Chapter 5: “The Cage Built for a God”**

**"You can't chain a force of nature.

You can't trap a hurricane in a bottle.

But people always try.

And when they do…

They don't just fail—

They *disappear*."**

— Seo Jungho

---

### ***\[1] — A Morning Like Any Other***

Rain pattered softly against the school windows.

Inside the classroom, I sat in my usual spot by the window, eyes half-closed, notebook untouched.

The teacher was droning on about history, some war nobody cared about.

Beside me, a student whispered, "Did you hear about Dongcheon Lee? Disappeared after a fight last night…"

Whispers again.

Another name scratched off the list of "future delinquents."

Another fighter who got too loud, too fast.

Everyone knew someone was behind it now.

But no one said the name.

Except me—inside my head.

**Culling Unit.**

And they were coming.

---

### ***\[2] — A Message Delivered***

Lunch break. Rain still falling. Cafeteria too loud.

I was walking down the hall, vending machine token in my hand, when someone stepped in front of me.

A girl. Tall. Long black hair tied in a bun. School uniform, perfectly worn. Cold eyes.

She held out an envelope.

I looked at it.

Didn't take it.

She bowed slightly.

"From my master."

I blinked. "He couldn't come himself?"

Her expression didn't change. "He respects strength. He doesn't risk wasting time."

I took the envelope.

She turned and walked away.

Inside the paper: a hand-drawn map.

An address circled in red ink.

And a sentence beneath it:

> "Cage Day. Come alone."

---

### ***\[3] — Kim Suhyeon: System Breakdown***

Back in his room, Suhyeon stared at his monitor.

Lines of red text scrolled endlessly.

**\[Seo Jungho — Status: Not in Simulation.]**

**\[Threat Level: OUT OF RANGE]**

**\[Engagement Warning: Fatal Error Risk]**

He slammed the keyboard.

His system—it wasn't adapting.

It was *glitching.*

No matter what formula he ran, Jungho's data wouldn't fit the algorithm.

As if Jungho wasn't even real.

But Suhyeon had *seen* him.

Felt his pressure.

Watched him dismantle opponents like a child pulling wings off flies.

"…He's not a person," Suhyeon muttered. "He's a *reset button.*"

---

### ***\[4] — Daniel's Growing Suspicion***

Daniel trained harder every day.

Pushups. Running. Sparring.

He was getting faster, sharper.

But no matter how strong he got… he knew there was still a wall.

And that wall?

Had a name: *Seo Jungho.*

Johan couldn't beat him.

Vasco wouldn't try.

Even the gangs were avoiding his street now.

Daniel watched Jungho from a classroom window one evening as he stood under a tree in the rain, motionless.

A vending machine drink in one hand.

Eyes closed.

Not training.

Just *existing.*

And yet, he radiated more danger than any fighter Daniel had ever seen.

"…You're not lazy," Daniel whispered. "You're just waiting."

---

### ***\[5] — The Cage***

That night, I followed the map.

The address led to a massive underground structure beneath an abandoned factory on the outskirts of Seoul.

Rust covered everything.

Cameras in every corner.

Metal walls. Reinforced ceiling.

No exits.

As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the *clang* of metal gates sliding shut behind me.

A voice echoed over hidden speakers.

**"Welcome, Seo Jungho."**

I looked around.

Empty space. Bright lights above. A fighting arena with concrete flooring.

**"You've broken our teams. You've ignored our warnings. You've embarrassed our program."**

I didn't respond.

**"Tonight, we correct that."**

Four doors opened on the far side.

Four figures walked out.

Tall. Armored. Masked.

Phase Two.

Each held something different.

A steel baton.

Shock knuckles.

A chain whip.

And the last… just bare fists, but his knuckles were already bloodied.

**"Let the cage close."**

---

### ***\[6] — Culling Unit Phase Two vs. Jungho***

They moved fast.

Better than the last group.

But not enough.

The one with the baton struck first—his weapon crackled with electricity.

I caught it in my palm.

He froze, shocked.

I *ripped* the baton from his hand and jabbed it under his chin.

He convulsed and dropped.

One down.

Whip-boy lashed out next.

Metal sliced the air. I tilted my head—just barely. The whip missed by inches.

I stepped forward and closed the gap instantly.

My hand snapped forward like a bullet.

He flew backward and hit the wall.

Two down.

Shock knuckles guy lunged.

I let him.

He punched my ribs.

Once. Twice.

No pain.

I stared him down.

Then headbutted him so hard his helmet *cracked.*

Three down.

Only the bare-fisted one remained.

He said nothing. Just breathed heavily.

Then charged.

His fists moved like pistons—measured, brutal.

I let him hit me.

Let him burn himself out.

Five hits. Ten.

No damage.

Then I grabbed his face…

…and *slammed* him through the floor.

---

### ***\[7] — The Command Room Erupts***

Miles away, in a sleek underground facility, Culling Unit officers watched the live feed in stunned silence.

One muttered, "How is he *still* standing…?"

Another shouted, "Send reinforcements!"

The leader—known only as *Director Jin*—stood slowly from his chair.

"No. We're done sending pawns."

He walked toward a locker.

Typed in a passcode.

The door opened.

Inside: a black briefcase.

And a katana.

---

### ***\[8] — Back in the Cage***

I stood in the center of the crater I had created.

Dust settling.

My hoodie torn. Still standing. Breathing evenly.

Blood stained the concrete—but none of it was mine.

Then, a new door opened.

One man walked out.

Black coat.

Long blade.

Eyes filled with cold logic.

He looked… calm.

But his aura?

Different.

He wasn't a thug.

He was an executioner.

**"You're not human,"** he said.

I shrugged. "Never said I was."

He unsheathed the blade.

"I'm here to prove you *can* be killed."

---

### ***\[9] — Blade vs. Monster***

He moved like a ghost.

No wasted motion.

The blade sliced through the air with terrifying sharpness.

I dodged barely—his blade grazing my cheek.

First blood.

Interesting.

He didn't celebrate.

He just came again. Faster.

Left. Right. Lunge.

I weaved.

Stepped sideways.

Let the blade pass inches from my throat.

Then I countered.

My fist hit his stomach—he slid backward but didn't fall.

He coughed.

Wiped blood from his lip.

Then smiled.

"I've wanted to feel pain for a long time."

---

### ***\[10] — The End of the Cage***

We clashed again.

Blade against fists.

He cut me again.

Shoulder. Then leg.

I healed quickly—but the damage was real.

Finally, he tried a killing blow—a straight thrust aimed for my chest.

I turned.

Let the blade stab into my ribs.

Held it there.

Pulled him forward—

—and *headbutted* him.

He staggered, disoriented.

Then I grabbed the blade. Pulled it *out* of my own body.

And snapped it.

His eyes widened for the first time.

I stepped forward slowly.

He tried to run.

Didn't get far.

My foot hit his spine.

He collapsed, gasping.

I crouched beside him.

"You built a cage for a lion," I whispered. "But forgot to lock the door."

Then I walked away.

---

### ***\[11] — City-Wide Panic***

That night, news traveled fast.

Culling Unit: Exposed.

Underground facility: Destroyed.

Twenty members hospitalized.

Five missing.

One presumed dead.

Their leader—Director Jin—was found in a coma, ribs shattered.

And me?

I went back to school the next day.

Sat at my desk.

Same hoodie.

Same expression.

---

### ***\[12] — Daniel and Suhyeon Watch Silently***

Daniel sat behind me, gripping his pencil tightly.

He whispered to Suhyeon during class.

"Did you see what he did to them?"

Suhyeon nodded. "The system didn't even register the fight."

Daniel stared ahead.

"At this point… even God wouldn't pick a fight with him."

Suhyeon nodded again.

And yet—both of them still watched me.

Like waiting for something bigger.

Something worse.

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