Black Inside.

"Is this what they call 'fate'?"

Contemplating with lazy eyes, Su Min yawned as he grasped at the blitzing blue finger. The flame, fuzzing under his palm, attempted to fight back as it imploded and engulfed his grasp.

Though, Su Min's eyes remained unchanged as that fluttering flame, under his gaze, shivered with a trembling gold. It was as if a glorious might had descended onto Su Min's palm, as strand upon strand of Ancient Energy wrapped around the spitting finger and constricted without mercy.

*SSSS*

Like he had just pinched a candle flame to darkness, the burning blue got gnashed with the barely visible gold that swirled around Su Min's hand. Then, as it dwindled into a trembling spark, the strands around such a hand seemed to bark and then pounce onto the spark.

*Poof*

Resounding with a muffled boom, the blazing finger within Su Min's grasp stuttered then blasted into a poofing cloud of smoke that got blown astray within the wind. Though, it was so minute that nobody even noticed such a small cloud puff out of the grasped finger getting held above the kid's shocked head.

In fact, although this took a while to describe, it happened in a matter of milliseconds. To the audience and to the two on the stage, it was as if Su Min had just grabbed the magma hot finger and snuffed the flame out like it was but a trivial speck.

"?!"

Exclamations rang out like buzzing cries as numerous members in the crowd gasped in shock. They were incredulous due to many things, including how Su Min stopped a move midair; how he destroyed such a move and the basic fact that he even interfered in the first place.

The same group of three, staring with wide eyes at the frightful scene, gaped as the young vibrant man spoke with doubt within it.

"Who is that..? Does he have a death wish by interfering with the match?!"

The lady next to him had trouble speaking as she tried to find words to say, but found that she couldn't understand the thoughts of this cloaked person.

"What's the point in saving a peasant just to anger the Lord's son? Hasn't such a being heard of the infamous rumours?"

However, as the two were feeling confused, the middle-aged man standing behind them gasped and choked on his drumstick with widened eyes.

"Cou~gh -#~ H-he..!"

It took a few seconds for him to collect himself as he found that the two's attention was now drawn to his sweat riddled face. They were about to ask, but he answered for them as he spoke with a tremble.

"He's the one who bypassed the town's barrier earlier by jumping over the goddamn wall!"

"Huh?"

The young man's face changed as he, with a quick glimpse, stared at the robed man, then at the middle-aged man a couple times.

"You sure?! He's that monster? Inform the guards then..!"

The crowd around them seemed to hear the commotion as they listened in, only to hear what the young man said.

"Guards?"

Tension started to riddle the air as the young man disregarded the crowd and ran off with a shaky gait. This made everyone more curious about what was happening, but the middle-aged man and the lady didn't say anything as they stared onwards for a while then at Su Min with solemn expressions.

...

...

"Get off of me..!"

Pulling and pulling, a finger fixed in Su Min's palm tugged and tried to escape. Yet, Su Min remained unmoved as he watched the proud man scamper around whilst trying to escape his grasp.

It was as if a mountain had locked onto the man's finger, where no matter how much you tore and hauled, you wouldn't move the mountain. It is impossible, even if you used 200% of your strength.

Su Min thought for a while as he saw the increasingly angered and fearful expression of the man, where a thought popped into his head.

'Gotta be low key...'

Firming his gold and black eyes, Su Min let go of the finger and lazed his hand back to his side. The man, who had been tugging with all his strength, tumbled backwards as he attempted to stabilise himself with a huff.

The fear that was starting to bubble inside of him got thrashed out as anger and rage refilled it and boiled. He felt humiliated to an amazing degree. People will think he's a laughing stock if he backs down now, so, ignoring the brutal strength Su Min displayed, he stepped forward and roared.

"Who do you think you are?!"

The hushed whispers in the crowd died down with a sudden pause as the roar blasted past them, forwarding their attention back onto the confrontation itself. Though, the boy became irrelevant as everyone felt excitement towards the new fight between two people who seemed to be at equal strength!

They haven't seen a fight like this since the national tournament between all the towns, and only some were able to seize a place to watch the main fights take place.

Su Min froze as he heard the furious bellow, though it wasn't out of fear but annoyance. Nevertheless, everyone else perceived this as the former, making them sneer at Su Min, forgetting what he had just done.

"I guess he has just realised the enormity of the situation, pfft!"

"Yeah, the Young Lord ain't in the top 100 for nothing."

Though, two remained silent as they stared on. They were the lady and the middle-aged man, who had grave expressions towards Su Min.

They both, with a mumble that couldn't be heard over the roaring buzz of the crowd, spoke to each other.

"I hope the Lord will come soon, otherwise..."

"If he wants to kill himself then I can't do anything about it..."

*Step*

Su Min sighed a deep breath as he stepped forward and turned around, facing the boy. He ignored the trembling glare of the proud man, instead, he stared at the boy.

Nonetheless, it was less at the boy himself, and more at the boys Dantian. It was as if he was staring at something inside of the kid, something black, something unruly.