I was still… breathing. On the blood-soaked ground, the corpses of my brethren lay piled like mountains. The earth was stained red. I knelt, clutching a broken sword.
"Kuhaha! Chiyoo! Finally, this damn war ends!"
His voice.
That sneering, drawn-out tone, all too familiar to my ears.
I slowly raised my head.
On a nearby hill, silhouetted against the crimson sun, stood golden armor.
Huangdi…
He had finally revealed himself before me.
"Does it please you so much? For the Son of Heaven of the Empire to prance about, having caught a mere chieftain?"
My voice creaked like rusted iron, but he paid no mind.
"Kukuk! To call the leader of the Nine Tribes, the Guryeo Clan, a 'mere chieftain'… Indeed, one must eliminate promising sprouts early."
"Do you think the Guryeo Clan will bow to you just because I am gone? That's a pipe dream. As long as my brothers live, never. You dare not break the spirit of the Guryeo Clan!"
At that moment, Huangdi laughed, stepping closer to me, and whispered with a triumphant smirk.
"Aren't you curious how I managed to capture you? You can hold hands on your way to the afterlife."
He commanded the general beside him.
"Give it to him!"
"Yes, my lord!"
The general beside me pulled out a leather pouch and inverted it, and something stained with blood tumbled out.
[Thud, thud.]
Scattered across the ground were severed wrists…
Among them, the familiar tattoo on the back of a hand caught my eye.
It was the wrist of my brethren, Woosa and Pungbaek.
"..."
"It was quite a sight, how they groveled, begging for their lives."
At that moment, my heart pounded as if crushed.
And—clenching my teeth, the taste of blood filled my mouth.
"Huangdi! For my fallen brethren, even if I must become a demon—I will tear you into a thousand pieces, chew you, and swallow you whole!!"
"Now, history will be distorted. The Guryeo Clan will be recorded as the Dongyi people, my subjects. And you… the king of demons who defied the Son of Heaven? Well, I wonder if your name will even remain. Hahaha! History belongs to the victor!"
Huangdi abruptly stopped laughing.
"But a demon, you say… I truly despise variables.
Dismember him into five pieces so he cannot even wander the Nine Heavens, and discard his corpse in various regions so it can never be found!"
He commanded the general beside me once more.
"Yes! I obey the Son of Heaven's command!"
The helmed general raised his mace above his head and responded.
Huangdi nodded, a silent command in his eyes, and the general brought the mace down with all his might.
As the mace descended, I murmured to the sky.
'Oh, Lord Hwanin, God of Heaven, look upon my brethren and the Guryeo Clan… Hwansa, I leave the rest to you.'
And at that moment—
[CRASH!]
The thunderous roar of the mace falling on my head.
That sound shattered the doors of reality.
[BANG!]
The fighter's locker room door burst open, and Sang-cheol frantically called for Min-chan.
"Hey! Gang Min-chan! What are you doing sleeping in here?!"
[Gasp!]
Min-chan drew a sharp breath.
It was a dream. The same hauntingly vivid nightmare that reappeared every now and then.
'Haa… It feels like the cycles are getting shorter lately. What exactly… is that dream?'
Just then, the commentators' voices erupted from outside the locker room.
"Gang Min-chan! The monster of Korean MMA is making his entrance!!"
[WAAH—!!]
The roar of the crowd and the heat of the lights surged in from beyond the hallway.
Min-chan briefly lowered his head, slowly regulated his breathing, and clenched his fingertips.
Inside his left chest, his heart pounded beyond a mere beat, thumping loudly.
[Tap-tap-tap!]
Urgent footsteps echoed down the hallway, then—
The locker room door flew open.
"Hyung-nim! You need to go quickly, comrade!"
"Why is your face so pale? Are you sick?"
Young-ho and Young-beom, the Twin Tigers duo, rushed in, panting.
Min-chan lightly shook his head and stood up.
"I'm fine. Let's go."
He clenched his bandaged hands and walked toward the door.
Beyond the hallway, in front of the cage, Coach Kim Gap-su, Tae-geon, and Do-yoon waited.
"Hyung! Quickly! Hurry up!"
Do-yoon waved his arms, urging him.
Beside him, Tae-geon meticulously scanned Min-chan's face, then quietly approached and put an arm around his shoulder.
"Is it because it's a title match? Are you nervous?"
Min-chan chuckled.
"Nervous? What a hurtful thing to say."
But behind his laughter, an unfamiliar unease lingered.
Kim Gap-su placed a hand on Min-chan's chest.
"…Your body temperature is high, and your heart rate is fast. Are you really okay?"
Min-chan took a long breath and nodded.
"This heartbeat right now… it's perfect."
"Min-chan—"
At that moment, before Kim Gap-su could finish his sentence, the commentators' voices thundered through the arena.
"Challenger for the South Korean MMA Heavyweight Champion! Gang—Min—Chan!! He finally makes his appearance!!"
[CLANG!]
The cage door opened.
Min-chan spoke briefly, as if in greeting.
"I'll be back."
The moment he turned toward the cage, his eyes sharpened like a general facing a battlefield.
He slowly walked toward the cage.
"Gang Min-chan! Entering the arena!"
With the commentators' shouts, the roar of the crowd washed over him like a wave.
"Wow… Do you see those eyes? This is a beast. A true beast!"
"Undefeated with first-round KOs! We look forward to Gang Min-chan's performance today!"
Stepping into the cage, Min-chan lightly bounced from side to side,
[Hook, hook]
throwing short jabs to warm up.
At that moment, the opposite entrance opened.
"The current Heavyweight Champion of the world! Introducing Brian!"
Spotlights poured down, and Brian's entrance music boomed as he confidently walked toward the cage.
He met Min-chan's gaze, then scoffed as if it were routine.
However, annoyed by Min-chan's lack of reaction, Brian raised his middle finger at Min-chan from outside the cage.
"Fuck—!"
And then he even mimed slitting his throat.
Min-chan narrowed his eyes and stared at Brian for a moment.
Soon, he quietly turned and walked to his corner.
"No need to get worked up. He's infamous for his poor sportsmanship anyway."
Coach Kim Gap-su said in a low voice.
"A barking dog never bites, as they say."
Min-chan's eyes remained unwavering as he spoke indifferently.
"Judging by your attitude, I guess I don't need to worry.
If you're going to die, die out there. Just don't tarnish the gym's name."
Coach Park Sang-cheol said, tossing out words casually, and slapped Min-chan hard on the back.
The words were rough, but his hand carried the weight of encouragement.
"Hyung-nim! Be sure to win and return, comrade!"
"Knock that scoundrel out in one blow, comrade!"
From outside the cage, the shouts of the twin brothers, Young-ho and Young-beom, erupted.
"Both fighters to the center!"
At that moment, the referee gestured to both corners and spoke.
Min-chan gave a fierce grin, looking at his gym companions.
Then he held out his right fist and spoke in a low voice.
"What's a man?!"
As his words ended, the team's cheer erupted.
"One punch!!"
"Who are we?!"
"Invincible! Chiyoo Gym!"
Min-chan turned towards Brian and clenched his fist, his broad shoulders and rock-solid muscles rippling.
[DING! DING! DING!]
The bell for the start of the match rang.
Brian extended his fist as if to shake hands.
Min-chan also reached out his hand to meet his fist.
[Whoosh!]
At that moment, Brian's fist brushed past Min-chan's hand and shot upwards.
It was a surprise jab.
"That! That scoundrel, he threw a sneaky first punch, comrade!"
"Oh my! Look at that bastard!"
As Min-chan dodged by tilting his upper body, the furious shouts of the Twin Tigers combo erupted.
[Boo! Boo!]
Despite the crowd's boos, Brian shrugged his shoulders and flashed a relaxed smile, extending his hand again.
Min-chan chuckled to himself.
'Want to give it a try?'
Again, both fighters' fists met in the center of the ring.
Brian muttered to himself.
'Heh. These Eastern brats looking for etiquette in a battlefield just don't get it.
No mistakes this time.'
[Thwack!]
The moment their fists met, Min-chan's fist opened wide and gripped Brian's.
At the same time, he pulled Brian close and slammed his forehead directly into him.
[Guh!]
[Trickle.]
With a heavy thud, blood streamed from Brian's nose.
He clutched his face and stumbled back a few steps.
The referee immediately ran over, spreading his arms and pointing at Min-chan.
"Warning! Headbutt foul!"
Min-chan shrugged his shoulders and raised both hands.
With a wide grin, he calmly looked away, as if it wasn't intentional.
Brian's eyes rolled back.
His face clearly showed his simmering rage.
'This bastard… I'll kill him.'
After a quick first aid, the referee waved his hand again, resuming the match.
Min-chan slowly approached, taunting him.
"Your jab was pretty fast, too bad it missed."
But Brian didn't respond.
Instead, his eyes were chillingly dark.
[Whoosh!] [Whoosh!]
They exchanged light jabs, quickly completing their reconnaissance.
As if their attack range and timing were somewhat read, Brian closed the distance first and advanced.
[Whiz!] [Thump!]
A quick right hook followed by an uppercut.
Min-chan ducked his body to evade the hook aimed at his left temple, but a punch targeting his chin immediately followed.
[Whoosh.]
As Min-chan twisted his head, Brian's fist grazed his cheek.
Just as he was about to counterattack, Brian had already retreated.
'He's pretty fast for his size…'
Min-chan sensed that this match wouldn't end easily due to his opponent's unexpected agility.
A short while later, similar exchanges continued several more times.
'This much bait should be enough… Now, let's reel him in.'
Min-chan subtly smiled, watching Brian create distance.
At that moment—
Brian closed the distance again with a large step.
His left foot pushed off the ground, and his weighted right shoulder pulled back as if just before shooting a bow.
'Got him.'
Min-chan saw Brian's weight shift.
Before his right foot could fully plant itself—he accurately kicked, aiming for the ankle.
[Thud!]
[Stumble—]
Brian's body swayed, losing its footing, and pitched forward.
At that moment—
From Brian's vision below, Min-chan's knee shot up.
[Thwack!]
His nose was directly struck.
Brian's head snapped back, and his body collapsed forward.
His vision blurred white, as if his eyes were bursting.
[WAAH—!!]
The crowd roared.
But to Brian's ears, it sounded like a distant echo.
In the moment his consciousness faded,
fragments of the past flashed through his mind.
— Harlem, filled with gunshots and the stench of blood.
— Survival on the streets, where death could come at any moment.
— An innate fighting sense, sharper and faster than anyone else.
— And the unexpected opportunity that came.
— A scout for fighting.
— Money, fame, and the championship belt.
'I was a predator…'
[Thump.]
Both hands braced on the cage floor.
His mind was blank, and a sliver of consciousness returned.
'I can't sink back down like this…
I have always lived with death beside me.'
He gritted his teeth.
Blood from his twisted nose dripped onto the floor from his chin.
After shaking his head violently, he looked up—
Min-chan, eyes wide like an enraged tiger, was striding towards him.
[Whoosh!]
At that moment,
From Brian's perspective, as he lay prone on the ground,
A leg like a steel pillar swept around.
A soccer kick.
Just as the tip of that foot flew towards his head—
[DING! DING! DING!]
The bell signaling the end of Round 1 rang.
Brian stared blankly at Min-chan's stopped foot.
That foot, undoubtedly, would have shattered his head if it had been even a moment later.
Min-chan briefly regulated his breathing, then murmured softly.
"A champion, after all… needs luck too."
Brian still looked up at Min-chan, who stood tall and hadn't returned to his corner.
Then—
[Tap.]
Min-chan looked down at him and
slowly, raised his thumb.
'Is this sportsmanship?'
Before Brian could interpret the meaning—
Min-chan slowly lowered the thumb, then
brought it to his own neck.
[Swipe.]
A gesture of slitting his throat.
Min-chan was smiling broadly, looking down at Brian.
"…I always wanted to try that."
With those words, Min-chan turned away without a trace of regret.
Brian watched Min-chan's retreating back, trembling with confusion, humiliation, and rage.
'Arrogant bastard! I'll show you a Harlem fight!'
A short while later—
[DING! DING! DING!]
The bell signaling the start of Round 2 rang.
[Tap-tap-tap!]
Min-chan began.
Charging like a bull, he rushed at Brian, who was hunched against the cage wall, his upper body heavily guarded by both arms.
[Thud-thud-thud!]
Min-chan's powerful barrage of punches rained down on Brian's guard like a tempest.
The continuous blows vibrated the cage wall, and Brian remained hunched like a turtle, his eyes fixated on Min-chan's movements through the gaps in his guard.
'Damn it… How are an Easterner's punches so heavy…
Just a little more… I just need to hold on a little longer.'
The opportunity came sooner than expected.
Min-chan briefly slowed his pace, surprised by Brian's tough defense.
He closed the distance, pressing his forehead against Brian's.
And then—he thrust a powerful uppercut through the guard.
At that moment, a strange smile appeared on Brian's lips.
[Poof!]
Before Min-chan's uppercut could connect, Brian's head snapped back.
Simultaneously, a spray of red blood erupted from his mouth.
"Kuh…!"
Sticky blood covered Min-chan's face, dyeing his vision red.
"Foul! That's a foul right now!"
Outside the cage, Coach Kim Gap-su's sharp shout erupted—
But his voice was immediately drowned out.
The commentators' broadcast boomed through the speakers.
"Gang Min-chan's uppercut! It rips through the guard! Brian is taking heavy damage!"
In one corner of the cage,
Brian leaned halfway against the wall, covering his face, breathing heavily.
But—
Behind that guard, his unseen face was definitely smiling.
'Kukuku… In a Harlem fight, there are no rules.
Now it's my turn.'
He began to approach Min-chan, who was rubbing his eyes and hesitating, stunned.
Brian's hands dropped for a moment.
From Min-chan's point of view, it looked like he was barely holding himself up, wobbling like he might collapse any second.
'Now's the time!'
Min-chan tightened his guard, wiped his bloodied vision with his forearm, and charged.
[Thump-thump-thump!]
He threw a series of body shots, digging left and right.
Brian flinched slightly, groaning as if he was reacting—
But it was a trap.
The moment Min-chan wound up for a right hook to finish the job—
[Snap!]
Brian's right knee shot up like a spring, striking Min-chan squarely in the solar plexus.
[Whud!]
"Urgh—!"
Min-chan staggered back, eyes wide.
His breath seized. For a split second, his vision dimmed.
Brian didn't miss that moment.
He threw his whole weight into a spinning elbow.
[Crack!]
The side of Min-chan's face took the hit full force.
Blood and sweat flew.
His feet lifted slightly off the canvas before he crashed down.
[Thud!!]
"Gang Min-chan is down! The monster is down!"
The commentators' voices surged over the chaos.
[WAAAH—!!!]
The crowd erupted.
Brian raised both arms and let out a wild roar.
"HAAAAAA!!"
Min-chan lay motionless, the arena spinning around him.
'Is this… how it ends?'
His head rang.
The referee dashed in to begin the count.
"One… Two… Three…!"
But then—
In the swirling haze of pain,
a single, ancient voice echoed in his head.
"Rise… My vessel…"
"You must not fall yet…"
"Let wrath awaken."
[Thump.]
His heart—no, something deeper—pounded like a war drum.
The red tint returned to his left eye.
"Chiwoo…"
He muttered without realizing.
[Gasp!]
His eyes shot open.
"Six… Seven…!"
Min-chan planted his hands, blood dripping from his nose and lip, and pushed himself up.
"Eight!"
He stood—unsteady but alive.
He raised his fists again.
The referee hesitated, then shouted—
"FIGHT!"
Brian clicked his tongue.
"Tch. Persistent bastard."
But even he noticed the change.
Min-chan's gaze was no longer just sharp—it was burning.
Something primal.
Min-chan rolled his neck.
His expression twisted into a grin.
"Round 3's coming… and I'm still hungry."
Brian narrowed his eyes.
"You'll regret getting back up."
They clashed again.
[BAM! BAM!]
[Smack! Thud!]
Blows were exchanged like thunderclaps.
Brian landed a heavy hook,
but Min-chan tanked it with a growl and came right back with a counter uppercut.
[Crack!!]
Brian's jaw snapped to the side.
He stumbled.
Min-chan didn't let up.
He stepped in and began a vicious ground-and-pound.
[Thud-thud-thud!]
Left. Right. Left again.
The referee shouted—
"Watch the back of the head! Guard it!"
But Brian's guard had collapsed.
Min-chan's punches turned into hammerfists.
The crowd had gone wild.
People were standing, fists clenched, screaming his name.
"CHIWOO! CHIWOO! CHIWOO!"
Each syllable seemed to fuel Min-chan more.
He wasn't just a fighter anymore—
He had become the wrath of his fallen brothers.
He had become the war god.
[Thud!]
One final hammerfist slammed into Brian's temple.
[FLUMP.]
Brian's body went limp.
[DING! DING! DING!]
"It's over!! Knockout!! Gang Min-chan is the new Heavyweight Champion of South Korea!!"
[WAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!]
Min-chan staggered to his feet, arms raised.
Blood stained his gloves, his wraps, and his bare chest.
He looked up into the lights as if staring into heaven.
From the corner, Coach Gap-su ran in with the others.
Do-yoon jumped up and down.
The Twin Tigers grabbed the cage and roared—
"CHIWOOOOO!!!"
In that moment,
Min-chan was no longer just a man.
He was the rebirth of a name long forgotten,
the vengeance of the past,
the one who defied fate and rose from death's grip.
He was Chiwoo Cheonwang… in the cage.