The Golden Do — Stage of the Ga
Inside the vast golden do, two contestants stood facing each other.
Outside the barrier, eight spectators watched in silence.
Unlike usual, Eduan's gaze was solemn as he watched the arena.
Hon's expression, as always, was calm and serious.
The other six Family Head data each wore a different expression.
The silence didn't last long—
Ha Yurin, who couldn't stand dull moods, broke it with a loud voice.
"Hey, who do you think's gonna win?"
"Zahard, obviously."
Without a second's hesitation, Traurei's data replied.
But when he looked around, expecting agreent, he noticed that no one else said Zahard's na.
Awkwardly, his shoulders slumped.
"Oh? So none of you believe in my son? I see how it is."
"N-no, that's not it—it's just… you can feel it, right? The difference."
Even Hon didn't refute that.
During their journey together, Zahard had started to beco sothing beyond them—While his son, Hoaquin, though unique in his own right, still felt like one of them… just a little different.
"Traurei," Hana Yeon said lightly, "you shouldn't decide the outco before the match even starts. Han, Gustang, Blossom—you three taught that boy yourselves. Any predictions?"
All eyes turned to the quiet trio.
They were never talkative, but this ti, everyone waited expectantly.
Ari Han spoke first.
"He asked about my Guardian Blade technique, so I taught him. He understood well enough… but I still can't say."
Next was Gustang.
"Judging purely by ability, Hoaquin is below Zahard. But there are other factors to consider. And this isn't just a fight—it's a ga."
"…Zzz…"
Blossom, of course, was asleep. No one expected an answer.
Another stretch of silence.
To lighten the atmosphere, Hana spoke again.
"Then, who do you all want to win?"
They all knew the obvious answer—Zahard had the advantage.
But the one they wanted to win… was Hoaquin, Hon's son.
Not because they'd disappear from the Hidden Floor if he lost.
But because they all felt the sa thing—
A growing discomfort toward what Zahard had beco.
They wanted him to change.
To return to the way he once was.
And for that to happen—Hoaquin's victory was necessary.
....
"...You've heard the rules from Hwang, right?"
"Yes."
The ti, the stage, the rules—
Everything was explained by Big Breeder Hwang.
And, unsurprisingly, the setup was identical to the original ga against Bam.
A circular arena.
Multiple cores scattered across the field.
The first to destroy three cores—wins.
"Good," Zahard said softly.
"Then let's—begin."
BOOM!
The mont his words ended, a golden beam burst forth.
I swiftly drew Baekya, slicing the attack in two, and dashed toward the nearest core.
There was no reason to face Zahard head-on.
The rules were simple—break three cores first.
Nothing else mattered.
"How boring!"
"I prefer the safe route."
Zahard's data ca chasing fast from behind.
Two massive golden needles ford at his sides and shot toward .
Easy enough.
Four white Shinsu Blades ford at my command, intercepting the needles midair and nullifying them.
Even so, Zahard's pursuit didn't stop.
I raised a hand, sensing the surrounding shinsu—then swung my arm toward him.
Eurasia Blossom-Style Shinsu Manipulation: Torrent.
"...!"
In an instant, the flow of shinsu intensified unnaturally.
To Zahard, it was like facing a raging headwind—
To , a strong tailwind.
Our movents reversed.
The distance between us, which had been shrinking rapidly, widened in a blink.
With the interference gone, I focused on the distant core.
Channeling shinsu into my blade, I brought Baekya down in a powerful vertical slash.
A brilliant white arc roared through the air.
At this range—
It'll definitely hit—
CRACK—!
My slash struck the core—
—but at the sa instant, a fist slamd into my side.
Golden shinsu exploded outward, engulfing .
When did he—?!
"—Kh!"
BOOM—!
One heartbeat later, I was slamd into the ground like a teor.
Damn it—sothing definitely cracked.
"Gh…"
No ti to breathe.
Zahard's data was already racing toward another core.
That one I had to stop.
I shot up, chasing after him.
The situation had flipped—now I was the pursuer.
But this ti, I had sothing that could pull him back.
Shinwonryu.
Shinwonryu energy spiraled around my blade.
It roared like a vortex, sucking in the surrounding shinsu—so powerfully that even Zahard's advance slowed, his movent dragged backward.
Good.
I'd asked Hon to teach this technique on a whim.
Turns out, it was worth it.
I unfolded the reverse flow technique I'd learned from Blossom—directing the current so that Zahard was pulled toward , while I surged toward him.
The Shinwonryu and the reverse current ford a gravitational field, twisting everything around us.
I had to keep disrupting his rhythm—but stay ready to intercept in case he fired toward a core—
"Still so fixated on the cores? How naïve."
Zahard's data, straining to resist the pull, suddenly changed tactics.
Instead of fighting the current—he embraced it.
In an instant, the very field I'd created to hold him back…was now propelling him forward, straight toward .
Shinwonryu.
Of course.
He could use it too—and far more skillfully than I could.
Golden Shinwonryu condensed around his hands,
then sank into his body—and the instant it did, his physical strength skyrocketed.
I had no ti to admire it.
I swung.
BOOM!
My sword collided with his fist.
The impact blasted backward.
Even though I deflected it, the explosion followed like thunder, shattering the air around us.
No pause—a golden shockwave ripped toward .
Zahard-Style Gongpa Art — Vajra Palm.
The best way to counter a wave attack is not with a wall—but with a point.
I shifted Baekya from a slashing grip to a thrusting one, activated partial release, and fired a piercing beam of white light from the sword tip.
The radiant streak tore through the golden shockwave— aid straight for Zahard's heart.
"Haha!"
He bared his sharp fangs in a grin, hand reaching for his waist.
The mont his needle appeared, the air itself trembled.
The "Needle of Comncent"—the true start of the battle.
Zahard-Style Needle — Recalicus.
From the needle burst a massive golden sea creature,
which instantly devoured my beam whole.
The battle reached a brief standstill.
At least I'd stopped him from destroying the core.
"I only need two more cores to win. A broken rib or two's a small price to pay."
My earlier strike had already destroyed one core.
The score: 1–0.
I was injured—but still leading.
"…Fair enough," Zahard said.
Then, suddenly, he reached up—to his eyepatch.
"The techniques you've learned from my forr comrades…your swordplay…"
He removed the eyepatch himself.
Those golden eyes flared toward —pure, unrestrained majesty.
"…You're no longer just a diversion."
Swoooosh—
The sa massive golden spheres that had shattered my Judgnt Blades before—were forming again.
Bigger this ti.
More of them.
Zahard-Style Shinsu Manipulation — Golden Bombs.
Three colossal spheres swelled until they were blinding, their radiance heralding the explosion to co.
KRRRRRRAAAAAM!
They erupted in a sweeping fan shape, engulfing in a storm of gold.
I spread my shinsu wings, shielding myself as the shockwaves struck again and again.
Each impact hamred my wings like iron fists.
Yeah…
He was serious now.
From the mont he drew Recalicus—no, from the mont he removed that eyepatch—this beca a real fight.
When the explosions finally subsided, my wings were still intact—barely—but this was no ti to relax.
"Let's see how long you can last!"
Through the shredded feathers, I saw Zahard leap high into the air.
His fist glowed with condensed Shinwonryu—
and then he brought it down.
Zahard-Style Killer Technique — Frenzy.
A teor of golden energy descended—its weight alone enough to crush mountains.
If it's falling from above—then I'll et it from below.
Hoaquin-Style Shinsu Manipulation — Blade of the Deep.
A massive sword erupted upward from beneath the ground, clashing with the golden mass midair—
but it lasted only a heartbeat before shattering.
Still—enough to deflect the force—
RUMBLE—!
Zahard's strike kept coming, driving down with unstoppable pressure.
My shinsu wings disintegrated under the force—
and finally, face-to-face, we clashed again.
"So, those wings finally broke!"
"Looks like your power's slipping too!"
BANG!
Sword and fist collided again.
Even after breaking through my guard, Zahard's strength wasn't infinite—the blow was weaker this ti.
I parried and pulled back, summoning new wings.
"Che—I was just starting to enjoy this. You'll just keep running?"
"No."
I steadied Baekya.
"This is—preparation."
Maschenny's life was on the line.
I wasn't holding anything back.
He'd gone all-out.
Now it was my turn.
This wasn't a battle for pleasure.
It was a battle to protect.
And there was no room for a smile.
Every ounce of strength I'd built over the years—
every lesson, every scar—
I unleashed it all now.
Fwoooom—
My sword—and my body—were consud by white light.
My form shimred, half-ethereal.
White shinsu blazed from in waves, like heat haze made of purity itself.
White Blooming — Full Release.
The white shinsu buried deep inside erupted, flooding my body.
It poured out endlessly, like a tide of radiant power.
I hadn't felt this overflowing strength since the Floor of Tests.
"…That technique—"
Zahard's golden eyes trembled slightly.
"Enough talk."
Ti to end this.
Bathed in white shinsu, I raised Baekya.
The blade pulsed like a living star.
....
THUD—
RUMBLE—
The tremors had been shaking the entire space for so ti now.
Maschenny looked up at the ceiling.
"What the hell is happening up there?"
"..."
No answer from her observer—Big Breeder Hwang.
He simply watched her in silence.
Her patience snapped.
Two weeks.
Two weeks in this miserable cell, and still no escape.
And now, this pathetic creature ignoring her?
Her temper flared—
Then—
A familiar voice echoed.
"Ah, there you are."
"…?"
"You—!"
BOOOOOM!
Before Hwang could finish, a storm of white shinsu erupted, consuming the entire space.
The cage around Maschenny was shielded by a layer of white energy, while Hwang's presence vanished into the light.
And then—
From the fading brilliance, a boy stepped forth—
white crown, white robes, white blade, white hair, white eyes.
A boy made of light itself.
So familiar, yet so utterly changed—Maschenny blinked, speechless.
"…Huh?"
"What are you doing here?"
Hoaquin smiled faintly.
"Maschenny. Let's get you out of here."
Her sworn enemy—now radiant as a white king—had co to rescue her.
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