Round Two: The Beast Awakens
Hwang Jinsu raised his hand.
"Start!"
Baek Gangho advanced again, applying the same pressure as in the first round. He measured the distance with a jab and closed in within range. It was a confident stepping forward.
The jab flew out.
Geum Hyuk's upper body moved first.
Slip. The jab sliced through the air. The glove cut the air beside the ear as it passed.
'......?'
Baek Gangho's eyes twitched slightly.
He had clearly thrown the same jab at the exact same timing. The one that hit in the first round had missed.
One-two.
Then a straight followed.
Geum Hyuk's body twisted to the right. It slipped out of the punch's trajectory like water flowing naturally.
'He dodged?'
It was definitely different from before. Not the clumsy evasion from the first round, but a precise reading of timing.
Geum Hyuk countered with a straight.
The power starting from the toes traveled through the waist to the shoulder. The rotation of the waist exploded and the right fist dug into the gap in Baek Gangho's guard.
Pwooeeng!
"......!"
Geum Hyuk's upper body shook. It wasn't a perfect clean hit, but it was definitely an effective strike. It landed on the cheek, not the jaw tip, but enough impact was delivered.
'He adapted?'
Baek Gangho couldn't believe it.
He had read his pattern in just one round? In just three minutes?
Against a world-class opponent?
'This guy...'
Baek Gangho's gaze changed.
The leisure was gone, replaced by seriousness. It was the eyes of a leopard about to begin real hunting.
'The adaptation I saw in the video. Seeing it in person is even crazier.'
Baek Gangho changed his pattern.
Instead of jab, body jab. Instead of straight, hook. By intentionally disrupting the rhythm, he mixed unpredictable combinations. He began to open the drawer of techniques accumulated at the top of the world.
Geum Hyuk was hit.
His response to the new pattern was late. A punch landed on the body, and a hook struck the temple.
Puk! Pwoeong!
"!!"
It felt like his ribs cracking, and his head shook.
But he didn't fall.
Instead, he braced his legs and endured. He raised his guard and collected data one step at a time.
'Data is accumulating.'
The body jab comes after the left foot turns slightly inward. The angle of hitting the torso changes.
The hook comes after the shoulder lowers slightly. The shoulder line tilts as the elbow bends.
The new pattern also began to be read.
Late in the second round.
Geum Hyuk's movements changed again.
He evaded the body jab and countered. The moment the left foot turned inward, he slipped to the right and threw a jab.
He evaded the hook with a duck and body. The moment the shoulder lowered, he lowered his body and dove inward to target the liver.
Puk! Pwoeong!
"......!"
For the first time, Baek Gangho retreated backward. His expression was hardened.
End of second round.
Baek Gangho silently headed to the corner.
No leisurely comments like in the first round. His lips were tightly shut.
***
Round three.
The atmosphere on the ring had completely changed.
Geum Hyuk, who had been overwhelmingly losing in the first round, was now fighting at least evenly.
To be honest, the momentum had reversed, and he was gradually gaining the upper hand.
'I can't believe it.'
Baek Gangho was in shock.
He had started with elite boxing as a child, grown up hearing the genius label.
He had won medals in the world championships, turned pro, and rolled on the boxing ring. He had challenged for world titles twice and faced countless geniuses. Among them were guys who later became world champions.
But this was the first time.
He had never seen a guy grow this much in one sparring session.
'A monster.'
A real monster.
Baek Gangho unleashed his full power.
The technique from his prime before retirement. After mixing three paints, he threw the real punch, his finisher. In the world title match, he had shaken the opponent twice and even taken them down.
Paint. Paint. Paint.
He twisted the shoulder, slightly raised the arm, and turned the gaze.
All fake.
And the real left hook.
A deceptive strike that hides the waist rotation and suddenly explodes it.
'I got him!'
At that moment of certainty, Geum Hyuk's body suddenly lowered.
Duck.
'Read?!'
The hook grazed above the head. The tip of the blonde hair came close to touching the glove, but it was a perfect evasion.
Simultaneously, Geum Hyuk dove inward.
The gap right after Baek Gangho's swinging arm's trajectory.
Reverseshot.
A strike with maximum waist rotation power.
The left hook targeting the liver exploded.
Pwoeong!!
Baek Gangho's body folded. The punch landed perfectly on the liver.
One of the most sensitive vital points in the human body.
No matter how trained, he couldn't withstand a strike to the liver.
"Keuk...!"
In the end, Baek Gangho's knee buckled.
He grabbed the rope and barely endured, but he felt his legs losing strength.
His body wasn't listening.
The bell signaling the end of round three rang.
Hwang Jinsu jumped in.
"Stop here! Sparring over!"
***
After the cool-down, Baek Gangho approached Geum Hyuk.
His face was sweaty, but he was smiling.
"Hey."
"Yeah."
"You're really a monster."
Baek Gangho laughed.
It was an acknowledgment smile sent to a fellow fighter. The eyes that recognized talent while accepting defeat.
"In the first round, it was definitely lacking. I thought I didn't have experience facing world-class opponents."
"......"
"But after the second and third rounds, it changed. He read my pattern, responded, and counterattacked."
Baek Gangho patted Geum Hyuk's shoulder. It was a powerful pat.
"To be honest, with your current state, you could win the first round on the world stage. But to go all the way to the finals, you need more."
"What?"
"Experience. Experience facing various styles."
Baek Gangho looked at Hwang Jinsu.
"Jinsu-hyung, can you help me train here until I leave the country?"
Hwang Jinsu's eyes widened.
"Really? You?"
"I want to see this guy become world champion."
Baek Gangho looked back at Geum Hyuk. Flames flickered in his eyes again.
"I'll tell you all the styles of the world-ranked fighters I faced before. Tyron Jackson, Alexei Volkov, Yamamoto Kenji. I can spar in similar styles to those guys too."
"......!"
Lee Woojin's eyes sparkled.
This was an enormous opportunity.
Game data had its limits. The experience of someone who had faced real world-ranked fighters. It was more valuable than any video analysis. The impact transmitted through the gloves, the pressure felt in the body, the rhythm of breathing. None of that could be known from a screen.
"Thank you."
Geum Hyuk lowered his head.
Baek Gangho smirked.
"You have manners. Good. Let's start tomorrow."
***
Two weeks passed like that.
Sparring with Baek Gangho continued every day.
Tyron Jackson style. Training to respond to the pressure of an explosive puncher. Baek Gangho pressed from the start with full power. He kept throwing power punches and drove Geum Hyuk to the corner. Geum Hyuk endured with guard and steps, learning to wait for the moment when the opponent's stamina ran out.
Alexei Volkov style. Practice for a straight fight against a pressure-type infighter. Baek Gangho advanced in the style of taking hits and coming in. Outboxing didn't work. Geum Hyuk faced head-on, honing bodywork and counters.
Yamamoto Kenji style. Avoiding the trap of a counter puncher and inducing it in reverse. Baek Gangho stood in a waiting posture, inducing Geum Hyuk's lead. If he rushed in, he would get counterpunched. Geum Hyuk learned to deceive the opponent with paint and rhythm changes.
Baek Gangho perfectly replicated each player's characteristics. It was possible because he had direct experience facing them on the world stage. The impact, rhythm, breathing. All of it felt real.
Geum Hyuk absorbed it like a sponge.
He was getting stronger every day.
'This guy's growth rate is abnormal.'
Baek Gangho praised it every day.
When they first sparred, he thought it was lacking for world-class. Level of Asian champion. Of course, the strongest in Asia including Korea, but middle on the world stage.
But now, after two weeks, Geum Hyuk was fighting Baek Gangho evenly.
No, to be honest.
'Even my prime couldn't guarantee...'
The growth rate of Geum Hyuk was astonishing.
The Geum Hyuk from two weeks ago and now were completely different fighters.
It was like compressing two years of training into two weeks.
***
Three days before departure.
After evening training, Geum Hyuk sat in a corner of the gym checking his smartphone.
Sweat smell all over his body. Muscles were moderately fatigued. It was good training.
SNS notifications were pouring in.
'Tomorrow, huh.'
Once the bracket is revealed, the first round opponent is decided.
The thought that it didn't matter who came remained unchanged. The two weeks of training had made his confidence firmer.
But.
'I'm curious who will come.'
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. The beast's instinct was excited.
Hwang Jinsu approached. He was holding a towel and a water bottle.
"Hey."
"Yeah."
"Let's watch the bracket draw tomorrow. At the gym."
"Got it."
Hwang Jinsu patted Geum Hyuk's shoulder. It was a heavy yet warm touch.
"Whoever comes, we'll sweep them. Got it?"
"Kyakya."
Geum Hyuk laughed.
"Of course."
***
The next day.
2:50 PM.
In the gym lounge, Hwang Jinsu, Baek Gangho, and the juniors were gathered. A large TV had the PBA official YouTube channel on. A bag of snacks someone brought was on the table, but no one touched it. The tension was thick in the air.
PBA Middleweight World Title Challenger Selection Tournament
📍 Location: [Place]
🎁 Reward: [Reward]
Eight participants' faces appeared side by side on the screen.
Geum Hyuk. Yamamoto Kenji. Alexei Volkov. Marco Rossi. Tyron Jackson. Diego Sanchez. Juan Carlos. Ramon Hernandez.
Eight monsters representing each continent. Ferocity emanated from each photo.
The MC grabbed the microphone. A flamboyant suited white man.
The circular draw machine started turning. The sound of balls clattering and mixing echoed through the speakers.
The gym became quiet.
Everyone stared at the screen. Not even a breath could be heard.
The first ball came out. The name on the white ball.
"Match A1! The first player is......"
The name appeared on the screen.
[Geum Hyuk (Korea)]
"Oh."
Geum Hyuk narrowed his eyes.
Match A1. First draw. Opening match.
"And Geum Hyuk's first round opponent is......!"
The draw machine turned again. The sound of balls mixing sounded like a heartbeat.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on the screen. One junior clasped his hands unconsciously.
The second ball came out.
The MC's voice rose.
"Geum Hyuk's first round opponent is......!"
The name appeared on the screen.
[Alexei Volkov (Russia)]
The gym buzzed.
"Ah......"
"Volkov from the first round?"
"The Russian Tank......"
The juniors' faces hardened. Some covered their mouths with hands.
Hwang Jinsu's expression also changed. Deep wrinkles appeared on his forehead.
"...The worst card."
Alexei Volkov.
31 wins 28 KOs. Russian Tank. Pressure-type infighter.
He was paired with the hardest opponent from the first round. One of the matchups he wanted to avoid the most.
Baek Gangho looked at Geum Hyuk with sharp eyes, gauging his reaction.
"Hey. It's Volkov. What do you think?"
"......"
Geum Hyuk stared at the screen.
Volkov's face was in close-up. Expressionless eyes. A bear-like build. Short-cropped blonde hair with a wide jaw. Overwhelming intimidation emanated even beyond the screen. It conveyed an ironclad presence just from the photo.
The corner of Geum Hyuk's mouth lifted.
"Kyakya."
His unique sharp laugh burst out. The beast's laugh.
"It'll be fun."
Hwang Jinsu smirked. It was a laugh mixed with worry, but it also contained trust in his disciple.
"Yeah, you have to come out like that."
The MC's voice continued from the screen.
Geum Hyuk vs Alexei Volkov
The first round bracket is now fixed! Match A1, Geum Hyuk vs Alexei Volkov! Who will win this match?!
The first gate to the world stage.
The Russian Tank.
The decision will be made in a week, in Las Vegas.