RG 72

As Cover stepped back, the commentators voiced their surprise.

— Hunter Cover doesn’t seem to be engaging in the fight.

— It’s a true showdown between Park Huiseok and Ryu Seonghyeon!

— Park Huiseok has experience winning competition matches, especially the one against the Blood Guild, and we’ve seen him in combat many times. But for Ryu Seonghyeon, isn’t this his first time competing?

— That’s right. Compared to Park Huiseok, the data on Ryu Seonghyeon is quite lacking. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles this match.

Park Huiseok! Park Huiseok! Park Huiseok!

The stadium roared with cheers for Park Huiseok. No matter how hard one listened, there wasn’t a single voice cheering for Ryu Seonghyeon. It was as if everyone was expecting Park Huiseok to win. Amidst the deafening support, Ryu Seonghyeon only felt the gaze of one person on him.

Cover. Even without any grand words, he knew. Cover genuinely believed that Ryu Seonghyeon would win against Park Huiseok.

‘How can he be so sure?’

In a flash, radiant light formed in Ryu Seonghyeon’s hands. Gripping a long, golden sword, Ryu Seonghyeon once again pondered the question he had been asking since the moment he met Cover.

‘How can you be so certain I’ll win?’

Ryu Seonghyeon stepped in front of Park Huiseok, sword in hand, just as he was about to chase after Cover. Swish! Park Huiseok dodged the horizontal slash, baring his teeth with a low growl.

“Ryu Seonghyeon!”

His voice, mixed with a beastly growl, was deep and terrifying enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. Park Huiseok’s pale eyes gleamed with menace as he faced Ryu Seonghyeon, who was standing in his way.

Though Cover, the masked nuisance, annoyed him, Ryu Seonghyeon had been a thorn in his side for much longer. This was the perfect opportunity to get rid of both of these irritants and pave his way to the Nexus.

With a plan to eliminate both Ryu Seonghyeon and Cover, Park Huiseok focused his attention on Ryu Seonghyeon. Clang! Clang! Ryu Seonghyeon’s sword collided repeatedly with Park Huiseok’s claws in the air.

“Is that all you’ve got?!”

Park Huiseok swatted the golden blade aside and instantly closed the gap, charging forward.

“Ugh!”

In that split second of hesitation, Ryu Seonghyeon’s arm found its way into Park Huiseok’s mouth. Before his flesh could be torn apart, he quickly yanked his arm back, but not before his forearm was slashed by Park Huiseok’s sharp teeth.

Ignoring the searing pain, Ryu Seonghyeon regained his balance. Once more, light burst from his hands. This time, the radiant light formed into thick chains that wrapped tightly around Park Huiseok’s body. These chains were stronger and sturdier than the whip he had used earlier, and while they restrained Park Huiseok’s movements, Ryu Seonghyeon seized the opportunity to attack.

Whoosh!

With a sharp sound slicing through the air, the sword was aimed at Park Huiseok’s shoulder. Even while bound, Park Huiseok twisted his body and evaded the strike with ease.

“You pathetic bastard!”

To target his shoulder, when he should be aiming for the neck? Even if that wasn’t Ryu Seonghyeon’s intention, Park Huiseok felt insulted by the weak decision.

Grrrr! With a deep growl, Park Huiseok flexed his muscles. The chains trembled as they strained to hold him, but eventually, they snapped.

Clang!

“That’s why you’ll never amount to anything, Ryu Seonghyeon!”

“Ugh, ah!”

The moment the chains broke, Park Huiseok lunged at Ryu Seonghyeon like lightning, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him hard into the ground.

Crash!

“Gah…!”

The impact was so strong that the ground cracked beneath Ryu Seonghyeon, causing him to cough up blood. But Park Huiseok wasn’t done. He lifted Ryu Seonghyeon again and slammed him down over and over, as if taking out all his frustrations.

Boom! Crash! Crash!

“Cough!”

Ryu Seonghyeon was slammed into the ground repeatedly, blood spilling from his mouth. His ears rang with a high-pitched whine, and his vision blurred as everything around him spun.

Waaaah!

— As expected, Hunter Park Huiseok dominates!

— He’s too strong! Ryu Seonghyeon doesn’t stand a chance.

The crowd’s cheers for Park Huiseok, the commentators’ excited chatter, and the unwavering faith of Cover—all of it blurred into a dizzying haze in Ryu Seonghyeon’s mind. Every sensation felt distant, submerged in a murky fog.

All of those things were tangled in his head. All his senses became dizzy as if he was submerged in water.

“I knew it would end like this.”

Even in his lion-like form, Park Huiseok sneered as he lifted Ryu Seonghyeon’s battered body and tossed him away like a rag doll. Ryu Seonghyeon flew through the air, skidding across the arena floor before crashing into shattered fragments of debris.

Cough! Gasp…

He struggled to his feet, coughing up blood as he touched his head. Blood dripped down from a gash on his forehead. His mind reeled.

‘Can I win?’

He asked himself, a wave of doubt washing over him. Can I really win this?

Even within the S-class, there were vast differences in skill, experience, and abilities. S-class was merely a final classification; some had power far beyond that baseline, wielding extraordinary skills.

Ryu Seonghyeon had been classified as S-class, and everyone else had told him he was strong, so he believed it. But he had never truly had confidence in his own abilities.

“We can win.”

A voice echoed clearly in the fog of his mind.

“Because we have you, Vicemaster.”

Cover believed, without the slightest doubt, that Ryu Seonghyeon was strong.

“You’re exceptional, Vicemaster.”

Ryu Seonghyeon had never heard such words before. Strong? Exceptional? If anyone else heard them, they’d laugh. But Cover, without hesitation or concern for how it might sound, had said it outright.

Ryu Seonghyeon didn’t understand Cover. It felt like a burden. But now…

“…”

He slowly lifted his gaze. Through the haze of blood and distance, he saw Cover watching him. His vision was blurred, the distance vast, and the mask obscured Cover’s expression, but…

Ryu Seonghyeon didn’t want to fall in front of him. A new, unfamiliar desire rose within him—a desire to live up to the expectation Cover had placed on him.

“This is the end.”

Park Huiseok, noticing Ryu Seonghyeon struggling to stand by leaning on the debris, raised his claws and took a step forward.

Then, it happened.

Flash!

Ryu Seonghyeon raised his gloved hand into the air, and suddenly, a beam of light descended from above, illuminating Park Huiseok like a spotlight.

“Another pointless trick…”

Park Huiseok hesitated for a brief second, smirking at the light that seemed to do nothing but shine on him. But just as he prepared to move again…

Sizzle!

The light intensified, growing searingly hot. Park Huiseok, who had instinctively shut his eyes against the blinding brilliance, suddenly screamed in agony as an unbearable heat scorched his entire body.

“Ugh, wh-what the hell is this…?!”

He opened his eyes, only to be met with a searing white void that blinded him further. Panicking, he flailed his arms wildly, but the oppressive heat continued to press down on him, burning his skin and sending smoke rising from his reddening flesh.

“Damn it! Aaargh!”

No matter how he tried to escape, the light followed him relentlessly. Stumbling in blindness, Park Huiseok floundered, his movements frantic. Meanwhile, Ryu Seonghyeon, having fully risen to his feet, moved with newfound determination. With a commanding gesture, seven golden swords materialized in a radiant halo behind him.

These were the same weapons he had wielded earlier, but now he combined them with his glowing aura. With the golden halo at his back, Ryu Seonghyeon charged toward the struggling Park Huiseok.

Whizz!

The seven swords shot forward in unison, cutting through the air and sinking deep into Park Huiseok’s massive frame, slashing at his body with merciless precision. Blood spurted from each wound, Park Huiseok’s roars of pain echoing in the arena.

“…!”

As Park Huiseok blinked through the pain, his vision clearing momentarily, he saw Ryu Seonghyeon cutting through the column of light, sword raised. This time, though the situation mirrored their earlier clash, the result was different. Ryu Seonghyeon’s sword sliced cleanly across Park Huiseok’s chest.

Slash!

A spray of crimson blood splattered against the golden light. Park Huiseok, now unable to withstand the crushing weight of the light, collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Hah… hah…”

Ryu Seonghyeon, panting heavily, dispelled the light as he confirmed Park Huiseok’s defeat. Cold sweat mixed with blood dripped down his face as the tension began to fade.

Waaah!

The crowd, who had been silent in awe, suddenly erupted into cheers and applause. The commentators, barely containing their excitement, spoke rapidly into their microphones.

— Unbelievable! Ryu Seonghyeon has taken down Park Huiseok!

— Wow, this shows the true power of light-based abilities! It looks simple, but the destructive force is incredible.

— Honestly, up until the middle of the fight, I thought Park Huiseok would win. But Ryu Seonghyeon’s resilience is amazing!

Though inexperienced, Ryu Seonghyeon had tapped into the raw, fundamental power of light, while drawing from the combat styles of both Cover and Kwon Taehyeok to deliver a decisive blow. Given that this was merely a competition and not a life-or-death battle, Ryu Seonghyeon’s victory was assured.

Amidst the cheers and praise, Ryu Seonghyeon instinctively sought out Cover. He found him instantly. Throughout the entire battle, Cover’s gaze had never wavered from him. The moment their eyes met, Cover raised a thumbs-up with a proud smile.

“Haha…”

It felt like Cover was silently saying, “I told you, you could win, didn’t I?” Ryu Seonghyeon couldn’t help but laugh, momentarily forgetting the gravity of the situation.

Grrrr…!

It was then that Park Huiseok, who had been unconscious for a brief moment, began to stir. Slowly, he lifted his battered body, blood still dripping from his mouth. He glanced around the arena, taking in the scene.

Despite their fight, the battle between the teams continued. However, Cover had already taken down three A-class enemies, and with additional forces defending the Nexus, the Ronic attack team was struggling to even reach it.

And now, Park Huiseok himself had been felled by Ryu Seonghyeon. Gritting his teeth, he quickly assessed the situation. Though Ryu Seonghyeon was fatigued from their battle, the opposing team still had Cover, an S-class, waiting in reserve.

Until now, Park Huiseok had been relatively calm, but after being knocked down by Ryu Seonghyeon, it was clear he would make his move to steal the gem and secure victory.

The thought of Circle taking the win in this competition sparked a burning rage inside him.

‘I have to lose to those bastards? Me? Ronic? Damn it, damn it!’

The golden eyes looking down at him as he fell made him sick to his stomach. Cover, who was confident Ryu Seonghyeon would win, was just as infuriating.

This didn’t make sense. Park Huiseok and Ronic had to win this match—there could be no other outcome.

“Damn it…”

With his sharp nails digging into the ground, Park Huiseok trembled in anger, then suddenly stood up.

Ryu Seonghyeon, who had been tensely watching him, stiffened as Park Huiseok bolted past him, running straight ahead.

“What the…?”

“Ah, I see.”

Standing next to him, Cover clicked his tongue at Park Huiseok’s sudden move as Ryu Seonghyeon turned in confusion.

“He’s rushing the Nexus. He knows he’s going to lose, so he’s trying to break through alone.”

“…!”

Realizing what Park Huiseok was trying to do, Ryu Seonghyeon was startled and immediately tried to chase after him. “We have to stop him…!”

“No, Vicemaster.”

It was Cover who stopped Ryu Seonghyeon.

“I’ll go after him. You’ve got something else to do.”

Cover gestured past Ryu Seonghyeon’s shoulder. It was the Red Team’s Nexus. And in front of it were five Ronic guild members, positioned there under Park Huiseok’s orders to guard the Nexus.

“You’re better suited to handle multiple opponents with your skills. Go. I’ll stop Park Huiseok.”

“But, wait, Hunter Cover!”

Park Huiseok, furious after losing to Ryu Seonghyeon, was giving off an unsettling aura. Ryu Seonghyeon wanted to ask if it was really okay to send Cover alone to deal with Park Huiseok, but before he could finish speaking, Cover had already pushed off the ground and was racing after him.

‘Right. This is no time to hesitate.’

Quickly steeling himself, Ryu Seonghyeon also sprinted toward the Red Team’s Nexus in the opposite direction. His breath was ragged, and his legs ached after the recent battle, but there was no time to rest.

As he increased his speed, a thought suddenly crossed Ryu Seonghyeon’s mind.

‘Wait, has Cover… even used a skill yet?’

***

“Get out of my way!”

“We… we have to hold him!”

With loud thuds, the ground shook as Park Huiseok charged toward the Nexus like a madman. The Circle guild members guarding the front of the Nexus turned pale with fear. Though terrified, they still tried to block his path, and Park Huiseok let out a rough breath.

‘Annoying bastards!’

The Circle guild members were all like Ryu Seonghyeon—weak but tenacious, like flies that wouldn’t go away.

Without mercy, Park Huiseok roughly shoved aside the Circle guild members who were in his way. With a scream, they were flung aside, unable to withstand his strength.

At the back of the formation, standing guard near the Nexus steps, Han Go-eun swallowed nervously. Park Huiseok’s massive frame was closing in at terrifying speed.

“Scram!” Park Huiseok growled, knowing that Han Go-eun was a Support.

The murderous aura of an S-class DPS and the face of a predator made Han Go-eun’s body tremble instinctively. But with a pale face, she shouted back at him, “I will never move!”

Not only that, she raised both arms high in front of the stairs. Her hands and arms shook visibly, but even as Park Huiseok closed in, she refused to back down.

“Move!” he shouted again.

Anxiety began to creep into Park Huiseok. He could sense a powerful presence rapidly approaching from behind—it had to be Ryu Seonghyeon chasing him down.

Before Ryu Seonghyeon arrived, Park Huiseok needed to clear the ones blocking him and get to the Nexus. Yet here was this Support, not running away, but standing in his way.

‘Damn it!’

A storm of impatience, fear, and humiliation mixed with the boiling anger inside him. Unable to suppress the emotions heating up his entire body, Park Huiseok finally swung his hand at Han Go-eun.

It was something he would never have done under normal circumstances. He was a DPS, the leader of a guild. Attacking a Support, who was no more than a regular person, especially in front of all these spectators?

The sound of the crowd gasping echoed all around. But it was already too late. Han Go-eun shut her eyes tight as the massive, clawed hand of this beast came crashing toward her.

“Ugh…”

A sickening sound of flesh being pierced and a stifled groan filled the air.

Slowly, Han Go-eun opened her eyes, only to be shocked by the figure standing in front of her. Park Huiseok, too, widened his eyes as he realized who had stopped him.

“Ha…”

A slow, deliberate breath came from behind the mask. Park Huiseok’s black claws, thicker and sharper than most daggers, had pierced right through someone’s shoulder, two of them sticking out the other side.

Gripping the claws embedded in his shoulder, Cover spoke in a low voice, “You scumbag… a DPS, attacking a Support?”

[Main Quest: Win the Competitive Battle against the Ronic Guild alongside the Circle Guild. (Time Remaining: 2 hours 24 minutes)]