Intent

"I lost..."

Su Min couldn't help but sigh at how naive he was, especially the fact that he held hope to win in a fighting tournament. A tournament solely focused on something he has no experience in.

'Mhm, Though I still have another chance...'

He looked up at the other stage where the last of his hopes lie, it was a bleak hope full of unwillingness. But he can't just leave, because what is the point? It's that resolute will in himself, the will that has been tempered with the coal of perseverance that endures like an undying weed. That hazy will of his can endure torture beyond the physical limits, so how can he just stop trying?

As Su Min's hope dwindled with but one remaining strand, that strange book in his hand let out a silent hum. It was the same hum he felt in the space, and although nobody could feel it, he could.

"Hm?"

Su Min grabbed the book and stared intently at it, expecting something, something that will give him the sliver of a chance!

...

"Pfft. So what? He's still obviously injured! Maybe he numbed his body with drugs!"

Qiu Jin snorted as he went off the stage and sat on a seat closest to the stadium. All he needed to do was wait for the second round, as this was just a warmup for him.

The various people around him trembled when he came close, causing them to back away. Most of the people here are just that, people. They live ordinary lives and were curious about the world of martial arts, so they participated in the hopes of finding they have some hidden talent.

However, they didn't expect to find someone so inhuman within them, as although they could punch well how could they defend against a fist that their eyes can barely track?

Although this was the case for most, some aspiring youths and middle-aged men shone with fighting spirit. You could say that these people were the true competitors.

Fight after fight sped through the day as the losing and winning side began to form, from which some were lucky and some just plain powerful. The old man only praised twice, once for Qiu Jin, and the other for a nimble looking girl.

She was the type that would make men protective for, yet her elegant moves were terrifying to be up against. It was to the point that the contestant fighting her was pummeled with 3 broken ribs and a slight concussion.

Eventually, everyone fought their fight.

The old man nodded and once again opened his eyes and gazed down at everyone, lingering only on Su Min whom he got a strange feeling from. Nonetheless, Su Min was just looking at a book, resembling someone going senile. The old man decided that it must be in his head, so he just announced the results.

"The first round is finished! 48 have won and 49 have lost! Round 2 will work a tad different this time, where instead of getting randomly chosen, each of you will go onto the stage and get challenged. The more you win the higher the chance you have to be in the top 10!"

He looked at everyone before flicking his wrist, cause a strange rune to be thrown midair. It glowed with a glimmering gold as it descended into the form of a token. The old man grasped the token and smiled at everyone.

"Only three of you here can participate in the main tournament of Dojo Limitless! I don't care if you die here, as the world you are entering is brutal and cold. Now, I'll wait to see who the three lucky ones are!"

His smile made everyone's souls feel cold, making some even shiver. Although Su Min didn't seem to notice anything as that book took all his attention.

*BZZ*

Consecutive buzzing sounds rang out as numerous people were sent up onto the stages. Yet, Su Min heard none of this as his eyes grew dull with a strange sense of tranquillity.

He didn't really understand, but he felt an image light up in his head and perform a push. If it was just a push then it wouldn't catch his attention, but whenever he looked at it that simple movement became inexplicably confusing. It resembled a thick layer of fog that couldn't be breached, even with his indomitable spirit.

It was like when someone imagined a scene, but this scene in his head was clear to the point that he can 'see' it in his vision.

Although this was the case, as he looked at it, a strange call surfaced from deep within him. It caused his expression to pale as a familiar headache pierced into his mind. It caused the haziness in his eyes to tremble with fear, but this time was different...

The book on his lap seemed to connect with Su Min as a strange hymn emerged from it and shrouded Su Min's body. The headache in Su Min's head quivered as the call deep within Su Min paused when the hymn reached it, and like it was agreeing to something; Su Min felt the incoming threat dissipate.

However, just as Su Min was breathing a sigh of relief, the book on his lap trembled and shot an invisible strand into Su Min. The strand disappeared right into Su Min's body, and Su Min himself couldn't find where it went. Yet, just as he was about to think he was going insane, his blood began trembling as a newly formed call emerged.

Though no headache emerged from it, and the call itself was so minute that Su Min felt that it posed no threat to him. With this, the call transformed into a force that permeated his whole body, causing pain to ring throughout it. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough to be of any threat to Su Min, so he just waited for it to subside.

After a while, like he passed a trial, the pain across his body dissipated like it had never happened and the call within his blood died down until it couldn't even be felt. But, Su Min was surprised to find that a strand of something had formed in him. It wasn't energy nor was it anything he could explain, but it seemed to carry a unique property that was his only.

It encompassed his body, and without his control, a energy started to emit itself out of it. It caused the air to minutely shiver around him. The people sitting near him also seemed to feel something as looks of pain emerged on their faces, where they looked around with confusion.

"Why am I suddenly feeling pain?"

"Hey me too! What the hecks happening?!"

At this moment the number plate in his hand started to burn and buzz, wakening him his reverie at the strand in his body. Though the strange strand continued to emit this energy, and like this everyone around him moved away with pained faces.

As Su Min looked at the strand, a piece of information emerged from it. All it said was one word.

'Intent? It's called intent?'

Su Min sighed, and with one last try, the vision of the push emerged from his mind. He saw it the same way, but this time a strange comprehension rang in his mind as the fog that blurred everything dissipated to a degree that allowed him to follow it with some success.

'I feel like I can perform something similar to that push...'

He got up and wandered towards the stage in a daze-like state. Nonetheless, the enlightenment he gained didn't last long as the same fog once again shrouded the push. Although, he now has a deeper understanding of it. It is like he has entered a new level, where even though he can't see any further, he can at least perform the push.

Su Min felt that the push didn't just encompass pushing itself, but everything. He felt that the way he was moving is wrong, so he corrected his stance to a minute degree until he felt that what he was doing was right enough.

It looked like a normal walk to everyone else, and even then they wouldn't think he was walking any differently, but...

*Step*

The old man's closed eyes shivered the instant he heard that step from the injured youth. He opened his eyes in a hurry before a look of confusion overtook them as he rubbed them twice.

"Martial Technique?! That can't be!"

The old man said in disbelief, although nobody could hear him.

...

"He hasn't given up?!"

"I admire his guts at least..."

"Guys make sure to be gentle as I want a turn to get a free win!"

Standing on the stage once again, Su Min breathed deeply as he stretched his muscles whilst following the pushes guidlines. He felt that because he was following the techniques way of moving, everything has become easier to do, like he has improved his efficiency of using his body.

The crowd below him seemed to churn with excitement at the sight of such an easy opponent, and due to this, it didn't take long for a muscular man to jump onto the stage.

His eyes blurred with sympathy when he saw the youth's beaten-up body, which was odd in this bloodthirsty atmosphere. He pondered for a second until he said two simple words,

"Surrender, kid."