Chapter 104

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 104: Finally, Disaster (3)

“What…?”

Yeongwoo, upon seeing the quest details, doubted his eyes.

Even during the ‘Headhunter’ quest, where he had to sever the seven heads of Strongest Sword, it was somewhat blatant, but this time it was an outright real-time quest.

[Dogo] “Romanticism”

[Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win.

[Reward] 2 million karma

[Special] You must disclose the fact that you are supported by Dogo.

They did not specify the opponent as ‘Cha Dooseong’ outright.

This was evidence that the entity giving out the quest was observing their situation.

‘Why did they give me another quest when I haven’t even completed the first one yet…? Could it be that they didn’t like my choice?’

The first Dogo quest in Seoul, ‘Headhunter,’ occurred when all the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation gathered in one place.

In other words, what Dogo wanted to stage at that time was a showdown between the outsider, Jeong Yeongwoo, and the assembly of Strongest Sword.

A confrontation between the Strongest Sword supported by Dogo and the seven strongest individuals in Seoul.

The reward was a whopping 5 million karma.

‘It’s certainly a large sum of money, but… it’s not worth leaving Seoul defenseless.’

Perhaps that’s why this quest came about.

This time, Yeongwoo alone had to face the danger.

And the reward of 2 million was certainly not insignificant.

‘So, what I must absolutely observe to clear this quest is…’

[Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win.

‘Bare hands, solo battle…’

You can’t use weapons, and no one else can intervene in the fight.

‘More than anything, having a solo battle is probably the most difficult. The two of them will be here soon.’

Sure enough, at that moment, there was a sudden movement behind Yeongwoo.

Tap!

Finally, Songpa’s Strongest Sword and Seocho’s Strongest Sword arrived at the scene.

“No, this crazy bastard.”

As expected, Seocho’s Choi Namhee, a former detective, rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Seeing the bodies piled up like mountains in the park, she was furious.

Shwaaaack!

As she immediately drew her sword, Yeongwoo stepped back from Cha Dooseong and simultaneously blocked Choi Namhee.

“Ms. Namhee, hold on a moment!”

“What…?”

Choi Namhee, momentarily annoyed, spat out.

She was annoyed because her flow was interrupted, even though she could start smashing the mutant’s head right away.

But since Yeongwoo would lose 2 million immediately if Choi Namhee intervened, he had to at least make up some nonsense to ensure a solo battle.

“I want to fight first. Alone.”

“….?”

“What are you talking about?”

Even Oh Yeonhee, who was maintaining some composure, widened her eyes.

It was a completely incomprehensible story even in common sense.

The survivors of Gwangjin-gu, who had been unable to say anything until now, erupted into chaos as if they were driven to the edge of a cliff.

“Why alone?”

“Why suddenly like this? Why now of all times?”

“Don’t he know who the opponent is…?”

A situation of madness where nothing comes to mind except for the word ‘crazy.’

Amidst this, the only one laughing was Cha Dooseong, the mutant.

「He’s really an interesting guy.」

Although there was a gut feeling that this tough guy with a strange title wouldn’t be an ordinary opponent, it didn’t make him afraid.

The former Gwangjin’s Strongest Sword he had faced earlier was so weak.

So, even if he were to face a Strongest Sword from another region, they wouldn’t be much stronger than a dead man.

「Indeed, unless it’s a time like this, there won’t be a chance to fight against someone like me. Stupid, but brave.」

Then Oh Yeonhee, sticking closely behind Yeongwoo, spoke with a grimace.

“Are you really crazy? Does it make sense to deliberately fight alone? What’s going on?”

To this, Yeongwoo alternated looks between her and Choi Namhee and said,

“I have achievements to fulfill. I feel like I won’t be able to resolve them if not now. Please understand.”

“Even so, this…”

“If it really doesn’t seem right, I’ll request support. Please help me then.”

“….”

Even so, the expressions of the two Strongest Swords were still difficult to persuade.

There is a time and place for everything.

But since the new Strongest Sword insisted on fighting alone, there was no reason to break the harmony by insisting otherwise.

“He’s really out of his mind.”

Eventually, Oh Yeonhee raised both hands, and following her, Seocho’s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee also stepped back.

“If it seems like you’re falling behind, we’ll step in right away.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Thus began the solo duel between Gyeongbuk’s Strongest Sword and the mutant Cha Dooseong.

However, the real shocking event was just beginning.

As Yeongwoo stood in front of Cha Dooseong, he put the Underdog he had been holding in his hand on the ground and assumed a combat stance, following his opponent.

It was such a sloppy posture that it was evident he didn’t even know the ‘stance’ of combat.

So, eventually,

「Kkuukukkk…!」

Cha Dooseong, who was staring blankly at him, burst into laughter.

「You’re going to fight like that with me?」

Then, in an instant, his face turned cold.

「This bastard… Does he think I look like a fool just because he avoided one punch by chance earlier?」

Before becoming a mutant, Cha Dooseong was a human, a boxing player proud of his fists and medals.

Therefore, he felt extreme humiliation that someone who couldn’t even properly hold a stance dared to challenge him to a fistfight.

「I’ll beat you until every bone in your body is shattered.」

Then, with a sharp gleam in his eyes, Cha Dooseong rushed towards Yeongwoo.

Thud!

A forward step worthy of a gold medalist.

Choi Namhee, the only one here who had trained in martial arts, immediately realized Cha Dooseong’s movements and grabbed his forehead.

“You bastard, you’re really crazy.”

These words were directed at Gyeongbuk’s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo.

To dare to challenge a top-tier boxer bare-handed was madness, indeed.

Moreover, Cha Dooseong now had the body of a ghoul, standing at a towering height of 2 meters.

Therefore, due to the significant reach difference, a close-range fight itself was impossible.

In almost every situation, he would be the one to take the first hit.

And now, Yeongwoo was keenly feeling that as well.

“Phew.”

As Yeongwoo exhaled within his clumsy guard, the fist came flying in from a much farther distance than he had thought.

Swish!

The fist was so fast that it momentarily made a whip-like sound, and sensing it, Oh Yeonhee adjusted her sword stance.

It seemed like it wouldn’t work.

However.

Swoosh!

Yeongwoo, who had been standing with a sloppy pose until now, suddenly raised his guard tightly and bent both knees.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Then his upper body naturally descended in a diagonal line.

Whoosh!

Simultaneously, Cha Dooseong’s fist swept through the space where Yeongwoo’s head had been, missing its target.

“….!”

Yeongwoo had evaded the opponent’s fist once again.

So, what just happened was…

“…Ducking.”

Choi Namhee murmured involuntarily.

It was one of the basic evasion techniques in boxing, typically used to avoid straight attacks like jabs while aiming for a counterattack.

In other words,

‘If he has used it correctly by now…’

With an inexplicable sense of anticipation, Choi Namhee widened her pupils as Yeongwoo’s upper body, lowered in ducking position, rotated like a slanted ring.

‘What…?’

Though it was amateurish, it was clearly a predictive weaving for the opponent’s follow-up.

Currently, Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword is showing the level of game management at least at the level of a city-level regional competition in terms of tactics alone.

「You bastard!」

Cha Doo-seong’s right straight cut through the air in anger.

Damn it!

Since Youngwoo’s upper body was already rotating at an angle, he ended up narrowly splitting the empty space again.

「What…?」

At this point, Cha Dooseong was convinced.

His opponent had some inexplicable ability.

Every time he reached out his fist, he couldn’t describe it, but he felt a sudden decrease in attack speed and power.

And judging by all the skills the opponent had demonstrated so far, it was clear that this was purely a hoax caused by that unknown ability.

「You… what the hell.」

Just as Cha Dooseong was about to voice his suspicion.

Thunk!

Yeongwoo’s upper body, which was in the midst of weaving, came to a halt.

Wham!

From bottom to top.

A rather weighty light uppercut shot out.

“Wow…!”

Seeing this, Choi Namhee’s mouth, which had been gaping wide open, widened even further.

To face a boxing gold medalist and deliver a ducking, weaving, uppercut combo.

And not even taking a single hit in between.

To Choi Namhee, it looked like a miracle in itself.

And then…

「….Damn」

For Cha Dooseong, who had lived his whole life as a boxing genius, this was nothing short of a disaster.

Shwooat!

Of course, due to Cha Dooseong’s body bent in evasion, Yeongwoo’s uppercut ended up cutting through the air, accomplishing nothing.

At least, it was too obvious a pattern for Cha Dooseong.

But the important thing was.

“What, what’s…?”

“Is that guy also a boxer?”

“What’s happening?”

Like the reactions of the Gwangjin survivors, at least from the outside, it seemed like the fight between the two was making sense.

Moreover, Yeongwoo was gradually getting more accustomed to ‘bare-handed combat.’

‘Ha… Is this worth it?’

Although he was currently moving clumsily as instructed by ‘Rohm’s Bottom,’ he could instinctively feel it.

If he could properly execute this instruction, he would be able to bring down the opponent sufficiently.

“Huu…”

Meanwhile, the hologram in front of him was once again assuming a fighting stance.

It was time for another round against the mutant boxer.

‘Is he still using boxing style again…? Even if so, wouldn’t it be better to wrestle instead, considering the opponent is a gold medalist…?’

Yeongwoo silently questioned his martial arts inwardly.

Wasn’t tackling not very effective against Jeong Hyunsik back then?

But naturally, there was no answer coming back.

‘Right. Let’s give it another shot.’

As the hologram in front of him took a forward step this time, Yeongwoo stretched his leg forward blindly.

Then, this time, Cha Dooseong prepared to counter the attack with ducking as the opponent’s attack came out.

Swoosh.

He was planning to dodge to the side while the opponent’s attack was coming out, thinking of throwing a check hook.

If things went well, he could hit the throat or jaw directly and knock them down.

Thus began the third match between the two fighters.

Thud!

Eventually, Illusion that wrapped around Yeongwoo’s foot pushed forcefully against the ground.

「……!」

The moment Cha Dooseong interpreted it as a forward one-two and pulled his chin and upper body downwards.

Boom!

Suddenly, Yeongwoo’s right foot kicked off the ground, sending his knee bouncing into the air.

It was a flying knee kick, prepared by Rohm’s Bottom, fighting like a prisoner.

「This son of a…!」

Cha Dooseong hurriedly raised both arms to protect his face, thinking like this.

‘W… Wasn’t this boxing rules?’

Before the monologue in his head could finish, a flying knee kick struck his guard.

Kwaaaah!

Then, shortly after, a trembling voice came from behind Jeong Yeongwoo’s knee.

“This battle is supported by Dogo, a galactic-scale weapon brand…”

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]