Reality Quest: The Monarch

I snapped my fingers, the sound echoing like a kind of warning. My gaze fixed on the remaining bullies, and for a moment, they hesitated. Maybe they hadn't expected such a confident reaction from someone who, until now, seemed like an easy target.

"Stop acting tough, idiot!" one of the henchmen shouted, clenching his fists before charging straight at me.

He was fast, but I was faster. My body reacted before I even thought, as if guided by instinct. I pivoted on my left foot and, with a precise kick, struck his chin.

Baam!

The impact was strong enough to lift the NPC's body off the ground. He flew backward, his head hitting the ceiling with a dull thud before landing awkwardly on the floor. His eyes were wide with shock, and the momentary silence that followed only made everything more satisfying.

What hit him? Even he didn't know.

The other two NPCs stepped back, stunned. But I knew exactly what had happened, and my smile only grew as a blue screen lit up in front of me, explaining the reason behind the devastating blow.

[Invisible Attack]

Execute an invisible attack on certain points that are imperceptible to human vision at high speed.

Mastery: 0.6%

MP Cost: 100

The "gift" from [Damian Magnus] was more than I expected. This skill was effective and somewhat cruel, as it left opponents clueless about what had struck them. I could see the terror in the eyes of the remaining henchman. They were trying to understand how I, who just minutes ago seemed weak, had turned into someone capable of taking down one of their comrades so easily.

"Now, who's next?" I asked, my voice calm, almost as if I were enjoying myself.

The last of the NPCs took a hesitant step back, but the Boss gritted his teeth, perhaps thinking their numbers still gave them an advantage.

"You're just lucky!" he shouted, charging toward me. But all I did was smile.

I was just starting to enjoy the power of my system.

I approached the second NPC, who was stumbling forward awkwardly, trying to hit me with a punch. But he was slow—ridiculously slow—and with an agile move, I sidestepped, positioning myself in an instant. Before he could understand what was happening, I lifted my leg and kicked him with [Invisible Strike].

Baam!

The sound of the impact echoed through the area, and the NPC was thrown like a puppet with its strings cut, slamming hard against the wall. He slid to the ground, completely motionless, as the "2/3" bar in my side mission updated to "3/3."

[Side Mission: Defeat the NPCs 3/3.

Reward: +100 Points and 1000 Credits]

With the henchmen out of the fight, I slowly turned to Cheolwoo Min, the supposed "boss," who was now visibly trembling. His eyes were wide, and sweat dripped down his forehead as he took unsteady steps backward.

"What's the matter, Cheolwoo? I thought you were the boss," I taunted, walking toward him. My voice was cold, controlled, but carried a confidence he clearly lacked.

"Y-you son of b—" Before he could finish, I quickly moved in and drove my knee into his stomach, cutting off his words with a choked groan.

"Argh!"

He bent his body forward, and without giving him a chance to recover, I raised my right leg and brought it down with a direct kick, this time activating my ability again.

Baam!

The impact was brutal. The force of the blow sent him crashing to the ground with a loud thud, and he remained there, coughing and groaning, unable to get up. The main mission bar glowed blue in the corner of my vision.

[Main Mission: Defeat the Boss - Complete!

Reward: +500 Points and 10,000 Credits!]

A wave of satisfaction washed over me as I saw the floating screen confirming my victory. I looked down at Cheolwoo, who now seemed anything but the bully he had pretended to be just moments earlier.

"Well, Cheolwoo," I murmured, crouching so he could hear me clearly, "Next time you think about being the boss, choose your victims more carefully."

I slowly got up, feeling the remnants of adrenaline still coursing through my body. The floor bore the marks of the confrontation, and the atmosphere in the bathroom, once filled with laughter and mockery, was now heavy with an uncomfortable silence. I turned my back to Cheolwoo Min, who was still groaning on the floor, and walked toward the sink. With each step, the sound of my sandals echoed in the small space, blending with the faint groans of pain from the defeated lackeys.

Reaching the sink, I turned on the faucet and let the water run for a few seconds before washing my hands. The cold liquid brought a brief moment of clarity, washing away any trace of dirt — physical or metaphorical — that might have clung to me. As I rubbed my hands together, I lifted my eyes to the mirror above the sink, staring at myself for the first time since I woke up in this body.

The reflection staring back at me was imposing. A tall young man with a robust build and broad shoulders that exuded undeniable strength. My dark hair was messy, but in a way that seemed intentional, as if it perfectly framed my face. There was an intensity in my gaze that I hadn't possessed before, as though this body harbored a hidden power that was only now being awakened.

(Insert Image Here)

My clothes, however, told a different story. The white dress shirt was wrinkled and dirty, marked by the clash from just minutes ago. Beneath it, a simple black undershirt remained intact. I wore black tailored pants, part of the typical Korean school uniform, paired with white socks and black sandals. The look was functional, but without a doubt, the disheveled state of the white shirt ruined any semblance of composure.

I sighed, irritated by the state of the shirt, and decided to get rid of it right there. I unbuttoned it and, without hesitation, tossed it into the trash can next to the sink. I looked at the mirror once more, now wearing only the black shirt underneath, and noticed that even though it was simple, it still maintained an acceptable appearance. I adjusted the collar of the shirt, lightly wiping my hands on the pockets of my pants, and left the bathroom.

With this body's memories still fresh in my mind, I walked down the hallway toward the teachers' lounge. The path wasn't complicated, but the stares from some students I passed were inevitable. Some quickly looked away, perhaps intimidated by my expression, while others just whispered among themselves, likely commenting on what had just happened. I ignored them all, focused on my goal.

When I reached the door to the teachers' lounge, I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. I raised my hand and knocked a few times on the door, firm enough to be heard but without sounding rude.

"Come in," said a gentle male voice from the other side of the door.

I pushed the door open slowly and stepped into the room. The atmosphere was a stark contrast to the chaos from moments ago: organized, quiet, and almost welcoming. The walls were lined with shelves full of books and folders, and several desks were occupied by teachers, each engrossed in their tasks.

Professor Min-Woo, an elderly man with a kind demeanor, was sitting at one of the central tables. He looked up from what seemed to be a report and met my gaze with a gentle smile.

"Hoho~ Sung, how can I help you?" he asked, leaning forward slightly in a gesture of attentiveness.

"Mr. Min-Woo," I began, scratching the back of my neck in a somewhat casual manner, "I need a new uniform shirt. Mine… tore."

I paused briefly, trying not to sound too suspicious, as I waited for the professor's reaction.

"Hoho~! I see, I'll grab a spare for you."

Min-Woo walked over to a cabinet and began searching.

Professor Min-Woo's soft laughter echoed through the room, and something about its lightheartedness made me feel more at ease, as though the tension from the previous moment was finally beginning to fade. I watched as he made his way to a large metal cabinet, searching for an extra shirt for me. The sound of books and papers being shuffled seemed to blend with the relaxed atmosphere.

Meanwhile, my mind was occupied with the information the system had provided me. A screen appeared in front of me with a simple command: "Status."

_______________________________________

CHARACTER INFORMATION:

Name: Jun Sung-Woo

Class: Normal Student

CURRENT STATS:

HP: 1000/1000

MP: 200/500

Attack Power: 1

Defense: 1

Agility: 1

Mentality: 1

RESOURCES:

Attribute Points: 600

Credits: 11,000

_______________________________________

The amount of available points was significant, but what caught my attention the most were the 600 attribute points. Now I had the freedom to redistribute them as I wished. I could enhance my physical strength, improve my endurance, or perhaps even focus on a more mentally oriented attribute.

"HP, MP, Attack Power, Defense, Agility, and Mentality," I murmured to myself, assessing the best way to allocate the points. With 100 points for each attribute, my overall strength would become more balanced. Attack power would increase my damage output, while defense and agility would improve my chances of surviving encounters. Mentality, on the other hand, could boost my mental abilities or affect my intelligence, something useful in various situations.

However, as I thought about the best choices, a doubt arose. I knew that for someone like Dowan, the system would require far more keys or other ways to enhance attributes, which made status distribution much more difficult for him. In my case, 600 points were enough to build a solid foundation. But perhaps, in the future, I would need more strategies to deal with this.

"I hope the right choice is made," I murmured, with a slight smile on my face.

The moment I finished my thought, Professor Min-Woo returned with the shirt, extending it toward me.

"Here you go, Sung. Now, I hope your day gets better!" he said with a warm smile.

I took the shirt with a thank you, already starting to feel more comfortable in my new body and circumstances.

After thanking Professor Min-Woo, I quickly put on the new shirt, adjusting it comfortably over my skin. The feeling of looking a bit more presentable brought me a slight sense of satisfaction. I bid farewell to Min-Woo with a nod and a word of gratitude before leaving the room. The school hallway was a bit busier now, with students moving back and forth, and the sound of footsteps and lively conversations filled the space.

Class was about to start, and the break was coming to an end. The sensation of being in a new body, in a new world, was still settling in my mind, but I didn't have time to get lost in thought. I needed to get back to the routine, at least for now, to better understand this new environment and what I should do next.

I walked through the hallways, heading to the classroom where the lessons were about to resume. As I entered the room, several gazes turned toward me. Some classmates greeted me with a simple nod, while others continued their conversations, showing little interest. I took my seat and, as usual, I remained observing the activity around me.

The teacher entered the room just a few seconds later, and the class began. I was there, listening attentively, but my mind was restless. The possibilities were vast now that I had the system and the abilities to become stronger, but still, I needed to understand the context of this world, its rules, and how everything fit together.

Still with my eyes focused on the chalkboard, I couldn't help but think about what else the future held for me.

...

Some gossip arose and echoed through the halls.

"Did you hear that?"

"Sung-Woo must be hiding something..."

"It's impossible that he defeated Cheolwoo and the others alone..."

The murmurs didn't stop, but Jun Sung-Woo kept his posture firm and walked through the halls as if nothing had happened. The air of indifference he carried only fueled the speculation, but he didn't mind. There were more important things to him now, like the system and the missions that seemed to appear at any moment.

It was while he was walking to his next class that he encountered him. At the end of the hallway, with his arms crossed and a mocking smile on his lips, was Jaemin Shin. He was known for being someone who loved to take advantage of others, a bully who made up for his lack of strength with provocations and psychological intimidation. The encounter was inevitable.

Before Jun could say anything, the familiar sound of the system interface echoed in his mind.

[Mission started]

[Mission: Humiliate Jaemin Shin. Reward: 200 Points, 500 Credits]

Jun raised an eyebrow, his expression remaining impassive as he read the mission.

'How convenient,' Jun thought, a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips. His eyes shifted away from the invisible screen to lock with Jaemin's, who was watching him with that superior gaze, clearly underestimating him.