First Year

2021.

Daejeon, South Korea.

Geumryong High School, Class 1-1.

Inside the classroom, a student sat with a cold expression. Although he was undeniably handsome, the chilling aura he exuded made the other students hesitant to approach him.

It was as if he was deliberately pushing everyone away.

Today marked the first day of high school, and many students were already introducing themselves, forming their own groups.

Meanwhile, the so-called nerds kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact, fearing they might become targets for the class bullies.

Back to the main topic—this aloof and handsome student was Kim Ryongho, the protagonist of this story.

However, what the other students didn't know was that beneath Ryongho's cold expression lay a deep sense of confusion.

He glanced left and right, but no one seemed to notice what was in front of him.

A game-like panel floated before his eyes. Despite his confusion, he remained calm, rubbing his eyes to ensure what he was seeing was real.

But no matter how many times he rubbed his eyes, the game panel remained. It was real.

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Do you want excitement? Press Yes to continue.

[Yes] [No]

╚══════════════════════╝

That was the message displayed on the panel. It was as if it somehow knew that Ryongho was bored with his life.

He wanted to click Yes, but the panel was floating in midair. If he suddenly reached out and tapped at nothing, others might think he had lost his mind.

He didn't want to be labeled a lunatic on his very first day of high school.

Just as he was considering this, the panel shifted, flattening and passing effortlessly through the desk, now resting on his lap and facing him directly.

Without hesitation, Ryongho pressed Yes.

He didn't care what would happen next. In fact, he hoped something would happen.

╔══════════════════════╗

Welcome, Master. You have been chosen by the Strongest Crew System.

The goal of this system is to make you the strongest person in the world—both in raw strength and wealth.

Random quests will be assigned, and upon completion, you will receive rewards based on the quest's rank. The ranks are divided into Common, Elite, Epic, Legendary, and Mythical.

There are no penalties for ignoring quests, but completing them is highly recommended, as they will help you grow stronger at a much faster rate.

Press Next to continue.

[Next]

╚══════════════════════╝

"Crew?" Ryongho frowned as he read the text on the panel. He immediately understood that "Crew" referred to forming a gang.

His mind drifted back to three years ago—when cities like Seoul, Incheon, and Busan were engulfed in violent turf wars.

During that time, powerful individuals known as Kings ruled over their respective cities, their strength said to be unparalleled. That era was called the 1st Generation or the Generation of Circles. However, the era came to an abrupt end two years later, for reasons he never fully understood.

Not that it mattered—he had never been interested in that kind of thing.

"Fighting, huh..." Ryongho muttered. The idea of conquering the world with wealth and power seemed fun.

Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to go with the flow and see what kind of quests and rewards the system would give him. Maybe this could add some excitement to his otherwise boring life—something he desperately needed.

Without hesitation, he clicked the Enter button once again. The panel changed, displaying a list of missions assigned to him.

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・Class 1-1 Leader (Common Quest)

Description: Become the leader of Class 1-1 by defeating the selected targets.

Target: Noh Manho, Bang Hojong, and Woo Jongmin.

・First Year Leader (Elite Quest)

Description: Become the leader of the first year by defeating the selected targets.

Target: The leaders of the other classes.

╚══════════════════════╝

"Noh Manho? Bang Hojong? Woo Jongmin? Who?" Ryongho muttered.

He had never heard those names before. It was only the first day of school, and he knew nothing about his classmates.

Still, there was no need to overthink it. He'd find out who they were soon enough during the class introductions.

Then, a new panel appeared beside the quest panel, displaying his attribute details.

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Name: Kim Ryongho

Rank: C

Strength: B

Speed: C+

Potential: SSS

Intelligence: S

Endurance: C+

Specialization: None

Beginner's Note:

Attribute ranks are classified as follows:

F → E → D → C → B → A → S → SS → SSS → X → XX → XXX

A "-" or "+" may be added to further differentiate attribute rankings.

If an individual has the same rank in two attributes, their overall rank will be the same as those attributes.

E represents the average human level.

D is already at the level of a weak fighter.

Potential ranges from F to SS and determines how far an individual can advance in rank. Only the Master and some limit breaking individuals have SSS-Rank potential.

╚══════════════════════╝

Upon seeing his attributes, Ryongho felt that they made sense. After all, he had always trained his body at home, developing compact muscles and decent strength.

Although he had no formal martial arts training, he was confident that he could handle school thugs if necessary.

He was also surprised that he has a potential that surpasses any beings in this world.

However, what surprised him the most was how broad the power classification was. He was only at the lowest level of mid-tier fighters.

"How strong are X-Rank individuals?" he wondered. "Can they break walls? Or even demolish buildings?"

The mere thought of getting punched by an X-Rank sent a shiver down his spine. He might die instantly.

But instead of fear, excitement surged through him.

He wanted to become stronger. He wanted to reach the top and experience what true power felt like.

Just as he was lost in thought, his excitement was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the classroom door opening.

"Okay, everyone. Take your seats. I'll begin roll call."

An older male teacher entered the room and walked toward his desk, calling out names in alphabetical order.

"Bang Hojong."

"Here."

A rough voice responded. Ryongho turned toward the source and saw a large-built student with slicked-back dark brown hair. His face didn't resemble a high schooler at all—he looked more like a gangster.

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Name: Bang Hojong

Rank: D

Strength: C

Speed: D

Potential: E

Intelligence: E

Endurance: D+

Specialization: Tool Fighting

╚══════════════════════╝

Ryongho checked his attributes and sighed in relief.

'So this is the guy I have to beat? He's weaker than me.'

The roll call continued.

When his own name was called, several female students turned to look at him, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

Well, what could he say? He was undeniably handsome.

"Noh Manho."

"Here."

A student with a slightly cold expression and sharp eyes raised his hand. He had slicked-back red hair and was quite handsome—though not as handsome as Ryongho, of course.

Unlike Bang Hojong, Noh Manho didn't have a large build, but Ryongho could tell he was the strongest of the three targets he needed to defeat.

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Name: Noh Manho

Rank: C

Strength: C

Speed: C+

Potential: C

Intelligence: B

Endurance: C

Specialization: Dog Fighting & Tool Fighting

╚══════════════════════╝

Finally, the last name was called.

"Woo Jongmin."

"Here." A lean-built student with split bangs and blonde hair responded. He wasn't muscular like Bang Hojong, but his speed seemed noteworthy.

╔══════════════════════╗

Name: Woo Jongmin

Rank: D

Strength: D+

Speed: C

Potential: E

Intelligence: D

Endurance: D

Specialization: Tool Fighting

╚══════════════════════╝

Yup. He was right.

Among the three, Noh Manho was definitely the strongest.

Looking at their attributes, Ryongho felt confident. Defeating them should be easy—I'm stronger than all of them.

However, he couldn't afford to be careless.

Their specializations revolved around dirty fighting and weapon usage.

Who knew what kind of underhanded tricks they might pull?

The school day continued as usual.

After roll call, the teacher appointed a pair of nerdy-looking students as the class president and vice president.

Once homeroom was over, the next subjects began.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 

Time passed, and soon, it was lunchtime.

As expected, Bang Hojong and Woo Jongmin were gathered around Noh Manho.

It was obvious they had been friends since junior high, forming a tight-knit group. But rather than just a group of friends, they were a pack of bullies.

Bang Hojong and Woo Jongmin spent their time harassing weaker students—slapping, kicking, and humiliating those who looked too timid to fight back.

Meanwhile, Noh Manho sat back, watching silently. He didn't need to lift a finger—his mere presence made it clear he was in charge.

Ryongho remained in his seat, observing them while thinking of a way to pick a fight. He couldn't just walk up and challenge them outright—that would be idiotic and cringe-worthy.

He needed the right opportunity.

As he pondered, his stomach rumbled. Might as well grab some food.

Just as he stood up, he felt a piercing stare.

Bang Hojong had noticed him. Seeing Ryongho's sharp features and effortlessly handsome face, jealousy flashed across his eyes.

A sinister grin spread across his face as he walked over.

"Hey, buy me some bread."

He slapped Ryongho's back—hard.

Expecting him to stumble, Bang Hojong prepared to mock him. But instead—

"Tch!"

He winced as a sharp pain shot through his palm, as if he had just slapped a solid tree.

Ryongho slowly turned his head, his gaze cold and piercing.

'Finally… A reason to beat them up.'