His hand pressed against his chest, warm blood seeping between his fingers. For the first time since the chaos had erupted, Noah lifted his gaze. The battlefield had fallen silent, and every single pair of eyes was locked on him.
"W-we did it!"
"Hooray!"
"Hell yeah!"
"Nice going, kid!"
The cheers rang out, but Noah barely heard them. His legs trembled, the strength that had carried him through the fight now betraying him.
I can't fall… Not now!
Summoning every ounce of power still left in his battered body, Noah slammed his scythe into the ground. He used it as a crutch, forcing himself to stand tall. His voice came out as a low rasp.
"Rise."
A black, ethereal flame wrapped around the body of the defeated Alpha. The dark energy coiled around the beast like a predator closing in on its prey. A torrent of mana flooded out of Noah, making the world around him blur. His vision swam, and the ground seemed to tilt beneath him.
His knees gave way—just for a second.
"Lean on me, idiot!"
Emily's voice cut through the haze. She was suddenly by his side, steadying him with her shoulder.
"Thanks…"
He managed a weak smile as he regained his footing. But his attention shifted, locking onto the scene unfolding behind him. The black flames dissipated, and from the ashes emerged a new ally.
It wasn't just a mindless skeleton.
The Alpha had transformed. Its massive frame remained, but its fur had turned a pristine, icy white. The jagged bones that once jutted from its skin had vanished, and its glowing yellow eyes were now alive with power and intelligence.
The beast padded over to Noah, its hulking body brushing against his shoulder as if asking for affection. Noah stared at the creature, feeling a strange sense of connection to it.
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CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE DISCOVERED A NEW SPECIES!
DEATH WOLF IS NOW ONE OF YOUR MINIONS.
YOU MAY NOW NAME DEATH WOLF.
[Fenrir]
__________________________________
Noah's mind snapped back to the present. He straightened up and raised his voice, the commanding tone cutting through the crowd.
"Listen up, everyone!"
The remnants of the group turned to face him, the uncertainty of the situation still hanging in the air. Noah's gaze swept over them, his eyes cold and calculating.
"We won this battle, but there will be more. This island—this is my territory now. You've all seen what I'm capable of. You've seen that I prioritize survival, that I will do everything I can to ensure that as many of you live as possible. If you want to stay, you're welcome. But understand this: I won't tolerate anyone who refuses to follow my orders. This isn't a democracy. If you want to leave, you can. But know this—anyone not with me… is against me."
A voice boomed from the back of the crowd, cutting through the tension like a blade.
"KID... WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"
A figure pushed through the throng. His voice reverberated with authority, with rage.
"YOU THINK I'M GONNA LET YOU TAKE MY PEOPLE JUST LIKE THAT?!"
Noah didn't flinch. His eyes locked onto the man with an icy glare. His lips curved into a smirk.
"Yeah… That's exactly what I think."
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WARNING! A CONFLICT BETWEEN TITLE HOLDERS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN IN A LAWLESS WORLD!
THE STAKES WILL BE THE TERRITORIES OWNED BY BOTH FIGHTERS.
KILL OR SUBDUE YOUR OPPONENT!
__________________________________
"You really want to do this?" Noah asked, his voice calm, almost amused. He flexed his hand, opening and closing his fist. "This time, I won't be holding back."
Yong Nam-joon didn't respond with words. Instead, he took a fighting stance, his body radiating power and killing intent.
Noah's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, focused expression. The two stood still, locked in a silent stare-down, each waiting for the other to make the first move.
Then, without warning, Noah shot forward like a bullet, his scythe slicing through the air with lethal intent. The sheer speed of his movement left a shockwave in his wake.
Yong Nam-joon responded instantly, pulling his arm back and launching a devastating punch. His fist crackled with energy, electric sparks dancing around it like a live wire.
Mana concentration in his hands… explosive power.
Time slowed for Noah as he channeled mana into his eyes. His perception of the world around him sharpened, every detail becoming crystal clear. He sidestepped just in time, feeling the charged fist graze past his cheek.
*Boom!*
The punch hit the ground behind him, and a massive explosion ripped through the air. The shockwave sent debris flying, and a blinding flash engulfed the area. When the light faded, a crater lay where Yong Nam-joon's punch had landed, a trench gouged into the concrete. In the distance, part of a building had been obliterated.
"Tch… Guess I'll have to try harder."
Yong Nam-joon cracked his neck, not taking his eyes off Noah. His arm drew back again, this time readying for another strike, his left fist glowing with even more destructive energy.
Noah barely had time to react. He ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the second punch as it smashed into the ground where he had just stood.
He's physically stronger than me… but brute strength isn't everything.
Noah's legs tensed, and with a burst of speed, he dashed back toward Yong Nam-joon. The man swung at him again, but Noah bent low, sliding past the punch, and circled around to his back.
Now!
Noah's leg snapped upward, aiming for the back of Yong Nam-joon's knee, ready to cripple his movement. But his opponent was faster than expected.
"I don't think so!"
Yong Nam-joon twisted on his heel, his reflexes shockingly quick for someone his size. His body moved like a blur, bringing him face-to-face with Noah once more. But Noah didn't panic. He readjusted mid-kick, redirecting the force of his strike.
*Swoosh*
His foot slammed into Yong Nam-joon's chest with the force of a cannonball, lifting the larger man off his feet. As the moment presented itself, Noah capitalized—springing into the air to deliver a second kick, this one crashing into Yong Nam-joon's face.
The impact sent him flying into the ground, a shockwave rippling from where his body hit the earth.
"Not bad, kid," Yong Nam-joon grunted as he pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth.
"But you'll need more than that."
Without warning, Yong Nam-joon charged, his fists crackling with energy. The ground beneath him cracked as he barreled toward Noah, each step like a sledgehammer hitting the earth.
Noah barely had time to dodge as a fist swung past his head, the air vibrating with the power of the strike. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow.
Yong Nam-joon's strength was terrifying, each punch capable of destroying anything in its path.
*Boom!*
One of Yong Nam-joon's punches missed Noah and slammed into the ground, creating a massive crater. The ground trembled, and debris shot into the air as if a bomb had gone off. But Noah wasn't fazed. His movements were calculated, every step precise as he danced around the larger man's attacks.
But Yong Nam-joon was relentless. He pressed the assault, swinging wildly, each punch growing more vicious.
"Fight me for real, Noah!" he bellowed.
Noah's eyes sharpened.
"Fine."
With a sudden burst of speed, Noah closed the gap between them, sliding low to avoid another haymaker. His scythe whirled through the air, aimed at Yong Nam-joon's legs. The older man saw it coming and raised his knee to block, but Noah was already adapting. He shifted the angle of his attack mid-swing, redirecting the blade toward Yong Nam-joon's torso.
*Clang!*
Yong Nam-joon's fist came down, intercepting the scythe's handle before it could land. The sheer force of the clash sent shockwaves through the air, but Noah didn't stop. He twisted his body, using the momentum of the failed strike to spin around and deliver a crushing kick to Yong Nam-joon's side.
The man grunted in pain but didn't falter. Instead, he grabbed Noah by the arm, yanking him forward with brutal strength. Noah grimaced as he was pulled into a vicious headbutt that rattled his brain.
Boom!
Noah hit the ground hard, his vision spinning. But he couldn't afford to rest. Yong Nam-joon loomed over him, fist raised for a finishing blow.
Noah, reeling from the impact of the headbutt, gritted his teeth and forced his body into action. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow, and immediately sprang back to his feet. With a sharp burst of speed, he leaped backward, creating much-needed distance between himself and Yong Nam-joon, his scythe raised defensively as he reset his stance.
The moment of tension between Noah and Yong Nam-joon was palpable. Both fighters stood locked in their stances, each ready to strike, the world around them frozen as if holding its breath.
Then, in a flash, Noah surged forward again, moving faster than the eye could track. He aimed his scythe low, trying to bait out a strike, and Yong Nam-joon responded immediately. His fist swung out like a hammer, sparking with destructive energy, aiming to crush Noah in one blow.
But Noah was ready.
Instead of dodging, Noah lunged directly toward the incoming fist. Just before impact, he twisted his body midair, his foot landing firmly on Yong Nam-joon's massive knuckles. For an instant, time seemed to freeze, the battlefield reduced to a blur around them. Noah could feel the explosive energy surging within Yong Nam-joon's hand, dangerously close to erupt.
Instead of dodging, Noah surged toward the incoming fist, his body a blur of motion. At the last possible moment, he twisted in midair, his foot landing firmly on Yong Nam-joon's massive knuckles. Time seemed to slow as the battlefield around them faded into the background. Noah could feel the sheer power surging through Yong Nam-joon's hand, raw energy on the verge of detonating, but he seized the moment. Using that force to his advantage, he pushed off with precision, launching himself upward in a display of flawless agility.
Noah's eyes locked onto his target.
As he finished his rotation, Noah's body harnessed the momentum like a tightly wound spring. He unleashed a devastating heel kick, targeting the back of Yong Nam-joon's skull. The impact landed with a sickening thud, reverberating through the air like thunder.
The force of the blow was monumental, causing Yong Nam-joon's massive frame to buckle under its weight. In an instant, he was propelled forward, his feet leaving the ground as he flew through the air like a ragdoll, the sheer power of Noah's kick sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
*Boom!*
Yong Nam-joon slammed into the ground, skidding across the battlefield, carving a deep trench in the concrete as his body finally came to a stop.
For a brief moment, silence reigned. The crowd, wide-eyed and disbelieving, could only watch as their once-unstoppable leader lay sprawled on the ground, the mighty Yong Nam-joon, felled by a single kick.
Noah landed gracefully, his eyes never leaving his opponent, already preparing for whatever came next.
"Death Flame."
A black flame flickered into existence in Noah's palm, its heat warping the air around it. He approached Yong Nam-joon, now sprawled on the ground, his body struggling to rise.
"I don't want to kill you," Noah said, his voice steady, but with an edge of finality. "But don't force my hand."
Yong Nam-joon's voice was filled with fury as he spat, "Then why didn't you let my brother live?! Why didn't you spare him?!"
Noah's gaze hardened. "Because he tried to kill me. And deep down, you know you would've done the same."
Silence.
The two locked eyes again. The fight was over, but the tension still hung in the air.
"I'm telling you… don't make me do it," Noah repeated, his voice carrying the weight of the decision.
Yong Nam-joon's shoulders slumped. He looked around, his people—his friends—watching from the edges of the battlefield. They were scared, uncertain. They needed him, and he knew it.
Reluctantly, he reached up, grasping Noah's outstretched hand.
"Looks like… I've lost," he muttered, his voice bitter but resigned.
"Yeah. Looks like it."
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CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE EMERGED VICTORIOUS IN A TERRITORY CONTROL BATTLE!
YOU NOW CONTROL CENTRAL PARK.
__________________________________
"Listen, Yong Nam-joon," Noah said, releasing his grip.
"You'll still look after the people of Central Park. I know you had nothing to do with your brother's thugs, but from now on, I'm in charge. So tell me—are you willing to follow me?"
The air grew heavy as Noah's aura surged, his mana condensing and enveloping him. The crowd fell silent, staring in awe at the power that radiated from the young Overlord. In that moment, he seemed larger than life—an unstoppable force.
Yong Nam-joon's gaze dropped to the ground. He knelt.
"Yes."