Chapter 118
Chapter 118
Ivaki, who had once been Ran Winterbell’s comrade.
The fist that contained his essence struck Ryan Winterbell square in the chest.
Thud.
Since I couldn’t use mana, its power would have been halved, but that movement itself had been perfect.
“…….”
“…….”
My breath rose sharply.
There was no strength left in my body anymore.
The result?
Ryan Winterbell, who had been sent flying after taking my punch, did not get back up.
……Did I win?
Silence flowed.
Ryan’s body, fallen in the training ground, did not move at all. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. It was as if my fist had pierced through his chest. That punch had contained everything of Ivaki.
The audience stands stirred. What began as a small murmur soon erupted into explosive agitation. No one could speak. It seemed they couldn’t easily accept the fact that the eldest son of the Winterbell family had been brought down by his younger brother’s fist.
“…….”
“…….”
The gamblers watched this historic moment, having forgotten their money.
The sound of a glass falling from someone’s hand and shattering rang out, but no one paid it any mind.
“Keugh.”
I collapsed to my knees.
Blood flowed from my entire body. There were too many wounds to count, and blood still hadn’t stopped flowing from my severed arm. My black martial robe had already been completely soaked in a deep crimson.
But my gaze alone remained clear. The exhilaration from that moment of perfectly recreating Ivaki’s fist still lingered at my fingertips. Not with the disabled arm, but with the remaining fist—I had perfectly reproduced the technique. It was a legacy left behind by a comrade from the past.
“Young master…”
Cecil’s voice was heard from afar. From outside the training ground, her voice carried deep चिंता. But Cecil knew. That this outcome had been inevitable. As Ryeong of a past life, she understood. Everything about me, and the meaning this moment held.
My voice rang out faintly.
“Is it… over now…”
My gaze remained fixed on Ryan. No—on that thing I believed to be Ryan.
My intuition wasn’t wrong.
At least, that’s what I believed.
That was definitely not the real Ryan Winterbell.
I didn’t know its identity, and I had no proof.
But I was certain.
Just as I had been the reincarnation of Van Descartes……
Suddenly, a stillness settled.
As if time had stopped, the air in the training ground froze cold.
“Not yet…”
An impossible voice was heard. Everyone’s gaze snapped toward one spot.
Ryan… no, that thing wearing Ryan’s appearance slowly began to move. Blood was still flowing from the hole in his chest, yet he was rising as if it were nothing.
Someone in the noble seats screamed. The gamblers shot to their feet. This had already gone beyond the realm of humans. To rise after sustaining such a fatal wound was impossible. And yet, it was clearly standing up.
“Not yet…”
Ryan… no, that thing’s body moved slowly. Blood still flowed from the small hole created by Ivaki’s fist. But as if it were nothing, he tried to stand.
My consciousness began to fade.
I had no strength left to endure. Blood flowing from the wounds all over my body soaked the training ground floor. Blood still wouldn’t stop from my severed arm.
“This… isn’t… the end…”
Ryan’s body wavered. Just as he tried to fully stand, his legs buckled. Blood gushed even more violently from the hole in his chest. In the end, his body tilted forward and collapsed back onto the training ground floor.
Someone in the audience gasped. The gamblers looked as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. At this moment, everyone was witnessing a historic scene.
'Now it’s really over…'
Ran Winterbell could no longer endure. My consciousness grew faint. My vision gradually darkened. In my final moments, it felt as though I could hear Behemoth’s voice by my ear.
[You idiot. You fought well, Ran Winterbell…]
From afar, Cecil’s urgent voice rang out.
“Young master!”
And then everything disappeared into darkness.
The moonlight that had filled the training ground, the murmurs of the crowd—everything drifted far away. Just before my consciousness completely cut off, only one thought remained.
‘Ryan Winterbell chose defeat himself.’
He had deliberately lost.
I couldn’t shake that doubt.
---
“Hey! Van! Think you can win today?”
Ivaki’s booming voice echoed throughout the sparring ground. His massive frame looked even more imposing under the setting sun. His broad shoulders were like mountains, and his steel-like muscles rippled with every movement. The hearty smile hanging on his lips was as bright as ever. This was clearly a memory from that time.
“This time, I’ll win.”
I spoke with firm resolve.
Standing across from Ivaki, I looked at the white line drawn on the ground of the arena.
A wrestling ring where I had faced hundreds of challenges and defeats.
But today was different.
I was certain that I could win.
“Hahaha! That’s it—that confident expression! I like it!”
Ivaki laughed loudly. His laughter always lifted our spirits. Even as he handed me the bitterness of defeat, his laughter always gave hope.
“Now, let’s begin!”
We grabbed each other by the waist. Ivaki’s muscles were truly as hard as steel. The moment his arm wrapped around my waist, I felt like I would suffocate from that overwhelming strength. This was the true power of the one called the Martial King.
“Uraaaah!”
Ivaki moved first. His massive body tried to lift me. It was a monstrous strength, as if a mountain itself were moving. But I immediately lowered my center of gravity and endured. It was experience learned through hundreds of defeats.
“Not this time.”
I smirked and provoked him, and Ivaki’s eyes widened. There was joy in his gaze. Perhaps it was the pride of a master watching his disciple grow. Around us, various reactions burst from our companions. As always, Ryeong watched quietly, but her eyes were fixed on me.
Bestia was already cheering loudly enough to go hoarse, and Nia wore her usual conflicted expression, unsure of whom to root for. Saladin stood with his arms crossed, watching with interest.
“Grrraaah!”
Ivaki’s strength grew even greater. His muscles bulged like a mountain range. An ordinary person would have already been defeated at this moment.
But I still endured.
Now, I could read his rhythm.
“Now it’s my turn.”
In that instant, my stance changed. After countless defeats, I had found a single opening. I didn’t miss the brief moment when Ivaki’s balance wavered.
“This…!”
Ivaki’s massive body began to tilt. It was the moment that would decide the match. Everyone held their breath. Something different from before—something special—was approaching.
“Haaah!”
With all my strength, I twisted Ivaki’s waist. His huge frame shook.
“Hoh… Not bad this time!”
Ivaki’s voice was full of delight. His eyes gleamed. Our wrestling matches had already happened hundreds of times.
But I had never won even once.
“Ivaki, this time for sure!”
I pushed even harder. Sweat poured down. Ivaki’s muscles were still as solid as rock, but his balance was definitely faltering.
“Hey, hey, Van! That’s not enough!”
Ivaki suddenly lowered his stance. His massive arms wrapped around my waist even tighter.
Cheers erupted from the surroundings.
Bestia shouted loudly. Her voice was, as always, full of energy.
“Van! You can do it!”
Nia still seemed unable to decide whom to cheer for. Her eyes darted back and forth between us.
“Lord Ivaki… no, Van… ah…”
Ryeong watched quietly, but her gaze was fixed on me. There seemed to be some deep meaning contained in that look.
“…….”
Saladin stood with his arms crossed, watching with interest. A faint smile hung on his lips.
With Ivaki’s roar, his strength exploded. His muscles swelled even more. It was an overwhelming force, as if a mountain itself were moving.
“Uraaaah!”
But I didn’t retreat. Instead, I used that strength against him. At the very peak of Ivaki’s power, I shifted direction in an instant.
“This…!”
Ivaki’s eyes widened. His massive body began to tilt. The giant, having lost his balance, started to fall.
“Not yet!”
Ivaki made one last attempt to resist.
But it was already too late.
His foot crossed the line.
Thud!
His enormous body crashed to the ground, shaking the arena. For a moment, everything fell silent.
“Hahahaha!”
Ivaki suddenly burst into loud laughter.
“You finally did it, Van!”
At his laughter, everyone began to cheer. Bestia jumped up and down in joy, Nia let out a sigh of relief, Ryeong had a small smile on her lips, and even Saladin nodded as if satisfied.
Ivaki stood up and patted my shoulder. His large hand struck it heavily.
“You’ve gotten pretty good now. But next time, I’ll win!”
“Then… one more round?”
I grinned as I spoke. Ivaki’s eyes gleamed.
“Good! This time, I’ll definitely—!”
“Wait a moment!”
Suddenly, Saladin’s voice rang out. He stood up with a relaxed smile.
“I’ve never seen this side of you before, Van… Mind if I have a round as well?”
Unlike his usual calm and polite demeanor, there was curiosity in Saladin’s eyes.
“Hey, Saladin. Right now, it’s my—”
Just as Ivaki tried to speak, I grinned and nodded.
“Sure, let’s go a round.”
Ivaki hesitated for a moment, then stepped back. Saladin walked forward to the white line. His build was different from Ivaki’s. Though muscular, he was far more agile, and there was an elegance to his movements, like he was wielding a sword.
“Alright, let’s begin.”
Saladin grabbed my waist. It was different from Ivaki’s monstrous strength, but no less dangerous. It was the power of a Hero.
“Hup!”
I moved first. But Saladin’s balance was perfect. His feet were as firm as if they had taken root in the ground.
“This is a first…”
A smile formed on Saladin’s lips. He suddenly shifted his stance. It was an instantaneous conversion of force. He had applied swordsmanship techniques to wrestling.
Exclamations burst out from the surroundings. Ivaki watched with interest, arms crossed, Bestia cheered even louder, and Ryeong’s gaze grew sharper.
“This…”
Saladin’s technique was beyond expectations. Completely different from Ivaki’s strength—it was full of finesse.
But I couldn’t help but smile.
“This is fun.”
Today felt like it was going to be a very long day.