There are monsters like me

"Now for the final match, it is Yeonwoo Ji from South Korea vs Yuito Fujita from Japan!!!!"

I have a very bad feeling about this.

[IMG : Yeonwoo Ji]

My opponent was a Korean and he looked like he was around a year or two older than me. He was very attractive with feminine features, he was prettier than he was handsome. The typical K-pop look.

But contrary to his face he had a shredded body which the karate gi could not hide. From his exposed chest I could see his bulging muscles.

He did not have huge muscles like my previous opponent and his body was not symmetrical/aesthetic like mine.

His muscles were not defined, instead they bulged out like an armour. It was honestly quite a unique sight to see. His muscles did not look natural and instead looked like it was a surgery. Plastic beneath the skin.

He had a gentle expression on his face, like a soy boy yet the dangerous aura around him made me rethink my revaluation of him.

"I hope you do well." He said and his voice sounded gentle and kind. I didn't know what to feel.

He put out his hand for a handshake and I took it. Then I got another shock from the hanbdshake.

His hand was rough and firm. I could feel multiple callous on his palm and his bones were as hard as steel. His rough skin was like a concrete instead of a human skin.

'Isn't that just interesting.'

I pulled away my hand and we both stood infront of each other. He was an inch shorter than me but I noticed his arms were longer. We bowed to show respect and he had a smile the whole time.

As if he was there to make friends with me.

The crowd was loud and excited. It was the final match and not only that, it was the first time Japan had reached the final in over a decade.

They wondered if Japan would be able to beat Korea.

Fun fact about this world was that, just as Japan was exceptionally weak in combat compared to the world, it's neighbouring country Korea was the opposite. They absolutely dominate the world of combat.

Korea was renowned for it's multiple exceptional fighters. From Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, etc. They dominate any forms of Martial arts and they almost always get gold medals in the olympics.

Even in the UFC, most top 5 fighters of any division will have a Korean.

The Americans, Brazillians nor the Russians could compare if we talk about producing exceptional fighters.

In this world that I now live in, they are the king. The alpha of combat sport.

Which is why it was not surprising that a Korean was in the finals. In fact, almost everyone expect him to win the championship and not me.

So I immediately got serious. I needed to go 100% from the beginning. I could feel that he was different from the rest.

"Ready!!" The referee said and I got into a karate stance.

But my opponent got into a different stance. He pulled his right hand back and brought out his left hand while tightly clenching his fist.

He was not standing sideways like me and instead his whole body was facing towards me. He was also not hopping around like an idiot and was standing still. Like a rock.

'Is that....' I think I knew what stance that was...

"FIGHT!!!"

Under my very eyes my opponent blurred away from my sight. I widen my eyes and when I found him again he was infront of me.

He launched his right hand and throws a punch at me. I lowered my center of gravity to be stable and I crossed both my arms on my chest.

Then it hit me.

Strong.

Too strong.

Stronger than even the American guy.

But the worst part was his fist which felt like solid steel. I kid you not when I say his fist felt like a hammer.

I was pushed back and my bones immediately screamed in pain. And with that pain came realization.

...

'Kyokushin karate!!!'

I did not learn Kyukushin Karate as it was infamous because of how dangerous it was, rarely many people taught it nowadays as the sports and olympic style karate was favored amongst the masses.

It was said to be the most dangerous and aggressive style of Karate. The true essence of Karate was to decapitate your opponent with quick movements. It was made with the intention of peace while Buddhism was practiced. Not hurting your opponent while defending yourself.

But that did not include Kyokushin Karate. This style was made later on to destroy your enemies. Training it alone was said to be so difficult only few endure do it.

It's main goal being to actually hurt your opponent and not scoring points like the modern karate.

But if you master Kyokushin Karate, it was said that you would no longer feel pain and every part of your body would turn into a weapon.

It was more than a martial arts for those who practiced this style. To them, Kyokushin was a form of life, a lifestyle that transcend all else.

The meaning of Kyokushin was...

"The Ultimate Truth."

...

I immediately made distance and launch a kick on my opponent. I was sure he would doge but instead he moved forward and charged at me.

'So a block huh.' I thought to myself but I was wrong.

He launched another punch at me and disregard his body. I thought it was a mistake on his part but it was not.

He simply twisted his body slightly and let me hit in a place where I wouldn't score a point. It was foolish as even if I didn't score a point, it would hurt him.

Right?

I hit him full force right above his waist and when it landed he showed no reaction to it. It was as if I did not hit him at all.

Instead I was the one in pain. It felt like hitting concrete.

Now he was onto me, I was standing on one leg, I can't move back. So his punch landed right on my stomach. My whole body tensed up and the wind was knocked out of my lungs.

*KUPH!!*

Pain surged up me and I couldn't stand anymore and fell down nown on my kees, clutching my stomach. He hit so hard, I reckoned his punch was hard enough to break stone walls.

"Stop!!" The referee stopped us and I looked up. He was looking down on me and he was not smiling anymore.

He was just looking down on me.

I took some time to get up and after that we both came together and started fighting again.

This time I was the agressive one. Kicks after kicks, punch after punch. I gave everthing I got but he just ate it all up.

He never dodged.

I was strong. I have superhuman strength but it felt like I was but a weak man. No matter how much I hit, he tanked it all.

He didn't feel pain.

Then in a fit of frustration I kicked at his head with full power. He seemed to recognize that as a threat and swept my leg which was on the ground.

He had better techniques than me. I couldn't compare with his Karate.

I fell down and he got ontop of me before punching my chest.

I couldn't breathe.

The referee stopped us again and I took some time to get back on my feet again.

I leared a few things. He was way better than me in Karate. I was faster and stronger but I couldn't beat him like this. His punches were also hard. I was stronger but he punched harder than me.

This was a Karate match, maybe I would be able to beat him in a street fight but I couldn't beat him in a match of Karate.

So I needed to add a few of my other techniques to stand a chance against him.

His body was built like a rock but I could damage him with my strength. The only problem is he had extremely high pain tolerance. It was not that my attacks did not hurt him. It was just that he could bear it with a straight face.

If I did not break bones or did something serious, he would keep coming at me.

'Incredible.'

I wondered what type of training he did to get this kind of pain tolerance. It must be hell.

I was losing, losing bad. But I still had a strategy.

I got up and we soon begin our match again. Now I knew my strength and weakness and could arrange how I fought accordingly.

I was quick so I waited for his attacks and would counterattack when he did so. I added some boxing footsteps as I dodge his punches.

We exchange multiple attacks. The sound of our limbs hitting each other could be heard in the silent stadium. The people were quiet and could only stare in awe.

After endless exchange, I finally scored a point.

I caught him with a kick to his body.

"3-2"

We began again and with sheer speed I was able to fight on the same level as him. Yet he was so much better in Karate that he was able to predict my attacks.

I wished I could just kick his shin or maybe give him a mean uppercut but I was limited with karate moves.

I kicked him in his body and instantly kicked his head at once with the same leg. But this time he moved forward and I landed the kick right at his face.

I scored a point so lowered my guard, he should've stopped but he didn't.

Veins pooped on his head, he was angry. He pushed forward and delivered a powerful punch on my chest. It was the most devastating punch I had endured so far.

"Stop!!" The referee called and he warned him not to attack after a point is scored.

The referee talked to the judges and they cut my opponent's point for the foul.

But punish him all you want, the damage had already been done.

I kneeled on the ground in pain.

'I see.'

I was too fast even for him so he was not sure whether he would win. So he resorted to this tactic. He wanted to make me unable to fight.

Cripple me.

I was sure he would do this again if I got up and fight.

'I don't think I could win anymore.' I thought to myself.

But that thought, instead of making me despair, ignited something inside of me. Something which have slept inside for a long time.

..

..

At the beginning of my second life, I was excited and determined to reach the top.

I was weak so I struggled and fought with everything I had. Against all odds I would win.

I was almost unstoppable. Determination and burning desire would push me through all my limits.

Everything that could stop me only worked to make me stronger. I was like that.

And that was exactly why I ended up like this.

I grew strong. Too strong for this small island.

I no longer suffered to win. I no longer had to fight to be at the top. You could say I suffered from sucess.

The determination I once had dwindled until I no longer even had a fighting spirit .

I trained everyday still, but it was just for the sake of it. I had my system and one of the thing it provide was making sure that I didn't deteriorate.

So I trained, with no heart. Winning was easy. Being a world champion seemed more like going to a grocery than actually having to fight for it.

That was what I thought anyways. But now I knew there are other who are not only as strong but stronger than me.

Yes, I finally realised why my opponent felt familiar. He was from 'Viral hit', a manwha I read in my previous.

I thought I was the strongest but..

I was wrong.

I was just a frog in a well.

And that excited me to no end.

'There are monster like you out there.' my coach's word reverberated in my mind.

I finally understood what he meant.

I was finally fighting someone who was on my level. Someone strong.

I might lose. And that brought a level of excitement and adrenaline which I thought I would never feel again.

Especially when I realised how many strong people are out there in the world.

Something inside of me snapped and all the emotions I used to feel before, came back like a tsunami.

Returning.

"Ahh..So this was it. This is what I lost." I whispered.

The odds are against me huh? The whole country was putting their hopes on me. It's the final match.

The pressure was immense. Too many were at stake. What if I lose? What if I got injuired?

Can I handle it?

[Title :- The strong willed.]

Yes. I could handle it easily. I thrive when everything was at stake.

The pain was still stinging in my core. It prevented me from getting up and continuing the fight.

It hurts so much.

[Title :- Man of steel.]

But I could bear it. This level of pain was nothing compared to what I had to endure before.

I stood up and looked at my opponent. The referee checked if I was okay and I said I was fine.

Then the match was about to begin again.

"Ready!!" the referee said.

I closed my eyes and played back all my fights so far. I analysed every move and attacks my opponents had thrown at me.

Especially my current opponent. I recalled his movements and techniques. The way his muscles would twitch, the way he would breathe and the way he moved his feet.

*ting!!!*

[Karate :- Intermediate ---> Master]

..

..

[Title :- Prodigy.]

Yes.

YES!!!

It was all coming back to me. Like a caged beast finally freed from it's chain.

All the possible danger. All the strong fighters I would need to fight. All the challenges I would need to overcome.

They beckoned me.

I was finally back.

Because I realised now...

"FIGHT!!!"

'There are monsters like me.'

..

..

..

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