Chapter 17 The Last One to Come to the Stage
1744 Words
Charles walked slowly to Adair. "You lost, apologize."
Adair was not resigned. He wanted to get up to continue the fight but when he tried with all his failing strength, he spat out another mouthful of blood. Then he realized that he was really defeated, to the president of the MMA club that he always looked down on.
"Apologize! Apologize!" The crowd of onlookers shouted in unison.
Adair knew that his luck had run out, and Charles and the audience wouldn’t let him go if he didn’t apologize.
"I'm sorry." He whispered reluctantly.
Charles nodded and let the matter rest. He stepped to Perry's side, helped him up and asked with concern, "How are you holding up?"
Perry wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, barely squeezing a smile. "I’m okay. Thank you, President."
"Well, good.” Then Charles turned to Gloria who ran over to help, “Take him to the medical room.”
"Okay, it's all over." Charles waved to the rest of the onlookers and prepared to leave with his club members.
"President, I want to join the MMA club. When will you recruit new members?"
"I want to join too!"
"President, I want in!"
As Charles walked down the ring, the enthusiastic students who had just watched all rushed over, following around him. They all wanted to join the MMA club and learn real martial arts with him.
Charles remained expressionless, but inwardly he was rejoicing that his club became so welcomed.
The Taekwondo club had always been much more popular than the MMA club. The members of the Taekwondo club had beautiful movements and belts that represented the ranks to show off, which were helpful to picking up girls. As a result, they attracted lots of students and few people wanted to join the MMA club.
Ryan was told that Adair had been taught and Ryan was sent to the medical room when he arrived. He greeted Charles and was about to go to see Perry with Victor when a handsome Korean pushed the door in.
"Wait. You want to leave? After beating my man?" The Korean said in broken English, walking directly in front of Charles.
The man was the president of the Taekwondo club, Kim. He was a Korean student and learned Taekwondo from his father since he was a child. He was a 3rd Dan black belt, definitely a genius.
"President Kim! He’s so cute!"
“Handsome and smart and basically perfect!”
Girls chatted as they bent their eyes upon the coming man with deep admiration.
A tension sensing came across Charles’s face, but it disappeared before anyone noticed.
"Your man lost. Can’t you afford to lose?" Charles calmly asked.
Kim folded his arms in a very arrogant manner, his eyes full of contempt, and he said cynically, "We do afford to lose, so let me play with you. Let's play bigger. If you lose, you will disband the MMA club. If I lose, I will disband the Taekwondo club, and I will go back home immediately."
This guy is good at pretending to be something. Ryan muttered to himself.
Charles was surprised. He didn't expect Kim to ask for a game with so much at stake. He glanced at Kim subconsciously, and Kim looked at him at the same time. The glare from their eyes seemed to clash in the air and throw out sparks.
"President, knock down this Korean."
"Have at him!"
The shouts from the onlookers forced Charles to accept the challenge. He swallowed and jumped onto the ring.
"Good. I’m happy to see my opponent have the courage." Kim smiled, but there was the absolute sneer and despising in his expression of eyes.
Charles replied with a mechanical saluting.
Kim also performed a basic etiquette, and then, his first punch glanced at Charles’s chin. Charles noticed too late that it was a feint, though, when the second punch doubled him over.
Immediately Charles stood straight and gave Kim a blow, which was too sluggish for Kim. Kim ducked under it, smirking. Before Charles could even register the dodge, however, another body shot, this one to his ribs, sent fresh ripples of pain through Charles’s body. He didn’t fall, but it hurt.
Before Kim went to, Charles threw some skilled punches and kicks, but Kim swiped them away. Then Charles went in towards Kim hard, but Kim sidestepped with surprising speed, blocked Charles’s attack, and countered with a brutal powerful kick.
“Umph!” Air came out of Charles’s lungs like whiskey out of a shot glass.
Kim didn’t let Charles go like that but mercilessly hurt him with another three body punches.
Charles went down hard onto the ground, barely able to breathe.
"This is what you call mixed martial art? You are simply vulnerable to my attacks." Kim walked slowly to Charles, looking down at him condescendingly.
Charles, now ashen-gray, lowered his head in shame when he thought of the support and high expectations of other students.
"What a good-for-nothing you are! Just give up your martial arts, come and learn Taekwondo with me," Kim said aggressively.
"You jerk!" Charles snapped, gritting his teeth. He was annoyed that he lost face as the president of the MMA club; he also blamed himself for not having enough strength and good skills and failed to beat a foreign student.
Kim just took the opportunity to humiliate Charles, and he didn’t mean to invite him to the Taekwondo club. Since that his goal was achieved, he said lazily, "Okay, take your people and go. In the future, there will only be a Taekwondo club and no other martial arts club." He deliberately raised his voice so that everyone could hear him.
Most people didn’t think Kim did wrong. The only law that rules in the world was the law of the jungle. Some female students even shouted with excitement, "President Kim, I love you!"
Hearing this, Ryan shook his head in disappointment. He didn't expect that their classmates would cheer for a foreign student instead of defending their compatriot against humiliating.
He didn't like the Taekwondo club when he learned about how Adair bullied Perry, and now he was completely annoyed when a foreign student insulted his elder classmate.
He was about to move when the system released a new task for him.
"Random task 2: It is detected that mixed martial arts are looked down upon by an overseas student who learns Taekwondo. All kinds of martial arts should be respected. This task is hereby released."
"Task requirements: Teach the insolent foreign student a lesson."
"The system will judge whether the task is completed or not. You will be rewarded with 500 experience points and 1,000 mall points after the task is completed. If the task fails, you will be deducted 500 experience points and 1,000 mall points. If the points are not enough to be deducted, you will forcedly be struck by a lightning strike. The task is limited to one hour. No additional help will be provided."
Looking at the task released by the system, Ryan thought for a second and bought a bottle of strength potion from the mall.
"Strength potion: one-time use item which greatly increases your strength in a short period without any side effects, non-stacking, worth 100 points.”
After gulping the potion down, Ryan suddenly felt that he was full of strength. He knew he was ready.
"What do you think you are to bully our people in our country?"
"Who, who’s that?" Kim's face went dark, his eyes scanning back and forth among the people in the spectators.
"I’m here, you this sucker!" Ryan jumped onto the ring.
"Who are you? Another trash from the MMA club?" Kim looked up and down Ryan with squinting eyes.
"You don’t need to know who I am, as long as you know that I’m here to beat you." Ryan smugly replied.
No one had ever spoken to Kim like this before. Ryan was the first one, which completely aroused Kim's anger.
"Fine and well. I will see what you have."
With that, Kim bounded off the ground and threw himself at Ryan.
Ryan smiled faintly, not moving. Kim's swift blow was about to fall on Ryan's chest when Ryan’s expression finally became serious.
All the spectators watching caught themselves holding their breath.
The next moment, Ryan's punch hit Kim with a cracking sound.
The moment Kim’s leg met Ryan’s fist, Kim felt an extremely frightening strength he had never encountered from his opponent's fist.
The next moment, Kim flew upside down three meters away before landing.
"Ahhh!"
Suffering from severe pain, Kim howled like a beast, holding his right leg and rolling all over the ground.
This potion is really powerful, Ryan sighed. He didn’t expect to knock Kim down with one punch. What the system provides must be the best.
Ryan walked towards Charles directly, ignoring the dumbfounded crowds.
"You all right? Thank you for saving Perry just now." Ryan helped Charles up and said with a smile.
Charles swept away all the frustration, looking at Ryan with admiration, and his eyes excited the sparkling luminescence.
"It’s nothing,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “You're the man! I want to invite you to join our club. What do you think?"
"I’m not interested." Ryan shook his head. He really had no interest in any club.
"Hey, please. Just come when you are free and give instruction to our members, okay? For the sake of Perry, come on," Charles said and smiled most blandly.
"Okay. I'll take part when I have time." Ryan nodded resignedly. After the fight with Kim, he seemed to be noticed by more people. Those who were watching now began to gather around. He didn’t want to deal with their enthusiasm, so he said good-bye to Charles in a hurry.
"Thank you." Charles smiled brightly. Today was really a series of ups and downs for him.
Ryan strode to Victor and before they left, he said to Kim,
"Behind an able man is always another able man. I suggest you go back to your country early."
- Writer
