Chapter 716: Hidden piece (8)

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At the Knife Wind Pass of Mt. Cheonik was a ghost story.

‘I can hear the sound of a guide dog of the underworld wandering around from the far side of the pass.’

The truth was, that the Knife Wind Pass was the favorite playground of the Tiger Clan’s Shinsoo.

Arriving at the Pass just as Jo Euishin said, Sanryeong met the Tiger Clan’s Shinsoo.

Grrr…

Sanryeong trembled at Shinsoo’s voice.

Although he didn’t seem to want to attack, his appearance alone scared Sanryeong.

Greung.

After ringing his throat once, Shinsoo turned his back as if to signal to follow him.

Shinsoo knew the hidden paths of the Pass very well.

When the road, which seemed to be blocked at first glance, led to Mt. Cheonik, Sanryeong immediately tried to memorize it.

Grrr…

Then, as if displeased by it, Shinsoo glared.

He seemed to say that he wouldn’t let it pass if Sanryeong played a prank on him on the Pass.

If he had any chance, he would bite Sanryeong and throw him to the group of Class 3-0 students, so Sanryeong hurriedly made up an excuse.

“I-I won’t do that. I’m not gonna play around here!”

Shinsoo didn’t seem to believe it, but he turned his head and walked again for now.

Sanryeong barely breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Why is he being mean to me?’

He doesn’t have Shinsoo's trust because he plays a lot of pranks, but Sanryeong was displeased anyway.

Shinsoo acted like a gentle baby dog with Jo Euishin and Baekho, but his true nature was that he’s fierce and naughty.

His cry can scare off people.

‘Would I be untouchable if I were a tiger, descendant, or a human?’

Sanryeong thought so, but he dropped it soon.

He knew how Shinsoo severely reacted against Hwangho, the head of the Tiger Clan.

Shinsoo also took some time to get acquainted with Eunho’s descendants.

So, even if Sanryeong had a different appearance, Shinsoo’s attitude wouldn’t have changed.

‘But we’re close enough that he gives me directions like this. I know Jo Euishin or Baekho asked him to do it but… if he really hated me, they wouldn’t have asked Shinsoo!’

Then, Shinsoo suddenly stopped.

They were around the place with the best view of the pass where Mt. Cheonik was well-seen.

Sanryeong looked at where Shinsoo was looking.

‘Oh… Everyone’s fighting.’

They were fighting in two places with a huge wall of earth in between.

On one side was Jo Euishin and Baekho with wooden swords fighting against Class 3-0, and on the other was Hwangho raising energy waves against Im Yeonhwa.

They were fighting because of Sanryeong.

Sanryeong’s heart throbbed.

***

Im Yeonhwa’s light skill is Arm of Powerful Soldier.

In other words, equipment for battle is only to be used by a powerful soldier.

It was a light skill that suited Im Yeonhwa.

When she invoked her light skill, her dark red weapon, which was the color of her energy waves, appeared at the enemy’s level.

Of course, she’s refrained from using her light skill, knowing how powerful it was.

But she needed to save her strength in front of Hwangho, and there was no reason to restrain herself.

‘A full-body armor… This is the coolest and biggest weapon ever built by my light skill!’

She had a powerful armor wrapped around her body, but she could still feel Hwangho’s power.

She jumped at Hwangho who was standing beyond the particles of energy waves.

Fwaaat! Kwang!

When she punched the magic circle that blocked him, energy waves began to scatter.

Just her running destroyed the circles, and Hwangho had to immediately replenish new ones.

“Impressive.”

Upon hearing Hwangho’s voice, Im Yeonhwa immediately stopped.

Standing in place, she tried to punch where she heard the sound, her red fists cutting through the air.

‘He’s in a different direction! My fist didn’t even reach him. Is it because of the chairman’s strong energy waves?’

Im Yeonhwa stopped and tried to heighten her senses.

She realized that she couldn’t find Hwangho if she rushed recklessly.

However, there was no way that Hwangho would let her.

Fwaa…

A huge magic circle unfolded over Im Yeonhwa’s head.

An elaborate golden boundary opened to restrain Im Yeonhwa.

Sensing the magic circle, Im Yeonhwa raised her head and then smiled.

“There you are!”

Kwaaang!

Im Yeonhwa bent her knees and jumped high.

Her fist then crushed the magic circle and came close to the floating Hwangho.

Hit!

Hwangho hurriedly crossed his arms to stop the dark red lump that flew like a bullet.

Only when his body absorbed the shock did Hwangho see the mass as a fist.

Im Yeonhwa admired it.

“You have a strong body. You can handle hand-to-hand combat as well.”

“I said it earlier. My specialty isn’t physical combat.”

“You’re humble.”

His intent was to provoke, but Hwangho’s mouth went up.

There was still ease in his aura.

“I am not trying to be humble, I’m telling the truth.”

Ssswaaa…

Im Yeonhwa felt a chill in her spine.

Hwangho was pushed far, but her body didn’t move as she wanted.

Her feet, waist, shoulders, and neck were tied to the boundary.

‘I broke the magic circle though… A power of this caliber is…’

Im Yeonhwa came up with a hypothesis.

It was unbelievable, but there was one answer.

‘Did he create a boundary by reconstructing the remains of the circles that I broke?’

Im Yeonhwa had to admit; Hwangho had a special skill.

It was power of a completely different level to create a boundary using the remains of a magic circle.

It’s the same principle that makes it difficult to create a sculpture using broken pieces.

While Im Yeonhwa’s movements were restricted, the boundary that Hwangho created became stronger and he disappeared from view again.

If she wanted to attack again, she’d have to look for him first.

‘I could break this boundary if I explode energy waves. But…’

Im Yeonhwa calmly grasped the situation.

Her light skill was strong, but Hwangho had more.

Hwangho didn’t use his power to create this wall or throughout their fight.

As Im Yeonhwa thought, Hwangho hadn’t used earth power since their match began.

There were other forces that weren’t used.

‘No matter how much I think about it, the Chairman is like Hwangho from the myths. No matter what pseudonym he uses, no matter how many people of royal lineage there are, there’s only one Hwangho.

If the chairman is Hwangho, then he can exist anywhere.

However, the chairman only used physical strength, a rod, and boundary skills during their fight.

She doesn’t know his light skill as well.

She hated to admit it, but going this far, there was no choice.

“I lost.”

Fwaa…

Im Yeonhwa declared surrender, lifted her hands, and deactivated her light skill.

As the dark red armor melted into the air and disappeared, the boundary that held her also melted.

A golden energy wave with a concentration so thick that it almost looked like fog was also sucked in.

“Is it okay for you to admit defeat so easily?”

“I didn’t admit it easily. The chairman dealt with me without using earth power nor the power you got from the heavens. It’s my complete defeat.”

“Hahaha! You know it well. As expected, you’re qualified to teach about royal lineage at my school.”

Hwangho laughed without denying Im Yeonhwa’s words.

It was no different from revealing his identity.

Hwangho seemed very happy at his victory against the strongman.

On the other hand, Im Yeonhwa was angry.

She admitted complete defeat for the first time in a long time.

‘I have to become stronger and try again!’

After overcoming her anger with a strong spirit, Im Yeonhwa decided to ask what she was curious about.

“You could’ve closed the mountain with your authority. Why did you choose to do this?”

Hwangmyeong Foundation could’ve sanctioned Class 3-0 if they crossed the line, just like with Bang Yoonseob smoking.

“The earth power in this land is too strong. That’s especially true of Mt. Cheonik. When closed, the cycle of power doesn’t occur and it is bound to rot. That’s why this land is open to humans as well.”

This time, Hwangho asked Im Yeonhwa a question.

“I thought you would fight in the end even if you realized the difference in competence. That’s unexpected. Is there any other reason?”

“For my students.”

Hwangho squinted at her answer.

He thought it made more sense for her to fight until the end for her students.

Im Yeonhwa replied with a gracious smile.

“My students would be lying on the floor crying right now.”

As Im Yeonhwa thought, Class 3-0 was completely defeated by Jo Euishin and Baekho.

Some students managed to hold back their tears, but most of them cried openly.

“I have to take care of them. They probably can’t walk properly from muscle loss.”

The strong homeroom teacher had her students in mind even in this fierce fight.

Hwangho burst into laughter again at the sight of Im Yeonhwa putting her students first.

“Hahaha! I see there are many good teachers in our school.”

‘Except for our chairman,’ Im Yeonhwa thought but swallowed the words as she headed to her students.

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