NOVEL NEXT Episode LXXV: The Rise Of The Legacy
In the forty-sixth hour, a young Eo Hoon found himself sprawled on the ground, his body recoiling from the impact of a punch from an opposing fighter. "Look at this hybrid freak!" A voice boomed out above him. Another fighter swiftly approached and delivered a savage kick to his already battered frame. Blood seeped from Hoon's mouth as he grappled with the pain.
"Get him, boys!" The first fighter roared. Emerging from the shadows, a swarm of fighters descended upon Hoon. They hoisted him up by his arms, presenting him like a sacrificial offering for their leader's next brutal assault.
"I—I apologize for crossing your path," Hoon managed to stammer out, desperation creeping into his voice. But it was too late; the onslaught continued unabated.
Suddenly, a stern voice cut through the chaos: "What are you young fighters up to?" It was one of the Senseis—the martial arts teachers who oversaw their training.
The group's leader hastily signaled for his comrades to retreat. "This isn't over!" He spat venomously at Hoon before they dropped him and fled.
The Sensei rushed over to Hoon's crumpled form, concern etched on his face. "Are you alright?"
Hoon grimaced as he clutched his stomach and coughed up more blood. "I'm fine," he insisted stubbornly, refusing any assistance as he painstakingly hauled himself up and limped towards the infirmary wing.
Along his painful journey, jeers and laughter echoed in his wake. "Look at that oddball with multicolored hair—what a loser," one fighter snickered while another added fuel to the fire: "He probably lost because he can't fight worth a damn."
His hand clenched into a fist so tight that blood began trickling down his palm. The taunts continued, following him like a relentless shadow all the way to the infirmary.
Upon his arrival, the nurse immediately noted his broken ribs and the blood matting his hair. She gently guided Hoon to a bed, where he found himself surrounded by fighters bearing similar injuries.
Anger bubbled within him, erupting in a furious outburst as he slammed his hand onto the bedside table. "Damn you all!" His voice echoed throughout the room, causing several nurses to jump in fright.
Later that night, sleep eluded Hoon. He tossed and turned restlessly, haunted by nightmares of his brutal encounter and plagued by echoing insults: "You're a nobody; we hate your kind; you aren't welcome here—why don't you just kill yourself?"
In a sudden moment of terror, he cried out: "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!" His shout went unnoticed except for one girl—the fighter who had been sleeping next to him—who tried to rouse him from his nightmare. Startled awake, Hoon reflexively smacked her hand away.
The morning dawned with magical bandages enveloping their wounds as they were sent off for their daily routine. Hoon chose to skip classes that day, opting instead to train alone. "I need to get stronger—to protect every hybrid fighter from these bullies," he vowed determinedly.
Hours later, rustling bushes alerted him to an intruder's presence. A familiar figure tumbled out—it was the girl from last night's incident at the infirmary wing. Their conversation was laden with tension until she finally admitted that she too was a hybrid fighter and sought help in dealing with her own bullies.
After learning her name—Miyoki Ikuko, Hoon agreed to train her but warned sternly: "Training will be intense and severe." Miyoki simply nodded in understanding.
For an unbroken month, they immersed themselves in rigorous training. Their gi, once plain and uniform, now reflected the unique colors of their respective auras. Each discovered their spirit guardian during this intense period of growth and transformation. It was also during this time that they encountered Yeom Sungari, a hybrid method fighter like themselves. His hair bore the same distinct color pattern as Hoon and Miyoki.
One day, the trio decided to confront the bullies who had tormented them for so long. They found them lounging in a local café. As they entered, one of the bullies sneered, "What do you want, you pathetic hybrid fighters?" A sycophantic follower chimed in with a cruel laugh, "Yeah! Are you here for another beating?" The bully leader smirked confidently at his underling's comment.
The café's chief noticed the escalating tension between the two groups. He pointed sternly at a sign on the wall outlining café rules: "No using your powers or spirit guardians inside!" They glanced at it briefly before chaos erupted.
The fight was fierce but surprisingly brief; it lasted just twenty minutes. In the aftermath, Hoon stood victorious with an unfamiliar fire blazing in his eyes while Miyoki loomed over a fallen adversary. Yeom remained poised by a shattered window - evidence of his powerful punch that sent an opponent crashing through it.
"I... I'm sorry," whimpered the bully leader from his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as he begged for mercy. Hoon’s aura flared red around him as he smirked and declared ominously, “I will not let you continue tormenting other hybrid fighters without consequence; today is your day of reckoning!” Fear whitened the bully's face as Hoon drew back his fist to deliver a final blow.
However, before his fist could connect with its target, an unknown sensei appeared out of nowhere, catching Hoon's punch mid-air. With a quick tap to Hoon’s neck, the sensei neutralized his powers and sent him into a deep slumber.
The café chief sighed in relief, "Good thing I called someone before things got out of hand." All six fighters were then escorted to the chancellor's office.
The chancellor was stern as he handed down their punishment: five months of detention for all involved in the café brawl. Additionally, Eo Hoon, Miyoki Ikuko, and Yeom Sungari were given an extra six months for skipping an entire semester of classes. They would be separated during this time to avoid further conflict.
Hoon had one last threat for the bully leader before leaving the office with Miyoki and Yeom. “Next time you won't be so lucky; I will end your reign of terror.” They silently made their way to their respective detention rooms where they found themselves seated on floor cushions.
A new sensei entered the room; her hair was a striking blend of ruby and white hues. She introduced herself as Sensei Yuriko, a hybrid method sensei who would train them during their detention period. While Miyoki and Yoem welcomed this unexpected opportunity, Hoon remained skeptical.
“What's the catch?” he questioned suspiciously. Yuriko reassured him there was no hidden agenda - she simply wanted to help hybrid fighters have an easier life on the island. After some persuasion from his friends, Hoon reluctantly agreed to her training program.
Before they could begin though, Yuriko handed them each a scroll containing a pledge that they needed to recite. It read: “Sensei Yuriko is our leader; she will protect us and guide us towards success; if we fail in battle we must accept our fate; we will obey her every command.”
As they chanted these words aloud, their auras glowed brightly, their index fingers bled onto the parchment, and their eyes changed to solid colors. Yuriko watched with an eerie smile as she announced to Orion, “Stage one complete.”
Present day... The tournament announcer's voice echoed through the intercom: "We have two more matches before the top sixteen are decided. Here are the results so far..." Excitement rippled through the crowd as they listened to the list of victors and losers.
After a brief pause, the announcer called out: “We need The Risen Dust and Faded Legacy to come to Platform D2." Five minutes later, both teams had assembled on opposite sides of the platform. "This match should be quick," Ryo commented confidently.
"Never underestimate them; their aura is incredibly potent," Vincent warned. "Let's spin to determine the nature of this match," announced the Referee. He spun the wheel, which eventually halted at 'team battles'. "This indicates a free-for-all fight," he explained.
All eight fighters leapt onto the platform, showing respect by bowing to both the referee and each other. The match commenced. "Do you guys have names?" Lucas inquired, but Faded Legacy remained silent.
"Lucas Firfth and Vincent Tufano, you stand accused of bullying; your time has come," declared Hoon, his eyes and those of his team glowing ominously. "What?" responded Vincent and Lucas in unison.
In an instant, every member of Risen Dust lay on the ground writhing in pain from fractured bones. The referee had no choice but to call off the match as they were incapacitated. Lucas was the only one from Risen Dust who could still manage to look at them.
His vision flickering, he asked, "Who are you guys? I don't recognize any of you." Hoon replied while returning to his team, "You can refer to us as your fading legacy." As these words echoed in his ears, Lucas's eyes slowly shut.