden. This was why the match was temporarily halted when Jung Si-woo and I first exchanged blows. Since a cadet’s death is no trivial matter, they might have already taken action.

…Well, it had already been quite some time since we crossed the line in this contest between cadets.

– Squeeze.

I clenched my right fist with determination.

“Even so.”

I cannot back down from here.

Starting at the elbow, the black petals that swirled like a whirlwind gradually began to transform into a pristine white. An unexpected reversal of colors. I steadied my stance and took a deep breath, then clenched my teeth tightly.

Bloom in full glory.

“As the white flowers blossom—”

The radiant blossoms at the end of my fist pushed back against the encroaching darkness.

Now is the time.

“…One (一)”

The vivid, yet not delicate, white petals danced in the air.

“White Peach (백도)”

I finally deflected the outstretched black lightning.

The subsequent clash of power intertwined with the sword strike.

– Kwagagagagaga!

Their techniques became entangled with each other. Threads of magical energy scattered in all directions, petals crumbled, and floor tiles shattered.

The protective barrier, previously inactive, was triggered by the brilliant flash that spread across the entire arena.

– Wince.

As the cracks formed in the barrier,

A massive explosion ensued.

* * * * *

“Master,”

In the VIP seats reserved for S-class hunters,

At the summit of the arena, Heaven gazed at the spectacle of the battle, chuckling at her apprentice with her chin resting on her hand.

“In any case, just think of it as idle chatter. Listen and respond as you wish.”

The astonishing, almost desperate struggle between two men—whether it was Jung Si-woo or Lee Si-heon, that wasn’t what mattered. Everyone seated in the arena had already been overwhelmed by the pair.

“Even if one were to lose in the first round, if they demonstrated such power, could they still be chosen as a Forest Guardian?”

Heaven couldn’t fathom the dilemma that Lee Si-heon faced while conversing with Jung Si-woo.

Si-woo was aware that Ah-hae was a candidate to be the World Tree’s husband, but that was the extent of his knowledge and he had no further interest.

– Are you now making weak excuses? That’s not like you.
– No, it’s not a weak excuse… Just answer my question, please.

It is possible.

If one were to display a competition with such far-reaching consequences, what couldn’t be achieved? No matter how much of a dark horse one is, upon reaching the summit, that individual becomes exceptional. If a single trainee proves that they possess innate talent, the officials overseeing the Forest Keepers’ Selection Trials would take notice of that trainee.

– Is that so?

Why do you suddenly ask such a thing? Cheondo grinned at Si-heon, who was standing with an air of half-defeat.

His eyes were still alive, and he had ample energy left.

– Then why are you suddenly acting this way?
– No… Well. I suppose you could call it love for my fellow trainee, love for my country.

Lee Si-heon’s body, still standing, gradually leaned backward.

– It’s nothing serious.

Everyone could see that they were exhausted, but it didn’t appear that way to Cheondo’s eyes. Instead, in her perspective as a Heavenly Demon, Jung Si-woo’s body seemed more disheveled than Lee Si-heon’s.

‘Isn’t that important?’

It was unclear who had stirred whose emotions. Regardless, the one currently standing was the top student, Jung Si-woo.

‘He must have struggled quite a bit after taking a direct hit from White Peach.’

Cheondo clicked her tongue as she observed Jung Si-woo’s shattered magical circuit. The senator began rushing toward the two fallen students. The audience seats grew heated, and the noise escalated until it caused the VIP room to vibrate.

[Cheondo, how did the match go?]
“Didn’t you see it with your own eyes?”
[But I’m not sure… I think we need to make a decision.]
“Usually, the one who falls first is judged the loser.”
[Hmph… Our statue tried so hard…]

At Zodiac’s whimpering, Cheondo gave a soft smile. She turned her head and flicked her fingers, catching the discarded mask from the arena between them.

Sigh.

Having cleared her mask with a single gust of wind, Cheondo tucked it into her waistband and began to slowly move forward.

“Perhaps it’s time to greet my disciple.”

She reasoned that since she had disobeyed her master’s words, a small reprimand wouldn’t be an issue.

“What kind of punishment should I administer?”

Despite this, she didn’t harbor any animosity towards him. On the contrary, she felt an overwhelming urge to embrace him tightly.