Episode 18.
Ring-a-ling—
I opened the door and stepped inside the gym.
“….”
But no one greeted me.
Including Choe Yeonji, who should have been at the counter, Director Choi, and everyone else, they were all gathered in a circle around the square ring.
*‘I knew this would happen.’*
It was exactly what I had expected.
As if I had been there from the very beginning, I subtly slipped between the people.
“Proceeding with three rounds….”
Director Choi, serving as the referee, explained the rules of the spar.
Each round was three minutes, with three rounds total.
The rest period between rounds was thirty seconds.
Standing in the center, Yeongung and Minseok—both wearing headgear—locked eyes in midair.
*‘Well, well?’*
As if it were only natural, Yeongung’s gaze lowered.
*‘Is this instinct?’*
He had suffered countless torments from predators like Minseok during his school days.
To the point where he had contemplated death because of it.
Although he had learned boxing for three years, that time was inevitably too short to regain his confidence.
That was why I had arranged this occasion.
Because I knew that Minseok, that delinquent bastard, would propose a spar the moment he saw Yeongung.
*‘Let’s see.’*
On the opposite side of the ring, I spotted Choe Yeonji standing alone.
*‘So it wasn’t just one-sided love after all.’*
Yeongung didn’t seem to know, but from a third party’s perspective, it was obvious.
That she, too, harbored him in her heart.
Of course, it didn’t look like love right at this moment.
It was pity, or perhaps maternal affection, the feeling that she had to protect him since he was always in the position of the weak.
But that, too, was a kind of love.
If the kid had been someone who hadn’t experienced that miserable past, someone who could muster a little courage, the first love he always spoke of might have come true.
*‘No, it’s still more than possible now.’*
If only that blond delinquent bastard weren’t here.
It wasn’t only Yeongung’s circumstances either—at the world’s end, that guy still committed trashy acts.
As I was glaring at Minseok, the delinquent I disliked in every way,
Ding!
The bell signaling the start of the spar rang.
The two approached each other and touched gloves.
And.
Thwack!
The delinquent’s jab, tracing a straight trajectory, landed squarely on Yeongung’s face.
“….”
But it was a jab without power behind it, focused only on speed.
Unfazed, Yeongung widened his stance and quickly closed in on Minseok.
He was a typical in-fighter, battling up close.
Naturally, he tried to draw the opponent into his range and turn it into a slugfest, but.
Tap-tap.
The delinquent’s nimble footwork rendered all of that futile.
The bastard circled to the right in an instant with a side step.
Thwack!
He threw a jab.
Thwack! Thwack!
Not just once, but a combination.
Yeongung raised both arms, solidifying his guard.
Still, having learned boxing for three years, his fundamentals were solid.
Swish, swish.
Weaving in a figure-eight pattern, he tried to slip the jabs and close in on the delinquent, but.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!
The bastard’s dynamic vision was sharp enough to precisely strike Yeongung’s head as he moved.
“Wow!”
“He landed all of those?”
“That’s insane.”
Exclamations burst from the crowd.
And no wonder.
No matter how little talent Yeongung had, his weaving was quite faithful to the basics.
Yet predicting those movements and landing jabs from four directions was something even pros would find difficult.
*‘His physical abilities are definitely superior, that delinquent.’*
Honestly, it was laughable to even call it an advantage.
The physical gap between Yeongung and the delinquent was so vast they might as well have been different species.
“….”
But Yeongung, that kid, didn’t give up.
Lips tightly sealed, guard raised, he tried to close the distance.
But it wasn’t easy.
Squeak, skrrt—
Dazzling footwork, moving across the ring as if gliding.
The delinquent evaded Yeongung’s charging pressure all too easily.
*‘An out-boxer.’*
It was the movement of a typical out-boxer.
Unlike the in-fighter who aimed for the KO with durability and punching power, it was a style that steadily racked up points each round or looked for the single big shot through counters.
Because his movement was nimble and his defense excellent, it was a style that had the advantage against an in-fighter who rushed in aggressively.
Not only was the matchup bad, but the talent gap was immense.
Honestly, it was a match with a foregone conclusion.
Just like what was happening before my eyes now.
Thwack, thwack-thwack!
Yeongung kept getting hit.
His guard hadn’t broken yet, so there likely wasn’t much physical damage, but.
*‘The mental damage must be considerable.’*
From being beaten on one-sidedly?
That was only natural.
Because no matter how much blood, sweat, and tears one put in for a month, the difference in talent wasn’t something easily overcome.
The problem was.
Thwack-thwack!
That the delinquent bastard was toying with Yeongung.
“Is he… getting hit right now?”
“Yeah. Minseok is only throwing jabs.”
“And with only one hand at that.”
The active pros had already noticed.
That the delinquent was intentionally throwing only jabs.
Humiliatingly, he was being overwhelmingly pushed back by an opponent throwing only jabs—and with his relatively weaker left arm at that.
What if it hadn’t been a jab, but a proper punch?
It would have been impossible for him to be standing upright like he was now.
That was why the kid.
Grit.
Unable to contain his frustration, he charged in aggressively like an enraged bull.
However.
Thwack!
Unable to keep up with the still-fast footwork, he merely allowed consecutive jabs through.
Ding-ding-ding!
Three minutes that felt like thirty had passed.
The two retreated to their respective corners to rest for a moment.
I approached them.
“You okay?”
Choe Yeonji was looking at Yeongung with concern.
“…Yes. I’m fine.”
“….”
After hesitating briefly, she….
“…Let’s give up here.”
She advised Yeongung to quit.
“You know it too. You’re no match for him. If you keep going, you’ll only end up miserable.”
Could this even be called a spar?
It was nothing more than a kind of show for that delinquent bastard to display his skills.
That was why Choe Yeonji gave him that advice to protect him.
“Are you going to give up?”
At my words as I subtly approached and asked.
“As if.”
He answered firmly.
“What are you talking about….”
“Noona.”
He cut her off, stopping her from trying to dissuade him again.
“I know what you’re worried about, Noona, but I’m fine.”
Even saying something so sensible, which didn’t suit him.
Over the past two weeks, the kid had changed.
He had succeeded in mental reconstruction through his own version of hell training.
Of course, there were still unstable elements, but he was gradually breaking away from the loser he had been in the past.
What was it called again.
Yes, a chrysalis.
Like a chrysalis preparing to become a butterfly, he was slowly changing.
“I’ll try. No, I will do it.”
“….”
Perhaps because she noticed that change.
“…You’ve changed.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. In the past, you would have started bawling your eyes out in a situation like this.”
Wow, that hits harder than that delinquent bastard’s fists?
“Me?”
“Yeah. You cried in the corner every day. Did you think I didn’t know?”
“….”
Well, with that personality of hers, she must have had a hard time.
No doubt, she probably bawled her eyes out like the world was ending on her first day at the gym.
“I’m proud of you.”
That was why she welcomed the changed Yeongung’s appearance.
Since she had seen him from the very bottom for three years, that change must have felt gratifying.
*‘She definitely cherishes him.’*
From that sight, I could tell what Choe Yeonji thought of Yeongung.
I wasn’t talking about love or other emotions.
At the very least, as one human being to another, she was welcoming his growth.
“Got it. I won’t stop you anymore. Go clash to your heart’s content.”
Words filled with sincerity.
“Yes.”
Whether he read that sincerity or not, unlike before, he answered with a bit more energy.
Ding!
The bell announcing the start reverberated.
Without bothering to touch gloves at the center, Yeongung set his stance and went in.
Guarding his face firmly just as before, he approached solidly like a turtle.
Thwack!
The delinquent’s jabs were still sharp, and approaching was difficult due to his long reach and footwork.
However.
Shhk.
Yeongung opened his guard.
And.
Bam!
He willingly took the jab to the face.
No matter how little power was in the jab, it was hard to endure taking it dead on.
But he had opened his guard.
*‘As expected!’*
He didn’t just take it.
Before the jab arrived, he charged forward instead, reducing the impact.
Easier said than done—this wasn’t something just anyone could do.
But Yeongung pulled it off.
It was almost as if I were watching him charge alone into enemy lines, just like before the regression.
And.
Whoosh!
At the same time as he allowed the jab to his face, he swung his fist in a large arc from below to above.
Startled, the delinquent quickly stepped back and retreated from the spot.
It was the first time.
That the delinquent had stepped back rather than to the side.
And that was an opportunity.
Swish!
Maintaining his crouched posture, he closed in on the delinquent.
“Where do you think you’re going!”
Even while retreating, Minseok threw a jab.
But it carried no weight committed forward; it was nothing more than a feint to draw his gaze.
Thwack-thwack!
Allowing those three solid blows to the face as they were, he dug in deep.
*‘I’ve built up his damn durability to be impressive, after all.’*
Two weeks of hell training.
I thought he might be a bit behind.
And for good reason—because except for sleeping hours, he had to endure training that pushed the limits of his body.
It was so grueling that even I couldn’t help but curse.
But Yeongung, that kid, completed that grueling schedule without a single word of complaint.
He was slowly peeling away the hard chrysalis surrounding him.
And now.
Thump!
Having cornered the delinquent, the kid drove his fist straight into the bastard’s abdomen.
“…Guh.”
A groan slipped past Yeongung’s lips.
“Heh.”
And the delinquent was smiling.
He had every reason to.
Yeongung’s fist hadn’t driven into his abdomen.
The delinquent had precisely blocked the incoming fist with his elbow, a faint, crooked smile forming on the bastard’s face.
No matter how much protection the gloves offered, having punched a sharp elbow, the impact must have been no joke.
But the kid’s advance hadn’t stopped yet.
Whoosh!
A hook coming from left to right.
With his opponent’s gaze tied downward, it was a blow Yeongung had put his heart into.
Bam!
And the dull thud of impact rang out.
It was similar to the sound of a watermelon being smashed.
Thud.
It wasn’t the delinquent who fell to his knees.
*‘A proper counter landed?’*
That delinquent bastard’s skill was no joke.
Matching the timing of the extending hook, a right-hand counter exploded.
“Yeongung…!”
Startled by the cleanly landed counter, Choe Yeonji tried to rush over.
But before she could move, I grabbed her shoulder and stopped her from approaching.
“What do you think you’re doing!”
She spat out roughly, furious.
“Wait. He hasn’t given up yet.”
“What do you mean….”
She couldn’t continue.
Because she saw.
Yeongung slowly rising to his feet despite the cleanly landed counter.
*‘The preparations are complete.’*
Through two weeks of hell training, the kid had grown.
Ah, of course, not everything had grown like crazy.
*‘Durability.’*
He might not have grown in everything, but when it came to durability—just that one thing—he had grown enough to be called a monster.