✧
We were crossing open fields when an explosion thundered across the land with the force of a collapsing mountain. The blast arrived seconds later, followed by a violent gust of wind that bent trees in its path. The ground began to crack and heat up as if the earth itself were burning in the aftermath of that monstrous event.
—Haaaa! Scorching Comet! —shouted a young man in his thirties as he fell from the sky with a kick descending like a meteor set to annihilate everything in its path.
—Hahaha! With that weak move you'll never beat us, right, Gulner? —Naoka said to me with that unbreakable smile, brimming with a confidence that bordered on arrogance.
—Fang of the Thunder Dragon God! —Naoka roared, raising his arm like a blade, gathering a fierce blue energy streaked with black lightning bolts that fired off his fist. As he leapt toward the enemy, his arm morphed into the silhouette of a blue dragon, leaving a glowing trail behind him as he tore through the sky.
—Phoenix God's Ascent! —I yelled, jumping as my limbs ignited in a flame so intense it looked like it wanted to melt the world itself.
When we collided with the enemy, the impact unleashed a shockwave accompanied by a thunderclap so powerful it demolished one of the nearby hills, leaving a massive crater in its wake. The blast was so intense that many of the man's allies began bleeding from the ears, eardrums shattered.
—How the hell do they not teach these idiots to cover their ears with Lysae to avoid going deaf? —Naoka muttered, annoyed, as we landed, watching the pulverized corpse of the enemy fall like a lifeless rag doll.
—You think I used too much force on that guy? —I asked, slightly uneasy.
—Hahaha! Idiot, you always use too much force. I'm the only one who can fight without losing a limb in the process... —Naoka said with a proud grin.
I shot him a withering glare, but said nothing. We then made our way toward the fortress where the enemy leader awaited: the Hoognyang, who could be described as the emperor of Hangyul, the country bordering Shunkoku to the south. These two nations had been at war for five years over an island rich in a rare material ideal for crafting magical tools and weapons—highly coveted by both sides.
—Think we'll finally find someone who can give us a real fight? I'm sick of kicking your ass, buddy, —Naoka said, staring off while walking with his usual confidence.
—Kicking my ass? You're delusional. According to my sources, there's a plant causing hallucinogenic effects, disrupting the flow of Lysae in the brain, inducing euphoria and delusions. Knowing you, your bloodstream is probably saturated with the stuff, —I replied, frowning, also avoiding his gaze.
—You see that? I think I sense some presences nearby... —Naoka said. I couldn't see his face, but I knew he was pretending to be innocent.
—Yeah. There are quite a few. But I guess they're too afraid to die to take a single step, —I muttered, frown deepening.
—Dude, you've gotta stop making that face. I think they're already crapping themselves just from seeing you walk. At this rate, you'll never get married, you know that? Hahaha! —Naoka said, glancing at me with that mischievous grin of his.
—Tsk, who cares about that…? —I said, scowling as I turned my gaze back.
We marched for a day and a night. The presences came and went as we crossed the forest, like we were being measured. When we finally saw the castle, I let out a breath. I was itching to see how powerful the right hand of that bastard Hoognyang really was.
—Finally, I'll get to test how strong I really am. With you, it's impossible… I'd kill you in one blow, —I said, glancing sideways at Naoka.
He didn't answer. And that was unusual. It was like he, too, sensed this place—this battle—would be different. That here, maybe, we could finally go all out.
We both knew we were equals, and that's exactly why we never figured out who was stronger. The rules of the world, the moral code of warriors, forbade us from unleashing our full power in a duel. What happened earlier—that little hill we obliterated—is one of the reasons why such laws exist. A force like ours isn't meant to be tested… it's meant to end wars.
The castle rose from the mist like a forgotten relic of time. Tall, imposing, etched with ancestral symbols that told the history of Hangyul. Its worn walls bore witness to generations of battles, fallen kings, and broken oaths.
—So this is the famous Gwon-San Castle… —I murmured.
—Yeah… and it's also the oldest symbol of Hangyul. If it falls, the spirit of this country falls with it, —Naoka said, more serious than usual.
Then they appeared.
Two figures emerged from the gates, walking with the calm of men who feared nothing. One wore a flawless uniform, his face marked by years of command. The other, younger, but with a gaze sharp as a spear.
—I am Hon Baek, supreme general of Hangyul and guardian of this castle's legacy. This is my brother, Shin, —said the elder with a firm voice—. If you've come seeking glory in battle, you'll find it. But not here. This castle is living history. If we are to clash, it will be far from these walls.
—You've got guts. I like you, —Naoka said with a sideways grin.
We moved to a nearby plain. The wind howled, as if it, too, knew what was coming.
—Get ready, Gulner. This will be a fight worth remembering.
And it was.
The clash of our power against the Baek brothers shook the heavens. Hon Baek was a titan in battle, his mastery of Lysae both precise and devastating. Every strike he landed split the ground. His brother Shin moved in sync, as if their minds were one—fast, coordinated, lethal.
—Steel Clavicle! —Hon shouted, slamming the ground with such force that a wave of rocky spikes shot toward us.
—Phoenix God's Ascent! —I countered, cloaking myself in flame as I flew through the assault like a blazing comet.
Naoka battled Shin, the air crackling with each surge of lightning from his body. Black bolts tore through the sky, trees burned, the earth trembled.
Eventually, Hon and I stood face to face.
—Your power is extraordinary, but I've got nothing left, —he said with a tired smile—. Let this be the final blow.
—So be it, —I replied.
Our techniques collided with such fury it split the sky in two. When the dust settled, Hon fell to his knees, then to the ground—lifeless.
—Brother! —Shin cried, charging at us in a rage.
Behind him, 29 elite soldiers, armed with every ounce of Lysae they could muster, lined up. Their intent was clear: a suicidal strike to take us down.
—You… shall not pass! For Hangyul!
—You have courage, —Naoka said, raising his arm to the sky as lightning began to spiral around his body—. But not enough.
—DIVINE HAND OF LIGHTNING!
The sky shattered. A bolt descended with such overwhelming force the ground fractured like glass. The 29 men were obliterated in an instant. Only Shin remained in the center—trembling, wounded, bloodied.
—You're lucky to be alive, —Naoka said, breathing heavily—. But this war ends today.
We carried Shin and left him at the castle gates.
—Keep him alive. He might still help build a new nation, —I said.
Minutes later, the Hoognyang was executed. No trial. Only justice. His fall marked the end of the war.
In silence, we watched the castle from afar—still standing, still whole.
—Two dragons… huh? —I said.
—Yeah, —Naoka replied—. But one of them is tired of flying.
And so, the tale of the cursed island came to an end.