Seeing the bloodied Baki, Gongseob Ji muttered, "Amitabha. What is this monstrosity doing in the sacred temple?"
Baki didn't recognize Gongseob Ji. He said respectfully, "Venerable monk, do you know someone named Gongseob Ji?"
"Amitabha, child. Let me take you inside first." Saying this, Gongseob Ji guided Baki inside. Suddenly, Baki noticed the monk wearing a Rolex watch, expensive sneakers, and black-framed glasses. As he entered deeper into the temple, he saw it hadn't been cleaned in quite a while. The monk turned to him and said, "Wait here, child. Let me bring some holy water for you to cleanse yourself."
Baki nodded. Gongseob Ji returned with a glass bottle. "Drink this, child. It will cleanse your soul."
Baki grabbed the bottle, poured it into a cup, and drank. But he quickly spit it out. "Fuck! It's alcohol!"
Gongseob Ji smiled. "Child, it's holy water. You can't spit it out like this."
Baki cursed, "Fuck! This isn't holy water, and you're not a monk! Who the fuck are you?!"
Gongseob Ji smiled. "This venerable one is named Gongseob Ji."
Baki cursed again, "Fuck! How did you become like this?! What's up with this place and your getup? Is this some kind of cosplay?"
"Amitabha. You can't curse in the sacred temple."
Baki smashed down the alcohol bottle. "Damn, you were already annoying, but now you've crossed the limit."
Suddenly, Gongseob Ji's phone rang. It was a modern thirst trap song. Baki's face darkened hearing it. Gongseob Ji answered the call and talked for a while. Then he turned to Baki. "Child, this venerable one has to go and cleanse himself."
Baki nodded. "I'll go with you."
Gongseob Ji didn't say anything. He started to walk out of the temple. Baki mused, "Why is he going out of the temple to cleanse himself?"
He got his answer soon. They were standing inside a bar. Several girls surrounded Gongseob Ji and clung to him. Baki's brain short-circuited. Soon he was dragged by the girls to the table where Gongseob Ji and the girls were drinking non-stop.
Baki asked, "W-Why are you in a monk's outfit?!"
Gongseob Ji smiled. "This venerable one is a monk, so why shouldn't he be in his outfit? By the way, I forgot to ask. What's your name, child?"
Baki was shocked hearing his question. "If you didn't know me, then why the fuck did you let me follow you?"
Gongseob Ji smiled. "Aren't you a gangster? I thought keeping you around would make me look a bit tougher. Don't you see? All these girls are hungry for you."
"Hungry for me?! What's that even supposed to mean?! Fuck! I'm Baki Hanma!" Baki shouted. In his whole life, no one had annoyed him this much.
Gongseob Ji's eyes widened. "Fucking Avalokitesvara! You're the shorty from Cheonliang!"
Baki slammed down the table. "Fuck! Who the hell are you calling shorty, you fat fake monk?!"
Gongseob Ji smiled. "It seems puberty hit you quite late. If you donate to my temple, I can tell you how to get even taller."
Baki shouted, "Fuck you, motherfucker! I don't need to donate to your temple! Come, meet me outside. I want to fight!"
---
Outside the club
Gongseob Ji smiled. "Child, the demon is corrupting you. Don't let it control you."
Baki didn't answer and delivered a quick jab to Gongseob's body. Gongseob slightly twisted and dodged the attack. He threw a cross punch at Baki's stomach, which Baki also dodged and countered with a downward hook. But Gongseob easily endured the attack.
"Huh? I clearly connected the punch, but why didn't anything happen?"
Gongseob Ji hit Baki with a body punch, which Baki easily dodged. Gongseob Ji followed with an uppercut, which Baki also dodged. But then he suddenly spun on one heel and moved his body toward Baki with a hook punch. Baki blocked the attack with his palm.
"Hey, where's your footwork? Why are you standing and spinning in the same place?" Baki asked, confused.
Gongseob Ji smiled and slightly lifted his pant leg. His right leg was missing. In its place was a prosthetic leg. Seeing this, Baki clenched his fists. His face twisted in anger. "Did he do it? That kid James Lee?"
Gongseob Ji smiled, but pain flashed across his face. "Yeah. Don't worry about it. I've grown stronger."
Baki shook his head. "Let's fight later." Suddenly a punch connected to his stomach. Though it didn't hurt, he was surprised.
Gongseob Ji smirked. "I don't need you pitying me, you bastard!"
Baki laughed. "You fake monk, you just cursed! Hahaha!"
Gongseob Ji also laughed. "Bastard, I've left the secular world, not forgotten it."
Baki rushed in with a punch. "Says the monk who just partied in a club with women! Haha!"
Gongseob Ji dodged and smiled. "That's my nindo: my ninja way!" Saying this, he threw a jab at Baki. Baki dodged and said, "You fucker, have you been reading manga in the temple or what?!"
Baki threw a body punch at Gongseob Ji. Gongseob used a single step to pivot his body and threw a devastating uppercut. It was too unexpected. It missed Baki's jaw by a few millimeters.
Baki smiled. "Guess you weren't lying when you said you got stronger."
Gongseob Ji answered, "You bet, bastard!"
Baki performed a simple dash forward and followed up with a straight punch. Gongseob endured the attack with his Iron Fortress.
"Just how much did you train yourself to gain such a body?" Baki mused. Baki followed up with a low uppercut using his opposite fist. But Gongseob still endured it.
Gongseob spun and turned his back to Baki for a quick moment, then brought his arm back, charged, and thrust forward quickly with a straight punch. Baki stopped the punch with his palm.
Baki asked, "What's this technique called? Is it a unique skill?"
Gongseob smiled. "It's called One Step, One Kill."
Baki shook his head. "The one you're using for defense. I'm asking about that."
Gongseob smiled. "It's called Iron Fortress. As you can see, I can't move around much with my leg. This technique forces my opponents to approach me, since I no longer pursue them. This makes me a literal 'Iron Fortress.'"
"I see. Come, let's go for one more round."
Baki threw a quick straight punch at Gongseob Ji. Gongseob Ji immediately countered with his One Step, One Kill and rapidly hit Baki with a series of punches, finishing with an uppercut.
When he finished, he noticed Baki hadn't even moved back one step. "WHAT?! HE USED IRON FORTRESS?!"
Baki smiled. "Thanks, man. Let's stop for the day."
Gongseob Ji was dumbfounded. He asked, "In that last moment, did you use Iron Fortress? And perfectly at that?"
---
Seongji Yuk was watching the news while Yenna was sleeping on his lap. A repeat sexual offender was caught at an autumn boot camp harassing another student.
"Hmm... Isn't that Vin Jin's school? Thankfully everything turned out well. These days, kids aren't safe anywhere."
Then he looked down at Yenna and smiled. "But you don't have to worry, little Yenna. Samchon[1] here will always protect you."
[1] Samchon means Uncle in Korean.