Inside Se-Hoon’s dormitory room, the TV, which had been sitting in the living room like a decoration, was turned on for the first time. Soon, the screen came to life.0

「As a candidate for the next sect master, I request a sparring match with the current sect master.」2

Right after the promotion ceremony had ended, Sung-Ha publicly requested for a duel. The sudden challenge, causing a stir in the arena, was met by the opponent.0

「Good. Come at me.」0

In his heavy voice, Lee Won-Ryong—a middle-aged man with short, red hair and a scar shaped like a flame on his left cheek—accepted the challenge. The duel then started after the two each received a practice spear from below.0

Boom!0

With each swing of his spear, Won-Ryong’s flame rings burst forth, seemingly about to swallow the entire sparring arena. And the receiver of it, Sung-Ha, was barely managing to block and withstand it with his Black Flame Wheels.0

The duel between an A-rank hero treated as near S-rank and a newly promoted B-rank hero in his third year at Babel was, as expected, completely one-sided.0

Thump! Smack!0

Not long later, Won-Ryong’s spear struck Sung-Ha, who had been solely focused on defending, in the abdomen. Continuing the assault, a series of strikes across his face, shoulders, and the rest of his body came.0

Won-Ryong unleashed an onslaught of attacks without a moment of hesitation, beating Sung-Ha all over his body, trying to publicly humiliate him. Yet, Sung-Ha didn’t cry out in surrender and continued to try and parry the attacks to the very end.0

Like that, Sung-Ha kept getting pushed back, and eventually, his body finally reached the edge of the sparring area.0

Crack!0

Won-Ryong’s final strike, aimed at...0