There was a ruined building, half-broken, its walls cracked and the ceiling stained with years of smoke and dust. It looked like it had been forgotten by the world.
Inside, the silence was broken only by the soft flicker of a single candle. Its dim glow lit the center of the room, where an old wooden table stood, worn out and full of knife marks and burn stains.
Sitting there was a man.
His white coat was neatly placed on the chair beside him. He wore only a black undershirt, which clung to his muscular frame. His hair was slicked back, and two long, deep scars ran across his back, visible from his open shirt. On the right side of his chest, a large burn mark pulsed slightly with his breathing, as if the skin itself remembered something tragic.
In his hand, he held a photo frame. He didn't move. Just stared at the image inside it with empty eyes.
Suddenly, the heavy metal door creaked open.
A young man with messy yellow hair entered. He wore a blue shirt over a white t-shirt, and in one hand, he carried a polythene bag, thin and transparent, swaying slightly as he walked across the room. Inside were two cups of ramen from a convenience store.
He came near the man in silence, took one cup out, and placed it on the table in front of him.
In a low, calm voice, he asked,
"So… which one do you choose now?"
The man looked up slowly. His eyes were sharp and cold, filled with calculation.
In a dark, deep tone, he replied,
"We go to Gangnam."
"There's someone I found."
"He will become the fourth pillar… for the source of money."
They said nothing more.
Both of them slurped on the ramen. The only sound was the quiet sipping of noodles and the occasional flicker of the candle. Outside the cracked window, the stars shimmered faintly above the ruined skyline.
A storm was forming.
Scene Change — Morning
The school bell rang, but the air inside Class 1-C was far from normal.
Eun-ak sat near the window, looking at the people gathered around him.
Jay, still spinning a new lollipop between his fingers, leaning back in his chair like nothing mattered.
Yejun, calm and collected, bandages on his right arm.
Ji-ho, nervously rubbing his hands, head lowered.
Dong and Bong, both with swollen knuckles and tired faces.
Lee Jun-ho, bruised lip, his posture still proud.
Seo Do-hyun, sitting silently, arms crossed.
And finally, Ha Seung-won, the monster in a uniform, with scratches on his neck and shoulders.
The room was full of tension, as if a storm had passed and left its mark.
Eun-ak stood up slowly and looked around.
"What… happened to you all?" he asked.
Nobody answered at first.
Then Ji-ho, with a weak voice, said,
"Last night… Pipik High attacked us."
"It was sudden. Out of nowhere."
His voice trembled slightly.
"There were over a hundreds of them. It was chaos."
"Somehow, we managed to hold our ground."
Jay added with a smirk, "Yeah, and I knocked out their leader. Not a big deal."
Eun-ak turned to Jay and walked forward.
He bowed slightly and said,
"Thank you… for stepping in."
But Jay waved it off, smiling.
"Tch. Don't make it weird. I only did it 'cause I was bored."
"Plus, someone had to show off a little, right?" He winked.
Everyone chuckled softly, even Ha Seung-won cracked a faint grin.
But then — Eun-ak's face became serious.
"I've made a decision."
"I'm going to Pipik High… alone."
The room went silent.
"What?!" Dong shouted.
"Are you insane?" Bong followed.
Lee Jun-ho stood up. "There's no way you're walking into enemy territory by yourself."
Seo Do-hyun narrowed his eyes.
"That's reckless."
Even Jay stopped spinning his lollipop.
But Eun-ak didn't budge.
"I'm not asking for permission."
"This is something I have to do myself."
Ji-ho stepped forward. "Then at least take someone! Anyone!"
Eun-ak paused for a moment… then turned to Yejun.
"Will you come with me?"
Yejun nodded once, silently.
No complaint. No question. Just trust.
Before leaving, Eun-ak opened his Quest System and activated a Middlemist Card. A bright blue light scanned over Yejun.
He wanted to confirm something.
That strange notification he received last night…
The result popped up:
Yejun's Current Stats:
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 – 𝗦𝗦𝗦+
𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 – 𝗦𝗦𝗦+
𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 – 𝗫
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 – 𝗦
𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 – 𝗫𝗫
Eun-ak's eyes widened.
The notification was real.
Yejun had evolved. Not just stronger — but something else entirely now.
With confidence rising in his chest, Eun-ak turned toward the door.
He and Yejun walked side by side — stepping out of the classroom, leaving everyone behind.
Their next destination:
Pipik High.
This time, it would be Gangbuk High that strikes back.