ARC 1 — AWAKENING
CHAPTER 1 — THE DAY EVERYTHING BROKE
Daniel Park learned early that pain could be routine.
The shove came from behind, just like always. His body slammed into the lockers, metal rattling loudly. Laughter followed immediately.
"Move faster, pig."
Daniel didn't turn around. He already knew who it was. Logan Lee never needed a reason.
Daniel bent down to pick up his fallen notebook. A foot pressed down on it.
"Did I say you could move?"
Daniel's fingers trembled. His chest felt tight. Around them, students watched quietly—some amused, some uncomfortable, none intervening.
This time, Logan didn't wait long. He grabbed Daniel by the collar and slammed him back again.
Something inside Daniel snapped.
Not anger.
Clarity.
He realized, very calmly, that if this continued, he would eventually stop getting back up.
That night, Daniel sat on his futon staring at the wall. His mother was working late again. The apartment felt smaller than ever.
"I can't survive like this," he whispered.
The air shifted.
A sharp, mechanical sound echoed in his head.
[ SYSTEM INITIALIZING ]
Blue text appeared in front of him.
[ USER: DANIEL PARK ]
[ STATUS: HIGH STRESS / LOW COMBAT CAPABILITY ]
[ SYSTEM TYPE: ACCELERATED LIFE & SURVIVAL SYSTEM ]
Daniel froze.
"What… is this?"
[ THIS SYSTEM PROVIDES PRACTICAL SKILLS ]
[ PURPOSE: SURVIVAL AND ADAPTATION ]
A panel opened.
SKILL CATEGORIES:
Physical Conditioning
Daily Life Skills
Combat Fundamentals
Cognitive Optimization
Daniel's breath caught on the third line.
"Combat…?"
[ COMBAT FUNDAMENTALS ARE DEFENSIVE ]
[ NO INSTANT MASTERY ]
[ EFFECTIVENESS DEPENDS ON EXECUTION ]
Another window appeared.
[ STARTER SKILL GRANTED ]
BASIC SELF-DEFENSE — LEVEL 1
• Proper stance
• Balance under pressure
• Instinctive guard positioning
No power surge. No strength boost.
But Daniel's body felt… aligned. Like someone had corrected something he didn't know was wrong.
[ DAILY MISSION ]
MISSION: SURVIVE SCHOOL DAY
OBJECTIVES:
• Maintain stance awareness (5 times)
• Do not freeze during confrontation
• Attempt one defensive movement if threatened
REWARD:
• 2× SKILL GROWTH (24 HOURS)
Daniel swallowed.
"This isn't a game, is it?"
[ FAILURE HAS CONSEQUENCES ]
The next day, Logan shoved him again.
But this time, Daniel didn't fall.
His feet shifted instinctively. Knees bent. Weight lowered.
Logan frowned. "What?"
Daniel's heart pounded, but his hands came up naturally. Not to fight—just to protect.
Logan pushed again.
Daniel stumbled—but stayed standing.
Silence.
Logan scoffed. "Lucky."
But Daniel knew.
That wasn't luck.
[ MISSION PROGRESS: 2 / 3 ]
That night, Daniel lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
For the first time, fear wasn't paralyzing.
It was fuel.
END OF ARC 1
ARC 2 — DUAL EXISTENCE
CHAPTER 2 — THE SECOND BODY
Daniel Park went to sleep exhausted.
He woke up… light.
His breathing was steady. His limbs felt responsive. When he sat up, there was no strain.
He rushed to the mirror.
A different person stared back.
Tall. Lean. Sharp eyes.
"…What?"
[ SYSTEM UPDATE DETECTED ]
[ SECOND BODY CONFIRMED ]
[ ORIGINAL BODY — SYSTEM BOUND ]
[ SECOND BODY — COMBAT COMPATIBLE ]
Daniel staggered backward.
"No. No, no, no—"
Memories flooded in. Two lives. Two locations.
[ NEW SYSTEM FEATURES UNLOCKED ]
• BOOSTERS AVAILABLE
• EMERGENCY MISSIONS ENABLED
• FRIEND FAVOURABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVE
A new panel appeared.
BOOSTERS:
• 2× / 5× / 10× Growth
• Duration: Daily / Weekly / Monthly
• Applicable to Training and Combat
Daniel's hands clenched.
"So… I can fight?"
[ YOU CAN LEARN FASTER ]
[ YOU CAN STILL LOSE ]
At school, people looked at him differently.
They smiled.
They noticed.
Daniel felt uneasy.
This body didn't earn anything.
But the system didn't care.
[ EMERGENCY MISSION READY ]
CONDITION: FRIEND IN DANGER
REWARD OPTIONS:
• NEW SKILL
• POTENTIAL INCREASE
• TEMPORARY COMBAT BOOST
Daniel swallowed.
Somewhere, far away, his original body was still weak.
Still vulnerable.
And danger was coming.
END OF ARC 2
ARC 3 — CONFRONTATION (START)
CHAPTER 3 — FIRST REAL FIGHT
The alley smelled like garbage and rain.
Logan's fist came fast.
Daniel blocked.
Not perfectly—but enough.
His arms shook from the impact. Pain flared instantly.
[ BOOSTER AVAILABLE — 5× COMBAT LEARNING (10 MINUTES) ]
Daniel activated it.
The world sharpened.
He saw the punch before it landed.
He moved.
Not stronger.
Smarter.
He slipped inside Logan's reach, shoved his shoulder, and broke distance.
Logan stumbled, shocked.
Daniel didn't chase.
He stepped back.
Guard up.
Breathing controlled.
This wasn't domination.
This was survival.
And for the first time in his life—
Daniel Park was still standing when the fight ended.
ARC 3 — CONFRONTATION
CHAPTER 4 — LEARNING PAIN THE RIGHT WAY
Daniel learned something important after his first real fight.
Winning didn't feel good.
His arms burned. His knuckles throbbed. Every breath scraped his throat. When the adrenaline faded, pain rushed in like it had been waiting its turn.
He sat alone on the bus ride home, staring at his trembling hands.
"I didn't win," he muttered.
"I just didn't lose."
The system responded immediately.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Combat Outcome: SURVIVAL
Damage Taken: MODERATE
Execution Quality: LOW–AVERAGE
Skill Progress:
Basic Self-Defense → Level 1 (34%)
Recommendation:
• Improve footwork
• Improve distance control
• Strengthen core stability
No praise.
Just facts.
That night, Daniel didn't collapse onto his bed like usual.
He stood.
Feet shoulder-width apart.
Hands raised.
Guard tight.
He remembered the moment Logan's fist almost broke through. The weight behind it. The difference between blocking and absorbing.
"Again," Daniel whispered.
He practiced slowly. No flashy moves. No imaginary knockouts.
Just stance.
Balance.
Breathing.
The system chimed once.
[DAILY TRAINING BONUS APPLIED — 2× LEARNING SPEED]
Daniel didn't notice the time passing.
Only the sweat.
Only the ache.
Only the strange realization that effort was finally turning into something real.
The next day at school, things escalated fast.
Daniel felt it the moment he stepped into the hallway.
Eyes followed him.
Whispers.
Not fear.
Curiosity.
"He didn't go down yesterday."
"Did you see how he blocked?"
"Was that luck?"
Logan noticed too.
Daniel caught the look from across the room. Narrowed eyes. Jaw tight.
Predators hated uncertainty.
Lunch break.
Behind the gym.
Three of them this time.
Logan cracked his neck. "You think you're tough now?"
Daniel's heartbeat stayed steady.
The system appeared, calm and quiet.
[EMERGENCY MISSION ACTIVE]
Condition:
Multiple Opponents Detected
Objective:
Escape without serious injury
Reward:
• 5× Combat Learning Booster (15 minutes)
• Minor Potential Increase
Penalty:
• Heavy Injury Risk
Daniel exhaled slowly.
"Escape," he repeated.
Logan lunged first.
Daniel moved immediately.
Not forward.
Sideways.
Footwork.
The first punch grazed his shoulder. Pain flared. He ignored it.
The second guy came from behind.
Daniel ducked, rolled his shoulder, and shoved backward with his elbow. Not hard enough to hurt. Just enough to disrupt balance.
Third one grabbed his sleeve.
Daniel twisted, dropped his weight, and pulled.
The boy stumbled forward into Logan.
Chaos.
Daniel didn't freeze.
He moved.
Always moved.
He used the wall to limit angles. Back never fully exposed. Guard up even while retreating.
A punch landed on his ribs.
Sharp pain.
He gritted his teeth and kept breathing.
[BOOSTER ACTIVE — COMBAT LEARNING 5×]
He started seeing it.
Patterns.
Wide swings. Poor coordination. Overconfidence.
Logan charged again.
Daniel stepped in at the last second and shoved his chest.
Logan wasn't expecting resistance.
He stumbled back.
That was enough.
Daniel ran.
Not blindly.
Clean path. Controlled breathing.
He didn't look back.
Behind him, the fight ended in shouting and frustration.
Daniel didn't stop running until his legs shook.
He leaned against a wall, gasping.
But he was smiling.
The system updated.
[MISSION COMPLETE]
Rewards Granted:
• Basic Self-Defense → Level 2
• Potential Increase (Minor)
New Unlock:
• Damage Mitigation (Passive, Low)
Daniel slid down the wall and sat.
"So this is how I grow," he said quietly.
Not by winning.
By surviving smarter each time.
That night, when he switched bodies, the difference was brutal.
The second body felt light. Powerful. Stable.
Daniel clenched his fists.
"This body could crush them," he thought.
But the system didn't react.
No skills.
No boosters.
Nothing.
A reminder.
Power without growth meant nothing.
Daniel looked at his reflection.
"I'll use you," he said calmly.
"But I won't rely on you."
Somewhere deep inside, something hardened.
ARC 3 — J HIGH (CANON ROUTE)
CHAPTER 5 — J HIGH'S RULE
J High had one unspoken rule.
Strength decided everything.
Daniel Park learned that before lunch.
The hallway was loud, chaotic, full of energy that felt completely different from his old school. Students didn't whisper here. They didn't hide behind corners.
They confronted things head-on.
Which meant when trouble happened, it happened openly.
"Move."
The voice was sharp.
Daniel froze mid-step.
A tall boy stood in front of him, eyes cold, posture relaxed but dangerous. His uniform jacket was loose, sleeves rolled up. Knuckles scarred.
Zack Lee.
Daniel recognized him immediately. Not because he knew his name yet, but because everyone else instinctively moved aside.
Daniel hesitated a fraction too long.
Zack's fist shot forward.
Fast. Clean. No warning.
Daniel barely reacted in time. His body shifted back on instinct, hands coming up defensively. The punch grazed his shoulder instead of smashing into his face.
The hallway went silent.
Zack blinked.
"…Huh."
Daniel's heart hammered. Pain throbbed in his shoulder, but he stayed upright.
"I said move," Zack repeated.
Daniel stepped aside immediately.
Zack walked past him, glancing back once with mild interest.
That was it.
No insults.
No follow-up.
But Daniel understood.
That punch wasn't bullying.
It was a test.
Later that day, Daniel sat alone on the rooftop during lunch.
He replayed the moment again and again.
The speed.
The precision.
The intent.
"That wasn't random," Daniel muttered.
The system flickered briefly.
[SYSTEM PASSIVE LOG]
Observed:
High-level striker
Minimal wasted movement
Suggestion:
Study distance control
No reward.
No mission.
Just observation.
Daniel didn't see the fight start.
He heard it.
A loud crash echoed from behind the gym. Shouting followed. Angry, excited voices.
When Daniel arrived, a crowd had already formed.
Zack Lee stood in the center again.
Opposite him was a massive student with a familiar face.
Logan Lee.
Daniel's stomach dropped.
"So even here," Daniel thought.
Logan cracked his neck, grinning. "You're the tough guy everyone's scared of?"
Zack rolled his shoulders. "You talk too much."
The fight exploded instantly.
Zack moved first.
A straight punch. Fast. Precise. It slammed into Logan's face.
Logan barely flinched.
He laughed.
Then swung.
The impact was brutal.
Zack skidded back, shoes scraping against concrete. Blood ran from his lip.
Daniel's breath caught.
This wasn't like his school.
These people weren't pretending.
Zack wiped his mouth and stepped forward again.
Daniel noticed it.
Zack didn't hesitate.
Even when outmatched, he advanced.
The system reacted.
[EMERGENCY CONDITION MET]
Ally Risk Level: HIGH
Daniel didn't activate anything.
He didn't move.
He watched.
Because this fight wasn't his yet.
Logan charged again.
Zack ducked low, slipped inside, and drove his fist into Logan's ribs. A clean body shot.
Logan grunted, surprised.
The crowd gasped.
Zack followed up. Another punch. Then another.
Logan staggered.
But then his arm wrapped around Zack's neck.
A choke.
Daniel's fists clenched.
Zack struggled, feet scraping the ground.
Daniel felt his body lean forward unconsciously.
Distance.
Balance.
Timing.
Zack twisted his hips, slammed his elbow backward, and broke free.
He stepped back.
Then—
A kick.
Logan crashed into the wall.
Silence.
Logan laughed breathlessly. "You're fun."
But he didn't move again.
The fight was over.
Zack stood there, chest heaving, blood on his face.
His eyes flicked toward the crowd.
They landed on Daniel.
Just for a second.
Zack nodded.
Not friendly.
Not hostile.
Acknowledging.
The system updated quietly.
[FAVOURABILITY UPDATE]
Zack Lee:
Neutral → Aware
Daniel exhaled slowly.
He understood now.
J High didn't run on fear.
It ran on strength and resolve.
And if Daniel Park wanted to survive here—
He would have to earn his place.
CHAPTER 6 — THE STRONG DON'T HESITATE
Daniel Park learned another rule of J High the hard way.
If you stood nearby long enough, trouble would find you.
It happened after school.
Daniel was halfway down the stairs when shouting echoed from the courtyard. Loud voices. Angry ones. A crowd formed instantly, students gathering like it was entertainment.
Daniel stopped.
At the center stood Zack Lee again.
Opposite him this time was a tall, broad-shouldered boy with short hair and a stiff posture. His fists were clenched, knuckles white. His eyes burned with something raw.
Vasco.
"Move," Vasco said, voice shaking. "I don't want to hit you."
Zack tilted his head. "Then don't."
That was enough.
Vasco roared and charged.
The ground seemed to shake under his feet.
Daniel's eyes widened.
Vasco didn't fight like Logan. No tricks. No intimidation. Just overwhelming force and sincerity. His punch was wide but heavy enough to break bones.
Zack blocked.
The impact echoed loudly.
Zack slid back several steps, shoes screeching against concrete. His arms shook from the force.
The crowd murmured.
Daniel's heart beat faster.
"So that's the difference," he thought. "Power versus technique."
Vasco swung again.
Zack ducked, pivoted, and countered with a sharp hook to the jaw.
Vasco staggered—but didn't fall.
Instead, he smiled.
"That hurt," Vasco said. "You're strong."
Then he punched again.
The fight turned brutal.
Zack moved faster, landing clean hits, targeting openings. Vasco absorbed them, pushing forward relentlessly. Each blow Zack took forced him back another step.
Daniel watched closely.
No wasted movement.
No fear.
Just intent.
The system flickered faintly.
[SYSTEM PASSIVE OBSERVATION]
Comparison Detected:
Technique vs Raw Power
Suggestion:
Neither guarantees victory alone
Zack leapt back, breathing hard.
Vasco wiped blood from his nose. "Why won't you go down?"
Zack smirked. "Because I don't stop."
They clashed again.
This time, Zack slipped inside Vasco's reach and hammered his ribs repeatedly. Fast. Precise. Relentless.
Vasco groaned, knees buckling.
Then—
He dropped.
The courtyard went silent.
Daniel held his breath.
Vasco lay on the ground, chest rising and falling heavily. After a few seconds, he laughed.
"I lost," Vasco said, staring at the sky. "You're amazing."
Zack stared down at him, surprised.
"…You're weird."
Vasco sat up slowly. "You're the kind of guy Burn Knuckles would respect."
That name spread through the crowd like electricity.
Daniel didn't know why—but it felt important.
Later, Daniel found himself walking behind Zack without realizing it.
Zack stopped suddenly.
Daniel nearly collided with him.
"…You," Zack said, turning around. "You watched my fight with Logan too."
Daniel stiffened. "I—I didn't mean to—"
"Relax," Zack said. "You're not scared."
Daniel blinked.
"I was," he admitted. "But I didn't run."
Zack studied him for a moment.
"You fight?" Zack asked.
"…A little," Daniel said honestly.
Zack nodded once. "Good."
He walked away.
The system updated quietly.
[FAVOURABILITY UPDATE]
Zack Lee:
Aware → Interested
Daniel exhaled.
That night, Daniel trained.
No missions popped up. No rewards promised.
He practiced stance. Footwork. Guard recovery.
Sweat soaked his shirt. His muscles screamed.
But something was different now.
He wasn't training to avoid pain.
He was training to face it.
The system logged silently.
[CONSISTENT EFFORT DETECTED]
Minor Growth Applied:
Reaction Time ↑
Balance Stability ↑
Daniel collapsed onto his bed, breathing hard.
J High was dangerous.
But it wasn't cruel.
It was honest.
And Daniel Park was finally learning how to be honest with himself.