Gun crushed the cigarette under his heel and launched himself at Seongji again.
His spinning kick came high, aimed at Seongji's temple. Seongji ducked under it, closing the distance. Gun's knee drove up immediately. Seongji caught it, fingers digging into the back of Gun's knee. Gun's leg went numb for a second.
Gun twisted free and landed, throwing an elbow. Seongji grabbed Gun's sleeve, pulling him off-balance. Gun rolled with it, escaping the throw, and came up with a low kick to Seongji's broken ribs.
The kick connected. Seongji's expression didn't change. He grabbed Gun's leg with both hands, fingers finding the bones in Gun's ankle. He squeezed. Gun felt his bones grinding together.
"Hah! Now that's interesting!" Gun grinned through the pain.
Gun's other leg shot up, knee aimed at Seongji's face. Seongji didn't let go. Instead, he twisted Gun's ankle hard. Gun's body spun with it to prevent a break. Seongji used the momentum to slam Gun face-first into the concrete.
Gun's body hit hard. Before he could recover, Seongji dropped a knee onto his back. The impact drove the air from Gun's lungs. Seongji's hand gripped the back of Gun's neck, fingers pressing into the pressure points.
Gun thrashed, throwing an elbow back blindly. It connected with Seongji's jaw. Seongji's grip loosened just enough. Gun rolled out and scrambled to his feet.
"Come on! Don't stop now!" Gun called out, but there was a slight wheeze in his voice.
Seongji came forward, relentless. Gun threw a combination—punch, kick, knife hand. Seongji slipped the punch, caught the kick, and grabbed Gun's wrist mid-strike. He pulled Gun into a throw that sent him crashing onto his back again.
Gun tried to trap Seongji's arm. Seongji's free hand found Gun's ribs and drove in hard. Once. Twice. Three times. Gun's grip weakened. Seongji stood, pulling his arm free.
Behind them, Goo picked up a metal pipe from the rubble. He twirled it like a baton. "Your friend's pretty stubborn, huh? Like a really angry pitbull or something."
Baki cracked his knuckles, a relaxed smile on his face. "Yours too." He stretched his neck lazily. "Though I gotta say, watching two guys fight is pretty interesting. I haven't seen Seongji this serious in a long time."
"Aww, thanks! We make a great duo, don't we?" Goo grinned. "Brain and brawn!"
"Mm-hmm." Baki's eyes tracked Goo's pipe movements with casual interest. "So which one are you again?"
Goo moved first. The pipe came down fast. Baki stepped to the side, the metal missing by inches. Goo spun it back up.
"Ooh, close! Almost got your pretty hair there!"
"Yeah, close." Baki's tone was easygoing, but his eyes sharpened. "Do that again. I want to see something."
Goo swung horizontally. Baki twisted away from it. He stepped in close and threw a punch at Goo's face.
Goo brought the pipe across. The metal hit Baki's fist with a loud clang. The impact rang out, but Baki's fist didn't pull back like it should have. Goo felt the force travel up his arms, the pipe vibrating. He spun, the pipe cutting horizontally at Baki's neck.
"Oops! Head's still attached? Let me try again!"
Baki ducked under it. The pipe cut through empty air. He came up and threw an uppercut at Goo's chin.
Goo leaned back. The pipe came down diagonally. Baki moved with it, letting it graze his shirt. A thin cut appeared on bis torso. Baki's hand shot forward, grabbing at Goo's wrist.
Goo pulled back just in time, the pipe slipping away. He put distance between them.
"Hehe! I like how strong you are," Goo laughed. "Most people just fall over when I swing this thing. You're actually making me work! How rude!"
"You're not bad with that thing," Baki said.
"Not bad? NOT BAD?" Goo gasped dramatically. "I'm amazing with this thing! I'm like... a weapon genius! A prodigy! The second coming of—okay, I don't actually remember any famous weapon master, but you get the idea!"
"Sure, sure." Baki rolled his shoulders. "Come on then, weapon genius. Show me what you've got before I fall asleep here."
---
Gun came at Seongji fast—punch, kick, knife hand. Seongji blocked the punch, pushed the kick aside, and caught the knife hand. He grabbed Gun's wrist and twisted. Gun had to bend forward or his wrist would break.
"Yes! Just like that!" Gun laughed.
Gun dropped low, then exploded up with a spinning kick. Seongji didn't let go. He twisted Gun's wrist further, forcing Gun's body to follow an awkward angle. The kick lost all its power. Seongji pulled Gun forward and drove his knee into Gun's stomach.
Gun doubled over. Seongji released his wrist and grabbed Gun's collar, throwing him over his hip with brutal efficiency.
Gun flew through the air and slammed onto his back. The air left his lungs. Seongji dropped down on him, knee pressing into Gun's chest. Gun's legs came up, trying to wrap around Seongji's arm.
Seongji saw it coming. His hand shot down, fingers digging into Gun's thigh muscle. Gun's leg spasmed. Seongji shifted his weight, pinning Gun more completely. His other hand grabbed Gun's throat, squeezing.
Gun thrashed, his hands clawing at Seongji's wrist. Seongji's grip was iron. Gun managed to twist his body enough to create an opening. He drove his elbow into Seongji's broken ribs.
Seongji's grip loosened. Gun gasped for air and rolled away, putting distance between them.
Gun got to his feet slowly, his movements less fluid now. He wiped blood from his lip, his eyes still wild with excitement. "Ah! I've missed this feeling! It's been ages!" He coughed slightly. "Show me more! I want to see everything you've got!"
Seongji stood calmly, his breathing steady. He didn't rush forward this time. He waited.
---
Goo thrust the pipe forward. Baki turned sideways. The metal passed. Baki shot in low, reaching for Goo's legs.
"Whoa! Going for the legs? That's cheating!" Goo jumped back. The pipe spun in his hands. He slashed down at Baki's back. Baki rolled forward. The pipe missed. He came up faster than Goo expected and was already inside his range.
"Okay, okay, you're fast! I get it! No need to show off!"
Baki threw a punch at Goo's body. His relaxed demeanor was gone now, replaced by something predatory. "You talk a lot, you know that?"
Goo brought the pipe up between them. Baki's fist hit the metal. The sound echoed. The pipe bent slightly from the impact. Goo was sent flying and crashed into a wall.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!" He looked at his pipe. "I just picked this up! It's already bent! These things aren't cheap, you know!"
Baki pressed forward, his movements becoming more aggressive. "Then maybe don't use it to fight. Just a thought." He grinned. "Guess I will stop being polite from now on."
Goo swung at him. Baki weaved back, the pipe passing inches from his face. Goo thrust again. Baki slapped the metal aside with his forearm.
"Have you fought a weapon master before?" Goo asked, backing away.
"Nah. I'm just better," Baki replied, his tone casual again. He glanced at the red mark on his arm with mild interest.
"Just better? JUST better?" Goo pouted. "That's so unfair! Where's the justice in that?"
"Life's unfair." Baki shrugged. "But hey, look at it this way—you're giving me a good workout. That's something."
Goo tossed the bent pipe aside and grabbed a longer piece of rebar from the rubble. "Okay, take two! This one's sturdier!"
He came at Baki again. The rebar moved in patterns—slash, thrust, slash, reverse. Baki weaved between the attacks. Every time he tried to close in, Goo blocked his advance.
"See? I'm getting better! Watch this move—I call it the 'Super Goo Special Slash of Doom!'" The rebar came at Baki's shoulder. Baki stepped in, closer to Goo than he should've been able to get. The metal passed behind him.
"Creative name." Baki's eyes narrowed.
Baki threw a punch. Goo twisted away, barely avoiding it.
"Whew! That was close! You almost messed up my beautiful face!"
"Almost." Baki's smile returned. "Next time I won't miss."
Goo created distance again, breathing slightly harder. "Hey, timeout! Can we have a timeout? No? Okay, just checking!"
"No timeouts in a real fight." Baki stretched his arms casually.
---
Gun threw a push kick. Seongji caught his foot with both hands, fingers finding the bones and squeezing. Gun felt them grinding. "This! I've been wondering—by any chance, is it Jin Mujin Ssireum?" Gun's grin widened despite the pain. "A bone-crushing technique like this... it's been years since someone made my body scream like this!"
Gun jumped off his other leg and spun. Seongji anticipated it. He pulled Gun's foot down hard, slamming Gun onto his back before the spin could complete. Gun hit the concrete hard.
Seongji was on him immediately. He dropped down, knee pressing into Gun's chest. Gun tried to roll away. Seongji grabbed his collar with one hand and drove his fist into Gun's jaw with the other.
Gun's head snapped to the side. Blood flew from his mouth.
Gun tried to grab Seongji's wrist, but Seongji shifted, taking Gun's back. His arm wrapped around Gun's neck in a chokehold. His other hand grabbed Gun's wrist, controlling it. Gun's free hand clawed at Seongji's arm.
"Don't hold back on me now!" Gun gasped, but his voice was strained.
Seongji's grip tightened. Gun's vision started to blur at the edges. He drove his elbow back desperately, hitting Seongji's broken ribs once, twice, three times.
Seongji's grip loosened slightly. Gun twisted hard, breaking free. He rolled away, coughing and gasping for air.
Gun got to his feet, stumbling slightly. He touched his throat, then his jaw. Blood dripped from his mouth. His breathing was labored now.
"Magnificent!" Gun said, but his voice was hoarse.
Seongji stood, watching. His broken ribs were clearly bothering him now, but he showed no other signs of fatigue. He moved forward slowly, methodically.
Gun threw a combination—punch, kick, elbow. Seongji blocked the punch, caught the kick, and grabbed Gun's elbow. He pulled Gun into a brutal hip throw.
Gun's back hit the concrete again. This time he didn't get up as quickly. Seongji stood over him, waiting.
---
Baki watched Goo's rebar carefully. Goo thrust it forward. Baki's hand came up and caught Goo's wrist. Goo's eyes widened slightly. He tried to pull back, but Baki's grip held.
"Hey! No touching! This is my weapon arm! I need this!"
"Relax. I'm not gonna break it." Baki's tone was calm, almost friendly. "Probably."
Goo twisted, bringing the rebar around at an awkward angle. Baki pulled Goo forward instead of letting go. His other hand drove toward Goo's face.
"Personal space! Ever heard of it?"
"Sure. I just don't respect it much." Baki's eyes flashed with intensity.
Goo had to release the rebar with one hand to block. He pushed Baki's punch away and yanked his wrist free. He jumped back, adjusting his grip.
"I haven't had this much fun since fighting Gun," Goo said, then paused. "Actually, that's a lie. Fighting Gun isn't fun. He's too serious. You're way more fun! You don't lecture me!"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah! See? You're a man of few words! I like that! Unlike Gun who gives me a thirty-minute speech every time I—"
Goo came at him harder now. The rebar moved faster, the attacks coming from more angles. "—break something or mess up a plan! It's exhausting!"
Baki dodged and weaved, his movements fluid. "Thirty minutes? That's rough. I can give you some advice."
A slash came at his chest. He leaned back, the metal passing inches away. "Just plug your ears and tape your mouth."
A thrust came at his stomach. He turned sideways, let it pass. "Life will be a lot easier after that."
"You're still dodging! Stop dodging and let me hit you at least once! Just once! For my ego!"
"Can't do that." Baki's expression shifted, becoming more serious. "You've already ruined my clothes."
Goo pressed harder. Slash, thrust, slash. Baki kept dodging, but he was moving forward at the same time, closing distance bit by bit. Every exchange put him a step closer.
Goo noticed. "Oh no. No, no, no. I know that look. That's the 'I'm about to do something cool' look."
He thrust the rebar at Baki's chest. Baki slapped it down with his palm. The metal clanged against the ground. He grabbed Goo's collar.
"Yep! There it is!"
Baki pulled him in close, his casual demeanor completely gone. His eyes were focused. "Now let's see what you've really got."
Goo dropped the rebar and threw an elbow, but Baki's head turned and the attack missed. Baki pulled Goo in and threw a punch. Goo ducked under it, but the punch curved midway and smashed into Goo's face. Blood splattered.
"OW! MY NOSE! MY BEAUTIFUL NOSE!" Goo quickly grabbed a broken piece of wood from the ground and swung it at Baki's throat. "That's it! No more mister nice Goo!"
The wood splintered against Baki's forearm as he blocked. They separated. Goo tossed the broken wood aside and grabbed a chain from the rubble.
Goo was breathing harder now. Baki had a few scratches and red marks on his forearms. Nothing serious.
Baki rolled his shoulders, his breathing still relaxed. "See? Now you're taking it seriously. Way more fun this way."
Goo wiped the blood from his nose. "Okay, new rule. No punching the face. Everything else is fair game, but the face is off limits. I have a reputation to maintain!"
"Sorry, can't promise that." Baki's grin widened. "But I'll make it quick if it makes you feel better."
---
Gun threw a spinning kick. Seongji caught the leg, fingers digging into the muscles and bones. Gun's other leg came up, trying to kick while balancing on nothing. Seongji pulled hard. Gun fell.
Seongji dropped down, controlling Gun's legs. Gun's hands grabbed Seongji's broken ribs and squeezed hard. "Let me hear you!"
Seongji's expression tightened, but he didn't let go. Instead, he drove his elbow down into Gun's stomach. Gun's grip weakened. Seongji pulled Gun's legs apart and drove his knee into Gun's inner thigh.
Gun grunted in pain. Seongji shifted position, taking mount. He drove his fist down into Gun's face. Once. Twice.
Gun tried to cover up, but Seongji grabbed his wrist and pinned it. His other fist came down again.
Suddenly sirens began to sound. Everyone looked at the police vehicles heading toward the Hostel base.
"Oh! Oh! Is that the cops?" Goo perked up, dropping his chain.
Seongji stood up slowly, leaving Gun on the ground. Gun lay there for a moment, breathing hard.
Baki cracked his neck, his intense expression melting back into something more relaxed. "Do you guys still want to continue?" He glanced at the approaching sirens, then back at Goo with a lazy smile. "I mean, I'm cool either way."
Goo looked at Gun, then at the police cars, then back at Baki. "Hmm, tough choice. Keep fighting the really strong guy who keeps hitting me, or run from the cops..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Decisions, decisions..."
"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere." Baki stretched his arms behind his head casually. "Though if you run, I'm gonna assume I won this one."
Gun slowly pushed himself up to his feet. He swayed slightly, then steadied himself. He took out a cigarette and lit it. His hand trembled as he took a drag. "Tch. What a waste." He looked at Seongji with genuine respect in his eyes. "You're strong." He coughed. "Let's go, Goo."
"Finally! Someone makes a decision!" Goo brightened up, then remembered something. "Oh! Wait!" He turned to Baki and gave an exaggerated bow. "Thanks for the workout! You're really strong! Like, annoyingly strong! We should do this again sometime! Maybe with less face-punching though!"
"Anytime." Baki's smile was genuine now, friendly even. "But next time, bring better weapons. Those keep breaking."
Goo asked Gun, "Won't you take Olly back?"
Gun started to walk away, smoke trailing behind him. His gait was slightly unsteady. "No. The four crews are bound to be destroyed."