Ding!
The bell announcing the start of the match rang inside the battle cage.
However, instead of engaging imdiately, the two took their ti, cautiously observing each other.
As the saying goes, “Know your enemy and yourself, and you will never lose a hundred battles.” Understanding your opponent leads to victory.
But from Ivan’s perspective, not much had changed about Kim Yu-seong.
The only noticeable difference was that his previously clumsy movents had transford into those of an experienced fighter.
‘Let’s start with a little test.’
Determined, Ivan charged forward, arms spread wide.
One of the secret martial arts passed down in the Russian royal family, for which he was proud:
‘Медведь императора’.
The Emperor’s Bear.
Charging with massive lats like those of a Kodiak bear and thick arms like logs, Ivan’s appearance was truly overwhelming.
Yet, Kim Yu-seong didn’t back down in the face of Ivan’s approach.
It had already been half a year since that fight.
Through continuous battles with formidable opponents, Kim Yu-seong had reached a point where he could fight anyone equally, never losing his composure even in dire situations.
Impact.
As Ivan tried to crush his spine with a bear hug, Kim Yu-seong used Hayate’s counterattack technique, Tatsumaki (Whirlwind), deflecting the attack and returning the generated kinetic qi back to Ivan.
Boom!!
The mont the punch landed in Ivan’s abdon, a sound like an explosion echoed as he flew backward, as if it were a lie.
Cheers erupted from the stands at the sight.
Though it was a brief mont, the high level of the exchange between the two fighters had been impressive.
As Ivan flew backward, he flipped in midair, using the cage bars to launch himself back toward Kim Yu-seong.
“Tch.”
Ivan’s aggressive charge resembled a wild boar rather than a bear. In response, Kim Yu-seong used Tsujikaze (Headwind), wrapping wind around his arms.
Monts later, their fists clashed midair once again.
However, due to Ivan’s longer reach, his punch landed more effectively than Kim Yu-seong’s.
After exchanging blows, an all-out slugfest began.
Knowing how tough each other’s bodies were, neither fighter held back, making for a brutal fight.
In a regular match, such a fight would result in a disqualification, but unfortunately, in the underworld, anything goes.
“Hahaha! Is this all you’ve got, successor of Fuma Kotaro?!”
In response to Kim Yu-seong’s rapid-strike technique, Arashi (Storm), Ivan employed another royal martial art, ‘Грифон императора’, the Emperor’s Griffon. Ṛ𝔞NՕВĘŝ
A mythical creature combining the lion, king of the land, and the eagle, king of the sky.
Thus, Ivan’s martial art, combining the traits of both animals, possessed a profound balance of offense and defense.
At first, Kim Yu-seong held his ground, but as he gradually started to falter, he furrowed his brow, searching for a way out.
‘Our physical abilities are about the sa, but his experience is overwhelming .’
While he had only trained in martial arts for less than six months, Ivan had been fighting for over 30 years.
Moreover, having fought Fuma Kotaro over four tis, Ivan probably knew the weaknesses of Hayate martial arts better than Kotaro himself.
He realized this fact far too late.
‘I should’ve completed Nagi sohow…’
Regret flooded in, but it was too late to back out of the fight now.
As he was gradually pushed back, Kim Yu-seong realized he had been cornered.
There was a cage behind him, leaving no room to retreat.
“Heheheh, you’re like a rat trapped in a cage. What will you show now?”
“……”
Kim Yu-seong hesitated montarily, unsure whether to take the Ghost Pill.
Once he would take it, the fight would have to end within five minutes.
But the decision didn’t take long.
Gulp!
It was all or nothing anyway.
“Hoo…”
In a situation where victory seed impossible, the only option was to take a risk and push his limits.
Feeling the enormous surge of Yang qi welling up inside him, Kim Yu-seong calmly threw off his tracksuit top.
At that mont, in the VIP room on the second floor.
Fuma Kotaro stood with his arms crossed, watching the fight between Kim Yu-seong and Ivan from the spot where he had a clear view.
‘As expected, he’s being pushed back.’
In a way, it was almost inevitable.
The Black Yaksha, Fuma Kotaro, had fought Ivan in the official GOF tournant four tis.
It wasn’t until the very last battle that he barely managed to win, and even now, if they fought again, he wasn’t confident he could win.
‘I taught him everything he needed…’
In the one week they had, Kim Yu-seong ultimately failed to learn Nagi.
If it had been any other technique, he could have forced it into muscle mory, but Nagi was more of an enlightennt, sothing Kotaro couldn’t help him with.
“Kim Yu-seong…”
As his daughter muttered Kim Yu-seong’s na with a worried expression, Fuma Kotaro cleared his throat and spoke.
“Don’t worry too much. If nothing else, his endurance is stronger than anyone else’s.”
Even if he lost this fight, he wouldn’t be seriously hurt.
“Is that supposed to be comforting?”
Yukika shot a sharp glare at Fuma Kotaro.
Even though he was a legendary mber of the Seven Powers, he couldn’t help but be affected by his daughter’s disapproval, and he awkwardly turned his head.
anwhile, another mber of the Seven Powers, Ivan’s daughter Sasha, sat leisurely sipping vodka and asked the old man next to her.
“Who do you think will win this fight, Master?”
The old man, a reclusive sage, stroked his long beard and replied.
“Hmm, I believe your father will win. He may have been lucky before, but against a focused Ivan, he’ll likely fall short.”
The old man was none other than Li Senshen, the Invincible East.
He had been in seclusion in his hotown of Hebei Province, but had co to Japan after receiving Ivan’s invitation.
“That’s unfortunate, Master. I believe Kim Yu-seong will win.”
Next to Li Senshen, serving him, was Li i Ling, the 7th GOF winner and its first female champion.
Wearing a green cheongsam with a bold dragon design that highlighted her long legs, she smiled softly as she gazed at Kim Yu-seong’s face through the window.
‘You’ve grown so much since I last saw you, Kim Yu-seong.’
“i Ling, may I ask why you think so?”
Li i Ling smiled slightly as she replied.
“If I say it’s a woman’s intuition, would you believe ?”
Li Senshen stroked his white beard and laughed heartily.
“If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t, but I’ll trust your intuition, i Ling. I’ll place my bet on that young man as well.”
“Haha, a wise choice, Master.”
As the two master and student, who were practically like family, engaged in light conversation, another mber of the Seven Powers, the ‘Champion’ Lucio, stroked his mustache and spoke.
“They were all talking about the ‘Diamond Yaksha,’ but he doesn’t seem as strong as I expected.”
“Well, they say he hasn’t even reached twenty yet. He still has endless potential to grow.”
Li Senshen defended Kim Yu-seong, and Lucio raised his thick eyebrows as he responded.
“That’s too optimistic, Li. Or are you already defending him just because he’s also from Asia?”
At that mont, a middle-aged man dressed in a black priest’s robe, who had been silent until now, joined the conversation.
“Racism is a bad thing, Lucio.”
“Oh, screw you.”
The last VIP, whose Protestant priest attire seed out of place, was the legendary luchador ‘Immortal’ William, who had spent ten years in xico’s CMLL wrestling league.
Despite Lucio’s blatant provocation, he smiled gently and spoke.
“We’re all growing old together. I’d appreciate it if you avoided such combative words.”
“Tsk—You grew old, beca a Jesus freak, and now you act like a saint.”
“I’m surprised you’re still so crude.”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s all my fault~”
Thanks to William’s tily intervention, what could have turned into a heated situation was quickly defused. i Ling gave him a small nod of gratitude before focusing once again on the fight unfolding below between Ivan and Kim Yu-seong.
This was the fourth ti Kim Yu-seong had taken the Ghost Pill of the Fuma Clan.
He felt the Yang qi welling up from deep within his body and asked Ivan, standing before him.
“Why are you looking at like that?”
His expression was unmistakably distorted.
But it wasn’t from fear or despair.
Rather, it was joy.
It was the look of a traveler who had wandered the desert and finally found an oasis.
“Finally! You’ve finally swallowed that pill, Kim Yu-seong!”
He excitedly tousled his slicked-back blue hair as he shouted.
“After tasting the bitter defeat due to my carelessness, I vowed while lying on that hospital bed! Next ti, I’d repay this debt! So…”
“From now on, give it your all, Kim Yu-seong. I won’t be holding back anymore.”
Faced with this unbelievable sight, Kim Yu-seong couldn’t help but doubt his own eyes.
After all, blue lightning was radiating from Ivan’s entire body.
But he soon realized that it was the unique characteristic of Ivan’s qi.
The man who had never fought seriously until now was finally revealing his true self.
The people outside the arena cheered and shouted.
“Ivan! Ivan! Ivan!”
It was the return of the strongest, long forgotten in the passage of ti.
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