The victory over the B-rank Earth Attribute user sent shockwaves far beyond the humble confines of Jinhae Vocational School. Sports reporters, usually uninterested in the lower-tier competition, suddenly descended, their microphones thrust at Min-jun. He deflected their questions with practiced ease, his answers vague, attributing his success to "hard work" and "focus on fundamentals."
His quiet demeanor and seemingly humble explanations only added to his enigma. How could someone so unassuming possess such uncanny combat instincts? The term "prodigy" began to circulate, muttered in hushed tones by seasoned Awakener veterans observing from the stands.
The semi-finals arrived, and Min-jun found himself facing a true challenge: Choi Jin-woo, a B-rank Strength Enhancer from the prestigious Haneul Academy, known for producing some of Korea's most formidable close-combat Awakened. Jin-woo was a mountain of muscle, his every movement packed with raw, devastating power. His skill manifested as a crimson aura that pulsed around his fists, amplifying his already formidable physical strength.
The atmosphere in the arena was electric. Spectators crammed into every available seat, eager to witness if the "Blank Slate" could pull off another miracle, or if his improbable run would finally come to an inevitable end. Lee Jae-hyun and Park Sun-mi were among the faces in the crowd, their expressions a mixture of grudging curiosity and thinly veiled anticipation for Min-jun's defeat.
The match began with a roar from Jin-woo. He charged like a bull, his crimson-glowing fists aimed for Min-jun's center. Min-jun, relying on his dream-honed precision, didn't try to meet power with power. Instead, he weaved, ducked, and sidestepped, his agility a stark contrast to Jin-woo's brute force.
Every dodge was a testament to countless hours spent in his dreamscape, anticipating the crushing blows of phantom strength-enhancers. He felt the wind of Jin-woo's punches, the tremor of the ground as his opponent's blows narrowly missed, slamming into the reinforced arena floor. Min-jun was a phantom, elusive and frustratingly out of reach.
But Jin-woo was relentless. He wasn't just strong; he was surprisingly fast for his build, his experience in close quarters evident. Min-jun was constantly on the defensive, pushing his F-rank body to its absolute limits. Bruises began to bloom on his arms and legs as he absorbed glancing blows, the sheer kinetic force radiating even from near misses.
A sharp, pain-filled gasp escaped Min-jun's lips as a powerful hook connected with his ribs, sending him sprawling. The crowd gasped. He quickly rolled, scrambling back to his feet, but the impact left him breathless, a searing ache blooming in his side.
"You're fast, I'll give you that, F-rank," Jin-woo sneered, his crimson aura flaring. "But speed means nothing against true power!"
Min-jun knew he couldn't win by dodging forever. He needed an opening, a weakness. In his dream training, he had learned to observe, to find patterns in even the most overwhelming attacks. He focused, pushing through the pain, his eyes meticulously tracking Jin-woo's movements.
He noticed it – a subtle shift in Jin-woo's balance, a momentary widening of his stance just before delivering a particularly powerful overhead smash. It was a fractional tell, one that only someone who had dissected thousands of similar attacks in a simulated environment could perceive.
As Jin-woo wound up for another devastating blow, Min-jun didn't dodge conventionally. Instead, he launched himself forward and slightly to the side, utilizing a low, sweeping maneuver he'd practiced against heavily armored dream-opponents. He slid beneath Jin-woo's guard, aiming for the Strength Enhancer's knee.
His strike connected, not with immense force, but with perfect precision, targeting a sensitive pressure point. Jin-woo grunted in pain, his balance momentarily disrupted, forcing him to stumble. It wasn't enough to knock him down, but it created a fleeting window of vulnerability.
Min-jun immediately followed up, leveraging his low position to twist and attempt a disarming technique he'd learned against armed phantom opponents – aiming for Jin-woo's wrist, not to disarm him of a physical weapon, but to momentarily disrupt the flow of his Awakened power.
Jin-woo roared, quickly recovering. He brought his powerful arm down in a crushing counter-attack, forcing Min-jun to withdraw, barely evading the blow by rolling away. The tactical strike had disrupted Jin-woo for a moment, but Min-jun couldn't capitalize on it with enough force to secure a decisive advantage. The gap in raw power was still too vast.
The match continued, a brutal display of Min-jun's agility and precision against Jin-woo's overwhelming strength. Min-jun landed several more precise, painful, but ultimately non-damaging strikes. He proved elusive, forcing Jin-woo to expend more energy than he anticipated.
Finally, with a desperate surge of power, Jin-woo connected with a devastating body blow. Min-jun felt ribs crack, the world spinning as he was flung across the arena. He hit the ground hard, a blinding pain radiating through his entire body. He tried to push himself up, but his muscles screamed in protest.
The referee stepped in, signaling the end of the match. Choi Jin-woo was declared the winner.
The arena was silent for a moment, then erupted in a mixture of applause for Jin-woo and murmurs of admiration for Min-jun. He had lost, but not utterly. He had stood toe-to-toe with a B-rank Awakener from a top academy, pushed him to his limits, and even managed to inflict some damage. He was carried off on a stretcher, the searing pain a harsh reminder of his physical limitations, but also a silent testament to his incredible resilience.
Back in the infirmary, So-yeon was already there, her hands glowing with gentle healing mana as she began to mend his cracked ribs and internal bruising. Chul-soo stood guard at the door, his expression grim.
"You fought incredibly, Min-jun-ssi," So-yeon whispered, her eyes filled with concern. "You almost had him."
Min-jun grimaced through the pain. "Almost isn't enough."
But a quiet fire burned in his eyes. He had suffered a loss, a painful, undeniable defeat. Yet, he had learned invaluable lessons. He had seen the true extent of B-rank power, understood the weaknesses in his own approach, and felt the thrill of pushing his dream-honed abilities to their absolute brink. The pain would fade. The lessons, however, would fuel his next ascension. He still had the finals to contend with – the final match for Jinhae Vocational School, and a chance to face Lee Jae-hyun once more. This time, he would be ready.