LIGHTNOVELONLINE Ch 03
Chapter 03
The massive lecture hall was big enough to comfortably hold all 70 or so cadet trainees.
But right now, not even a whisper could be heard in the vast space.
Everyone was holding their breath as Kim Daechun glared at Chang Sik and growled.
“Hey, are you out of your mind?”
At the same time, a few other cadets muttered sarcastically, their voices dripping with mockery.
“Did that guy take something? What did he just say?”
“Dude, if you’re gonna act tough, at least pick your battles.”
“Kim Chang Sik is so done for.”
Apparently, this “Kim Chang Sik” had been keeping a pretty low profile up until now.
But Chang Sik, who once ruled his world before becoming “Kim Chang Sik,” wasn’t about to let himself be pushed around anymore.
He looked Daechun straight in the eyes and spoke calmly.
“Quit yappin’. Come at me, meathead.”
“This little—!”
Daechun instantly raised his fist.
It was a crude, straightforward punch—completely lacking in technique, just like how Daechun looked.
**Swoosh!**
As the punch came flying at him, time seemed to slow down in Chang Sik’s mind.
He planned it all out.
He’d dodge the punch with a slight sidestep, then land a clean hit on Daechun’s exposed jaw.
When Daechun stumbled, he’d follow up with a low kick to knock him down.
And once Daechun hit the floor, he’d mount him and put him in his place.
…Or so he thought.
‘Wait, something’s off. Why isn’t my body moving?’
His body felt sluggish, like it was buffering.
He should’ve already stepped out of the punch’s path and landed a hit by now, but instead, his body just twitched in hesitation.
The punch came dangerously close.
Feeling something was wrong, Chang Sik quickly raised his guard.
And then he realized.
‘Ah, I see.’
The problem wasn’t his reactions—it was his body.
Even though his mind and instincts were sharp, his current body just couldn’t keep up.
‘Guess I’m just way too slow right now.’
**Crack!**
The sound of the impact was loud.
Even though Chang Sik had managed to block the punch with his guard, the force sent him sliding back.
**Thud, crash!!**
He threw himself back, rolling a couple more times before he stopped.
Looking at his stinging forearm, he let out a sigh.
‘To be honest, this body’s in pretty rough shape. A bit too much for what I’m trying to do.’
Seeing Changsik go down, Daechun smirked, his expression twisted with satisfaction.
“Hah! I thought you were acting all tough because you had some kind of secret trick up your sleeve. Turns out it was just a bluff, huh?”
Ignoring him, Chang sik picked up a chair that was lying nearby.
Daechun’s smirk grew even nastier.
“Oh, you’re really desperate now, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you feel the difference between us deep in your bones.”
**Crack!**
A strange sound echoed as Daechun’s skin started to split apart.
Through the cracks, a rocky, cement-like substance began to surface and quickly hardened, covering his body like armor.
One of the cadets shouted in alarm.
“Daechun! Stop! Don’t you know using your trait without permission is against the rules?!”
‘So that’s his unique trait, huh? Yeah, no doubt. At this rate, he’ll shrug off anything I throw at him, even this chair.’
Daechun’s rocky armor looked tough enough to deflect even close-range gunfire, let alone a chair.
Watching him activate his trait, Chang sik suddenly remembered the *Trait Modification* feature he had unlocked.
Quickly pulling up his status window, he skimmed the new information.
—
**(New!!) Trait Modification (Irregular)**
= Designate a target, analyze their unique trait, and create a brand-new skill exclusively for “Kim Chang sik.”
(The more influence you absorb from the target, the higher the success rate.)
= Current available skill slots: **3**
—
‘What the hell is this…? This kind of trait exists?’
It was something he’d never seen before.
But this wasn’t the time to sit and analyze it.
“Graaah!!”
With a roar, Daechun charged forward, his massive, rock-covered body rumbling like a boulder rolling downhill.
**Thud, thud—**
As the ground trembled under Daechun’s charge, Chang Sik timed it perfectly, dodging to the side and leaping onto his back.
Then, raising the chair high, he brought it crashing down onto Daechun’s head.
**CRACK!**
The chair shattered into pieces against Daechun’s rock-hard armor.
Without hesitation, Chang Sik tossed the broken remains aside and activated the *Trait Modification* ability.
The system alerts came fast and steady.
**Ding!-**
[Analyzing Kim Daechun’s trait for modification…]
[Reassembling the trait to create the skill .]
As the system chimed, a cracking sound echoed from Chang Sik’s right arm.
A cement-like substance similar to Daechun’s began to emerge from his skin and harden rapidly, coating his entire arm.
Gasps of shock erupted from the other cadets watching.
“Hey, what the hell is that?!”
“Isn’t Kim Chang Sik supposed to be a non-awakened cadet?!”
Ignoring the commotion, Chang Sik focused and slammed his hardened fist down onto Daechun’s head.
**BOOM!**
The sound was on a completely different level compared to when he had used the chair.
Even Daechun, with his rock armor, grunted in pain, clearly feeling the blow.
“Urgh! H-how the hell..?!”
Chang Sik didn’t bother responding.
Instead, he raised his arm again.
Daechun threshed, trying to shake him off, but Chang Sik’s legs were tightly locked around his chest, refusing to move.
“You… You bastard! How is someone who got into the academy as a non-awakened cadet able to—?!”
Chang Sik didn’t feel the need to explain. Without a word, he brought his fist down again.
**BOOM!**
“Gahh!!”
Daechun collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
“W-wait! Hold on!”
Daechun flailed in a panic, struggling to get up.
Chang Sik didn’t miss the opportunity, unleashing a flurry of punches.
**CRASH!!**
Daechun’s hardened skin began to crack under the relentless assault. Voices filled with worry echoed around the room.
“Stop! Kim Chang Sik, that’s enough!”
“Shouldn’t we step in and stop this?”
“Hey, Kim Chang Sik! Are you trying to kill him?!”
But Chang Sik didn’t stop.
In his life as *Ha Jinseok*, showing even the slightest weakness could mean death.
He needed to crush Daechun completely, so thoroughly that he would never think of challenging him again.
If he stopped now, Daechun would only seek revenge later.
‘Hesitation creates enemies. I’ve learned that the hard way.’
So, he pressed on relentlessly, determined to leave behind a fear that Daechun—and everyone else watching—would never forget.
Again, he raised his fist.
**BOOM!**
Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a building collapsed rumbled through the air.
“Phew… Huff!”
His breathing was ragged from the nonstop assault.
He knew that delivering one final, devastating blow would not only end Daechun but also ensure that no one else in the room would dare underestimate him ever again.
‘All right. Even if it pushes me to my limit, I’ll make this next hit count.’
“Huup!”
Chang Sik pressed his left hand tightly against his now rock-like right hand and activated *Rock Arm* once again.
Immediately, the skin on his left hand began to crack, and a liquid oozed out, merging with his right hand to form a massive boulder.
The sheer size and menace of it turned the lecture hall into utter chaos.
“Hey! Run! If he swings that thing, the whole lecture hall might collapse! Where the hell are the professors during all this?!”
“Ahhh! Get out of here!”
The cadets scattered, rushing out of the room in a frenzy.
Meanwhile, Kim Daechun, still sprawled on the floor, stared at the gigantic boulder in complete terror, his bloodshot eyes trembling.
**Boom!**
The building shook again from another massive tremor.
“Kim… Kim Chang Sik!”
“…This is the end.”
Chang Sik’s eyes glinted with a deadly light as he stared down at Daechun.
The brute who had charged at him so recklessly earlier was nowhere to be seen. Now, Daechun couldn’t even meet Chang Sik’s gaze, his face frozen in fear.
“P-please…”
Tears began streaming down Daechun’s face, dropping like rain.
“Stop it… please…”
And then, the sobbing started. Daechun broke down, crying loudly like a child.
But Chang Sik looked at him coldly, indifferent to the pitiful display. Lifting the massive boulder, he growled, “Die quietly.”
And then he swung it down toward the cracks in Daechun’s armor.
**Whoosh—**
The massive boulder carved through the air, heading straight for Daechun’s tear-streaked face.
**BOOM!**
…But just before it landed, someone blocked its path.
Standing between Chang Sik and Daechun was a cadet in the academy uniform, with fiery red hair like a lion’s mane.
It was the guy Chang Sik had briefly noticed earlier during the run-in with Professor Um Mihwa.
‘…This guy.’
The sight of him triggered something familiar in Chang Sik’s mind, and he tried to place where he’d seen him before.
“Urgh…”
Before he could think further, Daechun, overwhelmed by the stress, rolled his eyes back and passed out.
“Move.”
“…”
“I said move.”
“Don’t you think that’s enough?”
“And who are you to decide that?”
At Chang Sik’s question, the red-haired cadet looked startled for a moment, then burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
“Ah, man, you’re hilarious! Seriously!”
“Keep laughing, and I’ll crush you too.”
“Pfft! Haha! You’re killing me! This is gold!”
The guy didn’t seem the least bit scared, rolling on the floor laughing like Chang Sik’s performance was the best comedy show he’d ever seen.
Chang Sik, intrigued by his odd reaction, immediately used *Hero Detection* on him.
**Ding!-**
**Name**: Gu Chiseong
(*Playing With Fire: “FIRE!!”*)
———————————
§ Strength: B
§ Agility: D+
§ Stamina: C+
§ Magic: D+
———————————
[Unique Trait]
– Flame Eater (Unique)**
– Grants immunity to all flames.
– Allows the user to store a certain amount of fire within their body.
– Stored fire can be used offensively.
[Skills]
1. **Boom – BOOOOM~!! (Rare)**
– Releases stored flames explosively through the user’s body.
—
‘Gu Chiseong…’
Chang Sik frowned.
He definitely recognized that name.
“You… you look familiar.”
“What’s with that look? Like you’re trying to remember but can’t?”
The guy tilted his head, looking at Chang Sik as if *he* were the weird one.
No matter how hard he tried to remember, the memory just wouldn’t come to him.
As Chang Sik scratched his head, confused, Gu Chiseong’s eyes widened in disbelief before he sighed dramatically.
“Ah, come on. I thought I was pretty famous.”
“…”
Famous? From where?
Just as Chang Sik was about to ask, the ground shook violently again, accompanied by another deafening explosion.
**BOOM!!**
“Huh?”
Only now did Chang Sik realize that the loud booms and tremors weren’t from his fight with Daechun.
“……!!”
And in that moment, it all clicked into place—like shattered fragments of a memory being pieced back together.
The massive explosions.
The constant shaking.
The red-haired Gu Chiseong.
The academy entrance ceremony.
And…
‘…Terrorist attack. Operation “Weed Out the Sprouts.”’
Operation “Weed Out the Sprouts” was a notorious terrorist attack orchestrated by the villainous organization *Villain*, led by Jang Docheol.
Their target? The Hero Academy.
It had been a famous event, but over time, it had slipped from Chang Sik’s memory.
And that attack…
“I remember now.”
“Huh? Oh, you finally remembered? Well, I mean, I *am* famous.”
Gu Chiseong grinned widely, his expression smug.
Chang Sik now fully recalls who he was.
“Right. Sorry I forgot.”
“Haha! No worries, man!”
Gu Chiseong’s face had been plastered all over the front pages of newspapers because of that incident.
“No, I shouldn’t have forgotten…”
“Huh? Yeah, I guess it’d be weird if you didn’t know me.”
Because…
“…”
“After all, I’m the top cadet of this year’s academy class.”
…he wasn’t going to exist in the future.
Thanks to *Operation Weed Out the Sprouts*, Gu Chiseong was going to die.
—