Battle

Ethan sat on the court, flanked by his two loyal companions, Shadow and Oliver. That's right—his furry friends had come along to witness the battle. They wouldn't miss this for the world, and neither would he.

As Jinwoo entered the arena with Seojin, the latter rushed over, a curious glint in his eyes. His gaze immediately fell on the two cats, and he couldn't help but ask, "What is this?"

Ethan stood up, a smile spreading across his face. "These are my two cats."

Jinwoo observed the animals closely, a fleeting memory flashing through his mind. These cats look just like that person's. He glanced back at Ethan, scrutinizing him carefully. A spark of suspicion ignited within him. Could he possibly know the patriarch of the Kim family? Jinwoo's mind raced as he recalled an old friend, a face long lost to time. But he quickly dismissed the thought, shaking his head. "But he died; that's not possible."

Deciding to investigate later, Jinwoo shook off the notion. "Enough talk. Let's get started." He turned to Ethan, his tone shifting to seriousness. "Are you ready?"

Ethan nodded confidently, determination radiating from him like a beacon.

Jinwoo couldn't suppress a smile at this display of resolve, thinking, He really does resemble him. Seojin, noticing Ethan's unwavering demeanor, turned to his father and declared, "Let's begin."

With that, Jinwoo unleashed his power, transforming the court into a grand hall adorned with rows of bleachers. The lights dimmed, casting an air of anticipation thick enough to cut through. Shadow and Oliver trotted over to the stands, and in Ethan's mind, they sent him a silent message: Good luck, Master.

Ethan mentally thanked them, centering himself on the task ahead.

As the battle commenced, Seojin wasted no time. He manifested his power with a fierce declaration, "I'm not going easy on you." A fireball crackled to life in his hand, radiating heat as he hurled it toward Ethan with fierce intent.

Surprisingly, Ethan remained calm, dodging the attack with remarkable ease. What no one knew was that despite his lean frame, he had spent years in the U.S. honing various fighting styles for self-defense, including boxing. He had always excelled at dodging.

Jinwoo's expression shifted to one of surprise as he whispered, "Interesting."

Frustration coursed through Seojin's veins. How is this possible? he thought, his confidence wavering.

Finally taking the fight more seriously, Seojin summoned four fireballs this time, launching them at Ethan with renewed determination.

Ethan's mind raced as he assessed the incoming projectiles. I can probably dodge two, maybe three at most. Where can I let the last one hit without getting hurt too badly?

Thinking quickly, he managed to evade the first, second, and third fireballs. Just when he thought he might succeed in avoiding the fourth, Seojin added extra force to the attack. The fireball struck Ethan square in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.

Seeing this, Seojin's confidence surged. He called out to his father, "Father, you can end it now. Ethan can't take any more."

Ethan lay on the ground, immense pain coursing through his body as he clutched his chest. But then he caught sight of the clock above him: 2 minutes. 2 minutes and 10 seconds. 2 minutes and 15 seconds... and still counting.

Jinwoo looked down at Ethan, wondering, Is he going to give up?

But in that moment, Ethan's resolve solidified. I can't quit yet. Slowly and painfully, he pushed himself to his feet, spitting blood onto the ground. With a fierce shout, he called out to Seojin, "It's not over yet!"

Shadow and Oliver watched their master with pride in their eyes, their thoughts echoing: That's our master.

Jinwoo smiled once more, his heart swelling with admiration as he whispered, He really does resemble that man. The battle was far from over, and Ethan's spirit shone brightly, igniting the air around him with an indomitable will to fight.

Everyone stared at Ethan in that moment, stunned. No one had expected him to make it this far.

Jinwoo, struggling to breathe, thought, To be honest, just the fact that Ethan accepted the challenge would have been enough for me to let him into the academy. But now, witnessing his attitude, I truly want to discover just how much more he can endure.

In a secret room, Yuna felt her heart race as she watched the dark-haired boy stand up, even while spitting blood. She regarded him with newfound admiration, captivated by his tenacity.

Meanwhile, Seojin finally decided it was time to take the battle seriously. "Ethan, since you really want to continue, I'm going to get serious now."

Seojin began to manifest ten fireballs at once, his determination palpable as he readied himself for the assault.

Ethan recalled what Oliver had advised him on the way here: Ethan, if he's too strong, try to focus your power and aim for his head.

He had been shocked when he first heard this and had asked, "But won't that hurt him?"

Oliver had laughed and replied, Not too much. Awakened ones are naturally tough. He'll recover in a few hours. Besides, the best way to win a battle as a beginner is to knock out your opponent. That way, all the attacks he prepared for you will vanish.

Now, Ethan focused intently on that exact phrase: That way, all the attacks he prepared for you will vanish.

He took a deep breath, feeling the energy within him swirl as he began to manifest his own power in his hand. Seojin, confident in his impending victory, launched his attack, a wicked smile gracing his lips. Now I'm going to win.

The fireballs raced toward Ethan with incredible speed, each one crackling with energy. Even Jinwoo stood up, poised to intervene if necessary. But at that moment, Ethan unleashed a shockwave directly at Seojin's face. Caught off guard, Seojin was too distracted by his own attack to see it coming. The blast hit him square in the forehead, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

The fireballs that had been aimed at Ethan vanished, extinguished before they could reach him. Seeing this, Ethan smiled triumphantly and declared, "I won." But just as the words left his lips, exhaustion overcame him, and he too collapsed, unconscious.

Jinwoo, witnessing this astonishing turn of events, was left stunned. Did he really win?

Yuna, her heart racing, watched the scene unfold before her, a name etching itself into her memory: Ethan. In that moment, she knew she had witnessed something remarkable, something that would stay with her for a long time to come.