Chương 18: A NEW DAY

Jimin arrived at school at his usual pace. Steady, unhurried, looking like someone who'd had a decent night's rest and didn't mind the noise of the morning hallway. The building buzzed with the typical mix of chatter, footsteps, and the faint echo of someone running late, but he moved through it calmly. Students noticed him earlier than he noticed them. A pair of boys glanced over and whispered something. Another two nudged each other.

Their reactions rolled off him effortlessly; but he didn't break stride or bother much; guessing what they were saying. A few steps later, Two girls walked past him, their steps soft, their eyes lingering. They smiled; warm and genuine.

"Good morning," one of them said brightly.

"Huh? Oh. Um… morning," Jimin replied, voice cracking a little as it was sudden and completely unexpected for him. They giggled as they passed, whispering to each other, one nudging the other with her elbow. He rubbed his neck awkwardly and continued walking toward his classroom. He was in front of the classroom entrance. The vibe shifted slightly.

Groups were scattered around the room; bullies leaning on desks, rich elites gossiping in their polished corner, small friend circles chatting, and a handful of loners lost in their own world. But as soon as Jimin entered, several heads turned. A couple students whispered and signaled toward their friends. The reactions were mixed; impressed nods from a few, annoyed scoffs from others, quiet admiration from one or two girls before their friends pulled them away with dismissive remarks.

A few boys cursed under their breath; clearly the ones who had gambled against him. And the rich elites… didn't even look up. As if the world outside their bubble didn't exist. And then, there was Dae-ho. He sat rigid at his desk, teeth clenched, eyes filled with something between suppressed rage and humiliation. Dae-ho scowled, but tried to pretend he didn't care. His jaw tightened so hard the muscle twitched. Jimin felt the stares too, but he didn't know what to do with them.

He was used to attention; though mostly negative ones. But this kind of attention was new for him. He tried to ignore all this. He spotted Yuna waving subtly from her seat. He moved to sit beside her.

"You're on time," she said.

"And you are early as always." Yuna grinned, "I wanted to see if you'd show up acting differently after yesterday."

"Why would I?" he replied flatly. She chuckled. Class began shortly after. The lesson wasn't anything special, but Han Sora's lectures were intense. She revisited the previous content, doubling down on the importance of fundamentals. Students scribbled notes. The lesson ran longer than expected. When the bell finally rang, the room exhaled. The room buzzed again with movement. Jimin and Yuna packed up at the same time, both heading toward the training hall.

But a small group blocked their path; three boys and a girl, all around level 1 or 2; low-ranked. The kind of students who always avoided trouble, avoided attention.

"Uh… hey, Jimin," one boy said.

"Yes?" Jimin blinked, confused. Their eyes brightened with a kind of nervous excitement.

"We saw the duel," another said.

"It was amazing."

"You motivated us," the girl added shyly.

"Like… someone at our level could actually… win." Jimin froze as this was unknown territory for him. As he had never faced or even expected a situation like this.

"That's… Uh… thanks," he said awkwardly, scratching his cheek.

"I just… did what I could." They smiled with an expression of relief and waved before heading out. Yuna watched all this with a small, proud smirk.

"You're famous now."

"Don't joke, please. I don't know how to deal with this."

"I can tell." They were still laughing softly when they exited the class. But as they were walking, someone slammed their shoulder into his. It was a deliberate shove. Jimin stumbled half a step. Yuna immediately stiffened. It was none other than Dae-ho. He walked ahead without even glancing back; his lackeys following behind him like silent shadows. Jimin muttered under his breath, "Bastard." Yuna nodded tightly.

"Ignore him." They kept walking. But as they turned a corner, they found Dae-ho waiting. He stood there, arms crossed, his lackeys behind him with smug expressions. It looked like the kind of setup that always led to trouble. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. They tried to ignore them and walked past without stopping. Then, Dae-ho's voice cut through the hallway; sharp, cold, dripping with resentment.

"Don't get cocky, trash. It was a damn fluke." Jimin stopped mid-step.

"Next time," Dae-ho continued, "that punch will be in your face before you know it." Jimin didn't turn around. But his voice came out calm and cold.

"Next time, it won't be a dogfight. It'll be a one-sided beating." The hallway fell quiet. He finished, "Don't make that mistake again." He and Yuna walked away. The lackeys tensed immediately as if ready to pounce, but Dae-ho raised a hand, stopping them immediately. He didn't say anything, but the fury in his eyes said everything. You will regret it. The thought lingered behind him like a shadow. —-- The training hall buzzed with noise.

Students filled every corner, some stretching, some talking, some already practicing footwork. The energy was high; anticipation mixed with nervous tension. Ryu Seong-ho entered with his usual commanding presence. The entire hall quieted without him needing to say a word.

"Today," he announced, "your practical combat training begins." Excitement rippled through the crowd. He pointed toward the arsenal room.

"Choose a weapon suitable for your current combat style. Enter five at a time." The rush began immediately. Students argued about weapon choices even while waiting in line. Jimin and Yuna waited calmly.

"This is my first time inside the arsenal," Yuna whispered, practically vibrating with excitement.

"I was excited as well," Jimin told Yuna. Their turn came. Inside the arsenal, weapon racks lined every wall, metal gleaming under bright lights; swords, spears, daggers, staffs, bows, even some odd shapes that barely looked practical. Yuna rushed toward the staff section, eyes widening as she held each one, checking length and weight. Jimin, meanwhile, felt a different itch beneath his skin. This is a good chance… let's test it. He picked up a standard spear and whispered internally, Appraise. A window popped up.

[Gear Appraised] Name: Trainee Spear Category: Weapon Type: Spear Rank: E Description: Basic trainee weapon. Stats: None Damage: 20–30 Effect: None Durability: 82/100 O… So, this is what a gear's window looks like! Pretty basic though… But then- DING.. A soft notification echoed in his head. ['Appraisal' has reached Lv. 2] Nice! Yuna finished choosing her staff and called out, "Jimin! Hurry up!"

"One moment!" He grabbed a few weapons and used 'Appraise' again and again. Sword, dagger, bow, axe, another spear, two gauntlets. Until another notification appeared. ['Appraisal' has reached Lv. 3] His heart skipped. So fast? The growth rate is way higher on actual gear than random objects… good to know. Students waiting for their turn grew impatient.

"Bro, come on!"

"Stop hogging everything!"

"Pick something already!" Jimin ignored their tone and wrapped it up efficiently, grabbing the weapons he already used in the duel. As he turned, his eyes briefly paused on an unusual weapon resting on the lower rack, half-hidden behind a shield. What's that? How did I not see that yesterday? He reached out and picked it up. It felt surprisingly light, perfectly balanced. He thought only one thing: This…

"Jimin!" Yuna called again. He snapped out of it and rushed out with his chosen weapons. —------- Students gathered in the main hall again, each holding their weapon of choice. There were a lot of practising dummies already set. Yuna spotted him immediately. Then her eyes widened.

"Wait… what is that?" Before Jimin could answer, Ryu Seong-ho approached.

"A chakram," he said approvingly.

"Interesting weapon you chose." Jimin blinked.

"Chakram?"

"Yes. Though rarely used these days. But a good choice for a Telekinesis user."

"Yeah… I felt it too." He turned to Yuna next.

"You chose a staff. I saw you using a skill on Jimin yesterday. You're a support-type then?" Yuna stiffened at the attention.

"Y-Yes, Sir""Good. Train diligently," he said before stepping away.

"Yes, Sir." He stepped to the front and addressed the class.

"You will receive basic weapon training today. Spread out. Begin." The hall erupted into movement. DPS students swarmed the training dummies. Tanks lined up to practice; defending against machines that shot metal balls. Archers and mages took positions at long-range lanes. Support students gathered to show their spells to a female instructor. Jimin waited patiently for his turn at a target. Yuna was already practicing; carefully swinging her staff and channeling small support bursts under supervision.

When his turn came, he stepped forward. Without any delay, Let's try something simple. He lifted a dagger using Telekinesis, feeling the weight settle naturally in his control. The dagger shot forward SHHK… burying itself deep in the dummy. Whispers rose around him, but he ignored them. He switched to the spear. This time he charged more force into his Telekinesis, adding more power. The spear shot out BOOM … The spear blasted forward, striking the target so hard it shook. Some students flinched instinctively.

"What the hell…"

"That power… at E-rank?" He didn't react. He wasn't doing it for them. He was testing his limits. Then came the final weapon. The chakram. It spun slowly at first, wobbling in the air as he adjusted his mental grip. Damn… this shape is tricky. Harder than the blades. But he kept pushing, increasing rotation speed step by step. Faster. And faster. And faster. The sound shifted into a thin, cutting whistle. He released it. The chakram shot toward the dummy. It struck the neck and kept spinning.

Eventually, it sliced through the dummy's neck with a swift, brutal cut. CRACK! The head toppled to the ground. The hall went silent for a second. Some students stepped back subconsciously. A few stared with goosebumps. Even Ryu Seong-ho raised an eyebrow. And Dae-ho… Dae-ho stared at the decapitated dummy with a stiff, pale expression. He could do THAT? Did he hold back during the duel?