Lookism: King's Ascension

The ground trembled beneath their feet.

Jeongdu and Seokdu Wang collided like two tectonic plates, the force of their impact sending a shockwave through the battlefield. 

Suwon and Anyang fighters instinctively backed away, creating an unspoken ring around the two monsters.

Taeyang staggered, the sheer wave of their clash pressing into his chest like an unseen force. His breathing was ragged, his body still aching from the chain beating, but he couldn't tear his eyes away.

He already knew.

This wasn't a fight.

This was war.

Jeongdu struck first, his fist swinging like a hammer, aiming straight for Seokdu's jaw. 

Fast. Brutal. On point.

But Seokdu didn't flinch.

His forearm shot up, blocking the punch, the impact so strong it sent dust kicking up from the ground. His blazer sleeves tensed, fabric straining as his muscles flexed.

Then he countered.

A right overhead.

Jeongdu barely dodged, twisting his body at the last second, the punch grazing past his chin. But the sheer force of it? Taeyang swore he felt the wind pressure from where he stood.

Seokdu's fists… they were huge, ridiculously so. Probably bigger than his head.

Taeyang had seen Jeongdu fight. If he could even call it a fight.

Against anyone else, Jeongdu wasn't just strong… he was overwhelming. He used his entire body like a weapon, striking with sharp, brutal angles, driving his knees and elbows into weak spots until the opponent crumpled.

But what happened when there were no weak spots?

What happened when the enemy didn't break?

Seokdu didn't dodge. He didn't try to deflect the blows like a trained fighter would.

Jeongdu was a storm.

His fists rained down like hammers, relentless and sharp. 

Every movement had a path with purpose… each strike aimed to break, to shatter, to crush.

The first punch landed with a sickening thud against Seokdu's ribs, a blow that would have crumpled most men. 

But Seokdu didn't flinch.

He just stood there, taking the punch like it was a tap on the shoulder. His posture remained straight, unyielding, a fucking wall of muscle and defiance.

Jeongdu swung again, this time with a sharp elbow aimed at Seokdu's temple. 

The crowd around them flinched in unison, but again, Seokdu didn't budge. 

He took the blow, absorbed it, and with a terrifying grunt of effort, he shoved Jeongdu back with one hand, as if swatting a fly.

The force of it knocked Jeongdu back a step, but he wasn't deterred. His face hardened, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed. This was what he lived for… Taeyang could tell… this kind of fight.

Elbow after elbow.

Knee after knee.

Fist after fist.

Jeongdu moved like lightning, his fists an unending barrage. Left hook. Right cross. An elbow aimed at Seokdu's jaw. His knees came up, slamming into Seokdu's midsection like battering rams.

But Seokdu?

He didn't dodge. He didn't retreat.

He absorbed everything.

Each blow that landed didn't faze him. His body was like a steel door. Jeongdu's punches, though powerful, didn't have the effect they should have. The impact barely registered.

Seokdu's face didn't even twitch. His eyes… dark, unblinking, stayed locked on Jeongdu. And as Jeongdu's knee shot up, aiming for his stomach, Seokdu caught it with a single, massive hand.

Jeongdu's eyes widened in surprise.

Seokdu's grip was like iron. The knee that had crumpled men twice Seokdu's size was just held in place like it was nothing.

Jeongdu's muscles tightened, pushing harder, trying to break free. But Seokdu just clenched his jaw.

Then, he pulled.

With a single, powerful jerk, Seokdu yanked Jeongdu off balance, throwing him toward the ground. 

Jeongdu hit the dirt, but he rolled instantly, coming back to his feet in one smooth motion.

He wasn't going to give up.

But the realization hit Taeyang then… this wasn't just strength.

This wasn't just muscle. Seokdu wasn't using technique, wasn't relying on quick movements or strategy. He was simply taking the hits and waiting for an opening.

And there it was… the next opening Jeongdu created.

As Jeongdu threw another elbow, Seokdu grabbed it mid-air, his grip like a vice. Before Jeongdu could react, Seokdu twisted, locking him in a painful arm lock, twisting his arm behind his back.

Jeongdu's breath caught in his throat. The pressure was unreal. Seokdu was strong… ridiculously strong. But there was something else in his eyes.

He was having fun.

With a growl, Jeongdu yanked his arm free, spinning around to land a crushing blow to Seokdu's chest. It pushed him back, but again, Seokdu didn't flinch.

Now, Jeongdu knew. There was no way around it.

Seokdu's form, built like a fortress, was just too solid. No matter how hard he tried, there was no opening.

He could keep attacking, keep pounding, keep trying to break through, but Seokdu was waiting.

Waiting for the perfect moment.

And then Seokdu moved.

He reached out, grabbing the neckline of Jeongdu's blazer in one massive fist.

Taeyang felt his stomach drop.

He reared his head back.

Taeyang backed away instinctively.

He knew what was coming next.

Even though Seokdu wasn't him yet… not yet… this move was what would cement him as the King of Suwon in the future.

The Headbutt.

The impact wasn't just loud.

It was deafening.

SMASH!

Jeongdu didn't move.

Didn't even budge.

The air shook with the force of the collision, the sheer pressure sending dust and pebbles scattering.

For a split second, there was silence.

Then—

CRACK!

The ground split beneath them.

Taeyang flinched as the road fractured, tiny rock fragments bouncing off his shoes. A lesser fighter would've been sent flying… skull split, consciousness shattered.

But Jeongdu…

Jeongdu tanked it.

Blood dripped down his forehead, but his legs didn't buckle. His knees didn't give out. His grip tightened, his breathing steady.

And that's when Seokdu's expression changed.

His mouth stretched wide, his lips curling back until all his teeth were on display. 

His cheeks pushed up, his eyes squinting so much it looked like they were closed… like a kid who had just found his favorite toy again.

And then… he laughed.

Not the cruel, cocky kind.

A genuine, full-bellied laugh.

"You're still a monster, Jeongdu!" Seokdu's voice boomed. "Ahh, this is fun. This is real fun."

His fingers flexed against Jeongdu's blazer, his grin still stretched wide across his face. His entire body practically vibrated with excitement.

Taeyang shuddered.

This wasn't Seokdu at his peak.

The Seokdu Wang he knew from the future? That Seokdu could turn cars into scrap metal with a single headbutt. He could crater buildings.

This wasn't that yet.

But even now… even weaker than his future self, Seokdu felt impossible.

The distance between them felt like a canyon.

Taeyang clenched his fists.

This… this was a First Gen King in the making.

It was then that the fight completely changed.

It wasn't just fists meeting flesh. It wasn't just pain.

The air cracked with every strike—Jeongdu's knees and elbows swung like hammers, brutal and practiced, every movement designed to break something. 

Seokdu barely flinched. He blocked like his body was a shield, taking every blow with his forearms, his shoulders—his head. 

When he swung back, it was a wrecking ball. 

His punches were so heavy that even the air seemed to shudder when they cut through it. 

His headbutts were like sledgehammers, the force behind them was ridiculous.

Taeyang could barely keep track of them, could barely understand what he was witnessing.

They weren't just fighting.

They were two monsters, tearing each other apart.

And then, the world changed.

A flicker of orange light in the corner of his vision.

Taeyang barely had time to register it before the scent hit… thick, acrid smoke curling into the air, biting at his throat.

Someone was screaming.

Not in pain. In panic.

"Fire!"

The sound of combat stuttered. Not stopped, but hesitated. Some of Suwon's fighters turned their heads toward the source, their expressions flickering from aggression to alarm.

And then Taeyang saw it.

One of the buildings was on fire.

It had started small, but in seconds, the flames exploded upward, leaping across the wooden beams covering the concrete of the old structure like the hands of a starving man. 

The windows darkened with smoke, glowing from within like a furnace.

"What the fuck—?!"

"That's our supply house!"

"Who did this?!"

The realization sank into the chaos like a stone in water. The fight was no longer the most important thing.

Something bigger had just happened.

Taeyang turned sharply, his heart hammering in his chest. The fire had taken everyone by surprise. Even Jeongdu's own squad looked confused, wide-eyed, panting, like they weren't sure whether to keep fighting or not.

But then Taeyang saw it.

The way Jeongdu wasn't surprised.

His chest rose and fell with exhaustion, but his gaze didn't waver.

This wasn't an accident.

This was part of the plan.

Taeyang's stomach twisted.

Their squad was never meant to reclaim Uiwang tonight.

They were meant to burn it.

If they couldn't hold this ground, they would make sure Suwon couldn't have it either.

And that's when he noticed Seokdu.

The man had stopped moving. He stood there, fists still raised, but his eyes were locked on the flames. His expression wasn't fear, or even anger. 

It was calculation.

"Shit, our stuff's in there!" One of Suwon's guys cursed.

"Get it out, now!"

"Hurry up, before it spreads!"

Suwon's forces broke away from the fight. Even the ones still swinging at Jeongdu's squad hesitated, then turned and bolted for the burning building, prioritizing their supplies over the battle.

It made sense. Taeyang had no idea what was inside, but it was important enough that Suwon was choosing to save it over finishing the fight.

And Seokdu?

Seokdu clicked his tongue.

Annoyed. Not shaken.

Then, he turned his back on Jeongdu.

"Seokdu! What the hell are you doing?!" One of his men yelled.

Seokdu didn't answer immediately. He rolled his shoulders, stretched his neck, and then said, calmly,

"Get the important stuff out."

Like this was already over.

Some of his guys faltered. Taeyang could see the confusion in their eyes. They were winning the fight. Seokdu had been holding his own against Jeongdu. And now he was just… walking away?

But Seokdu wasn't the kind of person to explain himself twice.

He was already walking toward the fire. His people scrambled after him.

Jeongdu stood there, breathing hard, his fists still clenched. His entire body was screaming for him to keep fighting.

"Oi." His voice was deep. Dangerous. "Where do you think you're going?"

Seokdu didn't even slow down.

"You won this round," he said simply.

Taeyang didn't know if he was talking to Jeongdu or to himself.

"But don't think this means anything."

And then he was gone, disappearing into the smoke and flames. His men followed, their shouts blending into the crackling fire.

The fight was over.

But it wasn't a victory.

It wasn't a loss, either.

It was just a step in the war.

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Fun fight, I think I tried to make it somewhat clear how strong Seokdu and Jeongdu are. It's all still pre-mastery, pre path, pre stage. Well... as of now.

And thanks PEFRS for pointing out my mistake with the money numbers in chapter 4, I think the comment got deleted when I edited that paragraph. 

Seokdu Wang.... I fucking love that guy.

Thanks for reading!

Patreon: Teddartic