Chapter 57 : Chapter 57
Chapter 57: Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho’s…….
As a burning sensation was felt on his cheek, his body floated into the air in an instant.
Like being hit by a passing bus.
Regardless of his will.
Shortly after, a blackout.
And when he opened his eyes again.
Tae-wook could face Jin-ho’s face looking down at him.
People often use the expression that time slowed down when they capture something tremendous in their eyes.
It could be something unexpected.
Or it could be something one cannot easily accept even after seeing it with their eyes.
The over ten thousand people filling the spectator seats.
All those people were making the same expression with the same emotion.
It seemed as if only this place on Earth had escaped the flow of time.
It was understandable.
The one punch of the underdog that finally reached.
And the unknown expression formed on the face of Jin-ho who was looking down at the fallen genius.
Because every human watching that felt something hot.
"You finally reached him, Jin-ho."
Among them, the hottest expression was formed on Yoo jin’s face.
"Was it conveyed even a little, Tae-wook?"
The mask was peeling off from the face of the student who had always stood only above.
I was hit.
And…… I fainted?
If not for that, it couldn't be explained.
Because Jin-ho was looking down at him.
"……."
His hand went to his left cheek without him realizing.
‘It hurts.’
How long has it been, hurting like this.
After entering middle school.
His brother’s violence stopped.
Since he went from a prospect to an active S-Rank hunter, the time they encountered each other just decreased, but still.
And his father did not even hit him.
Because even that was an effort to that person.
He just threw him into a solitary room barely over 3.3 square meters without a single window or fluorescent light.
No one would imagine.
That the person called the Vice President of the Hunter Association abused his son treating him like a worm.
It was clearly a hard time.
He cried every day, and wanted to die every day.
But he couldn't die.
Because his mother’s last words were to live.
Because that was the will of his mother who died instead of Kang Tae-wook.
So he decided to survive.
He decided to be loved.
No, even if it wasn't love, he hoped he would look at him.
Only hoping his father would look at him.
He endured this hell because of that one thing, but…….
Tae-wook’s head, which was looking up at Jin-ho, moved slightly.
The platform where the VIPs were sitting.
His father maintaining an upright posture, not excited alone.
Kang Yu was captured in his eyes.
The expression he always makes when looking at him.
As if even the consumption of emotion was a waste, he was looking at his child with eyes looking at something dead.
Tae-wook crushed his lips strongly.
His father, no, that person.
Was not even disappointed, still.
An emotion burst from deep within his heart.
Tae-wook, who was sitting on the floor, got up quickly and immediately threw a punch at Jin-ho.
Thud!
And.
Thud!
The same sound rang out consecutively.
However, the one who threw the punch this time was Jin-ho, not Tae-wook.
The surprise was brief.
Tae-wook extended his fist again.
Thud!
A dull sound ringing out again.
And immediately.
Thud!
The sound of a fist hitting a cheek rang out.
He didn't even know it hurt.
No, there was no room to even feel the pain.
Because a strange emotion that had already burst from his heart dominated his whole body.
Chemicals whose names he didn't know encroached on his whole body.
The children in the center of the stadium continued to throw punches at their opponent.
Their feet did not move.
As if planted in the ground.
Standing on that spot.
They were just throwing punches towards the opponent.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
In the Great Awakening Era, a highlight of an old-fashioned sports match unfolded.
Commonly called a slugfest.
A total war thrown with one's life on the line.
Another name is One-touch.
Tae-wook and Jin-ho.
As if they were tribal chiefs of the primitive age.
They were just throwing punches at the opponent's face.
In there, strategy, skill, ability, tactic, intellect.
There was nothing.
There was only their own conversation.
Thud!
‘I can't lose. If I lose, Father won't expect anything again.’
Thud!
‘I can't lose. Teacher Yoo jin, and everyone helped me.’
Thud!
‘Don't make me recall that room anymore.’
Thud!
‘It's not because of revenge against my brother. This is my fight.’
Thud!
‘Why is it you of all people. Why are you…… Why are you, a D-Rank, blocking me…… Why…….’
Thud!
‘So I want to win. I want to convey. That I became strong. That I am not the me you used to bully. That I now…… don't hate myself.’
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Only the same sound continued to ring throughout the entire gymnasium.
"What is this…… Just why……."
"They are just throwing punches, but why is my heart so hot."
People with reddened eyes were seen here and there in the spectator seats.
"This is totally like a Boy’s manga."
The spectators couldn't hear the story contained in Tae-wook and Jin-ho's fists.
Even so.
Because of each other's circumstances that could absolutely not be conceded and the emotions they couldn't tell anyone contained in the fists.
They were feeling something hot.
And that heat soon.
"Hang in there!"
"Don't lose! Both of you!"
"Win!"
"Kang Tae-wook!"
"Jin-ho!"
Burst out like firecrackers.
Waaaaah―.
The gymnasium was engulfed in heat again.
Shouts and empathy louder than ever before.
Although they didn't know the narrative or the circumstances of those standing in the stadium.
Everyone watching could know just one thing.
That both sides absolutely could not lose.
"Ugh!"
"Raaah!"
Jin-ho and Tae-wook threw punches at each other's faces without rest.
Only strange shouts squeezing out their souls, which couldn't be considered words, were coming out of their mouths.
It didn't matter.
Whatever words they spat out from their mouths.
Anyway.
Because they were talking with their fists.
"Although they aren't using powerful skills or flashy special moves, as expected…… there is nothing as hot as fists."
Yoo jin, who was watching, lifted the corners of his mouth.
"Both of you, say everything without regrets and come back."
Behind Yoo jin's voice, a dull sound ringing for a long time.
It was filling the gymnasium at regular intervals like a metronome.
Then, soon.
Tak tak!
As a sound announcing something rang out.
Yoo jin's gaze passed his student and headed to the electronic scoreboard.
The remaining time was 10 seconds before anyone knew.
Now.
It was time to settle it.
War does not happen because there is good and evil.
Because both sides believe they are right.
It happens because there is something they cannot concede.
So.
The movements of Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho, who were throwing punches without rest, stopped.
They had conversed enough.
Only one thing remained.
A glint arose in the eyes capturing each other.
Flare!
Cr-rack!
Kang Tae-wook and Jin-ho squeezed out all their remaining strength and infused their Unique Skills into their fists.
A winner and a loser must be decided.
For this match at least.
Only then, can both of them.
Escape from hell.
"Raaah!!"
"Uaaagh!!"
The final attack, staking everything of each other.
Fists containing blue flame and ice collided.
And.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!!
A tremendous explosion blinded the vision of the entire gymnasium.
As the explosion sound and light disappeared.
The thing emitting the brightest light was the electronic scoreboard.
Beep―.
The sound announcing the end of the match rang out.
However.
Everyone in the gymnasium couldn't utter any sound.
Because it wasn't visible yet.
The result of the match.
Sizzle.
The fog created by the meeting of ice and fire.
That fog gradually cleared away.
Gulp.
Only the sound of dry swallowing rang out here and there in the spectator seats.
A little later.
The fog that covered the stadium completely disappeared and.
"Uh……?!"
"This is……."
It was clearly captured in the shaking eyes.
Center of the stadium.
The appearance of two students collapsed in the same posture.
"Who won?"
"Since both collapsed, isn't it a draw?"
"Where is a draw in a final!"
"Then just……."
At that moment.
"Ohh!!"
An exclamation ringing through the entire gymnasium.
Thump.
Thump.
One student who was collapsed on the floor was slowly raising his body.
Trembling legs.
Even the arms pushing against the ground to support them were visibly shaking at a glance.
Enough to know just by watching that he was squeezing out even the strength he used to suck milk.
A warrior was slowly raising his body.
As if he couldn't accept a draw.
"Jin-ho……."
Tears gathered in the eyes of Ye-na and Seong-hyeon who were watching that.
Not entirely.
Not as much as Jin-ho though.
They know.
Why he wants to win.
How hard of a path he walked for this day.
Because they knew that.
Tears burst out before anyone else.
"One tried to win because he was afraid of falling into hell, and one, fought to overcome himself. It was just that much difference."
After Yoo jin's voice rang low.
Chuck!
Jin-ho raised his body completely.
At the same time.
"Waaaaah!!"
Cheers rang out from the spectator seats.
It was chaos.
Not enough to be expressed even with that word.
Tremendous heat covered the gymnasium.
The Dark Horse no one expected.
Because it was the moment the underdog became the final winner.
The referee was also dumbfounded and couldn't take any action.
It was inevitable.
A result no one expected.
And because there had never been a case like this.
All participants knocked down.
And one participant who got up after the match time had all passed.
He didn't even have a clue how to state the match result.
So.
"The result is……."
The referee couldn't spit out the following words.
"The result is……."
At that moment.
"Oh!!"
The spectator seats became noisy again.
"I…… lose……."
Kang Tae-wook who was collapsed started to slowly raise his body.
"I can't lose……."
However.
Flop.
Unlike his will, Kang Tae-wook was not getting up properly.
His legs gave out and he fell to the floor again, but Tae-wook was trying to get up again without giving up.
At that appearance, Jin-ho waited silently.
Actually, it wasn't that he was waiting, but it was because his body condition couldn't move even a step.
Rattle―.
Putting strength into his shaking limbs several times, Kang Tae-wook struggled to get up.
Genius.
Overwhelming talent.
A-Rank strongest.
The best prospect whose future is anticipated.
Only such modifiers followed him, but for the first time, a challenger's expression was formed on Kang Tae-wook.
"I can't lose……."
His pupils were already dilated.
He didn't even know what words he was spitting out.
Even so, he moved.
If he loses here.
No more…….
Flop!
Kang Tae-wook failed to get up again.
"I can't lose. At least to you……."
He raised his body without giving up.
Several times.
His plan had already turned into bubbles.
He wanted to win with an overwhelming difference and show his father.
He only showed a miserable appearance.
Therefore, he could not lose even more.
If he loses.
It was really the end.
If he doesn't get up now, the past days he lived wearing a mask until now.
The past days he acted like the best prospect, a movie protagonist.
The past days he endured because of his mother's will although he wanted to die every day.
Because it felt like they would be denied.
Therefore, Tae-wook struggled to get up with deathly strength.
Not thinking about how people looked at him.
For the first time.
He wanted to stand up with his own will.
But.
‘Why…… Why…….’
Body half raised.
However, his legs did not listen.
One knee was not leaving the ground.
‘Please move. If I don't stand up…….’
If he loses here.
Because there is no reason to live anymore.
At that moment.
"……."
A scene came to mind in Tae-wook's head.
That time he faced his brother whom he hated to see the most.
‘Just in case, you should get insurance.’
As soon as that voice filled his head, Tae-wook's hand moved towards the stone in his inner pocket.
He doesn't know what this is.
However, if it is as that guy said.
Maybe…….
Thump!
Kang Tae-wook's hand placed on the stone given by Kang Si-wook.
Trap.
Double-edged sword.
‘It doesn't matter. Since it's better to die than to lose anyway. So…….’
Above the stone boasting a smooth surface, light green characters appeared and then.
Cr-rack!
Tae-wook lost consciousness.
Pooooong!!
Along with a tremendous sound, black aura soared around Kang Tae-wook's body.
As if an evil spirit from hell crossed the gate.
Tae-wook was getting eaten by the darkness.
He didn't even know that one knee had only now left the ground.
It was understandable.
"Uh…… Can't lose…… Can't lose……."
Because Kang Tae-wook had already lost his reason long ago, with only the whites of his eyes visible.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!!
The black aura extending from Tae-wook's body was destroying everything around.
Naturally, even Jin-ho who was facing him.
Jin-ho was pushed by the black aura and fell to the floor.
Only then did the spectators and officials realize the seriousness of the situation.
"What is that! That thing!"
"It's getting bigger! Dodge!"
"We're in trouble!"
They started to evacuate.
Like that, without being able to announce the result of the final match, the Athletic Meet became a chaotic scene.
"Kyaaah!"
"Run away!"
The gymnasium turned like a disaster movie in an instant.
In that critical situation where screams and curses were rampant.
Just one person.
Only just one person.
Was shrugging his shoulders, unable to hold back his laughter.
And the gaze that doesn't miss that.
Yoo jin's black-brown eyes captured one human doing an action that didn't fit this situation.
"It's you."
A devil's expression was formed on Yoo jin's face capturing Kang Si-wook in his eyes.
Finally.
After one hundred years.
Yoo jin's turn had returned.