NOVPUBBOOM!
Scythe blade met Daewon's fists in a collision that shook the entire area. The ground quaked, sending cracks shooting out like spiderwebs. Rocks flew up from the sheer impact, trees—what few remained—shuddered from the shockwave, and dust spiraled high into the sky.
They stood still, locked in that single strike. Seojun's blade pressed against Daewon's fists, neither giving an inch. The energy radiating from both of them made the air heavy, hard to breathe.
The force of their clash hung in the air for a heartbeat—then, without warning, an enormous shockwave erupted from the point of impact. The ground cracked wide open, fissures spreading out like jagged lightning bolts. Dust and debris shot up into the sky, swirling violently as if caught in a storm. The very air trembled, and the skies darkened, flashing with arcs of wild energy.
Suddenly—BOOM!
An explosion rippled out, shaking the entire island to its core. Trees were uprooted and flung like twigs, rocks shattered into dust, and the ground itself seemed to ripple as if it were alive. The impact sent both Seojun and Daewon reeling back. Seojun immediately reacted, his feet barely touching the ground before he activated his Wind Step, launching himself into the air with a sharp gust. He hovered above the chaos, eyes sharp and scanning the destruction below.
Daewon, on the other hand, landed on the high branches of one of the few surviving trees, balancing perfectly despite the trembling earth beneath him. His eyes were wide with surprise and excitement. "What the?!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the roar of collapsing ground.
Seojun's gaze turned toward the shore, locking onto the distant figure of the person still recording the entire battle. His eyes narrowed. "Enough of that," he muttered under his breath. Without hesitation, he raised his hand. "Come out, Huno."
A massive surge of dark energy appeared beside him, swirling into a shape that grew larger and larger. A colossal three-headed dog materialized, its fur pitch black and eyes glowing like embers. Huno's presence was terrifying; both heads snarled, revealing rows of sharp fangs that gleamed even in the shadows.
Seojun pointed. "Get him."
Huno didn't hesitate. With a mighty leap, he crashed down onto the island, his paws leaving craters in the ground. He barreled through the trees, his massive form moving with surprising agility. In seconds, he reached the stunned cameraman, who stood frozen with his device still recording. Huno's left head snapped forward, catching the man by the collar. With a flick of his powerful neck, he tossed the man onto his back, securing him safely.
Watching as Huno sprinted with incredible speed toward the water's edge. Without slowing down, the massive beast leaped onto the surface of the ocean, running across it as if it were solid ground, water splashing beneath his massive paws.
From above, Seojun's eyes narrowed as he watched the island below. The cracks were widening, mana seeping out in wild torrents. His instincts flared. "It's going to blow"
And then it happened. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
A blinding flash of light consumed the island, followed by an earth-shattering BOOM. The explosion was so powerful that waves surged outward, crashing violently against the distant shores. The island itself seemed to shatter, chunks of earth and debris shooting into the sky. A massive plume of smoke and ash rose up, darkening the horizon.
[Live Broadcast]
The anchor nearly fell out of his seat, grabbing onto his desk. "W-What just happened?! The island... it just... exploded?!"
People watching from around the world gasped, some even screaming in surprise.
"What the hell is going on over there?""Was that... part of the fight?"
The camera, still miraculously intact and carried by Huno, showed the blurry view of water splashing rapidly as he sped across the surface, carrying the shaken cameraman on his back.
The anchor's voice shook with excitement and disbelief. "Ladies and gentlemen... we are witnessing something unprecedented! The entire island of Elarion Isle has just... exploded! What kind of power could cause that?!"
The screen zoomed back to the island, now just a smoldering heap in the distance, black smoke spiraling into the sky. The world was watching, waiting for what would happen next.
The explosion had left nothing but a thin strip of land and a few scattered remains of trees. Dust and ash swirled in the air, obscuring the sky. Daewon, standing firmly on the last piece of solid ground, grinned with wild excitement. His hands reached back, grabbing his massive double-headed hammer. Without warning, he hurled it into the sky with astonishing strength.
The weapon spun through the air, its weight seeming to defy gravity. Seojun watched it rise, his eyes sharp and calculating. He didn't flinch. Instead, with perfect timing, he leaped off the last standing tree, his feet pushing off with a burst of energy. His hand stretched out, catching the hammer's handle effortlessly, the weight barely affecting him.
For a moment, he floated there, holding Daewon's massive weapon as if it were weightless. His eyes met Daewon's from across the ruined battlefield. Daewon smirked. "Not bad," he called out.
Seojun just raised an eyebrow, spinning the hammer in his grip before launching himself back down. Daewon jumped up to meet him halfway. The two clashed mid-air, shockwaves rippling outwards from the impact. Dust and debris scattered in all directions, making it impossible for the cameras to capture anything but swirling chaos.
[Live Broadcast Reactions]
"Did you see that?! He caught Daewon's hammer like it was nothing!""How is he that strong?! Who is this Han Seo really?!""That impact... It looked like two comets colliding!"
The screen was filled with dust and shadows, making it hard to see anything clearly. But then, just as the dust began to settle, shadows started moving within the fog.
"Huh? What's that...?" the anchor asked, leaning forward.
The screen adjusted, zooming in to reveal hundreds—no, thousands of dark, insect-like shapes crawling out from the depths of the shattered ground. Their bodies glistened with thick exoskeletons, their many legs skittering with terrifying speed.
Giant mandibles snapped hungrily, and their wings began to buzz, filling the air with a sickening hum and one of them is destroying the core and heart of The River Lurker King that also attracted them to go out not just because of the chaos.
Back on the last piece of solid ground, Daewon watched the insects emerge with a grin spreading across his face. "Look who decided to come out," he chuckled, stretching his arms. "Isn't that part of your plan? It worked!"
Seojun toss the hammer back to Daewon, who caught it with one hand. "Fighting wasn't in my plan," Seojun replied calmly, his eyes locked on the swarming monsters.
Daewon laughed, slamming the end of his hammer onto the ground with a thunderous crack destroying it. "It's still worked. Now it's all yours," he said with a grin.
Without another word, Daewon leaped off the edge, plummeting toward the water below. A massive splash echoed, but Daewon didn't struggle. Instead, Huno was already there, his three heads lifting Daewon up and letting him settle comfortably on his back. The person who had been recording the whole thing was also there, gripping Huno's fur with wide eyes, barely able to process what he was seeing.
Huno let out a low growl, nodding once as if receiving a command. With a mighty burst of speed, he began running across the water, each step creating ripples as he distanced himself from the island. The cameraman held on tight, his camera still streaming everything live.
Daewon, now seated comfortably, stretched his arms and leaned back.
