Chapter 313

“Ugh, I’ve never exercised in my life…”

Eborum whispered in a timid tone right next to my ear.

The wind that entered my ear was ticklish, so I shook my head.

The player, Seojongchan, who was leading the way, turned back and smiled.

“Everyone has a first time, right? There’s no need to think too hard about it.”

“Did you hear me?”

“And everyone who comes here has different goals. Some come to become professional athletes, while others visit with a light heart to lose weight. Even if the destination is different, if we train together, motivation will sprout where there was none, right?”

“That suits a hikikomori like you, Eborum.”

“Exactly! Exercising helps improve social skills!”

We crossed the free weight area equipped with common gym equipment.

In the main training space, where blue mats sprawled like a vast sea, about a dozen men sat in a proper posture, welcoming us.

“Welcome to White Tiger Gym! Wow!”

“The unspecified gender is cute!”

“Unspecified, become our new gym master!”

The enthusiastic reactions of the people filled the live broadcast chat with laughter.

-Seojongchan, get lost! Welcome, unspecified!

-Korea’s UFC legend vs. 8-year-old genius girl, that’s a done deal, lol.

-Seojongchan has become a world-class. Let’s meet the unspecified too.

-Wow, just look at how cool the gym is!

While Seojongchan gave a tour of the gym with the camera, I sat down on the mat and waited for him to return.

The sandbag hanging from the ceiling swayed back and forth at regular intervals.

I spent my time shaking my head from side to side to keep rhythm with it.

“Did you wait long? I thought I should get open-finger gloves since there aren’t any that fit you, is that okay?”

I actually find it more convenient when my fingers are exposed.

I accepted the gloves he handed me and put them on.

They were a bit loose, but tightening the Velcro made them decent enough.

“Have you exercised before, Unspecified?”

“I’ve only been doing flexibility stretching occasionally.”

“As the viewers can see… our Unspecified is really thin all over. Just look at that wrist, it’s so thin! If I squeeze it with two fingers, I feel like the bone will snap!”

-You bastard! Aren’t you afraid of the fury of the ten thousand Unspecified fans!!!

-You can crush watermelons with your fingers, so a child’s wrist is nothing, lol.

-How the hell did you win the Academy Showdown? (I really don’t know.)

Seeing the noticeable comments, I added my own.

“Well, this isn’t the same as the showdown. There are barriers that protect your body there and, more importantly, you use your aura. Just like you guys divide weight classes, using aura is like a weight class too. A skilled person like me would be considered heavyweight if you had to classify.”

-Heavyweight Unspecified, wow.

-Lol, heavyweight (19kg).

-But honestly, that makes sense. You can’t beat someone using aura with bare body.

-Life ← Feels like a game with a broken balance patch.

-I can’t even figure out how to handle the aura heart, I don’t even know why it’s there.

└ You probably won’t ever use your third leg, yet it’s still there.

└ (This message has been deleted)

“Hey hey hey, Unspecified! I’ve wanted to ask something for a while!”

Suddenly, Seojongchan waved his hand and blocked the chat.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Last time at the showdown, and when was it? When you sparred at Korea University, that spinning kick motion was really clean.”

“Oh, that’s… Capoeira?”

“Ah, so that was Capoeira! But when did you learn Capoeira?”

“Self-taught. Due to the nature of sparring, I often found myself using my legs.”

That was at least a hundred times more credible than saying I learned it in my previous life.

The small talk didn’t last long.

“Normally we would warm up with push-ups, planks, or squats, but that might be too intense for Unspecified, so let’s just do the regular warm-ups!”

“I’ll assist my gym master! Hehehe.”

Eborum, who had been looking for an opportunity to escape, slyly crept up behind me.

“What do you mean assist with the warm-ups? I can do that much on my own.”

As long as I wasn’t using aura, my stamina and strength might be lacking, but when it came to athleticism, I was quite good.

I simply loosened my neck and shoulders and rotated my wrists and ankles.

Following what I learned in Academy physical education, I interlocked my fingers and bent at the waist, keeping my knees straight, and brought my hands down to the floor.

After practicing every day, it felt rewarding as my entire palms easily touched the ground.

Children’s bodies are indeed flexible.

“Next, up top!”

“Up top, huff!”

Eborum grabbed my arms from behind and pulled them up.

In an instant, my body floated in midair, struggling until I finally found the ground with my feet.

“W-What are you doing?”

“They say this helps you grow taller faster! Unspecified, hurry up and count with the gym master! One, two, three, four.”

“Five, six, seven… are you sure about this?”

I had heard theories that doing pull-ups helps align the spine and stimulates growth plates, aiding in height increase…

But somehow, I was suspicious of everything this manager said.

“Aw, how cute! Next, lean left! Ah, I can see your belly button, Unspecified!”

“Don’t pull me so hard! My clothes are riding up!”

“Now, lean to the right! Oh, Unspecified, you’re really growing taller! 113! 114! 115! Breaking through the stratosphere!”

I lacked the patience to endure any more of this absurdity.

I shifted my legs and pushed her abdomen forward, knocking her over.

I pulled Eborum’s arms against my body and firmly secured her shoulder joints with my legs.

And with just a slight lift of my backside, I pressed down.

“Kyahhh! My arms! My arms hurt!”

I had achieved the perfect armbar.

“Don’t ever mess with my height again.”

* * *

Seojongchan first demonstrated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu submission techniques, and then the broadcast proceeded with Unspecified imitating.

“Unspecified, do you want to demonstrate the twister?”

“Step 1, grab your opponent’s back and pull them towards you.”

“Huh!”

Poof—

Soft skin enveloped me from behind as I sat on the floor.

I felt as if the lavender-scented shampoo from Unspecified’s hair was embedding itself in my body.

Eborum smiled dreamily as she gladly followed where Unspecified led her.

“Step 2, fix the legs that touch the ground.”

“Ha!”

Unspecified’s legs wrapped around from the outside.

The sensation of our thighs brushing against each other felt electrifying.

“Step 3, lift your body and insert your arm into your opponent’s armpit. Hmm… can I reach that far?”

“Huah!”

Unspecified’s arm overlapped over Eborum’s left arm, passing by her armpit.

“Step 4, wrap both hands around the neck and pull.”

Fingers crawling up the back like a snake.

Just as Eborum was being pushed into a forbidden realm where she couldn’t open her eyes, Unspecified stopped, looking troubled.

“I can’t reach that far…”

“The position looks perfect, but this is a bit difficult too.”

The ‘Twister,’ the ground version of the cobra twist, is a brutal technique that separates the neck from the spine.

Yet, Unspecified looked just like a child cuddling a precious stuffed animal.

“Ahh, Unspecified, it tickles! Stop, stop!”

“Why do you tickle so much, sister?”

“What can I do? That’s just my constitution!”

With each failed attempt at the technique, Unspecified’s expression grew increasingly distressed.

Many techniques in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu required a certain level of equal physique to be executed effectively.

Eventually, height became an issue.

Each time Unspecified realized she was a small girl with short limbs, her mood dimmed.

“What do you think, sister?”

In between, Unspecified checked in, asking if any techniques were executed well.

“It was completely award-worthy! Unspecified, I will never regret being dragged here today! Exercise is the best!”

“What are you saying?”

Oblivious Eborum smiled with a merciful expression that seemed transcendent.

Real-time fans watching the broadcast were pouring in complaints that were almost screams.

-In our industry, that’s an award, lol. Can you actually say that to their face, lol?

-Why is it only the manager? Why are you the only one enjoying this!

-I’ll curse you for life, cat and kitten are the best!

-I want to be choked by Unspecified too, ughhh!

-The chat is so chaotic, lol.

-Unspecified’s heartfelt hugs…!! The effect was amazing!!

-Nevertheless, the talent seems incredible? You just see it once and can follow it without a hitch.

-Though the results seemed a bit strange, lol… if it were soft, then everything would be okay, right?

“Everything you taught me today, I’ll practice later in virtual reality and show you.”

-Gasp, then we might have a chance…?

-Elf princess, please give me your thighs!

-Next, I’m supporting the sandbags!

-What hope is there? Is this room filled only with perverts?

-Before I die, I want to experience a Twister from Unspecified at least once…

-If done correctly, you’ll end up in a vegetative state!

-The award is worth my life, lol.

Unspecified didn’t leave empty-handed at all.

Given the circumstances, attempting a calf slicer that crushes shins or a kimura lock, twisting arms was certainly worth trying.

But due to the limitations of physical conditions, success was often outweighed by failure.

Since Unspecified usually showed a perfect performance, teasing her today was particularly enjoyable.

Unspecified, feeling frustrated, tightened her gloves and quietly moved to a corner of the training area.

* * *

Thud—

I punched the black sandbag hanging in the corner. It was definitely heavy.

Every time I kept my hands on it, I felt mana being sucked away; it felt like a mana barrier product.

-Knock knock, is anyone in there?

-Here comes Unspecified!

-Unspecified, you seem a bit sulky because we teased you, right? Lol.

-Auntie made a mistake, ugh.

-How can it be unfair if you’re this cute no matter what you do?

I positioned myself to select a striking point and threw a jab to the right spot.

Bang—

The sandbag didn’t budge at all.

-Cute, lol.

-When I first touched the sandbag: I thought it was a weeble wobble but it was just unbelievably hard.

-Unspecified is a child… Unspecified is throwing child punches…

-Good stance! So your UFC hobby wasn’t just empty words!

-No one would have a reason to say it just for the sake of saying!

This time, I filled my right fist with aura and launched a straight punch.

Thud—

“Whoa.”

-Wow!

-This thing moves, lol!

-Unspecified is amazing!

-Unspecified, are you actually hitting?

-But the sandbag is way too high for a kid, ughhh!

-What are you trying to do?

This was probably the kind of strength that amateur adults just starting out in martial arts would display.

If it’s a mana barrier product, it shouldn’t matter if I faintly use my aura.

I infused all the golden aura into my legs.

I locked eyes with Seojongchan down the hallway.

“Just to confirm, it’s okay to run freely here, right? You know, noise complaints and such.”

“It doesn’t matter much. It’s underground anyway.”

“Oh right, I forgot. Thank you.”

The aura heart emitted a pure golden light, surrounding my body.

“Whew…”

I took a deep breath with a firm determination.

With each step, the aura ignited my entire legs.

Given that the mat happened to be a splendid sea of color, it created an illusion as if I were walking on water.

With my legs shielded in golden aura, I stomped hard and charged forward, again and again.

Thud thud thud thud—!

With terrific acceleration, I firmly planted my feet on the friction-driven mat.

Scree—

The soles of my feet were really hot. It even crossed my mind that my skin might be burning.

Then came the leap into the air.

My body became incredibly light as if I’d traveled to the moon.

Enjoying this omnipotence,

My foot, shins, knees, thighs, waist. And as I completed a half circle from the thighs to the knees again, the aura finally shone brightly.

I decided to do a full spin like this.

The power from my run continued to concentrate down to my feet.

[Kaizen Imperial Martial Art: New Moon Kick]

This technique was derived from a myth that said the first emperor of Kaizen performed a kick towards the sky that shrank the full moon into a new moon.

Boom—!

With the impact, the sound of an explosion resonated throughout the gym.

“Indeed, nothing beats a sandbag for relieving stress…”

Thud—

“Eh?”

Plaster dust fell around my feet.

This was definitely indoors, right?

And it didn’t take long for me to realize what the debris was.

[‘Mint Choco Spicy Hot Pot’ donated 10,000 won!]

-The ceiling… cracked…

[‘Unspecified’s Dad is a Farmer’ donated 25,000 won!]

-This sort of thing isn’t considered an award in our industry…

The sandbag didn’t just burst; it flew up and punctured through the ceiling plasterboard.