10:30 AM, Research Club Room
The silence in the room was deafening. Min-woo had spent the last hour and a half reading through every profile, every statistic, every piece of intelligence that Lee Tae-jun had provided. His friends sat around him, their faces reflecting various degrees of shock and concern.
"Three months," he said aloud, more to himself than to anyone else. "With the special recommendation secured, I have three months to become strong enough to survive against these monsters."
"Three months," Lee Tae-jun confirmed from where he stood by the window. "The question is: what are you going to do with them?"
Min-woo looked up from the folder, his eyes meeting Lee Tae-jun's steady gaze. "You already have a plan, don't you?"
A slight smile crossed Lee Tae-jun's face. "I might have some suggestions. But first, let me ask you something: after reading all of this, do you still want to participate?"
The System's Response
Before Min-woo could answer, his system activated, displaying information that only he could see:
[CHALLENGE ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Current Status Assessment:
Overall Combat Level: Advanced Beginner System Integration: 67% Defective Martial Arts Mastery: 8 techniques Combination Success Rate: 73%
Recommended Path to Competitive Viability:
Master at least 15 additional defective techniques Achieve 3 successful Perfect Combinations Develop 2 original fusion techniques Increase system synchronization to 90%+
Projected Timeline for Minimum Competitive Level: 89 daysWarning: This timeline assumes optimal training conditions and no setbacks
New Mission Available:[Path of the Underdog]
Objective: Achieve competitive viability within 90 days Reward: Unlock [Champion's Intuition] ability Failure: System will enter dormant mode for 1 year
Min-woo's eyes widened as he read the mission details. The system had never issued such a high-stakes mission before, and the failure condition was terrifying.
A Moment of Truth
"I can see the gears turning in your head," Ji-eun said softly, studying Min-woo's expression. "What is it?"
Min-woo looked around at his friends—Kim Chul-su, who had been with him since the beginning; Park So-ra, whose practical wisdom had saved them countless times; Yoon Sung-min, whose loyalty never wavered; and Ji-eun, whose brilliance had become the cornerstone of his growth.
"I need to ask you all something," he said, his voice serious. "What I'm about to attempt... it's going to be dangerous. Not just for me, but potentially for anyone who helps me. I can't—I won't ask you to risk yourselves for my ambitions."
Kim Chul-su snorted. "Are you kidding me? After everything we've been through together, you think we'd abandon you now?"
"Besides," Park So-ra added with a grin, "someone needs to keep you from getting yourself killed through stupidity."
"And I still haven't finished my research on defective martial arts optimization," Ji-eun said, her eyes sparkling with determination. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Yoon Sung-min simply nodded. "We're in this together. That's what friends do."
The Plan Takes Shape
Lee Tae-jun stepped forward, clearly pleased with what he'd witnessed. "Excellent. Now that we've established that, let me outline what I have in mind."
He pulled out a detailed schedule from his briefcase. "The next three months will be divided into three phases. Phase One: Rapid Skill Acquisition. You'll need to master as many defective techniques as possible in the first month. I've identified several promising candidates."
"Phase Two: Integration and Combination. Months two will focus on combining techniques successfully. Based on what I've observed, your success rate needs to improve dramatically."
"Phase Three: Combat Application. The final month will be pure combat training. No more practice dummies, no more controlled environments. You'll be fighting real opponents under real pressure."
Min-woo studied the schedule, noting the grueling daily routine outlined. Eight hours of physical training, four hours of technique practice, two hours of system meditation, and one hour of strategic analysis. Every single day for three months.
"This is insane," he muttered.
"Yes," Lee Tae-jun agreed. "It is. But so is facing the Ice Emperor with your current skill level."
The First Test
"Before we commit to this schedule," Lee Tae-jun continued, "there's something you need to understand about the level of opponent you'll be facing. I've arranged for a demonstration."
He walked to the window and made a subtle gesture. A moment later, the door opened, and a figure entered that made everyone in the room freeze.
It was Lee Mu-jin, but he looked different. His usual casual demeanor was gone, replaced by an aura of quiet intensity that made the air in the room feel heavy.
"Allow me to reintroduce Lee Mu-jin," Lee Tae-jun said formally. "Former captain of Seoul Martial University's tournament team, and currently ranked 23rd among all university martial artists nationwide."
Twenty-third. Min-woo felt his stomach drop. The person he had barely managed to hold his own against in their recent sparring match was ranked 23rd nationally.
"The five champions you read about earlier," Lee Mu-jin spoke for the first time, his voice carrying a weight that hadn't been there during their previous encounters, "they're not just stronger than me. They exist in a completely different realm of martial arts."
He looked directly at Min-woo. "When I fought you before, I was holding back significantly. Not out of arrogance, but because I didn't want to seriously injure you. Would you like to experience what it feels like to face someone who's genuinely trying?"
Min-woo's mouth went dry. The system immediately activated:
[WARNING: Significant threat detected][Opponent threat level: ★★★☆☆][Current win probability: 12%][Recommendation: Decline engagement]
But Min-woo knew he couldn't decline. If he wanted to understand what he was truly up against, he needed this reality check.
"I accept," he said, his voice steadier than he felt.
A Glimpse of True Power
They moved to the practice hall, where Lee Mu-jin took a basic stance. There was no flashy preparation, no dramatic buildup. He simply stood there, but something fundamental had changed about his presence.
"I'll give you one free attack," Lee Mu-jin said. "Use whatever technique you want. After that, I'll show you the difference between playing around and genuine martial arts."
Min-woo activated his system analysis, selecting his most powerful combination:
[Technique Selection: Perfect Combination - Phantom Step + Crushing Fist][Power Output: 89%][Success Probability: 94%]
He moved with everything he had, his form perfect, his timing flawless. The combination that had seemed so powerful just days ago.
Lee Mu-jin didn't even seem to try. He shifted slightly, his hand moved in a blur, and suddenly Min-woo found himself flat on his back, completely unable to understand what had happened.
"That," Lee Mu-jin said, his voice almost conversational, "was me using about 30% of my actual ability. The Ice Emperor would have finished that exchange in half the time and with significantly less effort."
Min-woo stared at the ceiling, his system frantically trying to analyze what had just occurred:
[ERROR: Unable to track opponent movement][ERROR: Technique analysis failed][ERROR: Impact source unknown]
For the first time since gaining his system, it had been completely overwhelmed.
The Moment of Decision
As Min-woo slowly got to his feet, Lee Tae-jun approached him. "Now you understand. This is what you're choosing to face. Knowing that, do you still want to proceed?"
Min-woo looked around the room. His friends were watching him with a mixture of concern and support. Lee Mu-jin had returned to his casual demeanor, but the demonstration had made its point clearly.
The smart choice would be to withdraw. To focus on graduating, on having a normal life, on avoiding the potential disaster that this tournament represented.
But as he stood there, Min-woo remembered the moment he'd first discovered his system. The excitement of finally finding something he could excel at. The joy of seeing impossible techniques become possible. The dream of proving that someone written off as worthless could achieve greatness.
"I understand," he said finally. "And yes, I still want to proceed."
For the first time since opening the folder, Min-woo smiled. It wasn't a confident smile—it was the smile of someone who had just realized the true size of the mountain they had to climb. But it was also the smile of someone who had decided to start climbing anyway.
"I guess," Min-woo said, looking directly at Lee Tae-jun, "we're about to find out just how much someone can grow in three months when they have everything to fight for."
The real preparation was about to begin.
[Mission Accepted: Path of the Underdog][Timeline: 89 days remaining][Current Progress: 0%][System Status: Full Combat Training Mode Activated]