6화
Ygritte.
A Named Demon who debuted at D-rank, climbed through C-rank, and grew into a B-rank.
His special technique that summoned flames seemed a bit annoying, but Notorious didn't pay it much mind.
Special techniques are also influenced by the Demon's own Magic Power.
There was no way a guy who had just crossed into B-rank today could have more Magic Power than him.
‘I want to dismantle you while you’re still hot from your own flames.’
Notorious licked his lips at the thought.
Having been active in the Arena for a long time, he had built connections with the Demons on the steering committee.
Behind the scenes, he had spent a small fortune to bribe the matchmaker.
It was all to taste the ultimate pleasure of personally dismantling his chosen target.
Ygritte was one of the opponents who had been on his list for a long time.
Unlike his slender physique, he was a Demon who continued to grow and grow, blooming with brilliant flames.
“Hngh.”
The face hidden behind the mask stimulated his desires.
And today, he had finally gotten his hands on this frail body.
He couldn't help but be excited.
“Does it feel good?”
Ygritte, pinned down, asked.
At the same time.
A haze rose from Ygritte’s body.
It was a temporary phenomenon caused by a rapid rise in temperature.
*Ssssss—*
The heat radiating from Ygritte raised the temperature of the entire Colosseum, not to mention the spectator stands.
“Hmm.”
Regardless of his regenerative abilities, Notorious frowned.
The bones of his own that were pinning Ygritte’s body down had started to burn away.
Pain was no different from pleasure.
What he didn't like was that he was being pushed back in a clash of special techniques, which were the crystallization of Magic Power.
*Crack.*
As the temperature rose endlessly, he severed the bones he had embedded into Ygritte’s body.
Bones reinforced with a special technique boasted enough strength to tear through the muscles of a B-rank Demon.
But why was this?
The tips he had cut off to avoid Ygritte’s special technique were melting.
‘Is the information wrong?’
*Hoo. Hoo-hoo.*
He wiped away the drool flowing down and calmed his excitement.
The bones that had been embedded in his body melted away, and his wounds began to regenerate.
The level was vastly different from what he had been observing until now.
“So you’re at the level of a B-rank ranker.”
His entire body was slippery with sweat.
“You, you’re strong, aren’t you?”
“You’re weak.”
“Heh-heh. Clumsy provocation only makes the end more miserable.”
Seung-chan let out a dry laugh.
There weren't many Demons who knew the name and face behind his Human Skin and mask.
“Ygritte.”
A name he earned when he manifested his special technique during his debut match.
He left a deep impression in subsequent matches, truly becoming a Demon who suited the name Ygritte.
Seung-chan’s special technique was simple in principle, but its effects were certain.
‘Accelerate the Magic Power in the body to raise body temperature to the limit.’
Heat naturally radiated from his body due to the natural phenomenon, and depending on his control, area-of-effect attacks using moisture in the air were also possible.
Given the nature of Demons, whose regeneration is weak against heat-based wounds, it was a useful special technique for combat.
‘And it’s easy to make an impact, too.’
The naturally violent spectators wanted stimulating matches where blood, bone, and flesh splattered.
They captured Hunters or humans to create event matches, and paid higher appearance fees to Named Demons who were popular or had flashy special techniques.
In Seung-chan’s case, he was the type who catered to the spectators' tastes.
For him, who was responsible for Hyun-ah’s living expenses, the Arena was a great place to make a quick buck.
His life was on the line, but he was confident he could win.
He just didn't like the fact that he had to kill someone every time he fought.
“You’re not the one.”
Seung-chan walked toward Notorious, who had belatedly started to become wary of him.
Due to the nature of the Arena, which matched opponents on the spot, most of his previous opponents had accepted the match without expecting to face Seung-chan.
“You’re different.”
Tomohisa, whom he had met in the waiting room, had said it as if the torture-loving Notorious had specifically targeted him.
That meant Notorious had something prepared for Seung-chan’s special technique, or he was confident he could endure it.
“Haa!”
Notorious’s body jolted.
*Snap. Snap.*
Bones that had transformed into sharp shapes flew toward Seung-chan.
The speed was considerable, but the accuracy wasn't high.
He increased his speed and dodged the attacks in a zigzag pattern.
*Crack. Crunch.*
As more bones embedded themselves in the ground, the distance to Notorious closed.
Then, in an instant.
*BOOM!*
The attack embedded in the ground exploded with a roar.
‘Did he imbue his bones with Magic Power?’
Thinking it wasn't a bad attack, he had considered taking one hit, but.
‘Playing around ends here.’
He recalled his own rule: the match must not exceed 10 minutes.
“That’s all you’ve got, right?”
Notorious was gasping for air.
His body heaved not from excitement, but from the exertion of breathing.
It was because he had used his special technique excessively.
The composure and excitement he had shown at the start of the match were already gone, and anxiety was etched on his face.
Seung-chan, who had closed the distance to right in front of him.
*Grab.*
He grabbed Notorious’s arm and pulled up his Magic Power.
“Heat Generation.”
*Whoosh.*
The flames that bloomed from his body transferred to Notorious.
“Ugh.”
Notorious tried to shake him off and create distance, but.
Seung-chan, who was holding his arm, wouldn't let go.
Ever since his Demon Transformation had progressed, Seung-chan’s physical strength had surpassed his.
“You…!!”
Notorious roared and used his special technique once more.
*Thwack. Thwack.*
Bones sprouting from his body pierced through Seung-chan’s body.
‘I don’t know why this brat was hiding his strength, but… if I can’t escape, I’ll just finish him.’
“You’re trying hard.”
Seung-chan, who hadn't let go of the arm he was holding as if Notorious’s attacks had no impact, said.
For a normal Demon, each one would have been a fatal wound.
*Ssssss—*
Seung-chan didn't care and raised the temperature of the flames.
“You’re quite damaged.”
The flames had already covered most of Notorious’s upper body.
*WHOOSH!*
The flames burned even larger, combining with the oxygen in the air.
It wasn't ordinary fire.
Seung-chan’s special technique could be strengthened as much as he wanted according to his will.
“It’s a simple trick.”
The firepower from before was just adjusted to match a C-rank opponent.
“A momentary variable can decide life and death.”
The fire spread to his face.
“KYYYAAAAAA—!!”
Notorious screamed, writhing in pain.
*Crunch.*
He belatedly tore off his own hand, but the fire had already spread to his entire body.
“Rest in peace.”
With the surged Magic Power, the flames swallowed Notorious whole.
*ROAR—*
It was an amount of Magic Power he hadn't used in C-rank.
When the flames subsided.
Only Seung-chan stood in the silent Colosseum.
[The winner of this match is Ygritte!!]
The announcer announced Seung-chan’s victory in a boisterous voice.
The excited spectators began to shout.
“Ygritte! I knew you’d win!!”
“I bet everything on you!”
“Is Notorious dead?!”
Up to this point, these were the Demons favorable to Ygritte.
“Give me back my money! You bastard!!”
“Isn’t this rigged?!!”
“A guy who just came up from C-rank is too strong!”
“Something is definitely wrong!!”
Up to this point, these were the Demons who denied Ygritte even after seeing the match with their own eyes.
Not everyone was favorable to the winner.
‘Everything is related to personal gain anyway.’
The door that had closed at the start of the match opened simultaneously with Seung-chan’s victory.
He left the Colosseum, leaving behind the noise mixed with cheers and jeers.
‘Boring. This match, too.’
He deactivated his Demon Transformation and cooled the heat in his body.
In the blink of an eye, the regeneration of the wounds Notorious had inflicted was finished.
Only his training suit, tattered like rags from Notorious’s final struggle, signaled that a battle had taken place.
“If I’d known my clothes would get this messed up, I would’ve ended it sooner.”
If he hadn't adjusted his Magic Power for the sake of performance, they wouldn't have been ruined to this extent.
“For the price of one ruined outfit, I’m making a pretty good profit.”
When he returned to the waiting room, Tomohisa welcomed him.
“Amazing.”
His body, having finished its meal, had veins bulging tightly.
“I thought you’d have a hard time with Notorious.”
“It wasn’t that easy of a fight.”
It wasn't the truth, but there was no need to tell it.
“With this, you’ve become a B-rank ranker in one go. Your future opponents won’t be easy, either.”
“You know. If you don’t have that much confidence, you can’t do this job for long.”
Tomohisa grinned.
“That’s true.”
[The next match is the C-rank title match.]
His name was called over the speaker.
“Don’t die.”
“Obviously.”
Tomohisa confidently opened the door leading to the Colosseum.
“Then, shall I check the money I bet?”
Expecting the money to have grown, Seung-chan headed to the exchange office.
“Here are your appearance fee and dividends.”
The clerk working at the exchange office handed him the money.
The amount received after deducting the commission was about 40 million won.
The appearance fee was 20 million won, and the 10 million won he had bet had doubled to 20 million won.
A net profit of 30 million won in one match.
For an ordinary Demon, just surviving day to day is a struggle because of the Hunters' eyes, but for a high-ranking Demon, the path to making money is wide open.
Based on that power.
‘Humans rule the world, but some Demons have built their own kingdoms.’
Whether that place is in the shadows or in the light probably doesn't matter.
‘The important thing is that they are living among humans.’
Seung-chan was just living in his own way as well.
His special birth became something special, and as he grew, he became able to use even stronger power.
Thanks to that, he currently had no problem making a living just by working in the shadows like the Arena.
‘Maybe I’ll go out to eat with Hyun-ah tomorrow.’
He swept the bundles of 50,000 won bills into the backpack he had brought.
“What’s this, is it over for today?”
While he was in the middle of sweeping up the money, Se-jeong approached.
It seemed she found it unexpected that Seung-chan, who usually fought three matches, was taking his appearance fee and dividends after just one.
"The B-rank appearance fee is quite lucrative. This should easily last me about three months."
"What a shame."
"I don't find it a shame at all."
"I was looking forward to another match like the one just now. The higher-ups in the Arena were, too."
"The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment."
"Hmm~"
"Not everyone is on a regular contract like you, are they?"
For some time now, Se-jeong had only been taking on the opening stage, where the risk was low.
A marketable fighter was a talent the Arena management didn't want to lose.
"My body has grown rusty, you see."
Se-jeong giggled.
"I'm not a Demon that keeps growing like some people."
Despite her self-deprecating words, she didn't hide the greed blooming on her face.
It was truly a face that suited the moniker Two-Face.
'She's going to meet an early grave at this rate.'
Despite her delicate appearance, she was a veteran who had been through thick and thin in the Arena.
There was no need to worry.
Seung-chan slung his bag over his shoulder.
"If you're still alive, let's meet again."
It was always the same farewell.
A few months later, they would meet again in this very Arena.
Just as Seung-chan was about to walk out the door,
"Egrit."
Se-jeong called him back.
"How about we grab a 'meal' together tomorrow?"
With a coy smile that had wiped away the greed.
"Just the two of us."
She had asked him out on a date.
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