After the gruesome beating, Vincent sat on his bed, shoulders slumped, eyes fixed on the floor.
A heavy aura of sullenness weighed over him, pressing against his chest like a boulder.
He sighed, tilting his head back, staring at the ceiling as if searching for answers.
No matter how strong he thought he was becoming, there was always someone stronger.
Someone crazier.
Someone who defied common sense.
Daniel was only the beginning. What did the future hold?
For a cannon fodder like him, how was he supposed to survive?
A storm of thoughts swirled through his mind, each one heavier than the last.
He knew the answer.
He knew the only solution.
But hesitation clung to his face like a shadow.
'If I decide, right here, right now, to carry on—to get stronger and keep getting stronger… will it stop?'
Would it ever end?
The more bullies he defeated, the more would come.
After Roger, Ferdinand came.
After Ferdinand, Daniel entered the picture.
If he somehow survived this madman in a month, what then?
Who was next?
A beast? A monster?
Vincent shook his head aggressively, trying to erase the thought.
Daniel is the strongest in Mereung.
Everyone knows that.
'Maybe… this should be the end.'
He exhaled sharply, deciding to focus on something else—his wounds.
With careful movements, he stood from the bed and walked to the table, pulling open the drawer. A small first aid kit sat inside, scanty from frequent use.
He lifted it out, placed it on the table, and stared blankly at it.
His reflection on the surface was unfamiliar—battered, bruised, hollow-eyed.
Softly, he touched the dried blood on his lips.
The memory of Daniel's fists rained in his mind, each strike leaving a phantom ache.
Levi and the others had insisted on taking him to a hospital.
But he refused.
It wasn't just pride—it was money.
Going to a hospital meant medical bills, and he had nothing saved.
The year was not even halfway through, and he had burned through his budget already.
Rent money wouldn't come until next year.
Surviving meant managing.
Levi had looked heartbroken, but for some reason, that disturbing respect in his eyes only burned brighter.
Vincent had a feeling he was about to have his hands full with that guy.
A small smile curled on his lips at the thought.
He turned back to the first aid kit, flipped it open, and grabbed the bottle of methylated spirit.
Dipping cotton wool into the liquid, he dabbed the wounds, gritting his teeth through the searing burn.
Pain traced through his nerves, but he bore it.
One by one, he treated the major cuts—his nose bridge, behind his brows, his mouth, cheek, and eye corner.
Finally, he sighed, pressing the last bandage in place.
Dragging himself back to the bed, he collapsed onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.
'…I'm tired.'
The words echoed in his mind, heavy and absolute.
He raised his hand, and almost automatically, he muttered—
"Oh… here's my coffee."
A white cup materialized out of thin air, landing in his palm.
Propping himself up, he gulped it down in one go.
The warmth spread through him instantly, hitting deeper than usual.
He barely placed the cup down before his eyelids grew heavy.
Minutes later, it disappeared—but Vincent was already drifting into sleep.
Four hours passed.
Vincent woke up abruptly, eyes wide and alert.
He wasn't expecting to fall asleep, but that wasn't what shocked him the most.
Something felt… off.
He touched his face—his fingers grazed smooth skin.
The pain was gone.
His breath hitched.
The wounds were completely gone.
Heart pounding, he moved to the mirror.
Slowly, he peeled the bandages off.
One after another, they fell away, revealing unblemished skin beneath.
It wasn't a trick of the light.
His face was perfectly healed.
Eyes wide with disbelief, he rolled up his sleeves. Then his pant legs.
His skin was flawless.
No bruises. No swelling. No lingering aches.
"It's… all gone." He muttered, voice barely above a whisper.
Then—his mind clicked.
'The coffee.'
He summoned the system panel, fingers trembling slightly.
[Card Name: Oh! Here's My Coffee!!]
[Card Type: Utility]
[Card Grade: Common]
[Description: Once in 48 hours, you can use this card to instantly summon a perfect cup of coffee that will refresh you and heal exhaustion instantly.]
Vincent stared at the text, unblinking.
"Refresh me and heal exhaustion completely."
At first, he thought it meant the same thing—just two different ways of saying 'restoring energy'.
But now—he realized.
"Refreshment" and "healing exhaustion" were two distinct effects.
"Refreshment" restored him to a state of complete wellness—not just from fatigue, but from any physical damage.
His supernatural coffee had the power to heal his wounds completely.
A moment of silence stretched between him and the revelation.
Then, his expression darkened.
"…What's there to be happy about?" he muttered.
Only his injuries had disappeared.
The truth hadn't.
No matter how much his body healed—the reality remained the same.
He lost.
A high school second-year had utterly demolished him.
Daniel was only a year older, yet he had mastered boxing while Vincent—
Vincent stopped.
The words in his mind sounded like excuses.
Excuses didn't matter.
Only the result did.
And the result was clear.
"I was defeated."
His jaw clenched.
A deep frown cut across his face.
Then—his voice rose.
"I was defeated!!!"
"Shut the fuck up, bro!" someone shouted from outside.
But Vincent didn't care.
He needed to sear this moment into his soul.
He needed to remember—to never forget—how awful this felt.
Because something was screaming inside him.
A voice in his head roared with absolute clarity.
I want to get stronger.
I want to get stronger.
A different spark ignited in his eyes.
His fingers trembled as he reopened the system panel, this time focusing on the new quests he had received earlier.
Before, he dismissed them in frustration.
Now—
Now, he wanted to see them.
[MAIN QUEST]