ASD 48

Gijun, who finished the next round safely, easily seized his first victory. The second opponent he faced had also advanced with a victory, so he came at him more fiercely than the last one.

Gijun moved nimbly and fluidly, as if his body was completely warmed up. The sight of his large body taking light steps was very stable and beautiful, even to Gawon, who knew nothing about mixed martial arts.

“Fighter Gijun, as expected, is taking control of the match. His technique for holding his opponent down is stable. His application skills have become more solid than they were a year ago. Even when he throws a straight, his opponent doesn’t notice it until the very last second.”

“Yes, that’s right. Fighter Yoo Hajun is attempting a fake. Ah, it’s not working. He’s relentlessly throwing middle kicks… However, fighter Gijun is good at reading his opponent’s striking tempo. He’s taking them with ease, showing off his formidable durability and stamina.”

The opponent unleashed a barrage of attacks as if in a rage. But Gijun showed no signs of breaking down at all. On the contrary, he calmly led the match, and he seemed to be genuinely enjoying it.

“Fighter Yoo Hajun! He’s shoving in clean hits one after another. He’s showing a very aggressive rush. Ah, that knee kick just now had an impact. The counter… he threw a high kick, but it fails. Fighter Gijun blocked it. …Oh!”

With a single exclamation, the atmosphere was reversed in an instant. As if it had been a lie that he was taking his opponent’s attacks, Gijun dodged the opponent’s counter and launched a counterattack in a flash.

The opponent, who had been attacking with fierce momentum, staggered. Gijun, who had attacked the shoulder with a heavy right straight, took advantage of the opening when his opponent raised a gloved hand to block the shoulder and struck his abdomen with a middle kick. It was the same attack the opponent had thrown just moments before, but its power was completely different.

“Ugh!”

The opponent, who let out a pained groan, knelt on one knee. Watching him stubbornly endure even as he staggered, the commentators poured out their commentary in highly excited voices.

“Fighter Gijun is a fighter whose specialty is originally a flashy KO victory. Is he going for a counter now?”

“I know, right. I’m looking forward to seeing if he will show a bold and big-motioned counter this time.”

However, Gijun overturned the commentators’ predictions and once again put his opponent in a submission hold. The opponent, who had fallen to the floor with his arm twisted, groaned with difficulty and gave the sign of surrender.

Gijun, having taken a light first-round victory, spread his arms wide with a relaxed smile. The coach and his teammates ran over with bright faces and patted his shoulder. Gawon, watching from a distance, also smiled brightly.

“However, fighter Gijun is showing a pattern today of only getting submissions. He’s a fighter who’s known for aggressive infighting, so has his style suddenly changed?”

“I know, right. He’s famous as a pressure-style striker, isn’t he? Today he’s mainly fighting with grappling and ground techniques.”

At the commentators’ words, the crowd began to murmur. It was the same for the group that had been chattering loudly next to Gawon.

“What’s up with him today? He’s the type who usually gets a KO with blood flying.”

“I know. Did he change his style? But well, he’s so good at grappling anyway.”

“…Hey. What is that monster-like bastard?”

A beat later, a dumbfounded exclamation flowed out. It was the voice of the guy who had been sneering just a moment ago, calling him a trainee or what have you.

“He’s incredible, right? I told you to watch and then talk. When he’s out, it’s a foregone conclusion. The rest are all fighting for second place.”

Gawon, listening from the side, secretly smiled to himself. See, you bastard.

Gijun’s momentum, now fully heated up, was like a hot knife through butter. Muscular, huge bodies flew around like dolls. Gijun, roaming inside the cage, was completely ecstatic with pure elation.

Finally, it was the final. He hadn’t been able to approach easily until now because Gijun had been surrounded by his teammates, but he felt like he had to go and cheer him on this time.

Gawon cautiously approached Gijun, who was sitting among his coach and teammates, drinking water. Gijun’s upper body, covered in sweat, was glistening. He timidly held out the towel he had prepared in advance.

“Here.”

“Wow, thanks. Gawon.”

Gijun, who had been wiping away his sweat with a blank expression, brightened up and took the towel. He tossed the wet towel he was holding aside carelessly and wiped his face with Gawon’s towel with a happy expression. I opened a bottle of water and handed it to him as well.

“Drink slowly.”

“Yeah, yeah. Ha, this is nice. I’ve fulfilled all my fantasies today.”

Gijun took the water and drank a couple of gulps in one breath, then poured the half-remaining water over his head. His face, which had been flushed red and drenched in sweat, was refreshingly cleansed. Gijun, who swiped back his soaking wet hair, stood up from his seat.

“Gijun, be careful. Don’t get hurt until the very end. You promised.”

“Of course. That’s the only way Gawon will call me Jun again. I’ll be back!”

He must have really liked it when I just called him by his first name. A small laugh escaped me. Gawon sat down with a trembling heart. He couldn’t let his guard down until the very end.

“Fighter Gwak Ji-un from the Roden FC Gangnam branch enters the ring. 5 wins and 0 losses, this fighter is also someone who could aim for a pro debut. He’s a very promising stand-up striker with the same style as fighter Gijun. I’m looking forward to the matchup between these two fighters.”

Come to think of it, the opponent’s face, as he adjusted his open-fingered gloves and entered the ring, looked familiar. It was the fighter I had joked about giving the bouquet to earlier. A somehow ominous feeling washed over me.

“Round one, fight!”

Gijun’s gaze changed completely.

It was a completely different stance from how he had approached the matches until now. Gijun, with all traces of a smile wiped from his face, took his stance and stepped carefully. His opponent was also clearly tense at Gijun’s sudden change in attitude. The two glared at each other without a word and slowly controlled their breathing.

In a flash, Gijun narrowed the distance. He exhaled sharply and simultaneously threw a punch. The opponent immediately blocked it, but his torso trembled slightly from the tank-like force. But that was only for a moment, as he soon tried to pressure Gijun by pushing forward with a series of powerful hooks.

“Fighter Gwak Ji-un is actively infighting. Throwing a jab, followed by consecutive tackles. Fighter Gijun is not getting swept up. He’s not allowing any major clean hits. Fighter Gwak Ji-un raises a high kick. He blocks this one well with his cover too…”

It was the final match within the same weight class. Thanks to Gijun’s buzz, it had naturally become the main event. Everyone watching was so absorbed that their palms were sweating. The commentary naturally became more urgent as well.

“Fighter Gijun immediately parries and blocks. The better someone is, the less they have that 0.1-second moment of their body stiffening. Fighter Gwak Ji-un, ah, he’s boldly unleashing attacks. Low kick, double high, coming out refreshingly.”

“Since both are stand-up strikers, they’re pressuring each other with refreshing clean hits. Will we get a KO decision this time!”

It was a battle of titans. There had been no fighter who had fought so evenly with Gijun until now. Unlike the previous fighters who had recklessly charged in and collapsed like paper dolls, this opponent was extremely cautious.

The two boys’ sharply honed gazes clashed in the middle of the ring. Drenched in sweat, they radiated heat with their whole bodies, looking for each other’s weaknesses. Striking, blocking, dodging, a fierce battle of wits continued like a tug-of-war.

Having gained confidence, the opponent finally closed in and attempted a takedown. The atmosphere became tense in an instant. Gijun’s body rolled onto the canvas with a thud.

“Gijun!”

Gawon shot up and shouted his name loudly. He hadn’t been able to cheer out loud once, worried it might be a distraction. But now, it was a do-or-die situation. Regardless of victory or defeat, he was on edge, worried that he might get hurt.

Gijun’s eyes glinted sharply. The moment the opponent, who was on top of him, tried to attempt a submission, Gijun’s hips lifted powerfully. The position was reversed in a flash, and Gijun took the top position.

The opponent also tried to turn over and get up, but Gijun mercilessly crushed that attempt. Having secured a tight body lock, he raised his elbow. The spectators, watching the merciless attack as he pushed forward like a tank and slammed down his elbow again and again, murmured in excited tones.

“Ah! It’s elbow pounding. Fighter Gwak Ji-un, there’s no way he can escape—!”

“He’s up. Fighter Gwak Ji-un has escaped!”

The opponent miraculously escaped from under Gijun. Even as he staggered to his feet, bleeding from his nose after being beaten badly, his eyes were filled with venom. But the moment he stood up fully, Gijun took a completely different stance than before.

It felt like his torso lifted off the ground, and then Gijun’s body spun around in a big circle. It was literally an attack delivered in the blink of an eye.

The fiercely flying foot struck the opponent’s face precisely. The sound of bone and flesh colliding loudly filled the arena.

“Ugh!”

The opponent, who had been stubbornly holding on until now, was sent flying with a loud bang! Blood spurted from the opponent’s nose. He dropped his face to the floor as if he had fainted.

The referees ran over to check on fighter Gwak Ji-un’s condition. The commentators scrambled to shout.

“He landed a counter with a 540 kick! It landed clean! Fighter Gwak Ji-un is completely knocked out. We need the medical team to enter.”

“Fighter Gijun is showing us the KO victory he had been saving all day! He takes the championship in the men’s high school semi-pro light heavyweight division!”

The referee raised one of Gijun’s hands high. Waaaah! A deafening cheer, along with heavy metal music, filled the arena. Gijun, Gijun, Gijun, all the fighters and spectators cheered, shouting his name. Everyone was ecstatic over the gripping and thrilling match that was reminiscent of a professional fight.

Gijun straightened his upper body, drenched in sweat and blood. Then he smiled brightly and raised both hands high. As he roared like a beast, camera flashes went off repeatedly along with the cheers. After a refreshing victory celebration, Gijun strode down from the ring.

“Gijun, you bastard! I knew you’d take first place this time too!”

“Jun-ah! Good work.”

“Hey, where are you going!”

However, Gijun walked right past his teammates who were cheering enthusiastically for him. Everyone watched his back with bewildered gazes.

Gijun, running like a cheetah, rushed straight toward Gawon. Gawon, who had been looking at Gijun with a flushed face, widened his eyes as he saw Gijun charging toward him. In that moment.

“Uh, …uh?”

His body went whoosh— and lifted up. Gawon let out a scream and landed on Gijun’s shoulder like a sack of rice. With Gawon on his shoulder, Gijun let out a yell and crossed the arena.

A smile spread across Gawon’s face, which had been colored with panic. On the shoulder of Gijun, who roamed the arena freely like a lion majestically shaking its mane, Gawon shouted and laughed to his heart’s content. It felt like his chest was bursting open. It was the most exhilarating sensation he had ever felt in his life.

Gijun secretly asked Gawon, who was slung over his shoulder.

“Did I do well?”

Gawon whispered into Gijun’s blunt ear, which was full of old blood that had now hardened.

“Yes. You did so well. You did well, Jun-ah.”

Neither the loud cheers nor the music could interrupt their private, sweet words. It felt as if they were the only two people in this crowded arena.