The apartment was silent except for my breathing.
I stared at the system screens floating in front of me, still processing what had just happened. Two quests. Two lives merged into one body. Two years to destroy a guild and restore a dead boy's honor.
But first, I needed to understand what I was working with.
I focused on my skills, pulling up their detailed descriptions.
[FISSION (분열) - SSS RANK - LV 1]
Type: Decomposition Skill
Effect: Split targets into component parts Mana Cost: 15-25 per use (varies by complexity) Stamina Cost: 10% per use
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Success Rate: Skills (35%), Objects (70%)
Current Limitations: - Can only split simple objects (2-3 components) - Complex items require higher levels -
Living tissue: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
[FUSION (융합) - SSS RANK - LV 1]
Type: Synthesis Skill
Effect: Combine compatible targets Mana Cost: 20-40 per use (varies by compatibility) Stamina Cost: 15% per use
Cooldown: 120 seconds
Requirements: - Compatibility Check (shown by Isolation) - Specific Conditions (knowledge, materials, tools)
[ISOLATION (고립) - SSS RANK - LV 1]
Type: Ocular Analysis Skill
Activation: Right Eye
Mana Cost: 5 per minute (continuous)
Stamina Cost: 5% per minute (continuous) No Cooldown (toggle on/off)
Effects: - Appraisal (detailed information) - Component Analysis (see internal structure) - Mana Flow Visualization - Skill Observation (copy through understanding)
I did the math quickly. My current mana pool was 42 out of 100. If I used Fission three times at minimum cost, that was 45 mana. I'd be empty. If I kept Isolation active for just eight minutes, same result.
"SSS-rank skills in a D-rank body," I muttered. "Like mounting a rocket engine on a shopping cart."
I grabbed a pen from the table and activated Fission, just to test the theory.
My hand glowed faint blue. The pen vibrated and split cleanly into two pieces—the ink cartridge and the body shell.
[FISSION SUCCESSFUL]
Mana: 42/100 → 25/100
Stamina: 100% → 90%
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Seventeen mana for a simple pen. And I immediately felt it—a wave of fatigue, like I'd just sprinted up three flights of stairs.
I tried again after the cooldown, splitting a chopstick.
Mana: 25/100 → 10/100 Stamina: 90% → 80%
The room spun slightly. My legs felt weak.
One more use and I'd probably collapse.
"Can't fight like this," I said aloud. "Can't do anything like this."
The problem was obvious: my body was the bottleneck. Suho's body was weak, malnourished, and had the stamina of wet paper. Even with three SSS-rank skills, I couldn't use them effectively.
I pulled up my full status.
[STATUS - Park Su-ho]
AGE: 19 (Body) / 32 (Soul)
RANK: D-Class Hunter
STATS: ├─ Strength: 18 (E+ Rank)
├─ Agility: 21 (D- Rank)
├─ Endurance: 16 (E Rank)
├─ Mana: 10/100 (D Rank) [DEPLETED]
├─ Intelligence: 28 (C Rank)
└─ Luck: 7 (F Rank)
STATUS EFFECTS:
├─ Malnourished (-20% Physical Stats)
├─ Exhausted (-15% Mana Recovery)
├─ Mana Depletion (Recovery: 2 hours)
└─ Soul Fragmentation (Healing...)
COMBAT ABILITY: F- Rank
FUNDS: 47,000 won
F-minus combat ability. Couldn't even beat a goblin in a fair fight. Hell, I'd probably lose to an aggressive house cat.
But I had fourteen days before returning to the academy.
Fourteen days to fix this disaster of a body.
I thought back to my memories—specifically, my mandatory military service. Two years of hell that every Korean man endured. Basic training that broke you down and built you back up.
I knew exactly what I needed to do.
Day 1 - Evening
I found an old notebook in Su-ho's desk and started writing.
THE FOURTEEN-DAY HELL PROGRAM DAILY SCHEDULE:
05:00 - Wake up
05:15 - 100 Push-ups (as many sets as needed)
05:45 - 100 Sit-ups
06:15 - 100 Squats
06:45 - 10km Run
08:00 - Breakfast (high protein)
09:00 - Rest/Recovery (mandatory)
11:00 - Strength Training Round 2 • Push-ups (max reps) • Pull-ups (door frame) • Planks (max time)
13:00 - Lunch
14:00 - Endurance Training • Stair climbing (15 floors) • Shadow boxing • Basic combat forms
16:00 - Dinner
17:00 - Flexibility work
19:00 - Mana Control Practice (meditation) • BUILD mana pool • NO skill usage (save energy)
21:00 - Sleep GOALS: - Increase base stats - Build stamina for skill usage - Develop muscle memory - Survive
Simple. Brutal. Effective.
But I needed body fuel. I checked my bank account: 47,000 won. Found another 8,000 won in loose change around the apartment (In the couch).
Total: 55,000 won. About forty dollars USD.
Not much, but it would have to be enough.
I walked to the discount mart three blocks away. The fluorescent lights were harsh, and the place smelled like cleaning chemicals and old produce.
Shopping list:
-Eggs (30 count): 5,000 won - cheapest complete protein.
-Milk (4 liters): 6,000 won
-Calories and recovery Chicken breast (2kg): 15,000 won
- lean protein Rice (already had some): 0 won
-Instant ramen (10 packs): 3,000 won - filler
Total: 29,000 won.
Remaining funds: 26,000 won for emergencies.
The cashier—a tired-looking woman in her fifties—gave me an odd look as I loaded everything onto the counter.
"Big appetite?" she asked.
"Yep," I said simply.
She shrugged and scanned everything.
Carrying it all back to the apartment was harder than I expected. The bags cut into my hands, and I was breathing hard by the time I climbed the stairs to the third floor.
Already exhausted from carrying groceries. I need help.
But that would change.
Day 2 - 05:00
The alarm I set up on Suho's phone blared.
I dragged myself out of the thin mattress on the floor and stood in the center of the apartment.
Time to begin.
Push-ups.
I dropped into position. Hands shoulder-width apart. Back straight. Core engaged—or as engaged as it could be with barely any core muscle.
Down. Up. One.
Down. Up. Two.
By fifteen, my arms were shaking.
By twenty, they were screaming.
I collapsed at twenty-three.
"Twenty-three," I gasped. "Out of one hundred."
I rested for two minutes, then tried again. Got twelve more. Then eight. Then six. Then five.
Forty-five minutes later, I'd completed seventy-three push-ups total.
My arms felt like overcooked noodles.
Sit-ups.
These were easier. Core work, and I could use momentum. I managed thirty-five before my abs cramped painfully.
Forced through it. Fifteen more. Ten. Eight. Seven.
One hundred sit-ups in forty minutes of broken sets.
My entire torso was on fire.
Squats.
My legs were the strongest part of this body, probably from walking everywhere since Suho had no car. I managed all one hundred in twenty-five minutes, though my thighs were trembling by the end.
The run.
This was going to be hell.
I put on Suho's designer running shoes and headed outside. The morning air was cool against my sweat-soaked shirt.
I started jogging.
Made it two kilometers before my lungs gave out. Had to walk.
Jogged another kilometer. Walked again.
By the time I completed ten kilometers, an hour and thirty minutes had passed. My legs were jelly. My chest hurt. I tasted blood in the back of my throat.
I stumbled back to the apartment and collapsed on the floor.
[STATUS UPDATE]
Stamina: 25/100 → 8/105
[DEPLETED] Warning: Severe physical exhaustion detected. Rest required.
"Day one," I wheezed. "Complete."
I crawled to the kitchen and cooked breakfast: five eggs scrambled with rice. Drank half a liter of milk.
Every muscle in my body hurt.
I set an alarm and passed out on the floor.
Day 3 - 05:00
Waking up was agony.
Everything hurt. My arms, my core, my legs, my back. Even muscles I didn't know I had were screaming.
This was DOMS—Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The body's response to unfamiliar exercise.
Jin-woo's memories told me this would pass. That it meant the muscles were breaking down and would rebuild stronger.
But right now, it just meant pain.
I forced myself up anyway.
Push-ups: Fifty-eight total. Worse than yesterday.
Sit-ups: Eighty-seven. The pain made each one harder.
Squats: Ninety-two. Legs were dead.
Run: Twelve kilometers in one hour and forty-five minutes. Somehow did more despite the agony.
By the time I finished, I wanted to cry.
But I cooked nine eggs instead. Drank a full liter of milk. Ate two hundred grams of chicken with rice.
My body needed fuel to repair.
Passed out at 8 PM, too exhausted to stay awake.
Day 4
The soreness was even worse.
But I got up.
Sixty-five push-ups.
Ninety-four sit-ups.
Ninety-eight squats.
Ten kilometers in one hour and twenty-five minutes.
I remembered Kang's face as he killed me.
Mi-young's cold eyes.
Sung-min's betrayal.
Pain was temporary. Weakness was a choice.
Day 5
The soreness was manageable now. My body was adapting.
Seventy-eight push-ups.
One hundred sit-ups—first time without stopping.
One hundred five squats.
Ten kilometers in one hour and fifteen minutes.
[STATUS UPDATE]
Strength: 18 → 20 (E+ → E+)
Endurance: 16 → 19 (E → E+)
Stamina: 25/110 → 35/100
STATUS EFFECTS: [Malnourished] → [Recovering] Continue nutrition protocol.
Progress.
Day 6
Woke up and realized something: the pain was normal now. Expected. Almost comfortable in its familiarity.
Eighty-nine push-ups.
One hundred ten sit-ups.
One hundred fifteen squats.
Ten kilometers in one hour and ten minutes.
I added weight, filled Su-ho's backpack with books and wore it during exercises. Made everything harder.
Good. I wanted harder.
Day 7
One week down.
This morning, I did one hundred push-ups without stopping.
I actually cried. From joy, from pain, from relief.
One week ago, I could barely do twenty-three.
[STATUS UPDATE]
Strength: 20 → 23 (E+ → D-)
Agility: 21 → 24 (D- → D)
Endurance: 19 → 23 (E+ → D-)
Stamina: 35/100 → 48/100
STATUS EFFECTS: [Recovering] → [Healthy] Physical foundation improving.
My body was changing. I could see it in the mirror—slight definition in my arms, the beginning of abs on my core, leaner legs.
Not impressive by any measure. But no longer pathetic.
Day 8-9
Training became routine. Wake, train, eat, rest, train, eat, sleep.
The monotony was meditative. Each push-up, each sit-up, each kilometer was a small victory.
By day nine:
One hundred twenty push-ups.
One hundred thirty sit-ups.
One hundred forty squats.
Ten kilometers in fifty-eight minutes—under an hour.
My body was a machine now. Not a powerful machine, but a functional one.
Day 10
I checked my funds: 3,000 won left.
The eggs were gone. The milk was gone. The chicken was gone.
Only rice and ramen remained.
I'd burned through everything faster than planned. My body had been consuming massive amounts of food to fuel the muscle growth.
But I was broke now.
Plain rice for breakfast. Ramen for lunch. Rice for dinner. Water for everything else.
Training continued anyway.
Day 11
Down to my last 800 won. Bought five packs of instant ramen.
That was it. Completely broke now.
Training was harder without proper nutrition. My performance dropped slightly.
But the foundation was built. The muscle memory was there. I could push through hunger.
Day 12
Final training day before the academy.
[STATUS UPDATE]
Strength: 23 → 26 (D- → D)
Agility: 24 → 28 (D → D+)
Endurance: 23 → 27 (D- → D)
Stamina: 48/100 → 62/100
Mana: 42/100 → 56/120 (increased from meditation)
COMBAT ABILITY: F- → D Rank
Physical transformation complete. Body can now sustain extended skill usage.
Final performance:
One hundred fifty push-ups, continuous.
One hundred fifty sit-ups, continuous.
One hundred fifty squats, continuous.
Ten kilometers in fifty-two minutes.
Thirty weighted pull-ups.
From struggling with fifteen push-ups to one hundred fifty in twelve days.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, breathing hard but steady.
The difference was stark. Two weeks ago, Suho had been gaunt, unhealthy, dead-eyed. Now? Lean muscle. Clear skin. Focused gaze.
Still not "strong" by hunter standards. But no longer weak.
More importantly: I could use my skills now. With proper stamina and mana, I could actually fight.
Day 13
Rest and recovery day. No heavy training—just light stretching and meditation.
I decided to spend the day preparing mentally for the academy.
Sat down with Suho's textbooks.
Started reading Dungeon Theory: Fundamentals.
And immediately realized: I couldn't see properly.
The text blurred after about thirty centimeters. I had to squint to make out the words.
"What the hell?"
I checked Suho's memories. Myopia. Nearsightedness. He'd been prescribed glasses at sixteen but refused to wear them. "They make me look weak," he'd thought.
So his vision had deteriorated for three years.
"Fucking Dumbass" I thought.
I searched the apartment, finally finding them in the back of a desk drawer.
Black-framed glasses. Prescription: -3.5.
Dusty. Unused.
I cleaned them and put them on.
The world sharpened. Text became crisp. I could see.
Looked in the mirror.
The glasses actually suited this face. Made me look more studious. More mature. Less like the violent thug Su-ho had been.
"Pride kept you from seeing clearly," I said to Su-ho's ghost. "I don't have that luxury."
I kept them on and spent the rest of the day studying.
Dungeon Theory - classifications, break points, monster behavior.
Combat Fundamentals - stances, movements, weak point targeting.
Mana Control Basics - circulation techniques, efficiency methods.
My Intelligence stat (C-rank from Jin-woo's soul) made everything click quickly. I absorbed information like a sponge, making connections, identifying patterns.
By evening, I'd covered three textbooks' worth of material.
Then I cleaned the apartment.
The depression nest had to go. I threw out everything—trash bags full of empty ramen cups, dirty clothes Su-ho would never wear again, broken things that served no purpose.
Scrubbed every surface. Organized what remained. Fixed what I could.
By midnight, the apartment was clean. Minimalist. Functional.
"Su-ho lived in chaos," I said to the empty room. "He died in chaos."
"I won't make the same mistake."
Day 14 - Night
Last night before the academy.
I laid out the academy uniform: white shirt, navy blazer, gray slacks, black shoes. Polished the shoes until they shone.
Prepared my bag: notebooks organized by subject, pens, student ID, glasses case, water bottle.
Everything in its place.
Looked at myself in the mirror one final time.
[STATUS - Suho Park]
AGE: 19 (Body) / 32 (Soul)
RANK: D-Class Hunter
STATS:
├─ Strength: 26 (D)
├─ Agility: 28 (D+)
├─ Endurance: 27 (D)
├─ Mana: 56/120 (D+)
├─ Intelligence: 28 (C)
└─ Luck: 7 (F)
COMBAT ABILITY: D
Rank FUNDS: 0 won
APPEARANCE CHANGES:
├─ Weight: +4kg (muscle mass)
├─ Body Fat: Significantly decreased
├─ Posture: Military bearing
├─ Vision: Corrected (glasses)
└─ Overall: Healthy, capable
READY FOR ACADEMY: YES
The transformation was complete—at least, as complete as it could be in two weeks.
I wasn't strong. Not yet. But I was no longer pathetically weak.
I set my alarm for 5 AM and lay down to sleep.
Tomorrow, I returned to the academy.
They expected Park Su-ho—the violent, arrogant failure.
They had no idea what two weeks of hell had created.
Day 15 - 05:00
The alarm went off.
I woke immediately, military habits already ingrained.
Light warm-up: fifty push-ups, fifty sit-ups, stretching. Just enough to wake the body.
Cold shower. Got dressed. Academy uniform fit better now—I'd filled out slightly.
Put on the glasses. Checked my reflection.
I looked like a different person. Calmer. More focused. Older.
Grabbed my bag and left the apartment.
The subway was crowded with morning commuters. Other academy students in uniforms, laughing and chatting. They didn't look at me twice—I was just another student.
Nobody recognized me. The glasses, the healthier appearance, the different posture—it all added up to someone new.
Good.
I thought about what was ahead:
Instructor Baek, the strict disciplinarian assigned to "fix" me. Han Min-jae, the student Su-ho had tried to kill. Jung Hye-jin, the third-ranked second-year who could be my first ally. The academy's expectations: dropout, failure, disgrace.
Let them think what they wanted.
I knew the truth.
The train pulled into the station nearest the academy. I got off with dozens of other students.
Korean Hunter Academy loomed ahead—a massive campus of modern buildings, training facilities, and manicured grounds. The place where Korea's future S-ranks were forged.
The main gate was flanked by statues of famous hunters. Security guards checked IDs.
I approached the checkpoint.
"ID," the guard said without looking up.
I handed him Su-ho's student card.
He scanned it, then glanced at me. Did a double-take.
"Park Su-ho? Suspension ended?"
"Yes, sir."
He studied my face, comparing it to the photo on file. "You look... different."
"It probably the glasses."
He grunted. "Good luck, kid. You'll need it with Instructor Baek." He waved me through.
I walked through the gates.
The campus was alive with activity. Students rushing to early classes. Training fields in the distance where someone was practicing fire magic, sparks visible in the morning air. The cafeteria building, the dormitories, the academic halls.
All of it would be my battlefield for the next two years.
I headed toward the administration building—I needed to officially check in, get my updated class schedule, and report to Instructor Baek.
Students passed me in clusters. Some glanced my way. A few did double-takes.
"Is that... Suho?"
"The one who tried to kill someone?"
"He looks different. Did he always wear glasses?"
I ignored the whispers and kept walking.
My destination was clear. My goals were set.
As I climbed the steps to the administration building, I thought about the two lives merged in this body.
Park Jin-woo, who'd been murdered by everyone he trusted.
Suho, who'd died alone and abandoned.
Both betrayed. Both destroyed.
But the person walking through these doors was neither of them.
"I am Park Su-ho," I said quietly, adjusting my glasses. "But I walk with Park Jin-woo's memories. His pain. His determination."
My right eye flickered with faint blue light—Isolation activating unconsciously.
"They took everything from both of us."
I pulled open the door.
"Now it's my turn to take something from them."
The countdown had begun.
Fourteen days of hell were over.
Now came the real test.