Si-woo dashed toward the stage, heart pounding, vision locked on his goal. He shoved aside his classmates without even glancing back.
Do-Yun—Jeunk's lackey, who was gleefully enjoying the public downfall of his ex-"friend"—grabbed Si-woo by the hair and threw him backward.
— You got a death wish or what?! Think you can push me around just because your buddy's the new hotshot?!
He sneered and glanced toward Il-seong standing calmly on the stage.
— Your pal's gonna need some new friends soon.
Si-woo barely registered his words. His focus was entirely elsewhere. He got up immediately… and then, for the first time, noticed how small Do-Yun really was. He stood a full head and a half taller. He had never realized—probably because he'd spent most of his life being pushed down or forced to kneel.
The realization sparked fury.
— Out of my way, shrimp, he growled.
Do-Yun froze.
No one had ever spoken to him like that.
Especially not Si-woo.
The pressure in Si-woo's voice crushed him like a weight from above. The anger in his eyes. The raw presence. Do-Yun dropped to his knees in shock as Si-woo stepped over him with a scoff.
He reached the front line of the stage.
Raising a hand, Si-woo summoned an invisible barrier around Il-seong, who was still bickering with Jeunk. A sudden gust rustled his shirt collar—
—then the wall behind him exploded.
Screams erupted from the crowd.
Laughter turned into shocked gasps. A few students burst out laughing even harder, unable to process what they were witnessing. The principal had turned a ghostly shade of white.
Si-woo's eyes narrowed.
The lightning had struck just beside Il-seong.
He hadn't been in real danger.
— …Doctor Kim, Si-woo growled under his breath.
But when he turned to look, the man had already vanished into the crowd.
A blinking notification appeared in his vision.
— Someone better explain this! the education ministry's representative barked.
Enraged, he stormed the stage, ignoring the principal's pleas to stay seated. He grabbed Jeunk by the arm.
— This is your school's pride? A sick joke? I'd heard rumors your institution had issues, but this? This is worse than expected
— Don't worry, sir, Jeunk said, beaming. You won't remember any of this in a few moments.
— I doubt that, young man.
Jeunk's plan was simple—crafted entirely by Si-woo: make a complete fool of himself during the most humiliating moment of his life… then use his reward skill to erase everyone's memory of the last two minutes.
All eyes were on him.
He fumbled to fix his pants and shirt, but the representative held him in place, visibly furious.
— Explain yourself. Is this some kind of hazing? Performance art?
Jeunk's expression changed.
— Exactly! He forced me to do it!
He pointed at Il-seong and broke into fake sobs.
— He wanted to play the hero and made me play the pig…
— I've told you, Jeunk's father cut in, stepping forward. My son is a victim. This… this thug has been bullying him for weeks. He's gone too far.
Si-woo's heart dropped.
Just as he rushed forward to help his friend, Il-seong stepped in calmly.
— Sir, I trust you'll be more reasonable than the principal. How could I, someone like me, bully someone like him?
He gestured toward Jeunk—massive, sweaty, and half-dressed.
— He wanted to humiliate you. I just tried to stop him.
A strange aura radiated from Il-seong.
Si-woo saw a faint yellow fog rise from him to the people nearby… their expressions shifted.
Then, the crowd erupted.
— He's right!
— This is insane!
— Justice for Il-seong!
The representative blinked, confused. Then turned to the principal.
— You're delusional. Admit it—your son staged this. This brave young man tried to stop him.
Amid the chaos, Jeunk struggled to free himself. Si-woo had predicted this—Jeunk wouldn't be able to use the memory-wipe in time. And even if he managed, Si-woo would make sure he used it while still half-naked.
A second dose of humiliation.
— Let go of me, you old freak!
— Jeunk! the principal gasped, helpless.
Jeunk pulled so hard he and the official tumbled off the stage into the crowd. It looked like a rock concert, except no one caught them.
The front-row students were flattened.
Si-woo groaned—he was one of them. Trapped beneath Jeunk and the groaning official.
Suddenly, a spark of inspiration.
He reached for Jeunk's ankle.
Jackpot.
Jeunk was screwed.
He shoved the official away and frantically opened his inventory.
— Where is it?! Where the hell is it?!
Sweat poured down his face. Panic distorted his features.
He was finally realizing how deep he'd dug his own grave.
— My son… his father began softly.
A little too softly.
— You'll all forget this in a second! Jeunk shouted, desperate.
He scanned his rewards, cards, money, items… the one thing that could save him had vanished.
He turned toward Il-seong, hate burning in his eyes.
— You stole it, didn't you?! Admit it, bastard!
As he lunged, his own father and the gym teacher tackled him to the floor.
— Calm down, son. Let's talk about this in my office.
— Call an ambulance, the rep snapped. This kid has serious issues. Mental issues.
The teachers sent the rest of the students home. They left in groups, arguing about what had just happened.
Some were convinced:
— Il-seong hit him so hard, he lost his mind!
That became the dominant rumor.
No one remembered the strange weapon Il-seong had summoned out of nowhere. It was too much weirdness for one day—they could only process one mystery at a time.
In the middle of the wreckage, Si-woo joined Il-seong.
— Dude. You have to tell me what just happened.
Il-seong smirked.
— Not sure I could explain even if I wanted to. Jeunk's just an idiot.
Si-woo nodded, then remembered Doctor Kim.
— I need to hit the infirmary.
— You hurt?
— Jeunk landed on me, remember?
He didn't give Il-seong time to reply.
He bolted out of the gym, took the stairs four at a time, and burst into the infirmary—
Empty.
As he scanned the room, a new notification popped up in the corner of his vision: