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"He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty."
- Lao Tzu
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The atmosphere inside the underground circus was heavy with bloodlust and anticipation. The dim lighting barely illuminated the large, decrepit basement, where a bloodstained arena stood at its center. Above, masked spectators filled the seats, their excitement palpable as they awaited the next fight. These were not regular citizens; they were the hidden elite who thrived on violence, enjoying the spectacle of death and destruction that occurred regularly in this forsaken place.
Down in the pit, fighters struggled for survival, their naked bodies marred by cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Among them stood Jinho Park, his cold, emotionless eyes scanning the blood-drenched floor.
In the observation room above, Eugene Park watched Jinho intently. His thin-framed glasses reflected the flickering lights from the arena below. Mandeok, Eugene's loyal muscle, stood next to him, impassive as always, while Eugene's brother sat quietly beside them, his presence barely noticeable. Behind them, leaning lazily against the wall, stood Goo Kim, dressed in his signature black jacket, a cocky smirk plastered on his face as he toyed with his sword.
"He's stabilized," Eugene said without taking his eyes off Jinho. "Jinho's no longer just fodder. He's ready for whatever you have in store for him. His body has hardened, and his mind has sharpened. He's become useful."
Goo pushed himself off the wall and adjusted his sunglasses, twirling his sword absentmindedly. "Ready, huh? Useful, huh? I guess we'll see just how useful he is." His tone was playful, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes as he strolled toward the door. "Might as well give the kid a test. Let's see if he's worthy of being in my plans."
Mandeok and Eugene exchanged glances, both aware that Goo wasn't one to hold back. Whatever happened next would be a spectacle.
Goo descended into the pit, his boots echoing against the cold stone floor. As he approached, the fighters in the ring cowered back, clearing a path for him. His reputation preceded him, and no one wanted to be in his way when he was in the mood to play.
Sinu who stood at the far end of the arena looked at Goo, narrowing his eyes, with his vague memory, Goo seemed familiar.
Jinho's eyes locked onto Goo the moment he stepped into the ring. His face betrayed no emotion, only a cold, calculating stare. In his right hand, he held a jagged piece of metal, the blood of his previous opponents still fresh on its surface.
Goo walked up slowly, twirling his sword in his hand, his grin never fading. "You've grown a bit, huh?" he said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Let's see if you've learned anything useful."
Without a word, Jinho lunged at Goo with surprising speed, slashing the jagged metal toward Goo's throat. His movements were fluid, precise, and lethal. But Goo, ever the carefree fighter, effortlessly sidestepped, his body moving with the grace of someone who wasn't taking this seriously.
"Woah, woah! Easy there, tiger," Goo laughed, dodging another swipe aimed at his face. "You're gonna have to try harder than that."
Jinho's eyes narrowed, his grip on the metal tightening. He quickly adjusted his stance, feinting high before aiming low at Goo's legs, trying to catch him off balance. But Goo danced out of range, spinning his sword playfully in one hand.
"Not bad, not bad," Goo taunted, sidestepping another slash. "You've got the moves, but where's the killer instinct? Where's the *rage*, kid?"
Jinho didn't answer. His expression remained cold and unreadable as he launched another flurry of attacks.
Jinho's movements were fast, calculated, but Goo dodged each strike with ease, laughing under his breath. The crowd watched with bated breath, eyes widening at the speed of the exchange. Every time Jinho swung, Goo seemed to be just a hair out of reach, his body flowing like water around the attacks.
"Is this a warm-up? 'Cause I'm not even feeling it," Goo teased, sidestepping a vicious swipe aimed at his throat.
Jinho's expression remained unchanged, his eyes narrowing in focus. He shifted tactics, feinting a high attack before swiftly dipping low, aiming a quick slash toward Goo's legs. But Goo simply hopped over the strike, still grinning like this was all just a game.
"Cute move," Goo said, flashing a toothy grin as he knocked the weapon from Jinho's hand with a quick flick of his sword scabbard.
But Jinho didn't hesitate. The moment he was disarmed, he closed the gap between them, throwing a vicious elbow toward Goo's head. The blow landed squarely, knocking Goo back a few steps.
Goo rubbed the side of his head, blinking in mild surprise. "Oh? Finally decided to play for real, huh?"
Jinho pressed forward, launching a series of brutal punches, knees, and kicks that caught Goo off guard. Despite his casual demeanor, Goo was forced to backpedal, his smirk faltering slightly as Jinho's close-combat experience began to show.
BAM!
Jinho's knee drove into Goo's gut, followed by a sharp elbow to the side of his face. Goo's body jerked from the impact, his grin now bloody as he stumbled. Jinho didn't let up, grabbing Goo by the collar and hurling him across the arena. Goo slammed into the ground with a grunt, but before he could even push himself up, Jinho was on him again.
With ruthless precision, Jinho delivered a brutal stomp to Goo's chest, followed by a flurry of punches to his head. The sound of knuckles meeting flesh echoed through the underground arena as Jinho pummeled Goo relentlessly, his blows landing with sickening force. Blood began to drip down Goo's forehead, his sunglasses knocked away as he let out a low chuckle.
"Oh man, you're really working me over, huh?" Goo laughed, his voice strained as Jinho grabbed him by the shirt and tossed him once more across the bloodied floor.
Jinho didn't stop. He rushed at Goo with cold precision, his attacks unrelenting. A vicious kick to the ribs, followed by a quick uppercut to the jaw sent Goo reeling. His body slammed into the wall of the arena, blood now streaming from his nose and the corner of his mouth.
But even as the blood dripped down his face, Goo continued to joke. "I gotta say, kid, you've got a hell of a right hook. Maybe I should teach you how to throw a proper punch?"
Jinho's response was another brutal punch to Goo's face, sending him spinning. Without missing a beat, Jinho grabbed a nearby piece of broken metal from the ground and slashed it toward Goo's shoulder.
CLANG!
Goo barely managed to deflect the blow with his scabbard, but the force of it sent him stumbling back again. His head whipped to the side as Jinho followed up with a knee to the chest, knocking the wind out of him.
For the first time, Goo looked genuinely surprised. Jinho wasn't just a skilled fighter, he was ruthless. His attacks were relentless, his movements precise, and his dirty tactics kept Goo on the defensive. At one point, Jinho even kicked up dirt into Goo's eyes, blinding him momentarily before delivering a powerful kick to his ribs that sent Goo crashing to the ground again.
"Okay, okay, maybe I underestimated you a little," Goo muttered, spitting blood onto the ground. He wiped at the blood dripping from his head, his grin faltering as he stood up, more blood trickling from a cut above his eye. "But playtime's over."
Jinho charged again, aiming a spinning kick at Goo's head, but this time, Goo was ready. With a swift motion, Goo blocked the kick with his scabbard, the sound of metal meeting bone echoing through the arena. He twisted his body and swung the scabbard in a wide arc, aiming for Jinho's midsection.
BAM!
The blow connected, sending Jinho flying across the arena, crashing into the blood-soaked ground with a heavy thud.
Goo adjusted his sunglasses, grinning wickedly as he twirled his scabbard. "You had me bleeding, kid, but now you're in my playground."
Jinho pushed himself up, his body aching slightly from the hit. But with his glowing eyes showing his mastery, he didn't take much damage, he wiped the blood from his mouth and charged at Goo once again. This time, however, Goo was no longer playing around.
With lightning-fast precision, Goo blocked Jinho's punches and kicks with his scabbard, his movements suddenly sharper, more deliberate. Every time Jinho tried to land a hit, Goo deflected it with ease, using his scabbard to push Jinho back.
Jinho's attacks became more aggressive as he tried to close the gap, but Goo countered every move with brutal efficiency. With a quick twist, Goo disarmed Jinho again, sending the broken piece of metal clattering to the ground.
Before Jinho could react, Goo delivered a swift blow to his ribs with the scabbard, followed by a brutal strike to his knee that sent him crashing to the ground.
"You gave me a good fight, but you're still too green," Goo said, standing over Jinho with a grin. "But don't worry, kid, you'll learn."
With one final, devastating swing, Goo brought the scabbard down on Jinho's head, knocking him out cold. Jinho's body crumpled to the ground, blood dripping from the cut on his temple.
Goo wiped the blood from his own face, adjusting his sunglasses as he looked down at Jinho's unconscious form.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Goo stood over Jinho's unconscious form, blood dripping from his own forehead. He wiped the blood away with a grin, looking down at the young fighter who had pushed him harder than he had expected.
Crouching beside Jinho, Goo tapped him lightly on the cheek, chuckling to himself. "You've got guts, kid. I like that."
Standing up, Goo slung Jinho's limp body over his shoulder. He glanced up at Eugene and Mandeok, a wild grin still plastered on his face.
"I think I have a disciple~," he said, his voice dripping with amusement as he walked out of the arena, leaving the blood-soaked pit behind.
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End of the chapter
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