Gojin's First Job (1)
It was a tough place, filled with seasoned fighters, while the rest of the team was busy with assignments. It had been a week since the last incident and all that time, Gojin had been a frequent visitor there.
Other than training, Gojin was also interested in the people there. Most were ex-military or former gangsters who respected Seo Gwangjin and had turned their lives around to work for Seo Ahri.
Some people owed money to the Seo family and were working there to pay off their debts, just like Gojin. However, none of them were asked to train; they only did chores around the property.
Seo Gwangjin was absolute about one thing. Seo Ahri would never work in his illegal businesses. That's why he gave her something to develop on her own. But that didn't mean other staff did not support Seo Ahri to help her.
As Gojin started his warm-up, he noticed Seo Ahri standing in the corner, watching him. She had been overseeing the training sessions.
She hadn't really cared about those things before. She only started coming around once Gojin joined. Gojin didn't notice the change and thought she had always been there, but that wasn't true at all.
"Hey, have you noticed the miss has been showing up more since the new guy came?" Jung Soo, a tall, muscular guy with a scar on his cheek, said to his partner.
"Yeah, she's always watching him," a stocky man with a buzz cut replied.
"Must be nice to have someone like her in your corner," Jung Soo said, smirking.
"Maybe we should welcome the newbie properly," a third man suggested, wanting to look for trouble.
"I don't know," Jung Soo shook his head. "If Miss is related to that guy, then she might not take it kindly to us messing things up."
"Come on, it'll be fun," the stocky man said. "It's just a friendly sparring match."
Gojin, oblivious to their conversation, finished his warm-up and moved to the center of the mat. Just then, the stocky man approached him, smiling.
"Hey, new guy. How about a spar?"
Gojin looked around. His [Perception] skill let him know something deeper was going on behind the sparring request. Wanting to know what they were cooking, Gojin agreed.
"Sure, why not?"
From the corner of her eye, Seo Ahri noticed the exchange. She turned to her bodyguard, a man named Jae-sun.
"What are they doing to Gojin?"
"Looks like they're trying to rough him a bit," Jae-sun glanced over before rolling his eyes. "Should I stop them?"
Seo Ahri shook her head, smirking. "No, let them. Gojin needs to learn, doesn't he?"
Jae-sun looked at Seo Ahri with a blank expression. The young miss had always been calm and collected. But whenever it came to Gojin, she often acted like an animal staring at their prey. It was quite unnerving, but it wasn't his place to say anything.
As Gojin stepped into the ring, Seo Ahri couldn't help but notice he looked more athletic than before. It had only been a week since he started training, but there was a noticeable difference in his physique.
Little did she know, Gojin had been training in the spirit realm for eight hours every night while he slept in the real world. This meant he had effectively been training for over twelve hours a day for a week, and his body had begun to show the effects of such intense training.
A minute later, the men gathered around the ring, eager to see the newcomer get a good beating. It was a tradition, but they hadn't followed it with Gojin because he was a child. But now that someone had challenged him, they were all eager to fight Gojin themselves.
The tall, bulky man stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, newbie, let's see what you've got."
The first punch came fast, but Gojin dodged it easily, countering with a quick jab to the ribs. The man grunted in surprise, not expecting such a quick response.
He threw another punch, followed by a quick kick. Gojin blocked the kick and countered with a punch of his own, landing it squarely on the man's chest.
"Not bad, newbie," the stocky man took a step back, surprised. "But let's see how you handle this."
He charged at Gojin, trying to overpower him with brute strength. Gojin, however, used his agility to his advantage, dodging and weaving around the attacks.
He delivered a swift kick to the man's side, followed by a punch to his jaw. The stocky man fell to the mat, groaning.
The other men watched with mixed reactions. Some men were impressed, while others felt annoyed that their plan to bully Gojin had backfired.
Since the fight with Jang Chul, Gojin had been training with Kim Kangho and the skinny spirit who refused to tell Gojin his name. While Kim Kangho taught him counters and such, the skinny spirit taught him the basics of grappling and footwork... in exchange for meat, of course.
Thanks to the skinny spirit's meat cravings, Gojin had turned into by far the best shape of his life. Probably because he was eating properly for the first time in his life.
It's a good thing Seo Ahri gives me a little money for the 'part-time job'. Otherwise, my mom would have knocked my teeth out for how much I've been eating lately.
The tall guy with the scar approached next.
"Alright, my turn," Jung Soo said, stepping into the ring.
Instead of questioning why he was being challenged again, Gojin nodded, ready for the next challenger.
As the match began, Jung Soo wasted no time, launching a series of powerful punches and kicks at Gojin. Gojin dodged and blocked as best he could, but Jung Soo's strength and speed were overwhelming. Each blow pushed Gojin further back, forcing him to stay on the defensive.
Seo Ahri kept watching from a distance. But even then she could see that he was having a hard time, but she also noticed something else — He was smiling?
After being pushed around for a while, Gojin decided it was time to change his strategy. Instead of trying to match Jung Soo's power, he decided to use his strength to his benefit.
If I can give Kangho a tough time, then this guy is nothing.
He allowed Jung Soo to land a few more hits, making it look like he was getting worn down. With each blow, Gojin exaggerated his reactions, giving the impression that he was on the verge of collapsing.
Jung Soo, confident that he was close to victory, moved in for the last strike. But just as he was about to deliver the knockout punch, Gojin suddenly dropped to one knee, feigning injury. Jung Soo paused for a split second, and that was all the time Gojin needed.
A moment later, Gojin sprang up and grabbed Jung Soo's arm. Using Jung Soo's momentum against him, Gojin twisted and maneuvered himself behind his opponent, locking Jung Soo's arm in a painful submission hold. Gojin's grip was unrelenting, and Jung Soo's face contorted in pain as he tried to free himself.
Everyone looked surprised, as none of them had taught Gojin how to do that. Gojin tightened his hold, applying pressure to the right points, making it impossible for Jung Soo to escape. The pain was too much, and Jung Soo had no choice but to tap out.
The rest of them were stunned. Jung Soo was taken by surprise and was defeated. If he had taken the kid seriously, Gojin would have stood no chance against him. But either way, it was his loss, and he wasn't a sore loser to look for excuses.
"Well played, kid," Jung Soo said, rubbing his sore arm. "You got me good."
"I got lucky, that's all," Gojin smiled, wiping sweat from his forehead.
While the guys surrounded Gojin, Seo Ahri, and Jae-sun, were having a conversation of their own.
Jae-sun looked at her. "You were right. He's tough."
"He's more than that. He's special." Seo Ahri smiled, her eyes never leaving Gojin. "Find a client for him. I think he is ready for some real struggles, hehe."
"We can't employ underaged-"
"Call it an internship," Seo Ahri shrugged, walking down the stairs to greet Gojin. "Have one of the guys accompany him. That should be okay, right?"
"...I'll take care of it."