In the Korean team's waiting room at Union Square...

I entered the waiting room after my conversation with Yoo Minseok. Park Muyeol and the other team members were gathered in front of the TV to watch the fight between the United States and Spain. By the way, what was with this atmosphere?

“You're here.”

“Is your body okay now?”

“Please sit here.”

I sat in the chair that Kim Hyeonu conceded to me, but the group still looked worried.

“I'm fine, so there is no need to look at me that way. If I really wasn't okay, then I would quit on my own, just like this guy who didn't feel well the other day.” I pointed to Park Muyeol sitting next to me to s.h.i.+ft some of the embarra.s.sment.

Park Muyeol was involved for no reason and grumbled. “Bah. Why mention me here? Fragile guy.”

"You're talking about yourself.”

The two of us made eye contact with each other and exchanged looks. There was a sharp pressure like sparks were flying. Just then, Mido cleared her throat and approached. We both turned our heads in different directions.

“No, why are you still fighting like this? You aren't children. Do both of you want to stop seeing me? Shake hands and reconcile. Quickly.”

The two of us were forced to reach out to each other at Mido's harsh scolding. The team members around us could be seen smiling. The moment I touched Park Muyeol's hand, I couldn't help frowning. It wasn't a handshake. It was almost a fight of strength.

'Let go first.'

'You let go first.'

Park Muyeol and I exchanged words with our eyes.

'Then let go on three.'

'Okay. One, two, three!'

“......”

“......”

Nothing happened. The veins on our foreheads bulged as we gripped each other's hand even tighter. Park Muyeol had been swinging a wooden sword all his life and his strength was considerable. However, this didn't mean that I was just playing. Yes, let's see who would win, rotten guy.

“Huup... Hoo.”

“...Hup. Hmmmm.”

The power battle that abruptly started lasted for around 30 seconds. The group watched like they were enjoying the exciting situation. I wanted it to come to a conclusion here, but it wasn't easy because Mido was present.

“Ah, really. What are you doing? If this is the case then just arm wrestle! Arm, wres, tle!”

Park Muyeol and I turned our heads toward Mido at the same time.

“Are you a genius?”

“It is a good idea.”

An arm wrestling game started suddenly. The area for the game was quickly established. A desk was placed in the center. Park Muyeol and I faced each other and muttered to each other.

“Today, let's see who is weaker out of the two of us.” 

“Bah. This isn't what the person who will be beaten should say.

“Who is the one who couldn't partic.i.p.ate in the event because he was sick?”

“Uhuh. It wasn't just a light body ache.”

“Then it was a heavy body ache?”

“Tsk. Your joke isn't funny.”

“It is a grandfather joke. You aren't a trendy guy.”

Some of the team members laughed at our bickering. The heavy tension I felt when I first entered the waiting room was relieved to some extent. In fact, this was an act I put on to let the players relax. Of course, Park Muyeol knew this and cooperated.

“Now, let's have a contest, this foolish bear.”

“The loser will buy the cigarettes.”

“That's good.”

We both held hands in an arm wrestling position.

Mido sighed with disbelief.

“Hah. No cigarettes. Bet on something else.”

The TV was showing the fight between Cappuccino and Torres.

-Amazing! Player Cappuccino's control is truly G.o.dly!

* * *

The wind that blew was chilling to the bone. The area was covered with water and ice, and Torres stared in amazement at the man called Cappuccino standing in front of him.

'How can he achieve such fine control?'

Cappuccino's control was truly divine. Anyone who played Arkstar knew that he only had a rare rated cla.s.s. Yet look at the current situation...

It might be due to the relations.h.i.+p between attributes, but Cappuccino managed to tie him up using only control. Torres was so surprised that he sobered up. “...You are strong.

“Ah, is that so? Haha. Thank you.”

“Why didn't you appear last year? If you partic.i.p.ated then, you would've become more famous than Michael or me. I wouldn't have beaten you so easily if it was that time.”

He meant it. Torres deeply admired Cappuccino. The control that Cappuccino showed over ice was beyond imagination. It was great and worthy of the name Ruler of the Ice.

'This person isn't an ordinary magician. The balance of attack and defense makes him the perfect combat magician.'

Cappuccino fought Torres by using the ice to make various weapons. Ice swords boasted a white blade, ice spears with sharp teeth, bows and arrows, and he even held large ice blocks in his hand. The destructive power was like facing a giant hammer. The even scarier thing...

'His control is better than Michael's control. If this person ate a Star Fruit, then he probably would've reached the top in an instant. Additionally, his ice-based ranged magic is very tricky.'

Cappuccino's essence was that of a magician. The two ice storms he created and the ice awls he fired neutralized Torres' attacks whenever the ice touched the water. Aqua Area, the barrier of water, couldn't be used from the beginning. Neither the water dragon, Blash, nor the water clone made using Hydroponics Bordeaux, could come out. Every time he moved the water, Cappuccino would freeze it easily in a seemingly careless manner. He tried to control it, but it didn't work. Cappuccino's terrible eyes could see through him even when he tried close combat.

[The water jug zodiac, 'Deucalion,' says the preparations are over.]

However, Torres still had a trump card left.

'I planned to use this in the fight against that d.a.m.n old man or Michael... it can't be helped. it will consume a lot of magic power, but it is better than dying.'

Torres put down the water jug on his back and nodded at the sky. Soon, the water jug flashed once and turned gold. Torres lifted the water jug over his head and poured it. Then wine poured out. It was nectar, not the usual transparent liquor.

Deucalion had become a constellation and worked in the Heavenly Palace. He had the job of carrying the G.o.d's nectar in his water jug. It was possible due to his water jug's mysterious ability to increase the amount simply by putting it in. Additionally, Deucalion had a skill a.s.sociated with the nectar.

[The zodiac skill 'Pour Nectar' will be used!]

[You are drunk on the scent of nectar.]

[All stats are doubled for 5 minutes.]

[However, you will fall asleep after 5 minutes.]

[Your water power is sealed for 5 minutes.]

A secret technique that could only be acquired by surpa.s.sing the constellation skill. It hadn't been long since Torres knew there was such a zodiac skill. He learned about it during the last fight with Choi Chuntaek, but he couldn't use it at that time because he had no spare strength, but it was different now.

“Go.”

“...This.”

In the blink of an eye, Torres appeared in front of Cappuccino. Cappuccino made an ice hammer and struck Torres' fist. It wasn't Torres' fist that broke, it was Cappuccino's ice hammer.

* * *

[Please hurry and send out the next player.]

“...It ended up like this.”

“Torres truly isn't a good opponent.”

Michael and Damian spoke respectively. Cappuccino was good, but he died within a minute. This didn't mean there was no result.

“It is a pity since Cappuccino could've won.”

“Maybe he would be stronger than me if he had only eaten star fruit."

Damian had a strange expression when he heard Michael admit it. It was because the usual Michael wouldn't say such words.

“Know your enemy, and you will come out unscathed from 100 battles,” Michael spoke like he noticed Damian's confusion.

“......?”

“It means that if I know the enemy, I can fight them 100 times and win 100 times.”

Despite Michael's words, Damian still had a question mark over his head. It was a bit too sudden.

“He taught me that in order to be strong, I should acknowledge my enemies.”

“Who is he?”

“Someone. There is such a person.”

Michael chuckled and swallowed down the following words. This was what he learned from staying with Park Muyeol. This teaching was more precious than anything else for Michael, who had lived without feeling his father's affection. Michael always remembered this before going into a fight. During the combat meetings, he actually listened to the profile of the players. The arrogant Michael had taken one step forward.

'You've grown.'

Damian looked at Michael with relief. Damian immediately spoke to Michael, “I will go out.”

“Can you win?”

“Of course,” Damian replied with confidence. Damian had prepared a number of trump cards to face Torres today. It was just speculation, but Cappuccino said that Torres seemed unable to use his water power. If so, there was a way.

“I'm going.”

[The user 'Damian' has entered.]

Damian's body disappeared and appeared in the stadium that was now in ruins.

[The game will start after 10 seconds.]

[10, 9, 8...]

During the countdown, Damian thought about how to lead the fight. He would fight using his own long-term strategy and tactics.

Beeeeep—!

The moment it started, Torres rushed at him at high speed. He seemed desperate like he was being chased by something. Damian blocked Torres' fist with a silver s.h.i.+eld.

“......!”

Tremendous strength—Torres' strength was far beyond what Damian had a.s.sumed. Perhaps this was why Cappuccino seemed fl.u.s.tered.

'This...!'

The silver s.h.i.+eld, which had barely blocked the blow and was bounced back, was cracked with a single punch. Nevertheless, this wasn't a dangerous situation for the silver alchemist. Damian melted the silver s.h.i.+eld and swung a silver whip from a medium range.

Torres moved at a high speed and appeared behind him. Once again, Damian used the silver s.h.i.+eld to stop it.

Thump!

This time, it barely bounced back. Torres definitely wasn't using water. Damian used a silver spear to widen the distance and became determined.

'Okay. Then I can use it now.'

Torres' fists poured indiscriminately from all sides. It was like a rain of fists. Damian attacked and defended with the silver s.h.i.+eld and silver spear while wrapping himself in thick silver armor. Then he poured more magic power into the silver.

“...What are you doing?”

By the time Torres questioned it, he was already a giant 'silver golem.'

“...Who knows? What should I do?”

Damian's voice resembled heavy silver as it entered Torres' ears. This was a silver golem that Damian created after receiving clues from the Golem Siege. In addition to its durability, it boasted a high destructive power. This made it a perfect balance of attack and defense. It would be a great addition to future hunts.

“Your snake-like personality is still the same.” Torres squeezed out his remaining magic power and struck the golem's weak point, the core. The silver golem's chest was struck and Damian's body was revealed. The silver golem slowly moved forward, but this was actually induced by Damian.

“Heh.”

“What is so good?”

Damian wondered, “Do you know mercury oxide?”

The silver golem's hands grabbed Torres' hands like it was aiming for this moment. Then the silver golem's hands started to melt and wrap around Torres' body.

“This...”

Damian poured out his scientific knowledge toward the fl.u.s.tered Torres.

“Mercury oxide is one of the materials used to make nuclear explosives. It is also called red mercury, but it isn't really a dangerous substance. It is also a substance used in ointments.”

“What nonsense are you suddenly saying?”

“However, if you cool it rapidly, compress it as much as possible, and then melt it with magic power—”

Damian pulled out a small piece of ice. It was formed by using Michael's ability to oxidize and compress mercury and combining it with his melted silver. Then he had asked Cappuccino to quickly cool it down to absolute zero. It was literally the power of the three people leading the Zeus Guild combined together.

“Won't there be an artificial nuclear explosion?”

The mercury oxide in Damian's hand started to emit a pure white light. For a moment, a ma.s.sive high temperature burned at his fingertips.

“W-Wait a minute..”

“Let's go together, Torres.” 

Soon after, a huge flash of fire engulfed the world. A mushroom cloud soared into the sky.

(Submission End Date: 15th November)