Before heading to my own class, I began checking classrooms one by one. I wasn't wandering aimlessly—I was searching for a specific person. One of them caught my attention sooner than expected.
In a second-year classroom near the west corridor, I saw him.
A red-haired boy sat near the window, resting his chin on his hand, staring outside with clear boredom. His posture was relaxed, almost lazy, as if nothing inside the classroom interested him.
Found you.
I stepped inside.
The moment I crossed the threshold, the idle chatter died. Dozens of eyes turned toward me at once. Some students stiffened in their seats, others whispered under their breath. The atmosphere shifted instantly.
The teacher—a middle-aged man with a sharp voice—opened his mouth, clearly about to yell.
I didn't give him the chance.
"Shut up."
Silver Tongue activated.
The command carried weight. The teacher froze mid-motion, his mouth half open, his body stiff and unmoving. Silence swallowed the room.
I ignored the stunned students and walked straight toward the red-haired boy.
"Is your name Sigyeong Ryu?" I asked.
He looked up, confusion flashing across his face before settling into irritation.
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Come with me," I said calmly. "I need to talk to you about Something."
Without waiting for an answer, I turned and walked out. After a brief pause, footsteps followed behind me.
We headed toward the top floor, where the noise of students faded and the air felt emptier. The rooftop greeted us with a cold breeze, the city visible beyond the school walls.
I stopped and turned to face him.
"Ryu," I said, "join my crew."
He blinked, clearly not expecting that.
Then a slow smirk spread across his face. He reached into his pocket, unwrapped a lollipop, and placed it between his lips.
Here comes the Alibaba version of James Lee.
"You're interesting," he said. "But saying things like that out of nowhere—"
He attacked without warning.
His body dropped low into a Ssireum stance, feet planted firmly, hands open and reaching forward. His timing was sharp. He went straight for a clinch, aiming to control my center of gravity.
I launched a Taekwondo roundhouse kick.
Sigyeong reacted instantly. He caught my leg against his side, absorbing the impact. Before I could pull back, he stepped in and locked his arms around my torso, preparing for a lifting slam.
I didn't resist.
As my feet left the ground, I placed my open palm against his collarbone.
Fa Jin.
BOOM.
The vibration surged through the joint. His humerus snapped internally with a sickening crack.
Sigyeong's grip failed immediately.
He stumbled back, his arm hanging uselessly. I didn't give him time to recover.
I spun and drove a Taekwondo spinning back-kick straight into his solar plexus.
THUD.
He crashed onto the concrete, gasping desperately for air. I stepped forward and pressed my palm into the center of his chest.
Fa Jin.
He was blown 10 feet by the force .
The vibration exploded inside his ribcage. His ribs shattered from within, blood spraying from his mouth as his body went limp. His uniform looked untouched except the blood and dust , but the damage underneath was absolute.
I straightened my shirt and stepped past him.
"Okay… I wi—will join you," Ryu coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
"Good choice , don't worry I'm not like Sechan . I will make you stronger and provide you money as long as you are loyal to me "
I handed him a slip of paper.
"Find these people," I said. "Its your first Mission."
The list contained six names:
Jaeongdu Ma
(Potential: A, Intelligence: B)
Jintae Heo
(Potential: A, Intelligence: A)
Jinyeong Wu
(Potential: A, Intelligence: B)
Sihu Won
(Potential: A, Intelligence: C)
Wuchen Jeon
(Potential: A, Intelligence: B)
Seonghui Lee
(Potential: A, Intelligence: B)
All of them have A-rank potential, I thought.
And none of them belong to Sechan's crew.
Satisfied, I left him there.
Lunch break arrived soon after.
I entered the cafeteria and spotted Seohee and Seojun sitting together at a quiet table. I sat beside Seojun and glanced between them.
"What?" I asked. "You two aren't fighting today? No drama to see?"
Seohee's expression darkened slightly.
"I did it on purpose," she said. "So no one would target Seojun. I wanted them to think he isn't my weakness and I don't care about him ."
I nodded. It made sense.
We talked casually while eating. After a while, Seohee looked at me.
"So," she asked, "what's the name of our crew?"
"I haven't decided yet," I replied. "What do you suggest?"
She shook her head.
"You're the leader, You should decide ."
I thought for a moment, then asked,
"What was your father's dojo called?"
Both of them paused.
"Saetbyeol Dojang," Seojun replied quietly.
"It means Morning Star," Seohee added.
Stars… systems… orbits.
"Then something related to stars," I muttered.
"How about Constellation?"
They exchanged a glance, then nodded.
That settled it.
Constellation—our crew, and the name of the empire we would build.
The bell rang.
We headed to our classes. The rest of the school day passed uneventfully. I slept through most of it.
After school, I called Alfred.
"Alfred , Bring a two-seater car."
"Yes ,Young master "Alfred replied on the other side
I met Seohee and Seojun at the gates and told them the butler was on the way. Then I walked to the parking lot and pulled my bike from the parking lot.
The deep roar of the superbike echoed across the campus.
Students stopped and stared. Whispers spread instantly.
Soon, Alfred arrived. I helped Seojun load their luggage into the car.
"Alfred," I asked, "you didn't bring a four-seater?"
He glanced at me and immediately understood.
"My apologies, Young Master. I assumed it was only you. Should I return for another car?"
"No need," I replied. "Take Seojun home. I'm riding with Seohee."
Alfred nodded and drove off.
Seohee crossed her arms.
"Do you think I'm a fool? That I wouldn't notice your petty tricks?"
How did I forget her intelligence? I thought.
"Get on now , or you wanna come walking all the way ," I said.
She climbed onto the back and told me to drive slowly.
I didn't.
As I accelerated, her soft melons pressed against my back .
The rest of the ride was smooth.
We reached home in minutes .