[Gold Card]:
— — — [Attack Card] — — —
(Additional Strength)
Your weight will increase by 100 kg for 5 seconds.
*Can only be used once per day.
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
That card… was a brutal wildcard. If I used it well, I could turn my body into an unstoppable mass. Perfect for breaking defenses, crushing opponents, or withstanding a charge.
Next were the silver cards.
[Silver Cards]:
— — — [Attack Card] — — —
(Dodge)
Your body reacts slightly faster to hand-to-hand attacks.
*Current Rank: E [67/100]
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
And another one.
— — — [Regular Card] — — —
(Tactical Vision)
Your perception of the environment improves for 15 seconds.
You can detect attack trajectories and basic weak points.
*Current Rank: E [10/100]
— — — — — — — — — — — —
With these two combined, I could move quickly, anticipate, and read whoever was in front of me. It wasn't super strength, but it was combat intelligence. Something that could make a difference against impulsive… or overconfident types.
And finally, the pile of useful junk.
[Bronze Cards]:
— — — [Enhancement Card] — — —
(Temporary Muscle Boost)
+5% strength for 10 seconds.
*Reduces intelligence by -2 while active.
---
[Enhancement Card]
(Nervous Speed)
+3% reaction speed, but -10% accuracy.
---
[Weird Card]
(Random Resistance)
+1 resistance… in a random part of the body.
---
[Useless Card]
(Illusory Valor)
Ignore fear for 5 seconds. Then panic for 10.
---
[Distraction Card]
(Cold Sweat)
Your body sweats excessively, confusing your opponent.
*Only works once. And it's disgusting.
---
[Item Card]
(Combat Gum)
A gum that tastes like trash, but quenches thirst. That's all…
— — — — — — — — — — — —
I couldn't help but smile ironically.
"Yes… six bronze cards. Some somewhat useful. Most a joke," I whispered.
I… was already doing the math.
Hajun Gu didn't flinch. He just looked at me closer, as if trying to figure out whether it was bravery or sheer stupidity.
Then he smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile. It was a slight curve, barely noticeable, that only appears when someone finds something interesting… or someone worth crushing.
"I see you're confident," he said, in an almost amused tone. "Show me what you've got."
Hajun got into guard with a slight smile. He raised his chin a little.
"Come on. Attack."
I thought without wasting a second:
"Use: Jab."
— — — [System] — — —
(Jab - Boxing)
*Current Rank: D [6/100]
— — — — — — — — —
My body moved on its own, my arm tensed, and my fist shot out like a spring.
SMACK!
The punch passed so close it grazed Hajun's chin, which he dodged by mere centimeters. His smile vanished for a moment.
"That was… faster than I expected."
His eyes glimmered with more than curiosity.
"Interesting."
Now, he was looking at me like a real opponent.
At that moment, a new notification floated before my eyes, bright and precise.
— — — [System] — — —
Win a fight against Hajun Gu, leader of Gangbukseo School. [0/1]
Time remaining: 3 days.
Reward: 1 Platinum Card.
— — — — — — — — —
I let out a small laugh inside, barely curling my lips.
"Three days? No need… I'll defeat him right now."
I looked at Hajun again, still on guard, analyzing me as if I were a rare specimen.
"Before we start… I want to propose something."
Hajun raised an eyebrow, curious.
"If I win this fight, you join my team."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And you can decide what to do with me. Anything."
I stood firm, with a confident smile.
"Deal?"
Hajun watched me in silence. His expression was impenetrable, his eyes like knives.
"I thought I'd make you my friend," he muttered half-heartedly, as if speaking out of courtesy. "But now I see you want to rule Gangbuk West."
A crooked smile appeared on his face. It wasn't warm. It was condescending.
"Fine."
He rolled his shoulders and raised his fists, adopting a clean guard.
"If you lose, you're mine."
His words were simple. Brief. But filled with overwhelming confidence.
"Hit me."
I didn't wait any longer.
— — — [System] — — —
(Jab - Boxing)
Rank: D [6/100]
— — — — — — — — —
SMACK!
It grazed his cheek.
Hajun tilted his head at the last second. He had dodged it, but barely. His expression changed. No longer arrogance.
"Use Card: Dodge."
— — — [System] — — —
(Dodge)
Rank: E [67/100]
— — — — — — — — —
He responded with a fast, clean right. Pure boxing. But my body slid to the side almost instinctively.
"Use Card: Tactical Vision."
— — — [System] — — —
(Tactical Vision)
Rank: E [10/100]
— — — — — — — — —
His movements became clearer. The way he rotated his hips, the tension in his shoulders, the rhythm of his breathing.
I read it all as if I had studied him.
But at that moment, Hajun twisted his wrist and launched a straight punch at my chest. It wasn't a careless hit… it was perfect.
THUMP!
I stepped back two paces, air escaping my lungs as if I had been drained.
"Is that all?" he muttered.
I lunged again.
Jab. Dodge. Side step.
But Hajun was already in my rhythm. His right hand came with the force of a train. My tactical vision barely warned me in time.
"Use Dodge!"
The next punch was an uppercut.
CRACK!
I blocked it with barely my forearm. The impact burned my shoulder. I stepped back, gasping.
His boxing was clinical. He studied me as I attacked. Each dodge I made made him deadlier.
"Is that what you were going to show me?" he muttered disdainfully, advancing toward me with fists up.
"Then this school is more rotten than I thought."
I responded silently. I took a short leap back to gain space and activate the only card that could balance this, even if just for a moment.
"Use Card: Additional Strength."
— — — [System] — — —
(Additional Strength)
Your weight increases by 100 kg for 5 seconds.
[Time Remaining: 5… 4…]
— — — — — — — — —
The floor creaked under my feet. I ran toward him. Hajun raised an eyebrow, barely surprised by the change in pressure in my steps. I didn't give him time to think. I threw a right punch.
BOOM!
Hajun blocked it, but this time he stepped back. His arm trembled. His frown appeared for the first time.
I lunged forward, faster than my body would normally allow, thanks to the card's boost. I stretched both arms and grabbed him firmly by the collar.
"What—?"
He didn't finish the sentence.
I pulled with all the strength of those extra 100 kg in my body.
CRACK!
A direct headbutt.
My eyebrows collided with his forehead like a hammer on concrete. A dry hit echoed in the hallway. The sound wasn't just the impact… it was surprise.
Hajun staggered back two steps. The perfect balance of his guard was broken for the first time. He brought a hand to his forehead, eyes wide from the impact, and a trickle of blood ran from his left eyebrow.
His body leaned to one side and fell.
THUD!
His face hit the floor, bleeding, with a frown mixing surprise… and acceptance.
He was breathing heavily. The gold card had deactivated a few seconds ago, but the memory of the extra weight still vibrated in my muscles.
I looked at him without moving, waiting for a sign he would get up.
But he didn't.
With a low, barely audible growl, Hajun Gu lifted his head. His lips curved into an oddly calm smile.
"You've won, Suhyeon…"
The words floated in the air like a declaration. I stepped toward him, controlling my breathing and with fists still clenched, but said nothing.
— — — [System] — — —
You have completed the main mission!
— — — — — — — — —
— — — [System] — — —
You have obtained the Platinum Card.
— — — — — — — — —
Hajun closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling sharply.
"Damn…"
— — — [System] — — —
Do you wish to confirm?
— — — — — — — — —
"Give me the reward."