Chapter CVI - An Unbelievable Difference

Standing outside the SPSS, the building Tjay’s father owned, Tjay chatted up Don, Max, and Iseul while waiting for Art and the girls to arrive.

It was early in the morning, and just as agreed, Tjay’s father organized a training event for Arthur to test his skills. The streets of Seoul were unsurprisingly crowded, with the summer almost over and school right around the corner.

Other than Max, whose sister told him everything she learned after going home, none of the boys knew what was happening in Arthur’s life since he didn’t wish to inform them over text. Don was always happy to tag along whenever they invited him anywhere, and Tjay wasn’t going to let a chance go by where he could see Arthur fight and possibly challenge him as well.

A few minutes later, Arthur arrived with Sophie, Irene, and Amelia at his side.

“Ready to go in?” Tjay smirked, happy to show off the SPSS’s training gym.

“We’re waiting for one more,” Irene said, crossing her arms.

“Who?” he asked, but before she could answer, a roaring engine stole their attention as Moon pulled up on the crosswalk.

She dismounted her bike and took off her helmet. “Am I late?”

“Moon?” Don mumbled, confused as to why she was there.

“What’s she doing here?” Tjay whispered to Arthur while covering his mouth.

“I’ll explain later,” Arthur said, glancing at Irene.

“Let’s just do this,” Irene said, walking toward the entrance.

Tjay escorted them inside the SPSS and led them to the stairs leading to the underground training facility that all active members used to train daily. It consisted of changing rooms, a gym, and a vast open space covered with training mats.

“Woah. . .” Sophie was utterly awed as they took off their shoes and entered. “Do you have gym memberships?”

“All of you can come train whenever you want,” Tjay said, looking around for his father, who was supposed to be there.

“Really?” Sophie asked, initially only joking.

“I do it all the time,” Tjay pointed out.

“Oppa, wanna come with me?” She turned to Arthur.

“Sure. Maybe we can have group training from time to time.”

“Sounds fun,” Irene agreed.

“Count me in. . .” Iseul mumbled, making Max notice that she wasn’t the only one eyeing the men working out.

It was the first time Max had looked at himself and thought that maybe he should work out more, despite being already in good shape.

“Ah, there you are. . .” Tjay’s father said, approaching from behind.

“Good day, sir,” Arthur bowed along with the others apart from Moon and Tjay. “Thank you for doing this for us.”

“Nonsense. . . If anything, my son was the one who insisted the most!” He burst into laughter.

“Hello, Arthur,” said a familiar older man wearing robes.

“Master Gwan, it’s a pleasure to see you again.” Arthur bowed again. “You’re not here to fight me, are you?”

“No, no. . .” He chuckled. “I’m just here to watch. Sir Jong made sure to inform me of your circumstances, and I couldn’t resist seeing a prodigy fight.”

“I hope you enjoy,” Art said, but was more so worried that someone would slip up and mention Qi.

“Where’s that girl Nabi?” Jong Yoon-gi asked, looking at the group as a whole.

“Nabi couldn’t make it. She was feeling unwell,” Irene cut in, knowing Nabi pretty much locked herself up in her room.

“I see. . . Well, I hope she feels better soon. Now, shall we begin?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

While Tjay’s father went to talk to some of the men who were finishing up their warmup, Arthur took the opportunity to pull Moon to the side; however, his actions sparked whispering among the boys, who were still confused as to what she was doing there.

“You sure blondie won’t misunderstand you pulling me to the side like this?” Moon teased, but Arthur brushed it off.

“Listen, about today’s training. Don’t mention Qi to anyone. Other than Irene, none of them know I possess it.”

“You think I’m dumb?” Moon furrowed her brows before letting out a sigh. “Even my men don’t know about Qi. You think I’mma bring it up to your friends?”

“Just making sure.”

“Just make sure not to embarrass yourself.” Moon gazed into his eyes, tilting her head slightly. “And why’d you look so tired?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Need I remind you what’s on the line?” She stepped away from him. “I’ll worry about what I need to.”

“Whatever. . .” Arthur sighed.

“Seriously though, since when are they so close?” Tjay persistently asked.

“Patience is definitely not your virtue,” Max pointed out.

“What’d ya say?”

“You heard me. . .”

“Quiet down,” Iseul interrupted them, flicking Max’s shoulder.

“Ow. . .” Max lowered his voice. “Why me?”

“Why not?” Iseul blankly stared.

They only settled down once Tjay’s father returned with one of the men working there.

“Arthur, this is Sung-Min. He’s one of the instructors for our members.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Arthur bowed, greeting the man who appeared to be in his late twenties.

“Likewise,” he said, turning around toward a team that stood a few steps behind him. “This is my team. I was told you want to spar with them. Are you perhaps looking to join the SPSS?”

At a quick glance, Arthur noticed most of them were around his height except for their instructor, who stood a few centimeters taller than him. Their fitness wasn’t in question, but their motivation looked to be lacking.

“No. I’m just here to warm up for an upcoming fight I’ll be having. Will you be fighting me as well?”

“Aren’t you Tae-Hyun’s classmate?”

“What of it?” Arthur furrowed his brows.

“You’re still a bit too young for me to fight, don’t you think? Maybe in a few years.”

“Oh, I guess losing to someone younger as an instructor would cause issues among those you train. . . I understand,” Arthur said, tucking one hand under his armpit while the other pinched his chin.

“What?” The instructor was baffled by Arthur’s arrogance which had everyone snickering, including his boss. “Maybe you should watch your tone. . .”

“Oh, I apologize. Didn’t mean to come off as rude. Was just pointing out the obvious.”

“Hey kid. . .” spoke up one of the men behind him. “Learn some respect, will ya?”

“Quiet,” the instructor snap-turned to him. “He’s our guest.”

“Art. . .” Irene whispered his voice, reminding him to tone it down a bit.

Arthur was well aware that what he said sounded condescending, but he believed it was what they needed to get them to take him seriously.

“Fine, fine. . . Who am I fighting first?” Arthur didn’t drop the smug persona, a novelty even for his friends to see.

“Who wants to go?” The instructor asked.

“I will, sir!” yelled one of the trainees, who couldn’t help but glare at Arthur for disrespecting his trainer.

“In-Su, huh?” The instructor smirked, watching as the man in his early twenties took a step forward. “Put your gear on and get ready.”

“Gear?” Arthur asked.

“Headguard and gloves.”

“Gloves are fine, but I’ll avoid using a headguard,” Arthur said, accepting gloves only for the sake of his opponent.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you fight without it. If you get hurt–”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

“I–”

“It’s okay,” Tjay’s father finally interrupted, amused by the scene unfolding in front of him. “Let the boy fight without it.”

“But if he gets hurt–”

“I’ll take full responsibility,” Arthur cut in before showing a smirk. “Besides. . . They’ll have to land a hit on me.”

“Sir, I’ll avoid using a headguard as well,” spoke up In-Su, scratching his shaved head.

“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Arthur said.

“You’re really starting to push my buttons, kid.”

“Likewise, when you dared snicker at the idea of fighting me beforehand.” Arthur returned the glare, taking In-Su and the others by surprise. “Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

“Team Leader, can we start the spar?”

“Teach him a lesson. That’s an order.” The instructor’s sharp gaze fell on Arthur. “Are you ready?”

“Of course.” Arthur stepped to the side where there was enough room for them to go at it. “Oh, and how about making a bet?”

“There he goes. . .” Tjay whispered.

“What did you have in mind?” In-Su asked.

“If I beat all ten of you in a row, your instructor will have to apologize for underestimating me, and. . . if you win, I’ll grovel at your feet.”

“What a guy,” Moon commented with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, to which Irene simply sighed.

“You–” In-Su looked enraged.

“Fine,” the instructor spoke up. “We have a deal, but I’ll choose who you fight.”

“Fine by me.”

“Then, let’s determine the rules of the bout.”

“How about doing the same thing we did in the park?” Tjay suggested. “Fight until you either can’t, you surrender, or you hit the ground three times.”

“Sounds good to me,” Arthur said while being handed MMA gloves.

“Agreed,” In-Su spoke up.

After both fighters looked ready, the instructor raised his hand. “Very well. You may begin!”

Tension rose inside the training grounds as nobody knew what to expect, but In-Su broke the anticipation by stepping into range, taking the initiative.

He threw a feint, trying to see what Art would do; however, he didn’t expect the seventeen-year-old to retaliate without hesitation. Before he even realized what was happening, Arthur had already lunged toward him, kicking at his knee, throwing him off balance, and following up with a flurry of punches that dropped him to the ground.

Knowing it was too soon to end the fight, Arthur stepped back, allowing In-Su to stand back up. He didn’t want to win by taking people by surprise and instead demanded the respect he deserved. While everyone watching was already amazed by Arthur’s dominance, the show had just begun.

Despite being more experienced than any of them, Arthur knew he couldn’t keep playing with his food forever due to gradually built-up fatigue from helping Ryung. There was also the fact that he still needed to visit him afterward, meaning he couldn’t use Qi for any of his fights.

“Not. . . bad,” In-Su disingenuously said, pretending he wasn’t hurting.

“Prepare yourself,” Arthur said, taking a deep breath before dedicating his full attention to the spar.

In-Su looked for an opening as Arthur did him a favor and waited for the man to recover. However, seeing he was taking his time, Art stepped into range, provoking a defensive kick from In-Su. He dodged with ease, swiping at his grounded leg with a low kick, causing the man to fall prone.

Arthur wasn’t sure if In-Su expected him to wait for him to get up again, but in a fight with everything on the line, such luxury didn’t exist. Seeing In-Su plant both hands firmly on the ground in an attempt to push himself up, Arthur delivered a devastating kick to the ribs, flipping him over with sheer power.

In-Su groaned in pain, unable to continue the fight.

“The winner is. . . Arthur,” announced the instructor with distaste.

“Get him up,” Tjay’s father instructed.

Two men immediately rushed to make sure In-Su was alright, dragging him to the side.

“Who’s next?” Arthur mercilessly looked back at the other trainees.

“Oppa!” Sophie cheered, looking flustered after Arthur looked back at her.

He couldn’t even imagine what was going through her head, but she seemed glad he was okay. The others soon joined in on the cheer, and even Tjay didn’t hesitate to root for his friend despite the men being his father’s employees.

“Not bad,” Moon commented.

“You’ve seen nothing yet,” Irene responded.

“We’ll see,” she smirked, standing side by side.

At first, the instructor believed the win to be nothing but a fluke, but Arthur quickly proved him wrong. Following up on the first match, Arthur proceeded to win each fight without anyone landing a hit on him. In fact, it was so brutal that it looked like one-sided bullying.

“Seven. . .” the instructor mumbled to himself. “That’s seven wins in a row.”

“I swear, Arthur is a reincarnated war god,” Tjay whispered to Don.

“You’re not wrong,” Irene smirked as she overheard them while looking at her boyfriend proudly.

“How did he learn to fight like that?” Amelia asked, baffled by the level of skill.

Much like Irene, she too trained in taekwondo and had sparring experience, so she understood how unbelievable Arthur’s effortless fighting was.

“No wonder blondie fell in love with him,” Moon teased.

“Hardly the only reason,” Irene corrected her.

“Did you hear that?” Tjay whispered again. “She didn’t deny loving him. . .”

“You’re right. . .” Max snickered.

“Oi. . . Shut it,” Iseul commanded, making Max and Tjay flinch with words alone.

Moon couldn’t help but smirk while looking at Iseul, which she just shrugged off coldly.

“Why’s Petra not here?” Arthur asked the instructor. “She seems a lot stronger than these guys.”

“She doesn’t spar,” he answered, crossing his arms in annoyance. “But if you’re having such an easy time, are you up for a challenge?”

“You wanna fight me?” Arthur smirked.

“If you–”

“No need to be shy, but remember. . .” Arthur cracked his fingers. “I won’t go easy on you.”

“Sir?” He looked back at Tjay’s father for permission.

“Give us a good show,” Jong Yoon-gi said, looking back at the Master, who looked impressed yet, at the same time, bored.

“Thank you, sir.” Sung-Min stepped up to Arthur, getting in a wide stance. “You ready?”

“Go for it.”

Arthur could tell that Sung-Min was an experienced fighter by the lack of jittery movements. He looked composed and focused, but despite Arthur’s display of power, he still seemed to underestimate the ex-hero who fought monsters that would level the planet with ease.

Letting out a sigh, Arthur decided to show off at least a bit of his true skill before ending the day.

Kaisa Second Form: Vicious Blow.

Channeling just a fraction of his Qi, Arthur stepped into range with tremendous speed in comparison to before, making Sung-Min feel like he blinked. Arthur drove his fist into Sung-Min’s stomach, sending him flying backward before falling prone.

There was no need for an announcement. Everyone knew Arthur had won as Sung-Min struggled to get up. Had Arthur been well-rested and used his true strength, such a blow would’ve ripped all of Sung-Min’s organs, killing him on the spot.

His friends cheered for him, and even Moon seemed somewhat impressed, but Arthur knew that had she fought in his place, she too would’ve won with ease, making it still questionable for her if he would win.

Standing beside his grandfather, Arthur infused his Qi as he did every day. Having just won his fights, he excused himself and went to see Ryung. Moon exchanged a few words before going her own way, and the rest of the group sat in one of the conference rooms, where Irene took the initiative and explained to Tjay and Don what was going on.

“How are you doing?” Tjay’s father asked, entering the room.

“A bit tired, but I’ll be fine,” Arthur explained, still focusing on Ryung.

The two were alone.

“I didn’t imagine you’d bring Moon with you.” He pulled up a chair and sat down. “We’ll keep track of her and soon learn who her brother is.”

“Just don’t cause her trouble,” Arthur said, taking Jong Yoon-gi by surprise. “She’s not my enemy as of now, and I’d still like to solve this on my own. I feel like I already owe you too much, and I don’t wish to go from one debt to another.”

“You should know not to worry about such things.” He chuckled, but Arthur wasn’t convinced. While he respected Tjay’s father and knew he was good-natured, he still knew not to underestimate him as a businessman. “But we won’t get involved, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you.”

“Anyway, I wanted to congratulate you on your victory. That last fight had Master all giggly on our way out.”

“I’m glad he found it entertaining in the end.”

“So you’ve noticed he was bored. . . Interesting.”

“I pay attention to everything when I fight,” Arthur pointed out.

“Well, I’ll let you focus on your grandfather too.” He smiled, standing back up. “Your friends are waiting for you to finish.”

“Thank you again for helping. I hope that eased their minds at least a little.”

“I’m sure it did.” He turned around and started making his way toward the door. “Oh, and Art.”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for what you did back there in the end,” Jong Yoon-gi said, leaving the room.

Arthur smiled, shaking his head.

After his fight with the instructor, when the dust finally settled, Sung-Min went to apologize as they agreed; however, Arthur cut him off and apologized instead. He expressed his wishes to be challenged and acted rudely only to provoke them. He asked for forgiveness, but Sung-Min brushed him off and said he wasn’t wrong in doing so, after which the two shook hands without needing to lower themselves.

Chapter End.

Thank you for reading.