Requiem Of A Failed Hero



"I can't lose"

Li Mingwu's lips slowly moved together to produce a whisper. Even with a bashed face, he wore a deep frown. His third eye was slightly opened, looking like it would close any moment.

The monk looked at him from up. He saw Li Mingwu's face and frowned. Almost as if he could tell what they meant.

He wanted to break Li Mingwu's will but it wasn't working.

And he wasn't going to give up.

The monk raised his chin and smirked.

The next second, the wind hissed as the monk glitched through, appearing in front of Li Mingwu in less than 0.01 interval. Li Mingwu didn't react until the monk was in his front.

'When?'

With his eyes widened he quickly backed away but that too was not possible.

The monk caught Li Mingwu by his collar and pulled him in, punching his face.

Li Mingwu blocked perfectly but all of his bones cracked. An intense pressure accompanied by the plastic of air was exuded every time the monk threw its fist.

Every punch was rupturing through Li Mingwu's hands but he did not stop blocking. Soon, in fact, he began to respond.

He began to find tiny spaces for a counter and slowly they were locked in another deadly fist-to-fist confrontation that could not be followed with the eyes.

The ground beneath them quaked as their first blows clashed, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the earth.

Energy crackled around them as their assaults collided with tremendous force. Soil and debris were thrown in all directions by the overwhelming force that both of them exuded.

It was a power dance, a conflict that went beyond anyone's comprehension of physical limits.

Li Mingwu's motions were fluid and accurate, his body flowing in sync with the battle's tide and circulation.

His spatial manipulation skills caused woven complicated patterns in the air that aided his every twist, dodge, and parry. He was also using the space to press down on the wound over his chest to stop the bleeding. It was why he had not died despite being at the brink of his limit.

The monk's attacks, however, were unrelenting, each blow packed with an intense ferocity that matched his unwavering intent.

Time ran as the two of them continued in a tight lockdown skirmish, running through the landscape in different areas in pursuit of each other's lives. Razing and destroying the grounds with every heavy movement.

Cracks appeared on the landscape, forming deep nooks as if the earth was groaning under the pressure of the fight.

Even though every passing minute was a ticking warning of his coming demise, Li Mingwu did not reduce his tempo not to even talk of stopping. Even when he spat blood, he did not stop, even when the monk delved a bone-crunching blow on his wounded chest, no, he did not stop.

He was quick to pick himself up, in search of an opening. His resolve annoyed the monk but it only caused him to bring out more power. His blows began to hurt more and Li Mingwu got weaker.

But even in those moments, he was desperately seeking an opening.

In the wake of that desperation, Li Mingwu's fist swing forward each time, with the space wrapped righting around his hand to generate more pressure and power.

He swung forward discharging a devastating blow that caused the wind to cry in torment. Even though the monk had blocked with his hands crossed, there was a smoking bruise on his hands.

He dropped his arms and looked at Li Mingwu.

"You!"

He yelled with his hand pointed to Li Mingwu. Then a wide grin spread over his face as he pointed to his own neck and slit over it with his finger, with his tongue sticking out. It was a clear sign to show Li Mingwu he was now more invested in killing him than before.

"That bastard..."

Getting the message well, Li Mingwu's shoulder shuddered.

The monk took the rosary on its neck and pulled it out forcefully tearing it. Instead of falling, the beads began to float and increase in size, in no time, each bead was already equal to the size of a soccer ball and was swirling above the monk.

Li Mingwu sighed, at this point. Even he had accepted whatever was going to come next. He thought back on his life and the things he had accomplished. He was satisfied with everything no doubt but the only reason why he couldn't bring himself to accept this moment was the thought of not being able to reach his peak.

No, to be exact, the peak of space manipulation. Perhaps he was just too arrogant to accept that he had reached his peak a long time ago.

"Ahh..."

His eyes were barely open, they seem tired and void of life, gloomy and dark. Bruises inhabited his face here and there. He was battered and bashed, without the monk's help he probably would have died if left alone in this state without emergency medical treatment.

As his breathing transitioned from rough to slow, thoughts of Mok Jun-Seo hovered in his mind. He wondered if he would have been in a different place if he didn't accept Alec's request if he had kept his greed in check and just help Mok Jun-Seo out.

This thought caused him to think about Mok Jun-Seo's favorite hunter whom the guy was willing to do anything to save. The thought of Raith put a smile on his face.

He said as one of the balls slowly flowed to his front.

Stressing his tired eyes a little he lifted his head and looked at the ball. In that instance, the ball grew spikes that plunge into his body coming out from his back.

Blood poured from his gaped mouth.

—

Mok Jun-Seo was busy admiring the view from King George Island which was the entry point into the continent.

Whoooosh

He quickly hugged himself wanting to shrink as the cold wind blew past him. He was fully kitted, in thick cardigans as recommended by the airport officials. But the cold was still seeping into his bones.

And yet there was someone like...

His eyes drifted toward Raith who was dressed in a suit, the first two buttons of his shirt were opened, exposing his sexy chest. Hell, his look in entirety, with the black earring on one ear and his physique, everything about him was sexy.

Except for his personality.

Mok Jun-Seo shook his head before he began to accommodate more vile thoughts. But still, the point was:

'How can he not feel any cold like that.'

Mok Jun-Seo wondered if Raith had refused the specially-made cardigans and overalls because they were a hassle. According to him, he couldn't feel any cold or heat. It is pretty much the same to him.

He sighed and was about to step forward when he suddenly froze. No, the harsh winds of Antarctica had not frozen him, not yet, not ever.

His face became gloomy, as something overwhelmed his senses. He could only think about one thing right now.

"...master"