I Thought I Was Bullying a Nobody, But He's a Martial Arts Genius - Chapter 18

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A Fighting Genius, Unknown and Bullied — Episode 018
A café near the Gymnasium.
His mother hadn’t touched the water glass.
Across from her sat Kang Ayeon and Kang Doyun.
Ayeon wore clothes more polished than usual.
Doyun was still in his workout gear.
His mother spoke first.
“I’ll be direct with you.”
Ayeon’s shoulders straightened slightly.
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
“As a fighter, how do you see our Seojun?”
It was a brief question.
But the air turned heavy at once.
Ayeon smiled first.
“Seojun has talent. Exceptional talent, really.”
She chose her words with care.
“His eyes are sharp, he picks things up quickly, and he has star quality in the ring. You can see it just from the Rookies Finals. His striking was so impressive it spread as clips online.”
His mother merely nodded.
Ayeon continued.
“These days, fighting ability alone isn’t enough. You need a story, you need moments that stand out. In that regard, Seojun—”
“Senior.”
Doyun cut her off.
Ayeon’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“That’s not why you came here.”
Ayeon’s mouth closed.
Doyun pushed the water glass aside and looked directly at his mother.
“Baek Seojun is a genius. That much is true.”
The tips of his mother’s fingers twitched slightly.
“But he can’t be explained by that word alone.”
Doyun’s voice was low.
“The first time I saw him, he was on the ground in an alley getting beaten. Most kids would close their eyes and curl up. But Seojun kept watching.”
His mother’s expression hardened.
Doyun didn’t look away.
“He was calculating where the fists were coming from. What angle the kicks were entering. Which parts of his body hurt less when hit. He was running the numbers the whole time.”
The sound of a coffee machine hummed from deeper in the café.
Hiss.
Even after that sound faded, no one spoke immediately.
Doyun continued.
“That’s not a glamorous talent. That’s a habit born from survival.”
His mother’s hands wrapped around the water glass.
“He didn’t learn to fight because he wanted to. He learned because he didn’t want to get hit.”
…….
“But he changed.”
Doyun tapped the table lightly with his finger.
Tap.
“When he put down Choi Gangmin, it was revenge. When he sparred with Taesu, it was about proving himself. At the Rookies tournament, he fought because he wanted to win for the first time.”
His mother slowly raised her head.
“And now?”
“Now he fights because he wants to get stronger.”
Doyun answered without hesitation.
“That’s the biggest shift of all.”
At those words, Ayeon fell silent too.
Doyun pushed forward, his words blunt and unadorned.
“Seojun went from a kid who endured being hit, to one who keeps moving forward even when he’s hit. He doesn’t run from fear—he calculates it. He did the same the night before his fight with Jo Minseong. He admitted he was scared, then immediately found his opponent’s weaknesses.”
His mother’s pupils trembled.
“He did?”
“Yes.”
Doyun nodded.
“Saying he has strong mental fortitude doesn’t cover it. The way he breaks is different. Most people freeze when they’re afraid, but when Seojun is afraid, he observes more. He analyzes more. He endures longer.”
Ayeon exhaled quietly.
Doyun glanced out the window for a moment.
The gymnasium sign was visible through the glass pane.
“To be honest, he still has gaps. By professional standards, there are plenty of holes. His Cage Control is weak, he doesn’t know Dirty Boxing, and he’s vulnerable against upper-level grapplers.”
“And yet you see him as a prospect?”
His mother asked.
Doyun turned to face her again.
“I do.”
There was no hesitation in it.
“Why?”
“Because of his tenacity.”
Doyun’s hand stilled on the table.
“There are plenty of talented kids out there. Some pick things up and replicate them immediately. Some are naturally strong. Others have been groomed through elite programs since childhood.”
……
“But Seojun — he gets knocked down, he vomits, he falls, and he gets back up. He takes a technique, gets dropped, and instead of panicking, he asks how to escape it. He doesn’t stop because he’s afraid his body will break. He studies, he adapts, he makes sure it won’t happen again.”
Doyun’s voice grew a little rough.
“That kind of fighter is rare.”
His mother said nothing for a while.
Ayeon added carefully.
“We can’t match Black Leaf’s money. Their system is bigger than ours.”
Doyun let out a soft laugh.
“That’s true enough.”
Ayeon shot him a look.
“But we don’t see Seojun as just a commodity.”
His mother’s eyes turned toward Ayeon.
Ayeon clasped her hands together.
“I saw him from the moment he first walked into the gymnasium. How withdrawn he was. How small he made himself. And I see how different he is now.”
Her voice dropped lower.
“Seojun began to stand again at our gymnasium. I can say that with certainty.”
His mother slowly set down her water glass.
Click.
A small sound.
“I’ve heard enough.”
Doyun and Ayeon both looked up at once.
His mother did not rise from her seat.
But her face showed a decision had been made.
“Now I understand how you’ve been looking at our Seojun all this time.”
Doyun bowed his head silently.
Ayeon released a small breath.
His mother gathered her bag.
“Now I’ll meet with Black Leaf.”

* * *
Black Leaf Lounge.
The walls were floor-to-ceiling glass.
The Seoul night sprawled beneath them.
His mother sat on the sofa.
Across from her sat Seo Hayun.
Black suit.
Hair arranged with precision.
A tablet and contract lay neatly arranged on the table.
“We consider Baek Seojun to be a special asset.”
Hayun slid the tablet forward.
Numbers appeared on the screen.
Contract Fee: 100 million won.
Monthly training support: 3 million won.
International camp twice annually.
Sponsorship management.
Dedicated physical coach.
Dedicated medical team.
“We provide our athletes with everything they need. Training, recovery, nutrition, media, contracts. Everything is managed within one system.”
His mother asked quietly.
“As a fighter, what’s your assessment of our Seojun?”
Hayun’s gaze remained steady.
“High marketability.”
She paused to collect her breath, then laid out his strengths.
“The Rookies finals clip has accumulated views quickly, and the underdog narrative is compelling. The striking finishes look impressive too. From Axis Korea’s perspective, he’s the type with strong promotional value.”
“Is that all?”
Hayun paused for a moment.
“Of course, he has real skill. Dynamic Vision, Counter Sense, composure in the ring. He has plenty of room to develop.”
It was a flawless answer.
No gaps in it.
But there was no warmth in it either.
His mother didn’t ask further.
Hayun pushed the tablet forward.
“We can turn Baek Seojun into a professional product very quickly.”
At those words, his mother’s fingertips tightened, just slightly.
Hayun noticed, but didn’t change her approach.
“More precisely, into a fighter who can be sold for a long time.”

* * *
That night.
Two documents lay on the table of the narrow studio apartment.
Team Jujak.
Black Leaf.
Seojun sat in silence.
His mother spoke first.
“I met with both of them.”
“I know.”
“Money and systems—Black Leaf is overwhelmingly better.”
Seojun nodded.
There was no denying that.
“But.”
His mother placed her hand over the Team Jujak contract.
“It’s Jujak who understands you as a fighter.”
Seojun’s eyes shifted.
“Coach Doyun knew what kind of boy you were. From the moment you were being hit, to the moment you threw your first punch.”
……
“He even knew how you changed when you were afraid.”
His mother’s voice was quiet.
“That resonated with me.”
Seojun was silent for a long time.
He looked back and forth between the two contracts.
‘If I go to Black Leaf, the money comes right away.’
One hundred million won.
Money that could let his mother rest her hands.
He could even leave this shabby studio apartment.
Go to a better hospital.
Training would become easier.
Foreign coaches.
Physical therapy teams.
Sponsors.
Fewer things to worry about outside the ring.
‘But how fast will I get stronger?’
Seojun’s fingers pressed against the table.
Doyun’s pads came to mind.
‘Your chin lifted.’
‘Watch the opponent’s shoulders first.’
‘Your body isn’t like everyone else’s. If you fight like them, you’re at a disadvantage.’
Doyun was rough.
His words were harsh.
But they were precise.
Why Seojun didn’t close his eyes even when struck.
Why his joint locks came in late.
Why fear made him see his opponent’s movements more clearly instead of less.
He understood all of it.
‘My weapon isn’t ordinary.’
Dynamic Vision.
Flexibility.
Survival instinct learned through taking hits.
That couldn’t be perfected by good facilities alone.
Handle it wrong, and he’d become a half-baked striker with nothing but speed.
Handle it right.
And he could become something greater.
‘Rather than take ten million won now.’
Seojun’s gaze grew quiet and steady.
‘It’s better to make myself worth a hundred million.’
It was a brief calculation.
But the answer was clear.
On one side: immediate money.
An unfinished fighter.
A commodity in a large system.
On the other side.
A coach who understood him most accurately right now.
A gymnasium that could turn his strange talent into a weapon.
Future value.
Seojun looked up.
“Mom.”
“Yes.”
“Black Leaf’s offer is good, that’s true.”
“It is.”
“But if I go now, I think I might be sold quickly, but I won’t grow strong quickly.”
His mother listened quietly.
“I’m not a finished fighter yet. I don’t know my own body or my fighting style yet. The person who knows that best is Coach.”
Seojun placed his hand on the Team Jujak contract.
“Rather than chasing money right now, I’m going to choose the path that builds my value.”
A faint smile touched the corner of his mother’s mouth.
“Is this your choice?”
“Yes.”
Seojun’s answer was brief.
There was no hesitation.
“I chose it.”
His mother nodded.
“Then that’s settled.”
Seojun looked down at the papers again.
His fingertips were no longer trembling.
The choice was made.

* * *
The next day.
Team Jujak Gymnasium office.
Seojun sat before the table.
Across from him were Kang Ayeon and Kang Doyun.
On the table lay a thin contract.

Seojun stared at those words for a long moment.
Ayeon asked carefully.
“Are you really sure about this?”
Seojun looked up.
“Yes.”
“Black Leaf’s terms are far better than ours. The sign-on bonus is bigger, and the support is stronger.”
“I’m aware.”
Doyun tilted back in his chair at an angle.
“You can still change your mind.”
“I won’t.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Doyun’s eyebrows lifted slightly.
Seojun straightened his back.
“I’ll sign with Team Jujak.”
Ayeon closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them.
Doyun let out a quiet laugh.
“Why?”
“I’ve determined this is where I can become strongest.”
“Determined?”
“Yes.”
Seojun looked at the contract on the table.
“Black Leaf has the money and the systems. If I went there now, I’d have it easier. But I’m not a finished fighter yet.”
The corner of Doyun’s mouth rose slightly.
“Go on.”
“My strengths are unusual, and my weaknesses are clear. Dynamic Vision, joint flexibility, the habit of absorbing hits and staying upright. Used well, they become weapons. Used poorly, they become nothing but bad habits.”
The office fell silent.
Ayeon said nothing.
“You’re the one who understands that better than anyone.”
Doyun’s smile faded.
Seojun’s voice remained calm.
“I’ve decided it’s more valuable to grow my worth here than to take a hundred million won right now.”
“So you did the math?”
“I did.”
“How far ahead did you calculate?”
“Until my value exceeds Black Leaf’s sign-on bonus.”
Doyun let out a short laugh.
“Look at this kid. Now he’s got a way with words.”
Ayeon slid the contract forward.
“The terms are exactly what we discussed yesterday.”
She pointed to each clause with her finger.
“Contract period: two years.”
Next line.
“Sign-on bonus: ten million won. That’s the maximum we can offer right now.”
Next line again.
“Fight purse: eighty percent to the fighter, twenty to the gym. Sponsorship revenue: seventy percent to the fighter, thirty to the gym. Equipment, basic meals, and medical treatment — the gym covers as much as possible.”
Ayeon tried not to let her face show apology.
But tension tightened around her eyes.
“It’s small compared to Black Leaf.”
Seojun shook his head.
“It’s not small.”
At those words, Ayeon’s hand stilled.
Seojun looked at the contract again.
Ten million won sign-on bonus.
One-tenth of Black Leaf’s offer.
The numbers were small.
But the direction was clear.
“I press here?”
Ayeon pulled out the ink pad.
“Yes. Right there.”
Seojun pressed his right thumb onto the ink pad.
Red stained his skin.
He stared at his fingertip for a moment.
The day he first put on Gloves came back to him.
Bruises.
Split lips.
The sound of the heavy bag.
The cage lights.
And now.
Seojun pressed his thumb against the bottom of the contract.
Press.
A crimson thumbprint bloomed sharp and clear on the paper.

Team Jujak athlete.
Ayeon exhaled softly.
“Good. Now you’re really one of us.”
Doyun rose from his chair.
“Congratulations.”
Seojun stood as well.
“Thank you.”
That was when it happened.
Thwack.
Doyun threw a file onto the table.
The air shifted at once.
The warmth that had lingered moments before evaporated completely.
Doyun’s gaze turned sharp.
“From now on, there’s no room for pleasantries.”
Seojun’s eyes dropped to the file.
A thick black folder.
Bold letters were embossed across its cover.

Seojun’s eyes widened slightly.
“What is this?”
Doyun crossed his arms.
“Your professional debut opponent inquiry came back.”
Ayeon let out a sigh.
“Really? You’re doing this right after the contract?”
“He’s a Team Jujak athlete now. Time to put him to work.”
Doyun tapped the file with his finger.
“The amateur days are over.”
Seojun’s heart began to pound with weight.
Doyun’s voice dropped low.
“The nation’s largest professional gateway.”
Seojun’s eyes grew wide.
“KCR.”
Doyun looked directly at Seojun.
“Korea Champions Road.”
Seojun opened the file.
His own name appeared on the first page.
And below it.

The opponent’s name was still blacked out with a thick marker.
But the weight class was visible. Featherweight.
The fight was scheduled for three months out.
“You don’t need to know the name. You’re not at the level to pick and choose your opponents anyway.”
Doyun tilted his head with a crooked smile.
“But know this — wrestling base, and a vicious slugger who’s been grinding away more than five times on the professional stage. He’ll be breathing different air than the Rookies you’ve faced. The oxygen alone will be a different amount.”
The numbers seared themselves into his mind.
They were incomparable to the figures in Black Leaf’s proposal.
Yet strangely, his heart pounded harder.
“What. Getting cold feet?”
Seojun didn’t take his eyes off the file.
“Yes.”
A short answer.
But his eyes didn’t flinch.
“A little scared, sir.”
Seojun lifted his head.
His eyes burned with quiet intensity.
“So what do I need to prepare?”
At Seojun’s question—already turning his focus toward defeating the next opponent—Doyun’s lips curved upward.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————