Strength

Seokyoung had never trained. He'd never needed to.

He was someone who had inherited the Strong Body that his family's ancestors had prided themselves in. He'd never trained but simply gained strength naturally, it was his right.

Power came with ease, speed came as he moved, durability came with being. 

His compact frame wasn't a limitation. It was a method of compression. A way of turning his strength and his speed explosive.

Having been blessed with this capability from a young age, he began to see certain indicators of strength. The way one held themselves, the way they moved… the way they fought.

Back then, when he'd first met Dowan, or to be more accurate, when Dowan had first met him… he was certain. 

Dowan had none of those indicators.

If anything, he didn't even give the feeling that he was all there.

Yet he carried himself with confidence, but so did Baekchang. Maybe he was at their level, the level of the small fries beneath him and the other Representatives. He had taken one look and decided… this guy was no threat.

But now?

Seokyoung grit his teeth as he blocked Dowan's kick with his forearm.

Crack!

That power, that strength… Seokyeong skidded back along the floor as smoke drifted from his jacket sleeve where Dowan's foot had impacted. 

Dowan himself had merely twisted mid-air, landing on the floor with one smooth movement.

He… he was strong now. 

Seokyoung stared. His mind reeled.

He hadn't planned for an actual fight, an imitation of one maybe… a struggle where he'd push Dowan, maybe test him a little before handing over the USB. 

But never a true fight. 

Never a fight like this.

The grin broke out onto his face before he could even stop it.

Something surged inside him. A hunger. A fire.

Yes.

YES.

Seokyoung exploded forward.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he shot toward Dowan like a bullet.

He had wanted to take it easy. To go through the motions. But now?

He wanted to let loose. He wanted to break something.

He wanted to destroy.

***

Seokyoung's vibe had shifted entirely after the first kick.

I spun around, narrowly avoiding his first punch which seamlessly transitioned into a spinning kick. The spin wasn't from technique, wasn't from practice… no. It was just natural, natural hip strength, nature core strength.

The kick splintered through the wooden crates I'd been standing next to, sending wood fragments flying everywhere.

And then he leapt into the fray once more.

Seokyoung's movements were clean, sharp, efficient, but not desperate. He wasn't fighting recklessly or trying to overwhelm me. He was testing me.

I didn't realize it at first. His attacks were direct… powerful, but never wild. 

No wasted energy, no unnecessary movements. Just power compressed into every strike. He moved in a way I couldn't describe. It was confident, like he was so sure of every movement he was making. 

It was comfortable.

I ducked under a straight punch, the sheer force of it sending out a sharp gust of wind as it cut through the air. A second later, his knee shot up toward my ribs. 

Fast. But not unreadable.

I twisted, slamming my forearm into his thigh to deflect the hit. The impact still sent a shockwave up my arm. Before he could reset his stance, I lunged forward, launching a clean straight to his ribs.

Crack!

His body twisted slightly at the impact, but his feet didn't leave the ground. His head snapped up, and for a brief second, I caught something… something close to ecstasy in his eyes.

And then his grin widened.

And that pissed me off.

I pressed the attack immediately. I wasn't going to let him dictate the pace. My fist shot out, but this time, he twisted his body, letting the punch barely graze past his shoulder before launching a counter of his own.

A straight punch, clean and brutal. No extra motion. No tell.

I had no choice but to block, his knuckles slammed into my guard with a force that sent me skidding three steps back, my sneakers dragging harsh lines into the dusty concrete.

Goddamn.

I adjusted, rolling my shoulders. I was stronger than him in a fight. That much I was sure of now. But he was physically stronger than me, he'd just never learned how to use it.

Seokyoung cracked his neck, rolling his wrists as if shaking off rust. "Good," he muttered. Like he had been waiting for me to be good.

I exhaled sharply. Fuck that.

I launched forward, kicking off the ground with enough force to crack the concrete under my foot. He reacted immediately, bracing himself, ready for a punch, but it was a feint. At the last second, I shifted my weight, twisting my body into a brutal kick.

BOOM!

My shin slammed into his side, sending him flying sideways. He crashed into a rusted metal container, denting the cheap metal as a deep, hollow clang rang out across the rooftop.

I landed smoothly, already preparing my next move, but—

He stepped out.

His jacket was torn at the sleeve, dust spilling off his shoulders as he rolled them, exhaling calmly. He barely even looked fazed.

I clenched my teeth. That endurance was a problem.

He wasn't done testing me yet.

This time, he attacked first.

The wind screamed as he closed the distance in an instant, his fist rearing back… but I saw it. I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the blow as it slammed into the ground.

CRASH!

The rooftop shook. Cracks split across the concrete from the sheer force of his punch. The debris hadn't even settled before he moved again, launching another attack.

I'd said it before. I wasn't going to let him control the fight.

I stepped into him, dodging by a hair's breadth as his fist flew past my head… then I brought my elbow straight into his jaw.

His head snapped to the side. I followed up immediately, my knee crashing into his ribs with enough force to send him stumbling back.

But even as he staggered, he barely looked hurt. He just rolled his jaw, his fingers flexing open and closed. Still adapting. Still figuring me out.

I narrowed my eyes, noting the small dots, the small marks on his hands... like puncture points. Was he on drugs or something?

Shaking off the useless thoughts, I focused once more.

He was getting used to me.

I launched forward, faster than before, my fist already swinging. He raised his arm to block, expecting a heavy blow… but that was what I wanted.

At the last second, I dropped my weight, my momentum twisting into a brutal low kick. His lower thigh.

His leg buckled.

His stance broke.

And in that instant, I twisted my entire body into a punch aimed straight for his gut.

THUD!

The impact sent him flying.

His body crashed into an unfinished metal railing, bending it out of shape before he rolled across the rooftop.

I exhaled, steadying my stance. I had him now.

Seokyoung groaned, pushing himself up onto one knee. His grin was gone. Now his teeth were just bared like he was an animal.

But for the first time since this fight started, he looked at me like I was an actual threat.

Good.

[Name: Ha Dowan]

[Height: 178 cm]

[Weight: 76 kg]

[Strength: UR]

[Speed: SSR-]

[Potential: ???]

[Intelligence: B]

[Endurance: SSR+]

I pulled back my fist.

"Fatal…"

Because I hadn't even activated any cards yet.

***

For what was possibly the hundredth time, Sehun's fist slammed into Ilseok's ribs. The impact sent a violent shudder through the smaller fighter's frame, his body folding in on itself as he crumpled to the ground, his breath leaving him in a choked gasp. Again.

Sehun didn't stop to watch. He already knew what was going to happen next.

Ilseok would go down. And then he'd get back up.

Baekchang, however, wasn't one to waste an opening.

The moment Ilseok hit the floor, Baekchang was already moving. His steps were impossibly light, barely making a sound as he wove through the chaos like a shadow. Sehun barely had time to register his approach before a fist shot toward his face—only to suddenly stop short.

A feint.

Baekchang grinned as Sehun's guard shifted in reaction—just enough for him to snap his leg up into a sharp, precise kick aimed directly at Sehun's ribs.

But Sehun was ready.

Before the kick could land, his hand lashed out, snatching Baekchang by the throat.

Baekchang's eyes widened in that split-second of realization—he had been baited.

His body reacted instantly, sending out a flurry of desperate, rapid-fire punches at Sehun's forearm, trying to loosen his grip, trying to break free—but it was like hitting solid rock.

Sehun didn't budge.

Baekchang thrashed, twisting in his grasp, his legs kicking out—but Sehun just tightened his grip.

And then Ilseok was back.

Of course, he was.

Sehun barely spared him a glance before the first blow landed—a brutal hammer fist crashing into the side of his ribs.

Sehun grunted, his muscles coiling in protest, but he didn't let go.

Another hit. Then another. Ilseok wasn't fast, he wasn't even strong, but he was relentless. Every strike chipped away at him like an endless tide crashing against a cliff.

Sehun ignored him.

He had to.

Baekchang twisted again—and this time, Sehun lifted him.

His fingers dug into Baekchang's throat, his muscles tensing as he hoisted him into the air.

Baekchang's hands immediately latched onto Sehun's wrist, trying to pry him off, trying to fight against the raw strength holding him in place. But Sehun was too strong.

Even as Ilseok's fists rained down on him from behind, even as his ribs ached from the repeated blows, Sehun endured.

A final punch to his spine sent a dull shock through his nerves, but he barely reacted. Instead, he slammed Baekchang into the ground.

CRACK!

The concrete beneath them cracked from the sheer force of impact. Dust shot up into the air, debris scattering as Baekchang let out a sharp, choked gasp.

Sehun exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths. 

He didn't need to check.

Baekchang was out cold.

Finally.

He let go of the unconscious fighter, his body sagging slightly as he exhaled through his nose. The ache in his ribs was spreading now, creeping into his lungs with every breath. His forearms burned from blocking, his knuckles were raw from swinging.

It was almost over.

Almost.

Because behind him… Ilseok was still standing.

Of course, he was.

Sehun turned his head slowly, already knowing what he'd see.

Ilseok's entire body was wrecked. His arms trembled as he held them up, barely able to keep his fists clenched. His legs shook violently beneath him, his breathing uneven and ragged.

But he was still on his feet.

Sehun frowned.

Ilseok wasn't a threat anymore. He couldn't even move properly. His body had reached its limit… he just refused to acknowledge it.

It was impressive, in a way.

But it was also stupid.

Sehun didn't waste time. With a single step forward, he closed the distance.

Ilseok barely reacted. His fists twitched, but he was too slow, too weak… his body wouldn't obey him anymore.

Sehun's arms shot out, looping around his neck in an iron grip.

Ilseok struggled, his fingers clawing weakly at Sehun's arms, trying to pry him off. But there was no strength behind it. No real resistance.

It took less than ten seconds before his body went slack.

Sehun held on for a moment longer… then let go, letting Ilseok's unconscious body slump to the ground beside Baekchang.

He straightened, rolling out his shoulders, inhaling deeply as he surveyed the damage.

Both of them. Down.

Good.

Sehun exhaled, running a hand through his hair, then turned toward the stairs.

He needed to catch up.

Sehun took the stairs two at a time, his body still thrumming with leftover adrenaline. His knuckles ached, his ribs protested with every breath, but he ignored it. The fight was over. For him, at least.

As he reached the top floor, the night air hit him first, cool and sharp, carrying the scent of dust and concrete. The floor was unfinished, open to the sky, and in the dim light, he saw two figures.

Dowan.

And Seokyoung.

Seokyoung was on his knees, hunched over, his breath coming in uneven gasps. His hands pressed weakly against his knees and the floor, fingers twitching like he was trying to get up… but failing. His aviator jacket was torn, scuffed with dirt, and the way his body trembled…

He couldn't move.

Sehun blinked. That wasn't normal.

Dowan stood over him, one hand clenched into a fist, his knuckles holding a faint tinge of red. His hoodie was loose around his frame, also torn and scuffed.

Sehun exhaled. "What the hell happened here?"

Dowan turned his head slightly, glancing at him. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes…

They were still.

Like he was trying to cover something.

"Seokyoung lost."

Sehun looked between them again. Lost? Just like that?

He knew how strong he was. Seokyoung was a freak… fast, explosive, physically overwhelming. Even if Dowan had won, Seokyoung shouldn't be this helpless.

Seokyoung let out a quiet, shuddering breath, his fingers curling against the ground. He was awake. He was still conscious. But he wasn't moving.

Sehun frowned. "What did you do to him?"

Dowan crouched down, reaching into Seokyoung's jacket. Seokyoung didn't stop him, barely even reacted as Dowan pulled out a small USB drive.

"Just used my fists," Dowan said simply. He stood back up, turning the USB over in his fingers. "And he can't recover from it."

Sehun didn't get it.

He didn't know what the hell Dowan had done, why Seokyoung looked like he'd been hit by a truck instead of just punched, but…

It didn't matter.

Dowan pocketed the USB and glanced at Sehun again, nodding toward the stairs.

"We're done here."

Sehun exhaled, rolling his shoulders, his muscles finally starting to feel the exhaustion creeping in.

He gave Seokyoung one last look. The guy was still breathing, still upright in his own way. He'd recover.

Eventually.

He grunted. "Then let's go home."

Dowan turned, walking toward the stairs, and Sehun stared at his back, leaving Seokyoung behind under the open night sky.

He'd forgotten to move until Dowan spoke again, this time his entire voice and personality had shifted.

"C'mon deputy, or else I'll make you buy me 2 coffees this time." He said happily.

.

.

.

.

Damn, Seokyoung got offscreened. 

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