As the battle raged on, Ji-hoon gained the upper hand, his golden aura blazing with intensity. With a mighty roar, he unleashed a devastating punch that sent Muhan flying into a nearby nebula. The nebula's gases and dust swirled around Muhan's body, threatening to consume him.
Ji-hoon, sensing victory within his grasp, charged towards Muhan, his fist glowing with golden energy. He was about to deliver the finishing blow, but Muhan had other plans.
With a sudden burst of speed, Muhan moved at a velocity that defied the laws of physics. Time itself seemed to bend and warp around him, and the fabric of reality trembled.
Ji-hoon, caught off guard, felt his movements slow down as if time itself was working against him. His punch, which had been mere inches from Muhan's face, now hung suspended in mid-air, frozen in time.
Muhan, taking advantage of the temporal distortion, quickly speed blitz Ji-hoon. Muhan's fists and feet moved at incredible velocities, striking Ji-hoon with a flurry of blows that seemed to come from all directions at once.
Ji-hoon's golden aura faltered, his movements becoming slower and more labored as Muhan's speed blitz continued to pummel him. The nebula around them began to distort and writhe, as if it too was being affected by Muhan's incredible speed.
As the speed blitz reached its climax, Muhan delivered a final, crushing blow that sent Ji-hoon flying across the pocket dimension, his golden aura flickering weakly as he struggled to regain his footing.
Muhan, still moving at incredible velocities, slowed down to a stop, his chest heaving with exertion. He gazed out at Ji-hoon, a mixture of concern and admiration on his face.
"Ji-hoon, are you okay?" Muhan asked, his voice filled with worry.
Ji-hoon, still struggling to catch his breath, nodded weakly. "Y-yes, Muhan… I'm fine…"
Muhan smiled, relieved that his friend was okay. "Good," he said. "Because I'm not done with you yet."
With that, Muhan charged towards Ji-hoon, his navy silver blue aura blazing with intensity. The battle was far from over, and Muhan was determined to emerge victorious.
As the battle raged on, Muhan's navy silver blue aura continued to intensify, his movements becoming faster and more precise. Ji-hoon, despite his valiant efforts, was unable to keep up with Muhan's relentless assault.
Finally, with a mighty roar, Muhan delivered the finishing blow, striking Ji-hoon's stomach with a devastating punch. The force of the blow was so immense that it shattered the pocket dimension, sending both Muhan and Ji-hoon flying back to the training grounds.
As the two friends lay unconscious on the ground, the air around them seemed to distort and ripple, as if reality itself was still reeling from the aftermath of their battle.
Meanwhile, in her room, Mi-cha sensed Muhan's weak energy signature. Her eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up in bed, her heart racing with concern.
Without hesitation, Mi-cha sprang out of her room, her movements a blur as she ran at the speed of sound towards the training grounds. Her long, raven-black hair streamed behind her, and her golden eyes shone with a fierce determination.
As she arrived at the training grounds, Mi-cha's eyes scanned the area, quickly locating Muhan and Ji-hoon's unconscious forms. She rushed towards them, her face etched with worry.
"Muhan! Ji-hoon!" Mi-cha cried out, her voice filled with concern. She dropped to her knees beside them, her hands reaching out to check their pulses.
As she touched Muhan's wrist, Mi-cha's eyes widened in alarm. Muhan's energy signature was weak, and his pulse was racing. She quickly turned to Ji-hoon, checking his pulse as well.
Ji-hoon's energy signature was also weak, but his pulse was steady. Mi-cha breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that both Muhan and Ji-hoon would recover with rest.
But as she looked at Muhan's pale face, Mi-cha's expression turned stern. What had happened here? And why had Muhan and Ji-hoon pushed themselves so hard?
The next day, the sun shone brightly over the Wysteria Academy grounds, casting a warm glow over the students as they went about their day. It was a free day, and many students were taking advantage of the break to relax, socialize, or pursue their own interests.
Mi-cha, however, had other plans. She sought out Muhan, who was still recovering from the intense spar with Ji-hoon. She found him sitting on a bench in the courtyard, his eyes closed as he soaked up the warm sunlight.
Mi-cha approached him quietly, not wanting to startle him. As she sat down beside him, Muhan opened his eyes and smiled weakly.
"Hey, Mi-cha," he said, his voice still a bit rough from the previous day's exertions. "What's up?"
Mi-cha's expression was serious, her golden eyes narrowing slightly as she gazed at Muhan. "I want to know what happened yesterday," she said, her voice firm but controlled. "What was going on between you and Ji-hoon?"
Muhan's smile faltered, and he looked away, his eyes drifting towards the ground. "It was just a spar, Mi-cha," he said, his voice defensive. "We were just testing each other's limits."
Mi-cha's gaze never wavered, her eyes boring into Muhan's profile. "Don't lie to me, Muhan," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I know you and Ji-hoon. I know how you both fight. Yesterday's spar was different. It was intense, and it was personal. What's going on, Muhan?"
Muhan sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He knew he couldn't hide the truth from Mi-cha. She was too perceptive, too intuitive. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead.
"Okay, Mi-cha," he said, his voice resigned. "I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to tell anyone else."
Mi-cha's expression softened, her eyes filling with concern. "I promise, Muhan," she said, her voice gentle. "I'll keep your secret."
Muhan took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts before speaking. "Ji-hoon and I, we've been friends for a long time. But lately, we've been… competing, I guess. Trying to one-up each other in our training."
Mi-cha's eyes narrowed, her gaze intense, she wondered off in her thoughts; so that's the secret? 'Boys' . "What kind of competition?" she asked, her voice firm.
Muhan hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Mi-cha's expression told him that she already knew more than he was letting on.
"It's about the tournament," Muhan said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. "Ji-hoon and I, we both want to win. And we're willing to do whatever it takes to come out on top."
Mi-cha's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes clouding over as she considered Muhan's words.
"I see," she said finally, her voice measured. "And what about your promise to Professor Lee? You know, the one where you promised to hold back and not hurt anyone?"
Muhan looked away, his face flushing with guilt. "I know, Mi-cha. I'm sorry. I just got caught up in the moment, and I lost control."
Mi-cha's gaze softened, her eyes filling with understanding. "I know you did, Muhan. And I'm not going to lecture you. But you need to be careful, okay? You and Ji-hoon, you're both incredibly powerful. If you're not careful, you could hurt someone. Or worse."
Muhan nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude towards Mi-cha. She was right, as always. He needed to be more careful, more controlled. He couldn't let his desire to win cloud his judgment.
"Thanks, Mi-cha," he said, his voice sincere. "I'll try to do better. I promise."
Mi-cha smiled, her eyes sparkling with warmth. "I know you will, Muhan. You're a good person. And I'll be here to help you, every step of the way."
As Muhan and Mi-cha were enjoying their tender moment, Ji-hoon and Soo-ah approached the bench, smiling at the loving couple. Ji-hoon, still bearing a few bruises from his intense spar with Muhan, plopped down beside him, while Soo-ah sat down beside Mi-cha.
"Hey, lovebirds," Ji-hoon said with a chuckle, nudging Muhan playfully. "Mind if we join you?"
Muhan grinned, shaking his head. "Not at all. We were just enjoying the view."
Soo-ah smiled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm sure you were," she said, playfully rolling her eyes.
Mi-cha laughed, leaning against Muhan's shoulder. "Hey, we were just having a romantic moment," she teased.
Ji-hoon snorted. "Romantic moment? You two are always having romantic moments. You're making the rest of us look bad."
The group laughed, and the atmosphere became relaxed and friendly. As they chatted and joked, Muhan couldn't help but feel grateful for his friends and the strong bonds they shared.