Chapter 9 – Crimson Souls (5)
The wind on the school rooftop blew violently once again. Dry leaves scattered into the air, as if witnessing the battle about to explode.
Chae Min leaned forward slightly, his breath heavy. A psychotic grin carved across his face.
"Ki Hyun… finally, we can repeat the fight from before. This time, I won't lose. I'll bury you right here!"
Ki Hyun said nothing. His eyes were sharp, his body fixed in a solid kickboxing stance. The veins in his neck bulged. In his heart, he whispered:
Dae Yeon… this time I'll prove that I can fight with my heart, not with ego.
The Fight Begins
Chae Min charged like a wild beast breaking free from its cage. In slow motion, his footsteps slammed against the rooftop floor. His hands raised, ready to claw, his face twisted with insane fury.
"WAAAAAARGHHH!!!"
Ki Hyun immediately raised his guard, his boxing defense tight.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Chae Min unleashed a flurry of wild punches—left, right, elbows, even trying to bite Ki Hyun's shoulder. Nothing but murderous intent, no technique at all.
Ki Hyun blocked—DUK! DUK!—his guard solid, though each strike stung his arms.
"ARGHH!" Ki Hyun shoved him back with a hard push kick to the stomach.
Chae Min stumbled half a step back, but instead of stopping, he laughed.
"Hahahaha! Good, Ki Hyun! Show me you're not just Silent Guardian's cowardly puppet!"
Ki Hyun didn't speak. He stepped in, DUSHH!—a fast jab smashed into Chae Min's face. In slow motion, Chae Min's head snapped to the side, spit and blood spraying from his lips.
But Chae Min… smiled.
"HEHEHEHE… hurts so much… I love it, I love it!!"
He suddenly countered with a headbutt. DUAKH! Their foreheads clashed. Ki Hyun staggered, blood dripping down his brow.
"ARGHH!" Ki Hyun gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.
Focus, Ki Hyun. Remember Dae Yeon's words. Fight with your heart, not your rage…
The two clashed like lions fighting for territory.
Slow motion: Chae Min swung a broken piece of wood toward his head. Ki Hyun ducked, pivoted, then countered with a low kick to the shin. CRACK! Chae Min's leg wobbled.
Chae Min jumped, throwing a wild, aimless kick. Ki Hyun raised his knee to block, then returned with a right hook to the jaw.
Blood splattered across the rooftop. Their breaths grew ragged. Both were battered, cut, bruised, but their eyes still burned with fire.
Chae Min spat blood and shouted:
"You think you're some hero, huh? Silent Guardian is nothing but a pack of losers hiding behind Kang Dae Yeon's name!"
Ki Hyun (panting, bleeding, glaring):
"Don't you dare soil Dae Yeon's name with your filthy mouth… He's the one who made me realize the true meaning of fighting! You… are just a monster trapped in your own hatred!"
Chae Min laughed madly, blood dripping from his lips:
"Hahahaha! Then let me kill you first, and then I'll hunt down that Dae Yeon bastard and rip his head off too!"
Ki Hyun roared:
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
Both were near collapse, their breathing broken and shallow.
Chae Min leapt one final time, the broken wood in his hand aimed at Ki Hyun's head.
Slow motion: his eyes blood-red, his smile deranged.
Ki Hyun ducked, feeling the sharp wind from the swing. With every ounce of strength left, he slipped inside Chae Min's guard—
UPPERCUT!!!
DUUUUAAAAAKKKHHHHH!!!
The punch connected squarely with Chae Min's chin. In slow motion, his body lifted off the floor, spit and blood spraying into the air.
BRAKK!!!
Chae Min crashed to the rooftop, motionless.
Ki Hyun stood unsteady, breath ragged, his vision blurry, body torn apart.
"Hahh… hahh… Chae Min… it's over…"
But his legs gave way. DUAKH! He collapsed to his knees, then fainted right beside Chae Min's body.
Teachers Arrive
A teacher rushed to the rooftop after receiving reports from students about a fight.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING UP HERE!!!"
He froze upon seeing three bloodied students lying on the floor.
"MY GOD! Are you kids insane?! This is a school, not a gladiator arena!!"
The teacher panicked, trying to wake them. Only Ji Hoon began to stir.
The Infirmary
When Ji Hoon opened his eyes, the scent of antiseptic filled his nose. He was in the school's infirmary (Boho Sil).
Surrounding him were Jae Hwan, Han Shi Woo, Jung Min Ji, Kim Seo Yeon, and Park Ji Ah, all looking worried.
"Ji Hoon! You're awake!" Jae Hwan nearly shouted with relief.
Ji Hoon's voice was weak and hoarse:
"…how is he? The one who saved me…"
Jae Hwan looked serious.
"That was Ki Hyun. He's a member of Silent Guardian. Without him, you'd probably be… well, you know."
Ji Hoon blinked, stunned. "Silent Guardian…?"
Seo Yeon added:
"Yes. The gang that protects the weak from Crimson Souls. Their leader… Kang Dae Yeon. The strongest person in this school."
Ji Hoon froze. His eyes widened.
"Kang… Dae Yeon…? I… I think I've met him before… when he delivered my package. He's working as a courier, I think."
Everyone in the room gasped.
"What?!!" Jae Hwan nearly fell out of his chair.
"Ahh, that explains it. No wonder he hasn't been seen around school. Even though he was suspended for a month—framed and set up by Crimson Souls—he should've at least visited his friends here, but he didn't." Jae Hwan folded his arms, deep in thought.
Ji Hoon lowered his head.
"So that's how it is…"
Counseling Room
Meanwhile, Ki Hyun had regained consciousness. But Chae Min suddenly disappeared—many students testified they saw him leave school, skipping out completely.
Ki Hyun was summoned to the counseling office. His teacher questioned him.
"Why were you fighting on the rooftop?!"
Ki Hyun, weak but honest, replied:
"I was only protecting the new kid… Ji Hoon. If I had been even a second late, his head would've been smashed by Chae Min."
The teacher was doubtful, until Ji Hoon suddenly entered the room, knocked, and testified that Ki Hyun had indeed saved him. Only then did the teacher sigh heavily.
"You kids are nothing but trouble. I'll let it slide this time. But don't you ever repeat such madness again!"
Cold
In the corridor, Ji Hoon approached Ki Hyun.
"Thank you… if it weren't for you, I—"
Ki Hyun glanced at him with cold eyes.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I only did what I had to do."
He turned away, leaving Ji Hoon speechless.
Ji Hoon's friends patted his shoulder.
"Don't mind him… he's always like that. Cold. But he'll always show up when needed."
Night – Nightclub
Neon lights flashed, EDM thundered in the club. Tae Joon lounged with women around him, a drink in hand.
The doors burst open.
Chae Min staggered in, head bandaged, face covered in wounds. Everyone stared in shock.
Tae Joon stood, his face twisting with rage.
"WHAT IS THIS?! You lost… to WHO?!"
Chae Min stayed silent for a moment, then let out a hoarse laugh.
"Ki Hyun… number two of Silent Guardian…"
The club fell silent. Everyone froze.
Tae Joon slammed his glass to the floor. CRASH!
"BASTARD!!!"
His eyes burned red with fury.
"If that's the case… then it's decided. We'll raise the banner of war against Silent Guardian. This time… Crimson Souls will not lose."
The women around him screamed in fear. The other Crimson Souls members bowed their heads, trembling under their leader's murderous aura.
A great war… had just been declared.
To Be Continued…?l