Entering the APEX for the first time (part 1)

Gyun disposed of the knife a few streets away in a restaurant's dumpster on his way home, though he kept the 2nd pill bottle.

He didn't hear any sirens as he walked all the way home which he interpreted as a good sign. It was around 9:20 PM when he arrived, unlocking the apartment door. He didn't even bother eating and went straight to bed after he hid Sungmin's phone since he had school tomorrow.

He sunk into a deep sleep soon after,

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"Squad leader, Squad leader" a voice whispered in his ear

Waking up as he opened his eyes, glancing at the delicate voice "Hm?"

Minhee sat across from him, leaning against a rock holding her sword in her scabbard across her chest as she sat. The rest of their squad members were on the lookout, with a few asleep as they hid in the small cave, a total of 12 members were in the cave, making up the Murim Alliance's Silver Demon squadron.

They'd already been 3 years in this god-forsaken war, where rules were no longer applied and city's were burned at the flick of a pen.

They were in a forest on the coast of Northern Murim, on a mission to eradicate any possible defectors to the western continent, including a city lord. But had discovered 20,000 soldiers stationed at a camp within the city.

Escaping to report this to the higher-ups, during their escape however, they'd been spotted by a maid while infiltrating the manor and were being chased by an elite Western Continent company of 200-strong sword experts.

"The Rock Sword company is still in pursuit of us, we've rested long enough we need to get moving, or they'll catch us"

Gyun looked up to the sky, the sun shined brightly through the few clouds, "It's amazing isn't it, that such violence can happen on such a beautiful day"

Minhee's expression soured at Gyun's philosophizing, "With respect squad leader that's not the problem here, we have 2 injured squad members we can't outrun the Rock Sword company. We need a solution"

Feeling the bandage around his side, that he'd sustained from their escape as he gazed at the golden rays of light piercing through the forest canopy. It was so beautiful it looked like the postcards he'd seen from North America from the modern world, he thought to himself

'It's all on me again, I don't know if I'll make it this time, but isn't she cut acting serious when she's still worried for me, I can't let that face down. It's ok Minhee I've prepared myself to die long ago. I don't have to see the sunset as long as you can see the next sunrise'

Gyun sighed, looking into Minhee's beautiful hazel eyes, "We're being hunted, Moojin's got an arrow through his leg and Lee's missing a hand and we're exhausted, I have to do it." he forced a smile to try and make her feel better.

She bit her lip, she knew what he was going to say next, "You don't have to Gyun, we can make it" she said meekly using his name this time and dropping her formal tone.

Gyun ignored her turning to address the squad, "Wake everyone up"

After a few moments, the entire squad sat awake, minus their lookout

Gyun put on the silver mask of the devil that all the squad members possessed, he didn't want Minhee to see the scared look on his face.

"I want the squad to make a run for it to the Earth Brigade on the northern ridge of the Solarion mountains."

Turning to a small woman to his side, "Su Tang, give me what remaining poison dispersion bombs you have left."

Taking the two large capsules that the woman passed him, "I'll draw them off you for a little bit but I can't promise more than an hour. You know the drill, move along the treetops, and don't leave any tracks if you can from now on."

The squad looked between themselves for a moment, they knew the risks of Gyun coming back were small but the information was of the utmost importance to the Canto Empire. "Understood squad leader"

Minhee on the other hand, clenched her fists and had a distressed look in her eye.

It pained Gyun to see her like that, but he had to ensure the survival of everyone in his squad. He approached her and pulled her to the side keeping his mask on.

"I think I can handle the Rock Sword Company by myself "

Though she kept on a brave face, Gyun could hear her voice quiver "What?"

Gyun grabbed her and pulled her in close hugging her to his chest, he was lying to her of course. He didn't think he had nearly any chance of beating 200 elite infantry, but he couldn't tell her that,so he lied, and continued to lie

"That's why I'm counting on you to relay the information about the landing of the troops and supplies. They won't know that we managed to deliver the message if I wipe out their pursuing team."

Her voice shook, as she was on the verge of tears, "We'll bring the entire northern army so just, please....stay alive"

He didn't want to let go he felt so at peace with the world with her leaning on his chest.

But he took a deep breath as he let her go, and Minhee tried to hold on a bit longer, but Gyun lightly took her hands, holding them to his head.

"I'll be seeing you soon, I'll just be away for a little"

Minhee moved her hands and cradled Gyun's face despite it being behind a mask "I know"

Gyun turned away, slinging his sword to his back, and he left quickly with a single bound before he thought about it anymore.

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Desperately smashing his elbow into the man's helmet over and over again. Trying to crumple the durable steel that protected the former, Rock Sword company lieutenant.

In a small clearing in the middle of the forest was where Gyun chose to make his stand. He killed the first few dozen or so men with relative ease but gradually the drain of fatigue and qi took a toll on Gyun.

And gradually the soldiers elite infantry training allowed them to take the fight to Gyun. Through a desperate fight Gyun managed to kill nearly all of them and let none escape.

Gyun blinked through the spattering blood that spurted into his face as he continued pummeling it.

Hearing the swish of a blade and rapid approaching footsteps from behind him.

He wheezed from sheer exhaustion his movements looked slow and wobbly as his muscles screamed from fatigue.

Letting the dead man fall limp to the forest grass, he ducked under the swing.

The pair of surviving soldiers let loose their battle cry's as they charged forward. But in contrast Gyun was scarily silent. He shook his hands, splattering the blood covering them paint the green grass.

Crouching low as he observed them moving and dodging their sword strikes, his eyes looked animalistic. He was purely living in the moment, gone were the thoughts about returning, gone were thoughts about his squad.

Gyun was moving purely off instinct and intuition.

He thought to himself as he panted hard as he continued backstepping to avoid the attacks, 'Only 2 left '

As Gyun sidestepped a vertical swing from one soldier, his leg wobbled for a moment before giving out from exhaustion.

"Ha!" his opponent saw his opportunity turning to attack Gyun,

Having no other choice he grabbed the dirt tossing it into the man's eyes, he jabbed his thumb in the man's calf after reinforcing his thumb with qi, piercing the man's clothes and skin.

Screaming, the man toppled over in pain Gyun brought his arms up to block a heavy sword strike from the other enemy soldier, using his vambraces to stop the blade but it still managed to pierce and cut through them to an extent.

Gritting his teeth as he rolled back pulling out an arrow that was lodged in his back, he snapped a portion of it off making it shorter, and more like a knife.

Before launching himself at the soldier, half deflecting half taking the man's sword strike with his nearly broken vambraces. The blade cut deep into his arm and likely severed some muscles in Gyun's forearm. But keeping his momentum he collided with the enemy soldier knocking them both back and down.

Using the arrowhead, Gyun stabbed into the man's throat under the helmet, seeing the look of surprise and fear in the man's eyes as he brought his hands to his throat trying to block the stop the gushing blood from his neck with the arrowhead firmly lodged in his neck.

Crawling over to the screaming soldier, Gyun took off his silver mask lifting it above his head, the man meekly tried to put his hands up to defend himself.

Smashing down with the weight of the mask, over and over again Gyun smashed until he couldn't feel his arms anymore.

The man stopped screaming long ago, but Gyun couldn't stop swinging, he felt that if he did the man might get back up.

No, he couldn't let a single one of them live, none could harm her

The small clearing and the surrounding forest were dead silent, Gyun breathed harshly blood leaking from the corners of his mouth.

Not long after he heard the chirps of birds and the movements of small animals within the forest, already was nature returning to normal.

The rays of sunshine, shed light on such a bloody scene in the forest surrounded by life and lively animals the ravaged corpses of 200 dead men and a boy only 17 years old.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

It was so ironic that Gyun just had to laugh at the ridiculous scene,

He fell backward, he found it hard to move but he still laughed even drenched in other men's blood he could see the sun shine on him. He hit the ground with his hand,

Littered with cuts he was bleeding constantly and a broken shoulder, with a second arrow still lodged in his broken shoulder.

There was truly nothing for Gyun to say but "I lived! Hahaha! I lived!"

He eventually calmed down as the adrenaline started to wear off and Gyun smiled bitterly, tightening his jaw as felt all the pain wash over him.

Gyun let out a loud sigh "Ugh, I'm so tired"

Laying on the blood-soaked grass of the forest bed Gyun thought to himself in an attempt to distract himself from the pain 'I should ask her to marry me when I get back.... no now's not the time, maybe after this war we can settle down'

Gyun tried reaching and grabbing the sun, " yeah one day....eventually"

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Gyun woke up the next day with a cold sweat, bolting up he grabbed the side of his bedframe so hard his knuckles turned white, panting as if he was out of breath.

Pushing his messy hair up as he covered his face with his hands his palms were clammy, he felt sick to his stomach.

He didn't say anything, but breathed heavily, after a minute or two he got up of bed and ran to the bathroom, throwing up in the toilet.

He wanted those memories to disappear, he hated that he could remember it all so clearly. Why did he have to carry everybody's hopes and dreams after they were buried.

After a while, and recovering he went to the gym as usual but maybe due to his dream, he went extra hard at the gym to the point he struggled to walk back to the house and returned home in time to catch Sungmin's death on the morning news.

Keeping the volume low so as to not disturb his family's sleep, he stood near the television while sipping his protein shake he strained to hear the words of the news anchor.

"Today at approximately 3:49 AM the body of Lee Sungmin a former national Olympic representative in taekwondo who won South Korea silver 11 years ago and was one of the most decorated kickboxers to come out of South Korea. Was found overdosed in an alley in Yongsan, hours after a clip of him being knocked out by a younger athlete in one punch went viral later last night, garnering 800,000 views as of now. He was ruled dead on the scene and reportedly overdosed on around 12 milligrams of Oxycodone, the police have ruled it a suicide as Sungmin has struggled with drug addiction, and that is what led him to be kicking him off the Olympic team."

Gyun turned off the TV as soon as he heard that, he sat back down on the couch he breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Good, I was worried about the forensics, thank god they didn't think twice"

He saw Minhee staring at him from the corner of the room standing there with those beautiful hazel eyes, blank and empty.

"Are you here because of him… the human trash?" Gyun gestured at the blank TV screen.

Receiving no answers, Minhee stayed motionless

"Don't look at me like that, he's trash who deserved to die. You remember what drugs did to Moojin."

She looked away, Gyun got angry at this "I know I can't stop all of the drug trade, but I won't anyone slide who deals in my city. Don't lecture me on what's right and wrong! You haven't shown your face for weeks and now you've come back! That's what got you killed! that's why I survived and you didn't. That mentality is what got you all killed!"

Minhee looked back at him moving closer a tear ran down her eye, Gyun hastily apologized lowering his voices,

"No no no, I didn't mean it that way, you know what I meant. We learned the hard way how unforgiving life is, all of us did"

Gyun leaned forward on the couch

"That we're equal in nothing but death. I can't afford to make mistakes this time, I won't be idealistic like before, I can kill them this time. The enemy is human like me, and no ones better at killing humans then me. "

Gyun's voice started to quiver as he realized he was talking to someone who was no longer alive but he still spoke. Feeling a need to say the words he felt in his chest.

"An- and after it's all done I can go peacefully and see you, see Moojin , ev-everybody again. I just need more time, you know I'm the only one who can avenge my dad and help my family. I'll do what I never could this time, I'll protect everybody this time…. I won't bury family this time Minhee"

Minhee remained silent and simply returned to the corner, Gyun sighed as he sat on the couch.

"I'm on my way….Just wait a bit longer"

He sat there for a few minutes relaxing with his eyes closed, lost in thought.

Before he abruptly got up and went on with his day and heading off to school. By then Minhee had disappeared again

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Class was a boring as usual, luckily it was the last period of the day, Gyun slumped in his seat with his eyes glazed over from boredom as the teacher droned on.

He mindlessly jotted down notes with his non dominant hand, in an effort to further train his ambidexterity to a subconscious level.

Gyun zoned back in as he heard the teacher talk about a field trip that would be next week,

"Ok a bit an announcement, the school board decided on what this year's seniors field trip would be. In 3 days the entire graduating class will be visiting the business of a former alumni from our very own business program, he's been very successful and owns a large mixed martial arts promotion. It is in fact the largest promotion in East Asia you may have heard of it, AFC or Apex Fighting Championship. Since this a business focused school the school board decided this would be the most interesting, they will even set up a small demonstration at their gym across from their arena."

The teacher paused for a few moments as the class erupted in a cheer,

"Finally something interesting!"

"Who are they?"

"When do we go?"

There were a mixed set of reaction's but the majority of the reaction especially from the boys were positive and excited.

Mostly due to how boring the last trip was where they visited a newspaper company last time and they spent the day being lectured on different sized and types of fonts.

The teacher, raised his hands and the class quieted down,

"Raise your hands if you have a question, and I'll try to answer with what I know ok?....Good, now any questions?"

Several hands went up, the teacher pointed at a boy with curly hair "Yes"

"What will the demonstration be about?"

The teacher smiled, "that's a good question, according to what the school board told me that they would hold a spar between 2 of their champions and they'll have a signing for you guys with some of their fighters and they'll show off their training facility."

There were some excitement at that from the classroom, the teacher let it continue for a few moments before clapping his hands twice and the classroom quieted again.

"Ok ok calm down now, is there any other questions?"

Most of the hands went down, there was still a few hands up, the teacher pointed at another student, "yes?"

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Gyun woke up on the bus ride as they stopped outside of the Apex complex, it was an extremely modern and sleek huge building.

"Its pretty nice isn't"

Juwon nudged Gyun with a humongous smile on his face,

Rolling his eyes, "It's very nice.... and expensive too from the looks of it"

"It is isn't, they said we'd meet two of their current champions but they didn't say who, I don't really watch many of Apex's events but since most of their roster's Korean I've always had an interest in them. They've produced many talents that move on to the larger promotion's like Baek Ji-Won to ONE FC and Chan Sung Jung to the Legend FC."

Gyun nodded, as he closed his eyes trying to relax leaning back in his bus seat, "yeah yeah it's nice and all but when do they plan on letting us in?"

Juwon scoffed, " Come on man are you really not hyped to see how the professional's train and work, these guys aren't superstars but they're all pretty well known within the professional scene, and will probably move up to the bigger promotions. Maybe we can learn a thing or two from them!"

Gyun turned his head burying his head in the seats, normally he didn't consider himself someone easily annoyed but Juwon's nonstop rambling for the entire hour long trip had nearly driven to Gyun to madness.

Fortunately Gyun was saved as the teacher came back on the bus,

"sorry for the delay class the owner was just held back by traffic and he wanted to be here for the presentation, but now we can go in. Ok now we're going to get off please keep an orderly line and line up on the sidewalk, and we'll get a head count ok?"

In just a few minutes both buses of Sumong High School's seniors were lined up outside the Apex training facility.

Not long after a man in just a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts, he had a well muscled body and a tan though he was as tall as Gyun.

"Welcome to the Apex training facility, I will be one of your guides for today, Ran Haneul but I'm also the 3rd ranked Middleweight and a former amateur boxing champion, and a BJJ brown belt. Which for those who don't know what that mean's is that I'm just below a black belt, but uhhh, there will be 3 other guides so why don't we split you into groups . Well come on in first and out of the sun! Our boss has a lot planned to show you guys today." He said excitedly as he walked toward the glass doors and opening it holding it open and gesturing to enter

"Damn isn't this cool Gyun? That guy's been scouted to got to ONE next year!" Juwon's eyes were shimmering like a child who had entered his favorite store.

As they walked in and entered the complex, Gyun's heart missed a beat for a moment as he saw a face he didn't think he'd see again.

On the wall hung a picture of Lee Sungmin, with a few words underneath about his death and how they wish him the best in the next life.

Gyun exhaled as he regained control of himself, just as the guide Haneul began speaking again.

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Author's note - Legendary Fighting championship or LFC will be a placeholder name for the UFC or Ultimate fighting championship the largest MMA promotion in the world. The reason why I don't feel comfortable using their name is because the UFC is extremely quick to have anything taken down that uses their name or anything of the sort and though I don't think they'd find a webnovel you never know so I'm being careful. The ONE FC is way more chill about these kind of things so they'll stay the same.