The Nine Heavens Martial Arts Stage.
As its name suggests, it was located at the highest point of the Heavenly Mountains, and this martial arts stage was rarely opened unless it was for a special occasion.
Usually, it was common to open this place during the annual ranking matches, but today, the entrance to the Nine Heavens was exceptionally open.
"..."
People had already gathered in the arena, which was filled with a chilly fog.
Today was the day of the ranking match between Cheon Myeong and Yu Eunseong. Although it felt like there were fewer people compared to the time of the Heavenly Demon Festival, that was unavoidable.
At that time, people had flocked not only from the main headquarters but also from each branch, so there were many people, and today, only those with a first-class or higher status in the main headquarters could enter this place.
Although there seemed to be many more restrictions on observation compared to before, since it was, by all means, the Leader's discretion to decide that, those who could not watch this duel could not express any complaints.
"...A huge crowd has gathered."
Jang Hyeon muttered, looking at the people sitting in the arena.
Since he was also a candidate for the Young Leader, he had to observe the ranking match, even if it was forced.
Of course, even if that weren't the case, he would not have kicked away this opportunity to see the skills of his competitors with his own eyes, but Jang Hyeon seemed somewhat dissatisfied, looking at the people who had flocked here from early in the morning even though they were not in the same position as him.
"It seems all the cult members with a first-class or higher status in the main headquarters have come. Don't you think so too?"
Jang Hyeon asked Jo Seokjin, who was sitting next to him.
A somewhat dissatisfied atmosphere was also emanating from Jo Seokjin's face since a while ago, and as if to prove that fact, a sharper voice than usual came out as soon as he opened his mouth.
"They're all curious. Whether the rumors circulating in our cult recently are true or not."
"Ha... how did the situation become like this in just a few months?"
Recently, wherever he went, he only heard stories about Cheon Myeong.
Starting with the Heavenly Demon Festival, the existence of Cheon Myeong had suddenly risen up, and the existence of the Chunguidae had followed, becoming the center of the rumors.
When Jang Hyeon had heard the story of the Chunguidae, he had at first been happy that Cheon Myeong's name was finally not coming into his ears. But it turned out that that was also related to Cheon Myeong.
And now, the main headquarters was abuzz with the story that Cheon Myeong and Yu Eunseong were having a ranking match.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm having a nightmare."
"..."
"Wherever I go, that name keeps being heard, so I feel like I'm going crazy."
"..."
"Hey, are you listening?"
Since he had thought that Jo Seokjin would feel the same way as him, Jang Hyeon had been complaining.
However, he hadn't heard anything from the side since a while ago, and Jang Hyeon, thinking that something was strange, raised his head and looked at Jo Seokjin.
"Yu Eunseong... to think that that woman would beat me to it."
As he turned his head, Jo Seokjin was muttering with a murderous face.
Just by looking at his face, it seemed that no one would be able to talk to Jo Seokjin, but Jang Hyeon spoke insensitively as if he had no sense.
"Don't tell me you were also planning to challenge Cheon Myeong?"
"..."
"What a funny guy. You ran away in fear at that time."
"What...?"
Jo Seokjin looked at Jang Hyeon with a sharp gaze.
"Isn't that right? You saw Su Yeongseong being defeated like that and ran away in fear."
"Who ran away! At that time, I was trying to carefully grasp the opponent's full power!"
"So you also had a family emergency that you didn't have before?"
"Th-at that time, there was really something at home..."
"I thought you were a pretty smart guy, but you were also a really stupid guy."
For Jang Hyeon, of all people, to say that, Jo Seokjin felt like he was going to have a fit of anger. Especially the fact that he couldn't really refute those words was more annoying than anything else.
"How dare you say that to me when you also ran away with your tail between your legs in fear?"
"Uh...? Who was scared!"
"You were the one who made a lame excuse! What? You were sick? You said you were feeling refreshed before that."
"I was in the morning, but I could get sick in the afternoon!"
"Then after that? Why haven't you had a ranking match until now? Or are you sick today too?"
As Jo Seokjin said that, this time, Jang Hyeon was at a loss for words.
Watching him, Jo Seokjin said with his characteristic sneer.
"If you're going to be sick like that all the time, why don't you just step down from being a candidate for the Young Leader?"
"...!"
"What's the difference between you and Su Yeongseong? Just go home and rest. No, just rest forever."
"This bastard...!"
In the end, the two began to bicker, criticizing each other.
Since their voices had been raised since a while ago, their voices were also being heard by the people around them, and at the childish bickering that was hard to believe for candidates for the Young Leader, everyone just cleared their throats with embarrassed faces.
Thump- thump-
At that moment, a person appeared on the Nine Heavens Martial Arts Stage.
Just by appearing, the atmosphere of the arena changed in an instant.
"...!"
The powerful energy felt from the entrance could be immediately felt by Jang Hyeon and Jo Seokjin.
At that moment, the two who became quiet as if nothing had happened.
Since they knew what would happen to them if they continued that childish argument in front of Cheon Jin, they immediately shut their mouths and were bowing their heads with a quiet appearance.
Thump- thump-
Everyone stood up from their seats and was bowing their heads towards one side.
Cheon Jin, who was moving his steps with an indifferent attitude as always. Until he walked to the chair prepared in the rear, Cheon Jin was looking only at the front.
And only after sitting on the chair did Cheon Jin look at the people in the arena for the first time.
Swish-
As if it were even bothersome to tell them to sit, Cheon Jin lightly raised his right hand.
Although it was a subtle movement that would not have been noticed if one were not concentrating, the crowd, as if by magic, began to sit down in order from the front as soon as Cheon Jin raised his hand.
And the moment everyone sat down, the fog that had filled the arena suddenly disappeared, and from the entrance, Cheon Myeong and Yu Eunseong appeared side by side.
"...!"
As the two, who could be called the main characters of today, appeared, this time, all eyes were on those two.
To be precise, the gazes that were focused on Cheon Myeong.
Just by that, one could know who the people who had come here had greater expectations for.
Crack-
Looking at Cheon Myeong, Jo Seokjin was clenching his molars without realizing it.
Of course, the expression of Jang Hyeon, who was next to him, also did not look very good, but a deeper hatred seemed to be felt from Jo Seokjin's face.
Cheok-
Receiving the gazes that held different emotions, Cheon Myeong and Yu Eunseong stopped on the martial arts stage.
Watching them, Cheon Jin opened his mouth for the first time after sitting down.
"From now on, the ranking match will begin."
"..."
"The winner and loser will not be decided until one of you surrenders or dies. And the winner of this confrontation will become the number one rank and will be the one to lead our cult in the future."
A moment of silence. And Cheon Jin stretched out his right hand and said with a raised voice.
"Begin!"
At the same time as those words, the gazes of Cheon Myeong and Yu Eunseong met for a moment as if brushing past each other.
Swish-
The two who split in opposite directions and walked as if they had made a promise. And after walking a certain distance, they stopped their steps and faced each other again.
'In the end, this moment has come.'
Looking at Yu Eunseong, who was standing in front, Cheon Myeong suddenly had that thought inwardly.
Although it was clear that Yu Eunseong was his enemy, it was also true that she felt different compared to the other guys from the Five Great Demonic Families.
'Although I felt like she was observing me, I didn't feel that it was hostility.'
Jang Hyeon and Jo Seokjin had shown clear hostility to him. And although Su Yeongseong and Jin Jaseong had not shown clear hostility, it felt more uncomfortable.
But Yu Eunseong was a little different. Although he had felt that she had some purpose for him, he had not felt any malicious part in it.
So hadn't he also gone to Namgang together to find out more about Yu Eunseong?
Since he had not been able to feel any malicious part in that journey, he had even thought that he might be able to get along with Yu Eunseong somehow without fighting.
"..."
But to think that Yu Eunseong would be his next opponent.
Although he didn't want to fight Yu Eunseong if possible, since he had ended up standing in this place, he had no intention of ending this confrontation appropriately, as he had said to Yu Eunseong at that time.
Clang-
Cheon Myeong drew his sword. And he maintained a middle stance and said to Yu Eunseong.
"Begin."
"..."
Without answering, Yu Eunseong rushed at Cheon Myeong. And she grabbed the sword she had drawn with both hands and swung it at Cheon Myeong.
Swish-
Cheon Myeong swung his sword according to Yu Eunseong's sword path.
As the swords swung by the two clashed in the middle, a sharp metallic sound echoed throughout the arena, and that sound repeatedly hit the ears of the people like a shower.
"..."
An exchange of moves that was taking place in an instant.
As the duel continued with a fast pace from the beginning, contrary to expectations, the people were watching with bated breath.
Swish-
At that moment, the breathing of Yu Eunseong, who was swinging her sword, changed slightly.
Of course, Cheon Myeong could immediately notice the changed breathing, and Yu Eunseong stepped forward and sharply thrust the sword she was holding with her right hand.
'As expected...'
It was a thrust with a sharpness that was on a different level from Jeonjong.
If he had not seen Yu Eunseong's swordsmanship in advance, it would have been a little difficult to deal with.
However, since he had seen in the Black Night Gang that Yu Eunseong's swordsmanship was focused on thrusting, not cutting, Cheon Myeong had been waiting for that since a while ago.
Swish-
As Yu Eunseong thrust her sword, Cheon Myeong, instead of retreating from that spot, rather rushed forward.
A sword strike that narrowly grazed Cheon Myeong's cheek.
Cheon Myeong, at the same time as he broke into Yu Eunseong's bosom, aimed his open left hand at Yu Eunseong's abdomen.
At the same time, a red energy concentrated on Cheon Myeong's left hand.
Seeing that, Yu Eunseong's two eyes widened, but Cheon Myeong's left hand had already completely entered Yu Eunseong's bosom.
With a tremendous sonic boom, Yu Eunseong's body rose high into the air.
"..."
Cheon Myeong, who was frowning, looking at the high-flying Yu Eunseong. Because the sensation he had felt in his hand when he had sent Yu Eunseong flying was not to his liking.
'Did she already anticipate my movements?'
When he had delivered a palm strike, it seemed that Yu Eunseong had concentrated her internal energy on her abdomen to mitigate the shock.
As proof of that, Yu Eunseong, who had risen into the air, was immediately regaining her posture, and the fact that she had risen into the air was also something Yu Eunseong had intentionally controlled the direction of.
And the reason why Yu Eunseong had gone to the trouble of controlling the direction and rising into the air did not seem to be just to avoid going out of the martial arts stage.
At that moment, a sword ki bloomed from Yu Eunseong's sword.
Accordingly, a red sword ki bloomed from Cheon Myeong's sword.
Now, Cheon Myeong was already anticipating what kind of move Yu Eunseong would attack him with from there.
'Is she going to attack with that move?'
The swordsmanship that Yu Eunseong had displayed when she had ambushed Cheong Myeon's back in the Black Night Gang.
Of course, although the attack had ended in failure, the power when she had struck the ground at that time was by no means weak, even though Yu Eunseong was not holding a proper sword.
'I'll make the first move.'
It seemed that the longer the falling distance of that swordsmanship, the stronger the power became.
If so, the shorter the falling distance, the weaker the power of the swordsmanship would be.
As if there was nothing to think about, Cheon Myeong kicked the ground and jumped towards where Yu Eunseong was.
The Mad Dragon Ascending to Heaven.
Cheon Myeong once again displayed the move that had cut off Su Yeongseong's breath in this place now.
"..."
Yu Eunseong saw the mad dragon with its mouth open towards her.
Although it seemed like a truly crazy act to jump into that, there was no way to change direction now.
In the end, Yu Eunseong rushed at Cheon Myeong with the sword she was holding with both hands pointed forward.
The mad dragon and the meteor clashed.
Although it was a clash of considerable impact that made it seem as if the arena was engulfed in light for a moment, in the end, it was the meteor that was falling.
The figure of Yu Eunseong, who was falling fast like a meteor really falling from the sky.
Seeing her appearance, it seemed that she still had the strength to fight, but above the falling Yu Eunseong, Cheon Myeong was following with a terrifying momentum.
'It's the end.'
Cheon Myeong raised his sword with the intention of cutting off Yu Eunseong's breath.
Just before Yu Eunseong's body almost fell to the floor, Cheon Myeong was able to narrow the distance with Yu Eunseong, and with the intention of cutting off her breath before that, he thrust the sword he was holding with his right hand.
Thrust-
The sword that Cheon Myeong had thrust was deeply embedded.
However, it was not Yu Eunseong, but the floor of the martial arts stage that the sword blade had deeply dug into.
It was not a miss. It was that Cheon Myeong had intentionally changed the sword path at the last moment and had thrust at the floor, not Yu Eunseong.
"...!"
Two eyes that were wide as if surprised by something.
At the end of Cheon Myeong's gaze was Yu Eunseong, who was holding her right hand to her left cheek.
To someone else, that action might seem like a meaningless posture, but at least to Cheon Myeong, it was not.
'Why is Yu Eunseong doing that...'
That posture was to indicate surrender.
Yes, a posture he had seen a lot when he was Jangcheon in the past.
His loyal subordinate, Saseong, used to place his right hand on his left cheek like that as a sign of surrender.
(End of Chapter)