NoveLight ™
"Uh..."
"Wow..."
"This is the first time I've seen something like this in my life."
Clank!
The heavy sound of metal filled the fitness club. The noise was so loud that no one could ignore the source. Everyone’s eyes turned toward the origin of the sound, and they were shocked by the scene before them.
Eight 25kg weights, one on each side, were placed on an elastic bar. The kind of weight you'd usually see in a powerlifting competition moved up and down. However, the bar was not resting on the trapezius muscles or the floor. It was attached to a bench press machine with a catcher bar.
To prevent any potential accidents, someone was stationed on each side, making sure the weights were safely secured. After a few moments, the bar floated in the air just by upper body strength alone, then carefully descended. A sound, like someone stubbing their little toe against a doorframe, echoed through the room.
As the bar rose back up into the air and was placed on the upper catcher bar, applause erupted throughout the gym.
"Wow!"
"That's not human, that's not human. Hey, get up! Great job!"
"Wooahhhh, a 400kg bench press!"
However, here’s the twist.
The person who lifted the 400kg wasn't Eugene, Logan, or Lorentina. It was Hotteok.
With a red face and a bulky body, Hotteok leaped up, knelt in front of the drone camera, and then collapsed to the floor in tears of joy. No one present could refrain from clapping.
His long hair, alternating between black and white streaks, swayed as he moved. His face was flushed, his eyes bloodshot, and his arms and neck were so hot, it seemed like they would steam. Yet Hotteok didn’t care about anyone’s opinion. He had successfully lifted a weight that bent the bar, reaching an incredible 1RM, and he didn’t think much of it.
However, his joy didn’t last long.
“I’ll go first. If you’re bench pressing, bring a bench with a hole in the back for your butt.”
"I’ll spot you, so just do your best."
Huff!
A soft sound was heard as someone with cream-colored hair leaned back onto the bench Hotteok had used. It was Logan. As she sat down, she adjusted her hands, and with a bit of strength, the 400kg bar lifted easily into the air, many times lighter than before.
Lorentina and Eugene didn’t even notice. Eugene was busy turning the tail-resting bench into something he could use for his tail, dragging it toward the bench press machine while Lorentina was casually counting numbers as if it was nothing special.
After doing fifteen reps, Logan quietly placed the bar back on the catcher bar and stood up.
"Three sets?"
"We'll rotate."
"Alright, from here on, it’s beyond human ability, so don’t be too concerned and just watch."
The scene was dynamic, to say the least. Hotteok lay down and gave a foolish smile while the three of them rotated their turns. Usually, a few people would be standing by to prevent accidents during such lifts, but no one there was even considering it.
The weight was beyond comprehension. But of course, it didn’t end there. One by one, the weights were added. The number of plates on each side went from 8 to 12. What was truly frightening was that the number of sets didn’t decrease at all.
After some time, the weight reached 650kg, and they called for Hotteok.
"Squats? Or deadlifts?"
"Eh... sure?"
"With your body’s current activation level, it should be possible. What do you think?"
"...I’ll give it a try!"
What can you do?
A little tiger placed in front of an anaconda, shark, and polar bear just has to follow the instructions.
With a calm face, Hotteok placed the 650kg barbell onto a nearby open space, gave himself a little encouragement with a slap on the back, and prepared to lift it. A slap from someone’s back made his vision blur, a jolt of pain searing through his body, like lightning flashing across his mind. It wasn’t harsh, just a short, sharp pain that faded quickly.
As the massive weight rested heavily on his body’s muscles, Hotteok released a primal scream from his gut and lifted the barbell off the ground.
At that moment, he had successfully achieved 2,000 pounds in lifting.
Thud!
"Ahhh... huff..."
"Good job."
"I feel like I’m going to die..."
After drinking BCAA water, Hotteok felt his whole body drenched in sweat, panting heavily.
"I haven't updated my 3 lifts to the 1200 range, but I didn’t expect to do it here..."
The ceiling spun as he lay there, his core and hamstrings throbbing. Yet something seemed to wrap around his waist, and his body was suddenly yanked up. He realized Eugene had wrapped his tail around his waist, lifting him.
Their eyes met, and it didn’t feel quite right.
"You don’t think you’re done with just two lifts, right?"
"...I’ll attempt the squats when I’m ready."
A hollow laugh escaped his lips. He thought it would be a harder day for others, not for him, yet here he was.
As Hotteok sat on the bench, staring at the empty air, the turn for the other three began. Something seemed to be rumbling beside him, but Hotteok didn’t care.
"All of that will be edited by you, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Good luck."
That day, Hotteok trembled as he returned to Eugene’s house, with dinner approaching.
Clack!
"Ugh..."
"Teacher, Hotteok’s dead."
"That’s a big problem. We’ll need to perform CPR."
"Ugh!"
"Oh dear."
The chat was filled with jokes as usual.
By 7:20 PM, everyone had returned home, taken showers, changed, and settled on the outdoor balcony to watch the night view.
In front of them, there was a huge campfire set up for ASMR purposes. The chefs had been preparing brisket, spare ribs, and other dishes nearby, and various snacks from last night's dinner were ready too.
"So, is this a housewarming... well, it’s almost over tomorrow. I’m so grateful you all came, and I hope it stays a fun memory."
"Not sure if it’ll be a good memory, but how about five more of these parties...?"
"Stop making ridiculous suggestions."
Slap!
A tail smack hit Dice’s head. It wasn’t hard, so it didn’t hurt much, but Dice chuckled and smiled awkwardly.
The dinner continued, and the content didn’t end there. Eugene quickly entered YourSpace and launched the drone camera, starting to show a mad movie. The movie, created by a fan, showcased various great moments from past tournaments.
"…Why is this a mad movie?"
"It was made by a fan. They edited various highlights from KSM, the Asian qualifiers, and the Final Championship, as well as the Incursion scenario."
The party continued with wine, appetizers, and chats, and Hotteok's past plays were showcased, creating more laughter. As the night progressed, the food and fun came to an end, and Eugene’s final words echoed through the room.
"I’m so grateful to everyone here. Thanks for everything."
And so the housewarming party ended, with spring arriving—a season where no worries remained.
A few days later…
“…How many years has it been? I almost used English during immigration.”
“About 5 years and 4 months, I think. It’s night in Korea now.”
“It’s an honor to have you. I’ll take you straight to the hotel.”
Click.
After a long time, the two people who had returned to Korea sat carefully in the backseat of the limousine.
Their destination was the Park Hyatt Seoul.
The car was heading toward a place just 2km away from the house where their daughter lived.