Chapter 23 – The Dragon's Roar and the Lion's Thunder
Ha-Joon stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the enormous double doors before him. A chilling wind blew from the cracks, carrying an oppressive aura. The very air seemed to tremble with anticipation, warning him of the monster that lay beyond.
He clenched his fists, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
— The final boss… is here. — he muttered, voice low, almost a whisper, but filled with fire.
Without wasting a moment, he summoned the power of Natsu, the dragon slayer's fire erupting from within. Flames spiraled around his arms and shoulders like coiling serpents. He gave in—allowing the spirit to possess his body completely.
The Sharingan in his left eye spun violently, faster than ever before, a red blur of motion. His Byakugan, in stark contrast, glowed pure white with intense focus, analyzing every vibration, every trace of mana behind the gate.
With a single deep breath, Ha-Joon shoved the doors open.
The impact cracked the walls, blowing the doors backward with a thunderous BOOM that echoed for miles. Dust erupted into the air. The ground beneath his feet trembled.
There it stood.
A titanic lion, at least thirty feet tall, cloaked in crackling electricity. Every part of its muscular body glowed with arcs of lightning surging wildly across its fur. The beast's mane sparked like a living storm, and when its thunderous roar echoed through the chamber, it shattered ancient stone pillars in the distance.
Ha-Joon's hair was whipped back by the sheer force of the roar, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he lifted his arm and barked a command.
— Happ clones! NOW!
Two brilliant clones instantly, their bodies flickering with energy. In perfect sync, they shot up into the sky, grabbing Jin-Ah and Song-Yi, flying them out of harm's way—high above the battlefield, far from the chaos that was about to unfold.
Down below, the air grew heavy. The world itself seemed to hold its breath.
Ha-Joon launched himself forward, a blazing comet of fire and fury. The lion roared again, its claws sparking with violent volts as it pounced.
The two clashed in the center of the arena with a cataclysmic impact.
Fire and lightning erupted in every direction.
A shockwave ripped through the ground, carving fissures deep into the stone floor. Craters exploded outward. The very air hissed from the energy being released.
Walls crumbled. The ceiling cracked. The entire chamber was slowly being torn apart.
High in the sky, Jin-Ah and Song-Yi stared in disbelief.
— This… This is insane… — Jin-Ah whispered, shielding her face from the radiant heat rising even from hundreds of meters below.
— He's fighting like a god… — Song-Yi said, eyes wide as she watched her friend become a blur of fire battling a storm beast.
Ha-Joon ducked under a claw strike, his feet burning the ground as he dashed forward, delivering a brutal uppercut wrapped in dragon fire.
The lion staggered back—but only for a moment.
Its paw, now wrapped in blue-white lightning, slammed into Ha-Joon's chest with crushing force.
CRASH!
He was launched like a bullet into a nearby stone pillar. The structure shattered, burying him in debris. A thunderous echo rumbled through the ruins.
But the dust didn't settle for long.
From the wreckage, flames burst upward—Ha-Joon stood up again, his eyes blazing.
The Sharingan was spinning faster than ever before, now showing three tomoe.
The Byakugan remained locked onto the lion's core, tracking its every move.
— I'm not done yet! — he roared, fists lighting up once more.
He dashed forward, each step sending up embers and sparks.
What followed was a maelstrom of combat.
Every punch, every claw, every roar tore apart more of the battlefield. Chunks of stone flew like missiles. Lightning forked into the sky, burning away clouds. The once-grand arena had become a ruin of molten rock and scorched earth.
From outside, Cha Hae-In approached.
The sounds of destruction pulled her closer, the sky above flashing with unnatural fire. As she reached the entrance, her breath caught.
She saw the battlefield.
No—she saw Ha-Joon, completely consumed by power, fighting on equal ground with a monster that radiated Rank A pressure.
— This doesn't make sense… He had trouble with Rank D monsters not long ago… how could he possibly…? — she thought, frozen in place.
At the heart of the chaos, Ha-Joon planted his feet.
Fire surged through his core.
He drew in a deep breath, heat gathering in his lungs, his entire body trembling.
— FLAME DRAGON ROAR!!
A massive stream of fire blasted from his mouth, hotter and brighter than anything he'd unleashed before. The attack roared through the air like a divine judgment, obliterating everything in its path.
But the lion was not about to fall easily.
It raised its head and unleashed its own primal fury.
— CELESTIAL THUNDER ROAR!!
From the heavens, a blinding bolt of pure lightning descended, colliding directly with Ha-Joon's flames.
The collision was apocalyptic.
Flames and lightning twisted together, erupting in a blinding explosion.
The shockwave flattened everything within hundreds of meters. The wind howled. The earth cracked open. Buildings in the distance collapsed. Thunder shook the very skies.
Ha-Joon felt the overwhelming pressure pressing down on him, but he didn't stop.
His Sharingan, now complete, fed him perfect information. His muscles burned. His skin blistered.
— I won't… lose!! — he roared.
He forced more power into his attack. The fire, now almost white-hot, surged forward, overpowering the lightning with sheer intensity.
The lion's roar faltered.
The fire wave struck the beast directly in the chest and exploded, consuming its body in a sea of roaring flame.
BOOOOOOM!!!
The explosion turned the battlefield into a lake of fire.
When the light faded… nothing remained of the monster.
Ash drifted gently from the sky.
Ha-Joon collapsed to his knees, panting heavily. He wiped sweat and blood from his brow, managing a faint grin.
— Good thing I don't need shadows like Jin-Woo… 'cause there's literally nothing left to raise.
Suddenly… the sound of footsteps.
He turned his head.
There stood Cha Hae-In, staring at him in disbelief, bathed in the glow of destruction.
Ha-Joon blinked… and muttered under his breath.
— …Well, shit.
---