Arrival

"Haa, maybe this isn't so bad after all." a voice echoed in the empty classroom as Dowan leaned back in his seat. He had come to school early, thinking about his current situation. Months had passed, and the second year had started. It had been a week since he began attending school again, but it was probably the strangest start of a semester he'd ever experienced. On the first day of twelfth grade, he brought his usual gaming setup, expecting people to ask him to play like they always did. But this time, it was different. A week had gone by, and not one person had approached him to play games for them. And that wasn't even the strangest part.

"It's peaceful." Dowan thought to himself. His classroom had been unusually calm. Not a single conflict had broken out during breaks. Normally, at the beginning of each semester, the rules of the jungle applied in this school, where the strong dominated the weak. But now, none of that seemed to be happening. No one came near him or bothered him.

He could only link this strange peace to one thing, his position as the representative of Boramae-Dong. After all, on the first day, Eunseong had been waiting for him in the classroom and told him that he'd informed everyone about his status. And by everyone, Dowan assumed he meant the whole school.

"But is that really it?" Dowan doubted whether people were avoiding him just because he was scary. It had to be Eunseong that people were avoiding. Still, for the first time, he thought he might be able to enjoy a peaceful school life.

Soon, students started filling up the classroom as the first period was about to begin.

"Take your seats now, everyone," the teacher's voice sounded as a middle-aged man entered the room. The noise died down as the students quickly sat.

"Quiet now." the teacher said, and the students stopped murmuring. "Today, we'll be having a new transfer student."

"A transfer student?" students whispered.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

The boys were anticipating a hot girl, while the girls hoped for a handsome boy.

"A transfer student?" Dowan thought, curious. As he turned his head, he noticed the empty seat behind him. It seemed that was reserved for the newcomer.

"Come in." the teacher announced, and the classroom door opened. The transfer student walked in. He was tall, standing at 193 cm, with striking red and black hair and black eyes. He wore a black uniform jacket over a white blazer and black pants with white sneakers. He stood at the podium in front of the class.

"Now, introduce yourself," the teacher instructed.

"The name's James Lee." James said with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh my god."

"He's so handsome."

"Is he a model?"

Whispers came from the girls, their dreamy eyes fixed on James, some already fantasizing about him.

"Tch." The boys clicked their tongues, clearly annoyed at how the girls were fawning over James just for existing.

But there was something else about James that some of them sensed, an air of confidence, something they couldn't quite explain. His presence seemed a bit ominous.

"Now, go take your seat in the back, behind Dowan." The teacher pointed to the seat at the last row next to the window, the coveted protagonist seat. All eyes turned to Dowan, who flinched at the sudden attention.

James nodded and made his way to the back, sitting down behind Dowan. He leaned back in his chair, staring out the window.

"What?" Dowan's eyes widened as he looked ahead. A sudden task appeared in his system, oddly relevant to the situation at hand.

[Become friends with James Lee]

[Time Limit: 24:59:50]

[Complete the task to receive a legendary reward]

'But what is this?' Dowan internally screamed as he noticed the penalty for failing the task. It wasn't a simple penalty shock, it was far worse.

[Fail the task and the penalty is losing a part of your body]

'What kind of nonsense is this?' Dowan panicked, sweat soaking his body. Shouldn't the system be helping him? What kind of twisted system was this? Did it want him dead?

'But the reward though…' Dowan glanced at the legendary reward, something he hadn't seen in any of his previous tasks. 'Is the penalty this severe because the reward is so great?' That was the only explanation. The higher the reward, the higher the risk, just like in a game.

"Phew." Dowan slumped back in his chair. Things could go wrong today, but only if he failed the task. He could only hope James was friendly.

As the first, second, and third periods passed, lunchtime finally arrived. The classroom had emptied out somewhat.

"It's strange." Dowan thought. He had expected the girls to swarm around James, considering their earlier reactions, but no one had approached him. 

"Well, this is my chance." Dowan thought, realizing he had the perfect opportunity to make James his friend.

He turned around to face James, who was still looking out the window.

"Umm, excuse me." Dowan said nervously, hoping for the best.

James turned to him upon hearing his voice.

"James Lee, right?" Dowan continued, though his voice wavered slightly. "I'm Dowan Ha. Looks like we'll be classmates from now on." He forced a smile, though his lips were trembling. "Wanna be friends?"

James said nothing, his face expressionless as he stared at Dowan.

"Did I mess up somehow?" Dowan panicked internally, feeling an overwhelming sense of dread as James continued to peer into his eyes. His body started to tremble. It was like he was being stared down by someone at the top of the food chain. It was suffocating.

"Hmph." James suddenly chuckled, breaking the tension. 

"You want to be my friend?" James asked, a smile forming on his lips. Dowan hesitantly nodded.

"Not possible." James snickered, watching Dowan's expression change at his words.

"W-Why?" Dowan stammered, startled by James' sudden refusal. Panic gripped him even more as he thought about what would happen if he failed to become friends with James. 'Should I have approached it differently?' he wondered, thinking maybe his direct request led to the rejection. Fear slowly crept in as the possibility of failure loomed over him.

"There's no sincerity whatsoever." James suddenly said, looking at Dowan, whose sweat now drenched his face. His words hit Dowan like a truck because it was true. James' smile widened. "It felt like something told you to become my friend for some reason."

'What did he just say?' Dowan's eyes widened in shock. He looked at James, who wore an easygoing smile with a hint of something sinister. 'Did he figure something out?' Dowan trembled, hearing James' words echo in his mind. It was as if James could see through him like an open book. Dowan was terrified that James might somehow be onto the system itself. But he calmed down slightly, realizing James was only speculating. There was no way he knew about the system. Still, Dowan couldn't shake how scary James was. What made him terrifying wasn't his size or strength, it was his mind. Those words, so casually spoken, felt as if they were undeniably accurate.

"No, really, I want to be friends with you." Dowan managed to say, forcing a more genuine smile. He couldn't give up now, not with such a serious threat hanging over him.

"Hmm." James hummed, staring at Dowan with that same unsettling smile. His eyes locked onto Dowan's, making Dowan shake internally, though he tried his hardest not to flinch. "Well, okay then, let's be friends from now on."

"Huh?" Dowan was stunned by how easily James agreed. 'Wasn't that a little too easy?' He had expected another refusal, yet suddenly, James accepted. 'But why?' This sudden change of heart only made Dowan more nervous.

[Become friends with James Lee]

[Task completed]

[Reward Issued]

The system's messages flooded in, and Dowan finally felt a wave of relief. He had avoided the worst-case scenario.

"Well, Dowan, let's head to the cafeteria." James said.

Dowan, who had been about to check the system reward, paused and looked up to see James standing, clearly waiting for him.

"Ah, yes, let's go." Dowan responded as he got up, and the two of them walked to the cafeteria together.

As they walked through the hallway, students glanced at them, making Dowan nervous. But he knew those stares were aimed at James, who walked casually, seemingly unbothered by the attention.

When they reached the cafeteria, they stopped, witnessing a scene unfolding before them.

A third-year student was blocking the way of a second-year student, refusing to let him enter. But the confrontation ended quickly as the second-year, a small guy with dark pink hair and black eyes, easily took down the third-year student in a one-sided beatdown.

Dowan was shocked. He couldn't believe how easily the smaller student had defeated the larger one.

"That guy's in our class." James remarked, watching the second-year.

'That guy's in our class?' Dowan thought, startled that he hadn't noticed him before.

"Well, at least he made way for us." James chuckled as he led the way into the cafeteria, followed by Dowan. They each picked up a tray, got their food, and sat down at a table.

'Should I say something?' Dowan wondered, glancing at James, who was silently eating. The awkwardness of the silence was getting to him.

"Umm, Dowan Ha?" a voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up to see a brown-haired student with black eyes. The face seemed familiar.

"Jihan?" Dowan was surprised to see the guy from the karaoke night here. "Sit down." He offered, gesturing to the seat next to him.

Jihan sat down, glancing at James before asking, "Is that your friend?"

"Yeah, this is James Lee. We're in the same class. He just transferred today." Dowan introduced.

"Yeah, I know that. After all, we're in the same class." Jihan said awkwardly.

"Huh?" Dowan frowned. 'Jihan's in our class too?' He hadn't even noticed.

"Now, Dowan, I came here to warn you about Sung-Woo," Jihan said hurriedly, his voice filled with nervousness.

"Who?" Dowan asked, genuinely clueless.

"The guy who just beat up that third-year." Jihan explained, clearly surprised at Dowan's lack of awareness.

"Oh, the guy in our class?" Dowan asked, and Jihan nodded. "Yeah, what about him?"

"You need to be careful around him." Jihan warned. "There's a rumor from when he was in middle school, back in the track field club. That guy… you never know when he'll snap. He's unstable, so watch out."

"Hm." Dowan nodded, taking the warning seriously. He had just seen Sung-Woo in action, effortlessly taking down someone bigger.

"Jihan, right?" James suddenly spoke, causing both Dowan and Jihan to look at him.

"Y-Yeah, what is it?" Jihan stammered, startled that James had addressed him.

"It's strange." James said, looking at Jihan, who seemed confused. "You know how to fight, but you keep it hidden. It's because of trauma from being bullied, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Jihan was stunned. He hadn't expected those words. 'Does he know something?' Jihan asked himself, shocked that James had hit the nail on the head. It was true, he knew how to fight, but the trauma from bullying held him back.

'Jihan knows how to fight?' Dowan was equally stunned. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Jaemin had even labeled Jihan as his wallet back then. 'But if what James says is true… why didn't Jihan fight back when he was picked on?'

"W-What are you talking about, James?" Jihan tried to deny it, panicking.

"I can see it." James smirked. "There's no point in lying." His gaze bore into Jihan, who grew more nervous with each passing second. "You specialize in several martial arts like Taekwondo, Boxing, Karate, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Capoeira…"

Jihan was frozen in place as James listed off all the martial arts he'd trained in. 'How does he know?' It felt like James had grown up with him, like he had seen everything.

"But that's not all." James continued, making Jihan flinch as he listened, completely paralyzed. "You also have experience with martial arts that involve weapons, Kendo, Krav Maga, Kali Arnis, and even Archery."

James finished with an easygoing smile, while Jihan sat there in a state of shock.

'How does he know?' Jihan was paralyzed, his life story being recited by a complete stranger with eerie accuracy. He couldn't say or do anything, only sit there, frozen in disbelief. James had confidently listed off every martial art he had ever trained in, as if he'd known Jihan all his life. There were no guesses, no hesitations, only certainty.

'Holy crap, is Jihan some kind of hidden boss?' Dowan thought, stunned by the revelation. He looked at Jihan, whose expression confirmed everything James had said. Dowan hadn't expected someone as seemingly ordinary as Jihan to harbor such an absurd secret. 'How many martial arts was that?' he asked himself, mentally recounting the seemingly endless list of skills James had named.

"Well, it's not my business if you want to keep it hidden." James said nonchalantly as he stood up, smirking down at Jihan, who remained motionless. "But know this, you're just holding yourself back because of something silly, if I have to describe it." With that, James turned and left the cafeteria, leaving Dowan and Jihan in silence.

Dowan continued to eat, occasionally glancing at Jihan, who hadn't moved a muscle since James' departure. Jihan was clearly overwhelmed, lost in his thoughts.

"D-Dowan." Jihan's voice broke the silence, causing Dowan to look at him. "I-I need to go." Without waiting for a response, Jihan stood up abruptly and left, leaving Dowan alone at the table.

'Damn, they just left me here.' Dowan thought as he watched Jihan and James walk out. With no one left to talk to, he sighed and continued eating.

After school, Dowan walked out of the school gates, blending into the stream of students heading home or to hang out with friends. 

"It's strange, though." Dowan muttered to himself. Neither James nor Jihan had returned to class. James had probably left out of boredom, but Jihan… maybe he was still shaken up by what James had said.

As Dowan strolled down the street, a sudden message popped up in his vision.

[Quest: Full Sprint]

[Run up right now and pass Soh Sung-Woo]

[Time limit: 10 minutes]

"Damn it! Why is this happening to me again?" Dowan cursed, his voice loud enough to attract odd looks from passing students. "Today was going so well. Can't I just have one peaceful day?" He was genuinely upset. He had been enjoying his first calm school day, and now this.

'Sung-Woo, huh?' Of course, the system would send him after the pink-haired guy he had just seen beat someone up. Why not?

'But there's no time to waste.' Dowan thought, looking at the timer that was already counting down. He had less than ten minutes to complete the task.

Meanwhile, in a narrow alley nearby, a cry for help echoed.

"Help me!" pleaded a student, lying on the ground with a bruised face and broken glasses.

"I-I'm sorry!" the student begged, crawling toward the figure standing over him. "I was running because I was late for my tutor… I didn't mean to bump into you-"

"I'm asking." The figure interrupted coldly, looking down at the student with icy eyes. "If you think you're faster than me."

The figure was none other than Soh Sung-Woo.

The sound of fists and feet striking flesh echoed through the alley, followed by the student's pained groans. After delivering the beating, Sung-Woo turned to leave, leaving the student crying and writhing on the ground.

"A man shouldn't cry over something like this. Wipe it off," A voice said, startling the student. He looked up to see an outstretched hand offering him a napkin.

"Huh? T-Thank you." the student stammered, taking the napkin from the person, whose back was now turned to him.

"Do you want revenge?" the person, Dowan, asked as he gazed ahead, seemingly observing something.

[2 minutes left]

"I-I want it, but I don't have the power," the student confessed, his voice trembling. If he had any power, he wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.

"This reminds me of the past." Dowan muttered, clenching his fists. "I was a loser just like you." That old, familiar feeling rose up in his chest, anger mixed with determination.

"So don't worry, loser." Dowan continued, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and resolve. "From today, he won't be able to act like that again." The student's eyes filled with hope as he looked at Dowan as if he were some kind of hero.

"I'll beat him up completely." Dowan promised, though his stomach churned with anxiety. He was covered in cold sweat, holding a ring with keys attached in his right hand.

'Okay, calm down.' he thought, mentally preparing himself as he ran in the direction Sung-Woo had gone. Along the way, he unlocked a new skill, Blind Spot Strike, which would allow him to strike an enemy from their blind spot at incredible speed. The best part? It only cost 20 mana points, so it wouldn't drain him too much. He also unlocked some defensive skills to help counter Sung-Woo's incredible speed, given his background in track and field.

"Huh?" Dowan's heart skipped a beat as he spotted Sung-Woo up ahead, but something was off. Sung-Woo was standing behind a girl, his hand ready to grab her by the head.

But before Sung-Woo could make his move, Dowan sprinted forward and grabbed him by the hoodie, yanking him back and preventing the attack.

[Quest: Full Sprint]

[Cleared]

"I did it," Dowan muttered, breathing a sigh of relief. "Hey, any chance," He slowly turned to look at Sung-Woo, but his relief quickly turned to panic. Sung-Woo's furious expression sent chills down Dowan's spine. "You'll forgive me if I apologize?" Dowan asked, his voice trembling.

[Chain quest has appeared]

[Defeat the monster, Sung-Woo]

'Oh, come on.' Dowan groaned internally. There was no avoiding the fight now.

'Fine, if I can't avoid it, I just need to win.' Dowan thought, preparing himself as he faced off against Sung-Woo.

Time passed.

'Shit, shit!' Dowan was a mess. He was panting heavily, struggling to stay on his feet as Sung-Woo slowly approached him. His Blind Spot Strike hadn't worked, it had been evaded every single time. And it wasn't just Sung-Woo's speed that was dangerous, it was his kicks.

'I should've thought of that.' Dowan cursed himself. Being in track and field meant Sung-Woo had incredibly strong legs. He had tried everything, feints, counters, evasions but nothing worked. Sung-Woo was simply overpowering him.

[MP: 40/300]

Dowan's mana was almost depleted, and he was running out of options.

'What do I do?' Dowan thought desperately. He needed something, anything, that could at least injure Sung-Woo.

"You know, I once put some bastard in a coma before," Sung-Woo said casually as he picked up a brick from the ground, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he approached Dowan. "Because of him, I got kicked out of track and field. My father abandoned me. Everything went to shit. But I got away with it because of the Teenager Protection Law." Sung-Woo smiled darkly. "I wonder how it'll turn out this time?"

'Shit, shit, this guy's gone mad.' Dowan panicked, hearing Sung-Woo's words spoken with a twisted smile. He was deadly serious.

'What do I do?' Dowan's mind raced as he tried to think of a way out. He was cornered, and nothing he had tried so far had worked. But then, a thought struck him. the legendary reward.

His eyes widened as he remembered the reward he had received after befriending James. How had he forgotten about it? He quickly accessed the system to search for it, but what he found left him dumbfounded.

[Skill: Invisible Attack (1 Time Use)] 

[Strike the opponent's blind spot with a fast kick] 

[MP cost: ???]

'What?' Dowan stared at the screen in disbelief. How could this be a legendary skill? It seemed identical to the first skill he'd learned, except this one used a kick instead of a punch, and that skill had been useless against Sung-Woo. How was this any different?

'A one-time use?' he thought, confused. It didn't make sense. If it could only be used once, did that mean it was ridiculously powerful? And what about the MP cost? There was no number. Did that mean it didn't cost anything, or that the cost was too high to display?

"Oi, what are you thinking about? You're about to fucking die." Sung-Woo's voice snapped Dowan out of his thoughts. He was charging at Dowan, brick in hand, a murderous gleam in his eyes.

'Damn it.' Dowan cursed inwardly, realizing he was out of time. He had no other options. He had to try the skill and hope for the best.

'Now.' Dowan activated the skill, launching his invisible attack as soon as Sung-Woo was in range.

"It's no us-" Sung-Woo began to say, but his words were cut off as something slammed into his chin with devastating force. An invisible kick had struck him from below, lifting him off the ground. His body spun violently in midair, flipping backward as a shockwave rippled through the air.

Sung-Woo crashed to the ground with a loud thud, the back of his head and body slamming into the concrete so hard that cracks spiderwebbed outward from the impact. He lay there, unconscious, without even realizing what had hit him.

Dowan, meanwhile, had been knocked onto his butt by the recoil of his own attack. He sat there, wide-eyed, staring at the aftermath of what he had just done.

'What the hell was that?' Dowan was in shock. The power of that kick had been unlike anything he'd ever experienced. It was destructive, lethal even. The shockwave had spread like a natural disaster, and for a moment, Dowan feared that Sung-Woo might be dead.

[Quest completed] 

[Key bundle has been rewarded]

Dowan heard the system's familiar announcement and saw a key bundle drop to the ground in front of him.

"Another key bundle?" Dowan muttered in relief, slowly getting to his feet to pick it up. But just as he reached out for it, his body seized up in pain.

"Ughh." Dowan groaned, feeling dizziness and numbness spread through him. 'Is it because I'm low on health?' He glanced at his health points, which had dropped to 4 out of 1000, and they were still falling.

'Shit, I can't pass out here.' Dowan quickly grabbed one of the bronze keys from the bundle and activated it.

[HP increased by 500]

'Saved.' Dowan thought, breathing a sigh of relief. But the relief was short-lived.

"Ughh." He groaned again, pain shooting through his body even more intensely. His limbs went numb, and his health points dropped back to 1.

'What the hell is happening?' Dowan was stunned. His health had dropped again, and now his mana was gone too.

[HP: 1/1000] 

[MP: 0/300]

'Why?!' Panic gripped him. Was this some kind of bug? He couldn't think straight as a sharp pain shot through his right leg, like knives stabbing into it, making him clutch it.

'Could it be because of the legendary reward?' The thought struck him suddenly. The Invisible Attack, it had gone beyond what his body could handle considering the power he unleashed with it. The system hadn't even been able to display its mana cost, meaning it had exceeded his body's limits.

'S-Shit, I'm fading out.' Dowan collapsed onto the ground, his vision blurring. Darkness swallowed him, and the last thing he heard was the system's cold, automated voice.

[Host in critical condition] 

[Activating system emergency action] 

[Automatic regeneration engaged]

Unknown to Dowan, someone had witnessed everything.

Some time later, Dowan slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up.

"Where… am I?" He looked around, finding himself in a shabby, small public room. He clearly remembered collapsing outside, so someone must have brought him here.

"Ouch." Dowan winced as he tried to move, his body still aching. Limping, he made his way toward a door, assuming it led to the restroom. But when he opened it, he was met with something completely unexpected.

It was a medium-sized room, but it looked like a museum. Gold trophies and medals lined the walls, stacked neatly on shelves behind glass panes. There were so many that Dowan's jaw dropped in shock.

'What the hell is all this?' Dowan thought as he stepped inside, curiosity taking over. He inspected the trophies and medals, and every single one had the same name engraved on them, James Lee.

Dowan's heart skipped a beat. 'James Lee?' Could it be… that James? The transfer student? His friend?

'There's no way, right?' Dowan thought, trying to convince himself it had to be someone else. After all, James Lee wasn't an uncommon name in Korea, right?

But with each trophy and medal he examined, all bearing the same name, doubt crept into his mind.

'But are they real though?' Dowan wondered as he looked around the room full of trophies. How could one person win this many awards, and all for first place? It didn't make sense. Something felt off. "Something is no-"

"What are you doing?"

A voice cut him off, startling Dowan. He spun around to see someone familiar.

"Si-Yeon?" Dowan looked surprised. "O-Oh, nothing! I just thought this was the restroom, hehe." he stammered, nervously scratching his head as Si-Yeon stared blankly at him.

"U-um, Si-Yeon?" Dowan's voice wavered as he noticed her expression shift. But she wasn't looking at him, her gaze was fixed on the trophies. For the first time, he saw something in her eyes, longing and a sense of loss. He never knew she could look like that.

'Can she really make that kind of expression?' Dowan thought, taken aback.

"Let's go." Si-Yeon's voice returned to its usual cold tone as she turned back toward him, her face expressionless again.

"Y-yes." Dowan stuttered, quickly following her out of the room. Si-Yeon closed the door behind them. "Um, Si-Yeon, where are we anyway?" Dowan asked, uneasy about the strange atmosphere around them. The place felt almost… dead.

"This is Boramae-Dong's main place." Si-Yeon replied as she sat down on a couch. "I found you unconscious on the ground and brought you here."

"So this is the headquarters?" Dowan thought it was strange. Shouldn't their headquarters be a large building or something?

"Dowan." Si-Yeon's voice turned sharp as she looked directly at him, narrowing her eyes. "I brought you here to ask you something. Where did you learn that attack?"

"W-what attack are you talking about, Si-Yeon?" Dowan flinched under her intense gaze. 

"The one you used to finish off Sung-Woo." she said, her tone serious. "The invisible attack."

Dowan's eyes widened. She knew the name of the legendary skill? How?

"What invisible attack, Si-Yeon?" Dowan feigned ignorance, suddenly feeling creeped out. How could she know about the skill? "I just tried something new because I was desperate. I didn't think it would actually work."

Si-Yeon stared at him in silence, clearly not buying his answer, but she didn't press the issue any further. Time passed in an uncomfortable silence as Si-Yeon became lost in her thoughts, and Dowan glanced around the room.

"By the way, Si-Yeon?" Dowan suddenly asked, hoping to break the silence. "Whose room was that?" The one filled with trophies had piqued his curiosity. It seemed important, like it had some connection to Boramae-Dong.

Si-Yeon's expression softened as she thought of the person connected to that room.

"It belongs to the person who made Boramae-Dong." Si-Yeon said, her voice much softer now.

"The one who made Boramae-Dong?" Dowan's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected that answer. He thought the trophies might belong to someone important, but not the founder.

"Yes, that room was for the founder and previous leader of the Boramae-Dong gang," Si-Yeon said, her mind drifting into memories of the past. "James Lee."

"James Lee?" Dowan muttered to himself. "Like the name of the transfer student." It had to be a coincidence, right? There were plenty of people named James Lee in Korea. No way it was the same guy.

"Yeah, by the wa-" Dowan began, but stopped when he noticed Si-Yeon staring at him, her eyes wide in shock.

"W-what?" Dowan stammered, feeling nervous under her intense gaze.

"What did you just say?" Si-Yeon walked toward him, stopping just in front of him. "What transfer student?"

"U-uh, the new student who transferred today at school." Dowan explained hurriedly, feeling overwhelmed by her sudden intensity. "His name is exactly the same as the one on the trophies, James Lee."

"How does he look?" Si-Yeon demanded, her voice growing louder.

"Uhh, tall, handsome, with red and black hair, and black ey-" Dowan started, but before he could finish, Si-Yeon bolted out of the room, leaving a stunned Dowan behind.

Outside, under the night sky, in front of Boramae-Dong's complex building.

"Man, can you believe Si-Yeon?" Sehun's voice rang out as he walked, complaining. "She called me, just to bring Dowan over here. I'm practically babysitting at this point."

His words were directed at a man walking beside him, a guy with shoulder-length brown hair, a trimmed beard, wearing a dark pink suit and circular lens shades. This was Shin Se-Hee.

"But hyung-nim, Dowan is the representative. It's our duty to assist him." Shin said with a smile.

"There's no way I'm accepting that weakling as the representative, even if Eunseong personally appointed him." Sehun said in frustration, though he would never dare say such things to Eunseong's face.

Suddenly, they saw Si-Yeon rushing out of the building, jumping onto a motorcycle, and speeding away.

"What the hell?" Sehun muttered. "Was that Si-Yeon?"

Both men were confused, but their attention quickly shifted to Dowan, who ran out of the building.

"Wait, Si-Yeon!" Dowan shouted after her, but she was already gone.

"Hey, idiot." Sehun called, grabbing Dowan by the collar. "What the hell did you do?"

"Wait, hyung-nim, let Dowan explain." Shin said calmly, placing a hand on Sehun's arm.

"Tch, fine." Sehun grumbled, letting go of Dowan. "But it better be good."

"Hyung-nim is just concerned. Can you tell us what happened?" Shin smiled at Dowan, trying to ease the tension. 

"Uh, sure." Dowan replied, feeling a bit more at ease with Shin's kindness.

Dowan explained everything about his conversation with Si-Yeon and the transfer student.

"What?" Shin grabbed Dowan's shoulders. "Are you sure his name is James Lee? And he has red and black hair?"

"Yeah." Dowan nodded nervously.

"If that's true, it explains why Si-Yeon reacted like that." Shin's excitement grew. 

'James Lee, huh?' Sehun thought. He didn't react as strongly as Shin because he hadn't been around when James led Boramae-Dong, but he'd heard the stories. James Lee, the founder and previous leader, was a legend. People called him by a title. The Peak.

Shin was different. His reaction wasn't just surprise, it was clear excitement. If the James Lee that Dowan described was the same person Shin remembered, then this was huge. Shin had been in Boramae-Dong when James was the leader, and he had idolized him. He had witnessed James in action and admired him ever since.

Meanwhile, Si-Yeon raced on her motorcycle, her mind focused on one specific place where she knew he might be. She reached the abandoned school building and parked in front. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a light flickering from the top floor. She quickly got off her bike and made her way inside, rushing up the stairs. Her steps quickened as she climbed higher and higher, reaching the door that led to the rooftop, where the light was coming from. She burst through the door, but the rooftop was empty.

'Then he must be there.' Si-Yeon thought, looking toward a ladder that led up to a smaller platform above the roof. She made her way over, each step making her heart race even faster. She climbed the ladder and, when she finally reached the top, her breath caught.

There he was.

James Lee, the person she had waited for, for two years. His back was facing her as he sat on the ledge of the roof, his legs dangling off the edge. The breeze caught his striking red and black hair as he gazed out at the city lights below, the view of the nighttime skyline spread out in front of him.

"Yo, Si-Yeon." James said casually without even turning around, as if he'd known she was there all along. He looked over his shoulder at her, a lollipop in his mouth and a smile on his face. "How've you been?"

"Hmm, not bad at all." James replied, his voice lighthearted as Si-Yeon sat next to him, a smile playing on her lips.

"I knew Eunseong would pull it off." James chuckled, taking another suck of his lollipop. Si-Yeon had just explained everything about Boramae-Dong's progress under Eunseong's leadership. Though it wasn't quite the same as it had been under James, Eunseong had singlehandedly brought the gang back from the brink, something that clearly impressed James.

"James, what about you?" Si-Yeon asked, smiling as she turned to him. "What have you been up to?" His departure back then had left her wondering what he'd been doing all this time.

"Fun, I guess you could say." James grinned as he tilted his head back, staring at the night sky.

"Would you ever come back to Boramae-Dong?" Si-Yeon asked suddenly.

"Nope." James replied with a chuckle, causing Si-Yeon to sigh, though she had expected that answer. "Eunseong's the leader now. Hou guys don't need me anymore." He paused, and Si-Yeon's curiosity piqued as she waited for what came next. "But if Boramae-Dong ever finds itself in danger." James continued, "I'll be there. No question about it."

"You're always the same," Si-Yeon chuckled, looking at him fondly. "Always looking out for us."

"Well, what can I say?" James shrugged, his tone playful. "Boramae-Dong is my home. And you guys...you're all very dear to me." He looked at Si-Yeon, whose expression softened in surprise.

"And by the way..." James turned his attention back to the cityscape. "Don't tell Eunseong I'm back just yet. I want to be the one to break it to him. I'm curious to see his reaction."

Si-Yeon nodded, understanding. She could already imagine Eunseong flipping out once he found out that James had returned.

Suddenly, James wrapped his arm around Si-Yeon's shoulders and fell back, pulling her down with him onto the floor. She gasped, eyes wide at the sudden move, but before she could react, she found herself lying beside him.

"Why don't we just enjoy this moment?" James smiled, his gaze shifting back to the starry sky.

"Sure." Si-Yeon whispered, her face flushed as she snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his chest and using his arm as a pillow. She could feel the warmth of his body, and it made her feel secure.

"But, James." Si-Yeon said softly, her voice barely above a whisper as her head rested close to his chest. "You'll promise not to leave again, right?"

"Heh, yeah, I promise." James chuckled, tightening his arm around her as he gazed up at the stars, his tone both comforting and reassuring.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Seoul.

"You fucker, what did you just say?"

A furious voice echoed through a dimly lit room. The speaker was a tall man with white hair, one eye with blackened sclera with white iris and black pupil, the other covered by an eye patch. He wore a black trench coat over a white sweater, black pants, and boots. He currently had someone by the throat, holding him off the ground as the man struggled for breath.

"Did you say you found where that monster is?" The white-haired man's voice was laced with both anger and fear.

"Y-yes, sir." The man said with difficulty, as his neck was locked in a tight grip.

Before the man could say anything more, he was flung across the room, smashing into the wall. His head embedded into the plaster, cracks spreading outward from the impact, killing him instantly.

"That fucking man..." the white-haired figure growled, veins bulging in his face as memories of a humiliating encounter surfaced. Despite being older, he didn't dare call James a kid, as he grudgingly respected the man's power. "Does he really think he can enjoy his school life?"

His hand touched the eye patch covering his no longer remaining eye, seething at the thought of his past defeat. "The humiliation I suffered that day...I'll return it tenfold."

The white-haired man started laughing, his voice escalating into a maniacal, crazed cackle. "If I can't deal with you directly, then I'll go after those close to you."

He pulled out his phone, dialing a number.

"Yeah, it's me. Pass along a message to the Leader..."

Elsewhere in Seoul.

"What is it?" A deep voice asked, coming from a figure sitting in a darkened room, his face obscured by shadows. A scar ran down from his bald head across his eye. He sat on a large, polished stone chair at the head of a massive circular table with empty seats surrounding it.

"Sir, the White Shadow has a message for you." A nervous figure standing before him said.

"Speak." the leader commanded, resting his head on one hand, the other gripping the armrest where a skull ring glinted in the low light.

"He said that James Lee has appeared." the messenger relayed, his voice shaking with unease.

Immediately, a crushing wave of pressure filled the room, forcing the messenger to his knees. He gasped, clutching his chest, blood beginning to trickle from his mouth under the immense force.

"What you said...is it true?" The leader's voice was deadly, his eyes glowing red with malevolent intent.

"Y-yes, sir..." the man wheezed, his face contorted in pain.

"Summon the executives for a meeting tomorrow." the leader ordered. As the pressure lifted slightly, the messenger crawled out of the room, barely alive.

The figure leaned forward, his hand pressing flatly against the massive stone table, and in an instant, the table was reduced to dust. 

"James Lee!" His voice was cold and lethal, as he uttered the name of the boy, no, the man, who had defied him. His eyes glowed deep crimson as the surrounding walls and floor cracked, crumbling under the immense pressure radiating from him.

In a private billiards hall somewhere in Seoul.

"Yo, Gun, did you hear?"

The voice was loud and carefree, belonging to a tall man with blonde hair and glasses, dressed casually in a sports outfit. He approached another figure, this one taller, with slicked-back hair. His eyes were unsettling, with black sclera and white irises and pupils. Shirtless, his muscular torso was scarred, and tattoos ran down both his forearms. A cigarette hung from his mouth as he lined up his shot, ready to break the billiard balls.

"What is it, Goo?" Gun asked, taking his shot and then standing straight as Goo approached, holding a phone in hand.

"I found out where James is." Goo said with a wide grin.

The moment Goo uttered those words, the billiard stick in Gun's hand snapped in half. His expression darkened, anger immediately visible at the mere mention of that name.

"Ohh, scary." Goo chuckled, amused by Gun's reaction. "Anyway, looks like the kid's in school, which is kinda funny considering there are a lot of people who want to tear him apart for what he did to them, and us," Goo added, his smile widening. "But here's the best part. Look." He held up his phone for Gun to see. "The bounty on James' head is active again."

The screen displayed a picture of James Lee, along with an exorbitant sum of money offered for his head.

Gun remained silent, his thoughts consumed by the next steps. He needed to teach James a painful lesson for what the boy had done to his clan and himself.

"Well, I'm heading out." Goo said, turning to leave. "I've got some secret friends in prison I need to check on. Pretty sure they'll be thrilled to hear James is back. Lol." Goo's laughter trailed off as he walked away, leaving Gun to resume his game, though his mind was already elsewhere.

In Mexico.

Under the bright sky, in a distinct place far from the public eye, a man kneeled on the blood-soaked ground, his body trembling.

"P-Please, don't kill me." he begged, his voice shaking with fear.

Surrounding him were the mangled corpses and severed limbs of those who had stood against the towering figure before him. Blood had stained the earth red. The man standing over him was massive, wearing a black leather jacket with nothing underneath, exposing his muscular upper body. He wore jeans and western-style boots, and in his right hand, he gripped a blood-drenched axe. This was Gitae Kim.

"When you stand against me, this is the only outcome." Gitae said coldly, his expression void of emotion. His face and body were splattered with the blood of the men he had just slaughtered. He raised his axe, ready to bring it down and finish the pleading man.

But his phone rang, halting his actions.

Reaching into his pocket, Gitae pulled out the phone and answered. "What is it, Taejin?"

"Sir, I've found where James is."

"James Lee?" Gitae's eyes narrowed at the mention of that name, his grip tightening on the axe. He loathed that boy, who had disappeared without a trace, leaving a chaotic mess at his place. Now, though, if James had resurfaced…

"Yes, sir."

Gitae didn't reply. He simply ended the call, deep in thought about the next steps he would take.

"Instead of killing me, I can work for you," the kneeling man pleaded, desperate now. "I can be your do."

The man's sentence was cut short, his head flying through the air as Gitae swung the axe. Blood sprayed as his body collapsed.

"You talk too much," Gitae muttered. He began walking away, the axe dripped with blood, dialing another number on his phone.

"Eduardo, get a flight ready. I'm going back to Korea."

All across Seoul, James Lee's enemies were receiving word of his reappearance. A brutal storm was brewing, one that would soon descend upon him, threatening everything in its path.