The training hall thrummed with silence. Recruits pressed against the walls, their eyes wide, their breath shallow, as if any sound might shatter the air between the two men at its center.
Seong Min's chest rose and fell with steady rhythm. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his violet eyes never wavered. Across from him, Tom Lee cracked his neck with a roll, his hulking figure casting a shadow that seemed too large for the room.
"Not bad," Tom rumbled, voice gravelly, almost amused. "Most crumble after the first exchange. But you? Still standing."
His grin spread wider, baring teeth. "That makes me curious."
Then he moved.
Monster's Speed
The sheer velocity was unnatural. One moment Tom was ten paces away, the next his massive fist blurred toward Seong Min's temple.
CRACK!
The impact rattled through his guard, numbing his arms to the bone. His heels dug grooves into the mat as he slid back several meters before planting himself upright again.
Gasps rippled through the recruits.
Tom chuckled, shaking out his hand as though loosening stiff joints. "Good bones. Still standing after that?" His eyes glinted. "You're interesting."
Precision vs. Power
Pain burned through his forearms, but Seong Min's gaze only sharpened. Eye of Insight flared to life, slowing Tom's impossible speed into lines of possibility. He didn't need to block everything—he only needed to choose the right thread.
The hook came, a predator's strike meant to take his head off.
Seong Min slipped low, twisting, and drove an elbow into Tom's ribs.
THUD!
The sound reverberated through the hall. Tom grunted, the first visible acknowledgment of impact, but only staggered half a step.
"Cheeky bastard," Tom said, grin stretching wider.
Crystal's Observation
Above, Crystal Choi leaned on the balcony rail, her nails digging crescents into the wood. Her usual aloofness faltered, replaced by sharp focus.
This wasn't an exam anymore. Tom Lee wasn't testing. He was hunting.
And Seong Min…
She swallowed hard.
He's not just strong. He's reading Tom. Adapting.
The realization twisted inside her, equal parts pride and unease.
The Headbutt
Tom surged forward again, feinting with a fist—then snapping into a brutal headbutt.
WHAM!
Seong Min raised his arms in time, but the sheer weight behind the blow catapulted him into the padded wall. Dust shook loose from the rafters.
Several recruits winced as if they had felt the strike themselves.
But Seong Min pushed off the wall, shoulders squared, stance steady once more. His violet eyes blazed.
Tom laughed, deep and booming. "Manager Kim himself would've blocked that cleaner. But you? Not bad."
Counterattack
Seong Min didn't waste breath on a reply. He darted forward, weaving under Tom's guard, and slammed a precise fist into the monster's ribs.
BAM!
The strike landed clean.
Tom grunted but retaliated instantly, his hammerfist smashing down on Seong Min's shoulder. Pain exploded, but instead of retreating, Seong Min hooked his heel around Tom's ankle and twisted.
CRACK!
The giant staggered—just a fraction, just a half step, but enough to draw gasps from the watching recruits.
Recruits' POV
"Did… did he just make Tom Lee stumble?" one whispered hoarsely.
"That's suicide," another muttered, though awe cracked his voice.
But the disbelief was faltering.
An older veteran crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "Manager Kim once said only fools trade with Tom up close. This brat isn't a fool. He's… something else."
Tom Escalates
Tom's grin faded. The amusement slipped, replaced by a flat, dangerous calm.
The room itself seemed to shrink, pulled into his orbit.
"This," Tom said, voice low, "is me taking you seriously."
Then he vanished.
The Onslaught
A fist buried itself into Seong Min's gut. His breath exploded out in a painful gasp.
Before he could recover, a sweeping kick scythed his legs, nearly toppling him.
A hammerfist smashed onto his guard, buckling his knees.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
The blows came like thunderclaps, each one threatening to break him in half. His vision swam, copper filled his mouth, but his stance never dropped.
Around them, recruits gaped in horror.
"Anyone else would be dead."
"Even mercenaries wouldn't last this long."
And yet he endured.
A Moment of Defiance
Tom cocked his fist back for a finishing blow.
But Seong Min stepped into the strike instead of away, crashing his own fist into Tom's jaw at the exact same moment.
CRACK!
Both men reeled, blood spraying into the air.
For a heartbeat, silence ruled the hall.
Seong Min wiped blood from his lip with the back of his hand, stance resetting. His violet eyes burned like twin torches.
Tom's tongue swiped the blood from his teeth. His grin returned, wider than ever.
"Now you're making me sweat."
Crystal's Reaction(pov)
Crystal's heart slammed against her ribs.
Sweat. Tom Lee never admitted sweat.
Her grip tightened until the wood creaked beneath her fingers.
Father… she thought. You've thrown him into the lion's den.
And yet, watching Seong Min square up again, battered but unbroken, a strange fire curled low in her stomach.
Tom rolled his shoulders, preparing to unleash more. Seong Min steadied himself, blood dripping down his jaw but eyes clear, resolute.
The hall buzzed with terrified energy.
No one breathed.
The monster was only just beginning.
And Seong Min had no intention of falling.
End of Ch. 35 – White Tiger's Test (Part 2A)