Lookism: Unchained Fate

That night, the atmosphere in the juvenile prison was suffocating. Not just because of the fight that was about to take place, but because they all knew that tonight, the true monster had awakened. The Joon-hyuk they knew was gone—the one standing in the middle of the courtyard was something darker, crueler, more bloodthirsty.

Kang Dae-ho, the shadow king of this prison, stood before Joon-hyuk with a confident smirk. He was bigger, more muscular, and had ruled this place with violence for a long time. But tonight, something was different. The figure in front of him smiled—an unsettling, twisted smile filled with madness.

"I heard you want to be the ruler here?" Dae-ho sneered. "Too bad, you're no match for me."

Joon-hyuk's dark persona tilted his head, observing Dae-ho like he was nothing more than a new toy. "I don't want to be the ruler." His voice was low and cold. "I just want to destroy you."

Dae-ho didn't wait any longer. With incredible speed, he lunged forward, swinging his massive fist toward Joon-hyuk's head. But without a hint of emotion, Joon-hyuk simply sidestepped, effortlessly dodging the attack. Before Dae-ho could react, Joon-hyuk grabbed his arm and slammed his elbow into the man's collarbone.

CRACK!

Dae-ho let out a growl and staggered back, his eyes widening in shock. Pain shot through his shoulder, but he gritted his teeth. Before he could even take a breath, Joon-hyuk was already moving again—this time, delivering a devastating kick to the side of his knee.

Dae-ho swung his arm, trying to grab Joon-hyuk, but he caught nothing but air. Joon-hyuk moved like a shadow—fast and unpredictable. Twisting his body, he drove his fist into Dae-ho's stomach, right at the solar plexus.

Dae-ho stumbled back, nausea creeping up his throat. But he was an experienced fighter—he wouldn't fall so easily. With a wild roar, he threw a powerful punch toward Joon-hyuk's face. This time, the hit landed. Joon-hyuk's jaw snapped to the side, but there was only one reaction.

He laughed.

Dae-ho stared at him in horror. There was no pain in this kid's eyes. Only joy.

"Good," Joon-hyuk licked the blood from his lips. "Let's make this more fun."

Dae-ho attacked again, using all of his raw strength. He threw punch after punch, kick after kick. Each strike was powerful enough to break bones. But Joon-hyuk just kept smiling. He dodged some, blocked others, and the ones he couldn't avoid—he simply took them as if they were nothing.

Then, he stepped forward, sweeping Dae-ho's leg out from under him. Before the bigger man could regain his balance, Joon-hyuk trapped him in a vice-like grip. With brutal efficiency, he drove his knee into Dae-ho's face over and over again. Each impact sounded like a hammer shattering stone.

Dae-ho's vision blurred, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. But Joon-hyuk wasn't finished. Grabbing Dae-ho's head, he slammed it into the ground with terrifying force. The ground trembled as the massive body hit the floor.

The watching inmates froze. They had seen brutal fights before, but this was different. This wasn't just a fight. This was an execution.

Joon-hyuk gazed down at Dae-ho's broken body. The man tried to get up, but his body refused to obey. His breaths were heavy, his consciousness slipping. But Joon-hyuk didn't want this to end so soon.

He knelt on Dae-ho's chest, staring into the beaten man's bloody face. "You said I wasn't your match," he whispered. "Look at you now."

Dae-ho growled, trying to fight back, but Joon-hyuk just laughed. Then, he raised his fist high—and delivered the final blow.

SILENCE.

Everyone held their breath. Dae-ho didn't move. Slowly, Joon-hyuk stood, facing the crowd that now looked at him with fear.

Lifting his head, he locked eyes with the Warden, who had been watching from a distance with a knowing smile. Their gazes met, and Joon-hyuk understood—tonight, he had won more than just a fight.

He had conquered this hell.

The old storage room was now filled with silence. The inmates who had been cheering or holding their breath now stood frozen, staring at Dae-ho's massive body lying motionless on the ground. The only sounds were heavy breathing and the occasional cough from the fallen fighter.

Joon-hyuk stood in the center of the room, completely at ease, scanning the faces around him. His sharp gaze radiated absolute dominance. He hadn't just defeated Dae-ho—he had shattered the man's reputation in a swift, brutal battle. This victory was more than physical; it was a declaration of power.

One of Dae-ho's lackeys unconsciously took a step back. Others exchanged uncertain glances, unsure whether they should submit or resist. But none of them had the courage to challenge the young man who had just crushed the unofficial king of this prison in mere minutes.

"Shit…" One of the inmates finally whispered. "Dae-ho didn't even get to fight properly."

"That wasn't a fight," another responded. "That was an execution."

Joon-hyuk took a deep breath and stepped closer to Dae-ho's body. The man struggled to get up, but his entire body felt like it had been hit by steel. Joon-hyuk crouched down, grabbed his collar, and pulled his battered face up until they were nearly eye level.

"You're done here," he whispered coldly. "From now on, you're nothing but a shadow of the past."

Dae-ho didn't reply. The rage and humiliation in his eyes only made him look even more pathetic. Joon-hyuk finally let go, allowing him to collapse back onto the cold floor.

With slow, deliberate steps, Joon-hyuk turned and walked out of the storage room. The inmates instinctively moved aside, creating a path for the young man who had now, unofficially, taken the highest position in the prison.

......

Inside the Warden's office, the atmosphere was tense despite the absence of any visible threat. The room was spacious, yet it felt suffocating due to the steel cabinets filled with inmate files. The dim neon light overhead flickered slightly, casting shifting shadows on the walls.

Before the neatly organized desk cluttered with documents stood two figures.

The first was a young man with a terrifying aura—Kang Joon-hyuk, but not his usual self. This was his darker side, the man who emerged only when his true personality was asleep. His slicked-back black hair was perfectly in place, not a single strand out of order. His sharp, hate-filled eyes stared ahead, as if capable of piercing through anyone who dared to meet his gaze. His face was devoid of emotion, yet there was a cold calmness about him that made those nearby feel threatened. His body bore fresh scars from the brutal fights he had endured over the past two months, but he stood unfazed, like a devil immune to physical limits.

Seated across from him was a middle-aged man in a dark warden's uniform. The Warden was a muscular figure with a strong jawline, a long scar running across his left cheek—a remnant of his violent youth. His hair was cropped short, streaked with gray, a testament to years of experience. His eyes were sharp and calculating, the gaze of someone who always had a backup plan. He was not just an ordinary prison guard, but a man who pulled the strings from the shadows, controlling much of what happened within these walls with his power and connections.

He studied Joon-hyuk with a faint smile before speaking. "I never expected you to take over this prison in just two months. You're far more impressive than I thought."

Joon-hyuk's dark persona smirked slightly, his expression still cold, but his eyes radiating something sinister. "Of course. I don't play around. When I want something, I take it."

The Warden leaned back in his chair, interlocking his fingers on the desk. "So, what do you want now?"

Joon-hyuk took a slow step forward, his voice low but piercing. "I've already taken control of the inmates. I can make anyone kneel, even those you thought untouchable. You saw what happened to Dae-ho."

The Warden's smile remained. "Yes, Dae-ho was a monster. But you… you're something else entirely. You're not just a fighter—you're an executioner. Someone who doesn't just defeat his enemies but utterly destroys them."

Joon-hyuk shrugged casually. "I didn't kill him. I just made sure he'd never raise his head in this place again."

The Warden's eyes gleamed, as if he had found something truly valuable. "A talent like that could be useful."

Joon-hyuk chuckled dryly, his laughter devoid of humor. "Ah… so you finally said it. You didn't call me here just to praise me, did you?"

The Warden nodded. "You're right. I have an offer for you."

Joon-hyuk leaned closer to the desk, resting his hands on it. "Hear my answer first," he said in a low, threatening tone. "If your offer is boring, I'm not interested."

The Warden smiled. "I doubt you'll turn this one down."

Joon-hyuk waited in silence.

"What if I told you that your power doesn't have to stop within this prison?"

Joon-hyuk's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm listening."

The Warden leaned back further into his chair, looking pleased with the reaction. "I can get you out of here faster than you think. No need to wait years. You'll be free, and not as an ordinary man. You can have something greater… something far more valuable."

Joon-hyuk stared at him in silence before offering a small smile. "I'm intrigued… continue."

The Warden's smirk widened. He knew he had caught Joon-hyuk's attention.

Folding his hands over the desk, he spoke in a casual yet meaningful tone. "Out there, there's a world far bigger than this prison. You may think you've become the king of this place, but the truth? This is just a small pond. And I can give you an ocean."

Joon-hyuk eyed him sharply. "Stop with the metaphors. Get to the point."

The Warden chuckled. "Patience, kid. Do you know who's pulling the strings behind this place? Do you think I'm just an ordinary warden?"

Joon-hyuk didn't respond, but his gaze made it clear he had already guessed where this was going.

The Warden continued, "The truth is, I work for someone, and right now, that person is very interested in you. He used to be one of the most powerful men, and now he's building something new. That's why he's gathering talent from different places."

Joon-hyuk remained silent, but the cold look on his face shifted slightly.

"And that person," the Warden added, "is interested in you."

Joon-hyuk finally spoke. "Who?"

The Warden smiled knowingly. "Charles Choi."

Joon-hyuk didn't react. The name meant nothing to him. "Who's that?"

The Warden raised an eyebrow before letting out a small chuckle. "You don't need to know right now. Just understand this—he's interested in your potential. You could be part of something much bigger than ruling a bunch of criminals in a prison."

Joon-hyuk leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment.

"You want me to be his dog?" he asked in a flat tone.

The Warden smirked. "No. I want you to be his executioner. Someone who doesn't just follow orders but enjoys the process."

Joon-hyuk's lips curled into a small, dark grin, his eyes gleaming with sinister delight. "Interesting…"

The Warden pulled something from his drawer—a sealed envelope filled with documents.

"This is your first offer. If you accept, I can speed up your release. You could be out of here in less than a year… even a few months, if you play your cards right."

Joon-hyuk took the envelope but didn't open it. Instead, he simply stared at the Warden with a knowing look.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

The Warden's smile didn't fade, but his eyes grew colder. "You won't."

Silence hung in the air before Joon-hyuk let out a quiet chuckle. "Hahaha… interesting. Fine, I'll think about it."

He turned, walking toward the door with a relaxed stride, his aura still oppressive.

Before he exited, the Warden added, "Don't take too long. The world out there is always moving, and opportunities like this don't come twice."

Joon-hyuk paused briefly at the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder, a sly smirk forming on his lips.

"I know… and I always know when to take something valuable."

With that, he stepped out, leaving the Warden smiling knowingly behind him.