The battlefield no longer felt like an arena. It felt like a stage where only monsters remained.
The ten of them stood apart, each carrying an aura that distorted the air in subtle ways. No one spoke. No one moved carelessly.
The earlier chaos of multiple matches had vanished, replaced by a suffocating calm, where every breath, every step, every decision held weight.
Kang Jinhyuk's voice echoed once more.
"Top ten… begin."
The first match started instantly. A clash of raw strength and refined technique erupted, shockwaves colliding against the barrier as two candidates engaged with full force from the very beginning.
One relied on overwhelming physical dominance, each strike cracking the ground, while the other countered with precise movement and sharp counterattacks. The fight didn't last long—but it was brutal.
Victory was claimed. Another match followed. This one was faster. Sharper.
Two speed-type fighters collided like flashes of light, their movements barely visible, blades clashing mid-air, sparks scattering with each contact. The audience could barely follow.
Then, A final strike. One fell, The other advanced.
Then—
"Lee Hyun."
His name echoed again. He stepped forward. Calm. Unhurried. His opponent this time, Was different. A quiet figure. But the moment the fight began, The air turned heavy.
Dark energy surged outward, dense and suffocating, carrying a killing intent that pressed down on the battlefield itself.
"…A specialized combatant."
The opponent moved first. Not fast. But deadly. Each step was calculated, each strike aimed with precision meant to kill, not test.
Lee Hyun moved. Not retreating, But adjusting. The Demon's Sword appeared silently in his grasp, its presence darker than before, its crimson edge faintly glowing as if responding to the intensity of the battle.
The first clash, resonated. A deep metallic echo spread across the arena. The opponent's power was real. Heavy. Experienced. But not enough.
Lee Hyun's movements shifted again, the Dragon Blade Dance flowing naturally, his body moving with increasing precision. His strikes began to carry more weight, more intent, each movement pushing the opponent further back.
"…Impossible…"
The opponent's defense began to crack. A final exchange. A clean opening. One strike and it ended. The opponent collapsed. Silence followed. Then, Acknowledgment.
Time passed. Fights continued. Each one more intense than the last. Each one narrowing the field further. Until, Only two remained.
The entire arena fell into a silence that felt almost unreal. Because everyone knew. This was the final battle.
Kang Jinhyuk stepped forward, his gaze steady.
"Final match."
A pause.
"Lee Hyun."
Another pause.
"Min Seoah."
The air itself seemed to tighten. She stepped forward first. Calm. Composed. Unshaken.
Her silver hair moved gently despite the stillness, her presence radiating a cold authority that made even the surrounding energy feel distant.
A frost-like aura began to spread from her, thin at first, then gradually expanding, covering the battlefield in a faint layer of crystalline cold.
"…Frost Dominion…"
Her eyes met his. No arrogance. No hesitation. Only certainty.
"You're strong," she said quietly.
A brief pause.
"But this ends here."
Lee Hyun stood opposite her, his expression calm, his grip steady.
"We'll see."
The signal was given.
She moved first. Not fast but absolute. The ground froze instantly beneath her step, a wave of frost spreading outward as countless sharp ice constructs formed in the air, each one carrying lethal precision.
They shot forward. Simultaneously.
Lee Hyun moved. His body shifted, the Dragon Blade Dance activating immediately, his blade tracing arcs that cut through the incoming attacks. Ice shattered around him, fragments scattering as he advanced instead of retreating.
"…He's closing distance…?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Then the temperature dropped further. The air itself froze.
Her aura intensified, the battlefield turning into her domain, every movement within it slowed, restricted, suppressed.
Lee Hyun felt it instantly.
"…So this is her full control…"
But he didn't stop. Instead his aura changed. Darkness surged. Light followed. Two opposing forces erupted simultaneously, wrapping around him, pushing back against the frost that tried to dominate him.
The Demon's Sword reacted. Its crimson edge deepened. Its presence grew heavier. He stepped forward. Breaking through.
Their clash began. Blade met frost. Energy collided. Shockwaves erupted with every exchange, the barrier trembling under the pressure.
She attacked with control. Precision. Absolute dominance over her domain. Each movement calculated. Each strike flawless.
But... he adapted.
His movements became sharper, more aggressive, the fluid dance turning into something more dangerous, more overwhelming. The balance between divine and demonic power within him surged, amplifying his strikes beyond normal limits.
"…He's increasing output…"
"…No… he's evolving mid-fight…"
The observers above leaned forward. Even Kang Jinhyuk's expression shifted slightly. The battle intensified. Faster. Heavier. More dangerous.
Ice pillars rose and shattered. Crimson arcs tore through the frozen air. Their movements blurred, their clashes echoing like thunder.
She pushed him back. Then he pushed forward. Neither yielding. Neither breaking.
Then a shift. Lee Hyun was forced back into a defensive position.
Her domain intensified further, frost condensing into a concentrated force that pressed down on him, restricting his movement, limiting his options.
"…This is it…"
Her final push. Her absolute control. For a brief moment he stopped. Still. Calm. And then he felt it. The sword.
A deep, resonating energy surged within the Demon's Sword, its crimson glow intensifying, the sealed power within it reacting violently as if reaching a threshold.
"…So this is…"
Not conscious. Not planned. But ready. He moved. One step. The energy exploded outward. The blade descended carrying everything.
Demonic force.
Heavenly power.
Technique.
Intent.
All condensed into a single strike.
The impact shattered everything. The barrier cracked. Then broke. The array trembled violently as the force tore through the battlefield, splitting the frozen domain apart completely.
A shockwave erupted outward. Reaching beyond the arena. Beyond the academy. Broadcasted to the entire country. Silence. Absolute silence.
When the dust settled, she stood there. Injured. But not destroyed. The strike had shifted. At the last moment he had changed its direction. Avoiding a fatal blow.
She looked at him. For a long moment, then smiled faintly.
"…You held back."
A pause.
"…Thank you."
She lowered her hand.
"I admit defeat."
The words echoed. Clear. Unshaken. The silence broke.
"…Monster…"
"…That power…"
"…SSS Rank… no… beyond that…"
Voices erupted across the platform. Across the country. Across every screen. His name spread instantly. Not as a participant. Not as a talent. But as something else. Something undeniable.
Lee Hyun stood quietly. His sword fading. His breathing steady. His eyes calm. But within them, a fire burned. Because he knew.
This was only the beginning.
---
To be continued..