Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Middle School is a Jungle
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I ran for a week straight.
After each run, I'd come straight home and pump iron, including push-ups.
Was it just too out of character for me?
Mom noticed right away.
"Did my boy find a girl he likes at middle school?"
A girl I like, huh.
Sorry, Mom.
I'll probably never give you grandkids in this lifetime.
Why the hell would I get married? Am I crazy?
I know exactly how that ended in my previous life.
[Stamina has increased by 1.]
But that doesn't mean I'm going back to being a total loser like in my first life.
If I end up single, it'll be on my terms—not because I'm a reject.
In this second life, I'll rise as a king of popularity and declare singlehood like a winner.
[Stamina has increased by 1.]
[Stamina has increased by 1.]
Just like that, the week passed.
Even in the mirror, the changes in my body were obvious now.
My shoulders, which had hunched inward, and my back and neck, curved like a turtle's—both straightened out like magic.
Before, I'd have to force my chest out with effort.
Now, just standing naturally made my chest puff out proudly on its own.
Normally, a few days of strength training wouldn't build muscle this fast.
I've tried working out in my previous life, after all.
But in this second life, with the status window turning my life into a game, it was possible.
A week of training, and my stamina had jumped from 5 to 9 before I knew it.
This went beyond just having foreknowledge from my regression.
Now, there were visible, tangible changes anyone could see.
The clear difference between Round 1 and Round 2.
[Sub Quest: Easy Mark]
[Description: Show 『Lee Ho-kwon』, who sees you as an easy target, that those days are over.]
[Reward: Life Points 1p]
And now, it wasn't just me and my parents who knew about the changes.
"Hey, you were staring at me before, right?"
It was time to make sure everyone around saw it too.
Lee Ho-kwon strutted over to my seat, his gang in tow.
Every one of them was a slouchy punk just like him.
He'd already built his little crew in just a week, huh.
"Hey, you ignoring me?"
The reason was obvious.
To bully me.
Back in Round 1, he'd just approached me because I was nearby.
He decided some loser like me didn't belong in his league and got pissed.
He tormented me all the way until I transferred schools.
But looking back now, that was just the result.
There was a simpler reason first.
This guy looks like a pushover.
Let's mess with him for fun.
That was it—no more, no less.
Whether I stared at him wrong or cowered first, it didn't matter.
This was inevitable.
So.
"Yeah. So what?"
I played it cool.
Without avoiding his gaze at all.
I answered his non-question boldly and directly.
"...?"
"Uh..."
"..."
The goons froze for a second.
"Hah, check this guy out."
Lee Ho-kwon laughed in disbelief soon after.
As he scanned the room with a scoff, his lackeys awkwardly chuckled along to match his vibe.
"What's his deal? He's nuts."
"Doesn't he know who Ho-kwon is?"
"No backup and he's acting tough. Lost it."
Come to think of it, back in Round 1, he was always bragging about his "older bros" too.
"Hey, you're One Punch Man, right?"
Suddenly, Lee Ho-kwon switched topics.
One Punch.
True to the name One Punch Man, it was a game where you took turns punching each other once.
A stupid show of strength that went viral among middle school boys back then.
Actually, not even real strength.
The rules said you punch forearms, alternating.
Even Lee Ho-kwon followed that.
Meaning he had to take a hit too.
But he didn't care.
The others couldn't hit him hard anyway.
Unspoken rule.
So they'd fake it—pretend to swing hard but give his arm a light rub.
Then, when it was their turn, they'd overact the pain.
Entertaining him, flattering him with dumb nicknames like One Punch King, Nuke Fist, Fire Fist.
"VIP One Punch" service.
Isn't that pathetic?
Honestly, Eom Seok-dae from our twisted hero story looks better.
At least he had style.
"Let's do it. Scared?"
Before his crew could hype it up, as Lee Ho-kwon egged me on.
"Sure. Let's go."
I beat him to it, agreeing like I'd been waiting.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Another wave of confusion hit the room.
"Dude doesn't know about Ho-kwon's Nuke Fist."
"Ho-kwon's Tiger Fist?"
"Shut up."
He didn't like the joke on his name and shut it down quick.
"I'll go easy. You first."
Pretending to be generous, he let me strike first.
But.
"Nah, you go first."
I shook my head and stuck out my forearm first.
The onlookers went "ooh."
Half amused, half mocking me for embarrassing myself.
"...Goddamn it."
Lee Ho-kwon's eyes twitched.
I'd definitely bruised his ego.
—This punk should've been groveling by now?
—Loser-looking shithead mouthing off?
—Let me hit first? Fine. Time to crush him and show who's boss.
With that glare, he clenched his fist tight.
Whoosh!
He swung at my forearm with everything he had.
At that exact moment.
[Used 1 『2nd Life Special Stat Potion』.]
[Selected Stamina.]
A week of training had brought my stamina to 9.
Average is 10, so it was still a bit below—but that was before.
[Stamina stat increases by 5.]
It shot up to 14 in an instant.
Over 50% boost numerically.
50% is huge—beyond imagination.
In games, people whale out for even 10% gains, grinding for rare items.
Same-level rare vs. unique items differ by about 10%.
Common.
Rare.
Unique.
Legendary.
Epic.
Mythic.
Five tiers, 10% each.
In short.
Me one second ago vs. me now?
"...Hngh!"
Common vs. Mythic, basically.
I tensed my forearm instantly, realizing it.
Whoosh!
Lee Ho-kwon's full-power haymaker rocketed forward.
My forearm dashed short and loaded my whole body weight.
Splat!
A weird sound rang out.
Beyond just fist-on-forearm.
"Gaaahhh?!"
Lee Ho-kwon collapsed to the floor.
Clutching his oddly bent forearm, he rolled around.
"Ow, it hurts...! Ngh, urk... Hng... M-my arm...! My arm! Aaaah... Ow!"
The classroom turned into chaos in seconds.
Everyone panicked, not knowing what to do.
Step, step.
I strode forward calmly amid it all.
Over to Lee Ho-kwon, wailing and cradling his twisted wrist.
I leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"My turn now, right?"
Too bad I only took the hit again this time.
He was rolling on the floor bawling over a busted wrist—what could I do?
Wouldn't offer his arm.
I've got some decency.
How could I hit a crying middle schooler?
"Han Kyung-jun!"
—Yeah, right, total BS.
"You cripple a kid's arm and strut around like that?!"
The teacher burst in amid the uproar, forcing me to back off.
"Not sorry to your friend at all? Huh?!"
Not one bit.
Violence right at the start of the semester.
Huge headache for the homeroom teacher.
Especially with Lee Ho-kwon carted off to the ER.
So she unloaded on me, the one left.
I didn't explain or whine about injustice.
I already knew it was pointless—from Round 1 experience.
This damn teacher—I told her how many times I got bullied.
Never helped once.
Worse, she'd drag me and Lee Ho-kwon in together.
"No more fighting from now on? Be friends! Shake hands and make up!"
That crap.
You know how it went after that.
"Blah blah...! (Tuning out the old-timer rant)...!!"
So I listened patiently at first.
Waiting for "that line."
"...Huh?! Do you even know what you did wrong?!"
The moment it dropped.
"Yes, I do."
I sprang into action.
"Wha—?"
The teacher flinched, shocked I'd stayed quiet then suddenly spoken up bold.
"You know? You think you know?!"
Clinging to teacher authority, she raised her voice more.
"Fine! Got something to say? Spit it out!"
"..."
I said nothing.
No need.
Instead, I pulled out my phone.
"You! Bringing a phone to school?!"
Ignoring her outburst, I fiddled with my old feature phone and showed it.
"This kid...!"
She reached to snatch it.
Then.
"...Huh?"
She froze.
Had to.
『Let's do One Punch~』
The phone was playing video.
Lee Ho-kwon's gang surrounding and mocking me— all caught clear.
I'd hidden a camera in a classroom drawer back, anticipating this.
"Wh-what is this...!"
She started raging in her usual old-timer way.
"Th-this..."
But her words trailed off.
Obvious why.
No fault of mine on tape.
Not even a response from me.
The video showed exactly:
① Lee Ho-kwon's gang surrounds me.
② I suddenly stand and offer my forearm.
③ Lee Ho-kwon punches me.
"I only took the hit."
That was it.
On video, Lee Ho-kwon looked like an idiot who swung first then broke his own wrist like a moron.
Nothing more.
No sign I'd deliberately jammed to snap his wrist.
Classic chopping block move.
Timed his fist's impact perfectly, flexing hard in a split second.
Round 1 scrawny me couldn't pull that off.
Now I could.
+4 from a week's training.
+5 from the special potion.
Total 14 stamina from base 5 made it real.
"..."
Teacher finished the video, speechless.
I pocketed the phone.
"No wrongdoing, so back to class."
As I turned to go.
"You...!!"
She blurted the final line she shouldn't.
"That's how you act when a teacher's talking?! Get over here!"
Hah.
Right on cue.
Fine.
You asked for this, Teach.
A huge commotion broke out.