What the hell is happening at the training camp? Actually, before that, what is MC's problem?
He's so coldly abrasive and calculating for no good reason. I mean, yeah, I guess the narrative is desperately trying to give him one but it's not convincing at all. He's got a terminal case of "suspicious of all good deeds" Because of Reasons™. He's really, unpleasantly odd while simultaneously being outrageously entitled despite being in no position to scoff or look down at the help he's getting.
And his pessimistic, cynical attitude is for...what? Exactly? Why are you such a high-handed little shit before we even get to know you? Why are you acting like a chaebol, as if the world owes you an explanation? How dare it inconvenient you by having filthy rich Good Samaritans exist anonymously.
"The gall of this bastard who's being charitable towards me! Even if he saved Grandma's life because otherwise she'd be dead but I will make that act all about me instead. I'll center my feelings and my insecurities, and going forward I will base my entire personality around finding the real (obviously up to no good) man behind this walking propaganda for toxic positivity!
"It's not right that he's so kind! Kindness is fake! There has to be another angle. Maybe I'm somehow special! I mean, why else would this stranger be this saintly?!" is what MC is basically thinking 24/7.
What kind of behavioral issues could form a personality like this? Like, damn son. Who hurt you?
EDIT: LMFAO nooooo. They did not. The story introduced a loud, entitled prick to take on the icy, entitled MC. Even their hair color has this dynamic. Fiery asshole has reddish brown hair and, obviously, MC has blue-black hair.
I knew it was coming but there's zero tact or subtly in Fiery Asshole's introduction. Including his Nepo-Baby status. The writer and artists gave this dude the most cliche filled back story ever. Even the lead authority figure heavily lampshaded his entrance, immediately putting him in his place. In public.
If this dude was actually intelligent he would have been shamed into leaving but no. He gaslit himself into believing he's being singled out because he's all that and NOT because he wrongly accused MC of being unworthy for the number one spot.
The Olympic-level gymnastics of this dude's smug thought processes is kind of mesmerizing.
I can't with this story. It's so exaggerated, melodramatic and theatrical that I feel like the artist is going to suddenly reveal they'reactually on a film set.
It's only been 12 chapters and this story is obnoxious. I try not to drop something before ch 50, especially when I paid for access, but damn. I'm struggling.
I'll give this until ch 20.
EDIT II: Oooh, damn. Finally met the man MC made his entire life's goal. Dude's still ridiculously good looking. The kind of handsomeness I expect in the yaoi genre so I can't help but suddenly want the two to be in a romantic relationship. They look so good together.
Also, MC is still very narcissistic:
Upon meeting his (grandma's) benefactor he immediatey thinks, "Am I growing at the pace you expected?"
MC, who even are you?
Why do you expect this powerful man to remember you in particular, when he's probably paid the medical bills of hundreds of people?
Obviously, this is answered:
the man, of course, remembers MC. After all, MC's got plot armor, the Protagonist's Halo, so there's zero chance that the benefactor would just dismiss MC.
I've identified my discomfort with this manhwa. MC is very self-centered but is written and behaving like he should have every right to make every issue revolve around himself. If it doesn’t, he'll make absolutely sure he's the center of attention, and we're not only supposed to cheer for him but empathize with him for it.
He's the smug, entitled Fiery Asshole if Fiery Nepo-Baby Asshole bothered to rub 2 brain cells together occasionally.
Dropped at ch 20.
(-301)
(+68)
