Eun-ak pulled out a potion from the system slot and drank it in one swift gulp. As the liquid coursed through his body, the pain in his ribs disappeared. The blood that had been dripping down his face vanished, and the scratches on his skin healed. In mere seconds, his body was back to the state it was in when he first entered the school — no injuries, no fatigue, and no pain.
He clenched his fists, feeling the renewed strength in his muscles. With a determined expression, he headed toward Class 1-A, where his next opponent awaited.
Ha Seung-won was no ordinary fighter. He had been learning Taekwondo since the age of five. People called him a genius, not only for his martial arts skills but also for his academic achievements. Last summer, he had even received an offer from DG Entertainment to become a model. Seung-won was the kind of person who seemed perfect in every way.
As Eun-ak approached Class 1-A, his footsteps echoed in the hallway. He reached the door and, without hesitation, slammed it open.
But the room was empty.
No students. No Seung-won. Nothing.
Eun-ak's eyes narrowed in confusion. He had been told that Seung-won never skipped school. He was the kind of person who even showed up on Sundays. It didn't make sense.
Furrowing his brow, Eun-ak scanned the room and locked eyes with one of the students sitting near the back. He stepped forward, his voice cold and sharp.
"Where is Seung-won?"
The student flinched under his gaze. "I... I don't know. He didn't come today. No one has seen him."
Before Eun-ak could press further, something unexpected happened.
A window popped up in front of him.
[Side Quest - Defeat First Year Leaders]
Defeated — 7
Remaining — 1
Eun-ak's eyes widened. Seven out of eight leaders were already defeated? But how? He had only fought five. Two were left. Yet, somehow, someone had taken down the other two leaders without him knowing.
His heart pounded as questions flooded his mind.
Who defeated them?
When did this happen?
And why didn't I notice it?
Without wasting another second, Eun-ak sprinted through the school, checking classrooms and hallways. He asked students and teachers if they had seen Seung-won, but no one knew where he was.
It wasn't until he reached the roof that he found his answer.
The sky was dimming. The evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow over the rooftop. The cool wind brushed against Eun-ak's face as he stepped forward.
And then he saw them.
Lying on the cold concrete floor were two bodies.
Ha Seung-won, the leader of Class 1-A, and Park Hyun-woo, the king of the first year and leader of Class 1-H, lay motionless on the ground. Blood covered their clothes.
Eun-ak's breath caught in his throat. He rushed over to check on them. Both were unconscious, but alive.
As he looked around for clues, something caught his eye.
A figure stood near the edge of the roof. He wore a white outfit, and a thin trail of smoke rose from the pipe in his mouth. The way he stood — calm and relaxed — made Eun-ak's skin crawl.
Eun-ak narrowed his eyes. "Hey! Who are you?"
The figure didn't respond. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and casually turned to leave.
But Eun-ak wasn't about to let him go.
He charged forward, his fist clenched, ready to strike. His heart pounded with anger. Whoever this guy was, he was responsible for this.
As Eun-ak threw his punch, he expected to land a solid hit. But instead...
The man caught his fist.
Even in the dim light, Eun-ak could feel the overwhelming power in that grip. It wasn't just strength — it was something far beyond that.
The wind began to howl, and petals from nearby trees drifted through the air. The man slowly turned his head, but the shadows kept his face hidden.
Then, with a single burst of force, he swung his body and struck Eun-ak in the chest.
The impact was like an explosion.
Eun-ak flew backward, crashing hard against the rooftop floor. His vision blurred. His ears rang. The pain was unbearable.
As he lay there, struggling to breathe, he heard the man's voice.
"I thought you were smart enough not to attack me. But you're just like the others. Whatever... my work here is done. I'm leaving this child's school."
And with that, he walked away.
Eun-ak tried to get up, but his body wouldn't move. His vision darkened. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the figure disappearing down the stairs.
When Eun-ak opened his eyes again, he was in the school infirmary.
Ha-eun and Ji-ho sat beside him, worry etched across their faces.
"You're awake!" Ji-ho exclaimed. "What happened? We found you unconscious on the roof."
Eun-ak tried to remember, but his mind was foggy. He recalled a fight, a powerful blow, and... a white figure. But the details were blurry.
"I... I don't know," Eun-ak admitted. He glanced down at his body. He was fine — no major injuries. His bronze card [Low Heal] must have worked before he lost consciousness.
"Seung-won and Hyun-woo are okay," Ha-eun said softly. "They're resting. But... what happened to you up there?"
Eun-ak remained silent. He wasn't sure how to explain what he had seensee
After getting discharged from infirmary Eun-ak went to his apartment thinking about the incident all night.
The next day, the school buzzed with rumors.
Students whispered in the hallways.
"Did you hear? Eun-ak defeated all the first-year leaders!"
"They said he even took down Park Hyun-woo!"
"He's the new first-year king!"
Eun-ak heard the rumors but said nothing. Even though he didn't understand how it happened, the system had confirmed it. He had completed the side quest.
A new card appeared in his system — an unknown card. But more importantly...
His chance to fight Ha-jun had finally come.
As he stood before the first-year leaders, who now looked to him as their new king, a small smile crept across his face.
He had an announcement to make.
And it was going to change everything.