Time Attack (1)
“……What the hell is up with that guy?”
“Didn’t he lose his mind after getting wrecked by homeroom yesterday?”
“His brain cells must’ve gotten scrambled.”
The kids in Je-ryeong Class buzzed as they observed Do-gyeol’s state.
Is that dude an attention whore or what?
Yeah. He was at that age where he craved attention. But even so.
What the actual fuck is with that getup……
His hair was a bird’s nest, unwashed and wild. Dark circles sank deep under his eyes, nearly reaching his chin. And the pièce de résistance? The blue tape plastered over his mouth and nose.
Did he get kidnapped and escape or something?
Nothing else explained that look. No one in their right mind would show up to school like that. But wait—that didn’t add up either. The guy’s hands were fine! Peel it off! Just peel it off!
“That psycho……”
Do-gyeol flicked his ear at the low murmur. He didn’t give a damn about the stares, but his eardrums itched.
Since when did you losers care about me? Mind your own business like you did during the entrance exam.
Just then, the front door opened, and Pi Yu-jun strolled in. Lollipop still in his mouth, he ambled to the podium and froze.
“……?”
Pi Yu-jun’s gaze locked onto the blue tape at Do-gyeol’s mouth.
This kid lost it, huh?
He looked like a homeless guy. No, even homeless folks didn’t tape their mouths shut.
But he wouldn’t walk around like this on his own.
These punks—bullying in this day and age? And right under my nose as their homeroom teacher?
“Who did it.”
Pi Yu-jun’s voice dripped with ice.
“Not talking? Who’s responsible? How bad did they mess you up that your hands are fine but you won’t peel it off?”
The classroom fell silent for a moment.
“Uh, teacher…… he came out of the dorm looking like that……”
“……?”
Pi Yu-jun reached out and ripped the tape off Do-gyeol’s face.
“Aaaack!”
Do-gyeol screamed, clutching his mouth. Pi Yu-jun tossed the tape ball into the trash and said flatly,
“Who did it. Tell me straight. I’ll take responsibility and make sure they never pull that shit again.”
“……”
Do-gyeol blinked a few times, then opened his mouth nonchalantly.
“I was practicing yeong-ryeok control. You told me to keep at it, teacher.”
Is this kid messing with me?
Pi Yu-jun’s face nearly hardened, but a close look at Do-gyeol showed he wasn’t joking.
How the hell did he pull this off?
His yeong-ryeok control was several levels more stable than yesterday. No way he improved that much overnight.
No way he slept like that all night.
Whatever. The kid was telling the truth.
“Doesn’t matter. Pushing too extreme isn’t good.”
The students wore incredulous expressions.
That coming from you?!
You tried to kill us all yesterday!
Pi Yu-jun didn’t care.
“Train without wrecking your body, mind, or soul. Morning homeroom’s over. Morning classes are high school basics. Pay attention, no slacking.”
The classroom erupted into chaos.
“Wait, you don’t mean Korean, English, and math, right?”
“Teacher! This ain’t some liberal arts high school!”
“Next he’ll make us take the college entrance exam.”
Complaints erupted everywhere. But Pi Yu-jun was firm.
“Even vocational schools have basic subjects.”
Was this a vocational school? Well, not wrong.
“Jujul’s all about formulas and language anyway. Screw up, and your head explodes mid-spell. Listen up.”
Pi Yu-jun waved dismissively and left.
*
First period was English. Do-gyeol stifled a yawn in the boring lesson.
Bad seat choice. Shouldn’t have grabbed the front row.
The classes dragged through second-period math to third-period Korean. A pretty female teacher entered, and the boys’ eyes lit up.
“Whoa! I love Korean now!”
“Yeah! Gotta learn the basics as students!”
“Aah…… Homeroom teacher…… I get it now……”
These psychos. Oh, and the chat window piled on.
Actual psychos.
Do-gyeol clicked his tongue as class ended.
“Woo! Stir-fried pork with sausage!”
“This slaps! Can’t resist the pork!”
“This is why we come to school!”
Lunchtime. The cafeteria buzzed.
Death by deliciousness!!!
Do-gyeol was stuffing his face with pork stir-fry when—
“Mind if I sit here?”
A tray plopped down across from him. Yun Ga-eun sat with worried eyes.
“You okay? Your face looks half-dead.”
She was genuinely concerned.
But worried about what?
He didn’t know, but her warmth melted him. It wasn’t a strong wind stripping his clothes—it was Yun Ga-eun’s gentle gaze. Wait, no.
“What about me?”
“Your eyes are all sunken.”
Yun Ga-eun placed a sausage from her tray onto his.
“Eat up. Low stamina’s bad news.”
“You little angel!”
Do-gyeol snatched it without hesitation.
“What’s with that mouth.”
Yun Ga-eun burst out laughing.
“Don’t wolf it down. Slow down. We’ve got practicals this afternoon—don’t get a stomachache.”
“Practicals?”
“Yeah. If my info’s right, individual tests at the training ground?”
Yun Ga-eun’s intel was spot-on.
After lunch, homeroom announced curtly: “Afternoon’s outdoor practicals. Assemble at Training Ground 3. Bring personal juggu if you have it.”
*
Training Ground 3 sat at the edge of campus—a massive complex of forest and ruined buildings. An artificial wasteland oozed eerie vibes.
Students gathered. One stood out, drawing Do-gyeol’s eye. Everyone’s, really.
“What’s that? Bring your coffin already, Nezuko?”
Kang Hak sneered at Baek Seo-rin.
“Or prepped your casket? Thorough as hell.”
He meant the black box on her back, as tall as she was.
“Coffin? Yup.”
Baek Seo-rin smiled sweetly and thunked it down.
“Yours. Perfect fit.”
“……What’d you say?”
“Deaf? What’d I say, huh.”
Sparks flew between them.
Pi Yu-jun yawned into view.
“Latecomers, raise hands.”
“How if they’re late?”
“Guess everyone’s here.”
He perched on a rock and explained.
“Today’s practical: time attack. Flags jammed on the factory roof beyond the forest. Grab one and return.”
“Simple.”
“Yeah. Path’s a bitch aside from that.”
The test was straightforward: Speed was life for jujul-sa.
“One at a time. Others wait in holding till your turn.”
“Holding?”
“Yup. We’re ranking this. No scouting routes or strategizing off others—fair play.”
“Ranking” shifted the air. Kang Hak’s eyes blazed especially.
Perfect.
He’d been pissed about no entrance rankings. Time to show that bitch who was top dog.
Pi Yu-jun added,
“FYI, setup resets after each run. Same conditions for all—no fairness worries.”
*
“Ready?”
“Been ready. Itching—let’s go.”
Beep!
Kang Hak exploded off the line.
Boom!
Like a cannonball, he bulldozed obstacles.
Boom! Kwang!! Kwaaang!!!
Explosions bloomed at every punch. Compressing yeong-ryeok and detonating on impact—like a demolition site.
First place for sure. Nah—not enough. Overwhelming first!
Smashing walls, buildings, carving the shortest path—then a ma-mul lunged.
Tougher than entrance exam ones. Kang Hak accelerated.
“Gaek-gwi trash!”
Fist clenched, plasma flames wreathed it. Flash—
Peruung-!
Gong echoed; ma-mul vaporized.
Shwaaa-.
Blood rained. No time for grossness. First place demanded it.
*
Next: Baek Seo-rin.
She set her box down at the start.
Click.
Inside: lined juggu. She grabbed spear parts.
Klik. Klik.
Hands moved like a vet soldier assembling a rifle. In a blink—a silver spear longer than her.
She spun it lightly behind her back.
“Ready.”
Beep!
She vanished—like wind.
Using the spear as a vault, bounding off trunks, slipping through building gaps. Utilizing terrain perfectly, not destroying.
Shk!
Same ma-mul as Kang Hak’s—spear whipped out.
Air tore. Tip severed its neck cleanly.
Blood sprayed a beat late.
Pushushut!
She was gone. Flicked the tip clean. No leaf disturbed in her wake. Only red petals from the blade fluttered.
*
Time passed; most finished. Do-gyeol’s turn.
“Yaaawn……”
He stretched from holding, zero tension.
Pi Yu-jun handed a map.
“Destination’s marked. No personal gear? Grab from here.”
Table: practice wooden juggu sword, five bujeok.
Familiar trash from entrance exam.
“Leave if not using.”
Do-gyeol smirked.
No yeong-ryeok, but I got pride.
Tucked sword at waist, pocketed bujeok.
“Thanks! Gotta grab these without yeong-ryeok!”
The forest ahead was still. But teeming with yeong-ryeong, ma-mul, yo-mul.
No Sigyeong, though.
Promise with chat crew: no unfinished Sigyeong.
But.
His hand fiddled bujeok in pocket.
These are fair game, right?