It feels like... today might be the day I die.

Tom stood up from his chair and said, "Yeongcheol Kim, arrange to fix the wall I broke. And you, Manager Kim, take Daegun home so he can rest. You have the day off."

Saying this, Tom opened the door to his private room and stepped outside.

But as soon as he stepped out, what he saw struck him like a bolt of lightning. Tom let out a loud, agonizing scream.

"No...!" (A painful cry.)

Hearing the scream, Manager Kim and Yeongcheol Kim, who were walking out slowly, rushed over to Tom.

"Boss, what happened?" Yeongcheol Kim asked with a puzzled expression, while Manager Kim stood beside him, carefully observing the surroundings.

"My coat! Where is it? Miss Kim gave me that coat!" Tom growled, standing in front of Yeongcheol Kim, his voice filled with rage.

Yeongcheol Kim glanced at the spot where the coat was supposed to be. It was clear that the bulletproof locker, where the coat Miss Kim gave to Tom had been securely stored, was now broken, and the coat was missing.

"That boy, Daegun! He must have taken it. His clothes earlier had bloodstains all over them. Maybe he took your coat," Yeongcheol Kim said.

Just then, Manager Kim noticed that Daegun was no longer there, and he shared his observation with Tom.

"That boy Daegun! If I find him, I'll tear him apart! How dare he wear the coat Miss Kim gave me? I've only worn that coat twice myself!" Tom fumed, his anger boiling over.

"Boss, there's a letter here. And it seems like it's from Daegun," Yeongcheol Kim said, walking toward the broken locker and picking up a letter to show Tom.

"Read it! Tell me what's written in it right now! Today, I'll either kill him or die trying!" Tom shouted as he ran toward Yeongcheol Kim, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Alright," Yeongcheol Kim nodded and began reading the letter aloud:

"Old man, I took your coat. It's a great coat, and I'm wearing it to meet my future wife. Of course, I know you won't understand anything about love or marriage since you're destined to stay single for life. But if Manager Kim wants to come after me, send him my way. Oh, and I know you don't do anything for free, so I've left a million dollars on the sofa. Don't worry about the coat-it's mine now. Haha!"

As soon as the letter was read, Tom erupted in fury, his face turning red with rage. He roared, "That boy Daegun! I will tear him apart!"

"Boss, there's a letter here, and it looks like it's from Daegun," Yeongcheol Kim said as he found a letter near the broken locker and handed it to Tom Lee.

"Hurry up and read it! Today, I'll either kill him with my own hands or die trying," Tom Lee shouted as he ran toward Yeongcheol Kim and grabbed his shoulder.

"Alright," Yeongcheol Kim nodded and started reading the letter aloud:

"Old man, I've taken your coat. It's beautiful, and I'm wearing it to meet my future wife. Of course, I know you wouldn't understand things like love or marriage since you'll stay single for the rest of your life. But if Manager Kim wants to come after me, send him over. And yes, I know you don't do anything for free, so I've left a million dollars on the sofa. Don't worry about the coat- it's mine from now on. Haha!"

Hearing the part about marriage, Tom Lee's face darkened, and Yeongcheol Kim's eyebrows furrowed slightly. But when the money was mentioned, Tom Lee's expression quickly changed to one of shock.

"Manager Kim, quickly check if there's money on the sofa!" Tom exclaimed in excitement.

"Boss, I've found a bag on the sofa with loads of cash inside. It seems to be the money Daegun left," Manager Kim said after checking.

"Oh, my little tiger, I love you so much! You left so much money for me. If you had given me just five hundred dollars, I would've forgiven Manager Kim!"

Tom grabbed the money, rubbed it against his cheeks, and started singing and dancing in joy.

Meanwhile, Manager Kim frowned at Tom's words, his face slightly twitching in disbelief.

It seemed that the loss of his coat had been completely overshadowed by the money in his hands.

In the pouring rain,

At the front gate of a school, a man stood. His attire was striking-strong, elegant, and timeless.

The jet-black trench coat he wore matched his tall frame perfectly, radiating an aura of unstoppable confidence with every step he took. Beneath the coat, a white shirt and black tie added to his sharp and sophisticated appearance. He wore light sunglasses on his face, a black umbrella in his hand-each element contributing to an air of strength and mystery.

His presence drew every gaze, as if he moved forward without hesitation, carving his path with unwavering resolve.

"Ha... ha... ha." The sound of a long, weary sigh echoed through the rain.

"Looks like I'm late. The exams must be over for those students, and Minji is probably waiting for me inside the school. I should hurry."

Mumbling to himself, Daegun took out a cigarette, lit it, and walked into the school building.

But not long after Daegun entered, a man with golden blonde hair barged into the school.

Although some students had finished their exams, classes were still in session for many others. The building was buzzing with activity.

"Where should I look for Minji?" Daegun frowned slightly as he paused in front of a classroom, lost in thought.

But while his thoughts were calm, the surroundings were anything but. Daegun was no ordinary individual. Though not exactly a celebrity, his strikingly handsome appearance and his expensive black coat and outfit immediately drew attention.

Students, male and female teachers alike, stared at him with wide eyes, whispering among themselves. The atmosphere became restless as people prepared to approach him.

"Maybe I should head to the principal's office..."

Swoosh-

Suddenly, the chilling sound of flesh being cut by a blade echoed through the air. The noisy surroundings fell into an eerie silence within moments.

"Pah..."

Blood dripped from Daegun's mouth as a sharp, searing pain radiated through his chest. He glanced down to see a blade piercing through his chest, cleanly between his ribs.

"That was close... You trying to kill me?"

Even with blood dripping from his lips, Daegun smirked as he spoke.

"Oh my, you really are like a koi fish. I heard you were critically injured while fighting Tom Lee, but you survived. I must admit, I'm impressed."

A mocking voice came from behind him.

"Still, if you had aimed for my heart, I might've complimented you too," Daegun retorted, pulling himself off the blade with a defiant grin.

In a flash, he shifted into a Kokushin Karate stance and launched a Choku Tsuki-a straight punch aimed at his opponent's chest.

However, his opponent was no ordinary person.

The punch was dodged effortlessly, and Daegun's fist crashed into the wall behind, shattering it and leaving a gaping hole.

"Whoa, take it easy! You trying to break my bones?"

The golden-haired man stepped back with a chuckle.

Seizing the brief pause, Daegun smirked and muttered to himself, "System, show me my stats."

[Ding... Displaying the opponent's stats.]

[ Name: Gu Kim

STRENGTH: ZR

Body physique: "Pure Sword Body"

SPEED: ZZR

POTENTIAL: (??) (Rainbow) {ASCENDED} - BLUE

INTELLIGENCE: SS (+)

ENDURANCE: ZZ ]

"What the hell, system? Are you messing with me?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"You're telling me he's Gu Kim, but how is he this strong at such a young age? And what's with his Potential color? Why is it so different?"

Seeing Gu Kim's stats, especially his RAINBOW-colored Potential, left me completely stunned.

[Host, you're not far behind in terms of power. His stats have been boosted because of his sword. And as for his RAINBOW Potential, it's a unique trait only found in individuals deeply tied to this Lookism universe. It signifies that the universe itself is supporting them. These Potential colors vary, and those who possess them are destined to become some of the strongest beings in this world.]

"So, according to you, even if someone has (E) level Potential, if they have a RAINBOW-colored Potential, they could be on par with (∞) Potential?" I asked curiously.

[Host, you can ask this later. If you keep questioning now, you won't even live to see tomorrow's sunrise.]

"What do you—" Before I could finish my sentence, I saw the sharp tip of a sword speeding straight for my eye. Reacting instantly, I dodged and moved back to a safer distance.

"Whoa, whoa. If you're that distracted during a fight, where's the fun in that?" Gu Kim chuckled.

"I heard you're some kind of martial arts prodigy. They say you killed your own teacher, Mujin Jin, and now you're just roaming free."

"I wouldn't kill my teacher for someone as insignificant as you. And shouldn't you be in prison right now?" I replied, throwing a jab back at him.

"Oh, so you do know me! You must be a fan. Come on, let's take a selfie together."

Saying this, Gu started pulling out his phone.

"What is he trying to do? Is he really planning to fight me?" As these thoughts swirled in my mind, I suddenly felt a sharp, deep cut across my chest. Blood began pouring out, staining the ground red.

Then Gu said mockingly, "Didn't I warn you not to get distracted during a fight? Don't worry, though—I'll take a nice photo with your corpse and send it to that old shaman."

As he said this, he moved to put away his pocketknife. But to his shock, he noticed that the blade, which cost him a million won, had completely snapped in half.

"What the—?! My million-won knife! It's ruined!" Gu screamed, clutching his head in frustration.

But just then, Gu's face was struck by a heavy punch, sending him flying through the wall and into the classroom. A playful voice followed:

"Weren't you the one telling me not to lose focus during a fight? But now it seems like you're the one distracted."

Stepping through the broken wall, Degun entered the classroom. Watching their bloody battle unfold, many teachers and students fled in fear, running out of the classroom in panic.

Gu stood up, anger burning in his eyes. "You broke my glasses. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through to get them?" he growled, unsheathing his sword with fury.

Degun replied nonchalantly, "I'll buy you better glasses. And I'll even replace your knife. Heck, I'll give you one million won every month as pocket money. But in return, you have to become my little brother."

He had said it because the system had just assigned him a mission.

Gu Kim listened to Degun's words with a serious expression but then burst out laughing. "Do you really think I can be bought with money? If that's what you think, you're absolutely... right! But I've already accepted another order. And once I've taken an order, no amount of money can cancel it."

Gu's tone then shifted, becoming cold and menacing. "However, if you can defeat me, I might reconsider."

Degun smirked. "Then get ready."

With those words, Degun assumed the stance of his deadliest martial art: Beast Combat. His body exuded raw ferocity, his posture resembling that of a predator preparing to pounce.

Seeing this unfamiliar and primal fighting stance, Gu's confidence wavered ever so slightly. He instinctively tightened his grip on his sword, entering his own martial arts stance. His face grew serious, realizing this was no ordinary opponent.

The room fell silent, save for the sound of the wind howling through the open windows. A sudden gust slammed the classroom door against its frame, producing a sharp, startling noise.

Both fighters remained frozen, their eyes locked in an intense stare. Then, in an instant, they moved.

Gu, with the deadly precision of a sharpened sword, lunged forward, while Degun, like a ferocious beast, charged with devastating claws poised to strike.

[ Author:-Guys, sorry that I haven't been able to update the chapters for so long. To be honest, two major events happened in my life during this time, which changed my entire life. That's why it took so long to bring the updates.

But from now on I will update the chapters regularly. Thank you for your patience and love, and forgive me for the absence. ]