Morning came fast. Too fast.
Hana walked into class half-asleep and was immediately greeted by the sight of Chun Ma doing slow, sweeping motions at the back of the room. Like Tai Chi—but with more aggressive eyebrow movements.
"…You're gonna get us all expelled," she muttered, heading to her desk.
Woo-jin appeared seconds later. "Bro. You still doing that?"
Chun Ma didn't answer right away. His eyes were focused, calm. He finished his movement, exhaled, and then finally said, "The qi must flow freely before the mind can sharpen."
"To me it looks like you're dancing with ghosts," Woo-jin replied.
Hana slumped into her seat. "How did we get stuck with the main character from a discount kung fu drama?"
System Notification ⎛
Micro-circulation Improved
Internal Flow Resistance -1
Standing Posture Stability +2
⎠
Chun Ma ignored the blinking lights. He'd gotten used to the system being there. Always feeding him progress like tiny crumbs.
He would need more. This world wasn't ready. And neither was his body.
But something had begun shifting inside him. A tiny warmth when he breathed correctly. A faint hum in his palms when he moved just right. Not power—but the beginning of power.
Later that day, in the school hallway…
A soccer ball rolled out of nowhere. A group of rowdy second-years chased after it, shouting and laughing. One of them kicked the ball hard—right toward Chun Ma.
Most people would've flinched.
Chun Ma didn't blink.
He raised his foot and stopped the ball with perfect control.
The hallway went quiet.
The guy who kicked it walked up, frowning. "Yo. You blind or just suicidal?"
Chun Ma looked up at him. Calm. Cold.
"I saw your attack. It was clumsy. Lacked intent."
"…What?"
"You should kick with the heart. Not just the foot."
The student stared. "Are you seriously talking like you're in a manga right now?"
Woo-jin ran over, waving both arms. "Sorry! He's doing a school project! Theater! Full method acting! Don't mind him!"
Hana dragged Chun Ma by the sleeve. "You're gonna get us murdered one of these days."
Chun Ma allowed himself to be pulled, but muttered, "Even murder is preferable to weak technique."
After School
Chun Ma stood on the roof again, shirt half-unbuttoned, eyes closed as the wind blew through his hair.
The system floated quietly in front of him.
⎛Minor Recovery Complete
Body Fatigue: Low
Stamina: 56/100
System Tier: Locked
Unlock Condition: Initiate Sect Formation⎠
"Sect… formation…"
His eyes snapped open.
That was it.
That was what had been bothering him.
He didn't need to be alone. A sect needed followers. Disciples. People to train. People to mold.
He turned, eyes blazing. "Woo-jin."
"Eh?"
"You are weak."
"…Thanks?"
"But you have the spirit of a donkey that refuses to die. You will be my first disciple."
"...What?!"
Hana choked on her water bottle. "Excuse me?! What do you mean first—he's not even a willing participant!"
Chun Ma stood tall. "The way of the Heavenly Sect is not bound by consent. The sword chooses the wielder."
"Okay," Woo-jin said slowly, "but I'm just trying to pass math class. I can't even do pushups."
"You will learn. You must. The winds of fate blow soon."
Woo-jin turned to Hana. "Is this… is this legally binding?"
"I think you just got inducted into a cult," she whispered back.
That night, Chun Ma didn't sleep.
He meditated in his tiny apartment, the smell of instant noodles faint in the background. He traced diagrams with his finger, visualizing energy flow across invisible channels. Every breath sharpened his senses. Every second made him feel just slightly more… whole.
But the moment didn't last.
Because outside his window, something shifted.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Far down the street, he saw a man.
Just a man. Wearing black.
But there was something strange about him.
He stood under the streetlamp, still as stone. No movement. No blinking. Just watching.
Chun Ma narrowed his eyes. "Observer?"
The system remained silent.
Then the man turned and walked away.
Gone.
Chun Ma stood, fists tightening.
This world… wasn't as mundane as it seemed.
And he wasn't the only one hiding something.
System Notification ⎛
Event Flag Triggered
Quest Path: [Reawakening of the Ancient Sect]
Step 1: Recruit First Disciple
Step 2: Find Traces of Lost Qi
Reward: System Unlock – Tier 1
⎠
Chun Ma smiled.
"Finally."