Do-Woo calmly brushed the dust off his sleeves, as if everything so far had been nothing more than a warm-up.
On the other side, Si-woo was panting heavily. His whole body trembled, muscles burning with fatigue. But something new ignited within him—a heat that felt dangerously close to rage.
— Having fun? he spat.
Do-Woo didn't answer.
He vanished.
Si-woo's instincts screamed. Thanks to his premonition, he felt the ground crack beneath his feet. Just as he leapt to the side, a piercing shockwave obliterated the spot he'd been standing on moments before—a laser-like bolt of electricity.
Si-woo barely managed to get back on his feet.
Do-Woo was already in front of him.
Fist against fist.
Thanks to his enhanced reflexes and boosted speed, Si-woo narrowly deflected the punch—but the next one landed squarely on his shoulder. His arm went numb instantly.
He staggered back, ducked under a fireball, and countered by rotating his magic mirror—activating it as a furious, moving shield. Part of Do-Woo's attack rebounded, detonating between them in a deafening blast.
Both were thrown across the room.
Si-woo rolled to a stop, shards of black crystal embedded in his cheek. He spat blood.
Do-Woo stood first.
— Now that's what I wanted to see, he murmured.
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
— You're not weak, Si-woo. You're terrific !
— Shut up !
Si-woo charged again.
What followed was a blur of chaos. Spells collided, fists flew, feet slid, dodges snapped like whip cracks, and counters came from pure desperation. Si-woo wasn't thinking anymore. He was moving—instinct taking over.
And worse than anything… Si-woo was smiling.
Despite the pain, despite the fear, some twisted thrill surged through him. His predictive instinct showed danger half a second before it struck. His mirror reflected what he couldn't dodge. And his speed… made him nearly untouchable.
But Do-Woo was adapting.
He was fast. Too fast. Every movement shattered Si-woo's momentum, rhythm, and confidence.
A bolt of lightning seared into Si-woo's ribs. He screamed. His skin blackened.
In response, he slid across the floor, hands forward, redirecting a wave of flame back toward Do-Woo—who calmly absorbed it into his palm, as if he'd planned for it.
The doctor was still smiling.
But the smile had lost its ease.
He'd taken hits. His clothes were torn. Sweat dripped from his brow, stinging his eyes.
Si-woo saw an opening.
When Do-Woo launched another fireball, Si-woo didn't dodge. Didn't deflect. He charged through it.
Caught off guard, Do-Woo realized too late that Si-woo had grabbed him by the neck.
— I thought you didn't like being touched, he sneered, masking his unease.
Si-woo didn't answer.
— You know what's great about mirrors? You can choose what gets reflected.
Do-Woo opened his mouth to retort—but his tongue stuck to his palate. His legs buckled. He dropped to his knees with Si-woo clinging to him.
— You… You're copying my absorption…
— Just a taste of your own medicine… dear Dr. Do-Woo Park.
The man chuckled faintly—but his eyes were furious.
Si-woo ignored him, too focused on the sensation flooding his mind.
The absorption ability didn't just drain energy—it gave him a glimpse into Do-Woo's memories… and even fragments of his powers.
He felt a surge of heat—something sacred. Something dangerous.
[Skill acquired: Absorption]
[Skill acquired: Sacred Flame]
Si-woo didn't read the full notifications.
His focus was on what he saw—Kim's memories.
He saw Do-Woo watching them. Him and Il-seong.
The doctor had been observing, evaluating, waiting for the right moment. Discussing with his interface.
Si-woo watched the memory unfold—Do-Woo escorting Il-seong to the infirmary. That day. That infamous day. Their argument. Their expressions. And that thought. Clear as day in Do-woo mind : He's finally ripe.
— Why do you care so much about Il-seong?! Si-woo exploded.
Do-Woo sighed. He looked down, visibly irritated.
Long seconds passed before he spoke.
— You're exhausting. A real handful.
Si-woo, nearly out of mana, wasn't even sure he'd heard right.
Do-Woo tilted his head. His gaze darkened.
— Maybe… you're not quite ripe enough for this conversation, Master Rain.
The title dripped with sarcasm. His smile was twisted.
— You cheat ! You said you'd tell me everything if I won!
— But you didn't win.
And without warning, he reached out—
Not toward Si-woo.
But outside the bubble.
His finger pointed toward a dark silhouette on stage: Il-seong.
— No…!
A flash of blue lightning shot from Do-Woo's fingertip. With a snap, he vanished—but the bolt remained. Silent, invisible, but devastating.
It struck the temporal barrier.
CRACK.
The dimension—frozen, isolated—shattered like glass.
Time resumed.
The echoes of screams returned.
They were back in the gymnasium, dressed for the ceremony. Students panicked. Teachers froze. The principal was being berated by the furious representative.
Il-seong and Jeunk were still fighting.
No one noticed the true danger racing toward the stage.
— No! No no no!
Si-woo abandoned Do-Woo and dashed through the collapsing debris of the broken space. The shockwave from reality's return slammed him to the floor.
He threw open his mirror like a shield in front of Il-seong. It formed a flickering barrier at the base of the platform—far too far.
Si-woo scrambled to his feet.
And sprinted.
Through the crowd.
Through the chaos.
Hoping—praying—that it wasn't too late.