Chapter 16. One-on-One (1)

The homeless man, Kim, had always thought the same thing,

Screw them all. They should just drop dead.

Therefore, he set fires.

His father, who beat him senseless day after day, saying he resembled his worthless mother, who ran away, screamed. “

Aaaah—!

”

The woman who dared to sleep with another man in his own house screamed, “Please, stop! Don’t!

Aaaah—!

”

The factory boss who kicked him out after three years of unpaid, backbreaking labor screamed, “

Aaaah—!

”

Kim loved when everything burned, especially when the flames danced hot and wild on gasoline.

Crackle. Crackle.

After getting caught and serving ten years in prison, Kim kept his head down, burning trash and recyclables in secret to keep the itch at bay.

However, one day, everything changed with the revelation

.

[The trial is starting.]

[Congratulations! Based on your deep-rooted fury and the countless memories involving flames and ashes, a skill has been unlocked!]

[Flame(Lv. 1) has been unlocked.]

W-what the hell is going on...?

Kim thought.

From somewhere deep in his chest, heat surged upward through his ribs, across his shoulders, and down his arms. Rather than blood, it felt like lava was coursing within his veins.

His palm began to bubble and froth, as if magma were trapped under the skin. He could not hold it back any longer. The heat exploded from his hand, as if tearing through reality itself.

Crack. Crackle. Crackle. Whoosh—!

It was a divine sign from above. The world was already a wreck—a smoldering dumpster fire—and he had simply taken it upon himself to purge it. Hence why he wholeheartedly tried to burn everything, becoming hell itself.

Crack!

So why the hell am I getting my ass handed to me by some scrawny punk? This isn’t just any fist—it’s filled with lava!

“

Keugh!

”

It hurts! What the heck! I’m about to die!

Kim couldn’t even scream as he curled up on the ground like a crushed insect, cradling his shattered fist.

The skill... I just need the skill...

His fingers were broken down to the joints, and every single one of his nerves begged for mercy. Still, as long as he could unleash his skill, he should be able to incinerate this bastard in seconds! One word. All he needed to say was one word.

“Fla—”

Swoosh—!

“—me!”

He spat the syllables like venom, and a sudden gust tore through the air. It was like the world stopped for a second and then rebooted.

“Oh no! It looks like you really

can’t

use that skill anymore,” Eun-Ho said with a grin.

Before Kim could blink, Eun-Ho vanished then reappeared right in front of him.

Thud—!

Then, the same fist that had shattered Kim’s left hand slammed into his stomach.

“Aaaaargh!

”

It felt like his gut had been pierced clean through. His abdomen caved inward like wet clay, and all his insides quivered from the impact. His pupils blew wide.

“

Guaaargh!

”

“It’s gonna hurt a little,” Eun-Ho warned.

Kim couldn’t even scream properly due to the pain.

Strike after strike rained down, each one more brutal than the last. It began with a brutal right hook to the jaw, followed by a thunderous blow to the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him. His hands, which were shattered at every joint, weren’t even spared. It didn’t stop there. Another punch to the right jaw, another blow to the abdomen, then back to both hands...

“P-please!” Kim groaned. “Please, no more...

Ugh

!”

“We’re not even close to done,” Eun-Ho said flatly.

“Please! I-I’m begging you!”

Kim could not move nor breathe. He was completely and utterly at Eun-Ho’s mercy.

Kim’s broken, pathetic physique warned him if this attack continued, he was going to die. His jaw could barely move properly anymore. Something was misaligned, or just plain broken. Still, he forced out the words, “I-I’ll give you the girls...! Just... Please stop!”

Swoosh—!

The wind roared again as Eun-Ho vanished and reappeared, just like before. This time, the pain hit so hard Kim felt like his soul flew out of him.

***

Just as expected,

Eun-Ho thought.

Eun-Ho had been careful this time, managing his skills with precision. No matter how annoyed he had been, he did not let the rage distract him.

“Fla—”

“Acceleration.”

They say force equals mass times acceleration, right?

Eun-Ho thought.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Well, with ten times the speed, the force behind his punch naturally became monstrous.

Kim’s abdomen was nothing more than a punching bag now, taking hit after hit as the countdown ticked in his head.

Three, two, one, now!

“—me.”

Thud—!

Just as the skill wore off, Eun-Ho landed a full-powered punch straight into Kim’s abdomen.

He aimed it perfectly and timed his attack so Kim would feel everything. He was like a boxer going for the sweet spot, maximizing pain and impact.

Tzzzt—!

The hit was so solid it sent a shiver down his own arm.

“Oh no! It looks like you really

can’t

use that skill anymore,” Eun-Ho said with mock concern.

“

Guaaargh!

”

“It’s gonna hurt a little,” Eun-Ho warned.

Wham! Wham! Thud!

Even after the skill ended, the beating continued one after another. Eun-Ho focused on the broken hands first, pounding them again just as Kim twisted away in agony.

Then, Eun-Ho punched his abdomen again. As Kim doubled over to catch his breath, another blow landed on his jaw. Eun-Ho punched his hands, legs, abdomen, then jaw over and over again.

Don’t give him room to counterattack,

Eun-Ho thought.

That was the real reason he kept hammering the same places. Sure, inflicting pain helped break his opponent’s will, but more importantly, he did not want Kim to think that the Petrify skill had ended.

He probably knows about skill cooldowns too.

Acceleration and Petrify were powerful, but Kim had firepower strong enough to flip the tables the moment he had a chance.

“Please! I-I’m begging you!”

Kim collapsed to the ground like a hog being butchered, gasping for air. Then he looked down at the mangled mess of joints that used to be his hands. They were completely ruined.

“I-I’ll give you the girls...! Just... Please stop!” Kim’s words crumbled into a pathetic plea.

“Acceleration.”

Swoosh—!

The wind howled again as Eun-Ho charged in. This time, he went straight for the abdomen, then slamming into Kim’s legs with ruthless force. He had also brought Petrify back into the mix.

“

Aargh!

Keugh

!”

“What was that?” Eun-Ho asked, tilting his head.

Kim remained silent. His limbs went limp as he twitched uncontrollably. From between cracked lips came a strained, pitiful moan.

“

Ghrrrk...

P-please stop...”

“You said you’d give me the girls?”

Unable to believe what he’d just heard, Eun-Ho actually had to ask again. Kim’s face contorted in panic as he bobbed his head frantically, thinking this would save him.

Eun-Ho then stepped in closer. “I was planning to hand you over to them.”

For a split second, confusion flickered in Kim’s dull eyes. However, that was as far as his turn went. The next moment, Eun-Ho took one step back and called out, calmly “Hey, kiddo!”

The student was the one meant to write the ending of this story.

“How do you want to finish him?”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

As soon as Eun-Ho said it, a long-haired schoolgirl walked forward from the far side of the room, her footsteps slow, deliberate. Her eyes gleamed with pure venom.

“P-please! Spare me! Don’t!

Arrrgh

!”

She did not say a word.

***

Guaaaargh

—!

The sound tearing through the room did not even resemble a human scream anymore.

Choi Seung, who had been staring blankly at the screen, quietly wiped his sweaty palms against his dress pants. He had not realized just how tightly his fists had clenched.

It’s still pretty early in the game and it’s already this bruta—

Thump!

Choi Seung jumped in surprise. The noise reverberated through the huge desk, the room itself, and even himself. Choi Seung immediately shut his mouth and stole a glance at his superior’s expression.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A hand drummed against the table in a quick, sharp rhythm. Then a tongue clicked in annoyance now and then. Besides, his superior’s brows were drawn tightly together in a deep frown.

“Lady Harona?”

Harona did not respond. She kept her eyes glued to the screen, remaining silent. To make it worse, the two braided locks of hair on either side of her head stood on end, twitching slightly.

Ah, wait... Could it be?

Choi Seung thought.

“Is this about Kim Deok-Gu? It’s truly unfortunate what happened to him, especially just after unlocking such a valuable skill.”

From the beginning, flame had always been a powerful skill. It made boosting performance metrics effortless. From a manager’s standpoint, losing someone like him was undeniably a significant setback.

“Well, someone else who can unlock a skill will come along soon enough. That skill isn’t rare or unique, so we’ll find another like him somewhere—”

“What nonsense are you on about?” Harona barked.

“Isn’t it Kim Deok-Gu you’re upset about?”

“Huh?”

Harona let out an exasperated breath at her clueless subordinate. Then, she pointed at the charred corpse that had once been Kim Deok-Gu, shown on the screen.

“Not him, you idiot!”

So, if she wasn’t upset about him, then...

Choi Seung thought.

“It’s subject Lee Eun-Ho who I’m upset about! I wanted to see him fight more!”

“Oh, I see. That’s what you’re disappointed about.”

Harona shrugged like it should’ve been obvious. “That guy’s brilliant at exploiting openings. Did you see how flawlessly he timed that move earlier?”

Her eyes gleamed not with admiration, but fascination. Eun-Ho was savage, calculated, and deadly.

“He’s a clever one.”

Choi Seung couldn’t find a better word—clever in the most ruthless, cunning way. In a world where it was eat or be eaten, that was the highest compliment imaginable.

“At first, I thought it’s too bad that both Acceleration and Petrify aren’t even attack skills. I guess I was wrong,” Choi Seung muttered.

Eun-Ho wielded non-offensive abilities with a menace far deadlier than any weapon. Just as Choi Seung was about to speak again, a sudden, cheerful chime rang out—an impossible sound at this moment.

Ding!

[An anonymous observer is extremely satisfied with Subject Lee Eun-Ho’s performance.]

[A gift has been delivered.]

The screen, now filled with thick smoke curling up instead of the burning flames, displayed the message clearly. Then, both of them turned sharply to stare at the monitor.

“A gift?!” Harona seemed surprised.

“Could it be a sponsorship item?” asked Choi Seung

Spectators occasionally sent support to their favored contestants. It was not common, but it wasn’t unheard of either.

Since restructuring trials were broadcasted in real time through the Eye, anyone with access could tune in as a viewer. Besides, massive bets were often placed on who would survive when things reached the later stages. That was when sponsorships poured in, which were desperate investments to keep one’s pick alive.

“We have to return it, Lady Harona.”

“

Hmmm

.”

However, that kind of thing only happened at the end and sector 13 had just begun its restructuring process. Sending a gift to an unofficially selected contestant was against the protocol.

Clinging to the hope that it was a mistake, they checked the gift again. However, there it was, clear as day—Recipient: Lee Eun-Ho.

“The restructuring manual clearly states that unselected subjects cannot receive sponsorships—”

“Wait, hold on. This isn’t a sponsorship. It’s a gift, isn’t it?”

“Excuse me?”

What’s the difference between a sponsorship and a gift, anyway? If you send points, it’s a sponsorship, which is basically a support. If you send items, it’s a gift,

Choi Seung thought.

“But Lady Haron! You might get flagged again!”

“Oh, relax. It’s nothing serious. He probably won’t even know how to use it properly.”

“Still, this is—”

Choi Seung spoke up, trying to push back. However, Harona grinned and waved her pale hand dismissively, brushing off his concern. Then, she clasped her hands together, rubbing them eagerly as her eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Let’s start the next trial right away.”

“But this was supposed to be the last one for today.”

“Nope. Start it now.”

Choi Seung let out a heavy sigh, barely aware he had done it. However, Harona was not listening anymore. She was smiling—wide, bright, and far too pleased. Clearly, something was already in the works.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had such a thrilling contestant join us. Gotta make sure our observer has a good show. Let’s open up their wallet a little more.”

Wallet?

Choi Seung’s eyes narrowed.

It seemed like his superior was planning something much bigger.

“

Hmm...

What would make things interesting?”

***

Ugh, that hurts,

Eun-Ho thought.

His blows came mostly from his petrified right hand, but maybe he’d pushed it too far.

Did I break my fingers or something?

Eun-Ho sat on the ground, holding his throbbing arm. That was when the long-haired girl, Yoon Sol-Ah, approached. She had spent the last few minutes sobbing into her friend’s arms. Now, she’d regained her composure, albeit her eyes were still red.

“Hi.”

“

Hmm

?”

She reached out with a small hand—delicate, almost too dainty for someone her height. That was when Eun-Ho remembered what they had said earlier.

“Heal the rest later. You can handle it, right?”

Sol-Ah probably remembered this too.

“Thank you,” Eun-Ho said.

She studied his wounded arm with a quiet, unexpected intensity. Her gaze was gentle and deliberate, holding only a quiet softness—a stark contrast to the girl seething with rage just moments ago.

I guess she didn’t unlock healing abilities for nothing.

A soft light leaked through her slender fingers. An odd glow, between white and blue, seeped gently into his skin. Something cool, dry, and just right wrapped around his arm, feeling akin to stepping into an air-conditioned room after enduring the sweltering summer heat.

[You have been healed by Healer Yoon Sol-Ah.]

[Burn recovery: 100%.]

[Fracture recovery: 100%.]

The joints in his fingers slowly returned to their proper place, and the red-black burn scars peeled away, replaced by fresh, new skin, just like the CGI in a pharmaceutical commercial.

Wow, it’s completely healed.

It was an incredible ability. With someone like her around, one would not need to waste trial reward on injuries anymore. Besides, this skill didn’t only benefit herself, but also made her the best ally to have.

Definitely someone worth staying on good terms with, haha,

Eun-Ho thought.

“Thank God you’re okay, Hyungnim!” Jae-Hyuk, who had been nervously pacing, practically shouted in relief.

“Eun-Ho! You’re all healed!” Ji-Eun, who’d been anxiously gnawing her lip, finally smiled.

Grateful or not, there was something suspicious about how Sol-Ah kept sneaking glances his way like she wanted to say something.

She hesitated to speak, her lips quivering.

“Thanks for the healing,” Eun-Ho said first, and that finally got her to open up.

“It’s a relief. But also, please remember that I kept my promise,” Sol-Ah said. “And,

um...

thank—”

She fidgeted with her fingers, glancing up at him shyly.

Ding!

A familiar cheerful sound, just like when he received the first Mystery Box, echoed inside his mind. Then, a translucent message window popped up before his eyes.

[A gift has arrived from an anonymous observer!]

[Would you like to check it?]