Chapter 149: Winners Match

Episode 149

Duels, or one-on-one battles to resolve issues, were a tradition that had been passed down since the founding of the Triunfo Clan.

In the early days of the Triunfo Clan, there was a disagreement among the executives about who should be the master.

At that time, Jonathan, the first master, slammed his fist on the table and shouted,

– How long are we going to keep arguing?! Let’s settle this like men, in a one-on-one duel!

– A duel…?

– Yes! Surely, no one here lacks the confidence to face a one-on-one battle after becoming a hunter?

No one could object to Jonathan’s provocation, and they all agreed. In the end, Jonathan defeated everyone and became the first master.

From then on, it became a tradition in the Triunfo Clan to settle disagreements through duels, with the winner’s opinion prevailing, except for truly critical matters.

“This issue is not that serious, so it’s fine to settle it through a duel, right? It won’t make much difference in the material supply, regardless of who wins. Just like you said earlier.”

“……”

Ricardo couldn’t refute Pablo’s words.

His own words from earlier, suggesting they wait and see the supply amount for this month, had come back to bite him.

“And it’s not like we’re the ones fighting, right? It wouldn’t be bad to pit these two clans, who seem to hate each other, against each other and reach a conclusion.”

Ricardo looked at the masters of the two clans.

He observed Jason and Dangote, who were standing more than a meter apart, and asked,

“If Slaughterhouse wins, you’re saying Boko Haram has to return all the territories they captured, just like you said?”

“Yes. And if Boko Haram wins, we’ll maintain the current situation, as you insisted. What do you say?”

Pablo subtly provoked Ricardo, who seemed to be lost in thought.

“Why are you hesitating? Unless you’re actually receiving bribes from Boko Haram…”

And Ricardo finally took the bait.

“Fine! Let’s do as you say. It’s not like we’re the ones fighting, so there’s no ‘loss’ for us.”

“That’s right. No ‘loss’.”

Pablo and Ricardo emphasized the word “loss.”

They exchanged meaningful glances, then turned their attention to Jason and Dangote.

“Both sides, prepare your executives for the duel!”

“Yes, sir!”

Jason was the first to respond and headed towards his executives.

Pablo asked Dangote, who was standing there with a slightly flustered expression,

“What are you doing? Don’t tell me you don’t want to fight?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“If you don’t want to fight, just say so. We’ll consider it a forfeit. And you’ll have to return the territories you captured immediately.”

“……!”

Ricardo drove the point home as Dangote’s eyes wavered.

“Are you scared?”

He looked at Dangote with a cold gaze.

Dangote had no choice, seeing Ricardo, his only connection, reacting like that.

“…No, sir.”

He reluctantly turned around and walked towards his executives.

* * *

The rules for winning the duel were simple. Either the opponent surrendered or became incapacitated.

Being dead also counted as being incapacitated.

‘It’s the same as the Fight Club.’

Kim Jinsung thought to himself as he listened to the rules.

And the duel format between the two clans was decided to be a “Winners Match,” a series of one-on-one battles where the winner of each match continued to fight the next opponent.

In other words, one person could potentially defeat the entire enemy clan.

‘I was originally going to have a simple team battle…’

Pablo had initially planned to have a classic team battle where all the executives from each clan would fight each other one-on-one.

But Bruce, the leader of Slaughterhouse’s Hunter Team 1, had recently died, leaving the position vacant.

Due to Ricardo’s objection that the teams were now unbalanced, they had no choice but to go with the Winners Match format.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter. Slaughterhouse still has stronger individual executives.’

Pablo looked at the Slaughterhouse executives, unconcerned.

“Winners Match?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm…”

The Slaughterhouse Clan executives were discussing the matter with serious expressions.

Isaac, the vice-master, looked at the Boko Haram Clan executives and said,

“I still believe we have stronger individual executives. But Alopsky is a bit of a concern.”

The one who had single-handedly destroyed the pet monster army.

And the one who had defeated and killed Bruce, the leader of Slaughterhouse’s Hunter Team 1, who was one of the top five strongest individuals in the clan, in a one-on-one battle.

With such a presence on the enemy side, and the duel format being a Winners Match, it was natural for the Slaughterhouse Clan to feel uneasy.

On the other hand, Alopsky’s existence was the only hope for the Boko Haram Clan.

“Let’s be honest. We would have been at a disadvantage if it were a regular team battle. It’s not that you guys are weak, but they’re stronger than we expected.

But with the Winners Match format, it’s a different story. We have Alopsky!”

Dangote looked at Kim Jinsung with a reassured expression.

Alopsky, who had easily defeated Bruce, known for his “one-shot, one-kill” style, was a reliable insurance policy for the Boko Haram executives, who were generally considered weaker.

“But we can’t send Alopsky out as the first fighter. He might be exhausted by the end and lose to Jason.

Who should be the vanguard? It’s advantageous for us even if we just defeat their first fighter.”

Dangote asked Wishan, the strategist, and Wishan started racking his brain.

As the executives of both clans were discussing the matter, Pablo shouted,

“Stop discussing and let’s get started! Both clans, send your vanguards to the center!”

A Boko Haram executive stepped forward first.

The expressions of all the Slaughterhouse Clan executives changed.

“Wishan…!”

Jason, in particular, glared at him with murderous intent, gritting his teeth.

The one who had betrayed Slaughterhouse and joined Dangote, even handing over a large club in the northeast of the B18 district, a gold mine, to the Boko Haram Clan.

There was no way the Slaughterhouse executives would have a favorable view of him.

“This is perfect. Go out there and kill him!”

At Jason’s shout, one of the Slaughterhouse executives walked towards Wishan.

Wishan’s eyes wavered.

‘Isaac…!’

The intimidating man with a cold gaze, cracking his knuckles as he looked at Wishan.

Wishan was inwardly flustered as he looked at Isaac, the vice-master of Slaughterhouse.

‘I didn’t expect them to send Isaac out as the first fighter…’

Since it was the first match, he had expected a relatively weaker team leader to be sent out first, rather than a strong card like Isaac.

He had volunteered as the vanguard, expecting to face someone like the leader of Hunter Team 2…

But to think Isaac, the second-in-command, whose combat abilities were said to be on par with Jason’s, would be the first fighter.

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”

Isaac said with a cold smile.

“I’ll make you pay for betraying Slaughterhouse.”

He assumed a fighting stance and gestured towards Wishan,

beckoning him to come at him.

‘Ugh…!’

Wishan bit his lip as he saw that gesture.

It was a sight he couldn’t forget.

Isaac had always provoked him like that during their sparring sessions when they were both in Slaughterhouse.

The memory of himself being humiliatingly defeated and thrown to the ground every time he charged at Isaac flashed through his mind.

‘No, I’m different now!’

Wishan activated his mana to the maximum.

His eyes glowed blue, and he dashed towards Isaac.

“……!”

Isaac’s eyes widened slightly.

Wishan’s speed was far beyond his expectations.

Wishan reached Isaac, who had hastily assumed a defensive stance, and launched his attack.

**Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!**

Wishan unleashed a series of unpredictable attacks with dazzling movements, like something out of a martial arts movie.

Isaac was struggling to block all of them.

“…He’s gotten stronger.”

Akuma’s surprised mutter reached Kim Jinsung’s ears.

“He’s definitely fast. Even Isaac will have a hard time blocking everything at that speed.”

Kim Jinsung inwardly agreed.

Isaac, who had been focusing on defense, was starting to get hit by Wishan’s attacks.

**Thud!**

Isaac staggered back as he took a punch to his side.

He even stumbled slightly.

‘…Hmm?’

Kim Jinsung’s eyes narrowed.

It was then that,

“Gotcha!”

Wishan shouted and threw a punch at Isaac’s jaw, aiming for the opening he had created.

**Thud!**

“Ugh…!”

A scream and a thud rang out, and someone was sent flying backward.

But it was Wishan, not Isaac, who crashed to the ground.

Isaac had countered Wishan’s punch with his own, landing a clean hit on his jaw.

‘As expected, it was a trap.’

Kim Jinsung thought to himself, looking at Isaac, who was unharmed.

He had thought Isaac’s stumble looked too deliberate, and it turned out to be an act.

**Crack!**

A cracking sound came from where Wishan had fallen.

Isaac had kicked Wishan’s head with all his might as he was trying to get up.

He mounted Wishan’s body and rained down punches on his head.

**Thud! Thud! Thud! Crack!**

“Ugh! Argh! Ugh…!”

Wishan’s groans grew weaker, and his head became increasingly unrecognizable.

**Thud!**

“Ugh… S-surrender! I surrender…”

Wishan finally couldn’t take it anymore and surrendered.

“Stop!”

Ricardo shouted, and Isaac instinctively stopped his attack.

“The duel ends the moment a surrender is declared! You’ll be disqualified if you continue attacking!”

Isaac reluctantly lowered his fist at Ricardo’s shout.

He looked at Wishan’s bloodied face and said coldly,

“I told you. You can’t beat me even if you’re reborn.”

“…Ugh…”

“You’re lucky. If it weren’t for the rules, I would have beaten you until you begged me to kill you. Ha! Ptui!”

He spat on Wishan’s face and got off him.

The Boko Haram executives were enraged.

“That bastard…!”

“Get off him once the duel is over!”

“What are you doing?! Get the strategist and treat him with potions!”

Boko Haram Clan members, who had been waiting, carried the unconscious Wishan out of the warehouse to treat him.

“Boko Haram, send out your next fighter!”

Pablo shouted, and Dangote looked at his executives and asked,

“Who’s next?”

No one answered immediately.

Instead, they all looked at one person.

Kim Jinsung.

—