Payback

“Then why is the great dimensional mage here?”

“I heard you got expelled from the academy.”

“Oh, judging by the direction, are you heading to the dorm to pack your things?”

“Heh!”

One of them stepped closer and tapped my shoulder.

Yang Ji-hwan rarely stepped in himself.

But his group was notorious for bullying weak or timid students.

I had been their target before as well.

“Let’s go.”

“Alright, Ji-hwan.”

The way Yang Ji-hwan looked at me irritated me.

Back when we first entered the academy, he used to talk to me first.

Now he openly ignored me.

“You should consider yourself lucky.”

“What a shame. Since it’s probably your last day, we should’ve given you a proper farewell! Heh!”

The group walked away from my sight.

I had been moving pleasantly, feeling the warmth of mana.

But after seeing them, memories resurfaced, and my mood instantly soured.

“Come to think of it, there was a quest involving those guys.”

[Quest ‘Follow me to the rooftop.’]

– Take revenge on Yang Ji-hwan’s group!

– Reward: 100,000 points

– But are you sure you don’t need rest?

“I’m fine. My mood is already ruined. I wouldn’t be able to rest anyway.”

Watching their backs, my fists clenched.

Until now, no matter what they did, I had ignored them.

Once I awakened, they wouldn’t be a threat.

I endured everything just to awaken.

And now.

The moment I awakened.

“Since I’m going to use a dimensional stone anyway, I might as well clear the quest too.”

Finally.

It was time for revenge.

The old training ground of Phoenix Academy.

A place forgotten after a new facility was built a year ago.

Far from the main area, it had faded from memory.

Now.

It had become Yang Ji-hwan’s group’s hideout.

“Ji-hwan, why did we just leave earlier?”

“Yeah! We should’ve taught that guy a lesson!”

“He’s no longer related to us. Forget him.”

“That’s true, but my hands are itching. Heh!”

There weren’t just three of them.

More than ten juniors had gathered around them.

All of them had bad reputations in the academy.

Then—

Bang!

“What the—?”

The door swung open.

As their eyes adjusted to the light—

“…Jung Woo Hyuk?”

“What are you doing here?”

Their expressions twisted.

Watching them.

I smiled.

“You said you’d give me a farewell, right?”

Back when I couldn’t awaken, I suffered at their hands countless times.

Finding them was easy.

The problem was their numbers.

‘As expected… more than just three.’

Including the original three, there were over ten more.

Soon they’d all scatter after graduation.

Yet they still stuck together.

“So you’ve finally gone crazy?”

“Fine, I’ll give you your farewell!”

Two of them stood up.

Dagger and spear in hand.

Wooden weapons.

But in the hands of awakened fighters, they were dangerous.

I picked up a wooden spear.

Weapons were everywhere here.

“You think picking up a weapon makes you our equal?”

Dash!

The spear user attacked first.

My spear coiled around his like a snake.

“What—!”

With a snap, I struck his wrist.

His weapon flew away.

“Trying tricks?!”

The dagger user followed.

Close-range combat.

But if he couldn’t close the distance—

“Guh!”

My spear swung in a wide arc.

Striking his side.

“How…?”

The first one realized.

My spear technique.

Far superior to his six years of training.

[The power of the dimensional stone resides in your body.]

[Nameless Weapon Master – Wanderer of countless weapons]

– A wanderer who mastered dozens of weapons.

The power seemed simple.

But it wasn’t.

The moment I held a weapon—

I understood everything.

Even my opponent’s weaknesses.

And this place was filled with weapons.

“Damn it! Did you awaken?”

“This doesn’t make sense!”

“Were you hiding your strength?!”

I spun the spear.

Wind pressure filled the air.

I smiled.

“All of you, come at me.”

“…But…”

“We’ll handle the consequences! Attack!”

They hesitated.

But soon charged.

Seventeen in total.

Unlike goblins.

They were trained.

Formations.

Coordination.

Harder to deal with.

But I didn’t feel like losing.

Because of the power surging inside me.

“Come.”

Thrust!

“Guh!”

A clean strike to the chest.

Distance control was key.

But—

“Got you!”

He grabbed my spear.

A smart move.

But.

“Then keep it.”

“Huh?”

Thud!

I kicked the shaft.

He flew back.

“He’s unarmed! Get him!”

“Who said I’d stay unarmed?”

I picked up a dagger.

And charged.

Straight into them.

Normally suicidal.

But not with skill.

“Move!”

“I can’t swing!”

Their formation backfired.

Too crowded.

My dagger pierced vital points.

“Spread out!”

As they spread—

“Thanks.”

Whoosh!

“Gah!”

I threw the dagger.

Picked up a sword.

Used broken sandbags as shields.

Now I faced only a few at a time.

They lost their advantage.

“You idiots! Attack together!”

“Ugh!”

“He changed weapons again!”

“What do we do?!”

Weapon changes.

Adaptive fighting.

Perfect efficiency.

The nameless wanderer’s power.

Stronger than any hunter I knew.

“I can’t fight this!”

As ten fell—

Despair spread.

“No strategy works!”

“We can’t use our numbers!”

“Useless—ugh!”

“Stop talking. Fight.”

I threw a spear.

Straight at Yang Ji-hwan.

A perfect throw.

Even without a throwing spear.

‘If anything, I lack weapons.’

Shuriken. Scythes. Tonfa.

So many options.

Even this place wasn’t enough.

– Time to finish.

“I was thinking the same.”

The power was fading.

Only a few remained.

And Yang Ji-hwan’s group.

“I’m coming.”

Finally.

He stood up.

His attitude changed.

Three weapons.

Sword. Spear. Dagger.

Perfect coordination.

Like one body.

“Still not enough?”

Grip!

“Huh?!”

I grabbed the spear behind the tip.

Pulled.

He lost balance.

Fell.

Then—

Thud!

“Gah!”

I struck the dagger user.

Long-range advantage.

Complete control.

And finally—

“You need to wake up.”

“Damn you!”

Crack!

I slammed the dagger handle into Yang Ji-hwan’s nose.

Crunch.

Blood burst out.

His nose collapsed.

The fight ended too easily.

“I didn’t expect you to be this weak.”

Or maybe.

I was just too strong.

With the dimensional stone.

I was the strongest here.

“Ugh…”

They lay trembling.

The result was clear.

[The power of ‘Nameless Weapon Master’ disappears.]

As it ended.

The power vanished.

Pain surged through my body.

But stronger than that—

Was the thrill of victory.