PASSION Chapter 4 Part 13

Chapter 4 Part 13

He looked strong just at a glance. Though Tae-ui wanted to hope he just looked fierce on the outside but was actually ridiculously weak, those muscles clearly showed they were built through real combat rather than in a gym, and his eyes and expression looked extremely composed.

Even at a glance he seemed one of the top one or two strongest among that group... I really have such bad luck.

After the previous match ended and the instructor's key points summary and members' discussion finished, when his name was finally called, Tae-ui stood up feeling like he'd bitten into a bug.

"Come back victorious!"

"Crush him, crush him!!"

"We believe in you, Master of Tricks!!"

None of the shouts pouring from around him sounded pleasant. Even the best one telling him to win, he had absolutely no confidence in meeting that expectation.

Though he wasn't confident about winning, he was somewhat confident in reading people. Tae-ui thought bitterly while watching his opponent standing before him. He couldn't handle this man.

If so, then the best method was still that.

"Getting hit less painfully is the best I can hope for."

Tae-ui muttered internally while psyching himself up. Finally the instructor gave the start signal, and he began engaging with his opponent.

He was someone who had properly learned various martial arts formally step by step from the basics. Plus he was flexible and skilled. It was hard to win against such a person in a proper fight. Not just winning, even handling him was difficult. Just avoiding was the best strategy.

But in this situation where even avoiding wasn't possible, all he could do was try to get hit less painfully.

If there was something Tae-ui did better than others in fighting techniques, that was it. Getting hit less painfully.

Though it was a survival technique mixed with some tricks, it had actually been quite useful often in the military too. There were several methods but the most basic and easiest for Tae-ui to use was sticking very close when the opponent swung their fist then slightly backing away at the moment of impact - a method others would laugh at if they heard it. But used well, few techniques were as useful.

But even so...

"It still hurts, damn it."

Getting hit repeatedly rather than just once or twice naturally hurt. Even getting hit less painfully only meant slightly less pain, not reducing it by half or to barely noticeable levels.

While getting several good hits and watching for opportunities to land a punch or kick on his opponent once or twice, Tae-ui kept repeating 'This hurts like hell' internally.

However, the man facing Tae-ui also seemed increasingly displeased with the somehow ambiguous punch feel. His expression grew fiercer whenever he took even light hits once or twice.

Looking at that expression, one proper hit now would definitely send him to the infirmary.

It was just as Tae-ui thought that. The man finally swung his fist straight ahead with an angry face, and Tae-ui who had briefly considered just taking the hit and collapsing got hit squarely without time to dodge the fist that came much faster than his consideration.

"Ugh..."

A proper scream didn't even come out. The moment he took that punch, Tae-ui realized, ah I really had been getting hit less painfully until now. It hurt so much his breath stopped and it felt like his insides would fly out his mouth. And thinking this worked out well in a way, he quickly lay down.

He wanted to end it like this anyway, and honestly it hurt too much to stand properly.

As Tae-ui lay flat indicating his defeat, the opponent seemed even more upset. His expression showed his anger hadn't subsided since he couldn't have a satisfying match with his opponent already lying down. Seeing that expression, Tae-ui gave him a fresh smile even through the pain.

[You damn bastard, isn't it enough that I took this many hits, how many more do you want me to take?]

As if that meaning got through, even more anger bloomed on the man's face, but the stop command had already come from the instructor. Though the man exhaled dissatisfied breaths, he stood back.

Though Tae-ui hoped lying there that someone among his colleagues would come carry him out, all he got were cold words telling him to stop exaggerating and quickly make way for Yuan Ho.

Muttering "Tch, what's the point of having colleagues" Tae-ui got up very slowly and came out.

Behind him, Yuan Ho who went last got beaten terribly like most others had, but he also gave as good as he got. By the time he finished sparring and was dragged out after quite a while, it was already past regular hours.

Though each person's fight wasn't very long, the time the instructor spent pointing things out and members spent discussing each fight was several times longer, so even with just 7-8 matches, it took quite a long time.

Though they were still pouring curses, jeers and mockery at the other side fiercely, as the day's schedule neared its end, fatigue showed in their expressions. Even just watching and analyzing was tiring, let alone having to go in and fight once in between.

The same was true for Tae-ui, who collapsed face-down on a desk the moment the instructor ended the day and left the sparring room. Beside him colleagues were starting to fight again showing the same behavior as at lunch in the cafeteria, but Tae-ui had neither the energy nor inclination to stop them then or now.

After arguing noisily for a while, Tou came over to Tae-ui while gulping down water.

"You got hit hard earlier, lost all your energy? Go get some sleep in your room."

"You looked covered in blood from head to toe but now you seem fine."

"Those bastards would make even a stone Buddha jump up, what can you do!"

Tae-ui closed his mouth. Here, that seemed the wisest way of self-preservation.

Following the same pattern as lunch, they were arguing with increasingly raised voices. It was only because they were exhausted from the day's schedule - otherwise they would already be rolling around on the blood-covered floor grabbing collars.

Tae-ui staggered up. Then he headed toward the door going around the back of the sparring room filled with flying curses and criticism. Yuan Ho who was still wiping blood trickling from his forehead asked where he was going.

Tae-ui stared at him blankly with a tired face, then answered in an even more tired voice:

"Going to receive punishment for violating the 'personal weapons prohibited within the branch' rule."

"What? Wasn't getting called to the instructor's office earlier the end of it?"

"He seemed so lenient... He says to personally handwrite ten copies of the UNHRDO Rules and Regulations book."

"Personally handwr... Want some help?"

"He says if the handwriting is different, do ten more copies, and the helper does their own separate ten copies."

"Hmm... Well, good luck. I'll support you hard in spirit."

With Yuan Ho's pitying gaze on his back, Tae-ui waved lightly and left the sparring room.

Though he desperately wanted to go back to his room and collapse on the bed, his uncle had kindly specified a deadline for submitting the ten handwritten copies along with assigning the punishment. Three mornings from now. He would have to give up all his break time.

Finding the UNHRDO Rules and Regulations book wasn't very difficult. He didn't need to search through the countless shelves in the library looking for classification numbers - UNHRDO-related books had their own separate shelf by the door.

Tae-ui sighed while pulling out the notebook-sized book. Both its size and thickness were just like a notebook. It wasn't an impossible thickness to copy. However, the moment he opened the book, he couldn't help sighing at the tiny text densely packed inside.

Three mornings from now. Should he be grateful there was at least time to sleep? Though he would have to work on it whenever he had time during lunch and breaks, it seemed possible to finish while still getting sleep.

Tae-ui turned toward the checkout desk while fanning himself with the book. However, just as he was about to turn, text attached to the side of the bookshelf caught his eye.

'No checkout'

"What is this?"

Tae-ui stopped fanning the book he was holding and muttered in shock. If it couldn't be checked out, where was he supposed to copy it from? Where else would have such a completely useless book?

However much he tried the barcode reader of the automatic checkout system, true to the "no checkout" notice, the book wouldn't register for checkout. He considered just taking it out, but then the recognition system at the doorway would obviously set off alarms ringing through the whole floor.

"Oh, organization-related books can't be checked out. Those are internal materials. Read them in the library. Or get permission from an instructor to borrow them."

The man waiting in line behind Tae-ui had been looking over his shoulder wondering what he was doing for so long, and seeing the book kindly explained. Saying "Oh, thanks" while making way, Tae-ui just stood there blankly holding the book.

Internal materials that needed instructor permission to check out. His uncle wouldn't have told him to copy it without knowing that. The point was to make him stay in the library copying whenever he had time.

"..."

Fanning himself with the book while sighing, Tae-ui clicked his tongue and turned around. Well then, what else could he do but bring blank notebooks and copy it here? Thinking about it, being stuck here copying meant not mixing with other guys, so maybe it was better with less chance of getting caught up in trouble.

Tae-ui brought writing materials and sat at a desk in the library with the book open. Though he wanted to grab anyone and ask for help, his uncle's words about writing ten more copies if the handwriting was different weren't a joke.

Then if he copied one and cleverly photocopied it, then touched it up slightly...

After briefly having such thoughts, Tae-ui soon shook his head. Forget it. Getting caught being clever would only make things worse. That uncle wasn't someone to take lightly either.

Tae-ui rolled up his sleeves and started copying. Though he briefly thought this was ridiculous, not something you'd give elementary school students, still wasn't this relatively mild? Recalling his uncle's strict addition to "Write the section about prohibition of personal weapons very neatly in print," Tae-ui decided to think this was all due to his own foolishness.