I stared at the glowing notification, my heart hammering. The Scholar System was back. That sleek interface, the structured tasks it was unmistakable.
[Daily Quest: Memorize 50 Vocabulary Words.]
[Reward: 1 Intelligence Point.]
[Bonus Quest: Complete 3 Mathematics Problems.]
[Reward: 5 Focus Points.]
In my past life, this system had been my greatest ally. Every quest rewarded me with tangible benefits mental clarity, faster problem-solving, and sharper focus. It was how I'd gone from a nobody to a self-made millionaire. But why was it here again?
The memory of Eunha's tear-streaked face flashed in my mind. Her pain, her anger it all felt too vivid to be a dream. Could she be here too?
I pushed the thought aside. If this were my second chance, I wouldn't waste it. Grabbing a textbook from my desk, I dove into the quests. Words flowed into my mind like water, equations became patterns I could effortlessly untangle. The familiar rush of progress filled me as notifications popped up:
[Quest Completed. Intelligence +1.]
[Bonus Quest Completed. Focus +5.]
When I finished, my head felt clearer, my thoughts sharper. I opened the leaderboard out of habit, curious to see where I ranked.
[Top Scholars: Current Rank #11.]
A smirk tugged at my lips. I'd climb that list in no time. But then, another notification appeared:
[New Challenger Detected: Sibling Rivalry Achieved.]
My stomach dropped. Eunha was here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Across town, Eunha sat in her old bedroom, her hands trembling as she stared at her phone.
[Welcome Back, Eunha. Scholar System Activated.]
Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "Scholar System, huh? Fine. If this is the game, I'll play it better than anyone."
In her past life, she'd chosen the Beauty System, chasing her dream of becoming a model. At first, it had seemed like a blessing. The system enhanced her looks, her charisma, even her ability to walk and pose perfectly. But the cost was unbearable.
She clenched her fists as the memories returned the men who leered at her, the endless cycle of manipulation, the complete lack of agency. She wouldn't let herself be trapped again.
The Scholar System was different. It wasn't about appearances; it was about intelligence, focus, and hard work. If she mastered it, she could control her life on her terms.
Her first quest appeared:
[Daily Quest: Memorize 50 Vocabulary Words.]
[Reward: 1 Intelligence Point.]
She threw herself into the task, her mind blazing with determination. The system rewarded effort, and she intended to outwork everyone including Seojun. Especially him.
When she finished her quests, she opened the leaderboard. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted his name.
[Top Scholars: Current Rank #11 – Seo Seojun.]
Her smile turned razor-sharp. "You always thought you were better, didn't you, Oppa? Let's see how you handle competition this time."