“You bast—”Taeui’s voice caught in his throat as he prepared to shout, but the words stopped short. No—he clearly spoke them to the end, yet he heard nothing beyond.Because at the very same moment…KWAANG—A horrifying blast, as if his eardrums would shatter, erupted directly behind them.Only when he heard a metallic clatter as a hinge fell to the floor did he realize what had happened. The doorknob tumbled across the ground and rolled to a stop.The heavy door that Kim Jeong-pil had locked swung violently outward against the wall, screeching on its remaining hinge before grinding to a halt—its lower hinge ripped clean away, leaving the door hanging half-detached from its frame.And standing there behind it—hinges gone, doorknob gone, the door yawning open—was a man, just lowering the leg he had used to kick it.Hands in his pockets, he stood with a casual ease, tilting his head slowly from side to side as if cracking stiff joints—click… click… faint little sounds.“…—”No one spoke. Not Taeui, who had moments ago been roaring like thunder, now silent under the wrecked door. Not Kim Jeong-pil, who had been about to pull down Taeui’s underwear. And not the man in the doorway, who simply looked down at them.The first to speak was Taeui, as if doused in cold water, his sudden hush more startling than any shout.“…Ilrey.”“Hmm?”At the sound of his name, the man answered evenly. Taeui fell silent.Why was Ilrey here? His timing was uncanny. That door was solid steel—and he’d kicked it right off its hinges. Thoughts flashed through Taeui’s mind: how strong his legs were, what powers he wielded, and eerie suspicion.Ilrey’s cool gaze shifted from Taeui to Kim Jeong-pil. Only then did the latter, staring blankly as if in a daze, blink and flinch. Taeui felt Kim Jeong-pil tense beneath him.In the hush that followed, Taeui broke the silence. Well, this was good, at least.“You came just in time. Help me get my hands loose… and don’t touch him.”He let out a long sigh, then almost added “Don’t kill him,” but caught himself. Breaking that bastard’s skull was his own task—and though he’d never kill Ilrey, Kim Jeong-pil certainly deserved it.Ilrey, who’d been watching Kim Jeong-pil warily, glanced at Taeui, one eyebrow raised.“So you do get yourself into trouble sometimes, Taeui.”His slow, leisurely words made Taeui blink in disbelief—then remember the moment he’d struck Ilrey’s face in rage and shouted that it was all his fault.“…”Ilrey really held a grudge. He never forgot a word Taeui muttered in half-sleep—waiting for a chance to repeat it with that knowing smile. Once, when Taeui made a careless slip in conversation, Ilrey pretended not to notice—only to bring it up later at the perfect moment.No shame about that, huh… Taeui frowned.“But this time it wasn’t a life-threatening situation… so loosen me up already!”He scowled, glaring up at Ilrey, then flicked a look at Kim Jeong-pil still sitting atop his legs. Ilrey met Taeui’s gaze again, his voice now colder.“Beg me. Until I’m satisfied, I’ll just watch.”“What?”Taeui stared at him in utter shock. Beg? He’d never felt so disgusted by a word. His expression grew icier.“If you don’t beg… if you don’t say it with your own mouth, I’ll just stand here and watch.”“I want to hear you say it, Taeui— that no matter what happens, you’ll never leave my side. As long as it takes.”Ilrey’s tone was mocking yet serious: he often toyed with words, but he always kept his promises.And so Taeui…Felt utterly revolted. He’d sooner grovel to a stranger than to this bastard.“Move, Kim Jeong-pil.”He ground his teeth and spat the words at Kim Jeong-pil while glaring at Ilrey. Kim Jeong-pil frowned but made no move to obey. Taeui thrust himself upward and head-butted Kim Jeong-pil’s nose with all his might—CRACK—his own head stung, but the blow left Kim Jeong-pil clutching his face.“Next time someone tells you to move, you move, you idiot!”As Kim Jeong-pil shrieked, clutching his broken nose, Taeui rammed his shoulder into him, flinging him aside. Although Kim Jeong-pil tried to brace himself, Taeui—eyes blazing—sent him tumbling out of the room. Dizzy from his injured arm, Taeui staggered to his feet.“You’ll never leave my side, no matter what…?”He whispered through clenched teeth. The rope still bit into his wrists; blood seeped through. He gripped his left thumb with his right hand—some shred of reason remained—and snapped it hard. CRACK—he gasped, pain searing up his arm.Under Ilrey’s cool stare, Taeui forced the dislocated joint out of the binding, wrenched his hand free, and watched the blood trail from his wrist.Slowly flexing his liberated hand, Taeui took a step forward and, without mercy, kicked Kim Jeong-pil where he lay—“Move, you bastard!”But now Ilrey was the target of his ire. No one could top this level of contempt.“Unbelievable,” Taeui muttered and strode toward Ilrey, keeping those dark eyes in his line of sight.“In this situation, you still say that? If you were me, would you promise never to leave someone like you? Even a stone statue would turn away—and Buddha himself would break into pieces!”He lashed out with his fist, striking Ilrey’s stomach. The blow barely fazed him—no reaction, just that same unreadable calm.Ilrey coughed once and made no further sign of injury. Taeui turned on his heel toward the door. He wanted to be anywhere but here, alone.“Taeui, your hand.”That quiet prompt grated on him.“I’m not begging you—I’ll deal with him myself!”He kicked the door open and stormed into the corridor. His footfalls echoed angrily up the stairwell, then he halted—the battered shirt flapping, belt undone, he looked absurd.He’d forgotten Kim Jeong-pil. Slamming to a stop, the thought hit him: he still had to finish the job.Taeui turned and stomped back to the martial-arts hall.“KIM JEONG-PIL!”He kicked the half-closed door wide, and burst inside with a roar—only to see Kim Jeong-pil rising, dusting himself off with a disgusted glare at Ilrey, who calmly began to don gloves.“!!!”It was like an icy bucket dumped over his head.“Hey, wait! He’s mine—don’t touch him!”“What?! I won’t! Are you crazy?!”Kim Jeong-pil leapt to his feet, indignant. Ilrey, gloves half-on, only frowned slightly, as if wondering why they’d returned.“Kim Jeong-pil, you stay out of this, idiot. Before this time next year becomes the anniversary of your death—no, scratch that. First you die by my hand.”Taeui rolled up his sleeve and stepped inside. His shirt sleeve grazed his wrist—stinging hot. He saw blood soaking the cuff. Rage surged.Ilrey, quietly flexing his gloved fists, spoke in a low voice.“Taeui, I believe I deserve my share of this. He tried to harm what’s mine.”“I didn’t beg you! You already missed your chance! Next time, maybe— but now it’s my turn!”Ilrey smiled faintly. “I’d rather not.”This was bad. Ilrey wouldn’t back down. And Kim Jeong-pil was going to die. Taeui had no intention of mercy-killing him—unlike Ilrey.“…Alright, you dog Kim Jeong-pil. You’ll die by my hand— halfway, anyway.”He shoved Ilrey aside, seized the first thing within reach—a heavy metal chair—and hoisted it overhead.Kim Jeong-pil, watching suspiciously, froze. “You aren’t going to—”Taeui, fueled by fury and a sliver of restraint, brought the chair down on Kim Jeong-pil with a thunderous crash. The impact reverberated up his arms as Kim Jeong-pil screamed and fell backward, wood splintering beneath him.Taeui threw the chair aside. Ilrey, still standing calmly, simply kicked it away like a soccer ball and crossed his arms.“You # Nоvеlight # bastard—what twisted upbringing taught you to do this? It’s not just that I take you lightly—it’s your disgusting nature! Just die, die! And stop carrying that thing around, you lunatic!”He began stamping Kim Jeong-pil mercilessly—on his back, arms, legs. Kim Jeong-pil writhed and tried to resist, but Taeui’s fury gave him no quarter.When the man’s movements grew sluggish, Taeui delivered one final, precise stomp to the groin—CRACK.Breathing hard, Taeui looked down at him with grim satisfaction. He spared a glance at Ilrey.Ilrey raised an eyebrow at their bloody scene. “Finished? Feel any better?”“Took care of him… mostly.”“Good. Then it’s my turn.”Ilrey stepped forward, cracking his knuckles, gloves still on, ready to act.

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