"Ju Seoyeon, how about trying some exercise?"
Ju Seoyeon, seventeen.
It had been roughly 17 years since she was reborn in this world.
Her dream was to become a VTuber.
However, though she had tried this and that since she was young, she spent 17 years idling away her time, unable to find a proper aptitude.
'Maybe I should have done it when Mom told me to try appearing in a CF when I was young.'
Suddenly, such a thought occurred to her.
But still, an actor and a VTuber were poles apart, and she thought it wasn't something someone emotionally dull like her could do.
She realized in middle school that she didn't have the same illness as her past life, but still, being an actor was a bit...
As for acting, she had done it relentlessly in her past life, but she didn't know how far that would hold up in the world of actors.
Past the storm and stress period of middle school, she was already 17.
Even if she aspired to be a VTuber, she couldn't help but think that she should at least be doing something—
'Because VTuber equipment is expensive.'
At first, she thought about getting a part-time job.
But she couldn't even bring herself to do that, and she had no intention of holding her hand out to her parents either.
At that time, her friend Jiyeon recommended exercise.
Since Seoyeon had possessed outstanding physical abilities from a young age, it was quite a solid recommendation.
However, Seoyeon's nature was fundamentally lazy, so she had never exercised properly before.
"Isn't it too late to start now?"
"Does it matter? I think you'd be fine."
Her friend Lee Jiyeon—for some unknown reason, Seoyeon vividly remembered everything about the creative works and broadcasts she had seen in her past life.
So, she succeeded in helping and saving Jiyeon, who in her past life would have been tied to a bad agency and experienced a major failure.
In the process, she learned a fact she didn't really want to know... namely, that the VTuber she liked in her past life was her friend, but whatever, it couldn't be helped.
She could only be satisfied with the fact that she had helped her friend.
"You're honestly working out, aren't you?"
"……."
Jiyeon said that while scanning Seoyeon up and down.
It seemed Jiyeon thought Seoyeon was exercising to manage her figure.
But Seoyeon was basically a person whose life consisted entirely of eating, sleeping, and gaming.
Her arms were soft, and her legs were soft.
Anyway, she was a thoroughly soft human being.
Even in such a state, possessing quite extraordinary physical abilities was an amazing thing.
'It's not an easy enough world to enter with just this.'
Such a thought crossed her mind, but.
"I hear there are surprisingly many cases where people start martial arts late. They say the current U.S. champ started in their thirties."
"Hmm."
But Seoyeon's ears were also very thin, so she was completely swayed by Jiyeon's words.
As for why martial arts.
'At least if I learn it, I can use it for self-defense.'
Even TS girls these days basically know how to defend themselves.
She needed to be able to use at least one martial art, but unfortunately, since she was reincarnated in the modern era, becoming a murim-in was out of the question.
Wouldn't it be fine to at least learn self-defense martial arts as a makeshift?
With that in mind, the place she headed to was a martial arts dojo.
They said a female fighter who once made a name for herself in the U.S. UFC was the head instructor.
Thanks to that, there were said to be many female members as well.
Thus, Seoyeon made up her mind and went to the dojo.
"Wow, you made a great choice. Self-defense is popular these days, you know."
To the friendly-looking female instructor's words, Seoyeon replied.
She was said to be a female instructor directly taught by the head.
Indeed, her body was more trained than the other members, so Seoyeon couldn't help but nod.
"But I hate things that hurt or are hard. Can I still do well?"
"Yes, of course! You can do well!"
At those words, Seoyeon said it once more just in case.
"My body is really soft, and I've never done intense exercise. Can I still get stronger?"
"Yes! You can get stronger!"
Smiling broadly as she spoke, she was truly a friendly person.
Seoyeon, relieved, continued.
"T-Then, if I work hard, can I become as strong as you, Instructor?"
"Yes, if you work hard, you can become stronger than me."
Of course, Seoyeon had no intention of becoming stronger than the instructor.
It was just words to boost her own motivation.
At the friendly instructor's words, Seoyeon nodded.
"Then, I'll give it a try."
Like that, Seoyeon hesitated a bit, but soon decided to start martial arts.
Also, a desire to properly experience what martial arts was about sprang up.
Women's section.
Seeing them send subtle glances her way made her feel a bit of defiance.
"Huh? You want to practice to see what it feels like?"
At Seoyeon's words, the instructor looked surprised for a moment, then smiled.
"Alright! Then how about putting on some protective gear and doing a light sparring match? It's dangerous otherwise."
Sparring all of a sudden.
At the instructor's words, Seoyeon didn't particularly notice anything strange.
She just thought the instructor was really kind.
The moment she put on headgear and simple protective gear and stepped onto the ring.
"Are you messing around right now!!"
Before she could even take a proper stance in the ring, the instructor's fist slammed into Seoyeon's face.
"Is martial arts a joke?! Just because you have a decent face, you think everyone worshipped you and you lived a pampered life?"
Towards Seoyeon, who staggered back after taking one hit, the instructor's fists swung fiercely in succession.
Right side, left side. One-two, one-two.
Without giving her a chance to catch her footing, the fists rained down.
"Martial arts is about becoming stronger through pain. You get stronger by taking fists to the face and becoming a battered mess!"
Then, mounting Seoyeon who had lost her balance and fallen, the instructor grinned as she delivered a flurry of ground-and-pound strikes.
"How is it? Getting beaten up a bit, did it wake you up?"
At the sound echoing like a leather drum being beaten, some of the female members turned their heads away.
'Of all people to run into.'
The one beating Seoyeon right now was not exactly this dojo's instructor.
Her name was Gwak Jihye.
She was a member of this dojo.
To be precise, a fighter.
Despite her appearance suggesting she was in her twenties, her actual age was eighteen.
She was a fighter with one of the top talents in this dojo, soon to make her professional debut.
Since she possessed the skills to be taught directly by the head, the regular members couldn't do anything about her.
Her personality was as vicious as her talent, and her pride in martial arts was immense, so it was natural for Seoyeon—who asked questions making light of martial arts—to end up like this.
However.
"……?"
It was right then that the members watching the match felt a sense of incongruity.
It was because something that 'should be heard' from Seoyeon, who was getting beaten one-sidedly, was not heard.
'Why aren't any groans coming out?'
Did she pass out?
Such a thought suddenly crossed their minds, but that wasn't the case at all.
Between the headgear moving here and there as she took the hits, sparkling eyes could be seen.
Round, clear eyes.
A face that was merely a bit flustered.
'Flustered? Flustered?'
It was then.
The bodies of the members watching that were drenched in sweat—
There is such a saying.
Beasts think that even when taking a human's full-powered punch, they are simply being played with!
That is because a human's punch poses not even the slightest threat to beasts!
The weight of the fist.
The power contained within it!
The wall that human effort and training can never reach.
Striking that wall, unable to break it, unable to even reach inside!
"Excuse me."
!!
!!
At the short voice, the members and Gwak Jihye, who was mounting Seoyeon, flinched.
"Am I supposed to keep lying down?"
It was a voice containing bewilderment.
As if saying, why is this person acting like this...
that kind of feeling.
It was the look of someone who didn't realize she was currently being beaten up.
And indeed, that was true.
Because Seoyeon's improperly worn headgear had twisted from the first hit, she couldn't see properly in front of her.
"Ha."
At those words, Gwak Jihye grinned.
"Then try getting up!!"
Humans are like that.
Occasionally, they put up a bluff in the face of fear.
Making loud noises, showing exaggerated gestures.
This is because humans are, ultimately, animals.
In other words, they express with their whole body and show that they are not afraid of a threatening opponent.
"Ah, yes."
Seoyeon sluggishly tried to get up from her spot.
Gwak Jihye, who was mounting her, tried to suppress her, but was pushed away just like that.
Unbelievable lower back strength!
What kind of muscle strength was this?
Was this truly the strength of an untrained woman?
"Kiyaaat!!"
When Gwak Jihye threw a low kick at Seoyeon's leg as she stood up with a shout, Seoyeon's body swayed to the side.
But that was it.
Pang! Pang! Pang!
Even against the consecutive low kicks swung like whips, Seoyeon clumsily stood up.
Despite being struck in the arms, waist, and legs, she just stood up.
The members, who had been quietly sitting in their seats watching that.
'Before they knew it.'
They realized.
When they came to their senses, they were also standing up from their seats!
No, they weren't simply copying an action.
They didn't simply stand up; they pressed both arms firmly to their sides and were paying respect to the existence in front of them.
As if the head of the dojo had shouted a command at them.
Instinct!
As animals, as beasts born to fight.
They naturally submitted to the stronger individual.
If some animals bluff and threaten.
Other animals fawn on the strong and expose their bellies.
Such a principle!
Fists clenched tight, standing at attention.
With a neat posture, looking at the ring without blinking once!
As if that alone was their given duty!
"Can I try kicking once too?"
Seoyeon said to Gwak Jihye, who stepped back a couple of paces as if on guard.
At those words, Gwak Jihye let out a scoff.
"Try it if you want."
A low kick looks light, but it is strictly a martial arts technique.
A beginner can't land it just by kicking roughly.
You have to train your shins, and if you kick clumsily, you'll only hurt yourself.
In the first place, landing it on a pro is impossible.
"Then."
Seoyeon took it as permission and moved her leg just like the woman had done earlier.
The movement was undoubtedly clumsy.
Her knee bent backward, and her center of gravity shifted clumsily forward.
And.
~~!!
At the pain felt in her leg, Gwak Jihye's eyes widened.
She definitely tried to dodge, but the moment she saw the knee bending backward, pain was already shooting through her leg.
She had only seen something blur past.
A low kick this fast was a kick that only 'real pros' in this dojo could pull off!!
She didn't even let out a scream.
Was this the kick of someone doing martial arts for the first time?
"And."
Seoyeon clenched her fist.
Between the properly worn headgear, a red gleam could be seen in her eyes.
When she first saw them, weren't they definitely brown eyes?
Why were her eyes glowing red?
The moment she thought that.
"I'll try hitting just once too."
It was a thrust that could be done without particularly learning it.
The most basic resistance, line of defense that a human can do.
A weapon given to humans from the moment they first cried in this world.
Thrusting out both fists powerfully.
Simple arm strength, without any martial arts theory included.
At that primitive strike, Gwak Jihye hastily raised both arms to put up a guard.
And.
The members saw it.
Seoyeon's fist piercing through the guard and digging into Gwak Jihye's face.
The sight of Gwak Jihye, who was over 170cm tall, flying backward and crashing back-first into the ring.
!!!
The members firmly shut their mouths without exception.
Did this make sense?
A beginner who utterly destroyed Gwak Jihye, who was said to have outstanding talent.
Then, just how much talent did that beginner possess!
"Truly a talent sent by God."
A woman who had been slowly standing with her arms crossed among those members revealed herself.
"Head Instructor!!"
A huge frame exceeding 180cm for a woman.
A fierce fighter who had fought against the world's leading fighters.
She grinned as she looked at Seoyeon in the ring.
It looked like she would burst into laughter at any moment.
To think such a talent would appear in her dojo!
Among the countless geniuses she had seen while living in this martial arts world for a long time, Seoyeon was very special.
"It's been a while."
"Pardon?"
"A guy who can look at a fist flying at them and think it's boring."
Seoyeon blinked twice as she looked at Gwak Jihye's fist.
Then, without dodging, she just took it.
Because she couldn't dodge?
No? Because there was no need to dodge.
Despite having that incredible dynamic vision, because she had overwhelming durability.
On top of that, that punching power.
It was as if she was a monster born for martial arts.
"What's your name?"
"Huh? I'm Ju Seoyeon."
Seoyeon was flustered as she looked at the woman suddenly talking to her.
In the first place, she couldn't relate to whatever she was saying alone.
It wasn't like she was bored, she had just purely taken the hit, so it felt like she was reading too much meaning into it.
"Starting tomorrow, I will personally train you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Huh?"
Seoyeon looked at her and took off her protective gear.
Looking at Gwak Jihye sprawled out on the ring like laundry carelessly hung out by a mom, Seoyeon spoke.
"I'm not going to do martial arts."
"……."
"I won't do it."
Seoyeon thought.
That martial arts definitely wasn't her thing after all.
Why would someone just go and hit people out of nowhere.
Thinking that, Seoyeon quit martial arts.
But, it was from then on.
That suspicious bulky guys started coming to her school.
(End)