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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Champion's Test
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Was it because recalling Yoon Jae-man made his anger surge?
Gulp, gulp—!
Lee Dae-hyuk downed the rest of the water from the plastic bottle in one go, as if trying to cool himself off, then spoke.
"It's obvious this'll get out soon, but I don't plan on doing any interviews, so have them report my name with initials only."
He had no desire to chase fame right now.
And he didn't have time for interviews anyway.
'Push-ups would be a better use of that time.'
As Lee Dae-hyuk sorted out his thoughts, Yoon Tae-ho quickly replied.
"I know a few reporters. I'll get it all sorted through them."
"Good. And there's one more thing I need to ask."
"...?"
***
One hour later.
Yoon Tae-ho, looking utterly bewildered, stood with Lee Dae-hyuk in front of a gym.
Pow-pow! Powaang! Boom!
The sound of pounding sandbags leaked out from inside.
"Nice sound."
The ripping noises from the heavy bags made Lee Dae-hyuk's blood boil.
Yoon Tae-ho's face, on the other hand, was etched with worry.
"You're really... going in there?"
Yoon Tae-ho felt like bursting into tears.
He always followed Lee Dae-hyuk's orders—no, requests—without question.
He'd even rescued Kim Jae-woon and Jeong Hee-joo on command.
Even if Lee Dae-hyuk dove into a corporate power struggle, he'd risk his life to back him.
As long as it wasn't a direct threat to Lee Dae-hyuk's safety or some serious crime, he'd obey any order.
But.
'This is dangerous. Really dangerous!'
One hour earlier.
When Yoon Tae-ho heard Lee Dae-hyuk's request, his jaw dropped.
- I want to learn fighting from Fighter Chu Dong-hyun.
Chu Dong-hyun.
WFC middleweight champion with a record of 12 wins, 2 losses, and 10 KOs in 14 fights. A monster.
He'd mastered judo, hapkido, boxing, taekwondo, and more. And he was Yoon Tae-ho's direct junior from their army days.
Chu Dong-hyun preferred sports over studying, and fighting over sports.
He'd enlisted in special forces to vent his hot blood, where he met Yoon Tae-ho.
Thanks to bonding with the humane Yoon Tae-ho, Chu Dong-hyun regained some social skills(?), but he grew disillusioned with the unsatisfying special forces training.
After discharge, he entered the fight game.
And then.
Chu Dong-hyun showcased his talent, debuting and claiming the championship title in just four years.
Yoon Tae-ho bragged about him to everyone, proud as could be.
But having Lee Dae-hyuk train under Chu Dong-hyun was a different story.
From their army days to now, Yoon Tae-ho had been giving Chu Dong-hyun light massages(?) and mental coaching to keep him out of trouble.
Thankfully, it worked—no major incidents.
The problem was, as a trainer, he was the absolute worst.
"There are plenty of guys around me who could teach you fighting, Young Master—not Dong-hyun. I'll introduce you to some kinder ones...."
"I don't want kind. I want capable."
When Lee Dae-hyuk cut him off, refusing to budge, Yoon Tae-ho finally dropped his head.
"...Understood. Then I'll head in first."
Yoon Tae-ho nodded reluctantly and stepped into the gym.
His eyes twitched as he dragged his unwilling feet.
It was because he remembered why Chu Dong-hyun, still active and even shooting CFs, had opened this gym.
- Why open a gym when you're too busy training alone?
- 'Cause I hate suffering alone.
- What?
- Hyung, I trained my ass off, right? Then it hit me: 'Why should I be the only one going through this hell? It's unfair! Unfair!'
- ....
- You know what they say: joy shared is halved, sorrow shared is doubled. So I'm sharing the sorrow. Gonna make others hurt like me. Uhahaha.
That old conversation with Chu Dong-hyun.
***
Inside the gym 'Fighter Center,' where Yoon Tae-ho and Lee Dae-hyuk entered, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Four fighters aligned, doing push-ups in unison.
"One, two, three. Good, good."
Chu Dong-hyun lay sprawled across their backs.
Chu Dong-hyun grinned triumphantly atop them, while the fighters below sweated buckets, grinding out push-ups.
The other trainees glanced over enviously.
Lee Dae-hyuk strode in boldly and asked Yoon Tae-ho.
"...He still trains like that these days?"
A 'professional' MMA gym.
Most had adopted systematic, scientific methods since the early 2000s.
But.
Here, it was straight-up military-style hazing.
"That's just his old-school style...."
Yoon Tae-ho trailed off.
This was exactly why he'd hesitated bringing Lee Dae-hyuk here.
That lunatic would surely put Lee Dae-hyuk through the same abuse disguised as training.
'I can't stand by for that.'
If it happened, he wouldn't let Chu Dong-hyun off easy.
Lee Dae-hyuk, meanwhile, looked intrigued.
'Amazing. His eyes are alive. His presence is no joke.'
Veterans who've seen countless fights can read opponents from their eyes alone.
He radiated the sharp edge of a well-honed blade.
As Lee Dae-hyuk mulled that brief impression.
"Good. That's enough."
Chu Dong-hyun hopped down from the trainees' backs, spotted Yoon Tae-ho, and flashed a goofy smile.
But.
"...."
The moment his eyes met Lee Dae-hyuk's, Chu Dong-hyun's gaze turned icy.
'Why'd you come here...? That's the look.'
Lee Dae-hyuk answered the fighter champion's killer stare with a smile.
Did that irk him more?
Chu Dong-hyun whipped his head away and said.
"Hyung, you're early. Should've cleaned up if I knew. Lost track of time training the kids."
He'd been glaring at Lee Dae-hyuk moments ago, but now spoke warmly to Yoon Tae-ho.
"Gyms are all like that. No worries."
Yoon Tae-ho sensed something off in Chu Dong-hyun's uncharacteristically polite demeanor but forced a smile and continued.
'Please, just keep it cool....'
Chu Dong-hyun turned from the anxious Yoon Tae-ho and extended his right hand to Lee Dae-hyuk.
"You're Lee Dae-hyuk? Heard a lot about you from hyung."
"Hope it's all good. Lee Dae-hyuk."
Lee Dae-hyuk smiled and gripped Chu Dong-hyun's hand firmly.
And.
Flash—!
A spark flared before his eyes, and Chu Dong-hyun's info and thoughts flooded his mind.
.
.
.
Nothing special in the info.
A delinquent life, but he never bullied the weak.
His hobby was beating up the bullies who targeted average kids.
Lee Dae-hyuk knew Chu Dong-hyun's story well.
Contrary to his sharp, rough first impression, a good guy who secretly donated and volunteered.
The issue was....
'He really hates me. Jealousy... Ha. Haha.'
Chu Dong-hyun loathed Lee Dae-hyuk, sight unseen.
And the reason was surprisingly....
.
.
.
'Yoon Manager doesn't hang out with him anymore 'cause he's guarding me....'
Having read all of Chu Dong-hyun's thoughts, Lee Dae-hyuk smiled.
A champion destined to become a legendary trainer.
And with his fame, even conquer variety shows.
Right now, Chu Dong-hyun was just too cute.
Releasing his hand, Lee Dae-hyuk said.
"You've probably heard from Manager Yoon Tae-ho already, but I'm here to join properly and train. Looking forward to it."
"Hmm. Deciding awful quick. Joining's up to the gym master, not just anyone?"
Chu Dong-hyun's tone sharpened.
Yoon Tae-ho bristled and gestured sharply.
"Chu Dong-hyun! Watch your mouth. Don't you know who this is?"
"I do. The guy lining up for the entry test."
Chu Dong-hyun shrugged, and Yoon Tae-ho's face flushed red.
"You punk! To the man I serve...."
"Hyung serves him, not me. And Lee Dae-hyuk-ssi. I don't train just anyone. World champion material only, got it?"
"...Then I definitely have to join here."
Lee Dae-hyuk said, scanning the gym.
Truth be told, aside from Chu Dong-hyun's antics(?), the dozen or so fighters inside had impeccably trained bodies at a glance.
No excess fat, with battle-ready back muscles, core, and thighs.
They say to build punching power, develop your back, waist, and thighs—the body's center.
Basic knowledge even for Lee Dae-hyuk, who'd never trained in fighting.
'With bodies like that, I can get stronger.'
Lee Dae-hyuk felt hope he could surpass 'Kim Gun-woo.'
His own combat experience plus a sturdy physique.
Add systematic fighting skills, and getting stronger was inevitable.
"You said you only train future champs, Gym Master. So how do I join?"
Chu Dong-hyun crossed his arms at the serious question.
"Pass one simple test. Very simple."
"Let's do that simple test. What is it?"
Seeing Lee Dae-hyuk's confidence, Chu Dong-hyun sneered.
"Last 30 seconds in the ring against one of these senior fighters."
"You bastard! You lost your mind?"
Yoon Tae-ho spat out harsh words upon hearing it.
Chu Dong-hyun scratched his head and pouted.
"Everyone here lasted 30 seconds to join. Can't give special treatment just 'cause he's a chaebol kid."
"You call that talk...."
"Manager Yoon, hold on."
As Yoon Tae-ho reddened at the entry condition.
Lee Dae-hyuk raised a hand to stop him.
Truthfully... no real reason to get mad.
"I agree with you, Gym Master. To learn properly, I should pass your test. Can we start now?"
The two were stunned by Lee Dae-hyuk's calm response.
"...!"
"Young Master, this 'test' is just a legal beatdown...."
Yoon Tae-ho pleaded worriedly.
But Lee Dae-hyuk waved it off with a grin.
"You think I'll just stand there and take it?"
"...."
Lee Dae-hyuk's bold reply carried Kim Gun-woo's spirit.
But Yoon Tae-ho was left dumbfounded.
Who'd answer 'Yes, you look like you'll get wrecked bad' to that?
Realizing he couldn't sway Lee Dae-hyuk's stubbornness, Yoon Tae-ho slumped.
Chu Dong-hyun, meanwhile, beamed.
"Great. Test starts now."
.
.
.
A hexagonal ring to WFC official specs.
Standing atop it in training gear, Lee Dae-hyuk's heart raced oddly.
He'd fought plenty—too many times.
But standing in a ring like this? First time. It thrilled him like a kid.
Plus, wearing gloves for the first time ever....
Felt like a boy unwrapping Christmas gifts.
But if someone's excited, someone's gotta despair.
Outside the ring, facing the trainee, Yoon Tae-ho stomped anxiously.
'What do I do? Jump in if he takes even one hit?'
As Yoon Tae-ho fretted.
Chu Dong-hyun yelled.
"30 seconds—go!"
"We really doing this?"
The trainee glanced at Chu Dong-hyun.
Lee Dae-hyuk looked like a total civilian.
No—frailer than average.
One wrong hit could land him in the hospital.
Chu Dong-hyun spoke softly to the concerned trainee.
"Wanna leave the gym?"
"Ah... Got it."
With the trainee's reply.
Ding—!
The electronic bell rang.
And that instant.
"Hup!"
With Lee Dae-hyuk's sharp breath, something astonishing happened.
Tadadadat—!
While the trainee blinked.
Lee Dae-hyuk charged.
Crack—WHAM!
A right hook smashed the trainee's jaw.
"Gahk!"
Unable to react to the sudden blow, the trainee crumpled with a scream.
Thud—!
"...!!"
Silence blanketed the gym for a long moment.