Episode 36
Sparring and other activities that utilized Aura were only allowed within sealed facilities like Sung-wook’s underground training room.
However, this time, Yoo-seong was in the open, wearing his sparring gear. Chu Seo-jin was watching closely.
Chu-yeop, also wearing his gear, stood nearby. He brought his fists together confidently.
“It won’t take long, I promise, uncle,” Chu-yeop told him.
When his uncle said nothing in reply, he spoke again. “Uncle?”
“Oh, yeah,” Seo-jin said, casting a glance in his direction.
“You will see our level difference.”
Chu Seo-jin shook his head.
“Do not insult your opponent,” the older man replied.
“But he insulted us first.”
Chu Seo-jin nodded calmly. It was true. He also felt insulted.
Yoo-seong ignoring their offer was outright foolishness and an insult to their Master.
Humanity began to use CE actively ten years ago. However, its history went further back.
Aura and Tech had thousands of years of history behind them. Its forms throughout history were different – martial arts, magic, and the likes of such.
Using energy that existed in the human body had been practiced and developed worldwide. Things that were once called superstitions had been recognized for their value.
The possibility of extracting the essence from monsters and injecting it into humans sped up CE development.
Chu Seo-jin began to cheer himself up.
He was about to enjoy watching the practice of the arts in its finest form.
“If you don’t feel disrespected, you’re an idiot,” Chu-yeop said, bringing him out of his reverie.
“He is still a talented person.”
“Are you still thinking of allowing him to inherit our technique?” Chu-yeop asked in surprise.
“Do you not like it?”
“I have no intention of allowing such a rude guy to become a practitioner. It takes more than just form and skills to join us.”
“Give him some time. He would change his mind once he gets broken.”
Chu-yeop stared at him in surprise.
Chu Seo-jin simply smiled, knowing that Chu-yeop didn’t understand.
It took more than talent to shine. Talent needed stimulation.
“Do your best and show your skills,” Seo-jin said finally.
“Well, I will,” Chu-yeop stepped forward.
Seo-jin watched Yoo-seong.
Humans broke when facing a high wall, whether they were ordinary folks or geniuses. But how they reacted to it was what made them different.
Ordinary people settle in this reality and become hopeless, acknowledging their limitations.
However, geniuses are different.
Even if their goal appears to be impossible to reach, they somehow struggle until they achieve it.
In the eyes of Chu Seo-jin, Yoo-seong was a talented person.
That was why he had allowed him to fight against Chu-yeop.
If Yoo-seong lost, he would realize the grandeur of what he was offered and join them.
Chu-yeop kept insulting him, but his nephew would soon realize that this was just a way to stimulate Yoo-seong further.
Chu-yeop slammed his fist in his palm.
“I’ll come back with victory,” he announced as he entered the ring.
Chu Seo-jin looked at his cell phone for a moment. Their Master was following the situation. In the ring, Chu-yeop sneered at his opponent.
“I’ll give you three attempts.”
Yoo-seong raised a brow.
“Oh, you don’t know Chinese,” Chu-yeop said as he rolled his eyes.
Then, he raised three fingers.
“Attack me three times. I will not attack until you’re done. OK?” he asked.
Yoo-seong remained silent as he loosened his shoulders and neck.
The bell rang.
Yoo-seong moved first, throwing a fist towards Chu-yeop.
Chu-yeop dodged it narrowly and stood still. He was somewhat impressed with the strength of Yoo-seong’s arms.
“Not bad, eh?” Seo-jin called from outside the ring.
Yoo-seong came again with another punch.
Chu-yeop dodged it as well and calmly waited for the next attack.
He had promised Yoo-seong he wouldn’t attack until after three of Yoo-seong’s attacks.
Yoo-seong moved for the third time.
Once again, Chu-yeop dodged.
However, Yoo-seong was faster this time. He brought his knee to the sides of Chu-yeop.
Chu-yeop fell to the ground in pain and shock. As he rolled on the floor, he realized he had gotten tricked.
His opponent faked a punch while sending his knee was set to do damage. Before he could realize it, Yoo-seong’s punch was flying towards him again.
This was the fourth strike.
It was time to counterattack.
He caught Yoo-seong’s fist and felt pain on his palms as the force of the punch ran through it.
However, he quickly recovered and countered with his other palm.
It smacked Yoo-seong on the chest, sending him flying out of the ring.
Before he could fly over the ring, Yoo-seong caught a rope with one hand to balance himself.
Then, he brought both his feet to rest on the rope, too.
Seo-jin smiled as he watched Yoo-seong’s footwork.
Just as Yoo-seong was about to move again, the rope broke under his weight. He didn’t expect that.
He crashed to the mat and watched Chu-yeop coming after him from his peripheral vision.
Chu-yeop surrounded his fists with Aura as he ran forward.
His control was so impeccable.
Chu-yeop’s talent was outstanding.
He began to swing his fists, drawing trajectories through the air with his blue Aura.
Yoo-seong managed to dodge the punches, but it was evident that Chu-yeop dominated the fight.
Suddenly, a punch collided with his shoulders, throwing him to the floor once more. His arms hurt. However, he had to pull himself together quickly as Chu-yeop came after him.
He swung his leg, and his foot collided with Chu-yeop’s chest.
Chu Seo-jin, felt embarrassed as he watched, but soon, he relaxed.
Chu-yeop staggered backward briefly for a second then looked up again.
He was fine. Yoo-seong’s attack did not affect him.
To prove it, he rushed forward again and rained Yoo-seong with blows.
At this point, Chu Seo-jin began to feel uncomfortable.
He feared for Yoo-seong. If he didn’t do anything, Chu-yeop would kill him. Suddenly, he noticed something that piqued his curiosity.
Though Chu-yeop’s fists seemed to be everywhere, they could not make contact with his opponent’s body.
Somehow, Yoo-seong was able to dodge them in the nick of time. His flexibility was outstanding, and his martial art was flawless.
He succeeded in landing a punch on Chu-yeop, and Chu-yeop staggered backward for a second.
Once again, there was no damage inflicted.
In that second, Seo-jin noticed Chu-yeop’s face was full of sweat.
He nodded to himself in enlightenment. Chu-yeop was nervous.
Despite his innate talent, training, knowledge, and CE, he lacked in one thing- composure. And Yoo-seong was using that against him.
Chu-yeop had become afraid, and his fear had become his weakness, undermining his strikes.
He had met his match.
Once again, Yoo-seong blocked Chu-yeop’s fist and landed a kick that sent Chu-yeop staggering backward.
Seo-jin watched Yoo-seong’s stance.
At first glance, the posture and steps seemed weird. However, as the fight continued, he realized it was the best defensive posture.
In that pose, he blocked Chu-yeop’s next strike and found a weakness to attack.
“Why!” Seo-jin gasped in disappointment as he watched.
Chu-yeop had finally lost his balance – though it was only for a second.
Without missing the gap, Yoo-seong’s wrapped his hands around Chu-yeop’s head. Then, he pulled him so that his body made contact with his knees.
Chu-yeop fell to the ground with a thud and rolled over. Hurrying to stand up, he staggered back and leaned against the ropes.
His face was red, and blood trickled from a nostril.
Seo-jin was impressed, but he didn’t know the inside story. Yoo-seong had pressed the Auto-hunt button.
His body was in too bad a condition to fight, and his Aura had refused to come out.
That was why his strikes had been futile in the past.
Even Chu-yeop had noticed that Yoo-seong hadn’t used his Aura.
He was shocked that the last kick had hurt so much.
Chu-yeop was too weak to move, and so, auto-hunt didn’t attack any further.
Yoo-seong turned away. Then, the bell rung, signifying the end of the ten-minute interval.
Chu Seo-jin was stiff as he watched Yoo-seong take off his jacket. His prediction hadn’t been entirely wrong.
Two geniuses climbed into the ring, and the fight ended with one genius broken.
The only problem was that the wrong one was broken. He forced himself to speak.
“That was great-”
“No. Not at all,” Yoo-seong said, interrupting Chu-yeop.
He began to pack his equipment. “I am a hunter. According to you, the friend I fought with is also a hunter.”
Yoo-seong sounded disappointed as he continued.
“It is our role to catch monsters, not to fight each other. I was immature to let myself get into this in this first place.”
Seo-jin was silent.
“So there is no meaning to this sparring. We were all dumb – you, me, your nephew-”
Yoo-seong pointed to Chu Seo-jin’s hand.
“Even that person who’s watching from there.”
Seo-jin’s eyes widened.
He was surprised that Yoo-seong knew someone was watching through a video call.
Putting the cleaned sparring gear in place, Yoo-seong walked toward the exit.
It was then that a voice spoke in Chinese from the smartphone.
“Mr. Oh Yoo-seong, my master…”
“I don’t need you to interpret this time. I don’t care,” Yoo-seong said, turning back.
“I would be grateful if you just listened.”
“If you have a proposal for me, make an appointment through my agent or come in person. At least, don’t make a petition to a subordinate that will only hurt your ego,” Yoo-seong said.
Seo-jin’s eye widened again at that.
“Bitch!”
The shout came suddenly from the ring.
Chu-yeop was horrified too.
He jumped out of the ring and staggered towards Yoo-seong.
Perhaps he didn’t realize that he had lost the spar.
Maybe he was just appalled by what he thought he heard Yoo-seong tell his Master.
Perhaps it was both.
However, he seemed to want another fight.
Yoo-seong only watched him.
Chu-yeop was exhausted both physically and mentally. Yoo-seong didn’t even need auto-hunt this time.
He used a technique that he hadn’t used in the battle.
He ran up the walls to the ceiling just before Chu-Yeop could get to him.
Chu-yeop gasped in surprise and lost his balance once more. He fell to the ground in exhaustion. Then, Yoo-seong landed next to him.
“Enough!”
The voice came from the smartphone, and Yoo-seong looked up at Seo-jin.
The phone in Seo-jin’s hand was turned so that Yoo-seong could see the screen.
Yoo-seong could see the Master – the actual head of the giant Tenz.
Of course, it didn’t mean anything to Yoo-seong.
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