Yoo Jinhyuk stood in the middle of a cold rooftop, the city stretched wide beneath him.
The dungeon had closed hours ago. The rift was gone. The reward was real.
But something inside him still hadn't settled.
His new class, Path of the Untouchable, pulsed faintly in the corner of his vision, like a fresh scar he couldn't stop staring at. A mark that said, finally, you are something. Not a mistake. Not a stat dump. A real player now.
Still, it didn't feel like victory.
His legs ached—not from exhaustion, but from holding too much power. His movements were shaky. His heart beat just a little too fast.
Overclocking speed past 9999 had unlocked a floodgate. His body didn't know how to slow down anymore.
He sat down, cross-legged on the rooftop, and breathed in deep.
"Reset pace," he whispered. "Reset focus."
It was a trick he used to calm himself after long runs—steady breaths, simple thoughts, slow blinking. He had to remember: he was still human, not just a blur.
A notification blinked.
[System Notice]Warning: Extended Overclock Mode causes Neuromuscular Desync.Symptoms may include: tremors, light distortion, slowed perception of others, and muscle fatigue.Recommended: Rest Mode – Minimum 12 hours.
Jinhyuk groaned. "Twelve hours? That's like... forever."
But he didn't argue.
He stood up slowly, his body heavier now that the adrenaline had faded. He needed food. Real sleep. Something to remind him that he still existed in a world that moved at normal speed.
Later That Morning
The city's eastern district wasn't pretty.
It was all broken pavement, faded signs, and food stalls that looked like they were built from scrap. The dungeon crowd didn't come here. Too far from the towers. Too close to danger.
Which was exactly why Jinhyuk liked it.
He sat at a quiet noodle shop, scarfing down a bowl of spicy ramyeon and grilled eggs. The owner—a short woman in her fifties—didn't ask questions. She just served food and let people be.
"Rough night?" she asked casually, wiping a table.
"Something like that," Jinhyuk said with his mouth full.
He didn't tell her about the dungeon. Or the class. Or the boss that could see through time. What would be the point?
To her, he was just another solo hunter, dirty hoodie and all.
He finished his food, bowed politely, and dropped enough credits to cover three meals. Then he walked.
The streets were busy now. Kids with basic awakening gear ran around trying to level. Vendors shouted about low-tier potions. Old men played digital chess on benches.
Jinhyuk walked past them like a ghost, his speed instinct dialed all the way down, every step deliberate.
He felt... out of sync.
No one noticed him. No one could tell he was the fastest man alive. And strangely, that made him feel better. Like he could still be normal. Just a guy on a sidewalk.
But peace never lasted long.
A notification pinged again.
[Emergency System Alert]Rogue Rift Detected: Sector 5 – Old Train YardsType: Wild Rift (Unstable)Estimated Collapse Time: 30 minutesCivilian Proximity: HighWarning: No official hunter response logged.
His heart skipped.
Not because of danger. Because of choice.
The system wasn't ordering him. It was just showing him. He didn't have to go. He could turn away. Eat something sweet. Take that 12-hour nap.
But his legs were already moving.
Old Train Yards – 26 Minutes Until Collapse
The rift wasn't elegant like the last one.
It tore through the sky like a bleeding wound, crooked and unstable. Red mist poured out of it, filling the yard with a low hum like static. Broken train cars sat like rusted bones in the mist.
And in the middle of the chaos, a group of people—civilians—trapped inside a derailed metro car. The door was jammed. Something growled on the roof.
Jinhyuk landed softly on the edge of a shipping crate.
He squinted. The creature was like a twisted dog, made of wires and bone. A Riftspawn. Not smart, but deadly. And fast.
Not as fast as him, though.
He crouched, counted down from three, then vanished.
His feet slammed into the top of the train car with a crack of air. The Riftspawn didn't even react before it was hit—once, twice, a blur of strikes so fast the sound arrived late.
It collapsed, twitching.
He yanked the door open. Inside were four civilians—two office workers, a delivery kid, and a woman cradling a toddler.
Their eyes widened in shock.
"Wh-who—?"
"Move," he said. "Now."
They followed without arguing.
He didn't wait to be thanked. He escorted them to the edge of the yard, where the mist was thinner. His mind buzzed the whole time, tracking rift activity, watching for signs of a second breach.
He felt it before he saw it.
A second Riftspawn—bigger, uglier, hungrier—erupted from a pile of steel near the train tracks.
And Jinhyuk hesitated.
Only for half a second.
It was enough.
The creature jumped faster than expected. He dodged late. Its claws grazed his shoulder, tearing through cloth and skin.
Blood spilled.
His vision narrowed.
[Warning: Light Injury Sustained – Muscle Damage: 14%][Overclock Mode Currently Disabled]
He clenched his teeth.
Too slow.
Too cocky.
He had thought he could hold back. Fight at half-speed. Pretend to be normal, to stay in control.
But speed isn't always safe. Sometimes it demands a price.
He stood, steadying himself.
"Okay," he muttered. "Lesson learned."
He activated everything.
Dash. Flick Step. Phantom Trace. Time Fracture.
The air cracked as he surged forward.
To the bystanders, the next ten seconds looked like a lightning strike. The monster blinked once, then fell in pieces. Jinhyuk stood behind it, blood on his hand, eyes cold.
The rift shimmered. Then vanished.
[Wild Rift Closed.][Emergency Objective Complete.][No reward will be given.][Reason: Not an official raid.]
He stared at the message.
No reward.
No experience.
No item drops.
Only an aching arm and a shirt torn open.
"Of course," he muttered. "Why would saving people ever be worth anything?"
He turned away. The people he'd saved were still standing at the edge, unsure whether to cheer or speak. One of them, the woman with the toddler, tried to call out.
He didn't stop to hear what she said.
He was already gone.
That Night
Jinhyuk sat on the roof of an old parking structure, staring at the stars.
Not because he liked them. But because they didn't move. They stayed still. Predictable. Quiet.
His body was still aching. His system was pushing him to rest. But his mind was awake.
And for the first time, he asked himself something that scared him.
If speed is everything... why does it make me feel more alone the faster I get?
He didn't have the answer.
He closed his eyes and listened to the wind.
For now, that was enough.