The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-237

With Dae San gone, Dae Ha would take his place.

Though they were two, they were also one. They owed Gwak Seong everything and were willing to do anything to repay him.

Baam!

Baaaaaam!

Dae Ha’s attacks grew fiercer by the second, but Seol was on a completely different level now that he could enter the Night Crow form.

Using a staff to defeat an enemy with a shield was a skill that could be learned through training. Using a staff to take down an iron wall, however, was sheer foolishness.

Despite this, Dae Ha continued his foolish actions.

As Seol steadily grew accustomed to his new senses, he glanced at Dae Ha.

“I can’t lose! I will never lose!”

An obsession with victory.

Through that, Seol felt Dae San’s shadow along with Dae Ha’s will to overcome his older brother.

Though none of the audience had any way of knowing, Seol knew that this battle wasn't simply about deciding a victor.

It was a place for a younger brother to show his deceased older brother the effort, sweat, and tears he had put in.

A moment to finally show him everything.

And for that reason, Seol planned to wait.

Claaaaang!

Clang!

He waited to allow Dae Ha to do his best.

To pour out every last drop of energy he had.

‘I’m sure that’s what he would have wanted as well.’

As it was what Dae San would have wanted, Seol, his owner, had to respect his will.

“Nothing will chaaaaaaaange!” Dae Ha shouted.

No, everything already did.

Dae Ha could no longer reach Seol now.

However, that frustration… that desperation… made him grow even further.

“Arghhhhhhhhh!”

Dae Ha swung his staff as if it were a brush, painting the air.

Fwooooooosh!

Fwoooooooooooosh!

Dae Ha didn’t know why, either.

It was almost as if his body knew what to do before he did.

However, the first to realize the danger of Dae Ha’s attack was Seol.

‘...That’s dangerous.’

Something that went beyond Dae Ha's current capabilities was about to be unleashed.

‘Should I block it?’

Seol thought for a second.

Dae Ha still was incapable of wielding that strength properly.

After a second, he then spoke to Karuna.

‘Karuna.’

- …I’ll take care of it from this point on.

Fwoosh…

Control of Seol’s body was transferred to Karuna.

“Haaaaaaaaaah!”

Dae Ha was breaking through his limits, evolving to a new level.

He was slowly stepping into an unknown, intangible realm beyond his understanding.

One's skills always explosively grow when facing a strong opponent, and Dae Ha had never faced an opponent like Seol in his life.

Teaaaar…

The muscles that he had never used began to scream.

Wooooosh…

The falling rain gathered around Dae Ha.

Rumble rumble…

And after that, the crumbling rocks began to pile up.

Soon, the rain and rocks intertwined with each other.

Fwoosh…

Fwoosh…

In the East, certain martial arts techniques glowed in different colors based on their characteristics.

At times, it was red, at other times purple, and sometimes even gold, among others.

“Why don’t you… take this as well?!”

Fwoooooosh!

Dae Ha's eyes glowed gold, and soon, his staff emitted a matching glow.

Baaaaaaam!

This was the conqueror.

And this was his might!

Dae Ha struck the ground with his staff.

[Dae Ha used Exceptional Skill: Twin Dragon Blast.]

[Strike the target with two different elements. If this attack hits, inflict two powerful Abnormal Statuses accordingly.]

Roaaaaaaaaaaaar!

Two dragons began flying toward Seol.

Seol Hong's seat was directly behind where Seol currently stood.

As such, the people around her began to scream and scatter.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“I-It’s dangerous…”

Seol Hong should have fled too.

After all, if Seol couldn’t intercept Dae Ha’s attack, then the entire audience would be endangered.

However, she did not take a single step.

Her Dragon’s Stone was fighting in the arena. There was no way she could doubt him.

Suddenly, Seol took a strange stance.

He lowered his body and gripped his sword with both hands, slowly bringing it down until it pointed to the ground.

Gloooooooow!

[You have entered the 3rd Stage of Soaring Moonlight, Full Moon.]

Seol’s body exploded with a brilliant blue light.

And with that same explosion, he raised his sword to the sky.

It was an ordinary movement.

However, what followed was shocking.

Seol Hong observed Seol's actions with great detail, noticing how the energy seemed to follow the sword's trajectory.

Seol's sword sliced through the air, almost as if it was calling the night.

[You used Exceptional Skill: Night Sea.]

SLAAAAAAAAAASH!

Not only was Seol’s attack enough to cut down the two dragons, but it also continued to rampage toward Dae Ha.

Dae Ha instinctively knew that the fight was over the moment his twin dragons were cut down.

Next was death.

“No! No, Dae Ha!”

“...Gwak Seong. I’m sorry…”

Gwak Seong quickly stood up, shouting as he did.

He recalled the nightmares from that day… the day he lost Dae San.

The weather today was also eerily similar to the weather then.

It was then that Gwak Seong realized it.

He realized why nothing satisfied him, why he, someone who had never once had a nightmare even after losing all of his money, had started having nightmares every night since that day.

He understood why he continuously wanted more, why he felt empty, like there was a hole in his chest.

‘Are you trying to take Dae Ha from me now too?!’

It was because he lost his son, Dae San.

How could a parent who lost their son ever feel satisfied again? They were left with a permanent hole in their chest, forced to live with it for the rest of their life.

Gwak Seong only just realized it.

And at that very same moment… the black wave shifted its course.

Grghhhhhhhh!

Slaaaaash!

Seol’s arm began to bleed as it began to make strange sounds.

Clenchhhh!

Woooosh!

Seol shifted the black energy hurtling toward Dae Ha at the last second, sending it toward the sky.

Fwooooooosh!

The dragons followed the black waves, soaring toward the sky.

And as they reached it, for an instant, the rain stopped.

“......”

“Oh my god…”

“What did we just watch?”

The audience was frozen, shocked by what had happened.

“I lost!” hurriedly shouted Gwak Seong. “I admit my defeat!”

“......”

“......”

“So please… please don’t kill Dae Ha…”

The audience continued to remain silent.

In that moment, Gwak Seong was the only one making noise.

The entire audience intentionally remained silent, focusing intently on his words.

The host, stunned by the situation, also remained silent as Gwak Seong continued, his heart heavy with anguish.

“O Khan… Why must you take everything from me?”

Everyone in the audience felt the sincerity… the depth of his grief in his voice.

“Dae San… was not my gladiator… He was… he was my…”

Gwak Seong’s tears fell to the ground with the rain.

“He was my son…”

Seol Hong immediately stood up.

“Elder Gwak Seong!”

“......”

“By a narrow margin, we have won the Battle of Conquest.”

Wooosh…

The Daoists sent small clouds imbued with the power to amplify voices toward Seol Hong and Gwak Seong.

Now that the battle was over, their sponsors were the main characters.

“Sh-she’s Kang Seol’s master?”

“She looks younger than him, though…”

“Who is she? It’s my first time seeing her in Yocheon…”

As the audience began to grow interested in her identity, Seol Hong revealed herself.

"I am the great Dragon Emperor’s descendant, Seol Hong, a Dragon’s Flower."

“A Dragon’s Flower?”

“What? Why is there a Dragon’s Flower here?”

“Is it because of the Dragon War?”

“Ah! Maybe Kang Seol is her Dragon’s Stone?”

“She’s a Dragon’s Flower! Be careful what you say!”

Gwak Seong’s voice broke through the murmurs to a question directly to Seol Hong.

“...Seol Hong, I admit my defeat. Your sword has stood alone in the Warrior’s Heart to become conqueror. Now, tell me what you desire. Is it the Warrior’s Heart that you want?”

In every Battle of Conquest up to now, every participant desired the Warrior’s Heart as their prize.

After all, it was the best thing the arena’s manager could offer. It could fulfill any desire the victor had, and more.

‘...It’s all over now.’

Gwak Seong chuckled, filled with relief that Dae Ha had survived, yet also feeling the emptiness of losing everything once more.

Gwak Seong raised his head to look at Dae Ha, who met his gaze.

A faint smile formed on his lips, satisfied with the situation.

‘Yeah, this is fine…’

Gwak Seong had never been upset at Dae San or Dae Ha for losing a match before.

Well, the two had never lost, so Gwak Seong found himself curious about how he would react if it did happen.

But all he felt was a sense of relief that they hadn't lost their lives. He wasn't furious at all.

Glance…

Gwak Seong then looked at Seol Hong.

Like the previous Dragon’s Flowers he had encountered, Seol Hong was likely intent on taking the Warrior’s Heart from him.

Just like how the Khan Empire did Dae San.

However, Seol Hong’s following words went against his expectations. In fact, she began with an interesting statement.

“What I desire is not something physical like the Warrior’s Heart.”

“What?”

“...What did she say?”

As the audience began to murmur, Seol Hong continued. Their voices quickly died down as they tried to focus on her words.

She then began unraveling an interesting story.

"We are living in an era chained by hatred and regret. Gwak Seong, this applies to you and us, the Khan Empire, as well. Long ago, because of the Khan Empire's mistake, Dae San lost his life."

“......”

“That is why I wished to convey my sincerity through your methods. In my naivety, I believed this to be the best approach. My only wish is for you not to doubt my sincerity.”

“What are you… What are you saying right now?!” shouted Gwak Seong.

And as he did, Seol Hong gave a deep bow.

It was a strange action for the winner to be taking.

"I apologize on behalf of the Khan Empire for the death of Dae San long ago. Please forgive us."

“......”

“......”

The arena remained silent. In turn, their gazes all shifted to Gwak Seong.

“...So this was your plan from the start, huh?”

“My only wish as the winner is this.”

The audience once again focused on Gwak Seong’s next words.

Seol Hong’s actions in The Warrior’s Heart were something that people could certainly contemplate, yet were incredibly difficult to emulate.

Not only did she demonstrate the might of the Khan Empire, but she also exhibited its mercy. All of this, however, was undoubtedly due to Seol, the unbelievably powerful Dragon’s Stone.

While her actions initially seemed arrogant, they were fundamentally different from those of the other Dragon’s Flowers.

The audience silently waited for Gwak Seong’s next words.

If he chose not to accept their apology, he would essentially be dishonoring Dae San's legacy as the conqueror of the Warrior’s Heart.

He would be insulting his life as the conqueror…

And that was something he could not do as his sponsor—no, as his father.

It was an incredible checkmate.

"Pfft… Hahaha… You… I never thought someone would outwit me like this."

As it was through their methods… he had no choice but to accept it.

Gwak Seong bowed, and then gave his response.

“The winner is always right. I will do my best to fulfill your wish. I, Gwak Seong, accept your sincerity and the Khan Empire’s apology.”

“Yeeeeeaaaaaaaah!”

The audience began to roar after hearing Gwak Seong’s answer.

Today, not only was the greatest fight shown, but also the greatest spectacle.

It was a day that would go down in the Warrior’s Heart’s history for a long time.

Yeahhhhh…

Gwak Seong continued to look down at the arena, watching as Dae Ha slowly exited amid the pouring rain.

“...Can you hear that, Dae San? Everyone is sending you off.”

A rainy day took Dae San away, and under those same circumstances, Dae San was sent off.

Seol, standing in the arena, exchanged glances with Gwak Seong.

“Goodbye… son…” murmured Gwak Seong.

Though the Warrior’s Heart stood behind a single banner, it did not have just a single meaning.

If you have something to say, raise your weapon.

Make your dreams come true.

But also, know that your sincerity will never be questioned.

And that is why…

If you have something to say, raise your weapon.