I Thought I Was Bullying a Nobody, But He's a Martial Arts Genius - Chapter 54

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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 Prodigy Unaware 054
Two months until the Title Match.
The air at Team Jugjak Gymnasium had shifted.
This was no longer mere training.
It was a Camp.
A Yeon was practically living in the Office now.
Lee Sung Jun’s fight footage played across the wall monitor.
Foot positioning.
Clinch entry timing.
Counter patterns.
Stamina fluctuation by Round.
Everything catalogued and organized.
“Baek Seojun.”
A Yeon slid the Tablet toward him.
“The Champion waits for his opponent to retreat. When you back away, he won’t pursue—instead, he’ll cut off your angles.”
Baek Seojun nodded.
“Understood.”
Do Yun adjusted his Gloves inside the Cage.
“Your strength is your eyes.”
Thwack!
His Mitt caught Seojun’s jab.
“But against the Champion, relying only on your eyes? Your jaw gets snapped.”
Thwack!
“If you see it, strike immediately. Too slow and he’ll swallow you whole.”
Ryu Tae Hwan stood silently to the side, watching.
He spoke quietly.
“Feet first.”
Seojun’s hands stopped mid-motion.
Ryu Tae Hwan pointed to Seojun’s front foot.
“Your hands are moving first. The feet need to be planted before the power flows.”
A Yeon.
Do Yun.
Ryu Tae Hwan.
Three people watching three different things.
But their goal was singular.
Getting Baek Seojun ready to stand before the Champion.
From that day forward, training fractured into segments.
Mornings were fundamentals.
Afternoons were talent specialization.
Nights were opponent analysis.
And the finale was always Sparring.
The Cage door swung shut.
Click.
Inside stood Seojun and Ryu Jin Hyuk.
Jin Hyuk was silent.
He wasn’t mimicking the old Hwang Dae Gun fight like before.
He didn’t lower his guard.
He didn’t deliberately move like some brawler.
This time was real.
Ryu Jin Hyuk as he truly was.
Cold.
Fast.
A seamless All-rounder.
“Ready?”
Jin Hyuk asked.
Seojun raised his guard.
“Yes.”
The moment the word left his mouth, Jin Hyuk came forward.
Tap!
Seojun’s forehead snapped back.
A Low Kick before he could even react.
Crack!
His thigh buckled.
The moment Baek Seojun regained his footing, Ryu Jin Hyuk’s hands locked around his neck.
Clinch.
A knee came up.
Baek Seojun blocked it with his elbow.
Thud!
The impact punched through his arm.
In that opening, Ryu Jin Hyuk pivoted his body.
Leg Sweep.
Baek Seojun’s body tilted.
“Ugh!”
Baek Seojun barely held on.
But Ryu Jin Hyuk’s right hand was already flying.
Smack!
Caught on the guard.
Still, his body gave way.
Do Yun spoke from outside the Steel Cage.
“You see that?”
Baek Seojun breathed hard.
Do Yun pointed to Ryu Jin Hyuk.
“That’s the true face of Jin Hyuk—the one called a genius among his peers.”
Ryu Jin Hyuk’s expression didn’t shift.
He came again.
This time a Tackle.
Baek Seojun threw a Sprawl.
But Ryu Jin Hyuk didn’t just drive through.
He slipped left.
Behind him.
Baek Seojun lost sight.
Smack!
A short hook buried itself in his ribs.
Baek Seojun’s breath caught.
‘It’s too far.’
Baek Seojun clenched his teeth.
Same age.
Same Cage.
Yet the distance between them was vast.
Ryu Jin Hyuk wasn’t a one-dimensional fighter.
When standing, he struck.
When clinching, he broke you down.
If a takedown failed, he shifted angles without hesitation.
He never stopped.
Cold.
Precise.
Baek Seojun watched even as he ate the strikes.
He learned even as he retreated.
Ryu Jin Hyuk’s footwork.
Ryu Jin Hyuk’s shoulders.
Ryu Jin Hyuk’s breathing.
‘I want that too.’
Smack!
Another hit landed.
Baek Seojun’s head snapped back.
‘I want to become like that.’
Outside the Cage.
Tae Soo folded his arms and clicked his tongue.
“Man, that guy Jin Hyuk—no matter how many times you watch, it’s infuriatingly good.”
Kim Ji Hoon’s eyes lit up beside him.
“That’s the crystallization of technique perfected by human hands.”
Tae Soo turned his head.
“Here you go again?”
Kim Ji Hoon didn’t stop.
“Baek Seojun is absorbing that crystallization in real time right now. This is the key moment in a growth narrative.”
Smack!
Tae Soo’s palm connected with the back of Kim Ji Hoon’s head.
“Stop commentating and jump rope instead.”
“That hurts.”
“Then keep your mouth shut.”
Light laughter rippled through the gymnasium.
But inside the Cage, there was no room for laughter.
Baek Seojun got to his feet again.
Sweat dripped from his chin.
His shoulders heaved.
His thighs were swollen and red.
Still, his guard didn’t drop.
Ryu Jin Hyuk’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Again?”
Baek Seojun steadied his breathing and answered.
“One more time, please.”
Do Yun’s lips curved upward.
Ryu Tae Hwan nodded quietly.
A Yeon wrote something on the tablet.
Baek Seojun’s feet tapped the mat again.
Tap.
Ryu Jin Hyuk moved again.

* * *
A Yeon set the tablet on the desk.
“Your first personal sponsor proposal.”
Baek Seojun paused.
“For me?”
“Yeah.”
A Yeon turned the screen toward him.
The Global Sports Brand Korea Branch logo appeared on the display.
A clean proposal.
Contract terms.
Exposure scope.
Interview requests.
Even the patch placement on the competition gear had been laid out.
Do Yun chuckled while sipping coffee beside him.
“A rookie with a sponsor already.”
Tae Soo leaned his head in from behind.
“Wow. How much?”
A Yeon displayed the figure.
<Per-Match Sponsorship>
<30 Million Won>
Tae Soo’s eyes widened.
“Thirty million?”
Kim Ji Hoon covered his mouth.
“As expected, Baek Seojun’s market value truly is…….”
Smack.
Tae Soo’s palm found the back of his head again.
“Quiet.”
A Yeon turned to the next page.
<Annual Sponsorship>
<3 Matches Guaranteed>
<Base Pay: 70 Million Won>
<Win Bonus: Separate>
Baek Seojun stared at the screen.
The numbers felt unreal.
The sum of money displayed next to his name.
That was strange.
Just months ago, he’d been anxious about meal allowances.
The gymnasium membership fee had been a burden.
At home, money troubles always hung heavy in the air.
But now.
One match.
A single logo.
That alone shifted tens of millions of won.
A Yeon spoke.
“Axis permits individual sponsorships. But you need approval first.”
Do Yun leaned back in his chair.
“For a rookie who isn’t even a Ranker yet, this is massive.”
A Yeon nodded.
“First-round finishes. Tournament victory. Direct path to a title shot. And there’s a narrative to it, too.”
She looked at Baek Seojun.
“From a brand’s perspective, you’re the hottest commodity right now.”
Baek Seojun’s fingers twitched slightly.
“So I’m choosing between the two?”
“Right.”
A Yeon remained measured.
“A single-match sponsorship is better for short-term earnings. That’s thirty million won in one go.”
Her finger moved to the second option.
“But a one-year contract offers stability. There’s a base pay, and win bonuses on top. More importantly, your life and training environment won’t be shaken before your next fight.”
Do Yun spoke curtly.
“Sabotaging your training for money is the dumbest move you can make.”
Baek Seojun nodded.
“I’ll think it over.”
A Yeon replied at once.
“No need to decide today. Go home and talk it through with your mother.”

* * *
That evening.
Warm soup and side dishes sat on the table.
His mother set down her spoon and studied the proposal.
Slowly.
Line by line.
Baek Seojun sat across from her.
“Mom.”
His mother looked up.
“Yes?”
“Which one would be better?”
His mother didn’t answer right away.
She looked at the proposal again.
Then she asked quietly.
“What do you think?”
Baek Seojun hesitated for a moment.
“The single-match sponsorship offers more money.”
“It does.”
“But the one-year contract is stable, they said. There’s a base pay, too.”
His mother nodded.
“Then I prefer the one-year contract.”
Baek Seojun raised his eyes.
“Why?”
His mother wrapped her fingers around the water glass.
“Because you never know what life will bring.”
The words were quiet.
But they were firm.
“If he wins this match, his value rises—we might negotiate better terms. But we need insurance for if he loses.”
His mother examined Baek Seojun’s hands.
Calluses.
Scars.
Inflamed knuckles.
“If we’re thinking about insurance like that, a one-year contract seems best.”
Baek Seojun said nothing.
His mother continued.
“Even if he loses, there’s always a next time.”
At those words, something shifted behind Baek Seojun’s eyes.
“Knowing there’s a next time makes people more stable.”
His mother smiled faintly.
“That matters more.”
Baek Seojun lowered his head slowly.
Something heavy settled in his chest.
His mother folded the Proposal.
“I don’t know much about contracts like these.”
She handed it over and went on.
“But life teaches you things.”
Her voice was low.
“When people are anxious, they can’t hold on.”
Baek Seojun’s hands stilled in his lap.
His mother spoke again.
“You have a big match coming up.”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to cut out anything that shakes you.”
The overhead light swayed gently.
Baek Seojun looked at the Proposal again.
He didn’t think he’d lose.
But.
His mother was right—insurance mattered.
“Mother.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll go with the one-year contract.”
His mother nodded.
“Good.”
A short answer.
But it was enough for him.
He pulled out his phone.
He began typing a message to A Yeon.
<Director. I’d like to proceed with a one-year Sponsor arrangement.>

* * *
The next day.
Team Jugjak Office.
Baek Seojun sat across from the Contract.
A Yeon highlighted the final clause.
“One-year Sponsor term.”
She said.
“Base Pay of 70 million won. Three matches guaranteed. Win Bonus separate.”
Do Yun stood beside him with arms crossed.
“Not bad.”
Baek Seojun looked up.
“Do you agree, Coach?”
“I do.”
Do Yun answered tersely.
“One big payoff is nice, but what you need right now is stability.”
A Yeon nodded as well.
“Your mother had the right idea. Before the Championship Match, you need to eliminate any reason to doubt yourself over money.”
Baek Seojun looked down at the Contract.
His own name.
Baek Seojun.
Below it, an empty signature line.
His hand paused.
Do Yun let out a soft laugh.
“What, trembling?”
“A little.”
“That’s fine. Just make sure the signature’s clean. This is a money contract, after all.”
Seojun exhaled softly.
He picked up the pen.
And he signed.
Scratch.
Scratch.

A Yeon checked the contract.
“Good. Since you brought the Parental Consent Form, I’ll get things moving right away.”
Tae Soo clapped from beside her.
“Oh! Now our Seojun’s a sponsored athlete!”
Kim Ji Hoon’s eyes gleamed.
“This isn’t a simple contract. This is the moment Baek Seojun’s commercial value has been officially recognized by the market.”
Tae Soo’s hand shot up immediately.
“Want to take a punch?”
Kim Ji Hoon closed his mouth.
Just then, a notification appeared on A Yeon’s tablet.
She checked the screen and smiled.
“The sponsor’s already in touch.”
Seojun asked.
“About what?”
“Custom gear for the title match.”
A Yeon turned the tablet toward him.
“Custom trunks and gloves.”
Seojun’s eyes stopped.
A design mockup glowed on the monitor.
Black background.
Red lines.
A name rendered in sharp clarity across the waistband.

And a small logo.
The sponsor brand.
Team Jugjak emblem.
Championship match design.
Seojun watched the screen without a word.
Until now, it had always been off-the-rack.
Worn gloves from the gymnasium.
Standard-issue Axis trunks.
Equipment everyone used.
As long as the size fit, that was enough.
But now it was different.
Gear made for him alone.
Trunks bearing his name.
Gloves crafted for his bout.
The equipment on screen seemed strangely distant.
Yet somehow impossibly close.
Seojun looked down at his fingertips.
The day he first walked into the gymnasium came back to him.
A worn school uniform.
Dried blood.
Shoulders hunched and tight.
Eyes wide open so he wouldn’t get hit.
Back then, he could never have imagined this.
Never thought I’d see my own name engraved on equipment.
Never thought I’d see a custom design meant just for a title match.
Do Yun spoke from beside him.
“What do you think?”
Baek Seojun answered a beat too late.
“It’s strange.”
“What is?”
“Seeing my name there.”
Do Yun laughed.
“You’ll get used to it.”
A Yeon spoke up.
“There’ll be plenty more. On gear, posters, articles—everything.”
Tae Soo gave his shoulder a light tap.
“Wait until you’re Champion. Then things really get crazy.”
Baek Seojun kept staring at the monitor.
Below his name.
A small line of text floated there.

Featherweight Title Match.
Those words drove straight into his chest.
Baek Seojun slowly clenched his fist.
Bare hand, no glove yet.
But tension crept into his fingertips.
“Now it feels like I’m really a pro.”
His voice was low.
Do Yun watched him.
Baek Seojun’s eyes weren’t on the screen—they looked past it.
Lee Sung Jun.
Champion.
An opponent who steals your breath.
Equipment made to surpass that wall.
A contract signed to stand before that wall.
Baek Seojun’s grip tightened further.
“I’ll train harder than ever.”
Do Yun let out a soft laugh.
“Since you said that, today’s training just doubled.”
“Yes!”

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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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