When Hajun finally stirred, he felt... different. The heaviness from before was gone, replaced by a sense of lightness and precision. His limbs moved with a smoothness he'd never experienced before, and every muscle felt perfectly aligned.
"What... happened to me?" he muttered, sitting up slowly.
The System reappeared, its familiar tone as neutral as ever:
[Congratulations. You are now the host of the Martial Body. Your physical potential has been greatly enhanced, and your training will yield significantly greater results.]
Hajun flexed his hands, marveling at the responsiveness of his movements. It was as though his body was an instrument, finely tuned and waiting to be played.
"What's the catch?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the screen.
[The Martial Body cannot utilize mana. Your strength lies solely in the physical realm.]
"No mana, huh?" Hajun leaned back, letting out a sigh. "Guess that's fair. Magic was never my thing anyway."
"Wait.. what time is it? Also… these memories…" Hajun groaned as a surge of memories invaded his brain,
A dull throbbing echoed in Hajun's skull as his memories continued to filter in.
Oren Lesurial had been bullied.
Foris Academy was a place where skill and strength dictated everything. Status wasn't given—it was taken through power, and the weak were nothing more than stepping stones. Oren had been at the bottom, a nobody among prodigies, scorned and ridiculed at every turn.
The pressure had been too much. He had been alone, struggling against a tide of overwhelming expectations, until eventually, he had given up. The pain, the humiliation, the isolation—it had driven him to take his own life.
And now Hajun was here, thrown into this world in his place.
Before he could process the weight of that realization, the System's familiar blue window blinked into existence.
[You are late for your third class: History. Time remaining until attendance is marked absent: 5 minutes.]
Hajun groaned. "And you're telling me this now?"
[You were unconscious.]
He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Fine, fine, I'm going."
Pushing himself up, Hajun made his way out of the room and through the academy's vast hallways. Towering banners lined the walls, their insignias proudly displaying the emblems of various factions. Students moved through the corridors, some throwing him barely a glance, while others smirked and whispered to each other.
Hajun ignored them. He wasn't Oren. He wasn't going to be their victim.
The classroom door loomed ahead, the System's timer ticking down in the corner of his vision. He pushed the door open, stepping inside just in time to be met with multiple gazes locking onto him.
The teacher—short brown hair, piercing eyes—raised an unimpressed brow. A thick leather-bound book rested in her hands as she looked him over.
"You're late," she said simply.
Hajun didn't even hesitate. "Couldn't find my book."
The excuse was flimsy, but the teacher just sighed. "Go sit down, Lesurial."
He exhaled in relief and made his way toward the back of the classroom. The murmurs of students lingered in the air, and Hajun could feel the judgment in their gazes. He didn't bother acknowledging them.
As he climbed the steps toward the higher rows, he caught movement from the corner of his eye. Someone stuck their leg out.
His instincts flared.
Hajun grinned. Instead of falling for the obvious trap, he swung his foot forward, kicking the outstretched leg.
A sharp thud echoed as the student flinched back, immediately clutching his leg in pain. A muffled grunt followed, but Hajun didn't even spare him a glance. He continued walking, slid into his seat, and flipped open a book.
The System's interface flickered before him, listing out several new quests.
[New Quests Available:]
Pass the First Semester Exam: 14,000 Life PointsAchieve a High Grade on the Mid-Semester Exam: 4,000–8,000 Life Points (scaling reward)Physical Development Quests: Various strength, speed, and endurance challengesGrowth Quests: Complete daily physical routines for bonus Life Points
Hajun groaned internally. "Great. Homework."
He flicked the quest window aside, zoning out as the teacher droned on about history. He already had enough on his plate—adapting to this world, handling the academy, and figuring out how far his Martial Body could take him.
Then the teacher called his name.
"Lesurial," she said, tone firm.
Hajun blinked, realizing that every pair of eyes in the room was on him.
"The Miron Art," the teacher continued. "When was it at its peak?"
Hajun stared blankly. The hell is Miron Art?
A small ping from the System saved him.
[Miron Art was most sought after during the Azashi Period.]
Hajun smirked. "The Azashi Period."
The teacher raised a brow but nodded. "Correct."
Murmurs filled the room, but Hajun barely paid them any attention. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, grinning. If nothing else, at least the System had its uses.
The rest of the class passed uneventfully, and Hajun spent most of it asking the System more questions.
"What's the best way to train with Martial Body?"
[Consistent, high-intensity physical development will yield the fastest results.]
"Is there a way to gain more Life Points outside of exams?"
[Yes. Physical and combat-based achievements, personal growth, and significant events may grant Life Points.]
"What's the fastest way to get stronger?"
[Train, fight, survive.]
Hajun sighed. "Figures."
As the class finally ended, he stretched and made his way toward the door, ignoring the lingering stares.
Hajun walked through the hallway, already feeling the weight of unwelcome attention pressing down on him. He was still getting used to this world—still adjusting to this new body, this new life—but there were things he recognized immediately.
Like the group of students blocking his path.
His body reacted before his mind did, a flicker of tension running through him as soon as he saw them. The memories from Oren's past surged forward unbidden. The ones who tormented him the most. The ones who made his life a living hell.
And leading them was Aegir Rofelis.
Aegir had the smug, entitled air of someone who had never known failure. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a sharp jawline and cold blue eyes, he looked down on Hajun as if he were something stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"Look at this," Aegir drawled, crossing his arms. "The rat actually decided to fight back today."
Hajun exhaled sharply, keeping his expression neutral.
Aegir stepped forward without hesitation, his hand latching onto Hajun's collar as he yanked him closer.
"You've got some nerve," Aegir spat. "A talentless worm like you thinking you can just stand up to me? What, did almost dying give you a backbone?"
The others behind him chuckled darkly, some muttering insults under their breath.
But Hajun wasn't Oren.
He didn't lower his gaze. He didn't tremble. Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but carrying a distinct edge.
"Then why did talentless scum make you back off?"
Aegir's sneer dropped instantly.
His grip on Hajun's shirt tightened, and his expression twisted with fury.
"You little—!"
Aegir pulled his arm back, ready to strike.
Hajun's body moved on instinct.
Before Aegir could throw a punch, Hajun's hand snapped up. The back of his hand struck Aegir's face with a sharp crack, sending him stumbling backward.
Blood trickled from Aegir's nose. Pain shot up his face, and for a moment, he simply stood there in shock.
The hallway fell silent.
All around them, students had frozen, staring in stunned disbelief. The group behind Aegir exchanged glances, their smirks vanishing as they realized what had just happened.
Oren Lesurial—the one they had tormented for years—had just struck Aegir Rofelis. And with so little effort, too.
Before things could escalate further, a voice cut through the air like a knife.
"That's enough."
The crowd immediately parted.
Walking toward them was a girl whose presence commanded immediate attention.
Her long, flowing silver hair shimmered under the corridor's dim lighting, cascading over her shoulders like strands of woven moonlight. Her silver eyes were sharp, piercing, and held the weight of quiet authority.
Teresa Arventine.
The Student Council President.
She wasn't just the highest-ranked student in the academy—she was one of its most terrifying figures. Not because she was aggressive, but because she was untouchable. Some whispered that she could fight even the professors if she wanted to.
Teresa's silver eyes flickered between the two of them. "Fighting in the halls?" she said, her voice level but carrying a distinct note of boredom. "Do I need to remind you that this is an academy?"
Aegir wiped the blood from his nose, his fists clenched. He was humiliated, but he wouldn't lash out again—not in front of her.
Instead, he scoffed, before shooting Hajun a venomous glare.
"Fine," he spat. "Meet me at the training field after classes. Let's see if you still have that mouth when I break every bone in your body."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Aegir might not have been at the top of the academy, but he was still considered a third-rate prodigy. The idea that Oren Lesurial—the weakest of the weak—would fight him was laughable.
Hajun just smirked. "Hope you bring a healer."
Aegir's eye twitched.
Teresa, for her part, seemed completely uninterested. She let out a small sigh, placing a hand on her hip. "If you two want to settle it that way, do it off school grounds next time."
Then, her sharp gaze flicked to Hajun. "You. Get to class."
Hajun gave her a slight bow, more out of amusement than actual respect. "Yes, ma'am."
She arched a brow at his response but said nothing else.
He turned and walked off, not bothering to look back at Aegir or his lackeys. The moment he rounded the corner, the System flickered to life.
[New Quest: Survive the Duel with Aegir Rofelis.]
Reward: 200 Life PointsBonus: Win the Duel – 400 Life Points
Hajun let out a short laugh. "Survive? Gee, thanks for the encouragement."
The rest of his classes went by without much trouble. Hajun spent the time writing down notes—not from the lectures, but from the information the System was feeding him. He made sure to record details about the academy, ranking structures, and anything relevant to his future battles.
The moment the final bell rang, the school was already buzzing with rumors.
"The worm's fighting Aegir?"
"Oren actually challenged him?"
"He's dead. He's absolutely dead."
Hajun exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders as he stepped outside.
He supposed he should've expected this.
If everyone thought he was walking to his death, he'd just have to prove them wrong.
He let out a slow breath as he packed up his things, shaking his head. "Alright, System. Any last-minute tips before I go break some idiot's jaw?"
The familiar blue window flickered to life in front of him.
[Follow your instincts.]
Hajun blinked. "...That's it?"
[That is all you require.]
He cocked his head slightly, then shrugged. "Fine. Guess I'll figure it out myself."
With that, he made his way toward the training field.