I Thought I Was Bullying a Nobody, But He's a Martial Arts Genius - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Fighting Genius Unaware of Being Bullied — Episode 21
[KCR Featherweight Tournament Opening — D-30]
A new video landed on YouTube’s main feed.
The title was short.
[From Outcast to Rookies Champion — Baek Seo-jun’s First Professional Stage]
The view count climbed quickly.
Comments poured in.
-Still remember that knee KO from the Rookies finals.
-That’s the kid who won in 9 seconds, right?
-Most hyped fighter in Featherweight for sure.
-But will he cut it as a pro?
-Heard his opponent’s a vet. Isn’t it risky if wrestling gets involved?
KCR’s promotional team hadn’t overlooked Baek Seo-jun.
The poster’s center belonged to the established rankers.
But Seo-jun’s face made the cut too.
Among thirty-two Featherweight competitors, the biggest question mark.
And the hottest name.
The broadcast panel covered him as well.
[Axis Rookies champion Baek Seo-jun. He displayed overwhelming performances on the amateur stage.]
Highlights flashed across the screen.
Against Kang Cheol-jin.
Nine seconds in.
One-two.
The opponent’s chin snapped around, and he crumpled.
Next: against Cho Min-sung.
Caught, pinned, holding on.
Then — crack!
A knee split his jaw.
The host clapped.
[This moment is why there’s so much buzz, even though it’s his KCR debut.]
The commentator beside him nodded.
[The star quality is undeniable. The question is one thing.]
[Which is?]
[His ground game.]
The screen froze.
Seo-jun extending a punch.
[Baek Seo-jun’s striking impact has been so dominant that, frankly, everything else gets overshadowed.]
[His wrestling defense — untested?]
[Precisely. He did catch Cho Min-sung in the Rookies, but that was still amateur fighting. Whether he can hold his own against a ten-fight professional wrestler — that’s the crux.]

* * *
The opponent’s interview was released too.
Black background.
KCR logo.
A man sat before it.
Hair cropped short.
Neck thick and muscled.
His ears slightly cauliflowered.
A name appeared on screen.
[Oh Geon-woo / Professional Record: 10 Fights, 6 Wins, 4 Losses / Wrestling Base]
Oh Geon-woo fidgeted with the microphone, then smiled.
[Baek Seo-jun? Of course I’ve seen him. Good fights back in the Rookies.]
His voice was measured.
No mockery in it.
But an undertone ran beneath.
[Good eyes, good punch timing, definitely has star power. I understand why KCR’s pushing him.]
The reporter asked.
[What concerns you?]
Oh Geon-woo paused briefly.
[His early striking. That kid’s danger window is the first thirty seconds. If he gets past that, it’s a different fight entirely.]
[A different match?]
Oh Geon-woo nodded.
[This is the professional stage, after all.]
He glanced at the camera.
[It’s not like amateur bouts where you land one clean shot and it’s over. Cage pressure, clinches, takedowns, round management—you have to weather all of it to succeed as a pro.]
The reporter pressed further.
[Do you believe Baek Seo-jun won’t be able to stop your Wrestling?]
Oh Geon-woo didn’t smile.
Instead, he spoke plainly.
[He’s never tried to stop it before.]
That single line was cut into a short clip and spread everywhere.
[He’s never tried to stop it before.]
The view count climbed rapidly.

* * *
The community forums erupted instantly.

-Baek Seo-jun Round 1 Knockout.
-Do you even know who Oh Geon-woo is? Ten pro fights under his belt.
-The Rookies aren’t the same as the pros.
-Seo-jun’s striking is legit, but his ground game is a question mark.
-He got pinned early by Cho Min-sung, didn’t he.
-But he ended up knocking out Cho Min-sung in the end.
-That’s only because Cho Min-sung was a rookie. Oh Geon-woo is different.
-If he’s just a one-trick striker, he’ll get smothered by Oh Geon-woo and lose on Decision.
-Credit to Baek Seo-jun for his precision, but what good is footwork when you’re on your back?
-Anyone who watched the Rookies finals knows he survived on the mat too. Kid’s got bottom game.
-Surviving and defending against a pro wrestler are two different things.
The most common refrain was always the same.

The headlines echoed it.

The same words always preceded Seo-jun’s name.
Rising star.
Monster rookie.
Axis Rookies champion.
And.
One-trick striker.

* * *
Team Jujak Gym.
Seo-jun stared down at his phone screen.
The comment feed kept refreshing.
-Sharp eyes don’t matter if you get taken down.
-Oh Geon-woo will probably pin him from Round 1 on.
-Anyone here seen Baek Seo-jun’s Sprawl footage?
-Nope. Which is exactly why we’re worried.
Seo-jun stopped reading.
He turned off his phone.
Just then, Tae-san waved from inside the cage, grinning.
“Yo, one-trick striker. Get in here.”
Do Yoon tapped the pads sharply.
“What, got your feelings hurt?”
Seo-jun picked up his mouthguard.
“No.”
“Then what?”
Seo-jun opened the cage door.
Click.
His foot stepped onto the mat.
“All you need to do is show them.”
Do Yoon’s mouth curved upward.
Outside the cage, the notebook screen still displayed the article headline.

Seo-jun glanced at the title once and turned his head away.

* * *
Weigh-in day.
The front of Axis Korea Stadium was already packed with people.
Cameras.
Microphones.
Fans holding their phones.
A tournament poster hung on the building’s exterior wall.

Seo-jun’s face was there below it.
Not large.
But positioned near the center.
The moment he stepped out of the car, flashbulbs erupted.
Click!
Click-click!
Seo-jun’s eyes narrowed involuntarily.
Too much light.
Nothing like the cage lighting.
No distance to evade, no opponent to block it with.
“Baek Seo-jun! Look this way, please!”
“Your first professional stage since the Axis Rookies championship! A word on how you’re feeling?”
“Are you finished with your preparations against Oh Geon-woo’s wrestling?”
Questions came pouring in all at once.
Seo-jun nearly stopped in his tracks.
That’s when Do Yoon stepped forward one pace ahead.
“Don’t block the path.”
His voice was quiet but crisp.
The reporters pulled back slightly.
Do Yoon tapped Seo-jun’s shoulder lightly.
“Let’s go.”
Seo-jun started moving again.
Do Yoon cut expertly through the crowd of reporters.
“Interviews happen at official venues.”
“Coach Do Yoon! How’s Baek Seo-jun’s condition?”
“It’s good.”
“Do you have confidence in stopping Oh Geon-woo’s wrestling?”
“You’ll see tomorrow.”
“Is the strategy striking?”
Do Yoon let out a soft laugh.
“What kind of fool discusses fighting strategy at the entrance?”
A brief laugh rippled through the reporters.
But the cameras kept following.
Seo-jun walked in silence.
In his hands were the weigh-in documents and his ID.
His arms were calm, but tension gathered at his fingertips.
Voices came from the fans’ direction.
“Baek Seo-jun! Show us a knockout!”
“Axis Rookies champion!”
“Take Oh Geon-woo down!”
Those words brushed past his ears.
Seo-jun didn’t turn his head.
Instead, he exhaled sharply through his nose.
‘So this is the professional stage.’
The fight had already begun before he ever stepped into the cage.

* * *
The waiting room.
Team Jujak’s space was cramped.
Three chairs.
One mirror.
A case of bottled water.
A placard with the competitor’s name was taped to the wall.

Seo-jun pulled off his hoodie.
Do Yoon took out a checklist.
“Want some water?”
“I’m fine.”
“Your weight?”
“65.7 kilograms this morning.”
“Good. Featherweight limit is 65.8. You’re right on.”
Do Yoon nodded.
“After weigh-ins, we start recovery nutrition. Don’t guzzle the water all at once—drink it the way I give it to you.”
“Understood.”
A-yeon hadn’t come.
Instead, the recovery nutrition box she’d sent sat on the table.
Electrolyte drink.
Banana.
Rice porridge.
Honey.
Hard-boiled eggs.
Do Yoon looked at it and muttered.
“We’d all starve without her.”
Seo-jun let out a small laugh.
Just then, a staffer knocked on the door.
Knock-knock.
“Baek Seo-jun, we’re moving to the press conference room.”
Do Yoon stood immediately.
“Let’s go.”

* * *
The press conference room.
The lights were brighter.
A long table sat in front.
A backdrop emblazoned with the KCR logo.
Several microphones.
Seo-jun took his seat at the nameplate.

Do Yoon leaned against the back wall.
Arms crossed, he scanned the journalists.
The moderator began proceedings.
“We’ll now take questions for Baek Seo-jun.”
Several hands went up.
The first question was routine.
“How do you feel about your professional debut?”
Seo-jun took the microphone.
“I’ll execute what I’ve prepared.”
Brief.
Second question.
“Your opponent, Oh Geon-woo, is a veteran with ten professional bouts. Are you feeling any pressure?”
“Yes.”
The journalists’ pens moved.
Seo-jun continued.
“That’s precisely why I’ve prepared harder.”
Do Yoon’s lips curled up slightly.
A third reporter raised his hand.
His eyes were sharp, different from the rest.
The moment he gripped the microphone, he struck.
“You’ve achieved a first-round Knockout in every bout with Axis Rookies.”
The press room fell silent.
“Do you believe you can maintain that record here on the KCR Professional stage?”
At that moment.
Creak.
The door to the waiting room opened.
Oh Geon-woo entered.
Hair cut short.
A thick neck.
Eyes held low.
He stopped mid-stride, catching the question in mid-air.
But Baek Seo-jun didn’t notice.
His gaze remained fixed on the reporter before him.
Cameras swung in unison.
Click, click, click!
Do Yoon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Baek Seo-jun paused to consider.
He had no intention of provocation.
He wasn’t intoxicated by his record.
But there was no reason to evade it either.
He drew the microphone a little closer.
“I’m not obsessed with records.”
His voice was steady, unadorned.
“But if I can do it—”
Oh Geon-woo’s stare fixed on the back of Baek Seo-jun’s head.
“I’d like to continue here in KCR.”
The moment Baek Seo-jun finished speaking.
The air in the press room shifted.
Oh Geon-woo’s face hardened.
The thin veneer of composure that had clung to him until now vanished.
The reporters wouldn’t miss that scent.
The microphones swung toward him immediately.
“Oh Geon-woo! How did you respond to that statement?”
“Baek Seo-jun just said he wants to continue his first-round Knockout streak here in KCR!”
“A word, please!”
Oh Geon-woo seated himself slowly.
His gaze locked on Baek Seo-jun.
The microphone switched on.
A brief hum crackled.
Static.
Oh Geon-woo opened his mouth.
“Confidence is good.”
His voice was low.
“It’s what a rookie needs.”
The reporters’ pens began to move.
Oh Geon-woo stared directly at Baek Seo-jun.
“But in my ten professional fights, I’ve never been knocked out.”
The room went quiet.
“I’ve taken shots and held on. I’ve been driven back and held on. I’ve bled and fought all the way to the end.”
His hand wrapped around the microphone.
“Doesn’t matter who I knocked down in Axis Rookies.”
Baek Seo-jun watched without speaking.
“This is the professionals.”
Oh Geon-woo’s eyes grew darker still.
“I’m a wrestler.”
Click.
Click, click.
Oh Geon-woo bit out his final words.
“I’ll show that rookie punk just how terrifying a wrestler can be.”
The press conference hall erupted in murmurs.
The moderator quickly grabbed the microphone.
“We’ll proceed with the face-off between our two fighters.”
The staff members moved into position.
Baek Seo-jun rose from his chair.
Oh Geon-woo stood as well.
The two men took their places before the backdrop.
An arm and a half’s distance between them.
But the air felt closer than that.
Oh Geon-woo lowered his chin slightly.
He pressed forward with his eyes.
‘Staring pretty hard, isn’t he.’
Baek Seo-jun didn’t flinch.
He didn’t even blink.
Do Yoon watched from behind.
He wondered if the kid might have gone rigid.
The old Baek Seo-jun would have.
That boy who took his beatings in the alley.
He would have hunched his shoulders the moment he faced those eyes.
But not anymore.
Baek Seo-jun’s shoulders stayed relaxed.
His breathing was steady and low.
His gaze didn’t waver.
These weren’t the eyes of someone afraid.
These were the eyes of someone reading his opponent’s center of gravity.
Do Yoon’s mouth curved into a smile.
“That’s it.”
He spoke barely above a whisper.
The words never reached Baek Seo-jun.
Click-click-click!
A staff member inserted his hands between the two fighters.
“That’s all for now!”
Oh Geon-woo stepped back first.
Baek Seo-jun held his gaze to the very end.

* * *
The next day.
The arena waiting room.
Outside, the heat was already thick.
The roar of the crowd carried through the walls.
Thump.
Thump.
The bass thundered up through the floor.
The waiting room was empty.
Baek Seo-jun sat in a chair.
Hand wraps wound tightly around both his hands.
Do Yoon pulled the final knot taut.
“Tell me if it hurts.”
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t just say it’s fine.”
“It really is fine.”
Do Yoon let out a soft laugh.
“You’ve got more to say these days.”
Baek Seo-jun flexed and curled his fingers.
The wrapped bandages clung snug against his skin.
When he made a fist, his knuckles tightened with pressure.
It felt good.
The recovery meal A-yeon had prepared for him.
A month with Tae-san.
Countless times driven to the mat.
Takedowns defended against.
It all remained in his fingertips.
Baek Seo-jun rose from his seat.
He stepped lightly on his feet.
Tap.
Tap.
His feet struck the floor.
His heart raced.
But his breathing held steady.
Then.
Creak.
The door swung open.
A tournament official stepped in.
He was a man wearing a black headset.
He checked his clipboard and looked up.
“Baek Seo-jun.”
Seo-jun stopped.
“Prepare to enter.”
The air in the waiting room pressed low.
Do Yoon handed him his Gloves.
“Let’s go.”
Baek Seo-jun pulled on his Gloves.
The straps tightened.
Click.
A roar erupted from beyond the door.
Roooaarrr—!
Baek Seo-jun closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.
And he walked forward.
The end of the corridor.
Bright lights lay open ahead.
He walked toward that light.

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