The massive holographic display above the central arena flickered to life, showing the first bracket of matches. Jun-woo's name glowed in bright gold letters next to his opponent: Park Min-ho.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
Park Min-ho—the same trainee who'd led the group that beat him senseless just yesterday. The same one who'd called him "Masochist Kang" with contempt dripping from every syllable.
Now they'd face each other in front of thousands of spectators and the most powerful hunters in Korea.
'Perfect,' Jun-woo thought, a cold smile playing on his lips. 'Time to collect some interest on that debt.'
"First match!" Director Sung Jin-woo's voice boomed across the arena. "Park Min-ho versus Kang Ye-jun! Fighters, enter the combat zone!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs and whispers.
"Masochist Kang is fighting first?"
"Park Min-ho is B-rank potential with fire affinity. This'll be a massacre."
"Should we even watch? It'll be over in seconds."
Jun-woo ignored the commentary, walking calmly toward the designated combat platform—a circular stage fifty meters in diameter, reinforced with barrier formations to contain the fighters' power and protect the audience.
Park Min-ho strutted onto the opposite side, his confidence radiating like heat from his awakened fire affinity. Flames danced lazily around his clenched fists, and his supporters in the crowd cheered loudly.
"Hey, Masochist!" Park Min-ho called out mockingly. "Try not to smile while I'm beating you this time, yeah? It creeps everyone out!"
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Jun-woo said nothing. He simply took his position, hands relaxed at his sides, his expression unreadable.
Wu Xue watched from the sidelines, her newly awakened combat instincts screaming that something was different about her young master. The aura he emitted wasn't that of someone about to be defeated—it was the calm of a predator sizing up prey.
Director Sung raised his hand. "Combatants ready? The match ends when one surrenders, falls unconscious, or I judge them unable to continue. Killing is forbidden." His eyes swept both fighters with an intensity that made even Park Min-ho flinch. "Begin!"
The barrier formation activated with a translucent shimmer.
Park Min-ho wasted no time. "Flame Burst!"
He thrust both palms forward, unleashing a roaring wave of fire that consumed half the platform. The heat was so intense that spectators in the lower seats felt it through the barrier.
The flames engulfed Jun-woo's position completely.
"Already over?" someone in the crowd muttered.
"Told you it'd be quick—"
The speaker's words died in his throat.
When the flames cleared, Jun-woo stood exactly where he'd been, completely unharmed. Not even his clothes were singed. His 624 Endurance stat had tanked the attack effortlessly.
Park Min-ho's confident expression cracked. "What? How did you—"
"My turn," Jun-woo said quietly.
He moved.
To most observers, he simply vanished. Only the S-rank and above hunters in the audience could track his movement—a burst of pure speed enabled by his Shadow Step skill combined with his overwhelming stats.
Jun-woo appeared directly in front of Park Min-ho, who barely had time to widen his eyes in shock.
'Let's see... I should probably hold back a bit. Don't want to kill him accidentally.'
Jun-woo threw a casual punch—no skills activated, just his base 523 Strength.
CRACK!
His fist connected with Park Min-ho's hastily raised guard. The sound of breaking bone echoed across the silent arena.
Park Min-ho's arms shattered like twigs, and the impact sent him flying backward like a cannonball. He crashed into the barrier wall with enough force to crack it, then crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even realized what hit him.
The entire arena fell silent.
Ten seconds. The match had lasted exactly ten seconds.
"Winner: Kang Ye-jun!" Director Sung announced, his voice cutting through the stunned silence.
Then chaos erupted.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
"Did Masochist Kang just one-shot Park Min-ho?!"
"That's impossible! Park Min-ho is B-rank potential! He should've been able to at least—"
"Did anyone else see how fast he moved?!"
Medical staff rushed onto the platform to retrieve Park Min-ho's unconscious body. Both his arms were bent at unnatural angles, and he'd need at least three days in a healing pod to recover.
Jun-woo walked off the platform calmly, as if he'd just completed a routine exercise. But internally, he was grinning.
[Reversal Successful!]
[Park Min-ho's fate altered: Will no longer become Kim Si-woo's loyal subordinate]
[Reward: +2,000 RP]
[Bonus: Absorbed trait 〈Fire Resistance (Minor)〉 from residual flame damage]
[Current RP: 7,000]
Wu Xue ran up to him, her eyes shining with admiration. "Young Master! That was incredible!"
[Favorability increased: 95 → 98 (Complete Devotion)]
"It was nothing," Jun-woo said, though he allowed himself a small smile. "Just teaching someone a lesson about underestimating their opponents."
From across the arena, Kim Si-woo watched the entire exchange with narrowed eyes. The ancient soul in his consciousness spoke urgently:
{That boy... his power level is impossible. Three months ago, Kang Ye-jun was reported as having moderate talent at best. Now he displays strength comparable to a peak F-rank or even low E-rank hunter. Something is wrong.}
"Could he have had a fortuitous encounter?" Kim Si-woo murmured under his breath.
{Possible. But the timing is suspicious. Be extremely cautious around him. He may be a hidden obstacle in your path.}
Kim Si-woo's expression hardened with determination. 'If he's an obstacle, I'll crush him. Nothing will stop my rise.'
His protagonist aura flared unconsciously, drawing admiring glances from nearby female trainees.
---
Over the next two hours, the bracket continued. Jun-woo watched carefully, analyzing the competition.
Kim Si-woo's match came up. Despite his injuries from the failed breakthrough, the protagonist put on an impressive show. His opponent—a C-rank potential earth attribute user—managed to land several solid hits.
But each time Kim Si-woo was pushed back, his determination seemed to multiply his power. The 〈Unyielding Will〉 trait in action.
By the end of the match, Kim Si-woo had somehow broken through mid-combat, advancing from F-rank to F+ rank on the spot. He won decisively, and the crowd roared with approval.
'Typical protagonist bullshit,' Jun-woo thought. 'Gets beat up, powers up mid-fight, wins anyway. But that won't work against someone who can steal your opportunities before you get them.'
The combat trial concluded with Jun-woo and Kim Si-woo both in the top brackets, heading toward an inevitable confrontation.
But first came the Second Trial.