The location of the guy, who was hiding somewhere and only sending out black energy from a distance, was being caught in real-time by my energy sense.
As I dug into my nostril with my finger, a hefty booger hung from my fingertip.
'Ugh... disgusting. They're doing all sorts of things just because they think no one can see them from the stands.'
I heard Biyeon click her tongue, but ignoring it, I carefully wrapped my energy around the booger.
Then, I turned my body and flicked my hand towards the air.
"Booger Ball!"
-Pajik!
A single booger flew, cutting through the air.
That insignificant trajectory flew, cutting through the mist. And then, the very next moment,
-Kwaaaang!!
With an explosive sound, Ryu Jaho, who had been hiding, revealed himself.
There wasn't a single scratch on his body, but something small and round was stuck right in the middle of his face.
"......A booger?"
Ryu Jaho looked at the thing stuck on his face and his eyebrows twitched slightly. Dismay, humiliation, and fury instantly washed over his face.
"You bastard, how dare you insult this venerable one like this-!"
Ryu Jaho's sword trembled. His eyes were distorted with rage, and the black smoke that enveloped his entire body began to surge again.
"You bastard...! I will not forgive you any longer!!"
Black smoke surged up behind his back, and the energy, twisting like a snake, began to merge into the shape of a giant sword.
Biyeon scoffed.
'He lost his mind from one booger. Shall we finish this now?'
"Alright, I'm getting tired of this too. Biyeon-Spirit Fusion."
At the same time as those words, Biyeon returned to her human form. And as wind gathered around her, the black mist that enveloped the surroundings cleared a little.
The spectators, who hadn't been able to see inside, stirred as they saw Biyeon through a narrow gap.
"Who is that woman?"
"Where did she suddenly appear from?"
"No way... Jin Seoyun's companion?"
"No, it feels like something else?"
At that moment, some spectators who had seen the Belfast video realized.
"Wait! Is that... isn't that the spirit we saw in Belfast?"
"A spirit? Really?"
"The sword turned into a person!"
The stands erupted once again.
Biyeon approached me and extended her hand.
"Are you ready?"
"Anytime."
I took her hand.
-Huuuung...
Instantly, Biyeon's body transformed into particles of light and flowed into my body. A refreshing wind enveloped my entire being, and the spirit's energy permeated beyond my skin.
My hair was dyed teal, and a vivid blue light bloomed in my eyes.
"-Heueup."
I took a deep breath. Instantly, the spirit's energy and my internal energy began to quietly condense. And I took one step forward.
-Teop
It was merely one step, but at that moment, the surrounding air, along with intense pressure,
-Kwangaaang!!
The ground shattered and ripples burst out in all directions, and the battlefield, which had been covered in black mist, was torn apart in an instant,
creating the illusion that even the sky was twisting.
The curtain of black smoke that enveloped Ryu Jaho scattered futilely before that single step, and everyone watching looked at me with faces of shock.
"Wha... what is that!"
"He shattered the Heavenly Demon's technique with one step!"
"Unbelievable..."
Ryu Jaho muttered with a pale face.
"How... how could this be... my Black Smoke Hell..."
I slowly approached him. One step, then another. With every step, the arena floor cracked, and the air vibrated.
And as I spread my fingertips, a wind sword imbued with fiery energy was held there.
"What did you say earlier? That you'd show me the essence of swordsmanship?"
My voice was calm, but the pressure contained within it completely overwhelmed Ryu Jaho.
"Watch carefully."
The wind sword in my hand glowed teal and sliced through the air.
Ryu Jaho raised his sword with trembling hands.
"It's not... it's not over yet! The Heavenly Demon will never lose!"
"Heavenly Demon?"
I tilted my head and smiled.
"Such childish games are over now."
"You bastard!"
Ryu Jaho squeezed out his last bit of strength and swung his sword.
"Heavenly Demon World-Destroying Sword!"
A massive black energy surged towards me. It was his final blow, pouring out all his ether.
But I didn't move.
I merely, very lightly, raised the wind sword in my hand.
-Chwaat!
Instantly, Ryu Jaho's attack split into two.
"My... my Heavenly Demon Sword Art... in one go..."
"I'll show you what true swordsmanship is."
I slowly raised my sword. The wind that touched my fingertips smoothly enveloped the blade, and a teal aura flowed as if swallowing even the light of the sky.
The energy of my entire body quietly surged.
Like ripples forming on a calm lake under the moonlight, refined energy swirled within my body. That energy flowed into the sword, the sword into movement, and the movement led to the realm of the Void.
"Shadow Moon Heavenly Sword Dance, Thousand Moon Afterimages."
At that moment, my body vanished. At least, that's how it appeared to people's eyes.
Teal shadows simultaneously spread into dozens, hundreds of strands. Afterimages left by a thousand moons overlapped like waves in the night sky, and a fantastical sword dance unfolded.
The afterimages brushed past Ryu Jaho one by one. But they didn't inflict wounds. Even though they only brushed past, they destroyed everything except the spot where he stood.
"Wha... what is this..."
Ryu Jaho, paralyzed with fear, looked around. Hundreds of afterimages surrounded him simultaneously, but he couldn't distinguish which one was real.
Complete silence flowed through the stands. No one could speak. They could only stare, lost for words.
"This is true martial arts."
Hundreds of afterimages spoke the same words simultaneously. And at the last moment, all the afterimages merged into one and appeared directly in front of Ryu Jaho.
The tip of the sword was touching Ryu Jaho's neck.
Ryu Jaho trembled all over and collapsed to the ground. His black martial arts uniform was torn to shreds, and his face was extremely pale.
"I... I concede defeat..."
His voice was so faint it was barely audible. I retracted my sword and returned to my original form. As the Spirit Fusion was released, my hair also returned to its original color.
Raymond Crowley's declaration echoed through the arena.
"Winner-Jin Seoyun!"
At that moment, the Korean spectators erupted in explosive cheers.
"We won!"
"Jin Seoyun! Jin Seoyun!"
However, the Chinese side was completely silent. It was because they never dreamed that the Heavenly Demon, who was their pride, would be defeated so perfectly.
I looked at the stands and lightly waved my hand.
***
-Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
"Damn it!!!"
The ornate marble wall shattered into pieces and cracked. Oh Jeongseok, the Sun Guild Master, glared at the screen with eyes burning red with fury.
"Why is it that everything I do... nothing ever goes right!!!"
His breathing was rough like a beast, and killing intent permeated the entire office. Befitting a high-ranking ability user, his rage transformed into physical pressure, making the surrounding air heavy.
A bottle of expensive wine, placed on the desk for a celebratory toast, shattered, and red liquid flowed out. It was nothing more than a sacrifice to vent his rage.
Next to him, a man in a black suit quietly handed over a report.
"The Chinese President has protested, saying the story is different..."
"Protested?!"
Oh Jeongseok's voice went up an octave.
"Who the hell thought that bastard Jin Seoyun would win?! Ryu Jaho was an S-rank competing for the strongest in China!"
"Th-that's true, but, as a result..."
"As a result, my ass! Who would've known he had such crazy skill!"
Oh Jeongseok threw another object and shouted.
"That White Flame he used in Belfast! They said it was the same ether as Lim Hye-yeon's flame! But what is that now?! What the hell is the true identity of the flame spewing from that bastard's sword?!"
"I apologize..."
"Apologies fix everything?! Does this situation look like a joke to you?!"
Just then, the door opened, and another subordinate rushed in.
"Guild Master-nim! It's serious!"
"What now?!"
"Right now, on all broadcasts... reports related to our guild are pouring out!"
"Reports...?"
Oh Jeongseok gritted his teeth and gripped the remote control. Immediately, a large monitor turned on, and dozens of news channels simultaneously appeared. On the screen, various illegal activities committed by the Sun Guild, suspicions of collusion with the government, and even Oh Gyeonghun's atrocities were being revealed in detail.
-『Sun Guild, Power-Based Corruption Led by S-Rank Ability Users Revealed』
-『The Sun Guild's True Face, Controlling Even the Government, Can No Longer Be Ignored』
-『Guild Master Oh Jeongseok, Circumstances of Blackmail, Tax Evasion, and Contract Killing Detected』
Oh Jeongseok's expression slowly contorted.
"......Those sons of bitches."
At that moment, the door flung open, and another subordinate rushed in, panting.
"Guild Master-nim! From the Association... a large number of personnel from the Association have stormed in!"
"What did you say?!"
"Even the Suppression Unit has been fully mobilized! The building is already surrounded outside, and they're about to force entry..."
Oh Jeongseok's face contorted like a demon. Thick veins popped out on his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot.
"......Immediately, call the old men."
"Ah, understood!"
It was at that moment, as the subordinate was about to pull out his smartphone with trembling hands.
-Kkiiik.
The door quietly opened. And into the room, an old man slowly walked in.
"Those guys won't answer the phone. So quietly, put that phone down."
The subordinate's hand froze.
Oh Jeongseok gritted his teeth and glared at him.
"...Han Mugang."
"Still as ill-mannered as ever, I see."
The old man's voice was low and quiet, but it contained seething intimidation. It was as if even the air in the room seemed to freeze.
"Does a person like the Association President have nothing else to do? What are you doing, bringing Association staff here?"
"You know well enough. Your charges are being revealed one by one on that screen right now, aren't they?"
"Those are just suspicions, there's no evidence."
"Do you really think there's no evidence?"
Han Mugang pulled out a bundle of documents from his embrace and boldly threw them down in front of Oh Jeongseok.
-Tuk.
"These are the pieces of evidence sent by an anonymous whistleblower. Can you really deny it even after seeing this?"
"How dare some bastard..."
Oh Jeongseok's hand, turning the pages, trembled violently. Half of it was clearly true, and the rest was cleverly fabricated manipulation.
'Someone framed me.'
Heat began to surge from his body, enraged to the core. A scorching energy, like the sun, heated up the space.
"That's enough."
Han Mugang's eyes flashed. His tone was gentle as usual, but the killing intent contained within was so intense it could freeze the temperature in the room.
"The moment you use your ability, even the light punishment you could have received will be out of reach. It will literally be self-destruction."
Oh Jeongseok gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
"Or do you really want to fight me right here, right now?"
The corner of Han Mugang's mouth lifted slightly.
"If you have the confidence, I'll face you anytime."
A red heat haze slowly began to rise around Han Mugang.
Oh Jeongseok's face stiffened. It was because he realized once again who his opponent was.
Han Mugang. The President of the Korean Ability User Association, and officially Korea's strongest S-rank ability user.
"Damn it..."
Oh Jeongseok forcibly withdrew his ability. If he fought Han Mugang here and now, he could really die.
"A wise decision."
Han Mugang nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Then, quietly follow me now."
Oh Jeongseok, without saying anything in the end, followed behind Han Mugang with a stiff face.
-Chalkak, Chalkak, Chalkak!
As they came out of the building, dozens of reporters rushed in as if they had been waiting, surrounding them. Camera flashes burst, and microphones were simultaneously thrust towards him.
"Guild Leader-nim! Do you admit to these charges?"
"Is it true that illegal human experimentation occurred within the guild?"
"Please state your position on the suspicions of collusion with high-ranking government officials!"
Questions poured out, but Oh Jeongseok walked on expressionlessly, his mouth firmly shut.