Back to School

Seung shifted gears, squeezing every ounce of power from the bike as he began to close the gap. The criminal glanced back again, and this time, his grin faltered. Seung was right on his tail, his expression unreadable, his focus unbreakable.

Determined to end this chase, the criminal reached into his jacket, pulling out a small, sleek device. He aimed it backward, and a burst of energy shot from the device, crackling through the air like a bolt of lightning.

Seung's instincts kicked in. He swerved to the side just in time, the energy bolt narrowly missing him and striking the ground with a loud crack. The asphalt sizzled where it hit, leaving a charred mark behind. Seung's eyes narrowed. This man wasn't just running—he was dangerous.

"Alright, no more games," Seung muttered under his breath.

He pushed the bike harder, his fingers tightening on the throttle. The wind whipped past him as he leaned forward, every muscle in his body tensed and ready. The distance between them was shrinking, and Seung could see the criminal's panic starting to set in.

The man fired again, the device spitting out another crackling bolt of energy. This time, Seung didn't dodge. He timed it perfectly, accelerating just as the bolt fired, the energy missing him by mere inches.

"Enough of this," Seung growled, his patience wearing thin.

With a swift motion, he extended his hand, summoning the Shadow Blade. The weapon materialized in his grip, its dark, ominous aura pulsing with energy. He raised it high, the blade glinting in the sunlight as he closed in on the criminal.

Just as the man prepared to fire another shot, Seung made his move. With a precise swing, he slashed at the criminal's rear tire. The blade cut through rubber and metal like it was paper, the tire bursting with a loud pop.

The bike wobbled, the criminal struggling to keep it under control. He swerved wildly, the bike skidding and fishtailing across the highway before he lost control completely. The bike flipped, sending the man flying through the air before he crashed onto the asphalt with a sickening thud.

Seung skidded to a stop a few feet away, watching as the police cars finally caught up. The officers jumped out, guns drawn, rushing to surround the dazed and injured criminal.

Breathing heavily, Seung dismissed the Shadow Blade, the weapon dissolving into the shadows once more. He revved his engine, sparing the criminal one last glance before speeding off, leaving the scene behind.

The police had their man, and Seung had his satisfaction. But the chase wasn't what drove him—it was just another reminder of the world he lived in, where power and danger lurked around every corner.

The criminal spat out the words, "You punk! I will make sure I find you when I get bail! Just wait and see!"

Seung's lips curled into a faint, almost dismissive smile. "I will," he replied, his voice calm and unbothered.

As the man was forcefully shoved into the police car, he shot a venomous glare back at Seung, who remained unfazed. One of the officers approached Seung, asking, "Hello, young man. Mind telling me your name?"

Seung met his gaze for a brief moment before a sly grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I'm just an F-ranker," he said, his tone nonchalant, before vanishing in a blur with his bike.

He returned the bike to the exact spot he'd borrowed it from earlier, the tires barely making a sound as they touched the pavement. Without missing a beat, he flagged down a taxi, directing the driver to Hanyang Hospital. Visiting his sister on Christmas had become a ritual, a somber tradition that anchored him in a world that otherwise felt like it was slipping away.

As he entered the sterile room, the rhythmic beeping of the life-support machine echoed in his ears, louder than usual, as if the sound had dug deep into his soul. He lowered himself onto a small stool by the bed, his eyes tracing the pale contours of his sister's face.

"Here I am to celebrate with you while you continue to ignore me," he murmured, placing a bouquet of fresh flowers beside her pillow. "Merry Christmas, sis. I'll visit our parents' graves later to congratulate them too. It's been so lonely without you guys."

The room fell silent, the only sound the steady beeping of the machine and the faint rustle of Seung's clothes as he stood. He exited the ward quietly, his footsteps almost ghostly as he made his way to the hospital lounge. Pulling out his phone, he called Mr. Choi, the line connecting with a brief click. "Good morning, Mr. Choi."

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Lee. How are you?" Mr. Choi's voice was warm, but Seung kept his reply succinct.

"Good," Seung replied. "About the treasure we discussed—where can I find it? Which class of dungeon is it in?"

A heavy sigh came from the other end of the line. "C-rank dungeons are the toughest to locate. A small percentage of A-rank Hunters have ever even ventured into one. So…"

"The chance of getting the Jar of Life is slim," Seung finished for him, his voice betraying no emotion.

Mr. Choi chuckled lightly. "You always finish my thoughts, Mr. Lee. Yes, the resource comes from C-rank monsters, but it's only used for life-saving purposes."

Seung nodded to himself, absorbing the information. Mr. Choi, sensing a deeper concern, cautiously asked, "Who are you trying to save with the Jar of Life?"

Seung paused, then replied with a tone that left no room for further questions, "Don't worry about it."

As he was about to head home to resummon his clones, a thought crossed his mind—Mr. Song had asked him to visit today. Reluctantly, Seung made his way to the man's house, which was conveniently located next to FAST BITE.

Upon arrival, he knocked on the door. "Mr. Song, I'm here!" he called out.

The door creaked open, revealing not the elderly Mr. Song but a young woman with her hair neatly tied in a bun. Seung's brow furrowed slightly. 'Is she Mr. Song's granddaughter? If that's true, the whole family must be inside...' he thought, his unease growing.

"Please, come in," she invited softly.

With a heavy sigh, Seung stepped into the living room, immediately regretting it as his eyes fell upon three people, including Mr. Song, seated around a table laden with food and drinks.

'Oh God, I don't like it when a place is crowded,' he inwardly groaned.

"I thought you wouldn't make it. Come, join us!" Mr. Song's cheerful invitation left Seung with little choice but to comply. He sat down opposite a man who could only be Mr. Song's son.

"Hello, Uncle Taehwan," Seung greeted with a slight bow.

Taehwan's grin was wide. "Long time no see, Seung. You've grown up quite a bit since I last saw you."

"Haha, yeah," Seung replied, a faint smile touching his lips.

Just then, the young woman joined them, taking a seat beside her father. "Seung, meet my daughter, Jiwon," Taehwan said, turning to Mr. Song. "Dad, didn't you say Seung goes to Star High School?"

"That's right. I think it's the same school Jiwon attends," Mr. Song confirmed.

Seung's mind whirred. If she was his schoolmate, there was no doubt she knew who he was. Top student, constantly bullied—those were the labels that had followed him for years. But now… things were different. He was different.

"Seung?" Taehwan's voice broke through his thoughts. "I'm talking to you."

Seung blinked, snapping back to reality. "Oh, yes, I'm here. I… I'm listening."

"I asked if you're prepared for your final exams. Though I'm sure you are," Taehwan said with a grin.

* * *

The next morning, Seung's face lit up as he donned his school uniform. Today was the day he had been waiting for—a day that had once been the pinnacle of his ambitions. Before awakening, his dream had been to achieve the highest marks in the final exams across Korea.

'I stopped caring because it seemed pointless—there was no way I could afford higher education. But now… now I'm earning enough. I will make sure I get the highest mark!'

He packed his bag and quickly sent a text to Mr. Choi, instructing him to take his clones to the next dungeon.

"What's the countdown?" he mumbled, glancing at the screen that popped up in front of him.

[00:00:00]

"Resummoning is ready," he murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Time to get to it."

He whispered the command, "Emerge."

In an instant, his two clones materialized before him, wearing the same clothes he had given them before they'd run out of energy the last time. The trio waited outside, and within minutes, Mr. Choi's car pulled up.

"You're going to school today?" Mr. Choi asked, noting Seung's uniform.

"Yes, final exams. Just drop my clones at the dungeon; they can find their way back," Seung instructed as his clones climbed into the backseat.

"Best of luck with the exam!" Mr. Choi called out as he closed the car door.

"Thanks," Seung replied, flashing a brief grin.

As Mr. Choi's car drove away, Seung headed for school, a taxi dropping him off just short of the entrance gate. He kept his pace steady, blending in with the other students walking ahead of him.

'I'll draw too much attention if I walk faster than them,' he thought, keeping a measured distance.

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind him. "Hey, Seung!"

He halted, turning his head slightly to see who it was. Kang Jinhu, accompanied by a group of male students, was making his way toward him. Though they weren't his friends, they followed him with the kind of respect only fear could command.

Seung noticed Jinhu's slight limp, a sign that the E-rank Hunters had given him a harsh beating.

'Serves him right,' Seung thought with a faint smirk.

Jinhu stopped just a few meters away, his lips curling into a nasty smirk. "Jerk, you look thrilled that I'm injured, aren't you?"

Seung opened his mouth to reply, but Jinhu cut him off, his voice laced with venom. "Tell him what you told me earlier, Johnny."

One of the boys at Jinhu's side stepped forward. "You were at school last week and left right at closing time."

'He must be talking about my clone… the day I went solo in the dungeon,' Seung realized.

Jinhu's eyes narrowed. "I knew it wasn't you in that dungeon."

Without warning, Jinhu's fist shot out, connecting with Seung's face and sending him staggering back. The world blurred for a moment, pain blossoming in his cheek as he struggled to regain his balance.

"Argh!" Seung winced, his vision clearing just in time to see Jinhu closing the distance, his fist raised for another strike.

"You're going to pay for what your lookalike did," Jinhu growled, his voice low and menacing.

As the fist came down, Seung's hand shot up, catching Jinhu's punch mid-air. His grip tightened around Jinhu's knuckles, the fierce light in his eyes glowing brighter. Jinhu grunted, his muscles flexing as he tried to pull free, but Seung's hold was like iron.

"I didn't know you really wanted to fight," Seung said, his voice low and dangerous. "If you give me the go-ahead, I'll do you the favor of breaking your arms."