Chun Ma sat on the school rooftop again, legs crossed, hands resting on his knees.
This had become his temporary training ground. A place with wind. Peace. A view.
He breathed in deeply.
The air was disgusting. He could taste the pollution.
Still, it was better than that classroom with its buzzing lights and gossipy children.
"System," he said aloud. "I completed your task. I survived the day. Barely."
⎛Quest complete.⎠
⎛Reward: System Activation - Level 1⎠
⎛You may now view your status.⎠
A window blinked into view before him. Floating in the air like a spirit scroll.
[Kim Min-jun / Chun Ma]
Age: 17
Class: ???
Level: 1
Strength: 3
Speed: 4
Stamina: 2
Charm: 7 (???)
Wisdom: 10
Skills:
Glare of Intimidation (Passive, weak)
Tray Style: Improvised Weaponry (Lv. 1)
Old Soul: +2 to Mental Resistance
???
Chun Ma stared at the screen.
"Strength… 3?"
He clenched his bony fist.
"This body truly is garbage."
He sighed.
"Charm, 7? What's that supposed to mean?"
⎛Your face is average. But your mysterious aura confuses people.⎠
"…That's not a compliment."
⎛I tried.⎠
He swiped the screen away with a tired hand.
"Fine. I have no power, no qi, no disciples, and now I apparently 'intimidate' people by glaring like a tired uncle."
He leaned back against the roof's railing.
"I need to rebuild."
The wind blew through his messy hair.
"I need to form a new sect."
Back in class, Woo-jin leaned over again with a piece of bread in his mouth.
"You know, you're different now. Cooler, kind of. But also like… you might throw a desk at someone."
"I considered it earlier," Chun Ma said, still staring out the window.
Woo-jin nodded. "Nice. Anyway, you got a club yet?"
"…A what?"
"Club. After-school thing. Everyone joins one. You know, art, science, taekwondo, anime."
Chun Ma blinked. "They have sects in this world?"
"Uh… sure. Let's go with that."
Chun Ma narrowed his eyes.
If this was how people gathered followers here, then so be it.
He stood.
"I will start my own."
Fifteen minutes later, he was sitting in front of the club registration desk.
A sleepy teacher looked up from her phone.
"You want to start a club? What kind?"
Chun Ma folded his arms. "A martial cultivation sect."
"A… what?"
He cleared his throat. "Uh… self-improvement through discipline and street survival."
The teacher squinted at him.
"You want to make a fight club?"
"No! I mean, yes. But legally."
She scribbled something on a form.
"Name of the club?"
Chun Ma paused.
Then, proudly: "Heavenly Path of Supreme Growth Through Mutual Suffering."
She stared at him.
He smiled.
She handed him a blank form.
"Think of a normal name. You need at least three members to register."
By the time school ended, Chun Ma had two things:
1. A crumpled form with "Path Club" written in shaky pen.
2. Absolutely no members.
He stood outside the school gates, watching other students walk home in groups. Laughing. Talking.
He was alone.
Again.
But not for long.
Woo-jin popped up next to him. "So, how's the whole club thing?"
"I require allies," Chun Ma said simply.
"Right. And you want me to join."
"I will offer you a noble position."
"What kind of position?"
"You will be… Vice Grand Iron Shadow of Left-Hand Strategies."
"…That sounds sick."
"You get free ramen."
"I'm in."
Club Member #1: Woo-jin the Loyal (Average grades, Excellent hair, Strong snack game)
They needed one more.
Enter: the girl who kicked a trash can at a senior once.
She was sitting behind the gym. Legs crossed, eating spicy chips like they insulted her family.
Chun Ma approached.
"You have fire," he said.
She stared at him. "You got a death wish?"
"I have an opening in my club."
She raised a brow. "Is this a scam?"
"We train. We fight. We eat noodles."
"…What's the name?"
"Working on it."
She stood, brushing crumbs off her skirt.
"You pay for snacks, and I get to punch people."
"Only if necessary."
"Close enough."
Club Member #2: Joo Hye-rin the Fist (Terrifying aura, Top punch accuracy, Banned from 3 vending machines)
With three members and a shaky form, Chun Ma submitted the papers.
The sleepy teacher gave them an empty classroom, a dusty closet full of yoga mats, and said, "Don't break anything."
They began at once.
First Club Meeting – Day 1
Chun Ma stood at the front of the room, holding a broom like it was a spear.
"We are the Path Club," he declared. "We will become stronger. Together. Through pain. Through ramen."
Woo-jin clapped. Hye-rin nodded while chewing gum.
"This is either gonna be awesome," she said, "or we're all getting suspended."
Chun Ma smiled faintly.
"Either way, it will be glorious."