From the rooftop, Yun Jo stood motionless, his sharp gaze fixed on the shifting figures below. The city stretched endlessly around him, an intricate maze of flickering neon lights, darkened alleyways, and restless movement. But Yun Jo wasn't admiring the view. His eyes were locked on the streets as North Gangbuk's forces mobilized. He could see everything clearly: Daniel and Uijin at the front, leading a team of seasoned fighters with their usual air of confidence. Their steps were firm, their movements precise, as if they were marching into certain victory. But Yun Jo knew better. They weren't marching toward triumph—they were walking straight into his web.
Among the group, the Red Fang Boys trailed behind, their unease visible in their hesitant movements. Unlike Daniel and Uijin, who carried themselves with the conviction of seasoned warriors, the Red Fang Boys looked like men walking to their own funerals. Their fear wasn't just of failure; it was of Yun Jo himself. They knew what awaited them if they betrayed him or botched their task. Yun Jo's grip on them was as tight as a noose, and the slightest misstep would see it tighten further.
The faint, familiar chime of the system echoed in Yun Jo's mind, cutting through the quiet night like the toll of a distant bell.
[Side Quest Triggered: Exploit the Chaos]
[Objective: Recruit Ma Jeongdu and disrupt Sechan'.]
[Reward: ???]
Yun Jo's lips curled into a smirk, the faint glow of his cigarette illuminating his sharp features. The system's notifications were always useful, but he didn't need it to tell him what to do. The plan had already been set. The pieces were in motion. Sechan's forces were chasing ghosts, wasting valuable manpower and time on a fabricated threat. And while they scrambled in confusion, Yun Jo would strike from the shadows, dismantling their foundation piece by piece.
"The pieces are falling into place," he murmured, his voice low and laced with satisfaction. He took one last drag from his cigarette before flicking it into the night, the ember extinguishing mid-air. With a deliberate motion, he crushed the cigarette butt beneath his heel, the faint hiss of ash and ember the only sound that followed. Then, without a word, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, the faint echo of his footsteps swallowed by the night.
---
The outskirts of Gangbuk were a different world entirely. Unlike the bustling inner streets, these parts were darker, quieter, the air thick with the scent of decay and desperation. Here, broken streetlights cast jagged shadows across crumbling walls, and the only sounds were the distant hum of old machinery and the occasional scurry of rats. It was here, in a narrow, desolate alley, that Ma Jeongdu found himself surrounded.
At 6'6", Ma Jeongdu was an imposing figure. His immense frame towered over the average man, his broad shoulders hinting at untapped strength. But despite his size, there was nothing intimidating about him. He stood hunched over, his posture awkward and submissive, his eyes darting nervously between the men who encircled him. His breathing was shallow, his hands trembling slightly at his sides.
"You're a waste of space, Jeongdu," sneered Hyeok Jeo-bae, the leader of the group. His voice was sharp, dripping with contempt. Hyeok stood a full foot shorter than Ma Jeongdu, but his confidence made him seem larger. He was lean but muscular, his movements quick and precise, like a predator toying with its prey. His lackeys, a group of five men, stood behind him, their laughter echoing off the alley walls.
"All that size," Hyeok continued, taking a step closer to Ma Jeongdu, "and you're still nothing but a coward."
Ma Jeongdu stammered, his lips moving but no words coming out. He tried to protest, to defend himself, but his voice failed him. The laughter grew louder, cruel and mocking, as Hyeok and his lackeys fed off his fear. They circled him like vultures, their confidence growing with each passing second.
"Pathetic," Hyeok spat, his lip curling in disgust. "You're not even worth my time."
"Interesting."
The voice came from behind them, calm, cold, and commanding. It wasn't raised, but it cut through the mocking laughter like a knife, silencing the group instantly. Hyeok froze mid-laugh, his head turning sharply toward the source of the voice. His eyes narrowed as he spotted the figure stepping out of the shadows.
Yun Jo emerged slowly, his movements deliberate, his presence suffocating. The dim light of a flickering streetlamp cast an eerie glow over his face, highlighting his sharp features and the cold glint in his eyes. His hands were in his pockets, his posture relaxed, but there was an unmistakable edge to him—a controlled, calculated danger that made the air feel heavier.
The system chimed softly in Yun Jo's mind.
[Hyeok Jeo-bae's Stats Revealed:]
- Strength: A
- Speed: B+
- Endurance: A+
- Potential: C
- Intelligence: D
Yun Jo's eyes flicked over the stats, absorbing the information in an instant. Hyeok was strong, fast, and durable, but his potential was limited, and his intelligence was laughable. A brute, nothing more. Yun Jo's smirk returned.
Hyeok grinned, his confidence returning as he sized up Yun Jo. "You've got guts," he said, cracking his knuckles. The sound echoed in the narrow alley. "But guts won't save you."
"Guts aren't what you should be worried about," Yun Jo replied coolly, his voice as calm as ever. "It's intelligence. And you're sorely lacking in that department."
The smirk on Hyeok's face twisted into a snarl. He didn't like the way Yun Jo spoke to him, like he was a predator staring down prey. "You think you're clever?" he growled, stepping forward. "Let's see how clever you are when I break every bone in your body."
Yun Jo didn't move. He stood perfectly still, his hands still in his pockets, his expression unreadable. "I've already won," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion. "You just don't know it yet."
Hyeok's patience snapped. With a roar, he lunged forward, his fist swinging in a wide arc, aiming for Yun Jo's head. But Yun Jo didn't flinch. He moved with the precision of a shadow, sidestepping the attack effortlessly, his movements so smooth that it looked almost lazy.
"Sloppy," Yun Jo remarked, his tone mocking. "Is this really the best you can do?"
The fight began with chaos, but Yun Jo thrived in chaos.
Hyeok Jeo-bae, leader of his crew, charged forward like a bull, his massive fists swinging wildly, his roar echoing through the narrow alley. His sheer size and raw strength would have terrified most people. But to Yun Jo, he was nothing. A brute with no intelligence, no skill. Just an obstacle to be broken—and a stepping stone to sharpen himself.
Yun Jo stood perfectly still, hands in his pockets, his sharp eyes locked onto Hyeok. He wasn't here to simply fight. He was here to grind, to push his Mixed Martial Arts Card skill beyond its limits and break through the barriers of his own abilities.
The system chimed softly in his mind.
[Side Quest Triggered: Break Hyeok Jeo-bae and His Crew]
[Reward: Card (???)]
Yun Jo smirked faintly. "Perfect," he said quietly. His hands slipped out of his pockets as he shifted into a loose, balanced stance.
Hyeok's punch came fast and heavy, a wild swing that could have caved in a wall. But Yun Jo didn't move. He waited until the last second, watching the muscles in Hyeok's shoulder tighten, the trajectory of the punch becoming clear. Then, like a shadow, he stepped just out of range. The punch missed by inches, the force of it cracking the brick wall behind Yun Jo.
"You're strong," Yun Jo remarked, his voice calm and mocking. "But strength without skill is meaningless."
Hyeok snarled and swung again, this time with more desperation. Yun Jo stepped inside the attack, closing the distance between them. His body shifted fluidly as he activated his MMA expertise.
[Card Activated : Counter-Strike(D)]
Yun Jo caught Hyeok's arm mid-swing, twisting it sharply. The force of Hyeok's own momentum sent the larger man stumbling forward. Before Hyeok could recover, Yun Jo drove his elbow into the side of Hyeok's head with brutal precision.
The impact left Hyeok dazed, but Yun Jo wasn't finished. He transitioned seamlessly into a Muay Thai clinch, grabbing the back of Hyeok's neck and pulling him forward.
[Muay Thai Clinch and Knee Strikes]
Yun Jo's knees shot upward like pistons, slamming into Hyeok's ribs and stomach. The first knee strike forced the air from Hyeok's lungs. The second cracked a rib. The third made him choke and stagger, his massive frame shaking under the relentless assault.
The system chimed softly.
[Mixed Martial Arts Progress: 12%. Current Grade: D+]
Yun Jo released Hyeok from the clinch, letting the larger man collapse to the ground. Hyeok groaned in pain, clutching his ribs, but Yun Jo stepped back, giving him room to stand.
"Get up," Yun Jo commanded, his voice cold and emotionless. "We're not finished yet."
---
Hyeok roared in frustration, forcing himself to his feet. His face was twisted with rage as he charged again, his movements slower but just as wild. Yun Jo smirked, stepping into the charge with calculated ease.
[Mixed Martial Arts : Boxing – Jab, Cross, Hook Combo]
Yun Jo's fists blurred as he delivered a rapid combo of strikes. The jab snapped Hyeok's head back. The cross broke his nose, sending blood spraying. The hook landed hard on Hyeok's jaw, spinning him around and leaving him stumbling.
The system chimed again.
[Mixed Martial Arts Progress: 25%. Current Grade: C-]
Hyeok staggered but didn't fall. Yun Jo grabbed him by the collar, pulling him upright. "Stay on your feet," Yun Jo said mockingly. "I need more practice."
---
Hyeok's lackeys, who had been watching in stunned silence, finally decided to intervene. They rushed forward, shouting threats and brandishing weapons—pipes, knives, and chains. But Yun Jo didn't flinch. If anything, his smirk widened.
"Finally," he muttered. "Some variety."
The first lackey lunged with a knife, aiming for Yun Jo's ribs. Yun Jo sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting it sharply.
[Mixed Martial Arts : Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Arm Lock]
Yun Jo locked the lackey's arm in place and twisted it further, dislocating the shoulder with a sickening pop. The lackey screamed in pain, dropping the knife, and Yun Jo shoved him to the ground.
The second lackey swung a pipe at Yun Jo's head. Yun Jo ducked beneath the attack and countered with a spinning kick to the man's ribs.
[Mixed Martial Arts : Spinning Kick]
The impact sent the lackey flying into the wall, where he crumpled to the ground, groaning.
The system chimed softly.
[Mixed Martial Arts Progress: 45%. Current Grade: C]
---
The fight dragged on, with Yun Jo deliberately prolonging the battle. He switched between techniques—Muay Thai, Boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu—using every opportunity to grind his skills upward. Each punch, kick, and submission hold was calculated, designed to push his MMA skill closer to the next grade.
Hyeok, still standing, tried to swing at Yun Jo one last time, but his movements were slow and clumsy. Yun Jo caught his arm mid-swing and activated another technique.
[Mixed Martial Arts : Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Rear Naked Choke]
Yun Jo slipped behind Hyeok, wrapping his arm around the larger man's neck and locking him into a chokehold. Hyeok thrashed and struggled, but Yun Jo tightened his grip, cutting off his air supply. After a few moments, Hyeok's body went limp.
The system chimed again.
[Mixed Martial Arts Progress: 85%. Current Grade: B-]
---
Finally, Yun Jo released Hyeok's unconscious body, letting it collapse to the ground. The alley was littered with broken bodies—Hyeok and his lackeys reduced to groaning, bloodied wrecks. Yun Jo stood in the center of the carnage, breathing evenly, his sharp eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
The system chimed one last time.
[Mixed Martial Arts Progress: 100%. Current Grade: B+]
Yun Jo smirked, wiping the blood from his hands. "Good," he muttered. "I'm finally starting to feel warmed up."
---
The alley was silent now, save for the groans of the defeated. Hyeok lay crumpled on the ground, his massive frame twitching slightly as he struggled for breath. His lackeys were scattered around him, broken and bloodied, their weapons abandoned. It was a complete massacre, but Yun Jo didn't look triumphant. He looked… calculating.
In the corner of the alley, Ma Jeongdu stood frozen, his massive frame trembling as he watched the carnage. For years, he had been mocked for his size, treated as a giant with no purpose. But watching Yun Jo dismantle Hyeok and his crew with such brutal efficiency… it stirred something within him.
"You," Yun Jo said, turning to Ma Jeongdu. His voice was calm but commanding. "Get up."
Ma Jeongdu hesitated. "Why me?"
"You're not weak," Yun Jo replied coldly. "You're untapped potential. And I can show you how to use it."
For the first time in his life, Ma Jeongdu felt hope. Slowly, he nodded. "I'll follow you."
Yun Jo smirked, lighting a cigarette as he turned away. "Good. Let's get started."
The system chimed softly in his mind.
[Side Quest Complete: Disrupt Sechan and Recruit Ma Jeong Du]
[Reward: Card (???)]
[Side Quest Complete: Break Hyeok Jeo-bae and His Crew]
[Reward : Card (???)]
The glowing card materialized in Yun Jo's hand, its surface shimmering faintly with an otherworldly light. He turned it over between his fingers, inspecting it with mild curiosity. The system provided no details about its contents—it simply labeled it as a ??? Card. Yun Jo smirked faintly and tucked the card into his pocket.
"Not bad," he muttered. "But this is only the Beginning "
"I said come here," Yun Jo interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Because you're useful," Yun Jo said simply. "You're not weak. You've just never had someone show you how to use your strength. But I can change that."
Ma Jeongdu blinked, his brow furrowing slightly. "You… you think I can be strong?"
"You already are," Yun Jo replied. "You just don't know it yet."
For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, Ma Jeongdu nodded. "I'll follow you."
Yun Jo smirked. "Good. If you're going to follow me, you'll need to learn how to fight. And the first thing you'll learn is this: strength means nothing without control."
"Well.. I never control my strength" He smirked and looked at Ma Jeongdu.