(Three days later, Underground.)
"Ay, AY, AY, AY!!" The roar of the crowd was deafening.
Thousands of voices, overlapping, screaming hungry for violence.
Lights flickered above a steel cage ring, rust clung to the metal bars, The floor inside was stained, dark patches layered over each other.
In the middle of people.
Hyunjin stood, near the edge of the ring.
His hands rested in his pockets, but his posture was different now, Before it was like an old man, now he looks straightened.
Inside the cage.
Two fighters, already covered in blood.
Their breathing was uneven yet neither of them backed down.
"AYYY!! FINISH HIM!!"
"BREAK HIS JAW!!"
"KILL HIM!!" The crowd screamed louder, pressing closer against the cage.
One of the fighters lunged forward punches.
BAM!!
The impact echoed.
The other man's head snapped to the side violently, spit and blood spraying from his mouth as his body staggered.
But he didn't fall, his legs shook, then he stepped forward again.
Hyunjin's eyes narrowed slightly, They're exhausted.. They're still forcing their bodies to move..
Another punch flew.
CRACK!!
This time, It landed clean, right across the jaw.
The man's knees buckled, but he grabbed onto his opponent's shirt, dragging him down with him.
Both of them collapsed, rolling across the stained floor, fists still swinging weakly, slamming into flesh with whatever strength they had left.
Their faces, unrecognizable now.
Swollen, split, eyes barely open.
Blood mixing with sweat, dripping down onto the ground beneath them.
And still, they kept going.
"No rules huh.." he muttered.
Another heavy hit landed.
The crowd erupted "FINISH HIM!!"
"DON'T STOP!!"
"END HIM!!"
One fighter finally gained the upper position, straddling the other his arm rose.
Then fell.
BAM!!
Again.
BAM!!
Again.
BAM!!
Each hit slower than the last.
The man beneath him stopped moving, but the punches didn't stop immediately.
It took a few more seconds.
A few more hits, before the one on top finally froze.
Breathing hard.
Then, he collapsed to the side.
The crowd was still screaming.
Hyunjin's gaze lingered on the cage, his fingers curled slightly inside his pockets.
"Good." A faint smile began to form on his face.
"This is exactly what I need."
Because here was only one way to grow stronger faster.
The cage door slammed shut again.
The noise didn't die down.
Inside the ring, both fighters staggered back to their feet again.
They charged again.
Fist met flesh.
Elbows crashed into ribs.
Foreheads nearly collided as they fought at point-blank range.
Toe to toe.
BAM!!
A right hook snapped across one man's face.
Blood sprayed.
THUD!!
A knee drove into a stomach.
"AYYYY!!"
"DON'T BACK DOWN!!"
"FINISH IT!!"
They were no longer fighting clean.
No technique, just brutality.
Blond hair, now soaked with sweat and blood.
Swung again, and again, and again
Until finally, the other man dropped.
The blond fighter stood there, swaying, his chest heaved violently, one eye nearly shut, his arm trembling from overuse.
He had won.
The cage door open.
A man in a flashy suit stepped in, microphone already in hand.
The commentator, his voice exploded through the speakers "WHAT A FIGHT!! WHAT A SHOW!!"
The crowd roared back instantly.
"And now!" He raised his arm dramatically, pointing toward the center.
"FOR THE NEXT MATCH!"
"WHO WILL STEP FORWARD AND CHALLENGE.." His voice dropped, heavier now.
"THE WINNER OF LAST SEASON'S CHAMPION!"
A spotlight shifted, landing on the entrance "GEON!!"
The crowd erupted louder than before.
"And let me make this CLEAR!" the commentator shouted, grinning wildly.
"ANYONE WHO DEFEATS HIM.."
He raised five fingers high "WILL WALK AWAY WITH FIFTY MILLION WON!!"
A ripple went through the entire underground.
And near the cage, Hyunjin smiled "Fifty million." His eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
The moment his foot crossed into the light, the commentator turned "OH?!"
His grin widened "WE HAVE A CHALLENGER!!"
Spotlights shifted, landing directly on Hyunjin.
And for a second, there was silence.
"Huh?"
"Is that kid serious?"
"He's gonna die."
"Look at him he's built like a stick." Voices overlapped.
Mocking.
Hyunjin stood there, unbothered.
Thin frame.
A face that didn't look like it belonged in this place.
Five minutes later
The cage door closed again.
And across from him, stood Geon.
Massive, at least 6'4.
A body built like it was carved out of thick muscle, veins visible even under dim light.
His presence alone felt heavy, oppressive.
He looked down at Hyunjin, literally.
Hyunjin exhaled slowly.
Three days..
Flashes of training crossed his mind.
Push-ups, failing after three.
Arms shaking, body collapsing.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Until twenty now.
But it was enough?
"Not even close." His eyes lifted, locked onto Geon.
Less than 5%, that was his chance.
He knew it.
But still, he stepped in.
Money, experience and mostly growth.
The bell rang.
Geon moved first.
Hyunjin's eyes widened "What the-?"
A fist was already in front of him.
BOOM!!
Impact.
His vision exploded white, his body lifted off the ground, like a paper.
CRASH!!
He hit the cage hard, sliding down.
Blood poured instantly from his nose and mouth.
His vision blurred.
"So this is.." His thoughts staggered "getting hit by him."
"This is death."
Geon didn't stop he walked forward.
Then attacked again.
Punch.
Kick.
Elbow.
Each hit landed clean.
Hyunjin couldn't keep up.
Couldn't react.
Couldn't defend.
His body jerked with every impact.
Thrown.
Dragged.
Smashed into the cage again and again.
The crowd roared louder "HE'S GETTING DESTROYED!!"
"END IT!!"
"THIS IS BORING, KILL HIM ALREADY!!"
Minutes passed or maybe seconds.
It didn't matter.
Hyunjin collapsed, face down, not moving.
Blood spread beneath him slowly.
The fight was one-sided, completely.
The commentator sighed, stepping toward the cage "AND THAT'S IT, FOLKS-!"
He stopped, everyone did.
Because, hyunjin moved.
He pushed himself up.
The entire arena fell into stunned silence.
He stood, his body swayed.
His face covered in blood.
Eyes half-open, breathing rough.
And yet, his fists rose.
A stance..
The crowd froze.
Geon's eyes narrowed "Tch."
He cracked his neck "I don't like guys like you."
"Too weak." A step forward "Knowing you'll lose.."
Another step "And still getting up."
Hyunjin didn't respond he just stood there.
Geon exhaled once, then he rushed forward.
Fast and explosive.
His knee rose, already aiming for Hyunjin's face.
(Hyunjin Pov)
"I'm weak" the thought came
I've always been weak.
Time slowed.
Geon's knee cut through the air toward his face, fast amd crushing.
But his mind went somewhere else
Two lives..
Pathetic.
Useless.
Trash.
Beaten.
Ignored.
Alone.
Lookism, a world he thought would be different.
A second chance, I was happy.. at first.
But reality didn't change
Still weak and nothing.
His eyes locked onto the knee inches from his face.
I can't give up.
His fingers twitched.
I won't, his body screamed.
His ribs burned, his vision blurred
Move.
Please.. Don't betray me now.
(3rd pov)
Hyunjin moved.
The knee, Missed.
It sliced past his face by inches.
Silence.
The entire arena froze.
The crowd, commentator, even Geon for a fraction of a second
Hyunjin..
He didn't stop his body twisted.
His leg rose
And..
BOOM!!
His kick slammed into Geon's face.
The impact echoed through the cage.
Geon's massive body lifted, then flew.
CRASH!!
He smashed into the steel bars, the entire cage rattling from the force.
Silence, absolutely.
Thousands of people, speechless.
"What?"
"Did that just?"
"No way.."
Hyunjin stood in the center of the ring, breathing heavy, standing straight.
He looked down at his hands "I feel.." His fingers clenched "Strong."
His brows furrowed, confusion "Stronger than before."
"What.. happened to me?"
Across the cage, Geon moved.
A low growl escaped him as he pushed himself up.
Blood dripped from his face now.
His expression, no longer bored.
Angry now.
He stepped forward then, exploded.
He rushed in again, faster than before.
More violent, his fist shot toward Hyunjin's face.
But, hyunjin moved.
A slight tilt dodge, the punch missed.
Geon's eyes widened "What?"
Too late.
Hyunjin stepped in.
His knee drove upward.
THUD!!
Straight into Geon's stomach.
The air left Geon's body instantly.
His eyes shot wide.
But before he could react, hyunjin grabbed him.
Pulled him in and..
CRACK!!
His elbow smashed into Geon's face.
Blood sprayed into the air.
And for the first time, Geon staggered.