The rain hit Jihoon like karma.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He stood soaked, hoodie clinging to his back, fists clenched, breath steaming in the cold air.
Today was supposed to be his restart.
His resume printed. His pride swallowed. His last cash gone for a cab to that dumb job interview.
They didn't even let him inside.
"Sorry," the receptionist said. "We don't hire high school dropouts who ghosted two years ago."
Jihoon didn't argue. He just walked out into the cold, gray street. Head down. Dreams leaking into puddles.
No friends. No backup. Mina gone. Money? Don't even ask.
Until his phone buzzed.
📲 Unknown App Installed: [CashCombat: System of the Street King]
"What the…?"
No icon. Just a black screen with glitchy red letters.
[Welcome, Jihoon.]
[You have been selected by the Street King Protocol.]
[This is your second chance. Earn money. Fight back. Rule the streets.]
Jihoon blinked.
Was this a joke?
Then:
💥 First Mission:
"Slap the guy who stole your life."
🎯 Target: Kang Minjae
🏷 Reward: ₩500,000 ($400)
⏱ Time Limit: 15 minutes
❌ Failure = Balance: ₩0 → -₩500,000
🔔 GPS Activated. Target Nearby.
"Kang Minjae?!"
Jihoon looked up — and as if fate was waiting, Minjae turned the corner across the street. Clean umbrella, designer sneakers, smug face… and Mina by his side.
His Mina.
Jihoon's blood ran hot.
[You have 14 minutes.]
Jihoon didn't even think.
He moved.
Crossing the street like a bullet, Jihoon stopped right in front of them.
Minjae sneered. "Oh? Look who's alive. Still chasing interviews in a hoodie?"
Jihoon didn't answer.
He slapped that smug face so hard the sound echoed down the block.
CRACK.
Minjae's umbrella flew. Mina gasped. "Jihoon?!"
Minjae stumbled. "Are you crazy?!"
Jihoon's phone buzzed:
✅ Mission Complete
💵 ₩500,000 added to Wallet
🧬 Adrenaline Boost Unlocked: +10% Strength for 5 mins
🎯 Next Mission Available
Jihoon just smirked. "You stole my life. I'm taking it back."
Minjae rushed him, but Jihoon moved like instinct. Step back. Counter-punch.
Right in the ribs.
Minjae folded like paper.
Jihoon walked away.
🎮 [Skill Tree Unlocked: Street Combat v1.0]
Rank: E
Combat Style: Dirty Brawler
Perks: Reflex Boost (Lv1), Pain Resistance (Lv1)
Spend Cash to Unlock Combos, Perks, Gear
[2 Hours Later – Ramen Shop, Back Alley]
Jihoon slurped noodles, still processing.
Balance: ₩500,000
Passive Income Unlocked: ₩10,000/day
Title: [System Chosen]
Street Rank: F+
His phone buzzed again.
🔥 Story Mission Unlocked:
"Reclaim Your Crown"
🗒 Your old fake friends are throwing a rooftop party tomorrow.
🎯 Objective: Crash the party.
Optional:
➤ Arrive wearing ₩1M worth of flex gear
➤ Arrive in luxury transport
➤ Make them remember who the f**k you are
💸 Total Reward: ₩2,000,000
⏱ Countdown: 24 Hours
Jihoon stared at the screen. The rage inside him boiled clean.
All those people who laughed when he fell off.
Called him "broke boy," "waste," "dropout."
They'd see.
🛒 CashCombat Market Access Granted
Items Available:
Streetwear Flex Pack: ₩800,000
Fake ID: ₩50,000
One-Hour Lambo Rental: ₩1,000,000
Combat Upgrade: ₩300,000
Mystery Skill Pack: ₩500,000
Hire Backup (Thugs): ₩600,000
Jihoon leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp.
"This ain't about surviving anymore. It's about flexing in their faces."
He tapped Streetwear Flex Pack.
Then Combat Upgrade.
✅ Purchased.
👕 Flex gear delivered to locker station.
🥊 New Combo Unlocked: Quickstep Rush
💢 New Passive: Aggressive Aura (Lv1)
Then he paused. Finger hovering over the next button.
[One-Hour Lambo Rental – ₩1,000,000]
It was reckless. Stupid.
But the system whispered:
"Impressions are everything. First impact = fear."
"You want them to know you've changed? Don't knock. Break the door."
Jihoon tapped.
✅ One-Hour Lambo Rental Confirmed. Delivery in 15 Minutes.
He cracked his neck.
"Let's break their illusion."
[Next Night – Rooftop Party, Gangnam]
Music blasted from wireless speakers.
Bottles popped. Laughter. Everyone dressed fake-rich.
Minjae at the center, telling the same lie for the hundredth time.
"Jihoon cried when he dropped out. Man ghosted. Probably flipping burgers now."
Everyone laughed.
Until the Lambo arrived.
Matte black. Chrome rims. Engine growling.
The doors lifted like wings. Jihoon stepped out.
Drip activated: black techwear, diamond chain, street presence like a movie villain.
Silence.
Someone dropped a glass.
"That's... Jihoon?"
He didn't rush.
He walked.
Girls who once left him stared.
Fake friends straightened their shirts.
Even the DJ turned the volume down.
Jihoon moved through them like a shadow, owning every eye.
🎯 Objective 1 Complete: Party Crashed
🎯 Objective 2 Complete: Wore ₩1M Flex
🎯 Objective 3 Complete: Arrived in Luxury
Then a new alert:
🔥 Bonus Mission Triggered:
"Dominance Display"
Humiliate one fake friend in public
💸 Reward: ₩1,500,000
⚠️ No Physical Harm
Jihoon smirked.
He walked up to the drink table, dropped an envelope on top.
Minjae turned. "What's this?"
Jihoon pulled out crisp ₩100,000 notes one by one…
And dropped them into the punch bowl.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
"Here," he said. "My contribution.
Unlike some people, I don't need to beg daddy for beer money."
The crowd gasped.
Minjae's face went pale.
✅ Bonus Mission Complete
💸 ₩1,500,000 Added
Street Rep +10
Rank Up: E-
📍 New Area Unlocked: Night District – Gang-Controlled Zone
Jihoon turned. "Enjoy the party."
He walked to the elevator without looking back.
But everyone looked at him.
He wasn't a joke anymore.
He was the headline.
📲 System Message:
"You've entered the real game now, Jihoon."
"The streets are watching. And the wolves are waking up."
"Money is power. Power is violence. Violence is currency."
Jihoon smiled.
"Let them come."
END OF CHAPTER 1 🔥