Chapter 1: Rebirth of the Weak
Scene 1: The Last Day
It was raining. Not the gentle kind. The violent, unrelenting type that made everything feel heavier. Kang Joon-seo stood on the rooftop of a hospital, blood dripping from his knuckles and lips. His uniform was torn, soaked in rain and humiliation. His eyes, once warm and naive, were glassy.
He had nothing left. The last fight wasn't even a fight. Just a one-sided beatdown by people who used to be his classmates.
"Born into wealth, but couldn't even protect your own pride," he muttered to himself, laughing dryly. "What a joke."
He stepped forward.
The wind screamed.
He closed his eyes.
Ding.
A mechanical chime echoed inside his head.
> [SYSTEM BOOT COMPLETE.] [Your pathetic life shall be rewritten. Do you accept?]
His eyes snapped open.
> [Yes / No]
His lips trembled. A broken whisper slipped out.
"Yes."
---
Chapter 2: Six Months Before
Joon-seo jolted awake in his bed. The room was too familiar. Clean, cold, clinical. His mansion room. He sat up, staring at his hands.
No scars. No bruises. His body was thin, soft. Weak.
> [SYSTEM SYNCING: ARCHIVE REWRITE MODE ENABLED] [Time until Baekho Academy 3rd Year Begins: 183 Days]
His heart pounded.
> [Quest Issued: Last Place to First - Phase I] Goal: Reach Top 30 in Baekho Academy within 45 Days Reward: +1 Endurance, Capoeira (Intro Movements), +3% Reaction Speed
He stood, fists clenched. The fear was still there. But now, something darker sat behind his eyes.
"I won't let it happen again."
His training began that very day. The system provided detailed regimens, holographic combat instructors, and skill breakdowns.
> [Skill Unlocked: Boxing – Basic Jab] [Progress: 32.5% Form Correctness] Feedback: "Elbow angle off. Recalculate motion."
His body ached. Every night ended with him collapsed on the floor, shaking, drenched in sweat. But every morning, he got up faster.
---
Chapter 3: Return to Baekho Academy
Baekho Elite Academy – Incheon's most brutal proving ground.
It looked prestigious on the outside: suits, order, money. But beneath it all was a raw, vicious hierarchy built through violence.
Every student fought to rise. The strongest were called "Number Ones." Baekho's Number One: Oh Tae-suk. Unbeaten. Ruthless. Respected and feared.
Joon-seo arrived quietly. Gone was the soft, naive boy. His posture was different. His eyes didn't wander.
Nobody recognized him at first.
> [Quest Issued: Take Down a Ranked Opponent (Top 50)] Reward: +2 Strength, Skill Upgrade: Jab Lv.2
Target: Lee Hyung-jin (Rank 47)
Taekwondo background. Loud. Overconfident.
Lunch break. Joon-seo walked straight up to him.
"You. Roof. Now."
Laughter followed. Until it didn't.
Ten seconds on the rooftop was all it took. Hyung-jin was laid out cold. Nose broken. Arms trembling.
> [Quest Complete] [+2 Strength. Jab upgraded to Lv.2.]
Whispers started to spread.
"Who the hell was that?"
---
Chapter 4: Eyes in the Shadows
A tall figure watched from the rooftop across the street. Dressed in black. Face shadowed.
He pulled out a phone.
> [SUBJECT: Kang Joon-seo. Defeated Rank 47. Aggressive, systemized movements. Possibly trained.]
The message was sent to a locked private channel:
> DIVINITY - INCHEON WATCHLIST
He pocketed the phone and whispered,
"He's early."
The Divinities had taken notice.
But Joon-seo didn't know that yet. He was too focused on his next target.
---
Chapter 5: Calculated Climb
Scene 1: The Strategist's Move
Three days passed. The school atmosphere hadn't shifted much, but those who paid attention noticed: Lee Hyung-jin hadn't returned.
Joon-seo sat in the back of the library, reviewing footage — not of lectures, but of ranked fights.
> [Observation Mode: Activated] [Target: Rank 30 – Kim Do-wan] Style: Jiu-Jitsu + Street Wrestling. Short reach, heavy control, prefers counters.]
"Perfect," Joon-seo muttered. "A pure grappler."
He requested a match through the student proxy system — an underground code passed among ranked fighters. If accepted, both meet at the location. No audience. Just two fighters, and a decision.
The response came an hour later.
> [Accepted. Location: West Gym. Time: 7 PM]
---
Scene 2: Grip and Grind
The West Gym was closed to the public. Joon-seo arrived early, shadowboxing in silence. When Kim Do-wan entered, he cracked his neck and smirked.
"Don't even know your name, freshman."
"You'll remember it afterward."
The fight started fast. Do-wan shot for a takedown — Joon-seo sprawled, twisted, and drove a knee into his ribs. The system flared:
> [Skill Usage: Sprawl Counter – Wrestling] [Effectiveness: 91%]
Do-wan grunted and rolled, trying to force a clinch. Joon-seo shifted his stance and launched a compact combo: Jab – Cross – Low Kick – Pivot
> [Combo Registered] [Skill: Basic Kickboxing Form – 67% Efficiency]
Do-wan managed to grab his arm and attempted a hip toss. Joon-seo didn't resist — he flowed with it, reversed position mid-air, and dropped an elbow across Do-wan's temple.
One minute. That's all it took.
Do-wan lay coughing blood. Face red. Not unconscious — but too dizzy to stand.
> [Quest Complete: Climb into Top 30] [+2 Agility, New Skill Unlocked: Taekkyeon Step Lv.1]
Joon-seo stood in the silence, staring down. "Next."
And from the shadows of the gym, another pair of eyes had been watching.
---
Chapter 6: Provocation
Scene 1: Jealous Dogs
The following morning, a message was scrawled across Joon-seo's locker in red ink:
> "Rank 30? Try surviving lunch. – From someone who hates you."
He didn't flinch. He didn't even read it twice.
But by lunch, five ranked students surrounded him in the outdoor courtyard. All of them between Rank 35–40. Some friends of Do-wan. Some just opportunists.
"We don't like jumpers," said one, cracking his knuckles. "You skip the line, we bury you."
Joon-seo set down his chopsticks.
"Then try."
The first came in with a side kick. Joon-seo sidestepped and swept the standing leg. The second lunged with a punch — countered with a sharp elbow to the nose.
Within twenty seconds, the courtyard was silent. Four were down. One tried to run.
> [Optional Quest: Handle Multiple Ranked Attackers] [Status: COMPLETE] [+1 Awareness, Passive Perk Unlocked: Predator's Intuition Lv.1]
He walked past the last one crawling away. "Tell your friends… that I'm not waiting in line."
---
Chapter 7: Quiet Invitation
Scene 1: The Night Gym
Late evening. The main campus had emptied.
Joon-seo stood alone in the off-campus training hall, wrapped hands shifting through drills. His breathing was measured. His sweat hit the mat in rhythm.
> [Skill Refinement: Capoeira – 54% Efficiency] [Status: Improving Balance and Leg Timing]
The entrance creaked. A figure stepped in. Quiet shoes. No aura of hostility. No tension. Just stillness.
Joon-seo paused mid-motion, turning slowly.
The figure—black slacks, windbreaker, no emblem. Average height. No recognizable face. They simply raised their hands into a stance.
No words.
Joon-seo dropped into his stance too.
They sparred. Light exchanges at first. Slow movements. Reading each other.
Joon-seo landed a palm parry. The figure returned it with a low-angle jab to his ribs.
Nothing flashy. Just clean pressure.
Five minutes passed. Then the figure stepped back and spoke for the first time.
"Divinity doesn't call out to just anyone."
A pause.
"Keep climbing."
And then he left. No name. No threat.
Joon-seo stood alone again. But the weight of that moment lingered like a second heartbeat in the room.
> [Hidden Quest: "Eyes of Divinity" – Activated] [Objective: Reach Rank 10 or Higher] [Reward: Unknown]