The morning sun barely broke the mist as Sejong and the King's Court arrived at Hanseong's gates, where an intimidating sight awaited them. Arrayed in a tight formation, the Iron Talons stood shoulder to shoulder, a sea of navy-blue uniforms stretching down the road. At their center was Baek Jae-sun, standing confidently with a sneer on his face, flanked by his lieutenants. Behind him, the ranks of Chungsu's fiercest fighters—over two hundred strong—waited for the signal to unleash their fury on Hanseong.
Sejong scanned the line, counting heads and noting the hardened expressions. He knew most of these students were at least tenth graders, and many had years of fighting experience. By comparison, Hanseong's King's Court was a modest hundred, composed of younger students, the majority no older than ninth grade.
But Sejong's face held no trace of fear. In fact, he wore a small smirk as he stepped forward, breaking from the King's Court line with calm, calculated strides. His presence drew a hush across both sides, a quiet only broken by the low murmurs of students who had gathered on the sidelines to watch the confrontation.
"Look at him…" whispered one of the Hanseong students in awe. "Sejong's got no fear."
"He's outnumbered two to one, and they're all older than him," another murmured.
As Sejong approached, Jae-sun took a step forward, crossing his arms with a smug expression. He towered over Sejong, his stance brimming with confidence. "Didn't expect you to show up, 'king' of Hanseong," he taunted, emphasizing the title with a sneer.
Sejong let out a low chuckle, his gaze unwavering. "Didn't expect you'd bring your entire academy, Jae-sun," he replied, voice dripping with amusement. "Feeling a bit insecure, are we? I mean, it's only King's Court you're up against—half our numbers, and most of us a few years younger. Yet here you are, hiding behind your ranks."
The words cut deep, and a murmur spread through the Chungsu ranks. A few shifted uncomfortably, glancing between Jae-sun and Sejong, their confidence wavering.
Jae-sun's face darkened, his pride bruised by Sejong's calm defiance. "You're nothing but talk, seventh-grader," he growled. "When I'm done with you, King's Court will be nothing more than a memory."
Sejong raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Is that so? Then why don't you prove it, Jae-sun? Just you and me. One minute. If I don't knock you out by then, you can do whatever you want with us."
A shocked murmur spread through the gathered crowd. The King's Court members exchanged wary glances, and even the Iron Talons looked at each other in surprise. A one-minute challenge? Sejong was seventh grade—barely even supposed to be on the same level as Jae-sun, who had years on him in both age and experience. Yet here he stood, staring down his opponent with the utmost confidence.
Baek Jae-sun's sneer returned as he stepped forward. "You think you can take me down in a minute?" he mocked, crossing his arms. "Fine. I'll humor you, Sejong. Let's see if you can even last ten seconds."
Sejong shrugged, rolling his shoulders as he stretched his arms out, loosening up. "Don't worry, Jae-sun. This'll be quick… for me, at least."
With a single nod, Jae-sun motioned for his lieutenants to step back, creating an open space between the two leaders. The crowd's whispers grew louder, filling the air with anticipation.
"Does he really think he can do this?" someone muttered.
"I've heard he's strong, but taking down Baek Jae-sun in a minute?"
"Either he's fearless or crazy…"
As the murmurs faded, Sejong locked eyes with Jae-sun, his expression hardening. The rest of King's Court held their breath, their nerves taut, waiting to see if Sejong's confidence was misplaced or if he could truly stand up to one of Chungsu's best.
Baek Jae-sun lunged first, his fist cutting through the air with a speed that belied his size. Sejong dodged with ease, stepping to the side and catching Jae-sun's wrist in one fluid motion. With a swift twist, Sejong forced Jae-sun's arm downward, shifting his weight and pulling Jae-sun off balance.
The crowd gasped as Sejong took advantage of Jae-sun's momentary stumble, delivering a swift knee to his opponent's abdomen. Jae-sun let out a grunt of pain, his confident smirk quickly replaced by a look of shock.
Sejong didn't waste a second. He shifted his grip and slammed an elbow into Jae-sun's shoulder, following up with a hook to the jaw that sent him staggering backward. Every blow was precise, calculated, as though Sejong were dissecting his opponent with each strike.
"Ten seconds," Sejong murmured, his voice calm. "You're running out of time, Jae-sun."
Baek Jae-sun roared in anger, lunging again, but Sejong was faster. He sidestepped with ease, delivering a powerful kick to Jae-sun's leg, forcing him to stumble. With a final, decisive uppercut, Sejong sent Jae-sun sprawling to the ground.
Silence fell as Jae-sun lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Sejong stood over him, dusting off his hands, his gaze icy. "One minute. As promised."
A wave of astonished murmurs swept through the Iron Talons. Even the King's Court members stared in shock, their eyes wide as they took in the scene. Jae-sun, their seemingly invincible leader, had been taken down in under a minute by a seventh-grader.
Sejong turned to the rest of the Iron Talons, his voice carrying over the crowd. "Anyone else want to test me?"
The Chungsu students hesitated, glancing at each other with uncertainty. Without their leader standing, the strength of their numbers suddenly seemed less formidable.
Seeing the hesitation in their ranks, Sejong smirked. He raised his voice, addressing both the Iron Talons and the onlookers gathered nearby. "Remember this, all of you. Hanseong doesn't need numbers to stand strong. We fight with purpose. With heart. If you think numbers alone can make you powerful, then you've already lost."
One of the older Iron Talons, a tenth-grader named Dae-ho, stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "This isn't over, Sejong," he spat, his fists clenched. "We're not afraid of you just because you took down Jae-sun."
Sejong's smirk widened as he raised his fists. "Good. I could use the exercise."
With that, the clash erupted. The King's Court charged forward under Sejong's lead, their confidence bolstered by his example. Though outnumbered, they fought with intensity, following Sejong's strategy to focus on disrupting the Iron Talons' formation.
Sejong moved through the crowd like a whirlwind, his strikes precise and efficient, each one sending an opponent reeling. His smaller size and speed worked to his advantage as he maneuvered around the larger students, using their own momentum against them.
Meanwhile, Minho and the other King's Court members fought with renewed energy, inspired by Sejong's victory over Jae-sun. They paired up in small groups, each taking on one or two opponents at a time, overwhelming them with teamwork and coordination.
As the battle raged on, the whispers among the onlookers grew louder.
"King's Court… they're actually holding their own!"
"I've never seen anything like this… they're fighting as one."
"Sejong isn't just a fighter. He's a leader."
Within minutes, the Iron Talons began to falter, their confidence shaken by the relentless onslaught. Sejong's plan was working; by targeting the strongest members first and using speed and precision, he'd turned the overwhelming numbers of the Iron Talons against them.
Finally, with one last strike, Sejong sent another Iron Talon sprawling, leaving the remaining members to scramble backward, retreating with wary glances.
Baek Jae-sun, now struggling to his feet, watched in disbelief, his face pale as he realized the tide had turned. King's Court was victorious, standing tall in defiance of the odds, their unity unbroken.
Sejong stepped forward, his gaze locked on Jae-sun. "Let this be a lesson to you," he said, voice unwavering. "If you come after Hanseong again, we won't go easy on you."
The crowd erupted in cheers as Sejong turned, leading King's Court back through the gates of Hanseong. With each step, he cemented his role not just as a leader, but as a legend—a king in the making.