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Chapter 07
“The Faith of God Became the Demon King
Sequence Arrangement (3)
“Let all nine teams stand at the starting line!”
At Gyeom Mang-yong’s declaration, the last formed team—So-baek’s team—stepped forward.
As expected, So-baek took the position at the head of the horse. Sam-ho and Sa-ho, the large and strong ones, supported the left and right, taking the roles of the legs.
“Heh heh heh, look at that team over there.”
“Are they seriously going to do mounted combat like that?”
“Wow, they’ll fall apart even if we leave them alone.”
The children sneered without restraint at So-baek’s hastily assembled team.
In particular, Il-ho and I-ho mocked them mercilessly.
“A weak idiot for a head, a cripple for a leg, and a dumb brute—what a perfect match.”
“Like attracts like, right? Birds of a feather.”
At those words, Sam-ho glared fiercely, as if ready to rush at Il-ho immediately.
After all, he had sacrificed himself willingly to help Il-ho, only to be met with excessive ridicule.
As Sam-ho grew agitated, So-baek spoke in a very quiet voice.
“I told you. From the beginning, we must not show that your leg has recovered.”
So-baek, unlike the immature minds of his peers, was operating with the consciousness of Shin-ui and had carefully planned their strategy.
Sam-ho’s temporarily recovered leg was to be kept as a hidden trump card.
Even Gyo Maeng-yong, the senior instructor of the Black Poison Sect, watched the situation with interest.
“Ready!”
Once all teams were formed, a junior instructor in charge of proceedings and judgment shouted.
At that command, all teams tensed up in different ways.
Compared to Il-ho’s team, which was ready to spring forward at any moment, So-baek’s team hung slightly back.
“Mounted combat—start!”
At last, the signal was given.
The moment it began, the teams beside So-baek’s group rushed in as if they had been waiting for it.
“Sorry, but let’s decide last place first!”
As one team charged toward So-baek, the other teams, especially Il-ho’s, began inching closer, eager to join in.
They were about to gang up on So-baek’s team—
And then.
Fwoooosh!
An unbelievable event occurred.
Unlike So-baek, who was already known among trainees, and Sam-ho, who was somewhat well-known, Sa-ho had remained quiet due to his timid nature even after the match began.
But the moment someone approached—
Sa-ho unleashed his enormous physique, nearly eight spans tall, and his deceptively fat-looking but actually muscle-packed strength.
“Sorry… I’m sorry!”
Even while apologizing, he shoved the charging opponent with overwhelming force.
His strength was beyond imagination.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
The teams that had confidently rushed at So-baek’s group collapsed in chaos, falling over one another.
This was only possible because they had underestimated Sa-ho—and because his strength was far beyond expectations.
“Well done, Sa-ho!”
“Good job!”
So-baek and Sam-ho cheered in unison as Sa-ho’s power struck true.
So-baek had already advised Sa-ho beforehand.
- Sa-ho, listen carefully.
This is a survival competition.
I know it’s hard to hurt or injure others.
But if you don’t strike them down, they will strike us.
So for your own sake, just once—put your strength into it without hesitation.
Just push them away lightly.
For Sa-ho, who was always timid and slow in both thought and action, So-baek was the only one who ever spoke to him so gently.
Sa-ho was actually a kind child who feared his own overwhelming strength might hurt others.
“I… I got… praised?”
He looked at his hands and the fallen opponents in disbelief, then smiled with joy.
‘My strength isn’t something scary that hurts people… it’s a fence that protects me and my friends!’
At that moment, his transformation began.
Sa-ho no longer feared or hid his strength.
‘I was right!’
So-baek was more pleased than anyone else.
He had already noticed Sa-ho’s build, body type, and hidden muscle structure before anyone else—students or instructors.
Having met countless masters and generals in his past life, he could immediately read what kind of power lay within certain physiques.
“What the hell!”
“That monster strength…!”
“W-wait, change of plan!”
With one team completely collapsed and marked as last place, the others hesitated.
They had thought So-baek’s team was the easiest target—but Sa-ho’s strength stopped them cold.
And since last place was already decided, there was no reason to take risks.
But then—
“What are you doing? Attack! Crush those weaklings!”
Il-ho’s angry voice rang out.
Even though Il-ho’s team was surprised by Sa-ho’s strength, he quickly made a decision.
‘If we leave them alone, they’ll only grow more arrogant.’
Especially those two—Sam-ho and the crippled Sam-ho—he wanted to crush them here and now.
“If any team refuses to attack, I will take revenge later!”
Seeing the hesitation, Il-ho threatened them.
“…That’s…”
“That’s a bit too much.”
The children wavered.
At that moment—
“Why don’t you come at us yourself instead of acting so dirty?”
A calm, composed voice echoed through the arena.
Shockingly, it was Sam-sip-ho—So-baek—who had spoken.
“What? What did you just say?”
Il-ho, who had never even considered So-baek worth acknowledging, snapped like a raging bull.
“You keep ordering others to attack us… why don’t you do it yourself?”
“Hah! You little brat, are you crazy?”
“Why? Are you afraid to attack us directly?”
“Y-you little—!”
Il-ho fell completely into the provocation.
He snorted hot breath and shouted at his team.
“Crush that pathetic dwarf!”
Before I-ho and O-ho could respond, Il-ho rushed forward in impatience.
Because of that, the horse formation became unbalanced, but Il-ho didn’t care.
Team battles were never his style anyway.
“Sa-ho’s strength is troublesome,” I-ho muttered while moving.
Il-ho replied coldly.
“So what? So-baek is just weak, and Sam-ho’s leg won’t recover in a day or two.”
He always believed he was the best—above all others.
“Afraid of Sam-sip-ho?”
“What? Of course not!”
I-ho snapped back defensively.
“Good. Then just watch out for Sa-ho’s strength and kick the crippled Sam-ho’s leg. If needed, use sticks or rocks.”
Il-ho’s methods grew more vicious.
In contrast, So-baek and his team remained calm.
“Remember. Do NOT rush in first. Wait until they attack.”
Sa-ho, who had already benefited from So-baek’s guidance, and Sam-ho, whose leg was surprisingly fine thanks to So-baek’s treatment, both obeyed.
Leadership comes not from position, but from ability.
And So-baek was proving his capability.
“Puhahaha! Talking big, but now they’re frozen in fear!”
“Die!”
Il-ho and I-ho mocked them as they advanced.
Il-ho aimed at Sam-ho’s leg with a wooden stick, while I-ho prepared to strike So-baek directly.
BOOOOOM!
At last, the two teams collided head-on.
Sa-ho’s strength was extraordinary—but so was Il-ho’s.
It was evenly matched.
Even the instructors, including Gyo Maeng-yong, watched with interest.
“This is getting interesting.”
“Ugh… nghhh!”
Il-ho and O-ho tried desperately to break So-baek’s formation, but Sa-ho held firm.
And surprisingly, Sam-ho was also performing well.
“Heh heh… for something you threw away like garbage, you’re pretty strong.”
Sam-ho blocked their attacks with a grin.
Il-ho, enraged, finally swung his stick at Sam-ho’s injured leg—
Clack!
A chilling sound echoed.
The strike landed perfectly.
But at that exact moment—
Grin.
Sam-ho smiled.
“I knew you’d go for it, you filthy bastard.”
Instead of collapsing, he surged forward with all his strength—
CRASH!
He slammed his body directly into Il-ho’s face with devastating force.
“Aaaagh! Aaaaagh!”
Il-ho expected Sam-ho to collapse—but instead, it was his own face that was destroyed.
‘It has to be me!’
I-ho, realizing the situation was collapsing, made a decision.
If even Il-ho was shaken, and Sam-ho’s leg was fine, then only So-baek remained.
“I’ll take him down!”
I-ho rushed toward So-baek.
He believed So-baek would be easy prey.
But—
Whoosh!
Fully prepared and anticipating everything, So-baek’s Six Harmony Fist sliced through the center and struck I-ho squarely in the solar plexus.
CRRRAAAACK!
