Seo Jin's heart still raced as he reached the quiet edge of the academy grounds. His legs ached, and his shirt clung to his back with sweat, but he didn't stop. Not yet. The high from his encounter with the goblin hadn't worn off, and he wasn't ready to let it go.
The world felt sharper now, brighter. Every detail of his surroundings, from the rustle of leaves in the breeze to the faint hum of mana in the air to the crunch of gravel underfoot, was clearer and more vibrant.
He crouched in the shadow of a tree, taking a shaky breath. "Alright, let's see what this speed is really worth."
Seo Jin pushed off from the ground, his feet striking the dirt with a force that surprised even him. He stumbled at first, his balance wavering as his body struggled to adjust to the sudden burst of momentum.
But within seconds, he found his rhythm.
He darted between the trees, each step light and precise. The wind whipped past his face, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and wildflowers. It was exhilarating, like the world had finally removed the weights shackled to his limbs.
For the first time in his life, Seo Jin felt fast.
He skidded to a stop near a small stream, his chest heaving as he doubled over to catch his breath. Despite the burning in his lungs, he couldn't help but smile.
"This is insane," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
His mind raced with possibilities. The goblin's speed had been its defining trait, and now it was his. If I can take speed from a goblin, what else could I get? Strength? Endurance? Magic?
The thought sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. For once, his body didn't feel like prison.
But then reality crept back in, dousing his optimism like cold water. His stamina was still abysmal. Just a short run had left him winded and shaky, a harsh reminder of how far he had to go.
As Seo Jin sat by the stream, his thoughts drifted to his old life. Kang Jin-ho, the perpetual loser. Always running late, always scraping by, always at the mercy of people like Min-jae.
Back then, he'd convinced himself that survival meant staying small, invisible. He'd never taken risks, never fought back, and look where it had gotten him: dead in the street, hit by a truck, remembered by no one.
But here, in this world, things were different. The rules weren't fair, but they were clear: power was everything. If he wanted to survive, he couldn't afford to play it safe anymore.
"This isn't like before," Seo Jin said to himself, his voice quiet but firm. "I'm not going to waste this chance."
He spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the academy's outer grounds, keeping an eye out for more Rifts or other anomalies.
The academy was vast, much larger than he'd realized. Beyond the central buildings and training fields were dense forests, rocky cliffs, and shimmering mana streams that twisted through the landscape like veins of light.
Seo Jin felt small here, like an ant crawling through a giant's playground. Everywhere he turned, he saw students practicing spells, summoning creatures, and sparring with weapons that glowed with otherworldly energy.
It was humbling.
But it was also motivating.
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold, Seo Jin made his way back to his dormitory. His body was sore, his muscles aching from exertion, but his mind was sharper than ever.
He replayed the fight with the goblin in his head, analyzing every move and every mistake. If he wanted to survive here, he couldn't afford to rely on luck and adrenaline alone. He needed a plan.
And he had one.
The next morning, Seo Jin woke early, his body protesting as he dragged himself out of bed. His dorm room was small and sparsely furnished, but the sunlight streaming through the window made it feel almost inviting.
He sat at the desk, a piece of parchment spread out before him. It was blank, save for a single word scrawled across the top in bold letters: STRATEGY.
Seo Jin tapped the quill against his chin, his thoughts racing.
Step one: Find more Rifts.
The goblin encounter had been an accident, but if the academy's grounds were as unstable as he suspected, there had to be more anomalies hidden away. He'd need to map out the areas with the highest mana activity and set up a schedule to patrol them.
Step two: Train.
Speed was great, but it wasn't enough. His body was still weak, and his stamina was a joke. He'd need to build his endurance and learn basic combat skills if he wanted to survive future encounters.
Step three: Gather intel.
The academy was full of secrets: hidden quests, forgotten artifacts, and political rivalries that could be exploited. Seo Jin's knowledge of the novel gave him an edge, but it wouldn't last forever. He needed to stay ahead of the game.
By the time he finished outlining his plan, the sun was high in the sky, and the academy was bustling with activity. Seo Jin stretched, feeling a faint twinge of satisfaction as he glanced at the parchment.
It wasn't much, but it was a start.
Later that day, Seo Jin made his way to the library, hoping to find records of past Rift activity. The library was massive, its towering shelves packed with books that glowed faintly with mana.
He ran his fingers along the spines, marveling at the titles. "The Principles of Mana Manipulation." "Beast Codex: Volume III." "Rift Phenomena and Their Origins."
Seo Jin pulled the last one from the shelf, flipping through its pages as he settled into a corner seat.
The text was dense, filled with diagrams and archaic terminology, but Seo Jin forced himself to focus. He needed every scrap of information he could find.
Hours later, his head swam with knowledge of mana surges, dimensional tears, and the creatures that emerged from them. He closed the book, his eyes bleary but his resolve stronger than ever.
This world was brutal, yes. But it was also full of opportunities.
Seo Jin stood, tucking the book under his arm as he made his way back toward the dorms. His mind buzzed with ideas, strategies, and a newfound sense of purpose.
As he stepped outside, the cool evening air hit his face, and he paused, gazing up at the stars.
"This is my second chance," he muttered, his voice steady. "And I'm going to make every bastard in this world regret underestimating me."