It was as if the system had pressed "Control + Z" on all the damage of the day.
"Amazing. That card… it was truly broken. But it also let me see something else. My body."
Too thin, the arms were skinny, almost no muscle. The chest flat. Shoulders slumped. Nothing about it screamed "threat."
"This body… wasn't ready for war."
"Tsk." I clicked my tongue, turning sideways in front of the mirror. "If I want to survive what's coming… this has to change."
"Technique, cards, intelligence… all that mattered. But I also need a foundation. Strength. Endurance. Presence. I couldn't look weak if I wanted to stop being weak."
I ran my fingers over my abdomen. Zero definition.
"Then let's start over, my training… begins tomorrow. And speaking of tomorrow…" I whispered as I lay on my side in bed, staring at the ceiling. "Tomorrow I'll meet Hajun Gu."
It was inevitable.
Choi Changdong's downfall wasn't going to go unnoticed. That guy was an important piece in the hierarchy of Gangbukseo High School. His defeat was like throwing a stone into a pond… the ripples spread fast.
And at the center of that pond was him: Hajun Gu.
"The unofficial leader of the Gangbuk West school. The king without a crown. If someone like him found out that Suhyeon Kim—the nerd they used to kick around for fun—had defeated his guard dog… he would come see it with his own eyes."
And if he had any doubts… he would use his fists.
"I can't be pathetic when that moment comes," I said, opening the system with a thought.
The card floated in front of me. Bright and promising, like silver.
[Silver Card]:
— — — [Attack Card] — — —
(Jab - boxing)
You can use the boxing Jab.
*Current skill rank: F [0/100]
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
Just having it didn't make you strong. You had to train it.
"If I try hard enough… maybe I'll even get new missions," I reflected. "The system feeds on progress. And progress… wasn't going to wait for me sitting down."
I stared at the ceiling for a long minute until an idea settled in my head.
"Going out at night… the system responded to challenges."
Trapped between four walls, there would be no challenges. No missions. No growth. Suhyeon knew this because he had already seen it. Choyun. The leader of the North. One of the few with a system.
In the original story, he had done exactly that: go out at night, roam dangerous streets, seek conflict… face thugs. Anyone who represented a challenge. And so, without rest, without pause… he had leveled up at an absurd rate.
In a short time, he went from a nobody to one of the pillars of Gangbuk. All thanks to the system.
"But there's a difference between him and me…" I murmured, closing my eyes for a moment.
"He doesn't have to hide. I do."
If Choyun found out that another system bearer had appeared in his territory, he wouldn't be happy. He'd eliminate him without asking.
"He'd kill me instantly. That's why I can't make noise. I can't draw attention. I have to level up, yes… but in the shadows," I told myself.
I sat up in bed.
"It's decided," I said, raising my gaze with conviction. "Tonight… my real training begins."
I smiled.
"Let's go hunting."
I got up decisively and went to the closet. I rummaged to the back until I found a black hoodie, something old that the previous Suhyeon probably used to go unnoticed in class.
Then, a pair of black cotton pants, loose but flexible. Comfortable to move in. Quick to run. I tied my sneakers tightly. I couldn't afford to slip tonight.
Finally, I pulled out a black mask from a drawer. Not the cheap fabric kind anyone would wear, but a thicker one with strong seams. One of those that covered the face well.
I turned off the lights and slipped out of my room like a silent thief. Dahyun was asleep. Mom hadn't come home from work yet. Perfect.
I slid the front door slowly, careful not to let it creak, and closed it behind me.
The night greeted me with a fresh breeze. The neighborhood streets were quiet, lit by orange streetlights casting more shadows than light. Some windows were still lit. Others were already dark.
I walked with my hands in my pockets, gaze low. I had no exact destination. Only one intention: "Find trouble before trouble finds me."
In a poorly lit corner, two guys approached head-on.
They wore cheap leather jackets, ripped jeans, and dirty sneakers. One with a backward cap, the other with pale blonde hair. Both smoked carelessly, blowing smoke into the air as if marking territory.
When they saw me, one let out a low chuckle.
"Look at that," said the one with the cap. "A ninja?"
"Nah… just another geek trying to act mysterious," laughed the blonde, tossing his cigarette to the ground. "Where you going, cosplay?"
I kept walking without responding, straight toward them.
"Hey, hey, hey…" The guy with the cap stepped forward, blocking my path with one hand. "You don't greet, you don't talk… you think you're better than us?"
"Or worse," added the blonde, approaching from the side. "I bet he's one of those nerds who act tough at night."
Both were half a meter from me. They smelled of cheap cigarettes.
— — — [System] — — —
A side mission is being created.
— — — — — — — — —
— — — [System] — — —
Defeat the thugs [0/2]
Reward: 1 Silver Card.
— — — — — — — — —
"Activate Jab card," I thought.
— — — [System] — — —
[Silver Card activated]
(Jab - boxing)
*Current rank: F [0/100]
— — — — — — — — —
The system seemed to integrate into my body. Instantly. It was as if an invisible trainer was moving the strings.
"What are you doing? Going to fight dressed like that?" said the blonde, laughing. "You gonna teach us kung fu, Jackie Chan?"
I didn't respond. I just stepped forward. And threw the first jab.
SMACK!
The punch landed straight on the cap guy's cheek, making him stagger with a grunt.
— — — [System] — — —
Effective hit: +8 EXP [Jab - F → 8/100]
— — — — — — — — —
My eyes widened slightly. My dopamine shot up at the rush of improvement.
The blonde let out a short yell and lunged at me clumsily. He threw a right punch.
I dodged and slid to the left, pivoting my hips, and from that position…
Another jab.
CRACK!
Straight to the nose. The blonde let out a scream and stepped back, holding his hands to his face.
— — — [System] — — —
Effective hit: +9 EXP [Jab - F → 17/100]
— — — — — — — — —
"Sons of—!" the cap guy tried to shout, already recovered. He lunged at me with both arms extended. However, it was the worst thing he could do.
I stepped back and unleashed a flurry of punches.
Three quick jabs to the face and chest.
PAF! PAF! PAF!
His legs gave out. He fell to his knees.
— — — [System] — — —
Effective hits: +12 EXP [Jab - F → 29/100]
— — — — — — — — —
The blonde tried to grab me from behind. I turned with my left arm to cover myself, but my right was already ready.
A direct jab to the chin.
THOCK!
And he fell like a sack of potatoes.
— — — [System] — — —
Effective critical hit: +15 EXP [Jab - F → 44/100]
— — — — — — — — —
Both were on the ground. Groaning and bleeding.
And I, standing… barely sweating.
My heart was pounding, thanks to the adrenaline of the moment.
— — — [System] — — —
Side mission completed.
Thugs defeated [2/2]
Reward obtained: 1 Silver Card
First night mission bonus: +10 additional EXP in Jab
[Jab - F → 54/100]
— — — — — — — — —
My smile, hidden under the mask, widened.
"This… worked."
I crouched and checked the guys' pockets. Not out of greed, but out of necessity. A wallet. A lighter. Some crumpled bills.
I stood up with a sigh.
The two thugs were still groaning on the floor, but neither had the strength to get up. One writhed holding his jaw. The other spat saliva mixed with dark red.
"Maybe I can sell this," I murmured, storing the useful items in the inner pocket of the hoodie.
A small flash lit up in the air, floating in front of me. It wasn't the full system screen, just a discreet notification. Small. Precise.
— — — [System] — — —
Silver Card obtained.
Do you want to check?
— — — — — — — — —
I thought: "Yes."
A new card floated in front of me, spinning slowly as if it knew it had my full attention.
[Silver Card]:
— — — [Attack Card] — — —
(Dodge)
Your body reacts slightly faster to melee attacks.
*Current rank: F [0/100]
— — — — — — — — — — —
I froze.
"Another attack card?" I murmured, half surprised, half satisfied.
"With this card active, my movements would be a bit more precise, more intuitive. The difference between dodging a blow… or ending up face-first on the ground."
"Perfect for someone like me…" I said quietly, looking at my own hands under the flickering light of a rusty streetlamp.
I glanced once more at the guys on the ground. They were too stunned to identify me or remember what had happened. And even if they did… who would believe them? No one in this neighborhood would side with two idiots looking for a fight.
I turned around.
And walked away slowly, letting my steps blend with the sounds of the night.
It was only the first fight; I could feel the system shaping me. Absorbing me, recognizing I was just getting started.