Colosseum — Part 3
“Amazing, absolutely amazing!”
The Junk Dealer grinned, practically bouncing with excitement.
“As I thought, my eyes weren’t wrong! Hahaha! Five straight victories! Five in a row!”
“Did you earn some Diamonds?”
“Not just Diamonds! I’ve multiplied my money several times over. Heh heh, though some people recognized your talent and started betting on you, so the payout wasn’t as high as I hoped. But still, it’s a jackpot—a complete jackpot!”
I, too, pocketed a bit of extra cash.
I’d already made more than enough to not worry about money, but it had become a habit.
You never know when you’ll need it, so it’s best to earn while you can.
Maybe it was because of the five-win streak?
They assigned me a private waiting room.
When some bikini-clad beauties tried to cozy up to me, I chased them out in irritation.
The Junk Dealer gave me a strange look.
“Are you not interested in women, Superhuman?”
“No, not really.”
“Then should I send in some handsome guys instead?”
Huh? What did he just say?
A chill ran down my spine.
I instinctively shook my head vigorously.
“Absolutely not. Never. I mean it!”
“Oh, my bad. So you’re not interested in women or men. I guess you’re just not into that kind of thing.”
“That’s right. I’m not.”
“To ignore life’s greatest pleasure… Maybe that’s why you’ve become so strong.”
It was because of what I’d experienced in my original world.
It wasn’t just the housing scam or the endless trouble at construction sites.
I’d been the king of suckers, the sucker of all suckers.
It felt like the whole world was out to screw me over.
That’s why I’d started to think like this sometimes:
‘Do I really have to go back to my original world?’
I had money and power here; life wasn’t so bad in this world.
The problem was the series of crises waiting to unfold.
The resurrection of the ancient gods, nuclear war, dimensional rifts…
If I could just stop those, living in this world wouldn’t be so bad.
While I was lost in thought, the Junk Dealer’s smartphone rang with a cheerful tune.
“Oh-ho.”
He chuckled, as if he’d just witnessed something interesting.
“A challenge has arrived.”
“For whom?”
“For the number 1 in the Level 4 ranking, and number 10 overall. Have you heard of King of Destruction?”
Of course, I knew him.
“I’ve heard of him.”
“As expected of you, Superhuman. It seems King of Destruction watched one of your matches. He’s contacted us, saying he wants to have a special match with you.”
“He must be confident.”
“Heh. You’d better not underestimate him. Just as you’ve been taking down opponents with one strike, King of Destruction used to be a one-shot, one-kill type too. Lately, though, he’s been putting on a show, dragging out fights for the crowd.”
King of Destruction.
An NPC and an SR-grade character.
At the start of the game, he was Level 5.
Seeing as he’s now at Level 4, he’s not quite as fully developed as he was back then.
‘What were his starting traits again?’
[Close-Combat Mastery], [Giant’s Strength], [Combat Techniques].
Can you see it?
He’s got two high-ranking traits.
Especially Close-Combat Mastery.
It’s a versatile combat trait that combines Strike, Chain Attack, Defense, Evasion, Counter, and Grapple.
It applies to both unarmed and weapon-based combat.
‘This could be a bit tricky…’
The problem was his joint locks.
If King of Destruction didn’t have Giant’s Strength, I could just brute-force my way out, but if he caught me, the match would be over in an instant.
I fiddled with the pouch containing my Diamonds.
I’d earned exactly seven today.
A bit disappointing.
If just one more person hadn’t given up on making Diamonds, I could’ve had nine.
So I felt a slight greed creeping in.
‘There’s no reason I have to lose.’
I had my own advantages.
My Blank Body and Trait Swap.
In a pure hand-to-hand fight, I’d be at a disadvantage, but in terms of raw stats, I was superior.
And there was one more thing.
What if I combined Close-Combat Mastery here?
‘It’s definitely possible.’
The final piece of the Close-Combat Mastery trait: Grapple.
I recalled the conditions to acquire that trait and nodded.
“All right. I’ll accept.”
“Are you sure? You don’t have to take this special match. Your opponent is King of Destruction, after all. The organizers would understand. There’s quite a rank gap between you.”
“I’m confident.”
“Well then… Just make sure you win!”
The match was set.
The arena was prepared almost immediately, as if they’d been waiting.
“Woooo!”
“A Super Rookie going up against King of Destruction?”
“I heard King of Destruction personally challenged him!”
“Classic King of Destruction! He can’t stand seeing anyone else on the rise!”
“Our King of Destruction needs to crush every budding sprout!”
Before the iron bars came down, I faced King of Destruction.
Both of us were towering, muscular giants.
Each of us stood a head taller than the average person, with rippling, intimidating muscles.
It was thanks to our shared Giant’s Strength.
“Heh.”
King of Destruction, wearing a pro-wrestling mask, sneered at me.
“For a kid to accept my challenge… Aren’t you getting a bit too cocky?”
“If anyone’s cocky, it’s you.”
“Heh. Talk all you want. Soon, you’ll be crying like a baby after I beat you senseless.”
“Right back at you.”
“You must think that just because you have a strong body, you’re invincible. But I’ll show you—stats mean nothing before true technique.”
I silently started stretching.
I did some on-the-spot jumps to warm up, bringing heat to my muscles.
Then, I switched my traits to the most crucial set.
[Giant’s Strength], [Mighty Strength], [Power]
[Iron Skin], [Endurance], [Counter]
Forget about balance.
This was a risky set that could lead to my own injury, but I was willing to take that chance.
Clang!
The iron bars dropped down.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the match.
“Prepare to die!”
King of Destruction launched himself forward like a bolt of lightning.
Quick movements.
He seemed to be going for a punch, but as I twisted my body, he immediately shifted into a tackle.
Just as I expected!
I knew he’d go for a joint lock!
Thud!
I didn’t even have time to react.
The perfect synergy of Close-Combat Mastery and Combat Techniques.
By the time I registered his approach, King of Destruction had already wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me upside-down.
“It’s over!”
King of Destruction shouted in ecstatic joy.
“Wooahhh!”
“He’s doing it!”
“Slam him down!”
The crowd roared with excitement.
This was King of Destruction’s signature move in the game.
As a fighter, specifically classified as a wrestler, whenever he faced human-shaped enemies, he’d always go for a head slam.
But you know what?
If you know the attack method and timing, even the most formidable joint lock can be easily countered.
I had been swinging my fist from the start.
With Mighty Strength activated and Counter ready.
I had anticipated this from the moment he feinted that jab.
Bam!
My fist landed squarely in his abdomen.
The trio of Giant’s Strength, Mighty Strength, and Power.
Plus, a perfectly executed Counter.
“Guh!”
King of Destruction staggered.
I took that moment to regain my balance and slip out of his grasp.
But King of Destruction wasn’t going down that easily.
An SR-grade fighter by birth.
He quickly grabbed my arm, attempting to lock me into an armbar.
But I had already foreseen this.
His second attack in the sequence—a three-hit combo of joint locks!
The second move was always an armbar.
Bam!
I countered again.
And again, with Mighty Strength.
I drove my elbow into his already bruised abdomen.
I didn’t need to look to know.
King of Destruction’s face was contorted in agony.
“Aagh!”
Most likely, his internal organs had taken severe damage.
If he were an ordinary person, his guts would’ve been pulverized.
But King of Destruction endured even that.
Though he released my arm, he extended his thick forearm to wrap around my neck.
A chokehold.
But he was too slow.
The double hit to his upper abdomen had created a small opening.
Taaah!
I swapped out my traits and darted away.
[Mobility], [Leap]
His fingers grazed my neck as I dodged.
It was a paper-thin escape.
I stopped just before hitting the iron bars.
King of Destruction glared at me.
“You…”
His eyes were filled with unmistakable surprise.
As if he couldn’t believe how I kept countering and dodging without any foresight ability.
But what can I say?
The real surprise is just beginning.
“Huuu…”
I let out a deep breath, the power I’d been holding back finally surging through me.
As I focused on King of Destruction, I instinctively knew where and how to grab him to bring him down.
Even if this wasn’t exactly reality, the new trait I’d acquired offered me undeniable
insight.
Acquired the trait: [Grapple].
But that wasn’t the most important part.
I swapped my traits in an instant.
[Strike], [Chain Attack], [Counter]
[Defense], [Evasion], [Grapple]
Six basic combat traits that needed no further explanation.
“Hmm?”
King of Destruction hesitated.
It must have looked strange to him.
I had shrunk from my previously towering physique, dropping from 190 cm to 180 cm, from a hulking mass of muscle to a leaner, wiry frame.
And that hesitation was his fatal mistake.
If he’d charged at me the moment he noticed something was off, who knows? This match might’ve ended in his favor.
But that brief, fleeting pause sealed his defeat.
Crack!
The mana circuit shattered.
The power flowing through me fractured like broken glass, disassembling piece by piece.
An agonizing pain tore through my entire body, grinding down my mana circuit, my nervous system, my cardiovascular system—all of it.
And then, the pain transformed into a euphoric release.
A sensation like soaking in a hot spring surged from my spine to my brain.
Fwoosh!
It felt as though a trigger had been pulled inside my head.
The world looked different.
Especially King of Destruction standing before me—I could suddenly sense just how much grueling training lay behind his naturally poised stance.
My [Close-Combat Mastery] trait had finally awakened.
King of Destruction stared at me like I was some incomprehensible monster.
“Wh-What are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what the hell are you?! What did you do? How did you get so strong in such a short time?”
[Giant’s Strength], [Close-Combat Mastery], [Strike]
[Iron Skin], [Regeneration], [Vigor]
His gaze was shaking.
Instinctively, he must have realized that I had acquired the Close-Combat Mastery trait.
Before, without that trait, I was just a big, strong rookie. But now, I was a full-fledged warrior.
In pure hand-to-hand combat, I might still be at a disadvantage against him, but I had my own trump card.
I took a step toward him, slow and steady.
King of Destruction raised both fists.
A boxing stance.
He didn’t seem to want to attempt another wrestling move.
After I’d dismantled his prized triple joint-lock combo, it made sense that he wouldn’t want to try it again.
That suited me just fine.
If the fight devolved into grappling, I’d be at a severe disadvantage technique-wise.
“Die!”
Whoosh!
He threw a punch.
I blocked it with my forearm.
This time, I had switched my Strike trait to Defense.
The heavy impact rippled down my arm, but it wasn’t overwhelming.
Swoosh!
I countered with a punch of my own.
Under the reactivated Strike trait, my fist tore through the air with terrifying force.
King of Destruction ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow, and then, still crouched, he rushed in like a thunderbolt, throwing another punch.
Thud!
This time, he landed a clean hit on me.
The brutal impact pierced through my upper abdomen, but it was manageable.
Thanks to my Defense trait and Close-Combat Mastery, I’d effectively mitigated the damage.
Bam! Crack! Thud!
We traded blows in a flurry of relentless attacks.
Punching, getting hit, punching back—it was a brutal back-and-forth.
King of Destruction’s attacks were sharp and precise.
His fists would shoot up from my blind spots, aiming to smash my jaw or hammer into my temples.
Every time I landed a single hit, it felt like I’d taken at least three in return.
But the fight remained evenly matched.
It was the synergy of Close-Combat Mastery with the other traits that was making the difference.
My basic strikes carried the power of Strike, while Defense automatically kicked in to block damage, with Close-Combat Mastery boosting every combat action.
What if I used Defense when taking hits, Strike when attacking, and Counter when retaliating?
The results were showing.
“Grrr!”
King of Destruction gritted his teeth after taking a punch.
His face was swollen like a beaten dough.
Even though I’d taken far more hits, I had trait swapping on my side.
Defense and Iron Skin reduced the damage.
Regeneration and Vigor healed my injuries and restored my stamina.
Could King of Destruction beat me under these circumstances?
Not a chance!
“Aaagh!”
My final blow landed.
King of Destruction collapsed, sprawling on the ground.
“Not… not yet! It’s not over yet!”
He clawed at the floor, trying to pull himself back up.
Just like the warrior I had seen when I first entered the Colosseum, I stomped on his waist, pinning him down.
“Guh!”
“Surrender. Unless you want your spine broken.”
“Damn it!”
I had already activated the [Grapple] trait.
Though it’s most potent when using joint locks, it’s still useful in situations like this.
King of Destruction struggled, but finally went limp, clenching his teeth in frustration and banging his head against the ground.
“…I surrender.”
A brief silence.
Then, a thunderous cheer erupted.
“Wooooaaah!”
“King of Destruction lost!”
“Unbelievable! King of Destruction actually lost!”
“Warrior Kim! Warrior Kim!”
“He’s the Warrior King!”
“Warrior King! Warrior King!”
What? Warrior King?
Just like with King of Destruction, what’s with these corny titles?
It sounds even cheesier than those 80s pro-wrestling names.
I was too embarrassed to even lift my head.
As I averted my gaze, staring up at the ceiling, the iron bars lifted, and the announcer came in to raise my arm.
“The winner is from the blue corner! Warrior King from the blue corner! Incredibly, Warrior King, who debuted just today, has defeated the number 1 ranked King of Destruction! How far will he go? Once again, let me introduce you—the number 1 in the Level 4 warrior rankings, the Warrior King!”
“Warrior King! Warrior King!”
“You’re the best!”
“Warrior King! Crush them all! Wooah! Warrior King!”
Enough already…
My HP is already down to zero!
“Now, as per the contract, we’ll proceed with the Diamond creation.”
The announcer held out a multicolored crystal.
King of Destruction looked at it with a somber expression.
He must’ve been reluctant.
The thought of destroying the mana circuits he’d built up so painstakingly.
But then, he surprised me with his response.
“I request to use the special clause.”
“The special clause? You mean the clause in case of a loss?”
“Yes.”
“To invoke that, you’ll need the winner’s permission.”
King of Destruction turned his gaze to me.
A special clause?
I must have looked confused because the announcer explained calmly.
“When King of Destruction reached the number 1 rank, we signed a special clause. Upon his defeat, rather than creating Diamonds or signing a long-term contract, he would receive an alternative option.”
“What is it?”
“It’s simple. King of Destruction is Level 4, and if he created Diamonds, he’d only be able to produce three or four. Under this clause, one Diamond goes to the organizers, one to the intermediary, and the winner can negotiate with King of Destruction separately for a higher compensation instead of forcing him to make Diamonds. The winner benefits by potentially receiving more Diamonds.”
So he had a way out?
Well, I guess it makes sense. Otherwise, the Colosseum wouldn’t be able to retain its top fighters.
A number 1 ranker isn’t something you’d want to throw away after one loss.
I’d bet quite a few fighters, not just rankers, have similar clauses in their contracts.
I crossed my arms, eyeing King of Destruction.
“So, if I agree, what will you offer?”
King of Destruction’s face twisted in humiliation.
He had to avoid Diamond creation at all costs.
Without hesitation, he made his offer.
“I’ll give you 10 Diamonds.”
“Ten?”
“Yes. Warrior… Warrior King, isn’t that a better deal? Even if I made Diamonds, I could only produce four at most. You’d only get two, but with this, you’re getting five times more.”
That was tempting.
But was it really enough?
King of Destruction possessed both Giant’s Strength and Close-Combat Mastery—two high-ranking traits.
The mana circuit of an SR-grade Level 4 Superhuman—is it really worth only that much?
It would take months to recover if he wasn’t guzzling nectar potions.
“It’s not enough.”
“What? Not enough? Ten Diamonds aren’t enough?”
“One more thing.”
“One more thing? Hmm… Eleven Diamonds… I could give you…”
“No. Not another Diamond.”
I looked him dead in the eye.
His gaze trembled with humiliation, anger, and frustration.
Hidden within them was a secret.
Diamonds weren’t the real issue for him.
That’s why I made my demand.
I wanted the item King of Destruction valued the most.
The item he always wore when he appeared in the game, the one he couldn’t unequip until his personal quest was completed.
“The Iron Fist. Throw that in, and I’ll accept the deal.”
An SR-grade enchanted item.
Iron Fist.
King of Destruction’s eyes widened in shock.
–TL Notes–
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