The 31st Piece Overturns the Game Board

Ping—!

Like arrows launched from a bowstring, the Night Crows shot forward.

"AAAHHH!"

"Hahaha!"

Seol's fist clashed with Jamad's, creating a devastating shockwave.

BOOM—!

In an instant, a fierce gale swept through the surroundings.

Whoosh…

"Ugh…"

Just as a dish could taste vastly differently depending on its ingredients, the power wielded by the Night Crow could vary greatly depending on who controlled them.

In that regard, Jamad was overwhelming. The only encouraging thing was that he was fighting without being completely overpowered.

They were facing each other, then they stepped back and clapped their hands.

CLAP—!

CLAP—!

[You used Slime Armor.]

[Reduces the attribute damage you take for a certain period by 30% and grants resistance to physical damage.]

Grugle…

A shell of black slime covered Seol.

[Jamad used Mountain Shamanic Spell: Sand Dust.]

[Shock waves from physical collisions scatter sand dust.]

[Everyone who inhales sand dust is slowed down, excluding the caster]

Both prepared for a fierce exchange of blows. Although their abilities were vastly different, their aggressive tendencies had become common ground in the process of influencing each other.

The smaller Night Crow burrowed into the embrace of the larger one.

Jamad's massive frame couldn't even fit in his field of vision.

'He's big…'

Such a massive being had been by Seol's side. It was because of that being he could achieve countless impossible feats.

"Come!"

Gratitude could wait; now was the time to overcome.

- A fight between bare bodies? Aha! You mean a fight between martial artists. Indeed, humanity's struggle began there.

Even inside his dreams, Toki was his teacher. Although he hadn't recognized him in the dream, the respect he held for him was genuine.

Toki had always pushed him forward.

Whoosh…

- I told you, didn't I? You were born with a special power. When you face a martial artist, fix your eyes on theirs.

- Huh? And not on their limbs?

- Limbs come in four! Do you have four eyes?

- Well, no…

- You can deflect attacks with your innate senses. What's important is the strike you're aiming for; aiming means looking. Grasping that is the top priority. Ṙ𝘼ŊÖᛒĚꞨ

- Look at their eyes…

- This only applies to you, of course. If I taught this to others, they would end up beaten up or murdered in the middle of the night.

Grin…

WHOOM…

An arm as thick as a house pillar violently forced its way toward Seol at a wide angle.

Swoosh…

He lowered his stance in response. Their size difference made going for the lower body impossible—he needed to find an opening. And openings always appeared in the gaps between strikes.

- I'm going to use the knee.

Whoosh…

He fixed his eyes on his opponent's gaze.

Jamad’s knee came up.

'Now!'

Paf—!

Seol used Jamad’s knee as a stepping stone and closed his distance.

- Strike him.

BOOM—!

Sand dust scattered.

A deafening blow.

Jamad raised his other arm to block the attack.

"Not bad…"

Jamad seemed relaxed.

'Tsk…

His opponent's eyes had pinpointed his weakness. He had to retreat.

Swish…

Paf…

Seol stepped back and stopped.

"Did you learn that yourself?"

"I was taught…"

"You were well taught…"

"Well taught…"

The conversation was merely a means to catch their breath; their struggle hadn't stopped.

Clap—!

Claapp—!

Simultaneous sounds of clapping echoed.

[Wilderness…]

[Jamad used Mountain Shamanic Spell: Dust Explosion.]

[Create a shock proportional to the accumulated sand dust.]

[Interfere with the target's casting]

PANG—!

A shockwave burst from Jamad’s mouth.

"Cough…"

[Your casting has failed.]

[You cannot cast for a brief moment.]

WHOOM—!

A mountain-sized figure was charging at him.

The blow wasn't severe, but he had been sealed from casting.

Paaf—!

The Darkness Dweller blocked Jamad’s path to protect Seol.

"Move!"

BOOM—!

Jamad's fist pierced through the Darkness Dweller's chest, clearing the path. Even though it was just a punch, its destructive power was immense.

Swoosh…

However, as Jamad looked through the Darkness Dweller's pierced chest, Seol was nowhere to be seen.

Paaf—!

Seol then appeared from Jamad's blind spot close to the Darkness Dweller.

Creak…

'When it's certain, strike!'

While bending his waist, he kicked Jamad's face.

BOOM—!

'It hit!'

No, it only hit by Seol's standards.

Grimacing from the impact, Jamad grabbed Seol's foot.

'Ugh…'

BOOM—!

Jamad slammed him to the ground.

"Cough…"

All he saw was an elbow descending toward his solar plexus.

[You used Shadow Extension.]

[You can instantly relocate to a nearby position within one step.]

Swoosh…

He barely avoided ending like the Darkness Dweller.

BOOM!

BOOM!

The other two Darkness Dwellers rushed at Jamad.

PANG—!

PAANNG—!

With each strike, Jamad sent the Darkness Dwellers flying.

"Get lost, flies!"

"Oof… Oof…"

Seol wiped the blood from his mouth and stood up.

It was clear.

Even though he was a fake, this Jamad had no desire to kill Seol—he was just trying to understand. Why had Seol chosen such a reckless path? Why had he spent two years trying?

For Seol, however, defeating Jamd was the only way for him to prove his decision.

Rustle…

'He's a monster…

Finally, Jamad tore the Darkness Dwellers apart, dispelling their summoning.

It was an overwhelming power.

To think that even with his shamanic spells suppressed to the maximum, he was this strong.

"You've grown, but this isn't enough."

"…"

"Seol… what forced you to make this decision? Why did you leave alone?"

Jamad asked Seol, who had left for a place where he couldn't be reached.

"There were things I had to do alone."

"Nonsense! We were brothers! What about our ambitions, our hardships!? We should have shared them all! So why…"

Seol answered with calm eyes.

"Even though you're my brother, you can't replace everything."

"I could fulfill your ambition…"

His eyes grew a bit sadder.

"That would be a future where I would have no choice but to rely on you, Jamad."

"What does that matter?! Between brothers…"

"If it becomes like that… If I obtain my ambition just by relying on you, then it’s not ambition anymore—it’s fate."

"…"

"I wanted my ambition to remain an ambition, Jamad. I think you'd understand."

"Damn it…"

Jamad understood the value of ambition more than anyone, so there was no way he wouldn't understand.

That's why he couldn't blame Seol for wanting to achieve something on his own.

In the end, Jamad couldn't answer.

Seol had once thought that with powerful summons by his side, he might one day attempt Ascension. He hoped that he would be able to walk the path his legendary ten pieces had walked.

However, what returned was denial.

'If I walk the same path, the same future will just repeat.'

Reaching Ascension, then failing again. He couldn't repeat the same future.

Crack…

Jamad clenched his teeth and slowly walked forward.

"Not relying on me and carving your own destiny… Good words, but…"

Creak…

Creak…

Jamad’s muscles swelled.

"Prove it to me. Prove that you have the right to do so."

Jamad broke his shackles.

Whoosh…

BOOM—!

As he struck the ground, the mountain shook.

"Show me! Everything you've seen!"

"That's my plan!"

* * *

There was no more room for leisure.

"Agony!"

【Yes!】

Agony transformed into a sword.

BZZT…

And Seol changed into black clothing.

[You used Fantastic Exceptional Skill: Yaksha.]

[A burden is applied because you are not high enough rank]

Crackle…

A spark of lightning flashed as a smiling mask was placed on Seol's face.

[Syncing with Yaksha's senses…]

[Syncing with Yaksha's memories…]

[Following Yaksha's movements…]

[You have obtained Yaksha's power.]

[Your reaction and casting speed have increased.]

…

Countless messages popped up.

Whir…

[Meteor Shower! While maintaining the Meteor Shower state, continuous enlightenment will come.]

Terrible memories and pain overwhelmed him—everything Yaksha had gone through.

"AAAGGGHHH!"

But now, it was different. There was a single trace of light.

BOOM—!

Collison!

Creak…

Creeaakk!

Seol barely blocked Jamad's strike; Jamad had become serious.

Although he became Yaksha, he couldn't easily withstand Jamad's enhanced blows.

Jamad was conveying his intentions with his eyes—there was no murderous intent. He only wanted to feel, to breathe in sync with Seol, to understand his resolve and fighting spirit.

Whoosh…

Whoosh…

Paaf—!

They both executed their intended moves.

'I can see the path… the world Yaksha sees…'

No, it was the world Yurim saw.

It was as if she were showing him the answers and solutions.

CLANG—!

CLAANNG—!

His sword cried out

Jamad's expression gradually changed—from discomfort to surprise, then from surprise to disdain.

"Just…"

Crunch…

"For this kind of power?!"

PAAF—!

"Cough…"

BOOM…

Thud…

Seol was kicked away.

"Did you waste your time…?"

It wasn't a power weak enough to be belittled. It was just that Seol still hadn't fully adapted to Yaksha's power.

"Oof… Oof…"

"AAAHHH!"

Snap—!

As he snapped his fingers, shadows surged.

[You used Black Flower.]

[Summon shadow hands that perform rapid strikes. Each attack deals damage equal to the amount of hands created. Each additional strike on the same target deals 20% increased damage.]

BANG!

BAANNG—!

Jamad swung his fists, destroying all the shadow hands.

"Tricks are supposed to be used like this!"

CLAP!

[Jamad used Mountain Shamanic Spell: Rock Flower]

[Summon multiple rock fists that deal Mountain damage.]

Crack…

Fists larger than Seol's shadows were created.

BOOM—!

BOOOM—!

They relentlessly closed in, forcing him to move as if his back would break.

BOOM!

BOOOM!

'Huh…?'

Somehow, he felt a bit accustomed to this vision.

His movements were gradually stabilizing.

Tss...

He could see a rock fist targeting his arm.

"Ugh…"

Was this how Yurim saw the world? No, she must have always lived in this world, and she always gritted her teeth to reach it.

Her pain and suffering flooded in.

Upon facing his strongest opponent so far, he thought of her.

It wasn't a distraction, but it still resulted in an unexpected situation.

Crack…

As he struck down the rock fist, it shattered, revealing Jamad's arm.

He had cleverly blended into the shamanic spells and approached.

Jamad was right there—the world itself seemed to be filled with him, his momentum and power consuming everything.

"It's over… Seol."

At that moment, Yaksha's flames sparked.

Tsss…

Seol had experienced this feeling quite a few times.

The sensation as if time had stopped.

As if the world had become a black-and-white photograph, everything froze in place.

Jamad's ferocious face and his massive body all paused momentarily.

What was different this time was that Seol also couldn't move.

Only his head creaked as it turned slightly.

She was standing there.

Thud…

Thud…

"Seol, come here."

Seol was also there.

"What is it?"

He was seeing a memory.

'That day…'

Amid a freezing winter, when everything stopped, a baby crow had fallen from its nest into the snow.

The other crows had all stopped moving and died.

Yurim placed the struggling little one on her palm.

Creak…

Creeaak…

It was too small and fragile.

"Is it going to die like this…?"

"Probably…"

"…"

She always regretted death.

She said she often saw those departed in her nightmares.

"It's just like us…"

"What?"

"Isn't it just like us?"

She smiled bitterly.

The crow was still struggling on her palm. And soon, it stopped.

It didn't freeze to death. It just lost its life, just like the world that was stopping.

"The desperate struggle to live… The final effort to survive. Is just like us."

"…"

The memory of that winter vividly came back.

At that moment, her words seemed to come to life, seeping in like breath.

"Seol, we…"

Seol remembered her smile.

"Let's become happy…"

Pss…

The winter had disappeared.

The frozen world would soon move. What was different now was that a small line had appeared… a very, very small line.

He reached out toward the small line.

The cost… was high.

"COUGH…"

Fortunately, it missed.

Even so, the pain was so intense that he couldn't breathe.

Jamad’s chest was sunken, and recovery would take some time.

"Ugh… Bleh…"

Jamad glared ahead while vomiting blood. He stood still, facing Seol.

Not having chased Seol to finish him off wasn't out of mercy.

Jamad’s expression of disdain had changed.

This time, it was a refreshing smile.

Splash…

Blood was flowing out from Jamad’s side, and Agony was stained with blood.

"Ugh…"

He used shadows to stop the bleeding.

"This isn't something this body is used to… As expected, you were always better at this."

"Let's continue…"

Grin…

"Now I have some expectations."

The story of that winter continues.

Seol had no intention of falling here.

After all, he had promised her.

What Yurim left behind wasn't just power—it was a value beyond ambition, a promise.

"Jamad, I'll see all the way till the end…"

"Haha… Hahaha…"

Jamad burst out in laughter.

"Yes, that's right! You should, Seol! Only then would you be the Seol I know!"

Jamad, who winced in pain when Seol bled, finally laughed only after bleeding himself.

"My brother…"