Chapter 11: The Greatest Match in History

Chapter 11

Enuko disease is a new sexually transmitted disease caused by the Enuko plant, which grows in the dirtiest areas of dungeons. The moment it’s consumed, the plant brings a tremendous surge in virility, but at the same time, it carries a high probability of causing serious symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease. It’s considered the STD with the highest mortality rate since the ‘Great Change,’ far surpassing the likes of AIDS.

“Do you remember the prostitute I set up for Junkyung two weeks ago? She had Enuko disease.”

“Ah…”

“It was a bit of a hassle to find someone with the right conditions. Anyway, given his symptoms, it’s definitely Enuko disease.”

Daejoon finally remembered something after hearing Representative Jo’s words.

“Ah! So that’s why you’ve been calling Kim Jinsung for blood tests every day recently…!”

“Yes. I don’t think it’s contagious from sharing a room, but just in case. I can’t have him getting infected, not him.”

Representative Jo was serious. He didn’t care if the other kids got infected or not.

After all, with the existence of the incinerator, all sorts of diseases were circulating in that waiting room. If someone falls to a disease like that, they don’t deserve to be a superstar in this business!

This was Representative Jo’s usual philosophy, considering the boys in that place as nothing more than expendable goods. Of course, Kim Jinsung was the exception.

“Anyway, Junkyung’s symptoms will worsen day by day. By the time of his last match on the 29th, he’ll probably have trouble even standing in the ring.”

“Then on the 29th, you’ll match him with a card that will ensure a finish.”

“Exactly. Take a look at this.”

Representative Jo turned on his smartphone screen and handed it to Daejoon. It showed the lineup for the PPV event scheduled for two weeks later.

Daejoon’s eyes widened.

“You’re really using the most reliable card.”

“Announce it just like that.”

“Now, brother? Isn’t it a bit early?”

“What are you talking about?”

Representative Jo raised his voice.

“It’s the biggest box office match in the history of Fight Club, we need to promote it well in advance!!”

Bang!

***

“Hey! Brother! Brotherrr!!”

The door to the incinerator room burst open, and Park Seongtae ran in. Kim Jinsung, who was inside, looked surprised. Why would he come into the incinerator room?

“What’s going on?”

“The lineup’s out! Come out and see!”

Kim Jinsung was almost dragged out of the incinerator room by Park Seongtae. As soon as they entered the waiting room, they could see the lineup on the large TV screen.

“…!!”

Kim Jinsung’s eyes widened. His gaze fixed on the bottom line of the lineup.

[Main Event: Go Junkyung vs Kim Jinsung]

“Against Junkyung? But that’s different from what we agreed on?”

As he thought this to himself,

Crash! The bathroom door swung open violently.

Go Junkyung, having heard the news from a colleague, had leaped up from the toilet. Seeing the TV screen, he widened his eyes, and after a moment of realization, he exploded with rage.

“Representative Jo, you son of a bitchhh!!”

Go Junkyung’s shout, the first time he had raised his voice in two weeks due to illness, echoed thunderously throughout the waiting room.

A few hours later, at 6 PM, just before leaving work, Daejoon entered the representative’s office for the last report of the day. Representative Jo was just about to hang up the phone.

“Ah, yes. Yes. Then I’ll see you on the 29th. Yes, yes! Come in!”

As if speaking to someone in front of him, Representative Jo politely ended the call and tossed his smartphone down, looking at Daejoon.

Daejoon began his report.

“As you instructed, I’ve released the lineup everywhere, brother. The ads are out, and I’ve texted the VIPs.”

“Even so, my phone’s blowing up right now.”

The recent call was from a VIP client. Most were saying they would come to the arena on the day of the match.

“The reaction must be explosive, right?”

“It’s unprecedented. The speed at which the betting money is accumulating is already unusual, brother.”

“How did the kids in the waiting room react?”

“Go Junkyung is very angry. When I checked the CCTV, he was shouting for you to come out, throwing things around in a frenzy.”

“Tsk tsk… He shouldn’t be in a condition to make such a fuss, should he?”

“Indeed, about 10 minutes later, he was exhausted and went straight back to his room.”

“Kukukuk.”

Even the great Go Junkyung is helpless against Enuko disease. If he had been in his usual condition, he would have smashed through the waiting room’s iron door to storm into the office.

“And Jinsung?”

“He just quietly went back into the incinerator room. His behavior afterwards was the same as usual.”

“As expected.”

Kim Jinsung, who has an introverted personality, was predicted not to express himself outwardly even in such a situation.

This makes it easier after the two of them to fight. Go Junkyung is likely to die, and Kim Jinsung can be easily persuaded again with sweet words after the match is over.

“On your way out, buy some stimulants for Junkyung to take on the 29th.”

“Stimulants?”

“Yes. Even so, it’s a match that’s worth tens of billions in betting money, so we can’t just let one side be in a messed-up condition, can we?”

For a big match like this, we have to imprint on the audience that everything is perfectly prepared until the match starts.

After they get into the ring, well, there’s nothing we can do.

“If you don’t prepare properly, it’s not just a matter of getting scolded. Especially the VIPs. You know they have the means to easily hire hitmen, right?”

“I’ve heard about it, brother.”

“I don’t want to get stabbed in the back while walking down the street. So do as I say.”

“Understood… But, brother, then the chances of Junkyung winning the match will be…”

“On that day, Jinsung will take it too. Just in case, buy a few extra.”

“Ah, got it, brother.”

At that moment, the ringtone of the smartphone on the desk rang out. Representative Jo’s eyes widened as he checked the caller.

“Why is this person…?”

Muttering to himself, he gestured for Daejoon to leave the room.

Once alone, Representative Jo cleared his throat as much as possible and pressed the call button, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

“Ah, hello, President Baek! It’s been a long time! How have you been?”

– I’ve been well.

The voice answering was quite young.

– I just checked the text. There’s a match between Go Junkyung and Kim Jinsung.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s a match we’ve been preparing for a long time, and it’s definitely not going to be postponed.”

– I plan to attend the match in person.

Representative Jo’s eyes grew even wider.

“You’re coming in person…?”

—

– Yes. Is there no seat available?

“No, no! Of course, there’s a seat! I just never expected you to come in person…”

Until now, President Baek had only occasionally sent representatives and had never visited the Fight Club in person.

There were various reasons, but the main one was that President Baek was a big name in the Hunter community, and his presence in such an underground venue would be controversial.

-I want to see the match between Go Junkyung and Kim Jinsung with my own eyes.

“Ah, I see! Understood. I’ll make sure to arrange a good seat for you.”

President Baek was the most important among the many VIPs of the Fight Club. In other words, he was someone for whom a seat must be made available, even if it didn’t exist.

This was not only because of his position in the Hunter community but also because he was the person who invested most of the initial funds when the Fight Club was established.

***

In a spacious and clean single-person office.

“Then I’ll see you on the 29th.”

The young man in his early thirties finished speaking, pressed the end call button, and carefully placed his phone on the desk.

With a strong facial line, he immediately grabbed the mouse and clicked.

On the monitor, scenes from Kim Jinsung’s past matches began to play.

[Kang Kyungmo down! Kang Kyungmo down!]

[Didn’t that punch just break through the guard?!]

President Baek paused the scene where Kang Kyung-mo was knocked down, then rewound it.

He went back to the scene where Kim Jinsung was swinging his fist, played it at the slowest speed, and zoomed in.

President Baek watched intently as the fist broke Kang Kyungmo’s arm and headed towards his jaw.

After watching it several times, he came to a conclusion.

‘Indeed, he didn’t use mana.’

Normally, to have this level of destructive power at this age, one would have to possess at least an S-class combat-related trait.

To use that trait, one naturally has to use mana.

But…

‘There’s no change in his eyes.’

When mana is used, even if very slightly, the pupil’s color changes to the unique mana color of the individual.

This was a secret that only someone of President Baek’s supreme level could know.

‘I checked other matches, and it was the same.’

Then there’s only one conclusion.

‘This boy just has a high level of personal ability.’

President Baek unknowingly smiled at the corner of his mouth.

It felt like discovering a mana stone of a Kraken buried in a vast mudflat.

Such an incredible talent was trapped in a place like this!

‘I’m already looking forward to seeing what he’ll show against Go Junkyung.’

President Baek checked the calendar without realizing it.

He didn’t understand why the match date, still two weeks away, felt so long.

However, unlike President Baek, for the boys who had to actually fight in the match, two weeks felt far too short.

“Wow, the match is already tomorrow?”

In the center of the waiting room, Park Seongtae was sweating through his workout when he suddenly glanced at the calendar and clicked his tongue. He, too, had a co-main event match scheduled on the same date as Kim Jinsung.

“This won’t do. Let’s spar one more time. Hey! Twins!”

“Huff, huff… What?”

“Again? Hey, we just finished sparring 5 minutes ago~!”

The Lee Yoon-sung and Lee Yoon-hwan brothers, who had joined the crew two weeks ago, complained with an exhausted expression. Park Seongtae urged the already sweat-drenched twins.

“5 minutes is plenty of rest! Hurry up! Practice is the only way to survive tomorrow’s match! Do you want to end up as a handful of ash in that incinerator after tomorrow?”

“Damn it…”

“Alright….”

The twins reluctantly approached Park Seongtae again and took up their fighting stances. Park Seongtae then began to spar with them one after the other.

As soon as the 5-minute sparring session ended,

“Huff, huff, huff…!”

“Huff, huff, huff…!”

The twins lay sprawled out, gasping for breath as if they were about to die. In contrast, Park Seongtae, who was still standing on his two legs, seemed to have energy to spare.

“Good job! Now go wash up and rest! Anyone else want to spar with me one more round?”

“Man, don’t you ever get tired?”

“He’s got stamina on par with Kim Jinsung…”

Shaking their heads at the energetic Park Seongtae, the twins struggled to their feet and walked towards the bathroom to wash up.

However, as soon as they entered the bathroom, their demeanor changed. It was as if their previous exhaustion was all an act, and they were suddenly back to normal.

“No one’s watching, right?”

“Seems like it.”

Soon, Lee Yoon-sung knocked on the closed bathroom door. The voice that answered was Go Junkyung’s.

“Who is it?”

“Got something to say.”

A moment later, the door opened, revealing a pale-faced Go Junkyung. His expression turned grim the moment he saw the twins.

Weren’t these the same twins who had joined under Kim Jinsung two weeks ago? Normally, they wouldn’t even dare to look at him, and now they had the audacity to speak to him directly, relying on Kim Jinsung’s backing?

“You lackeys dare to be so insolent!”

“Don’t you want to kill Kim Jinsung?”

“What?”

Go Junkyung looked as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Lee Yoon-sung spoke in a quiet voice.

“We’re mercenaries brought in to kill Kim Jinsung.”

Go Junkyung’s eyes widened as Lee Yoon-sung continued.

“Tonight, we’re going to attack Kim Jinsung. Join us.”