The head of one of the Ten Great Villains was impaled on a spear. Lifted high into the sky like a war trophy, the villain's face was a perfect mask of the horror he felt just before death.
"The eldest brother of the Infernal Eccentric Trio is dead?"
"Did he just say the Sky Sundering Blade Hyonwon Kang did it?"
"How could a mere student...!"
The martial artists stopped fighting to gawk at the head skewered on the spear, before staring at the mangy young bladesman panting nearby.
He was the Student Council President of the Vermilion Phoenix Academy.
"Hoo..." Hyonwon Kang let out the breath he had been holding.
He could never have accomplished such a feat alone. The joint attack formation his fellow students deployed had severely restricted the First Eccentric's mobility and left him riddled with injuries prior to the final blow. Cornered, the villain had been forced to burn through his life qi just to survive.
Still, nothing could diminish the significance of his and the Azure Dragon Academy's victory.
"Waaaaaah!"
With a mighty roar, their allies' flagging morale surged like wildfire. The Azure Dragon Academy instructors beamed with indescribable pride.
"Ha, that delinquent Hyonwon Kang finally did it!"
"Let's give it our all too! The students are watching!"
"Take a good, hard look, you Blood Cult bastards! This is the Azure Dragon Academy!"
Spurred on by the fervor, the Vermilion Phoenix Academy students entered the fray as well. Now, whether it was sheer numbers or morale, the Blood Cult had lost their advantage.
"Haa, I thought I was going to die..." Hyonwon Kang moaned. As soon as everyone's attention waned, he staggered unsteadily.
Luckily, Dokgo Jun caught him before he fell. "Hyonwon Kang! Are you okay?"
"I'm a little dizzy from the blood loss... but I can still fight." Hyonwon Kang forced a smile and pushed Dokgo Jun away before turning to Mok Hyungwoo, who had shielded him from an attack. "How are your wounds, Senior Hyungwoo?" he asked worriedly, seeing his schoolmate's bloodstained uniform.
Despite his ashen complexion, Mok Hyungwoo pressed a hand firmly against his wound and joked, "Haha, it's just a scratch. I've suffered worse injuries than this many times during my time in the army."
SMACK!
"Stop bluffing and show me that 'scratch' right now!" Tang Soso scolded, slapping him on the back.
Without waiting for a reply, she tore away the blood-stained portion of Mok Hyungwoo's uniform, sprinkled medicinal powder on the wound, and quickly bound it with a bandage. After administering first aid, she turned to Hyonwon Kang.
"You too, Senior Wonkang... I think it'd be better to just strip off that tattered uniform."
"W-What?"
Tang Soso skillfully treated and bandaged Hyonwon Kang's injuries, while Dokgo Jun stood guard with the other students.
"Group 1, keep watch!"
Although they had defeated one of the Infernal Eccentric Trio, the battle was far from over. They had barely surmounted their initial setback, and it was premature to suggest that the tide had turned. The Blood Cult's forces remained formidable. On top of that, most of the students in the groups led by Hyonwon Kang, Tang Soso, and Mok Hyungwoo were injured and spent.
"The wounded should withdraw. Those who can still fight, take a moment to recover your stamina."
Dokgo Jun swiftly separated the able-bodied from the injured. Some of the wounded protested, insisting they could still fight, but the Student Council President suppressed their objections with an uncommon display of assertiveness.
Of course, there was one person his authority had no effect on.
"Shup up. I'm going to keep fighting, Dokgo."
"...Right. You won't listen even if I tried to stop you, huh? I'll stand guard, so meditate and recover some energy, even if it's just for a short while."
Hyonwon Kang nodded and sat cross-legged on the ground. Before closing his eyes, he glanced around for the other Five Young Azure Dragons. His gaze first fell upon a white-haired girl stirring up a pure white wind. "...Eh, I worried for nothing."
Yeo Min, Wiji Cheon, and Yoo Yiran confronted the Second Eccentric in a coordinated attack, backed by their classmates.
"You insolent brats! Even though you're still wet behind the ears...!"
The spear-wielding Second Eccentric was far more cautious than his eldest brother. He fought defensively, constantly searching for a way to escape, but Yeo Min's ice arts slowed him down while Wiji Cheon and Yoo Yiran's swords inflicted numerous cuts on him. Although it would take some time, their victory seemed certain, and far less risky than his had been.
Somewhat relieved, Hyonwon Kang scanned the area for the Monochrome Bears. Thanks to the incessant thunder of their powerful blows, they were easy to locate.
"These ignorant bears..."
The Monochrome Bears were locked in a brutal, close-quarters brawl with the Third Eccentric. They charged headfirst, enduring the villain's savage whipping as they shook the ground with every strike of the Savage Tiger Fist.
"What the fuck did Meatbun-hyung teach them?"
Sama Hyeon bit his lip hard.
"Hyonwon Kang. Stop getting distracted and meditate."
"Don't rush me. My mind is still in turmoil. I feel like I'm about to suffer qi deviation."
"......"
"Okay, okay! I'm doing it for real now."
Hyonwon Kang closed his eyes and mediated, observing his inner self while reviewing the still-unsettled imagery of the Asura Blood Heaven Blade.
Thanks to the Azure Dragon Academy students, the one-sided battle reverted to a tense equilibrium—a precarious balance that could tip at any moment.
"Huff, huff..." Sama Hyeon panted. Steadying his ragged breathing was proving difficult, even though he was wasn't physically exhausted yet.
The issue was mental. The suffocating stench of blood hung thick in the air, and the sharp killing intent bearing down on him from all directions made his skin prickle.
So this is why war is called hell.