Seol, Seol Hong, and Cheon Ju found a place to stay near Yocheon.

This has been on my mind the entire way here, but is it just me, or did it feel like there weren't a lot of people on the streets?

Its strange. From what I know, Yocheon has a large population and attracts a lot of visitors.

As Seol Hong and Cheon Ju continued their conversation, Seol had finished inspecting the room.

He then gave an answer that seemed to most likely reflect the current situation.

Maybe the reason there arent that many people out on the streets might have to do with the reason that people are visiting?

Ah!

Now that I think about it, you may be right.

It was Yocheons biggest tourist attraction and a place that gathered the regions money like a sinkhole.

The Warriors Heart was likely related to the reason.

Gulp

Seol Hong gulped.

Since she hadnt explored the city properly yet, it was obvious she would be interested in the Warriors Heartthe very symbol of Yocheon.

However, as she was currently in the city for the Dragon War, she contemplated whether it was appropriate for her to go.

Since the Dragon Trial is related to the Warriors Heart, we should investigate it beforehand, said Seol.

Seol Hong immediately snapped her fingers in agreement.

Snap!

Perfect! Information gathering is half the battle, right?! Cheon Ju, you should come with us too!

M-Me too?

Yeah! You have to go to the Warriors Heart if youre in Yocheon!

But

Lets go! Quickly, now!

...Yes, Lady.

Luckily, now that they had secured a room, Cheon Ju could leave her massive luggage behind.

* * *

The Warriors Heart was at the center of Yocheon.

In fact, it was even situated in a better spot than the officials administrative office, which oversaw Yocheon.

It almost seemed as if the arena was built first, and the city developed around it.

Thats why they also call the Warriors Heart Yocheons Heart...

As Seol slowly made his way to the Warriors Heart, the emotion that stirred within him wasn't excitement but nostalgia.

Whenever he searched for the traces of his past pieces, he always felt restless. This time was no different. A wave of sentimentality washed over him as long-forgotten regrets resurfaced.

As Seol became lost in his thoughts, Seol Hong interrupted him by pointing at something ahead.

O-Oh my god Do you see that?

...I do.

I cant believe this many people are gathered in this one spot

The arena was loud, audible even from outside, as if the entire population of Yocheon had squeezed into its walls.

Move! Get out of the way!

Do you know who we are

Do you know who I am?!

Fuck off! I have a ticket!

The crowd swarmed around them, creating a chaotic scene that surprised even Seol.

So, what was Seol Hong doing?

Wh-what should we do?! said Seol Hong.

Lady Seol Hong?

I dont think well be able to get in, Cheon Ju! What do we

Seol smirked.

"It's probably chaotic because they're letting people in, said Seol. I'm sure it will settle down after they all get inside in a few minutes."

A-Ahem I see

As Seol said, the crowd began to thin out as more and more people were allowed in.

Multiple ticket booths were at the arena entrance, indicating that crowding was common and necessitated efficient handling.

And surprisingly, no resellers were hanging around the entrance, unlike what one might expect.

It makes sense, though. Who would be stupid enough to resell tickets at the Warriors Heart.

Yocheon was a special city.

A special city that revolved around the arena, for the arena.

The Khan Empire also accepted this fact, forgiving most violent actions as long as they werent directed toward government offices.

It was likely due to that same open-handed response that the Warriors Heart had managed to grow so big.

However, its growing funds and loose culture had also attracted a lot of flies that wanted a piece of the cake.

Each time such situations arose, it was the Warriors Heart, not Yocheons government offices, that took action to deal with them.

As such, the gangs of the area, like a mafia or cartel, were the actual owners of Yocheon.

Furthermore, the sponsor of the gladiator who defeats all other competitors gains control over everything related to the arena. This arrangement was essentially the reason the Warriors Heart was born.

- If you have something to say, raise your weapon.

The gladiator becomes the conqueror, and their sponsor becomes the manager of the arena. Together, they wield unquestioned power in Yocheon.

Im sure thats how Gwak Seong took control of the arena, too.

It was dangerous to engage Gwak Seong in Yocheon.

Furthermore, there was no way the low-ranking Dragons Flowers, who had proven their weaknesses by being pushed back in the succession rankings during the Dragon War, could defeat him.

Not to mention the Dragon Wars rules are helping Gwak Seong, not us.

There was an important rule during the Dragon War.

- During the Dragon War, the Dragons Flowers are revoked of their statuses.

The Dragons Flowers were the children of Hong Cheon, the Emperor.

Just because he didnt show personal interest in them didnt mean that the Dragons Flowers lacked status or were treated differently.

In the end, they were still members of the imperial family.

Those who harmed the Dragons Flowers were forced to pay an appropriate price for it.

Well that was at least before the Dragon War started.

Now, the situation was completely different.

No one would receive punishment for hurting the Dragons Flowers during the Dragon War, regardless of what they did.

As such, the Dragons Flowers were now trying their best to hide their identities instead of revealing them.

Obviously, no one was directly targeting them, but you could never predict how things would go.

Not to mention, there were Dragons Flowers that died for unknown reasons during the last trial

Given that there were always individuals opposed to authority, the Dragons Flowers could be caught in an unexpected storm.

So expensive!

Lady Seol Hong

Wh-what kind of tickets are this expensive? Why are these so expensive?

I dont have to watch, said Cheon Ju, awkwardly scratching her head. Maybe you can watch it on your own

You wont need to worry about that, said Seol.

Cheon Ju and Seol Hong had run out of money after arriving in Yocheon.

After all, they hadnt been doing anything to earn money, so it was no surprise they were penniless.

In contrast, Seol had plenty of money.

Now that he had exchanged his currency, he had no reason to worry about paying for a few tickets.

If its just simple audience tickets, theyre not that expensive as long as you arent betting, said Seol.

...Ill pay you back one day, dont worry.

You dont have to.

But I will. Thats how I was raised.

Seol Hongs stubbornness could have been due to the fact that her mother had been absent all her life.

She couldn't bring herself to do anything that might harm others, and whenever she received help, she seemed perpetually anxious, as if she couldn't bear it.

Friends dont have to pay each other back.

...Really?

Theres no such thing as favors or debts between real friends, Seol reassured.

Seol Hongs expression quickly brightened.

Th-then could I also get that skewer

As many as you want.

For Cheon Ju as well

Ah, Im fine, Lady Seol Hong!

You should have some as well, Cheon Ju, said Seol.

A-Ahem The chickens in Yocheon are known for being particularly juicy

The three happily sat down in their seats with a skewer in each hand.

Slide

Seol carefully placed a veil over their faces.

He did so because he was worried that their identities might be exposed.

Its dangerous here. Next time, lets get the VIP seats.

Ah

Also Ill be gone for a second.

Nod

Seol Hong didnt know the specifics, but she nodded as Seol had told her that he would be doing something before they arrived here.

And after exactly thirty minutes Cheon Ju and Seol Hong were completely shocked. They couldnt believe what they just saw.

Wh-what is going on

Why

The host then continued.

- Kang Seol, the mysterious participant! Uh So It was quite a strange way to win. I heard that you were a same-day participant, but

Cheon Ju and Seol Hong locked eyes.

Why is he there?

Why is he down there?

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

Turning the clock back thirty minutes

Additionally, if you are a same-day participant, we will schedule you into whatever fight we want.

I understand.

Furthermore, since we havent assessed your strength yet, your arena rank will be assigned randomly, and...

Battle to the death.

...Excuse me?

I want it to be a battle to the death, repeated Seol.

...Do you perhaps know the rules for them?

Seols plan had always been to join the Warriors Heart as a gladiator from the very beginning. Now, he was taking the necessary steps to make that a reality.

If I want to take advantage of Gwak Seongs competitiveness, I need to take the necessary steps.

And the first step was to draw Gwak Seongs attention by becoming a popular gladiator.

Yes, I know them all.

No weight classes. A battle to the death.

As there werent any weight classes, there were a lot of participants in this category.

And as killing your opponent was allowed as well, it was the crown jewel of the Warriors Heart.

In fact, the majority of the people who visited the Warriors Heart came to watch this category.

...We have included you in our schedule.

After looking at the piece of paper the attendant handed him, Seol laughed.

You want me to fight three back-to-back fights?

Didnt I explain this to you earlier? The only fights available were the ones where the previous fighters were injured, and thats just how the schedule was set up, so

...I understand.

In truth, it didnt matter all too much.

I guess it might even be good since Ill be able to end it quickly?

As Seol waited for his match, he looked at the book of rules.

Haha

The rules written on it were short and simple, to the point that Seol found it refreshing.

They basically just want you to fight freely. Even killing your opponent is fine.

The arena where the participants fought was a collaborative creation, brought to life through the joint efforts of onmyojis, shamans, and Daoists.

They were able to create environments within the arena that not only looked realistic but also felt real.

After roughly twenty minutes

Kang Seol! Kang Seol!

Here.

Enter the heart. It is your turn.

Okay.

"Dont die. I already had to clean up a corpse yesterday, and it was annoying. If you're going to die, do it when I'm off duty."

Ill keep that in mind.

Hmph! Your weapon?

Seol opened his hands, revealing nothing.

Hah, quite the comedian are you? Did you even listen to my advice?

- Next, a same-day participant who joined the battle to the death

Tch, get out already!

Seol walked through the dark hallway to the shining arena.

Yeahhhhhhhhh!

Who the hell is that?!

Hahahahahaha! I bet hell die right away! Bookie! I want to bet!

I should bet on him dying.

Was this how gladiators in the colosseum felt?

Seols heart began to pound as he heard their roars and insults. While he wasnt afraid of the battle, the attention was a little uncomfortable.

With a bored expression, he looked at the fighter in front of him.

It was a muscular man with a massive spear resting on his shoulder, intentionally looking down at Seol by raising his chin.

Who are you?

......

Dont answer me if you dont want to. I wasnt interested anyway.

The hosts voice echoed throughout the arena.

- This next battle is one for the ages! During these fierce death battles between countless stars Hyung Bi stands proudly as someone who has fiercely won three consecutive battles! He has killed three fighters with his spear!

Why is the host explaining that he killed three people when he won three consecutive battles?

Seol was inwardly confused by the hosts poor casting.

Yeahhhhhh! Hyung Bi! Im leaving it to you again!

Im betting on you, Hyung Bi! The next conqueror is you!

Ill kill you if you die!

- That just proves how cruel Hyung Bi is, right?! And facing him uh a same-day participant who chose to jump into the death battles! We dont need any other explanation with that, right? Its Kang Seol!

It wasnt that there was no need to explain, there was simply nothing to explain. Seol hadnt disclosed anything else to them.

......

...Who?

Seriously, who the hell is he?

Booooo! Die! Get your head cut off!

Hes quite handsome, though

Who cares if a mans good-looking or not?! Kill him, Hyung Bi!

The entire audience was practically on Hyung Bis side.

I wasnt expecting much, but

- Now! Well begin right away!

Crackle

Crackle

Fwoooosh

White smoke began to rise from the ground.

It was the work of Daoists and shamans. Still, it wasnt too high, though. The ankle-height smoke filled the arena with an air of importance.

Die.

Fwirl!

[Hyung Bi used Wild Dog Spearmanship: Rampaging Fang.]

[The spears sharpness greatly increases, causing a higher bleeding rate from cuts.]

Fwirl!

Fwooooosh!

Fwooooosh!

The audience fell silent as Hyung Bi continued to swing his spear ferociously.

However, the main reason for their silence was Seol's narrow avoidance of each attack.

It appeared that just before Hyung Bi's strikes could land, Seol would narrowly evade them.

Hahahaha! Hes pretty good!

Kill him, Hyung Bi! What are you doing?!

Seol used those first attacks to gauge Hyung Bis skills.

Hes weak.

Had the standards lowered from the time he fought in the arena?

Seol was a bit disappointed.

Still, it made things much simpler.

I could end him right away, but

It would take much longer to pull Gwak Seongs attention that way.

As Seol had to return the arena to Khan within the designated time, he had to move efficiently.

Slaaaaam!

Hyung Bi swung his spear down, slicing through the arena floor as if it were made of tofu. Clearly, he wasn't trying to renovate the arena mid-battle, Seol had simply dodged Hyung Bis attack once more.

Urgh

Normally, things would have ended here.

Seol could have ended the match by punching him once through this opening.

But

Fwirl!

Hyung Bi retrieved his spear, scowling as he did.

What are you doing?

As you can see, responded Seol.

...Ill kill you.

Woosh Woosh Woosh!

Recognizing that Seol was simply trying to buy time, Hyung Bi was furious.

[Hyung Bi used Wild Dog Spearmanship: Neck Tear.]

[The spears spin rate drastically increases.]

FWOOOOSH!

Small rocks scattered as Hyung Bi swung his spear like a helicopter.

It continued to spin fiercely before he aimed it toward Seol for another attack.

Fwip!

Fwoooosh!

However, Seol was also faster than before.

He still hadn't broken a sweat, but he moved with caution, well aware that a single attack could spill his insides.

Ahhhhhhhh!

Hyung Bi pulled out every last trick up his sleeve, but he still couldnt reach Seol.

For an entire five minutes.

Wh-what?

Hyung Bi?

Why is he wasting time like this? Just kill him already!

Just as the audience was beginning to sense that something was off, Seol spoke up.

Times up.

What?

Hyung Bi knew that the situation wasnt going as he had planned, but he was still confident that he could win.

After all, he was on the offensive the entire time.

However, it took Seol only an instant to turn the tables.

In the blink of an eye, Seol closed the distance, all the while evading Hyung Bi's ferocious attacks.

Baaaaam

Bwrgh

Hyung Bi felt his body lift up into the air.

The moment Seol's attack landed, Hyung Bi experienced firsthand what an overwhelming difference in strength was.

It wasnt a difference in technique or understanding of martial arts

It was simply a difference in raw physical strength.

What the

Hyung Bi had no second opportunity.

Crush

Seols one attack was more than enough to force Hyung Bi off the smoke-filled platform.

......

Hyung Bi lost?

This is a scam!

Seol turned to look at the seat where Seol Hong was sitting. Her jaw dropped, sauce from the skewer dripping from the corners of her mouth.

Seol had given her a couple of extra coins just in case, and it seemed she had used them to buy a few more skewers.

Regardless, Seol won the first fight.

- Kang Seol, the mysterious participant! Uh So It was quite a strange way to win. I heard you were a same-day participant, but

Argh How boring

Are we sure this wasnt rigged?

Hyung Bi couldnt land a hit

Chu Sang is in the next match, though. We can trust him.

It looks like that Kang Seol guy is doing three matches in a row?

Three matches? Hah! Hes going to tap out with broken bones once Chu Sangs done with him.

Fifteen minutes later

- With Chu Sang falling down the platform, Kang Seol wins again! Kang Seol turns the tables once more! Chu Sang should hone his skills

This has to be rigged.

My bets! My bets! That fucker robbed me

Chu Sang! He didnt die? Let me at him! If he survived that, Ill kill him myself!

I dont know who that Kang Seol guy is, but the way he fought was similar to the last battle. Isnt that strange?

Yeah, it sort of feels like

No way I bet its just a coincidence.

Fifteen minutes later

- Seong Ju has lost. With that Urm Kang Seol has easily defeated three tough opponents in a row! The thing that we need to keep an eye on is his unique way of fighting

God fucking damn it! What the hell is wrong with today?!

Who doubted him three times, huh?! Me, you fuckers! I doubted him three times.

Are same-day participants still allowed? Let me stab him myself!

The crowd began to shout and murmur.

But it was about time they realized

This time too.

It ended exactly after five minutes again.

What is he doing? Its just like

I doubted it at first, but this is just like

...Maybe?

As the audience began to doubt, the host reaffirmed their suspicions.

- With an overwhelming difference in strengths, he ends the fight after exactly five minutes! Everyone, Im sure that phrase reminds you of a certain someone, doesnt it?

Ah Now that I think about it

Yeah, five minutes! I-Its just like him!

- The Demon Flash! Could Kang Seol be Dae Sans reincarnation, or is he challenging his legacy? Kang Seol is currently following the same path that Dae San once walked in his life! Countless warriors have paid their respects to him, but none have managed to replicate his feats until today. If Kang Seol is truly trying to emulate him, he must be an amazing copycat!

T/N: Dae San also means big/great mountain.

A gladiator who consistently fought for five minutes against every opponent, bringing excitement to the audience.

He remained undefeated, allowing weaker opponents to showcase their skills while delivering five minutes of thrilling entertainment against stronger challengers.

As Seol stepped down from the platform, he muttered to himself.

Copycat? Thats harsh

Today, the audience vividly recalled the name of the legendary gladiator of the Warriors Heart, Dae San.

Im Dae San.

Dae San, the longest-reigning conqueror of the Warriors Heart, was none other than Seols piece.