Apollo stepped into the familiar playground, a smug smile on his face.
He was excited—itching to brag about how much stronger he'd gotten.
'Not Gongseob. I'll let him stew in jealousy,' he thought, snickering as he imagined the horrified look on Gongseob's face.
"What are you snickering about?"
A voice whispered right beside him, startling Apollo. He flinched, turning to see Gongseob standing there, a smug grin plastered across his face.
Behind him was Jichang, dressed in a tight suit that showed off his ever-growing muscles.
Apollo scanned the area, frowning. "Where's Taesoo?"
Seeing their confused expressions, he sighed dramatically and spread his arms.
"Well, I came here to tell you guys about the wall. Very soon, you might have to face it yourselves."
Of course, Apollo knew the Kings had already broken through their walls in the original story. But with how much he had changed things, he wasn't taking any chances with the butterfly effect.
Seeing how serious Apollo was, even Gongseob dropped his usual antics.
"What would be the best way to explain this…" Apollo muttered, tapping his chin. Then, as if a light bulb went off, he straightened up.
'Okay, maybe I'm just showing off... but they don't need to know that.'
He smirked.
"Not too long ago, you two thought you were close to my level, right?"
Jichang nodded, a bit confused. Gongseob scoffed.
Apollo raised a finger. "Well, something happened recently. And the best way to show you..." He pointed at both of them. "Is to fight me. Together."
Both of them stared at him.
"You're gonna regret this," Gongseob said with a grin, slipping into his fighting stance.
Jichang hesitated. He believed in Apollo's strength, but taking on both of them? Even with Gongseob's annoying arrogance, the guy had real power.
'Still... this is Apollo we're talking about. He must have something up his sleeve.'
Apollo didn't move. He just stood there, hands still in his pockets.
"Come on. I'm waiting."
Gongseob launched forward first, closing the gap in a second with a lightning-fast cross aimed at Apollo's face.
Jichang came in from the other side, his hand blade slicing through the air toward Apollo's shoulder.
Apollo's world slowed.
Just days ago, these attacks would've been a real threat. But now... it was effortless.
'So this is what it feels like to fight people without mastery.'
His eyes glowed blue as he sidestepped their attacks with ease. Gongseob punched air. Jichang's blade missed entirely and cracked the ground.
"Huh?" Gongseob blinked in disbelief.
........
Gongseob's POV
My fist was about to land. I was grinning, tongue out, already savoring the thrill of the hit.
'You might be strong, but I'm fast. You'll never catch me.'
I was just inches away when—
Wait.
What the hell?!
He was gone.
Not gone, exactly—just moved. Moved so fast it felt like he vanished.
'What the fuck!!!'
........
Back in Apollo's POV, Gongseob stared at the empty air where Apollo used to be.
Now Apollo stood beside him, still hands in pockets, looking as smug as ever.
Something shifted in Gongseob. He got serious. No one—no one—had ever outmatched his speed like this.
Or... had they?
He launched another jab, this time with all the speed he could muster—only for Apollo to casually tilt his head, letting the punch pass harmlessly by.
Even Jichang froze, amazed by what he was seeing.
Gongseob threw punch after punch. Apollo didn't even bother punching back—he just dodged, smirking the whole time.
And then—he vanished again.
Only to reappear behind Gongseob and tap him on the back. "Boop."
Gongseob stood frozen.
Apollo turned to them both, his voice calm.
"This is the wall. The limit you're both still shackled by. I broke it."
They sat down as Apollo began explaining his experience—what it felt like to break through, how everything changed.
After two minutes, it all clicked for Jichang.
'So he's got speed mastery now…'
His eyes gleamed with determination. He wasn't going to let Apollo leave him behind.
Gongseob, on the other hand, had completely spaced out.
ting
A notification buzzed on Gongseob's phone, cutting through the silence.
"What is it?" Apollo asked.
"It's Taesoo," Gongseob muttered, his grin returning—but this time, darker. "He said why he couldn't come today."
Apollo raised a brow. "And?"
"Ansan is under attack," Gongseob said, his voice flat.
Apollo's eyes widened.
'No way… James Lee can't be moving this soon... Unless... is Charles Choi already out?'
He looked at Gongseob sharply. "Did he say who?"
Gongseob nodded.
"The King of Suwon."
Seokdu Wang.
The aura-less King.
Meanwhile, with Taesoo—
He stood in the middle of a football field—one of those isolated, rented-out spaces for district matches. Spacious, but easy to overlook.
His gang flanked him, bats and knives at the ready.
Across from them stood a wall of muscle. Dozens of gym-rat thugs, all towering and built like trucks. Some even bald, their heads glinting under the floodlights.
At the center stood a mountain of a man. His school uniform barely contained his muscle-bound frame. But the most striking thing… was his forehead.
Covered in scars—like trophies.
The King of Suwon had arrived in Ansan.
The all-out King war had begun.
........