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2. To the Fighting Gym <4>
‘You

said it was okay before

’
Dongsub couldn’t read the atmosphere and added fuel to the fire.
“So, do you feel anything?”
“What am I supposed to feel? Ashamed, maybe?”
“What? Dude, what’re you talking about? He accurately told you your problems.”
“You could have told me. Why’d you tell this kid to tell me?”
“

Jungtae.”
“Honestly, isn’t it kind of weird. Why do I have to learn from this little kid? I’m 26 and have 6 years of experience. This is going a little far.”
“Hey man, should a pro debut think about that kind of thing? If you have something to learn, learn it even if it’s from a grade schooler.”
“Did you make this kid tell me all this to teach me that?”
The mood worsened. Changgong was sweating in the middle of everything.
“Excuse me

 Talking is easy, right? It seems I’ve spoken too much without knowing anything. I’m sorry.”
Jungtae’s anger turned towards Changgong.
“Are you playing with me right now?”
“What? No, of course not.”
“I think you are. You’re having fun, aren’t you.”
“It’s not that fun

”
Changgong replied with a tiny voice. He didn’t mean for it to be heard, but Juntae heard nonetheless.
“This guy’s a joker, huh. If you’re that good, do you want to come up here and have a go?”
Jungtae slapped the back of Changgong’s head.
The atmosphere of the entire gym went heavy.
Dongsub spoke.
“Stop it. Man, why do you have to say things like that? I made a mistake. I should have told you directly.”
“No, he’s right, anyways. So, what do you say? Want to try me?”
“Hey, you bastard, I’m apologizing and you continue to say shit like that?”
“

”
Jungtae grumbled as he turned away.
Changgong was incredibly pissed off. He’d only criticized Jungtae because he was told to, so why’d Jungtae have to go and hit his head. Did Jungtae fucking think he wasn’t cursing because he couldn’t?
Dongsub sighed deeply.
“I’ve gone and done something embarrassing. Sorry for getting you involved in all this.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m fine.”
And so, the situation was about to come to a sloppy end.
“If you have complaints, you have to fight.”
A low, deep voice spoke.
3. Into the Octagon <1>
Everyone looked towards the voice.
“Hello Master!”
Dongsub shouted his greetings first.
“Hello!”
The coaches and athletes all followed with their greetings.
The master nodded his head. He was the one who had groped Changgong’s body yesterday.
‘I’m fucked!’
Changgong’s face went white as he hid behind Dongsub. They said he barely comes to this gym, so why’s he here?
“Discontentment created by fighting should be solved by fighting. Isn’t that so, little kid?”
Changgong wasn’t prepared for all the attention to fall on him.
“But master, Changgong has no experience with martial arts.”
Dongsub spoke.
“He can experience it now.”
Kiryong looked at Changgong as he spoke.
“How about it, little kid?”
Changgong looked around.
He was honestly pissed off. He had been holding back his anger, but now that he was given an opening, he really wanted to take the chance.
“I see you won’t say no.”
Kiryong spoke.
“Jungtae, get ready. You’ll spar with the little kid after 20 minutes.”
“I can do it right away.”
“Rest. We have to make the fight as fair as possible.”
Changgong’s first sparring was decided before anyone realized what was happening.
“I’m sorry about this. I was just trying to teach Jungtae a lesson, but now you’re going to see blood because of me.”
Dongsub spoke to Changgong as he wrapped his hands in bandages for him.
“It’s fine. I think it’ll be fun.”
“Once you get hit a few times on the ring, you’ll think differently.”
Changgong laughed awkwardly. What would he say? It’d be faster to just show off his skills.
“Jungtae’s a bit hot headed. He’s never been this bad, but I guess he’s been stressed because his hitting has been off.”
“I think so.”
“He might be a bit rough with you so be careful not to get hurt.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not kidding. If you’re not careful it could be real bad.”
Dongsub spoke seriously.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Sigh

Let’s go.”
Dongsub fit the headgear on Changgong and led him out of the waiting room.
Changgong put in his mouth guard and followed Dongsub.
The athletes surrounded the octagon, and Jungtae was already in the cage.
Changgong calmed his nervous mind and entered the octagon.
‘This is pretty amazing.’
His heart was racing.
This was different from the ring. He had been ready to fight before, but now that he was in the octagon, he felt a bit numb.
“To the center.”
Dongsub spoke as the referee. Changgong and Jungtae stood in front of each other at the center of the octagon.
“Hits on the throat or groin are forbidden. It’s forbidden to kick the head or attack with the knee when someone is in the 4 point position (when both hands and both legs are on the ground). Biting, eye poking, head butting, elbows are also forbidden.”
Maybe it was because of Changgong, but Dongsub laid out the rules in detail.
“Be careful not to hurt each other.”
“Uh, before we start.”
Changgong suddenly spoke.
“What?”
“Can I take my headgear off? It’s hard to see

”
Jungtae scoffed.
Dongsub glanced at Jungtae before speaking.
“Just keep it on. If you don’t you can get hurt bad.”
“It’s uncomfortable though

”
“Take it off for him.”
Kiryong spoke.
“Master, Changgong is still a beginner. Truthfully, he shouldn’t even be in the octagon.”
“You can stop the fight if anything goes wrong.”
“Master.”
“Stop talking and take it off of him. He says it’s hard to see.”
“

I understand.”
Dongsub took off Changgong’s headgear. Changgong cracked his neck left and right as if he was relieved.
“Two three minute rounds. Touch gloves. To your corner.”
Changgong and Jungtae touched gloves before returning to their respective corners.
“Jungtae, are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“Changgong?”
“Yes.”
“Fight!”
Ring!
The bell rang.
Changgong breathed deeply as he raised his two arms. Jungtae ran at Changgong right after touching gloves and threw a punch.
“Huh?”
Smack, smack!
A heavy hit sounded.
Crash!
It was a down right from the start.
The athletes and coaches stood up in surprise.
“What is that?”
“What did he trip on right now?”
Surprisingly, it had been Jungtae who had fallen.
Could this be happening?
A green little kid downed a fighter getting ready for his pro debut! And right from the start!
It was so unexpected that no one had seen exactly what happened.
But Dongsub had seen it.
‘This kid

!’
Just as Jungtae ran at Changgong with a hook, Changgong countered with a left jab followed by a short right hook directly into Jungtae’s face.
It could only be surprising.
Jungtae was lighter than Changgong, but was a 6 year veteran. His hits were a little weak, but it couldn’t be compared to regular people.
On top of that, Changgong was a little kid who stood in the ring for the first time today.
The master simply smirked as everyone else mumbled in surprise.
“The fight’s not over Changgong.”
Dongsub spoke.
“Oh, yes.”
Changgong quickly fixed his stance and hesitantly approached the lying Jungtae.
Even as his nose bled, Jungtae kept Changgong in check with both hands behind his head.
‘This isn’t easy.’
Changgong retreated.
He decided to rest a moment. He might get a broken bone if he carelessly tried to wrestle on the ground.
“Stand up.”
Jungtae stood up at Dongsub’s order.
“Fight!”
The two began their fight again.
Jungtae became careful.
He wasn’t just words. He would have to calmly use jabs to keep Changgong in check, waiting for an opening.
Changgong didn’t miss the openings that formed when Jungtae threw a jab and got in counter jabs. He had proven that openings form when Jungtae attacks.
As expected, Jungtae began to sway even though no power was behind the punches.
‘Is this guy really a newbie?’
How could this be the punch of a beginner?
It felt as if he was fighting a high ranker. A straight would come at him if he made a mistake. His head spun from just the jabs.
Smack, smack!
A one-two punch landed on him as he was distracted by his thoughts.
This bastard isn’t an amateur.
‘Bastard’s getting on my nerves!’
Jungtae boldly charged at Changgong, hitting his guard in a clinch. He was planning on taking it to the ground.
But even that was not easy.
Smack, smack!
“Ugh!”
Even from the small space of the clinch, Changgong’s body blows burst into his sides. Jungtae had to retreat from the pain that made it difficult to breathe.
Body blows during inhalation.
His punching technique was no laughing matter. He knew how to hit.
This bastard’s a boxer.
‘I thought his punches were too good

’
But Jungtae did not know.
Changgong’s boxing history was only the short 6 months during his middle school years.
Jungtae changed his plans.
If his foundation was in boxing, his lower body wouldn’t be used to lower body attacks. Guys who prefer punches don’t pay attention to their lower body.
Smash!
Jungtae tackled Jungtae as he threw a heavy hook. He continued to push him into the cage as he got his arms under Changgong’s armpits and into a clinch.
The under hook, an advantageous position in wrestling.
‘I got it!’
He could feel Changgong be taken aback.
With both his armpits chained down, he couldn’t throw strong punches nor use his strength effectively.
Plus, it was a good position for a takedown.
Jungtae kicked Changgong’s legs up as he twisted his body to the side.
“They’re going down!”
One of the coaches shouted.
‘What the

!’
Changgong did not fall.
He was withstanding the takedown.
His head was pointed to the ground, while one leg in the air. His balance was totally off and Jungtae was pushing him hard.
“What? He’s withstanding that?”
The athletes and coaches were all surprised once again. How could he be standing in the strange stance?
‘His toes

!’
The master, Kiryong, focused on Changgong’s toes.
Changgong’s toes that were bent at a right angle as if they were going to break were keeping his balance. He was supporting the weight of himself and his opponent with his toes.
‘Ssireum?’
It was the power of ssireum.
The balance of wrestling was no less than that from wrestling or judo. Instead, since ssireum requires head on fighting, it might be the most specialized for takedown techniques.
Bam!
Changgong threw Jungtae to the ground. And as he had seen before, he got on top of Jungtae and began pounding and hammering.
Smack. Smack. Smack. Smack.
But the power that he had shown off in the standing wasn’t there. He was so excited that he had forgotten that he had to straighten his back for more power.
“Straighten your back!”
Kiryong shouted.
Changgong quickly straighten his back and created momentum for his punches. As expected, his pounding was much more powerful.
Dongsub looked at the master in surprise.
That terse old man had given advice during a spar.
Changgong’s punches were high quality with strength behind them.
He had only straightened his back and his fists turned into lethal weapons. It sounded like he was hitting down on Jungtae with a log.
But a punch wouldn’t gain this much power from simply straightening his back.
He knew how to use his lower body.
Who could call that guy a beginner?
Smack! Smack!
Heavy punches went through Jungtae’s guard. Jungtae’s head and guard shook wildly.
“Give up?”
“No!”
Jungtae held out even with the relentless rain of punches.
Dongsub looked at Kiryong as if he was asking whether he should stop the fight or not.
Kiryong shook his head.
Mesmerized by Changgong’s punches, everyone was missing something.
They had overlooked Jungtae’s legs which had come up all the way to Changgong’s armpits.
Of course, being a beginner of even beginners, Changgong did not give a care.
Jungtae’s chance had come.