I slowly stepped back, releasing the tension in my body. The system floated in front of me with a new notification.
— — — [System] — — —
New card obtained: Platinum Card.
Click to view details.
— — — — — — — — —
I moved my head slightly, just enough to see them.
Gukja Yang's mouth was slightly open, saying nothing. His eyes wide open. He wasn't used to seeing me standing… much less over Hajun Gu.
"S-Suhyeon…?" he murmured, more to himself than to me.
He knew me. He knew what I was before. What I seemed to be. What I pretended to be. But now… now he didn't understand anything. His eyes weren't looking for an explanation. They were just looking for meaning.
Baek Chaerin was also there. Sitting, motionless. Barely moving her body, breathing with difficulty, and looking at me with surprise. As if something in me had completely bewildered her.
I simply looked at Hajun Gu, who was still on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Then I raised my head and spoke firmly, without hesitation, making sure every word resonated clearly:
"It's official. I am now the new leader of the West Gangbuk School."
Some swallowed nervously, taking several steps back. And others simply fled silently, without looking back.
And so, over time, everyone returned to their respective classrooms. Yet nothing was ever the same. The news spread faster than fire in a dry field.
"Suhyeon Kim defeated Hajun Gu."
"Suhyeon Kim did it with his own hands."
"Suhyeon Kim… is the new leader of West Gangbuk."
The rumors spread like poison through the hallways, creeping into every corner of the West Middle School. But they didn't stop there. The rumors crossed the school walls, reaching other high schools.
Some believed it immediately, thinking it was an exaggeration, but no one dared to ignore it. Chaos had begun, and at the center of it all… was Suhyeon Kim.
Classes ended with a strange mix of tension and muted murmurs. The teachers tried to maintain normalcy, but it was useless. Everyone was talking about the same thing. Everyone was glancing at Suhyeon Kim out of the corner of their eyes, as if unsure whether to fear him… or admire him.
Hours later, the sun began to hide between the buildings, painting the sky orange and violet.
In a small park, somewhat away from the bustle, two figures walked along a dirt path. Suhyeon Kim walked ahead.
Gukja Yang followed a few steps behind, clearly uncomfortable.
"Why did you call me to a park?" he asked, frowning. "What are we supposed to do here?"
His eyes moved distrustfully around the place. It was strange for Suhyeon to ask him to meet anywhere. Especially after what had happened today.
Suhyeon stopped. He showed a small smile.
"Relax, Gukja. I didn't bring you here to hit you."
"Then?"
"There's something I want to test."
"Test?"
Suhyeon didn't respond immediately. He just looked ahead, toward a lonely bench in the middle of the park, under a tree that was starting to lose its leaves.
"It's time to see how far someone with S potential can go."
I thought of the card. The platinum card I had obtained after defeating Hajun Gu.
In front of me, a floating digital card appeared with bright emerald edges. The frame was solid, translucent, with a pattern of geometric lines crossing like circuits. In the center, a white word stood out against the shiny background:
— — — [System] — — —
You have used Observe.
— — — — — — — — —
— — — [Regular Card] — — —
(Observe)
You can observe your opponent.
— — — — — — — — — — — —
"Wow…"
— — — [System] — — —
You are using "Observe" on Gukja Yang.
— — — — — — — — —
A new digital projection emerged before my eyes. Like a floating panel outlined with blue neon lines, with sharp edges and corners.
The lines began moving rapidly, forming a hexagonal graph, similar to an attribute radar. In the center, a name blinked in white letters:
— — — [Gukja Yang] — — —
Strength: C
Speed: F
Endurance: C
Intelligence: D
Potential: S
— — — — — — — — — — —
The graph was clear. His strength and endurance were decent, enough to withstand a couple of hits and return them with some force. His speed… however, was disastrous. An absolute F. So low it seemed like a joke.
On the other hand, there was the important part. Potential: S
One of the rarest categories. One that almost no one had. It meant the system recognized him as someone who, with proper training and circumstances, could reach incredible heights.
I smiled, crossing my arms. "Not as bad as I thought," I said softly.
Suddenly, Suhyeon extended his hand and placed it on Gukja's shoulder.
He tensed a little. He always flinched when someone touched him, as if expecting a hit. But this time… it wasn't because of that.
Gukja was a little shorter than him. From that height, Suhyeon could clearly see his eyes.
"Gukja, my friend…"
Gukja looked at him, surprised by the calmness of his voice.
"You will be my right-hand man."
His lips parted, as if to say something, but he couldn't get the words out.
"And for that… you need to get strong."
Suhyeon's hand pressed slightly on his shoulder.
"From today, you will train with me."
Gukja said nothing… but his throat moved. He swallowed. Then, very slowly, he nodded. As if something inside him… was awakening as well.
I, on the other hand, felt curious. Until now, I had seen the stats of the others.
But not mine.
"Use card: Observe. Target: Suhyeon Kim."
The system lit up immediately.
— — — [System] — — —
You have used: Observe
Target: Suhyeon Kim
— — — — — — — — —
A floating projection appeared in front of me, with the same bright frame and structure I had seen before. But this time, with my name in the center.
— — — [Suhyeon Kim] — — —
Strength: D
Speed: C
Endurance: C
Intelligence: A+
Potential: B
— — — — — — — — — — —
I remained silent for a moment.
"Ah…?"
A small spark of surprise flashed across my expression.
The stats were higher than I remembered. The original Suhyeon didn't have anything like this. Almost everything was above average.
"Especially the intelligence… A+. And even the potential, though not perfect, was B," I whispered.
"I guess… something changed in me."
I didn't question it further. It made no sense to do so. I closed the panel with a simple thought and stood up.
"So… what exactly are we going to do?" he asked.
I smiled as I stretched my arms and cracked my shoulders.
"We're going to train, Gukja."
"What? Here?"
"Yes. Start running."
"Running? Why?!"
"Twenty laps around the park."
"Twenty? That's crazy!" he responded, tired, without even having trained.
"It's non-negotiable, Gukja. Come on, you need to lose that fat you're carrying."