83 [79] "Unaffiliated v/s Affiliates"
[Korean awakening academy]
In a wide academy arena, six unaffiliated youths stand at one end intently watching the dozens of young affiliated figures crowding the other end.
The affiliateds mutter nasty and mean things about the unaffiliateds.
"Line up the people who will face each other," Giwook said.
The twelve young men divided into two rows of six and stared at each other.
Seeing that he would not face Jiwoo, Sucheon asked to change places so that he could fight him. At first, the instructors refused because a list of matchups had already been defined, but Jiwoo agreed to the change.
After switching places, Sucheon looked coldly at Jiwoo and said "you are finished".
Jiwoo raised an eyebrow and replied with a smile "we'll see."
"Taeyoung Ki, no affiliation and Sooae Choo of Halla, advance to the center of the ring," Siyeong announced.
The bout started and Taeyoung was overwhelmed by his opponent. Despite his strong willpower to keep fighting, he could do nothing in the face of Sooae Choo's dominance and ended up shattered in the ring.
"Victory goes to Sooae Choo!" declared Siyeong.
The affiliates present in the stands jeered at Taeyoung's pathetic performance.
"Next fight, Jookyung Kim of Mir against Gangwoo Choi of the non-affiliates" said Siyeong.
As soon as the fight started, Gangwoo stood still, his face pale.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Jihye. "Why isn't he moving?"
Jiwoo took a moment to analyze the situation. 'The Mir team has animal communication skills, could it be that Jookyung is using his ability to control Gangwoo's mind?' he wondered. 'Or maybe he has another awakened ability such as mind control.'
'I think his power is mind control,' Jiwoo finally said, startling Jihye, Jeongsu and Wooin.
Gangwoo imagined himself winning his fight against Jookyung, but suddenly his surroundings changed and he found himself in a white room. Startled, he felt incredible pain all over his body and couldn't help but scream "Aaaaaaaah!" before falling unconscious to the floor.
"The winner is Jookyung Kim," Siyeong announced.
The instructors and students sighed at the ease with which he had defeated his opponent.
"Next, Hyeonga Park of Baekdu against unaffiliated Jihye Lee," Siyeong said.
Hyeonga and Jihye stood in the center of the arena, facing each other.
The confrontation begins with the opening whistle. Jihye goes on the attack from the first moment, but his opponent, Hyeong, manages to dodge all his attacks with ease, as Hyeong gets closer and closer, Jihye intensifies his offensive, but to no avail. Finally, a powerful blow hits Jihye's stomach, making her fall to the ground
"You make obvious attacks and you're pathetic, are you going to give up so easily after just one hit?" said Hyeonga.
Jihye smiles and lifts her up, but in the air she realizes that she can't move her and feels an unbearable pressure on her shoulders, she falls to the ground defeated by her opponent's gravitational force.
The situation worsens when Hyeonga puts his foot on Jihye's face, crushing it and despising her.
Even though Jihye surrenders, Hyeonga ignores his request and uses his gravitational ability to push Jihye even harder.
At this situation, Jiwoo shouted trying to stop the confrontation, but Sucheon sighed and criticized her, starting a small argument.
"And the winner is Hyeonga Park!" announced Siyeong.
"Next are Inyong Ka of Baekdu and Jeongsu Lee, who is unaffiliated," he added.
At the beginning of the confrontation, Jeongsu knows of the awakened abilities of his opponent and formulates a plan to counteract them. However, despite his efforts, the plan does not work and he begins to receive a series of blows with great difficulty, tries to block them, but fails to do so effectively and continues to receive the blows of his rival.
In a moment of desperation, Jeongsu manages to find an opening in his opponent's guard and hits him in the face, which provokes the wrath of his rival, who uses his awakened abilities without containing his power.
Attacking with his overflowing gravitational power, his opponent inflicts heavy damage and doesn't stop, leaving him half dead and the ground destroyed.
Jiwoo and Jihye watched in awe at the scene before their eyes, shocked by the brutality.
....
[In Han Seongik's office]
Ares and Jiyoung watched the fights on the screen intently.
"My God, weren't these fights supposed to show us their potential?" muttered Han Seongik, visibly disappointed by the way the clashes were going.
"Looks like this is all a waste of time," Han Seongik continued, his tone denoting frustration and disappointment.
Jiyoung watches Han Seongik with a cold, analytical expression, deep in thought.
Ares smiles and directs a question to Han Seongik. "I don't understand why you're so happy about your affiliated guys defeating some kids who only recently know that they are awakened.
Han Seongik fixes his gaze on Ares, his expression serious and dark, remaining silent.
Ares let out a bored sigh. "I would love to see them face the real awakened youngsters from those families with great reputation, maybe then, the situation would be different and they would look pathetic.
Han Seongik and Jiyoung's face twitched as they heard Ares' words, they looked at him with expressions of disgust evident on their faces.
Han Seongik stared at Ares with an icy expression and a vein throbbing on his forehead. "Ares..." he said in a cold and cutting tone.
"Is there a problem, is something bothering you?", Ares asked in a defiant tone, holding Han Seongik's gaze. "We both know what I said is true," he added, nonchalantly.
Han Seongik probably reflected on Ares' words. 'He's right, it's true that they still lack power and experience for those big families, but for the world awakened academy it's another thing... their level is very similar, although they are invaluable awakened for the future of our country,' he thought to himself. 'There are some young people of their own ages who are incredible,' he concluded.
"Anyway, the next two clashes will be interesting," Ares said with a smile on his face. "I hope they will be very attentive, they might be surprised," he added as Han Seongik and Jiyoung raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically.
....
1036 Words.
Next Chapter "The Power of unaffiliated"
