Since I was young, I’ve been the talk of the town.

Not in a good way, but in a bad way.

– Do you want to get fat like her? Eat evenly!

– If you befriend her, you’ll end up like her!

– Don’t get too close, choose your friends wisely.

– Mom wishes you wouldn’t hang out with her.

Thanks to that, I’ve been bullied since elementary school.

“Mom said not to play with you.”

“Ugh, she stinks!”

“Kim Min-ji, did you not shower again today?”

“She’s lucky, she doesn’t have to spend money on meat.”

“Then?”

“If she’s hungry, she can just eat her own fat. She’s a pig.”

When I was struggling through school, constantly tormented by the boys.

Salvation came.

“Don’t be so mean to Min-ji. We’re all friends.”

“Wow, Seung-hye is not only pretty but also so kind.”

“If Seung-hye says stop, then stop.”

Surprisingly, just one word from Seung-hye reduced the bullying by more than half.

But that didn’t mean I made friends.

Seung-hye became my only friend.

We got closer when we went to the same middle school.

“Min-ji, let’s go to the snack shop.”

“Min-ji, want to hang out downtown?”

“Min-ji, let’s go shopping!”

“Min-ji…”

Unlike other friends who avoided me based on my appearance, Seung-hye saw my inner self.

She was beautiful and kind.

Just when I was enjoying my time with my only friend Seung-hye.

“Min-ji, what are you doing today?”

“Ah, I have something at home, so I need to go early.”

Today is my parents’ wedding anniversary.

It’s a pity I can’t hang out with Seung-hye.

But it’s not the only day.

“Really? That’s a shame, I wanted to hang out… Okay! Be careful! See you tomorrow!”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow, Seung-hye!”

As I was about to leave the school gate, I remembered the card I left with Seung-hye.

The card where I saved my allowance from my parents.

‘Ah… I need that card to buy a gift.’

It was a bit annoying, but I went back to the classroom.

“Seung-hye, I…”

But… the girls who used to bully me were sitting with Seung-hye.

I couldn’t continue and quickly hid behind the wall.

“Did you hear something just now?”

“I didn’t hear anything? Must have been a mistake.”

“Seung-hye, please come with us. They said they’ll buy us drinks if you come.”

“…I don’t like them, they’re ugly.”

“Ah, please, just once. They have a lot of money, perfect for mooching.”

“Fine, let’s go.”

I didn’t mind Seung-hye being friends with them.

Seung-hye was always friendly with everyone.

But drinks? Mooching?

Seung-hye with the delinquent kids was completely different from usual.

“By the way, Seung-hye… are you really friends with that pig?”

“Of course not.”

The conversation became more shocking.

“Then why do you always hang out with her?”

“She makes me look good. I get the image of an angel taking care of a pig. It naturally highlights my figure and face.”

“That’s true.”

“Plus, her family has some money. I’m milking it.”

“Huh? I thought her family was poor?”

“That’s a lie, her dad is a hero.”

“That pig was hiding something so sneaky?”

“When I’m not around, you can bully her however you want, just don’t do it when I’m there. That way, she’ll cling to me more.”

“Got it!”

After that, there was talk of alcohol and cigarettes.

First experiences.

All sorts of miscellaneous stories.

I had no choice but to leave.

After that, Seung-hye and I were awkward for a while.

The bullying from other kids started again, but I couldn’t easily approach her because of the cold look I saw in her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you lately?”

“…It’s nothing.”

“Bullshit. Stop being annoying and tell me.”

“What?”

“You heard, right? You were at the classroom door that time?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb, pig. Just because I pretended to be your friend, you thought we were really friends.”

“Se, Seung-hye…”

I couldn’t say anything in front of Seung-hye, who was cursing at me.

Seung-hye just left.

From the next day, the bullying from other kids got worse.

Just when I was barely enduring the hellish middle school life and graduation was approaching.

I became an Awakened One.

“Min-ji! I heard you awakened!”

“…Seung-hye?”

“Wow, Min-ji! I always believed in you, you’re amazing!”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Is something going on?”

As soon as Seung-hye heard I awakened, she approached me as if nothing had happened.

That sight was utterly disgusting.

“Get lost.”

“…What?”

“Get lost, you bitch.”

“…You!”

The rebellion of the loser made Seung-hye furious, and she called her gang.

Two days after awakening, I fought 13 to 1 against the local bullies.

Of course, I won.

After that, Seung-hye didn’t even pretend to know me, and the bullying stopped.

It was empty.

Just because I awakened, the bullying that had been going on since elementary school ended like this.

Even…

“That’s Min-ji, the one who awakened recently?”

“You should have befriended her! Why did you hang out with useless kids…”

“Look at her physique, she looks strong like an Awakened One!”

“Learn from her. You’re always busy sucking your mom’s money!”

“You were friends with Min-ji, right? Mom always said to choose friends wisely.”

Even the parents’ attitudes changed 180 degrees.

Everything was just disgusting.

And the most disgusting of all.

Was Seung-hye.

‘Pretty girls who pretend to be kind are all trash.’

Not long after, I entered the Hero Academy.

“Are we getting food today?”

“Probably, right?”

Two girls chattering loudly in front of me.

Seung-hye? They were incomparably prettier than her.

They shone so brightly that you could spot them immediately in this vast auditorium.

‘Disgusting.’

Pretending to be kind, cool, and subtly looking down on other students.

It was Jeong Gyeoul.

The girl next to her, Lee Ha-yoon, was also very pretty but seemed a bit dumb.

Probably being used like I was next to Seung-hye.

Not long after, two other girls, Lee Chae-song and Lee Chae-rin, joined the group.

‘What a bunch of cliquey bitches.’

They even spread rumors.

Like they defeated hundreds of skeletons with Lee Ha-yoon.

That they were heroes who saved the first-year girls.

They were spouting nonsense, but…

The dumb first-year girls believed it and pledged loyalty to her.

‘So annoying!’

A second Seung-hye.

No, worse than Seung-hye.

Only 14 but already taking over the academy more than Seung-hye ever did.

A sparring opportunity came.

I’ll expose that ugly bitch’s true face this time.

That’s what I thought, but…

Paaang—

I didn’t even see her move.

The moment Jeong Gyeoul’s leg twitched, I was already lying on the mat.

She must have set up a trap in the classroom beforehand.

I won’t let her win.

I got up again, but…

Paaang—

This time, I fell forward.

“Ugh!”

Liquid flowing down my nose.

Definitely a nosebleed.

‘There’s no way she’s this strong!’

Just a C-Class Awakened One.

Everyone knows she’s a Super Ability Category with telekinesis.

She should be nothing special except for being the youngest Awakened One…

But she was overwhelming me, an Unyielding Physical Category Awakened One.

I couldn’t do anything and kept falling, already the tenth time.

“Maybe we should stop here…”

Instructor Yoo Soo-gap suggested stopping the spar.

“Should we?”

Jeong Gyeoul, who had been tormenting me, seemed to want to comply to look good in front of the instructor.

No way.

“No! I can do it!”

I’ll land at least one punch on that face!

Unyielding gives me the mental strength to get up.

The more I fall, the stronger my body becomes.

As long as I don’t faint or receive a fatal attack.

But that’s not going to happen in a spar.

If this continues, I’ll eventually win.

***

It was strange.

Kim Min-ji’s words were true.

After that, I knocked her down five or six more times.

She should have lost her will and given up, but Kim Min-ji kept getting up.

Even…

“What? Why is she getting stronger?”

Now she reacts to my speed.

She doesn’t even fall easily.

I knocked her down a few more times.

This time, just as I was about to throw her…

“Got you.”

My arm was caught.

Kim Min-ji didn’t fall, and from that position, she swung her arm.

Paaang—

“Ugh!”

An incomprehensible speed and strength came from Kim Min-ji.

I barely blocked it, but it was dangerous.

‘Is this even possible?’

I freed my arm and created distance.

“What? Were you hiding your strength?”

“Or maybe you’re just weak.”

Everyone watching the spar was shocked.

“Why did she suddenly get so strong?”

“I thought she was completely beaten by Jeong Gyeoul…”

“No, she was completely beaten! She was knocked down dozens of times!”

“There’s something weird… Was she always this fast?”

“Is she using her ability?”

“Can’t Instructor Yoo Soo-gap see if magic is flowing?”

“Passive ability users exist, you idiot.”

Passive ability?

What’s that, you nerds…

After entering the Hero Academy, I realized there’s so much I don’t know about Awakened Ones.

I’ll check it out at home, Jeong Ha-yul.

I wanted to see Kim Min-ji’s body with magic in my eyes, but Instructor Yoo Soo-gap would notice.

For now… I was just surprised, but it’s still manageable.

I need to take down that wild boar first.

No time to worry about plyometrics or whatever.

Now is the time to move as my body remembers, by instinct.

I raised my guard.

“Jeong Gyeoul changed her stance, is it boxing?”

“I thought it was judo since she kept throwing.”

“…Gyeoul.”

Lee Ha-yoon, who knew what my stance change meant, seemed worried.

“Don’t worry, Ha-yoon, I won’t lose.”

“No, that’s not it… Don’t kill her… It’s a spar.”

“…?”

What is she talking about?