Morning sun filtered through the windows of Class 1-E, casting long shadows across the desks. The room buzzed softly with conversation, students discussing homework and weekend plans. Yejun sat near the back, his chair slightly tilted as he lazily flipped through a book. His face still bore faint bruises from their last fight — a fight where he had utterly dominated Eun-ak. The memory made him smirk.
But Yejun's smirk didn't last long.
A heavy silence fell over the room as the door slid open. Eun-ak stepped inside. His expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and sharp. The aura around him was different — darker, more intense. It wasn't just the bruises from yesterday or the calm way he carried himself. It was something deeper.
He didn't say a word.
The students watched with wide eyes as Eun-ak walked calmly through the rows of desks, heading straight for Yejun. There was no hesitation. He stood before him, towering over the seated boy.
Yejun glanced up lazily. "What now? Another round to get knocked out?"
Eun-ak didn't answer. He clenched his fist.
And then he threw the punch.
Yejun's reflexes kicked in. He had dodged countless strikes before — this would be no different. He tilted his head, preparing to move.
But the fist was faster. Much faster.
It slammed into Yejun's chin with bone-rattling force. His head snapped back, his chair skidding an inch before tipping over. His body hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Gasps echoed through the classroom.
Yejun lay motionless. Out cold.
Eun-ak stared down at him, expression calm, almost bored. As if knocking him out had been nothing more than a warm-up.
He leaned down slightly, murmuring under his breath. "Two defeated. Six left."
Without another word, he turned and walked out. The room was silent, the students frozen, still trying to process what had just happened.
Eun-ak's footsteps echoed through the halls. He moved with purpose, his eyes focused, his mind calm. The system notification from earlier pulsed in the back of his mind.
[Side Quest: Defeat the First-Year Leaders]
After Yejun, the next targets were the infamous twin brothers — Bong and Dong of Class 1-D. They were known for their brute strength, working as a pair to overwhelm opponents. Few dared to challenge them. Fewer survived.
But Eun-ak wasn't afraid.
As he approached Class 1-D, whispers spread before he even arrived. By the time he stepped through the door, the entire class was watching him.
No one needed to ask why he was there. They already knew.
The students in the room parted instinctively, creating a path that led straight to Bong and Dong. The twins stood at the back of the room, both tall and broad-shouldered, their matching buzz cuts giving them an intimidating look.
Bong crossed his arms over his chest. "So, the kid who got his face smashed by Yejun yesterday thinks he's tough now?"
Dong laughed. "Or maybe he got dumber overnight."
Eun-ak didn't respond. He kept walking until he stood right in front of them, calm and composed.
Bong narrowed his eyes. "You got lucky with Yejun this time. But we're not like him. We fight together."
Dong cracked his knuckles. "And you're not walking out of here on your own two feet."
Bong lifted his hand, reaching toward Eun-ak's shoulder in a mocking, condescending gesture. But as his hand reached out —
Something shifted.
In the blink of an eye, Bong's hand wasn't resting on Eun-ak's shoulder. It was raised high in the air, as if frozen in mid-motion. Bong blinked in confusion.
"What the—?"
Then he noticed something.
Dong was on the ground.
Flat on his back, gasping for breath. His eyes were wide with shock.
Bong's confusion deepened. "Dong? What—?"
It took him half a second too long to realize what had happened.
Eun-ak had moved. In the split of a second, before anyone could register it, he had struck Dong with an invisible, lightning-fast attack. Dong hadn't even seen it coming.
Rage flared in Bong's chest. His expression twisted. "You little—!"
He charged.
Bong was bigger, stronger — but none of that mattered.
Eun-ak moved like a shadow. He slipped past Bong's wild swing with ease, his body twisting in a fluid, graceful motion. His fist shot out again — fast, precise, and powerful.
This time, it wasn't just fast. It was devastating.
The punch connected with Bong's torso. The force was so intense it lifted Bong off his feet. His body arced through the air before crashing to the ground. He gasped, wheezing, his body curling in on itself.
The room was dead silent.
The students stared in disbelief. They hadn't seen the attack. They had barely even seen Eun-ak move. It was over in seconds.
Bong coughed violently, struggling to sit up. Dong groaned, still flat on his back.
Eun-ak stood over them, calm as ever. He exhaled slowly, his gaze distant.
"Three down," he murmured under his breath. "Five left."
Without another word, he turned and walked out.
The hallway was empty as Eun-ak made his way toward the next target. His heart was calm, his breathing steady. But inside, the system pulsed with energy.
[Bronze Card Activated: Speed Enhancement]
[Duration: 3 Minutes]
The card had boosted his speed beyond what even he had expected. The training room had changed him. The month he had spent inside — condensed into ten hours — had pushed his limits, breaking and rebuilding his body into something stronger.
But strength wasn't the only thing that had changed.
His mindset was different now.
Before, he had doubted. Hesitated. Worried about the outcome.
Now, there was none of that.
Only the mission.
Only the fight.
[Time Remaining: 1 Day, 14 Hours]
The next battle awaited.
And this time, he wasn't planning on losing.