Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl

"Take care of yourself."

"Alright, be safe."

Mr. Moon sent the students away and stayed behind, in the science room, on his own. There were five notebooks piled up on the desk, all submitted by the members. They were new and spotless.

He opened the notebook on the top of the pile. It was the time to listen to the voices of his young pupils. 

'My name is Sun Hwa Ahn. I'm 17 years old, and my blood type is B. I'm maintaining my grades at a higher tier, and my hobby is reading comic books. I enjoy comics. The reason why I joined the Literature Club instead of the Comic Club is that the Comic Club at our school is not a genuine club.'

From that point on, Sun Hwa wrote at good length on her complaints toward the school's club management. Wasn't it supposed to be a self-introduction?

About half of what she wrote was about comics. When it came to the things she liked, they were described in great detail. 

'I hope you can view me as a bright and healthy student! Thank you Mr. Moon!"

She was straightforward to the end. She had the courage to speak up about the things she liked. Mr. Moon was able to immediately picture Sun Hwa. Considering how it painted a fairly accurate picture of herself, that had been a decent self-introduction. 

He picked up the second notebook. It was a similar notebook to Sun Hwa's, and it wasn't hard to guess who it belonged to.

'My name is Bom Yoon. I'm 17, and my blood type is A. My hobby is reading. I like both comics and literature. I joined the Literature Club at the suggestion of a friend. Everyone here seems to have distinct personalities, so I look forward to being part of this club. Thank you Mr. Moon.' 

That was it. There were traces of her erasing in the blank space. Timid and a woman of few words, it seemed like she was still working on introducing herself. Despite the length, it was easy to identify her characteristics. She was complimenting a group of people around her when she had barely met them. Her style was similar to Sun Hwa's. Her self-introduction was focused more on the others than herself. 

Perhaps she's sensitive to her surroundings.

After some thought, Mr. Moon moved onto the next notebook. The name Seo Kwang Kim was visible. 

'To Mr. Moon.

This is Seo Kwang Kim. I've chosen the Literature Club as my first club after coming up to high school. The reason why I didn't choose another club that could potentially look better on my school record is simply because I'm not interested in getting good grades. Nobody enjoys studying, but I seriously despise being forced to do something.

My parents call me immature. They say that I'm going to regret this in the future, but I know for a fact that regret isn't going to be the only sentiment I feel when I look back to this moment. 

I love books. That's the reason why I joined the Literature Club. The first time I came to like books was the moment I shed a tear onto the page of a book. I've cried reading a book in the past. It was an amazing experience. Although I wasn't listening to beautiful music or was able to see gorgeous colors, I was being moved from deep within.'

Mr. Moon related to Seo Kwang's statement. You could never forget the moment of being moved by that thing called a book. Many people kept crying and laughing from stories left by great storytellers. A person could grow solely through that. 

Seo Kwang described himself at the end in a single line, 'Your pupil who's in love with all of the stories in this world, Seo Kwang Kim.'

Next was Baron. When that kid showed up to the staffroom for the first time, Mr. Moon was honestly shocked. 

"I want to draw."

Mr. Moon replied, "I'm a literature teacher."

Then, Baron answered, "I'm aware."

'Who would've thought a rebel could be so polite?' Mr.Moon quickly gave him permission. 'It was good to have at least one person around who liked to go against the flow. Others could find that a motivation to write.' 

What kind of things would a artist pupil of a literature teacher draw? 

Mr. Moon opened the sketchbook and smiled with satisfaction. It was a very familiar drawing, a bird in a white background. It immediately reminded him of a book cover, and he felt a small bit of relief. After reading that book, he had to feel something, whatever that might be.

Mr. Moon picked up the last notebook, Juho Woo's. That kid was hard to read. He seemed innocent, but on the other hand, mature. He appeared to have a floaty kind of personality, but at the same time, he blended well with others. It was hard to tell if he was calm or just absent-minded.

'Maybe his introduction will tell me.' 

He turned the page.

"Oh man, this kid."

Could that be better described as brilliant or off the wall? Mr. Moon chuckled at the title written on the first sentence.

'About Grilled Mackerel. 

Mackerel is referred to as the blue fish. Its clean, buttery-tasting meat is worthy of being called "the porkbelly of the sea." If the fish is of high quality, all it needs is a little salt. Otherwise, it will require a bit of trimming. This is to eliminate the fishy smell.

Prepare some rice water or water with a little bit of soybean paste. Soak the fish for about ten minutes, then wash it in running water. The odor will disappear. If you add lemon or finely ground daikon radish and soy sauce, the fish becomes a delicacy.

I'm always eating grilled mackerel that's been tidily prepared. Only, my father is not fond of that.

He dislikes the fact that the human hand is extinguishing even the essence of the ocean. Even if it were the fishiest smelling mackerel, he says that he prefers that over the mackerel that's been prepared to people's liking. 
Standing next my father longing for the lost essence of the fish, I find myself subconsciously picturing him when he was full of the fragrance of life.

With a hope of having grilled mackerel for dinner tonight, I now bring this composition to an end.'

"Grilled Mackerel."

'I like it.' Mr. Moon read Juho's writing again. It was flawless as a self-introduction. 

"I wouldn't have know. This kid is very interesting. Are kids good at writing by default nowadays?" Murmured Mr. Moon as he thought of a young author in his head.

---

As Juho read in his room, he heard the front door opening. His mother was home.

"Welcome back."

"You must be hungry. I'll grill some mackerel."

"Sure."

Juho felt awkward about speaking to his parents in casual language. For some time, he had been speaking to them properly. His parents were thinking that their son had grown up after moving up to high school.  

"What about father?"

"He must be busy at work. He said he'll be late."

His mother took off her work clothes and immediately started cooking in the kitchen. As soon as she walked into the kitchen, there was vigor in the house. Rustling, the sound of chopping, smell of fish… All those came together and transformed into a mouth-watering smell. With hands of experience, she had quickly filled the dinner table. She hadn't been doing that for mere a day or two. It was precise, and skillful. All Juho could do was to place the utensils on the table or scooping rice into the bowls.

"Thank you for the food."

Juho took some the white mackerel meat from the plate and put it in his mouth. The meat was just buttery enough, giving it a smooth texture. It was perfectly combined with rice. He felt like he could eat an entire bowl just with the mackerel. 

"Is everything OK at school?"

"Of course."

"Has there been anything interesting lately?" 

As usual, she calmly asked about her son's day. Naturally, Juho told his mother about what had happened that day. It was mostly about what he had talked about with his friends or funny things his teachers had said. When it came to the club activity in the science room, Juho only picked things that his mother might laugh at. In response, Juho's mother started sharing about her day and the things that happened between the neighbors.

"It's impossible to have a conversation with that lady. It's like she's from another dimension."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah! She even talks like a baby."

Then, she impersonated the lady's speech. Her lisp was rather funny. After they had finished talking, she added these words as always, "There are things that should stay within the family. Just because I said what I said, you can't be going around telling your friends. You know what I mean?"

"I understand."

Her concern for her son was habitual. After cleaning up, she cut up some persimmons. They were sweet and pleasant. After Juho took a bite from a soft piece of persimmon, his mother asked, "How are you feeling these days?"

To that unexpected question, Juho asked back, "What do you mean?"

"You're famous now. Your books are selling well. Are you excited?"

Juho's mother said it playfully, but Juho wasn't that naive. He sensed concern behind her words. It had to be something about her son becoming arrogant from the unexpected success. There had been moments like that in the past. His mother would carefully ask Juho a question after dinner, and back then, her immature son found her concern to be a hassle. 

His parents had to have been caught off guard by their son's success. They probably weren't sure of how to raise him properly in such a situation. Coming to think of it, Juho's parents had always done their best to encourage him. He was solely responsible for neglecting their words and choosing not to listen. A child was not some creature that grew according to how its parents raised it. The reason Juho's life came to such an end was because of his choices. 

"It is exciting."

"Still, you know that you shouldn't be too excited, right? Things could fall apart at any moment."

"I know. That's why I've been putting all my money into the savings account."

"Great, that's my son! You're the spice of my life."

Juho reassured his mother, and for the first time in a while, he spent time with her in front of a TV.

"Honey, the mackerel is too fishy. Do we have any lemon?"

"It's a fish. It's supposed to smell like that. We don't have any, so you'll just have to eat it."

Coming in late from work, Juho's father had to get an earful from his wife after complaining about the mackerel.

---

"Hey, play a different song. Something exciting."

"Got it."

The music filled the classroom. It had been a trend to listen to music during recess using the computer in the classroom. The song selection usually varied depending on who was sitting in front of the podium, but it was generally pop. 

The class president held the mouse today, and unlike other days, he played a music video of a foreign pop singer. Seeing the sexy dance moves, the boys cheered and whistled. Even the girls joined in. 'Take me.' The sound of laughter mingled with the music.

While bobbing his head to the intro of the song, Juho realized that he felt like the lyrics were being translated simultaneously and focused on listening.

"Why do you look so serious listening to a song?"

"I had something to think about."

While he enjoyed the song, Seo Kwang saw Juho with a serious face and laughed. Juho paid no attention and kept listening. After testing himself for several days, Juho realized that his head was able to translate any language after some time. It wasn't just English.

Click.

The phenomenon began with a sound that rang out in Juho's head. It was bizarre. He remembered seeing some five or seven year old prodigies on TV. Those kids learned several languages on their own and shocked the adults around them. Were those kids learning languages by using the same ability as Juho?

"Hey, there's something going on outside," Seo Kwang said with his eyes fixed on the hallway.

"Huh?"

By the time Juho had stopped thinking and reconnected with reality, there was a sharp scream. The music stopped, and the kids came out of their class one by one. Seo Kwang and Juho also left their seats to see what was happening. Kids who were walking on the hallway stopped and approached the scene. There was nothing at the center of the crowd standing in a circle. 

"What's going on?"

"I can't really see."

The kids closed in to get a better look. All of a sudden, the circle broke apart and split open like Moses splitting the red sea. There were screams occasionally. It was neither a god, nor a person that walked through the opening of the crowd. It was a centipede, with more legs than anyone could count. 

"Oh, my! It's huge!"

"That is so gross!"

"Somebody, kill it."

The centipede was busy moving around between the kids' feet. From the centipede's perspective, that group of kids probably had more legs. The centipede had to have probably realized it by now,

'I shouldn't have come here.'

Due to the school being close to a mountain, Juho heard a teacher saying that centipedes were a common find. The first years were on a high alert because a centipede had appeared before them. The school being in Seoul, most kids probably weren't used to seeing centipedes right in front of their eyes. 

"It might be poisonous." 

Squirming what looked like either a head or tail, the centipede came closer. It was a threat. That thing was dangerous.

"Let's kill it!"

<Smelly-Grilled Mackerel> The End

Yum Woo is the youngest author in history to enter the literature world. His debut work was a massive hit but this success was short lived for the unprepared.

A miraculous second chance comes his way one day.

This is the beginning of that journey.

Zoe came rushing into the store like a tornado in a trailer park. That girl is nothing but a twig full off energy and curly red hair! Annie and I asked Zoe how she would feel about a teen book club. She was all about it! After almost twenty minutes on the phone with her friends some of them decided to swing by on thier way to the football game. Lacey Rose, the gal that helps me keep my sanity running my book store was helping direct all the dazed and confused teens that kept pouring in. 
  Sixteen teens in all have signed up to be in the book club. A whole lot more than what I was even dreaming of. The group has decided to meet twice a week instead of just on Tuesdays, but on Thursdays as well. On Tuesday nights the topic of the book of the week. Thursdays they decided they would have a group study hall with extra school help thanks to Annie. Annie is smart as a whip and apparently used to tutor after school in high school. 
  this is how my quiet bookstore became a teen hang out. Lacey Rose has taken it upon herself to make sure everyone has something to eat during this book club shindig. Which usually everyone is there for two to three hours. Lacey Rose grumps about it but you can tell she really enjoys the kids. 
  Zoe seems to live at the store helping Annie figure everything out. Kind of funny thus little petite girl bossing everyone arround. Its almost like I am the employee instead of the owner. Its ok I love my girls. Even if there are teens everywhere.

Marie struggles with her angel and demon. Her angel wants her to stay good and not do anything frowned upon. While lets face it her demon is a bit of a whore and just wants Marie to get off of her no men dry spell. This book is about Marie trying to find a happy medium. She just wants to be happy and actually have a love life while balancing running her bookstore.

Birds chirped between the fragrance emitted by the flowers in the morning, and golden rays of light shone on an old entrance board of a dilapidated building, highlighting the words 'Stone Bull Orphanage'.

As per its name, it was an orphanage in the Stone Bull Community. In fact, it was the only orphanage in the entire Stone Bull Community.

What was a Community you ask?

When the Peace Era started, the concept of combining villages to provide equal amenities in accordance with communist philosophies was forwarded. Thus, people in a community were all one unit, with each of them given the same facilities from the government. Thus, the poor could live in houses, even though they were just ugly boxes, while those who'd succeed in their lives could become independent from the government's support, and build their own 'dream home'.

The Stone Bull Community also had a pretty interesting origin. Apparently, when the first True Master traveled to this place for enlightenment, he sculpted a stone bull for three days straight. Thus, in memory of Bharat Maurya, the First True Master, the Community was named as 'Stone Bull'.

Alas, this stone bull was currently eating dust in the Community Hall.

Inside the orphanage, in a small room a person sat on a small chair and table, reading a history book. He had short black hair, curved eyebrows which almost met in the center, clear eyes and an average face with a well-defined jawline.

The clothes on his body followed the typical design of the South Continent, which were based on the clothes of the Martial Artists. Instead of a normal shirt with buttons at the front, the two sides of his shirt enveloped each other, ending at the bottom left where he could button his shirt. However, the shirt was designed such that he'd still have two pockets on each side, and also another at his left breast.

His pants were loose yet stylish, and over his feet were sports shoes which could be used in all terrains. Although this was the common attire of youngsters of this world, the youth who was reading the book looked quite… common.

Param's eyes roamed as he quickly read the contents of the history book.

"… and at the end of the Warring Era, the Allied and the Central powers both attacked each other with their nuclear weapons. Within two weeks more than three billion people died. The radiations emitted from the explosions permeated the atmosphere and covered the sky in radiation dust, killing almost seventy percent of the survivors. The various leaders of the world monitored the world safely in their nuclear shelters, and hoped to quickly re-establish their civilization before the others…."

"… and the newborns were confirmed to be evolutions of Homo Sapiens, and were now called as Homo Luminous, owing to their shining neurons. The acknowledgement of these mutants officially started the Global Civil War …"

"… and with the help of True Master Bharat Maurya, the first Head of the Peacekeeping Alliance, the Global Civil War which had haunted the world finally ended."

The book was shut closed and Param pondered as he gazed outside, watching the new yet familiar surroundings.

It had been sixteen years since Param had been reborn into this world. Sixteen years, and he still had no answers to many questions.

Why did a nuclear explosion suddenly take place in the city in his previous world? How was he reborn in a parallel Earth? Did God really exist? If he did, what sort of existence was it? If he didn't, was reincarnation was also some natural law of the world?

He'd long since stopped thinking about these ridiculous questions- questions with no hope of an answer. Instead he glanced again at the history book on his study table.

Sixteen years were enough for him to familiarize with the world. To explain in short, its history could only be described in one word: Crazy!

 In this world, the ancient and medieval ages were somewhat similar to the previous Earth. However, a major change occurred at the end of the Second World War, as it ended with a global nuclear fight, with nuclear warheads bombarding the lands left and right. The nuclear war lasted only two weeks, yet its devastation was so magnificent that it was recorded as a separate era, the Warring Era!

At the end of the Warring Era more than eighty percent of the population of the world gradually disappeared, and the majority of the survivors belonged to those hiding in the nuclear shelters. Each of them was previously a top-shot of their countries, yet now their life only consisted of spending their time inside a cage of concrete and metal.

"Telegram!"

A melodious voice broke his thoughts as two figures approached him. Param looked at the twins and his face twitched as he still couldn't tell the difference between them. The twins, Riddhi and Siddhi were younger than him by a year, and were the mascots of the orphanage. 

The two stood in front of him with their hands on their hips and one of them questioned him with a mischievous smile.

"Who am I?"

Param looked at the two, one in a ponytail and the other with loosely flowing hair, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Except for their hairstyle, these two brats had the same attire and had the same physique. Even their voices were the same, with the same mischievous undertone.

He tried to snatch the telegram and the girls immediately yelled and backed away. But how could they escape from his hands?

As he remembered how he'd suffered from their antics, he decided to teach them a lesson. Under the guise of a fight, Param caressed their soft and smooth thighs and butt.

The girls slowly understood his plan and red covered their faces until their ears and neck. The redness added to their beauty along with their attire which seemed to be a yukata top and a skirt.

"Pervert!" "Pervert!"

Soft punches and kicks hit the youth inciting screams from him. After a round of fighting and flirting he finally got his hands on the telegram. The girls cursed him under their breaths and left his room, eyeing the other kids to make more trouble.

Speaking of telegrams, although the civilization of the world had been rebuilt, the effects of the Warring Era still troubled the present world. Now the atmosphere was filled with electromagnetic noise and produced difficulties in wireless communication. Thus, if one wanted to communicate at a long distance with each other, the majority of the people relied on telegrams. Of course, there were also telephones, but that was only the privilege of the rich folk.

Param read the cover, and his eyes shone as he read the sender: 'Leaping Frog Martial Club'.

The Leaping Frog Martial Club was one of the two Martial Clubs along with the Soaring Crane Martial Club. However, after losing against the latter six times in a row the former could no longer grab onto its glory. The Leaping Frog Martial Club was nothing but a thing of the past, and the youngsters of the Stone Bull Community only dreamt of having a chance to join the Soaring Crane- like the crane, soaring into the vast skies!

As to why Param still decided to join the beaten up Leaping Frog Martial Club? There was only one reason- Money!

With the hiking prestige of the Soaring Crane Martial Club, its annual fees had also 'soared' so to speak, and Param almost got a heart attack when he counted the zeroes. Compared to them, the Leaping Frog Martial Club was only short of kidnapping youngsters to stay in the competition.

As he opened the telegram he remembered how much trouble he had when he'd applied for its entrance tests. The test was actually pretty easy, the only difficulty being that a student needed at least 85% in their academic exams. This was followed by medical exams, where they measured a person's vitality using various tests.

MRI Test for neural activity.
X-Ray Test for bone structure.
ECG Test for heart activity.
Blood Test for genetic diseases and behavior.
Psychological Tests
Test for force and technique behind his punches and kicks
Problem Solving
IQ Tests 
Etc.

Param thought he'd almost lost his soul after the strenuous tests. The only silver lining was that all of these expensive tests were absolutely free of cost.

The telegram showed his Vitality Status, along with his rank and joining date.

Vitality: 200 / 1000 (192)
Rank: 72 (100)
Joining Date: XX/XX/315 P.E.

(Note from Author: P.E. is Peace Era)

The figures in the brackets were the cutoffs for the selection, meaning that the last passing person had a Vitality Status of 192, while his rank was 100. In short, only a hundred applicants were chosen by the Leaping Frog Martial Club, and this was despite their dire straits.

From this one could understand how hard it was to become a Martial Artist. 

Actually, one didn't need to have a good physique to become a Martial Artist, as training for that included first healing the body. Thus, as long as you had the resources, even a bamboo thin person could become a Martial Artist. To become a Martial Artist one didn't need physical strength, but a strong willpower.

While Param was thinking such, a hand landed on his shoulder and the person asked.

"So, did you get selected?"

This was Dhruva, who was one of his friends at the orphanage. With black hair and brown eyes, he actually looked quite handsome, if not for his slightly fat belly and chubby face. He was also an orphan, and he dreamt of becoming a police officer and spending his remaining life lazily.

Param nodded his head and casually passed the telegram. The other youth narrowed his eyes and kept blinking, as if he was hallucinating. On reading the contents of the telegram he slapped Param on his back with surprise.

"You really got selected!"

Dhruva looked at him with admiration. After all, being a Martial Artist meant that one could enter a wide variety of occupations. Be it sports, police force, army or even acting, Martial Artists had pervaded many fields of work. As long as you were a level two Martial Warrior, you won't have to stress yourself over what you have to eat for today.

Dhruva's exclamation attracted the other kids of the orphanage, and they started another round of admirations. Some of them looked in admiration while some looked in envy. Param could understand their feelings. After all, Stone Bull Orphanage was a government institute, and only allowed those under eighteen to live. Once a kid reached eighteen years of age, he or she would have to leave.

Now that Param had been admitted in the Leaping Frog Martial Club, he could live in the club's dorms. Furthermore, even if he didn't achieve anything significant, he'd easily land a job in the police, in the army, or even as a physical fitness trainer.

Evening came and the kids of the orphanage, both big and small gathered in the hall. This wasn't because the kids thought of each other as a family and wanted to strengthen their familial bond, but because the only radio in the orphanage was place here.

As the atmosphere contained electromagnetic noise, the radio stations had no choice but to send their signals through wires, by installing repeaters or using a much higher frequency to transmit their data. Also, as the electronic devices were based on large transistors, the radios were big and bulky. Of course, the more one paid the smaller the devices would become. However, why would the government spend a lot of money for a small orphanage in a Community?

The manager of the Stone Bull Orphanage was a middle aged woman with light freckles, named Mrs. Purple, and treated the radio like her own child. She cleaned it at least six times a day, and didn't even let the kids touch it.

For Param who'd lived in the twenty-first century surrounded with technology, this was quite an amusing sight and couldn't help but feel disdain against the people of this world.

Mrs. Purple switched the radio on, and the radio started speaking.

"… the Civil Uprising rebels in the North Continent have launched yet another attack. Three of the Peacekeepers were fatally wounded and about twelve were injured…"

"… Trade with the United Ancient Empire, which is in the Western Continent and is the home of the Homo Sapiens, has decreased in the previous fiscal year. The Empire still insists for the Peacekeeping Alliance's co-operation to clear out the radiation holes in exchange for dismantling five nuclear warheads…"

"… The head of the Iron Body Martial School, Master Danny Jasper, will be starring in a new movie named "Beyond the Mountains". Appearing with him as his female lead will be the famous beauty and actress, Vedavati Kakku!..."

"… Only seven months remain for the Four Directions Martial Tournament! For those who don't know, let me inform you guys once again. The Four Directions Martial Tournament is a ranking tournament between the four countries to determine who the best Martial Artist is in the Mortal Stage! A fight between the heavy-weight Combat Kings, who would miss that?!..."

"… the Tier I Purple Wind Community will be promoted this year into a Tier III City. Congratulations to all the residents! According to the rumors, many people are regretting over selling their properties so hastily, and prices of all estates have hiked up. So if you've already bought one recently, you are in luck!"

The radio was switched off, inviting boos of the kids. However with a single glare of Mrs. Purple, the mischievous immediately shut up and went to bed.

Three days later, Param was ready to move out with his luggage packed. The kids of the orphanage gathered and wished him good luck. The two lads, Riddhi and Siddhi even cried a little, and Param hugged them while secretly caressing their soft bodies, inviting curses from them.

Dhruva patted his shoulder and spoke like a big brother. "Don't forget to recommend me once you get a job."

Param's eyebrows twitched as he looked at his best friend. Can he say he didn't know this person?

Mrs. Purple sniffled in sorrow as he told him to keep visiting. Param nodded and with difficulty freed himself of the middle aged woman overflowing with maternal care.

With his part time jobs he'd enough money to pay for the tram. The trams were considered environmental friendly as they ran on electricity. Param sat comfortably and handed the conductor twenty Peace, the currency of all under the Peacekeeping Alliance.

The tram took thirty minutes before it reached the other side of the Community, where the Leaping Frog Martial Club was. Jumping down, he saw a massive stone gate in front of him.

The stone gate was built according to traditional ascetics, with the name of the club at the top.

'Leaping Frog'

The name was chiseled into a marble stone, in fluid strokes. Just by watching one could feel the unstoppable intent behind them.

Param sighed as he saw this. Although the amateurs said that the Leaping Frog Martial Club was declining, how could a large establishment such as this easily die?

He walked inside through the gate and glanced around. The path was covered by two gardens, and over them were decorative walls painted with historical tales.

The first wall told the story of the epic fight between True Master Bharat Maurya and the Monkey King Lu Han. With the world at despair, the True Master changed the weather and forcibly brought rain, striking lightning onto his enemy.

The second wall described the sacrifice of True Master Martin Cloud. When the nuclear bomb exploded near a Community, the True Master used his telekinesis to repel the intense heat, radiation and shock-wave emitted by the nuclear weapon.

Param was in awe as he stared at the painting which foretold the history of the world. Compared to his previous Earth, this world seemed to be far more interesting.

Soon he reached the reception hall and he submitted the telegram, his identification card and other required documents, which included his academic certificates.

As his course was funded by the Peacekeeping Alliance, he didn't need to pay for anything. He quickly found the boy's dorm and familiarized with his three dorm-mates.

The three dorm-mates were quite normal, and they only took admission in the Martial Club so that they'd get a job in the future.

The first was a bookish boy with spectacles, named Joy Nice. However, unlike his name, he wasn't nice at all and instead liked to make dirty jokes over which no one laughed.

Param looked at the other two and they seemed quite normal by their appearance and personality. The second was Surya Guna, who was a muscle brained fellow and looked like someone with simple thoughts, while the third was Aaron Stone, who looked like a fierce guy, one who was always angry.

The day easily passed as they familiarized with each other, and another day arrived. The three quickly grabbed their toiletries and freshened up. The newly admitted brats wore their training uniforms and gathered at the field as per previously given instructions on the day they'd arrived and stood in attention.

Param secretly glanced around, and assumed that there were almost a hundred students in his batch.

At this moment a figure walked out in a black colored martial uniform. Over his chest the logo of a frog leaping in the air was drawn. The figure wore shoes specially designed for Martial Artists to handle all kinds of terrains and fights.

The kids started gossiping and only stopped when the man shouted. "Silence!"

Pin drop silence covered the field. The man nodded in satisfaction and began to introduce himself.

"I am Combat King Red Frog, the owner of the Leaping Frog Martial Club!"

Param's building was suddenly bombed with a nuclear warhead, and in the next moment he found himself reincarnating in a parallel Earth.


What kind of Earth you ask?

The kind where the Second World War ended with a nuclear fight, where Homo Sapiens evolved into Homo Luminous, and where Martial Artists were the rulers of the world.

It is also a world where technology has been degraded, where people still use telegrams, and where things like social media doesn't exist.

Do you dare to explore such a world?

Westcott High is definitely not the best place to be, well when you're me that is. There's everyone horrible (obviously including Emily and her gang) in that school. Anyways, anyone else going there would be really happy to go to a lively and colourful school also known for it's basketball and football players and wins.

My school is a bit different though. 

When you enter there, you have to be in a "club". But what makes this different from other schools are the traditional stuff we do. For example, before the football players go to have a match, they must smudge charcoal under their eyes and on their hands. People like the cheerleaders do exactly ten backflips before entering a competition. 

A club is literally just you and your big or small group, but everyone in that particular group has to have kinda the same attribute with you. 

If you're in the rich kids club, you have to be real snobby and bitch-like and terribly rich. Also, you're gonna have to only date people that are in the same category with you, that is, people in the rich kids club. Come to think of it, I dont think there is a rich girl higher than boys.

Moving on.

There are like a gazillion clubs in that school(they dont necessarily have to be based on extracurricular activities they can be based on how you act). 

Okay, let's start.

We have the bad bitches club, goth club, stamp collecting club, cheerleader club, football club, basketball club, prince charming club( you know all those guys that have perfect hair and perfect eyes and straight white teeth and so on), rich kids club, rock dudes club, surfers club, super fit club, opera club, the rhymers, the dont-talk-to-me-or-I'll-punch-your-face club, the bodyguard club, the nerds, the gamers and finally my club- the weird, just so off and very hated club (population:1).

Of course

The whole club thing may sound cheesy and cliche but when you do the traditions, you wont be saying that.

Right now I'm walking to school since my "loving" parents "cant" take me there. And neither can the school bus.

*********

After 20 blocks of walking, I finally make it.

Yay. 

I still have about 5 minutes to spare.

I mistakenly bump into someone, and I swear when I see the person that definitely was not going to make my day this early morning. 

"Ugh! Can you not see where you're going weirdo?"

"Sorry, I just wanna go to class" I say with my eyes on the floor and my head down like a sad dog.

"Hope you're not in the same class with me...again, 'cause I'm gonna just squish your useless body outta that class" Emily says with a sneer.

"Yeah, we cannot allow ourselves to be disgraced by your mere appearance in that class" says Stacey with evident disgust.

"Uh girls, we'll be late if we continue to waste time talking here" says Tina. Tina seems to be the only tolerable one in this group, but I still dont like her.

"Yeah girls, let's bounce" says the leader of the viper club. I quickly walk away and avoid the gaze of other peoples' hateful stares. 

When I finally reach the door to my class, I find out that I'm a minute late and before I even get to process anything the door is slammed in front of me by my beloved math teacher Mrs. Savage

Talk about living up to your surnames' meaning.

I sigh and turn around to leave when the door suddenly opens and the person who opens it is Joe. 

Joe's part of the prince charming club.

He grabs my hand and turns me around, looking at my eyes carefully and only then did I realise that I was so fucking screwed.

I notice a smile forming on his face as he looks at whatever's behind me. I turn around only to be met by two hulking figures whom I obviously know. Whoever gave them the names I'm about to mention must've really thought they'd earned it.

Gigantasorous( shortened to Giganta) is this big bulky dude with a bald head and bad scars, he looks more like he's in some motorcycle gang than in a high school. Unfortunately, he just had to be the one on my left.

Hulk is this terrifyingly huge guy who also has a bald head but has a tatoo of a green dragon breathing out fire from it's mouth, it's visible black smoke coming out of it's nostrils. He looks as terrifying as Giganta but to me he looks more like a bouncer. I think the job would fit him right. Hulk was on my right. 

Both of them are from the bodyguard club.

They both looked at me coldly, absolutely no mercy in their eyes. Just then was I hit on the head by something really hard from behind. I started seeing dots in my vision and my head began to spin but the blow to my head wasn't enough to knock me out and I wondered why I'm not on the floor yet. 

Suddenly everything turned black but I was still awake. Definitely the lights didnt go off neither did I faint so what could've happened?

What the fuck!

My head is being covered by a sack! I start to struggle only to be held by two massive weights that felt more like titanium than hands.

And then I feel it, this surging pain coming from everywhere, someone's beating me- no not someone, PEOPLE are beating me. I curl up in a ball as I notice that the person holding me has gone and is probably one of the people beating me up. You know in those movies when bad things happen to someone and someone unexpectedly comes to save the person? Well that did not happen at all, it seems like I'm gonna have to save myself. 

I begin to crawl away from the beatings and try to get up when suddenly the sack used to cover me is removed and my chin was being held by Joe. He had this steely look which promised to destroy me in the best way possible way- slowly. Joe raises his curled up fists and repeatedly punches me in the face, smashing my nose like as if it were some meaningless artifact. He punches me in the eye which leaves me with a blurred vision.

The wimpy side of me decides to stay there and get the beating I deserve from the people that hate me, but the logical side of me- the one with hope but no bravery says I should run out of the school while I still can, 'cause if I dont when I come back to school, no one's gonna wanna see a dirty slob in their class.

I summon the little hope left in me, dodge one of his ferocious punches, and scram for the door. My bloodied body is met with the outside. I begin to run- not to my house obviously. I run with utmost speed to well- ùrun the angry mob and run into an alley. I try stop to my rugged breath but it seems like it'll go on forever. I see a bench and decide to sit on it. I flop on the bench and begin to cry since it's all that's worth it right now. 

I stop crying when I hear fast approaching footsteps which then stop dead in their tracks. I look up only to be met facing a guy in a black hood. He does not seem friendly. I shift in discomfort and look at my new hooded friend .

"Just great" 

He approaches me stealthily and I'm starting to wonder if he's a ninja. He stops almost a foot away from the bench and does the unexpected. He tosses me a dress. 

Shit. 

A dress? 

Wait, what? Before I could process anything, he throws a book over to me, the book is blue and doesn't have a title on it. I raise my head to look at him only to be met with the long empty alley. I blink twice in confusion. What just happened and who the heck was that?

**********

"Why didn't you guys ever tell me?!?" I ask with teary eyes.

"It's not what it is Kim, we love you-" 

"Filth! That's all I ever was to you people! No atom of love ever escaped your actions nor your words. "

"No-"

"But I know. And I don't give two shits what you think or thought about me. You can continue to live your sick lives and rot in hell for all I care, 'cause I've tried everything to make you love me in the past." I pause and throw them an evil smirk, "But who's the beggar now?" 

"Kim dont leave us! We're sorry! KIIIIIMMM!!!!" I hear their cries as I walk away in the distance. 


*********

I just want love. Nothing more. I've been taken as a reject for as long as I can remember. Young children throwing their toys in your face, adults insulting you with abusive words, your mates trampling you on their feet, I've been through all these and even worse. But I'm too scared, too fragile to take them on and show them I'm worth something. But who's going to remind me I even have a worth?


*********

Kimberley West is the most hated girl around. It seems like no matter what she does she never gets payed back with love. Various occasions show her what life really means. Is she going to grab onto them? Or is she going to face her fate as a reject of the world?

"Wait! are you my missing twin?!???"
Pan shout with a shocking face,

"Hahahahha it's no way, that you're my twin, you're so funny haha" Poe is giggling and laugh while talking.

"Yeah your right, if you were my twin he should be more handsome than you, hehe" Pan said with an angry face 

"What did you just say?!?" Said Poe

"Umm got to go Xing must be looking for me... bye Poe see you" says Pan with tremble voice and a scared face.

As soon as the class start again the teacher say,  "Kids!! Announcement!! Since you guys are freshman... each of you must've a CLUB example, Football club, that's all. Now open your book to page 67"

The class started and Poe is sleeping so Pan wake him slowly so he doesn't get caught by the teacher, 
Pan says "Poe... Poe... wake up...". 

"Let me just wake him up later", Pan
mumbles.

The School is over

Pan run around Poe and shouting "Poee!! Wake up!!! wake up sleepyhead!!" 

"Shut it!!" Said Poe.

The driver has finally arrived at the school to pick they (Xing, Pan, Poe, And other) up. As soon as they got back to the cell, Prof. Jerob give an announcement through the speaker, "Poe, come to my room".

When Pan heard that she stared at Poe and grab Poe's hand and wishper, "No.. Don't go Poe", "Why?" asked Poe. 


"Every new kids will got interrogation with a electricity chair" says Pan with a pale face.


A man softly grabbed Poe and pull him to Prof.Jerob's room.

"Ahhhhh-- ughh Stoo--pp Itt plea--se" Poe screams in electricity chair while Pan closing her ears and tears fall from Pan's eyes.


The morning has come Xing woke Pan up and they got to school earlier than before, Xing and Pan going to their class but, suddenly Pan stop infront of music's class, Xing look back at Pan and Pan go inside the class. While Poe is singing and playing guitar.


"Hey.. your voice are sooo good" says Pan with nervously.

 "Oya, Pan, Poe you remember, Mrs. Lopsy tell us to enter the club or make it, how bout we make a band club!" said Xing while Pan and Poe listen carefully to Xing.

"Well what I can say is Let's do it"


TO BE CONTINUED

A pair of twins that live on an island called bright island, got separated away and experiemented on ,and are trying to reunite again.

At dinner long table, Gray was sitting beside Harry and Perona while holding a big book in front of him reading.
"Hey, Gray! Leave that book for some time! you became more like Hermione" Ron beside Harry saw Gray focusing on the book again, and couldn't help but say.
But Gray didn't care about him and kept reading the book.
After about ten minutes, finally Gray ended the last page and closed the book while closing his eyes thinking of what he just read.
It's been more than a month since the *Book of even* accident, in this month Gray already copied many students in Hogwarts, but he still didn't start with the teachers, because he found those books in the library is actually another treasure he never looked at.
Gray strength this month advanced to a very good level as a wizard. Even though he didn't copy the teachers and other strong wizards, but there are many different students here.
And not all of them are good at the same subject, which makes them better in other subjects, so Gray was pretty satisfied with all he got in this month.
"Hey, where is Hermione?" Harry looked around and saw Hermione wasn't there, so he asked.
Hearing Harry's question, Perona raised her head and looked at Ron beside Harry with scary eyes.
Seeing Perona's eyes, Ron was scared and wondered why she's looking at him like this.
Perona already became a very well know in the school, after all, her ghosts can be seen more than the normal ghost here. Which also forced most of the students to give a funny show.
So most of the students are scared of her... After all, not everyone wants to kneel down and say something they will regrate in the future...
But those ghosts also didn't really make any harm, so the teachers turned blind eyes for the time being.
Neville who was eating beside them also looked at their side and told them about what he heard.
It turned out that another girl said Hermione was hiding out in the girls' bathroom crying all day long.
Hearing Neville words everyone turned their heads at Ron, including Gray.
Most of them already know what happened, Ron calls Hermione a "nightmare," because she actually tried to teach him how to spell the Levitation Charm.
And yeah... It's a kids' problem.
While they are thinking about massy things, The hall-door was opened violently and Professor Quirinus Quirrell came in, freaking out, screaming that there's a Troll in the dungeon than fabulously fainted.
Looking at the fainted Quirrell, Gray couldn't help but want to give him 10 points... This guy acting talent is so brilliant... That he wants to extract it...
Professor Quirinus Quirrell, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, the gentle and shy weak professor who's everyone laughs at because of his funny actions, and Voldemort soul vessel.
Quirrell already allowed the Troll to enter Hogwarts as a diversion, to take the chance and sneak to the restricted Third Floor Corridor where the Philosopher's Stone is being hidden.
Speaking of this stone, this also a magical stone.
The Stone could turn any metal into pure gold and produced the Elixir of Life, which granted immortality.
Even though it can give immortality, but one has to consume the elixir on a regular basis. This means, that this elixir will extend life by a few years only every time a person takes it, and like this, the normal human will gain immortality...
Even though it's actually useless for Gray who needs not simply one or two years... But it should have a unique attribute he can extract! So it's worth trying.
If he found nothing, then simply gave it to Mary when he goes back to the main world since it can turn all metal to gold, she should like such a stone.
With Quirrell's words, almost everyone in the entire hall screamed with panic.
"SILENCE!" But Dumbledore stood up and screamed which calmed everyone again.
Dumbledore let all the students go back to their dorms under their house leaders leading, and he with the teachers will go to the dungeon.
While moving, Harry realized that Hermione still doesn't know about the Troll and wanted to go and warn her, so he wanted to go find her, but when he looked around, he only found Ron...
Gray and Perona already disappeared from the place.
...
...
In the girl bathroom, Hermione who already calmed down from her frustration cleared her eyes and walked out, but when she walked out, she saw something made her froze in her place.
In front of her, there is a huge ugly green figure with a very bad odor, holding a club in his hand looking at her confusingly.
Hermione didn't scream but started walking back calmly, trying not to provoke the Troll in front of her!!!
But maybe the Troll figured out what he should do, the troll raised his club and smashed toward her.
*Scream!* Hermione screamed from fear seeing the club about to hit her and directly wanted to dodge away.
"HraHraHra* But before she dodges, another huge ghost suddenly appeared from behind her and scared the troll a few steps back.
Seeing this big ghost, Hermione smiled, she know Perona should be around.
"UGHAAA" Seeing the ghost actually doing nothing, the troll was annoyed and wanted to attack again.
And at this time, another two kids already reached the bathroom and saw the Troll and Hermione.
Harry and Ron were planning to close the door and trap the troll here, but seeing Hermione was also in the bathroom, they couldn't do this.
Gray who already appeared beside them quietly, stood there and looked at the troll with weird eyes.
He killed a few Trolls back when he was in The middle earth... But this Troll in front of him is so low compared with the Trolls he knows.
At least the middle earth Trolls possess some intelligence...
Gray thought of something and smiled.
...
The Troll raised his club and wanted to attack Hermione, but the moment he raised his club Perona's ghost also suddenly broke up and became many small ghosts.
Seeing all those small funny looked ghosts, the Troll was scared by this sudden change and waved his club trying to attack the annoying ghosts around him. But none of his attacks worked.
"Perona ghosts are bloody irritating!" Ron looked at all those ghosts and said.
But maybe the ghost heard him, a few ghosts left the Troll side and went directly through him and went back to the Troll.
Looking at the kneeling Ron, Gray couldn't help but admire this boy courage... dare to say such a thing while Perona is around.
Gray refocused on the Troll who already gave up attacking and lowered his club from depression and sighed again... Perona's way f fighting is really unique and almost invisible.

A few ghosts around merged together then Perona came appeared from within all these ghosts.
Perona with her witch uniform and the new witch hat floating in the air in the soul form looks really like a little ghost witch.
"Ugly thing! you're not cute at all!" As soon as Perona appeared she looked at the Troll and said.
Looking at the newly appeared Perona, the Troll felt a little motivation and wanted to attack again.
*Petrificus Totalus* But Gray's voice appeared from behind.
With Gray's words, the Troll froze in his place and slowly falls down on his back while his hand still rising the club ready to attack.
*BOOM* Thee Troll fell down in front of Gray, Harry, and Ron.
Harry and Ron looked at Gray beside them who defeated this Troll with one hand swing and couldn't help but open their mouths with surprise.
"Gray! You said this one should be mine!!" Perona from the ground came out and said to Gray.
"You have wasted so much time.....Well ... You will have a chance in the future...." Gray wanted to say something but seeing Perona round eyes staring at him so closely, he changed his words and said he will allow her to play as much as she wants in the next time.
Then he looked at the Troll on the ground... Had to say this Troll looks really ugly...
"Awesome! Gray, how did you do this? What was that spell!" Ron who already recovered from Perona's ghost attack looked at Gray and said.
"Petrificus Totalus I know this spell! It's The Full Body-Bind Curse... I was also studying this curse... You can already use it!" Hermione who already came to their side also looked at Gray and explained.
Then she looked at Harry and Ron.
Seeing Hermione looking at them like this, Harry smile and felt good that she's safe, as for Ron he felt some guilt and didn't know what to say.
But Gray came to his side and said something on his ears. Which made Ron's face turn white and directly apologized to Hermione.
Seeing Ron's appearance Harry and Hermione couldn't help but smile.
"Oh my god! why are the three of you here! you better explain to me!" But suddenly Professor McGonagall's voice appeared from behind.
Professor McGonagall's with Severus Snape and Professor Quirrell came together and looked at the Troll on the ground with shook.
Hearing her question, Harry and Hermione looked around then and found that Gray and Perona actually disappeared!

[Ding: discovering a removable storage device]
　　
Wandering the major film and tv shows, anime, and even novels, when Gray touches others, a computer operation page automatically appears in his mind.
　　
The four large disks hide their own genes, skills, memories, and ........, Gray can copy other people's files to his own disks.
　　
Magneto have mutant genes? copy.
Luffy mastered Haki? copy.
Advanced theory of magician? copy.
HMMM! Is that [Shadow Extraction] and [Save Shadow], [Flame Mantra] [Purple Demon Eye]? All copy!!
........................................................................................................

Yes Yes, the author Copied someone's idea, read the review.....   (.....And.....) The real author's story starts from the second vol. 

I hope you like it !!!
Discord: https://discord.gg/CPZrYST
Instagram: instagram.com/rakanodeh.wimairi

Tom woke up early in the morning. He was doing his normal routine before going to school. He left their house, calling out to his parents and little sister. He went his way over the dawn of the sunlight. He was alone as always. His hands are still on his pockets while gazing downward.

He suddenly gave a thought of having a glance back at his old high school, Crowfire High. He was already approaching the gate where he sees a lot of high schoolers crowding the place. There are two boys walking behind his back who suddenly overtook him.

Their jersey clothes caught his attention, "Crowfire High School Volleyball Club".

He was stunned for few moments and he didn't notice those boys who took over him came back and looked him straight.

"Was him the Little Giant? That legendary number 1 player?" a taller boy asked the smaller one, almost at Tom's height.

The smaller one frowned and quickly looked at Tom. The boy asked, "Excuse me sir, are you Tom Dylan? Our school's legendary Little Giant? I thought I have seen your picture in the year book."

Tom flustered. He doesn't know what to say. The taller boy looked the smaller one with fierce eyes while the smaller one looked at him in teary.

"Are you stupid? Tom Dylan's university is on the other side of the way. The heck he will waste some time seeing idiots like us." the taller boy slapped the back of the smaller one and turned their backs. He nodded at Tom before leaving and said, "Sorry for the trouble mister."

Far from where he is, he saw those boys joined the other team members of the volleyball club, who were starting to have their morning drills at the oval. He saw his coach Emberbright, an old, slim man with few white hairs on his head, still wearing his white shirt and shorts. From were he sees them, the old man shouts, motioning his hands with all rage. Those boys started to sweat and their teeth are starting to grit with everything they do.

He remembered every spartan drill they made before, with Coach Emberbright. After all, what he was as the Little Giant is all because of him. At his first year in high school, Tom's attacks were constantly blocked due to his height, but eventually he found a niche by mastering his technique in mid-air battles. He intentionally spikes the ball through the blocker in his front, specifically, at the tip of the blocker's fingers to ricochets the ball, thus completely disorienting the opposing team, and ultimately making a kill. That signature technique led his to fame. On his second year, he began his journeys, beating their mortal rival in their prefecture, and the last final formidable team, the Falco Peregrinus High School and eventually entering to the nationals. He cannot forget to be at the spotlight of the yearly highlight of the national tournament, the "Cats versus Crows: Battle at the wasteland Savanna". Of course, they beat their, Crowfire's mortal rival, the Cats, the Lion King High School.

"Getting nostalgic again, Little Giant?" a voice of an old man bugged his ears.

Tom never realized Coach Emberbright was in front of him. His mind was out of his remembrance.

"Co-coach Emberbright. Good Morning." he greeted and stepped back a few. He answered stammering, "I-I think so."

The old man hanged his arm on Tom's nape and led him walking towards the school campus. As they entered, the running boys from the volleyball club stopped and nailed their eyes on them.

"Great days spilling in your memory sure are hard to deal with. It causes distraction, on the other hand, motivation." The old man spoke while yet they are walking. He continued, "It brings you to lose your focus on what you are doing now, and on the other hand, the ever comforting nostalgia, pushing you to your best right now."

Tom just took a deep breath.

"Don't let it take you too much, my boy. After what you have been in college, it seems interesting, to go back here again, isn't it?" the old man gave Tom a grin and winked. He added, "Focus your way on what you want to be. There's always the right way to do things. You've been a star, but you can play again."

"Thanks Coach." Tom muttered. They stopped at the front of a vending machine.

The old man let go of his nape and handed him a box of yogurt. It was what Apollo, his partner in the team, their setter always buys at that vending machine.

"Truly, your time passes. But it does not mean it is already the end." Coach Emberbright once again spoke. He gazed at Tom. He said, "Next year, I will retire Tom. From thereforth, Crowfire will stand on its own."

Tom opened his mouth wide. He can't believe to what he heard. He just saw far from behind, the volleyball club, looking back at them, surprised. Worry painted all their faces.

After few more minutes, Tom left Crowfire High School. He met some of its new club members, including those two boys from earlier. He even showed them some moves and some other stuff. But beyond, the team couldn't help to worry about losing their coach and their golden years of beating at national competition. Will it ever be that again after many years? Tom could not have thought.
For now, he was on his way to his university. He was running when his eyes caught a magazine titled, "Crowfire vs. Lion king".The book's cover is his face, with his all team mates behind him, jumping. It got his attention all at once. He stopped and entered inside the bookstore. He hurried in the closest shelf and grabbed a copy of that magazine.

There are two small boys, about half of his height, probably grade schoolers torn the plastic cover and opened the book.

"Tom Dylan. I love Tom Dylan. I want to be the Little Giant someday." one boy said and raised the book over his head.

"Hey, we haven't paid that yet!" the other one squealed and tugged the other boy's sleeve.

The boy kept on raising the book, fanning it in the air and shouting Tom's name. The other one scooted to grab back the book but he couldn't.

Eventually, the man in the counter left and walked in the two kids. The one who holds the book bumped on that man's torso.

"Don't you even know, Tom Dylan is looking at you right now?" the man frowned and pointed at Tom. His fierce look never left the kid.

The boy daunted and followed the man's hand. He was stunned to see Tom's face. He gazed back the magazine cover and looked again at Tom. Tom was surprised too, he cannot process things out. The boy grinned and burst out running towards Tom. He grabbed a pen on his pocket and hand him the magazine.

"Please, sign my magazine Mr. Little Giant. Someday, I want to be just like you. I have seen you on TV when you beat Lion King." the boy's face was all red.

The other boy grabbed another copy and asked the same. Tom signed the magazine cover right under his face.

The kids then paid the magazine from the counter and left.

"It is hard being a famous one, Little Giant." the guy in the counter spoke far from where he stands. Tom holds a copy of that magazine and other several issues which he didn't know there were.

"I never knew we had a magazine running. Thanks for this Sir." he said, smiling when he saw Toby's face so tiny, right below him in the picture. He had the biggest face in the picture, after all.

"I am not far from you, Dylan. I am your Coach Emberbright's grandson." the last line that man said that brought him a thrill.

A frustrated high-school volleyball champion who lost his streak as he turned to college makes a deal to a being from another world to transport him back in time during his days of greatness. Beyond his knowledge, he was stuck in between the multiverse to turn volleyball into a bloody mess of a death battle.

(Kiyoshi's pov)
I never liked the idea of joining a club, even in middle school when I had this small group of friends I used to hang out with. I remember that once they asked me to join the same club as them, which I ended up accepting.
It was boring as hell, but I managed to go through it because they were there. At least I had someone to talk to or fool around with, which made it somewhat bearable. It might sound cheesy, but it is the truth.
This was different though. Right now, I found myself in an almost empty classroom with two students that I had just met. No one said anything and the silence was starting to make me feel really uncomfortable.
Me and Hikigaya stood there like idiots for a while until Yukinoshita finally spoke to us.
"...How about you stop standing there like idiots and just sit down?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry."
We picked a couple of chairs from the corner of the room and looked for a place to sit down. It was quite clear that Hikigaya didn't want to be anywhere near Yukinoshita or me since he sat in the other side of the classroom.
I could sit down between them and there would still be some space separating us. However, if at some point we had some kind of quarrel (which was very likely to happen because there was a very tense atmosphere), I would receive attacks from both sides.
That's why I decided to sit in the back of the classroom, behind both of them. They both eyed me for a few seconds but didn't say anything, although Yukinoshita probably thought that I was a creep. Not that I minded.
Now I only had to find something to do until the clubs closed for the day and finally be free. If I knew this would happen, I would have brought a book to read. But there was no use thinking about that now, I just had to be patient and wait. I was sure it would be over before I knew.
"Is something wrong?"
I looked up and saw Hikigaya and Yukinoshita staring at each other.
"Ah, my bad. I was thinking about what I should do about all this."
"About what?"
"Well I mean, I-" Hikigaya stopped and glanced at me for a moment before speaking again. "We were brought here with nothing but a confusing explanation."
I nodded in affirmation, even though they weren't paying attention.
The only response we got from her was a sigh and her book being closed abruptly.
"I suppose you're right. Then let's play a game."
"What are we, little kids?"
"This game requires to use your brain a little, so you don't have to participate if it's too much for you, Takeda-kun."
I guess I had it coming. Still, was this the appropriate way for a club's president to treat her fellow members? I could try to use the fact that Yukinoshita was making fun of me as an excuse to leave the club, but I doubted that Hiratsuka-sensei would let me.
"...so what is this game about?" Hikigaya broke the silence.
"You have to guess what kind of club this is."
What kind of club this was, huh? The name 'Service Club' made my mind come up with many ideas, but it wouldn't be a good idea to voice them out.
"Are there other club members?" Hikigaya asked.
"No, there aren't."
"I wonder why." I muttered. Apparently Yukinoshita heard me because she was now glaring at me. I avoided her glare and looked at the birds outside the window.
"A literary club?"
"Really...? Your reason being?"
Hikigaya smiled proudly as if he was a detective who had just solved a crime and proceeded to explain his reasoning.
"The particular setting, the lack of any need for special equipment and that despite the fact that there aren't enough members the club hasn't been abolished. In other words, it's a club that doesn't require any expenses. In addition, you were reading a book. The answer was apparent from the start."
That was a good reasoning, if I do say so myself. I found myself believing every word that he said.
"Incorrect." Yukinoshita answered with a short and scornful laugh.
After that, she looked back at me in case I was going to say something. I just shrugged.
"Then what kind of club is this?" Asked Hikigaya, irritation evident in his voice.
"All right, I'll give you the biggest hint. My being here, doing what I am, is the club's activities."
"We make fun of people, then? Woah, if I had known this before I might have even joined voluntarily." I joked.
"Such a childish behaviour."
"I still don't see any flaws in my last statement."
Ignoring me, she looked back at Hikigaya, who still seemed to be deep in thought.
"I give up. I don't have a clue."
There were a few seconds of silence before Yukinoshita spoke again.
"Hikigaya-kun, Takeda-kun, how many years has it been since you last spoke to a girl?"
Why was she asking this all of the sudden?
"I fail to see how this is relevant." I said.
She stood up and looked down at us.
"Those that possess much are motivated by charity to give to those who do not. People call this volunteer work. Providing development assistance to developing countries, organizing soup-runs for the homeless, allowing unpopular boys the opportunity to talk to a girl. Extending a helping hand to those in need. That is what this club does."
What a strange club. I would have believed that she was making all this out of goodwill if it wasn't for the fact that she made fun of me every time she could. Either she didn't enjoy our company or she didn't want to be here to begin with. Did Hiratsuka-sensei make her join the club against her will as well?
"According to Hiratsuka-sensei, it is the duty of those who are superior to save those who lead a pitiable existence. I will make sure that I accomplish what she requested of me and fulfil this responsibility. I will rectify your problem. Show some gratitude."
...
What a strange feeling. Every time that she opened that mouth of hers my desire to leave that classroom and never come back grew wider and wider.
"This bitch..."
Hikigaya couldn't even hide his anger. I couldn't blame him.
"...You know, even though it's me saying it, I'm actually fairly superior myself. I ranked third in the Japanese Proficiency Exam! I'm pretty good looking! If you disregard the fact that I don't have a girlfriend or any friends, I'm basically top of the line." He said.
What was this, a battle of egos? If that was the case it was clear who would lose out of us three.
"Though I'm sure I heard you mention a fatal flow towards the end... In a way, it's amazing you can say all that so confidently. You're a weirdo. I'm already creeped out."
"Shut up. I don't want to hear that from a weird girl like you."
I had to agree with him on this one. She kept saying that she was superior, as if she was some kind of celestial being that decided to grace us with her presence, but I didn't think that she was one to talk.
For starters, almost everyone in the school knew her. However, being known is not necessarily a good thing. As rumours had it, Yukinoshita Yukino was not the girl that she appeared to be. Plus, it didn't seem like she had any friends either.
I'm not saying that I believed these rumours, because people always tended to exaggerate things. However, it was annoying that someone like her was looking down on us like this.
"Hm... Based on my observations, it seems that your loneliness is a result of your corrupt mind and cynical temperament." She stated, looking at Hikigaya. "Firstly, I will find a place for you in society. Given that you're so pitiable, I can't just leave you alone."
"Hey, wait a minute. Who said that I need any help?"
"To start with, eyes such as yours that emulate those of a rotten fish, would invariably leave a bad impression. If at least I manage to change your personality things will be better for you in the future, even if just a little."
"Enough with the eyes!"
The poor guy had been told that his eyes were those of a rotten fish many times already.
"As for you, the cause of your loneliness is quite clear." Seemingly having said everything that she wanted to Hikigaya, she turned to me.
I was not looking forward for this. Ever since I entered the room, I had this feeling that I was being judged by her, I bet that Hikigaya was feeling the same. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.
"The rumour that Kiyoshi Takeda had sent three students to the hospital due to a fight in his middle school days spread quite quickly during our first year here. Since then, the students have been avoiding you."
Quite the reputation that rumour gave me. Everything was fine in my first day here, a couple of my classmates even approached me to try and get to know me. However, in my second day here, everyone started to avoid me. It had been this way until today.
I didn't know how that rumour made its way to Shobu High to be honest. The only plausible explanation was that someone from my middle school enrolled here as well.
I tried to convince myself that I didn't care about other people's opinions. However, I found myself asking a question to Hikigaya and Yukinoshita.
"So? What do you think about those rumours?"
I looked up at her, then at Hikigaya. He seemed surprised that I was asking him this question, but that didn't stop him from answering.
"I wasn't there to begin with, so I can't tell if they're true or not. Besides, it's hard to believe that one middle schooler would be able to do that."
At least someone seemed to have a bit of common sense. Whether there was some truth in those rumours or not, how would a kid be able to beat three students and leave unharmed?
"It's hard not to be suspicious when the involved party doesn't do anything to stop them, though." Yukinoshita added, frowning slightly.
"Why would I? That would only make things worse."
If I tried to refute the rumours I would just be giving them what they wanted. It was quite simple. The "cool kids" find someone to make fun of and if that someone gets upset or angry, they win.
"Look, he's crying! Pathetic!"
So, what was the best curse of action? Just ignore them. Let them know that you couldn't care less by not doing anything. In the end, they'll get bored and look for another unfortunate soul to make fun of.
"Worse than they already are? I doubt that's possible. In the end you're just running away and letting people look down on you. That's the reason why you two are alone." She refuted.
Most teenagers want to be popular. They want people to look up to them. Because of that, they constantly show openly how the rest of the students are below them.
There are those who show their superiority by making fun of others, those who show a public persona who is completely different from their true selves to impress others... Those two kind of students were the popular kids in the school. The top of the hierarchy.
Then there are those directly below them. The lap dogs. They exist to praise the popular kids and make their ego grow even more. You don't want to be made fun of? Easy-peasy! Be a lap dog! Tell the popular kids how cool and handsome/beautiful they are! Congratulations, you're now part of the cool kids!
And then there is the base of the pyramid, formed by the unpopular ones. Those who are there to be made fun of.
It might not look like it, but their role is very important. Why? Because if they weren't there, how would the popular kids show their superiority? Remove the base and everything else crumbles down.
I was no genius, but I arrived at two conclusions just by observing others.
First: Everyone was rotten. I was no exception.
Second: If this were the kind of people that surrounded me, it was better to be alone.
"I'm just running away, huh? Well, call it however you like, I don't care. That's how I am and I don't intend to change any time soon."
I heard Hikigaya chuckle from where he was sitting.
"...so annoying." Yukinoshita muttered.
The door of the classroom suddenly slid open.
"Yukinoshita, I'm coming in."
"I told you to knock..."
"Sorry sorry, don't mind me and just continue as you were. I just thought I'd stop by and see how you were doing." Hiratsuka-sensei said.
"Hikigaya, keep up the good work and focus on straightening out that cynical temperament of yours."
"What do you mean by straightening out? Doesn't that make me sound like a juvenile delinquent? Just what the hell is this all about?
Ignoring him, she now turned to me.
"Takeda."
"Hmm?"
"You and Hikigaya are not that different. However, the way that you two see things will only bring harm to you in the future."
"I call it being realistic."
Hiratsuka-sensei sighed as she observed us.
"Yukinoshita, it seems that you're having a hard time straightening them out."
"That's because they're not aware of the fact that they have a problem." She stated matter-of-factly.
"Um... you've been saying nonsensical stuff about straightening us out and improvement and reformation and revolutionary girls and whatnot for a while but we never asked for any of it." Hikigaya said looking at me and then at Hiratsuka-sensei.
However, the one who responded was not her, but Yukinoshita.
"What are you saying? If you don't change, you'll be at a level that'll make living in society difficult. Don't you want to change for the better?"
"That's not it..! I don't want people to keep harping on about making me change and telling me who I am. You told Takeda that he was running away but, in the end, trying to change yourself is the same as running away, isn't it?"
"Not accepting who I am and trying to be someone different would make me the same as the rest of them. Even I have some self-esteem, you know?" I added.
This time our words seemed to affect Yukinoshita, who frowned and clenched her teeth.
"Calm down, the three of you." Hiratsuka-sensei had to intervene to make peace. "Things have become interesting. I love developments like these."
Sensei was the only one of us who was ecstatic.
"Well then, let's do it this way. From now on, I will guide troubled lambs to this club where they will be under your supervision. The three of you will try and help them as you see fit. And it would be good if you prove your moral righteousness to each other to the best of your abilities in the process. Who can help these people!? Ready, go!"
"I refuse."
"No, thanks."
I spoke in sync with Yukinoshita, which made her look at me in disgust.
"Sensei. Please stop acting so childishly hyperactive. It is unbecoming of someone your age and it's awfully indecent."
Sensei's cheeks turned pink in embarrassment and it took her a few seconds to recover.
"In-in any case! The only thing that will prove one's rectitude is their actions! If I said you must have a match, then you will have a match. None of you have the right to say no."
"That's too tyrannical..." Hikigaya muttered.
"In order for you to fight with your utmost desperate efforts, I'll provide you a little motivation. How about, the winner can command the losers to do anything they wish?"
"Competing against these boys makes me feel that my chastity is in peril. I refuse."
If one party didn't want to participate, the whole competition was meaningless. Hikigaya and I probably didn't have the right to refuse, but Yukinoshita did. I think.
"You heard her. She's too scared to even participate, sensei. It's better to leave it like this."
Besides, I got to make fun of her in the process, which was great. I thought that sensei would chide me but, to my surprise, she nodded with a smug smile on her face.
"You're right. It seems that even Yukinoshita Yukino is fearful of something... Are you that afraid that you'll lose?"
There were a few moments of silence before Yukinoshita spoke again.
"...Fine. Although, I'm a little annoyed that I must give in to such a cheap provocation. I accept."
I looked at her in disbelief. Had that cheap provocation really worked? Sensei looked at me and flashed me a thumbs-up.
Did I just unconsciously help her convince Yukinoshita?
"Then it's decided."
It seemed that our opinion didn't matter. Things just weren't going my way today...
"I will be the one to decide the winner of this match, so do your best! I'll be looking forward to see how things turn out." With that, Hiratsuka-sensei left the classroom.
The uncomfortable silence was interrupted by a synthesized chime, signalling that the club's time had ended. We took our bags and left the room without saying a single word or looking at each other.

Kiyoshi Takeda is a student in Sobu High School. Due to his reputation he doesn't have any friends, but he is okay with that and hopes that things will stay the same until the end of his High School days.
Little does he know that everything will change when one day his teacher calls him and a certain dead fish eyed student to the teachers lounge.

"Yes."
She went to Hwachun Clan today as a witness to Yu Aeah's trial.
Originally, Ji Myung and Ha Goyun should have attended the meeting, but they did not announce their attendance because they were sure that the trial would be ruined if Ji Myung attended, while Ha Goyun was too young and did not recommend them to attend as a consideration.
"So...what happened?"
"Thanks to my testimony and the evidence from Shim Gu's brother, the trial went off without a hitch."
Byuk Aerin grinned.
"Yu Aeah and her collaborators were sentenced to 100 lashings and five years in prison for kidnapping and attempted murder. And in Yu Aeah's case, she was accused of trying to bribe the official, so she had fifty lashings added."
"A hundred and fifty..."
Next to him, Chun Haekwang said, sighing, "She's guilty of kidnapping, attempted murder, and bribery, and only obtained hundred and fifty lashings?! Aren't they being too lenient?"
Baek Kap then said to Chun Haekwang.
"Hey. You never saw those tools that they use for lashing yet, haven't you?"
"Huh? I've never seen it, but I've seen those big poles being used in government offices. Isn't that what it is?"
Baek Kap shook his head at the question.
"It's a punishment against Martial Artists. We can't use a normal stick."
"That would be so. Then, how is it different?"
To the questioning Chun Hakwang, Baek Kap briefly stepped into the office and came out with a book.
"I thought it would be faster to see it through a book than to explain it in words."
While dinner was being served, Chun Haekwang read the book given by Baek Kap, and soon said, covering the book.
"I would rather be put to death than to take this."






The next morning. Kang Hyuk headed to the conference room half an hour earlier than usual, as Chun Haekwang said.
"Welcome."
As soon as he entered the conference room, Eun Myungmyung, who sat at the seat, welcomed him.
"Good morning, sir."
"Good morning."
Next to Eun Myungmyung stood Ok Haemi. Kang Hyuk also greeted her.
"Sit down. Would you like some tea?"
"Yes. Tea would be fine."
With that remark, Ok Haemi left the conference room and quickly came in with two cups of tea and put it in front of them. Eun Myungmyung then looked at Kang Hyuk.
"Why I asked to see you this early morning, is because of Yeonkyo Garden."
"What's wrong with Yeonkyo Garden?"
Kang Hyuk unknowingly exuded hostile aura. It was because it was a story about Yeonkyo Garden, which he worked hard on.
"Oh, No-no! There's no problem with the Garden!"
Eun Myungmyung shook his hand quickly, surprised by the energy. Eventually, Kang Hyuk calmed himself down.
"I see. What is it then?"
"We expect students to act defiantly during this three-day camp."
Eun Myungmyung shook his head.
"Why on earth are they so impatient to do something so defiant?"
He continued to talk.
"Anyways, at every camp, the teachers ask for the cooperation of the Assistant Teachers and faculty members to prevent them from defiant behavior in advance....but it's not really stopping all the defiances of the students."
In that remark, Kang Hyuk uttered his guess.
"Are you saying the place where that defiance is expected to happen this time is likely at Yeonkyo Garden?"
Eun Myungmyung nodded at the question.
"That's accurate. Have you ever heard of T.Y.C?"
"T.Y.C...?"
"True Youths Club. They call themselves that, but in our view, they're just a bunch of immature problems. That club is not an official club."
"A club, eh?"
At Hwachun Academy, there were many clubs for the students. For example, composition clubs, painting clubs, or archery clubs were such examples. Such clubs were registered on the Academy as an official club, with a small fee for club activities and a teacher being assigned.
Some clubs weren't authorized. It was because the purpose of the Club was not educational.
"T.Y.C is aiming at Yeonkyo Garden this time."


By evening, the Students headed one by one to the campground. Each of them had their personal belongings, one of which was a pipe and a small dagger. This was the only thing they were allowed to carry during the camp. It was Murim, where you don't know when or what situation will happen. The camp's purpose was to train the ability to cope with unforeseen situations, so they limit their belongings to a minimum. Kang Hyuk stood in front of Yeonkyo Garden and saw the students heading to the campground. The fence of the garden was only shoulder-high, so the campground was visible.
"The kids are going to have a hard time."
Ji Chulmook was sitting next to him.
Ji Chulmook, a worker in charge of the construction portion for the Academy, was proudly moving in and out of the Academy.
"Well, isn't it better for them to put such hardships in advance so that they will suffer a little less later?"
"That's true as well."
Shim Gu, who was standing next to Ji Chulmook and Chun Haekwang, spoke.
"But isn't that much more comfortable than the training Big Brother gave us?"
"That's right."
Ji Chulmook agreed.
"We went into Bloody Forest once, without any weapon. We had to survive for seven days."
"Oh! I really thought I was going to die then."
"Thanks to that, all the training afterward felt like a night picnic."
"And yet! To drive us into that Bloody Forest?"
The words frightened Baek Kap, who was hanging a flower bed next to him.
'Hee-! Well, if it's Bloody Forest…!'

After 50 years of being in the position of Hwacheon Clan Leader, Kang-hyuk, widely renowned as 'The Dragon' retires.

Nearing his eight year of retirement, at the age of ninety-eight, he experiences the spiritual phenomenon of 'reverse-ageing', causing his body to return to a state of youthfulness.

With his new found youth and vigour, he sets out to fulfill his deceased brother's last wish to be a teacher.
From martial legend of Moorim to an Invincible teacher, Kang-hyuk's foray into academic life as a horticulture teacher begins!

Set in the mystical land of Moorim, with plenty of action, comedy and cultivation!

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