lookism x reality quest: No Rivals, No Equals

Kenzo walked through the empty school hallway, void of students since it was break time.

He continued until he reached a classroom labeled Class 6.

'This must be it.' He thought, recalling from memory that this was his assigned class.

Sliding open the back door of the classroom, he stepped inside but halted immediately. His head turned slightly to the right, taking in the scene unfolding at the front of the classroom.

Chulwoo Min, a silver-haired, silver-eyed student in a rough-looking uniform, was punching Dowan. But Kenzo's sharp eyes caught something unusual.

'Was this guy always this muscular?' He wondered, observing Chulwoo Min's broad back.

In his memories of the manhwa, Chulwoo had never seemed this built. But seeing him now and looking in his memories, Kenzo realized how much he had changed. In the manhwa, Chulwoo wasn't known for his strength, he was just another bully with an average build. Yet now, with his noticeable broad shoulders and above-average height, he looked different from his original looks.

'Could this be because of the merging of the two worlds?' Kenzo reasoned.

It seemed that the fusion of Reality Quest and Lookism had affected the Reality Quest characters, adjusting their power levels to match the Lookism world.

'I'll have to test the waters.' Kenzo decided. Taking down Chulwoo Min was part of the system's task, making a confrontation inevitable.

Just then, his gaze shifted toward the front door as someone stepped in.

'That girl must be Ahrin Joon.' He noted, recognizing the familiar figure who had just entered. But she froze in place, her eyes widening as she witnessed Dowan being beaten.

Ahrin was someone Kenzo remembered from both the manhwa and his own memories.

He recalled how the previous Kenzo would often walk down this hallway, bloodied and bruised from constant bullying. At times, he would cross paths with Ahrin, who would stop him, concern evident in her eyes as she asked about his injuries.

But his past self would always brush her off with a simple, [I'm fine, thanks,] before walking away, never giving her the chance to say more.

It happened more than once.

'He had good mental strength.' Kenzo thought, still impressed by how the previous version of himself endured the relentless bullying.

He wasn't emotionless or fearless, he felt pain, he felt fear, just like any other victim of bullying. But he never let it show. He endured it, refusing to break, refusing to let them strip him of his pride.

Sure, he was beaten, humiliated, and tormented, but he never let them see him crumble.

Call it stubbornness or foolishness, but at least he didn't shatter under the weight of it all.

Kenzo's attention snapped back to the present as he saw Chulwoo Min grab Ahrin's hair when she tried to interfere.

'Looks like I owe her one.' He thought, watching Ahrin wince in pain as Chulwoo yanked her hair.

She had been the only person who had shown concern for the previous Kenzo, who had appreciated it, even if he never showed it, and deliberately kept his distance, fearing that getting too close to her would make her a target.

From now on, things would be different.

Kenzo took a step forward.

The old Kenzo had been chained by those who tormented him. But now, with him in control of this body, everything would change.

With another step, he vanished.

"You think just because people call you pretty, you can do whatever you want?" Chulwoo snarled at Ahrin, gripping her hair tighter. Her face twisted in pain, but her struggling only fueled his anger.

"Let go! It hurts!" Ahrin cried out, the pain worsening as Chulwoo yanked harder.

"Stop squeaking, you bitch!" His irritation peaked. Raising his left hand, he prepared to strike her across the face.

'Damn it, I have to save her.' Dowan, still sitting on the ground, watched helplessly.

But his body refused to move, frozen with fear. 'Even so… I have to.'

Something inside him ignited as he forced himself up, determined to stop Chulwoo.

He was about to charge forward, until a loud thud echoed through the classroom.

'What…' Dowan's body stiffened, his eyes widening as the scene before him shifted in an instant.

Someone had appeared out of nowhere.

"Hmm." Chulwoo frowned, his raised hand now positioned defensively by the side of his face, blocking a punch with his palm.

"What's this?" He frowned, turning his head to look at his attacker. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

'He blocked that?' Kenzo took a step back as Chulwoo finally let go of Ahrin, allowing her to stumble back with a relieved sigh.

'Looks like I was right.' Kenzo concluded. 'Reality Quest characters have been affected by the power level of the Lookism world.'

His suspicion was confirmed. The original Chulwoo wouldn't have been able to react in time, let alone block his punch, especially with the speed of his Flash Step. But this new, seemingly stronger Chulwoo had reacted effortlessly, as if it was second nature.

'He just attacked Chulwoo.' Dowan gulped nervously, his gaze shifting toward Kenzo. The boy was unfamiliar to him. No one had ever dared to stand up to Chulwoo, let alone strike first. Things were about to get chaotic.

'Wait… that's Kenzo?' Ahrin's eyes widened in recognition, different from Dowan's unfamiliarity of Kenzo.

He stood at 178 cm, his shoulder-length hair a mix of dark blue and black, his eyes a striking dark yellow. His face bore faint bruises, evidence of the earlier encounters with his bullies.

She had run into him multiple times in the hallway, always seeing him battered and bruised. She knew why. It was obvious. He was one of the bullied.

Yet, he always ignored her whenever she approached, never giving her the chance to talk to him.

And now, her concern spiked once more. Because another victim, besides Dowan, was about to get into serious trouble.

She needed to get help, mainly from the teachers.

"It seems your brain isn't working properly, Chulwoo Min." Kenzo said calmly in response to Chulwoo's question.

"Huh?" Chulwoo frowned in confusion, eyeing the person in front of him. Then, a smirk spread across his face.

"You're that loser, Kenzo, right?" he mocked, finally recognizing him. Kenzo was someone he occasionally enjoyed taking his frustration out on.

"What's this? Did you finally grow a spine, or did you hit your head to be acting like this?" Chulwoo chuckled, but his face quickly contorted with rage, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Say, have you lost your damn mind?" Chulwoo glared down at Kenzo, his anger intensifying.

First, Dowan had the audacity to glare at him defiantly. Then, that girl had the nerve to interfere. And now, this loser not only attacked him but had the gall to insult him.

"It seems I've gotten soft." Chulwoo's smirk returned, though it was laced with fury. "Well, I don't mind putting you back in your place."

With that, Chulwoo lunged forward, throwing a punch at Kenzo.

"I'll break you." He growled as his fist closed in on Kenzo's face.

"Break me?" a voice echoed just as Chulwoo's eyes widened, he tilted his head just in time to dodge a counterpunch.

"You can't do it." Kenzo added, dodging Chulwoo's punch as well. Both of their arms crossed in mid-air as they countered each other.

"You bastard." Chulwoo muttered in surprise. "So, you can actually fight." He hadn't expected Kenzo to dodge, let alone counterattack.

"But..." Chulwoo instantly launched a left punch, which Kenzo evaded by tilting back. Kenzo then retaliated with a left uppercut aimed at Chulwoo's chin. Chulwoo leaned back just in time, but his eyes caught movement, Kenzo had switched targets, aiming a right fist at his stomach.

With a dull thud, Chulwoo smirked. His left knee had risen in front of his stomach, blocking the attack. "A feint? What an amateur." He mocked.

Kenzo didn't respond. Instead, he shifted his approach, disappearing from Chulwoo's sight and reappearing behind him. A right hook shot toward Chulwoo's face, most wouldn't have been able to react, but....

"A fast loser, aren't you?" Chulwoo's voice rang out from the front. "Even if you're quick, my instincts never fail." He smirked. His past brawls in gang fights had trained him to react to sneak attacks. Over time, he had honed his instincts to cover his blind spots.

Just as Kenzo's punch was about to connect, Chulwoo ducked low and spun instantly, launching a right uppercut toward Kenzo's chin. But Kenzo avoided it with a slight tilt of his head. The next moment, with two fingers, he grasped the collar of Chulwoo's uniform, yanking him downward.

"Whoa!" Chulwoo's eyes widened as he felt himself falling uncontrollably. But he grinned, using the momentum to drive his fist downward toward Kenzo's foot. Kenzo stepped back just in time, evading the punch as it struck the floor, causing cracks to spread from the impact.

"What was that supposed to be?" Chulwoo straightened up, eyeing Kenzo, who remained expressionless.

'That sensation…' Chulwoo clenched his fists. He had felt it before, an opponent manipulating and shifting force. It stirred an old memory he had long buried from middle school.

"You fucker, I changed my mind." Chulwoo's voice dropped, filled with anger. That memory resurfacing had clearly shaken him. He locked eyes with Kenzo, his gaze cold. "I'm going to kill you."

"Kill me?"

A voice echoed from behind. Chulwoo's eyes widened, but before he could react, a kick smashed into the side of his head, sending him flying into the wall. Cracks spread from the impact as debris scattered.

'What? His speed increased?' Chulwoo's eyes widened as he processed the attack. His instincts hadn't even signaled him. 'Not just his speed, his strength too?' He could feel the difference. That kick had weight, dense and powerful.

'Was he holding back?' The thought burned in Chulwoo's mind, fueling his fury.

"Uttering those words…" Kenzo spoke, standing firm as he looked at Chulwoo, who was slumped against the cracked wall. "Do you think you can handle me?"

"You bastard, who do you think you're looking down on?!" Chulwoo roared, his rage boiling over. He had seen that expression before, the same condescending gaze that had once humiliated him.

Chulwoo didn't hesitate. He charged again, his fist aiming straight for Kenzo, only for Kenzo to dodge effortlessly. But it wasn't just a normal dodge, he seemed to vanish and reappear instantly.

'What?!' Chulwoo's eyes widened as pain erupted through his body. He looked down, Kenzo's fist was buried in his stomach. "You!!" He gritted his teeth and swung another punch, but Kenzo dodged again, his movement unnatural, before countering with a strike to Chulwoo's face.

'What is this?' Chulwoo was being pushed back. Every punch he threw was dodged, every attack countered. Kenzo's movements were bizarre, almost like he was teleporting. And his punches, each one was solid and brutal, sending waves of pain through Chulwoo's body.

He was right, Kenzo wasn't dodging normally. He had integrated Flash Step into his footwork. Normally, Flash Step worked for covering long distances, not for short, precise movements. But Kenzo, with his extreme understanding, had managed to merge it with basic footwork, making his evasion look effortless and almost supernatural.

Chulwoo's face was now bloodied and bruised as the relentless assault continued.

'Damn it!' Chulwoo roared in his mind. He launched a punch, only to hit empty air as Kenzo's fist slammed into his face. 

'Damn it!' He tried grabbing Kenzo's arm, only to be met with another punch straight to the face.

'Damn it all!' Chulwoo gritted his teeth, tasting blood as it dripped from the corner of his lips. His face was swollen and battered, his instincts failing him, his eyes unable to keep up with Kenzo's movements. He wanted to predict, to counter, but he couldn't. It was impossible.

"You bastard!" He shouted, ignoring the searing pain in his body. In a desperate attempt, he launched a punch, only for Kenzo to counter with a devastating blow to his face. Before Chulwoo could react, Kenzo's leg swept behind his, sending him stumbling off balance. Then, with precise brutality, Kenzo drove his fist downward, slamming Chulwoo's skull into the pavement. Cracks spiderwebbed out from the impact, debris scattering.

"I thought you were different." Kenzo muttered, looking down at Chulwoo's bloodied, unmoving form. "But you're just another wannabe thug."

For a moment, Kenzo simply stood there, observing. Chulwoo was undeniably stronger than before. This confirmed it, the Reality Quest characters had already adapted to the Lookism level. But something was off.

'Why isn't the system prompt appearing?' Kenzo frowned. The task should have been completed. The system should have acknowledged it. Yet, there was nothing.

What he didn't realize was that, deep within the haze of unconsciousness, a storm was brewing in Chulwoo's mind.

*Flashback*

North Seoul: Nightfall

The scene was nothing short of carnage. Bodies littered the ground, fifty men, all unconscious, crumpled in defeat.

"You think I have time to waste on you?"

The voice was calm yet filled with unmistakable coldness. A lone figure stood before a kneeling boy, blood dripping from his battered face. His clothes were shredded, revealing bruises that painted his body like war wounds.

That boy was Chulwoo Min. Fifteen years old.

'M-Monster…' Me thought, trembling as he stared at the ground. 'What kind of monster is he?'

Back then, Chulwoo had been the undisputed king of his middle school, filled with ambition, wanting to rule over more. The so caled strongest crew had piquedd his interest, a gang ruled by someone his own age. It was laughable. He had gone with his men to crush them, certain that no one his age could match him.

He had never been more wrong.

The fight hadn't been a gang war. It had been a slaughter.

One man, only one, had decimated them all. Chulwoo had first mistaken it for arrogance, thinking their opponent underestimated them. But then he watched in horror as his men fell, one after another, in mere seconds. It wasn't a fight, it was a massacre.

Numbers didn't matter. Surrounding him didn't matter. Attacking from blind spots didn't matter.

Every strike was precise, effortless. Every counter was devastating. And worse, he used an array of martial techniques, seamlessly switching styles like a master.

Then, finally, it had been Chulwoo's turn.

No matter how hard he fought, how much fury he unleashed, it hadn't mattered. He had been nothing but a plaything to this man. They were the same age, so why? Why was there such an overwhelming difference?

Strength, speed, skill, he was completely outclassed.

"Get out of here." the figure had said coldly, turning his back. "If you wanna act like a bunch of wannabe thugs, do it somewhere else. I have more important things to deal with."

That word, wannabe thug, stabbed deeper than any wound.

'Me? A wannabe thug?'

Rage and humiliation boiled within him. He had always seen himself as more than that. A fighter. A pro. Not some street punk pretending to be tough. He wanted to scream, to demand a rematch, but his body wouldn't move.

Fear had shackled him.

That night had changed him. He had abandoned his old crew, transferred to a different school in the south of Seoul. But he had never forgotten. That humiliation had burned itself into his soul.

One day, he would return.

One day, he would take revenge.

*End Flashback*

Kenzo turned to leave, assuming it was over.

He was wrong.

Kenzo's eyes narrowed as he turned just in time, raising his guard. A crushing blow landed against his forearm, pushing him back.

He steadied himself, eyes locking onto Chulwoo.

Chulwoo was standing now, but something was different. His aura had grown heavier, more intense. His bloodshot eyes burned with unhinged rage, his face twisted into something hideous—akin to a feral beast.

"I'll kill you."

A murmur.

Then a roar.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

Chulwoo lunged forward at blinding speed, a fist rocketing toward Kenzo's face. Kenzo dodged at the last second.

'His speed increased.' Kenzo analyzed the sudden burst of movement. Faster than before. 'Not just his speed.'

Another punch flew toward him. Kenzo raised his arm to block, but the impact sent him sliding back once again.

'His strength as well.'

Chulwoo didn't stop as he attacked as Kenzo remained passive.

Kenzo weaved through Chulwoo's relentless attacks. A straight punch, he sidestepped. A wild hook, he leaned back. Chulwoo's movements were reckless, but his speed made up for it. Kenzo blocked a heavy right, his feet sliding slightly from the impact.

"What's wrong?" Chulwoo laughed wildly, almost showing insanity. "I thought you were faster than this."

Kenzo remained silent, reading Chulwoo's movements. He analyzed his form that was still broken, still unrefined, but something had changed. Kenzo could tell that Chulwoo's instincts had sharpened, his reactions quicker. He wasn't thinking, he was acting on raw survival drive.

Chulwoo lunged forward again. Kenzo flashed to the side, disappearing for a moment.

Then it happened.

Chulwoo, driven by his instincts turned his body at the last second and swung.

A fist slammed into Kenzo's ribs.

Kenzo exhaled sharply as his body barely shifted or budged. A slight sting spread across his side, nothing more. Chulwoo, however, flinched as if he had struck something unbreakable. His knuckles throbbed.

"Tch." Kenzo frowned. 'So it still needs work.' 

His body was already dense beyond human limits, his skin, bones, and organs hardened to the density of iron. A body that could withstand force beyond what should be possible. Yet, it wasn't refined. He could feel it. The impact barely registered as pain, only a sting, but that sting meant he needed to train. 

If he wants to have an indestructible defense, he needs to reach the Endurance Threshold, true mastery over hardness.

'That'll come later.'

"What the hell is your body made of?" Chulwoo stepped back, shaking his hand. 

"Enough time has already passed." Kenzo exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he took in a stance. "I won't hold back anymore."

The room suddenly seem to change with Kenzo's movements.

The air became heavy and oppressive. A suffocating pressure settled in, like an unseen force was pressing down on everything.

Behind Kenzo, something formed. Not an illusion. Not a trick. A presence.

A silhouette of a figure mirrored his stance. Feet planted, balanced. Short, spiked brown hair. One eye glowing red, burning like an ember in the darkness.

'What in the world is this?' Chulwoo's breath hitched. His fingers twitched. His instincts screamed at him run, move, do something.

But his body wouldn't respond.

A metallic scent seemed to have filled the air.

Kenzo moved, stepping in sharply, his movements clean, too clean. His fist shot forward, aiming for Chulwoo's jaw. Chulwoo barely dodged, his body moving on instinct. He countered immediately, throwing a heavy punch toward Kenzo's ribs.

Kenzo shifted.

Chulwoo's fist cut through empty air. Kenzo was already inside his guard. A sharp elbow crashed into Chulwoo's side, the force knocking him off balance. Chulwoo gritted his teeth, his body twisting as he swung his other arm to retaliate.

Kenzo caught it. His grip locked around Chulwoo's wrist like iron. Chulwoo's eyes widened seeing that he couldn't pull away.

Kenzo moved again. A knee struck deep into Chulwoo's ribs. A sickening crack followed. Pain exploded through his body. His breath hitched. Kenzo didn't stop. His grip tightened. His foot slid forward as he wrenched Chulwoo's arm in a swift, precise motion.

Another snap resounded.

"Ahhh!" Chulwoo screamed. His arm, broken. He stumbled back, gasping, his vision blurring from the pain. But his instincts pushed him forward. He swung wildly with his remaining arm, Kenzo was already gone.

'How…?' Chulwoo panted, his mind racing. 'Even that guy wasn't like that.'

Kenzo wasn't just dodging anymore. His movements were something else entirely. His rhythm, his flow, it wasn't the same as before. It was faster, more precise, perfectly calculated beyond normal human limits.

"What... the hell...?" Chulwoo's breath hitched. His body stiffened. Fear clawed up his spine. His voice wavered. "Who... what are you?"

"The God Of BlackField." With those words Kenzo vanished.

In an instant, he was in front of Chulwoo.

His fist buried into Chulwoo's stomach. A violent shockwave erupted as Chulwoo's body bent inward, his feet lifting off the ground.

Before he could react, Kenzo was behind him. A knee launched into his spine. Chulwoo's body rocketed forward like a missile, slamming into the classroom's back wall. The impact sent deep fractures through the concrete, chunks of debris falling.

Kenzo reappeared, two fingers gripped the back of Chulwoo's shirt. With a flick, he hurled him across the front room. Chulwoo's body blurred through the air before he even registered the movement.

Kenzo was already there, his fist met Chulwoo's face mid flight. The sheer force detonated on impact. The front wall caved inward, a massive crater forming. Cracks shot outward, climbing toward the ceiling. The entire structure deformed under the strain.

Chulwoo slid down. His body twitched before going still. Blood dripped to the floor.

Kenzo exhaled, stepping back as silence filled the room.

Ahrin and Dowan who were on the side, who witnessed everything were both in shock, staring wide eyed at the scene infront of them.