Page 1
The old man and Thian — back to back. Fighting on two different fronts.
From the right, someone runs toward the old man at speed. His thought:
Finally… an opponent who looks weak.
He launches. Sword raised.
Page 2
"Hiyaaa—!"
The sword stops in the air.
The old man's hand holds it with fingers that don't waver.
The man looks at the old man's hand. Then at his face. Then at his hand again.
The Stone Mantle… of all the luck.
He tries to pull back. Nothing.
Page 3
A hand comes down on the man's shoulder from the side.
He hits the ground. He feels pain. He doesn't understand what struck him.
The camera rises slowly.
A tall man. Powerfully built. Standing in complete calm in the middle of the battle — as if it has nothing to do with him.
He looks at the old man.
"Hello… old grandfather. I don't know why — but you look like the real thing."
Page 4
"I've been looking for strong opponents for a while now. Could you be one of them? Just for a few minutes."
He extends his hand.
"By the way… I am the commander of the Second Division."
The old man looks at him for a moment. Then smiles — an unreadable smile.
He extends his hand.
"I am Sharo."
Page 5
"Pleased to meet you, Sharo."
Something in the commander's eyes says more than his words.
"Shall we begin?"
The old man takes his stance — calm, unhurried.
The commander puts his hand to his chin and thinks out loud:
"What should I use against you… the leopard? The scorpion?"
He pauses.
"No. Just the mantis."
He opens a small pouch on his belt.
Page 6
He produces a small live mantis. He holds it up in front of his eyes for a moment.
Then he puts it in his mouth and chews slowly.
The old man watches him in complete silence.
The commander swallows. He closes his eyes.
Then the transformation begins.
Spines emerge from his hands. Extra limbs appear from his sides. His eyes grow and multiply.
The old man watches with eyes that read everything.
This type… I've never seen it before.
Page 7
A single slow moment.
The commander arrives at the old man suddenly — strikes from every direction, his face taking them all.
But the old man's face darkens with the Stone Mantle.
He looks down. He raises his hands.
One punch into the commander's stomach — enormous force.
The commander feels it. But his spines drive into the old man's shoulder.
The old man pulls the spines out one by one. Then throws a punch. Then another.
Page 8
"You see, old man… you cannot hurt me. My body is no longer an ordinary human body."
The old man steps back. He places his hand on his bleeding shoulder. He breathes.
From the other side, Thian throws a body that was on top of him to the side with one arm. He rises.
He sees the old man.
"Grandfatherrrrr—!"
He runs.
Page 9
He stands beside the old man. He looks at the commander.
"Who… what are you?"
The old man places his hand on Thian's shoulder — quietly.
"Go. Find Karki and Totoki and help them. I'll handle this."
Thian opens his mouth.
Page 10
"But—"
"No discussion."
The old man's tone leaves no room.
Thian looks at the commander one last time. Then he turns and runs toward the other side.
He gets farther. And farther still.
Page 11
The old man smiles slowly.
"Finally… my grandsons are out of the way."
He raises his hands. The Stone Mantle covers his entire body.
The commander looks at him.
"Even with your full strength… you won't affect me."
The old man doesn't answer. He just looks at him.
Page 12
"Are you certain?"
One moment.
The commander opens his mouth to respond.
His hand drops.
His face slowly fractures — like cracking glass.
He falls to the ground.
The old man stands behind him. Two swords in his hands. He slides them into their sheaths — slowly.
"Ugh… damn. My back is really hurting this time."
He grabs his back with one hand and stretches.
Page 13
Elsewhere in the battle.
Karki sits beside Totoki, who is lying on the ground. He shakes him with both hands.
"What is happening to you, Totoki? Tell me."
Totoki doesn't move.
Then—
He stops.
His eyes open slowly. He looks around.
Page 14
He stands in front of Karki.
He doesn't speak. He doesn't smile. He just looks. Left. Right.
Karki stands: "Totoki? What happened to you?"
He grabs his shoulder and shakes him.
A sudden punch drives into Karki's stomach.
Karki spits blood. He steps back twice. He looks at Totoki with eyes that cannot believe what they're seeing.
Mabu catches the scene from a distance. He stops.
Page 15
"Totoki… what are you doing?"
Totoki looks at his hands. As if they're not his hands.
Then he charges at Karki and punches his face.
Karki deflects with one arm. Totoki grabs him by his clothes and lifts him into the air.
"What's gotten into you? I'm Karki! Your friend!"
Totoki doesn't answer. His eyes are empty.
Page 16
Mabu rises and runs toward them.
A punch comes from the side — launches him several meters backward.
Bayki walks toward him with slow, certain steps.
"You have nowhere to go anymore."
On the other side, fire erupts from Totoki's hand. He directs it toward Karki — still lifted in the air — on the verge of burning him alive.
Then… Totoki stops. He staggers. He grabs his head.
He lets Karki go.
He collapses. The fire goes out.
Page 17
Bayki scratches his cheek with one finger, smiling:
"Over already? That was fast."
Mabu stands. He looks at Totoki — unconscious.
"Now… I can focus on you."
He turns toward Bayki.
A punch arrives from the left before he finishes the sentence. It launches him backward.
Bayki's hand grabs Mabu's face while he's still in the air. He turns his head toward the ground.
He runs. Mabu's head drags across the ground.
Page 18
Bayki lifts Mabu into the air by his face. He looks at him.
"You're not as strong as I expected."
He lets go. Mabu hits the ground.
Mabu pushes himself upright. He staggers.
Inside his head — a flashback.
The old man holds Mabu's hands and adjusts their position slowly.
Page 19
The old man's voice:
"Today's lesson:"
"Strength is not everything. Attack me together — both of you — with everything you have. I won't move from this spot. If you land a single punch on me, you win."
Mabu charges. A full-power punch.
The world flips. He's upside down.
Thian throws a punch. Same result.
Several attempts. No progress. Mabu starts to lose hope.
Mabu: "How do you do that, Grandfather?"
The old man: "First — stand in this position. Let the current move from your foot to your fist."
Page 20
Mabu comes back from the flashback.
He looks at his feet. He looks at his hands.
He widens his stance. He raises his hands. The exact same position as the old man.
He closes his eyes for a moment. He feels something flowing from the ground into his legs. Then his chest. Then his arms.
He opens his eyes.
Bayki turns toward him. He sees the stance. He stops.
Page 21
Bayki tilts his head.
A long moment between them. Cold air moves through the fallen.
Bayki smiles:
"After all that punishment — you're standing again."
He takes one step forward.
Mabu doesn't answer. He just watches.
Bayki laughs — low, quiet.
"Doesn't matter."
He launches.
Page 22
Bayki's punch arrives.
Bayki hits the ground.
He rises. He looks at his hand. Then at Mabu standing in the same place.
"How?"
He throws another — faster.
Mabu deflects it. He answers with a punch.
Bayki smiles and responds. Mabu staggers — but plants his feet.
Page 23
They trade strikes.
Punch. Return. Punch. Return.
Mabu staggers after every hit. His wounds bleed more. His breath comes in pieces.
He drops to one knee.
Bayki stands in front of him. Breathing fast — but still upright.
"So you are strong after all."
Mabu shields his face with his arms. A punch lands. Then another.
He stays on his knee. He doesn't go all the way down.
Page 24
Then — a slow punch arrives from the right.
It tears through Bayki's face with force.
Silence.
Thian stands beside Mabu. He pats his hair with his other hand.
"You didn't die."
Mabu raises his blood-covered face. He doesn't speak.
Thian looks at Bayki.
"As for me… I died once. And I will not let you die again."
Bayki rises slowly. He looks at him.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I am… the King of Death."
Continued in Chapter Twenty