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Chapter 4
: The Calm Before Collision
Joon-seo's name now held weight. Not in the newspapers, not on the school roster, but in the way others moved when he entered a hallway.
There were no whispers now—just silence. Calculated stares. Defensive spacing.
Rank 15's name lit up on his interface.
> [Target Confirmed: Rank 15 – Jin Tae-yang] [Style: Mixed – Kickboxing + Jeet Kune Do]
A loose fighter with a sharp mind. Not flashy—but precise.
Joon-seo closed the window. The real training wasn't over yet.
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: The Fifteenth Step
They met on the school rooftop. Again. No crowd. No pretense.
Tae-yang was already there, shadowboxing silently. His eyes weren't hostile—just focused.
> "No cameras. No one watching?"
"This isn't for them," Joon-seo replied.
They clashed. Fast. Brutal. Tae-yang's kicks hit like pistons, but Joon-seo absorbed the rhythm.
> [Skill Used: Boxing]
> [Skill Used: Taekkyeon]
> [Skill Used: Jiu-jitsu]
Sweat. Blood. Nothing wasted. Tae-yang smiled through the pain.
> "I respect you. That's why I won't go easy."
He said
A final exchange. A low feint, sudden pivot, clean shot to the liver. Tae-yang dropped.
> [Rank Achieved: 15th] [New Passive Skill: Combat Reflex Lv.1]
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: An Invitation
After class, Joon-seo found a sealed envelope in his locker. No name. Just an embossed symbol: a black ring with four stars. He opened it.
> "You are being watched. Incheon has taken interest. Come alone. 10 PM. Disused subway line, Level 3."
It wasn't signed. But he knew what it was. Divinities.
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: Level 3
He arrived early. The subway was dead. Lights flickered. No guards. He walked through an old service door, finding a tunnel lined with graffiti.
At the end stood a man in a suit. Masked. Hands behind his back.
> "Kang Joon-seo. Rank 15. 11 wins, 0 losses. Zero affiliations. Zero noise." "You've risen fast. But kings don't climb in silence forever."
The man stepped aside. A steel door opened.
> "If you walk through here… you're no longer just a fighter." "You're a potential King." The nameless man said
Joon-seo didn't hesitate.
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: Divinity's Glare
Inside: a circular chamber with old monitors and a central table. Three masked figures sat. One remained standing.
> "We are the Watchers of Incheon. Divinities to some. Or monsters."
They asked no questions. Instead, they laid down a single condition:
> "Reach the Top 10 before semester ends. If you do, you'll be recognized. Fail… and disappear."
A beat.
> "We don't support weak bloodlines. You were once pathetic. We remember." "This is your rewrite. Finish it."
Joon-seo nodded with a wide grin on his face
> [Quest Activated: Rewrite Ascendancy – Stage 1: Top 10 Before Semester End]
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: Re-entry
Back at school, Joon-seo said nothing. But his walk was heavier. His silence, louder.
In the cafeteria, Top 14 and 13 avoided eye contact. Top 12, however, did not.
Kang Joon-min. His brother. Rank 12. The family's "golden child."
He stood up in front of the lunchroom. Clapped once.
> "Let's give a round of applause to my big brother. The forgotten Kang." mockingly so
Mocking. Loud. His voice echoed across the room.
Joon-seo didn't respond. He didn't even blink. But the next fight was already decided.
And blood was involved.
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