"That was quite a punch," Jihoon sneered, wiping the blood from his lip.
"You actually hit back — gotta give you credit."
He grinned, ugly and slow. "How about I beat you until you're half-dead?"
Jihoon's face tightened with anger — who could blame him? Getting clocked by a nobody was an insult he wouldn't let stand.
Around them, the gang laughed, the street filling with cruel, rattling jeers.
Jaehyun, still buzzing on raw adrenaline, darted his eyes around for anything he could use as a weapon. A brick, a pipe, even a loose bottle.
Nothing. This street was spotless, the kind of place the city cleaned twice a day. Not even a stray pebble to save him.
He barely had time to think before Jihoon lunged.
THUD!
Jihoon's shin smashed into Jaehyun's calf with a clean, brutal kick.
"Ghk—!"
His leg collapsed like it wasn't even his, and Jaehyun crashed onto the pavement, pain shooting up his spine in a white-hot flash.
Jihoon dropped onto him like a hammer.
BAM. BAM. BAM.
His fists crashed into Jaehyun's face in a wild, furious barrage.
Jaehyun threw his arms up, trying to guard, trying to survive, but every blow still slipped through, rattling his skull. His one lucky punch earlier might as well have been a dream. Now all he could do was endure and hope the universe had mercy.
And then, by some freak miracle, a voice cut through the chaos.
"Hey!!"
Ara.
Jaehyun's sister, backpack slung over one shoulder, sprinting toward them with fiery determination.
The goons froze the moment they recognized her. They didn't need a second warning. They bolted like cockroaches scattering from light.
All except Jihoon.
He was still mounted on Jaehyun, still swinging, too wrapped up in rage to notice the whole world shifting around him.
Ara didn't even hesitate. She sprinted in, planted her foot, and swung a kick right into Jihoon's head.
THWACK!!
Jihoon's body twisted and Jaehyun went flying with him, the impact tossing them both apart like rag dolls.
Jaehyun rolled across the concrete, pain surging through every limb.
And Ara… that strength wasn't normal.
Not for a high school girl.
Jihoon staggered up, dizzy, holding the side of his face. The moment his eyes met Ara's furious glare, he froze. Then a small gasp slipped out.
"A-Ara…?"
She took one step toward him.
Jihoon ran.
Full sprint.
Like a man who suddenly remembered he forgot to feed a dangerous dog and now the dog is loose.
Silence finally settled.
Jaehyun lay on his back, staring up at the sky, chest rising sharply with every breath. Ara rushed to him immediately, panic written all over her face.
"What happened?! Why were they hitting you?! Did you say something?! Did you do something?! Why didn't you call me?!"
She rapid-fired questions like a machine gun, acting as if she didn't recognize half the story she absolutely knew.
Jaehyun slowly pushed himself upright, his body screaming in protest. He looked at her, eyes dull, but smiling just enough to make her worry more.
"It's fine, Ara. I'm fine."
She swallowed, her expression twisting with guilt.
"Let's go home… please. You need to get treated."
Jaehyun stood, wincing at the bruises that throbbed beneath his clothes.
But despite the pain, something nudged at the corner of his vision.
A faint shimmer.
A window floated behind Ara.
[Quest #2: Cleared]
[Reward: Red Scroll]
His suffering came with a reward…
and something about that made his heart beat just a bit faster.
"No, it's fine. I'll go to school," Jaehyun said, brushing dust off his black uniform.
He walked alongside his sister, each step careful, still feeling the ache from the punches but refusing to show it. The morning air was crisp, and the city around them buzzed with the usual chatter of students heading to class.
Jaehyun's thoughts, however, weren't on school—they lingered on the fight, the surge of adrenaline, and the strange sense of accomplishment that came with surviving it. Even bruised and battered, he felt… different. Stronger, in some unexplainable way.
Jaehyun exhaled and adjusted his uniform one last time. "Let's just get through today," he muttered, walking forward with Ara by his side.
**
The day went on as usual—lessons, lunch, and the usual monotony of high school life.
During lunch, Jaehyun slipped away to the bathroom, clutching the red scroll in his hand. He closed the door, sat on the cold chamber bench, and exhaled, ready to see what this mysterious reward would do.
The scroll hovered before him, crimson mist curling around its edges. Without thinking, he tore it apart.
At first… nothing. No light, no surge of power. He frowned, a twinge of disappointment threatening to creep in.
Then—
[Ding!]
A sharp, digital chime echoed in his mind, vibrating like it existed both in his ears and inside his skull.
[Full System Unlocked]
A translucent screen materialized before him, dark purple and lines of text streamed downward, glowing softly.
[Name: Kim Jaehyun]
[Age: 17]
[Title: Otaku Weakling]
[Physical Stats]
Strength: 6
Agility: 6
Stamina: 7
Intelligence: 10
Vitality: 10
[Energy Points] 500
[Skills]
Stellar Punch: 400 EP – A concentrated strike imbued with destructive force. Even grazing an opponent can knock them unconscious.
Falcon Drop: 300 EP – A gravity-powered kick capable of shattering the ground beneath impact.
So this is the full thing? Jaehyun asked himself.
If this was like this then he can track his own growth and possibly grow stronger like his favourite webtoon characters.