Chapter 6

Chapter 6. vs The Flawless Awakener

“Do you know what Kang Kyungmo’s nickname was before Go Junkyung came in? It was ‘The Perfect Champion’.”

-Oh~!

“Of course, now with Go Junkyung and others who fight even better, he’s stepped down from the championship, but he’s still undeniably one of the top five fighters here.”

However, Kang Kyungmo had another weakness.

After his championship match with Go Junkyung, due to injuries, he wasn’t able to perform as well as he used to.

Still, Kang Kyungmo remained one of the star athletes of the Fight Club and one of the fighters the other boys were afraid to face.

“Tell your master this. I’ve used the strongest card I could at my level, show him the videos from when he was champion to convince him, he’ll definitely be satisfied.”

-Thanks, buddy! I knew I could count on you to look out for me!

“Good to know. I’m hanging up now.”

Representative Jo ended the call and tossed the phone onto the table.

“Idiot. Really thinks I set up the match for him…”

“Sir, I’m not sure if this is balanced.”

Daejoon, sitting on the adjacent sofa, spoke up.

“Even if Kang Kyungmo isn’t what he used to be, he’s an Awakener specialized in combat.”

Normally, upon awakening, one randomly acquires at least one trait.

Among these, combat-related traits are considered the most valuable in reality.

“Isn’t he the one whose combat power differs the most between his everyday self and in the arena?”

Currently, Awakeners with combat-related traits numbered less than ten in the waiting room.

Typically, those with such traits are classified as promising hunters outside, so it’s natural there aren’t many here.

Kim Jinsung’s previous opponent, Lee Hyungjun, was specialized in fighting but had ordinary traits.

“Even though Kim Jinsung showed remarkable abilities against Lee Hyungjun, putting him against Kang Kyungmo is a bit…”

“Kim Jinsung is the same.”

“Huh?”

“He’s also an Awakener with combat traits.”

Representative Jo continued,

“Do you think it makes sense for someone with his slight build to have overwhelming punch power, speed, and grip strength against Lee Hyungjun?”

“Even after being pounded by Lee Hyungjun for nearly a minute, he didn’t have a single broken bone. Do you still think Kim Jinsung is just an ordinary guy?”

With Daejoon remaining silent, Representative Jo confidently asserted,

“That kid, Kim Jinsung, is definitely an Awakener with excellent traits, just like Kang Kyungmo. And if not him, who else should be in the championship line?”

“I’ll know after today’s match, but my gut is telling me. Kim Jinsung, that kid, is a big deal.”

At the same time, Representative Jo thought,

If Kim Jinsung wins this match too, the championship line that’s been stagnant for over a year might be shaken up once again.

***

“Starting now! The first match of Fight Club’s 121st official match day!”

“Woahhh!”

The next day, with the announcer’s shout, ‘FC 121 PPV’ began.

Even in the frequently held Fight Club, there are special and regular event match days.

Today was one of those days, an official PPV held only once or twice a month.

The most anticipated matches of the day were two.

The co-main event, Choi Hangil vs Park Seongtae match.

And the main event, Kang Kyungmo vs Kim Jinsung.

The show started right at 6 PM.

However, with so many matches, by the time the co-main event started, it was well past 10 PM.

Sitting at the end of the arena, Representative Jo checked his watch and then asked Daejoon,

“It’s the co-main event now, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s not too delayed. How’s the audience?”

“Just sold out. The betting money also just exceeded 50 million won.”

“Good!”

Representative Jo nodded in satisfaction.

Not only Kim Jinsung, but Park Seongtae, who had climbed to the top 20 through sheer perseverance, was also one of the most anticipated newcomers among the audience.

“It was worth promoting openly for two weeks. I hope he wins this time too.”

Park Seongtae’s opponent this time was Choi Hangil, ranked 13th.

Choi Hangil was considered a strong contender similar to Lee Hyungjun, but Representative Jo believed Park Seongtae could win based on his performance in the first match.

And Representative Jo’s judgment was accurate.

Thump! Thump!

“Ugh…!”

Choi Hangil, bloodied, staggered and wobbled after taking another solid hit.

Park Seongtae, though also covered in blood, charged with undiminished ferocity and determination in his eyes.

Whack!

Following Park Seongtae’s punch, Choi Hangil’s legs gave out, and he collapsed.

Park Seongtae mounted him and pounded with all his might.

After a relentless beating, the referee finally intervened.

Simultaneously, the announcer shouted,

“The winner of this match is! Park! Seong! Tae!”

“Woahhh!”

As the audience cheered, the referee lifted Park Seongtae’s hand high,

“Azaaah!!”

Park Seongtae let out a loud cheer.

On the other hand, the loser, Choi Hangil, was carried out of the arena on a stretcher.

Seeing this, Representative Jo said to Daejoon,

“Dispose of Choi Hangil.”

“Yes, sir.”

Representative Jo had reached a level where he could tell just by looking whether a fallen fighter could compete again.

In his eyes, Choi Hangil was someone who could never fight again.

His gaze then shifted back to Park Seongtae.

“That kid’s not bad. He might make it into the top 10.”

He had consistently dominated Choi Hangil, who was nicknamed the ‘Gatekeeper of the Top 10’, without ever being pushed back.

This meant he had really acquired a valuable card.

If he chooses his opponents wisely, he will surely bring in a hefty sum for Representative Jo, at least for a while.

“For now, then.”

“Is it time for the main event?”

The entire audience sold out.

Live broadcast viewers reached 8,000.

Total betting money exceeded a hundred million.

The main event match between a once-popular star and a rising newcomer was about to begin amidst high anticipation from countless people.

Shortly after,

Two boys stood facing each other in the ring.

The announcer first pointed to the right.

“First, the blue corner! Height 170cm, age 16! A forced laborer…”

The opposing fighter, Kang Kyungmo, sensed something odd.

170cm?

‘He looks much taller.’

It wasn’t a huge difference, but he definitely wasn’t 170cm. At a rough estimate, he seemed to be around 173~4cm.

But the strangeness wasn’t just about the height.

‘Was that guy always that well-built?’

The Kim Jinsung he remembered was the skinny figure he had first seen.

Not the solid, muscular build full of lean muscle that he saw now.

“Next, the red corner! Height 181cm, age 19, 21 fights, 19 wins, 2 losses! A forced laborer with a history of robbery, murder, assault, and more! The Perfect Fighter! Kang! Kyung! Mo!”

“Woahhhhh!”

Kang Kyungmo responded to the introduction with a light wave, acknowledging the cheers from the audience.

Soon, the referee called both fighters to the center.

It was time for the stare-down.

Walking towards the center, Kang Kyungmo thought,

‘I was told to seize the momentum from the start.’

He then recalled the conversation he had with Go Junkyung in the waiting room.

Kim Jinsung, that guy, is damn strong. With that physique, he crushed Lee Hyungjun. He definitely has better traits than you. No doubt about it.

Right before the match, Go Junkyung had seriously and repeatedly emphasized this to him.

-His biggest weakness is that he gets carried away. So, crush his spirit from the start. Win the stare-down and take the momentum. You get what I’m saying?

– I get it.

Don’t let your guard down. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up the same. Seriously!

With Go Junkyung’s words in mind, Kang Kyungmo steeled himself once more.

‘If Go Junkyung is going that far, there must be something about this guy.’

It had been over a year since he swallowed his pride and joined Go Junkyung’s gang.

Never before had Go Junkyung given such explicit advice before a match.

“I’ve survived in this underground hell for years. I can’t die here now.”

There would be no underestimating. He was determined to kill!

Kang Kyungmo filled his gaze with venom as he stared down Kim Jinsung.

Meanwhile, Kim Jinsung still had his eyes closed.

It wasn’t an attempt to avoid his opponent’s gaze.

‘Phew… Stay calm. It’s time to show the ‘killing intent’ control I’ve practiced for the last two weeks.’

Kim Jinsung hadn’t just been disposing of bodies over the last two weeks.

He realized that whenever he killed someone, he was always consumed by rage, losing his rationality.

Thus, he had also been practicing how to control this killing intent.

When he killed Yang Dongju,

When he killed an assassin in the reformatory,

When he reversed a near-death situation against Lee Hyungjun by grabbing and breaking his neck,

Each time, a surge of murderous rage from deep within took over his entire body instantly.

‘If I can control this killing intent, I’ll become much stronger in the arena.’

So, for two weeks, while strangling dozens of boys to death, he practiced non-stop.

Initially, he struggled even to summon his killing intent, but after much effort, by the day before the match, Kim Jinsung had perfected the control of his killing intent.

‘I can do this. I can control my instincts.’

Ironically, the foundation of controlling killing intent was a positive mindset. A negative mind made it difficult to lift even a finger in this place.

Forcing himself to adopt a positive mindset was incredibly hard, given his lifetime of negativity, but extreme situations made everything possible.

‘I’ll kill… I’ll kill! I will kill you, Kang Kyungmo, and survive!’

Kim Jinsung, having successfully controlled his instincts, finally opened his eyes.

The moment he locked eyes with Kang Kyungmo, Kang’s pupils wavered slightly.

The intense killing intent emanating from Kim Jinsung’s eyes was almost indistinguishable from the intensity he had felt when he first faced Go Junkyung in the arena a year ago.

“It doesn’t make sense. How can he have a presence similar to Go Junkyung’s…?”

“Step back!” the referee shouted, pushing them to opposite ends of the ring.

Representative Jo murmured in surprise,

“Kim Jinsung won the stare-down?”

He had initially thought that Kim Jinsung would surely be intimidated and lose the stare-down.

But now, it was clear that Kang Kyungmo was the one who flinched and got overwhelmed.

“That guy losing a stare-down, I’ve only ever seen that happen with Go Junkyung…”

As he muttered to himself, the referee shouted “Start!”

Kang Kyungmo and Kim Jinsung slowly approached each other, as if sizing up their opponent.

Kang Kyungmo, who had lost the stare-down, seemed to have regained his composure, and Kim Jinsung’s gaze was also cold and settled.

They continued to size each other up, and about 30 seconds passed.

That’s when Kang Kyungmo instinctively felt,

“This guy is strong.”

The posture, the gaze, the aura that Kim Jinsung projected were in no way inferior to Kang Kyungmo’s.

In other words, he was an opponent who would be difficult to defeat even with full effort.

“I’ll go all out from the start.”

Kang Kyungmo immediately activated his awakened trait.

‘Activate the trait “Awakened Fighter”.’

▷ Awakened Fighter: When activated, strength and agility stats temporarily increase slightly. Continuously consumes mana while active.

With that, Kang Kyungmo stepped forward and threw a jab at Kim Jinsung’s face.

Representative Jo’s eyes widened slightly at the speed of the jab.

“He’s going all out from the start?”

He could tell it was the speed of a punch thrown when a trait was activated.

However,

Kim Jinsung dodged by tilting his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the jab.

And as if he had been waiting for it, he swung a counterpunch.

Kang Kyungmo, who also tried to dodge by tilting his head,

Suddenly,

Had no choice but to widen his eyes at the sight of the fist that had rapidly closed in on him.

‘How is it so fast…!’

Thump!

With a loud sound that filled the arena, Kang Kyungmo was sent flying backward.