"Finally, I'm here," someone murmured softly.He was in a small room, nothing luxurious. There was a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, a wardrobe, and a chair by the window. Everything was fairly average in quality, nothing extravagant.Only one person occupied the room: dark brown hair, emerald-green eyes, and pale skin—almost sickly so.
The young man, standing in the middle of the room, let out a faint sigh."Really… five years, and I finally made it to this damn academy," he muttered.
Then, someone knocked gently on the door."Cadet Kain, class is about to begin. You can't stay inside your room," said the dorm supervisor."Alright, I'm just finishing something. I'll be out shortly," Kain replied immediately."Very well, Cadet Kain, but don't take too long. Remember that punctuality is also part of your performance evaluation," she added, and her footsteps faded away.
Kain sighed."I didn't want to take part in this, but I guess there's no helping it," he murmured as he took the uniform from the wardrobe.
It was a black blazer with metallic buttons and gray trimming. On the left side of the chest was the academy's small emblem, worn over a white dress shirt and a simple black tie. It was completed by black trousers and matching military boots.The uniform was high-quality—so much so that it cost more than the room he was staying in.
He looked at himself in the mirror. The black and white of the uniform made his pale complexion stand out, but not in a flattering way.Kain sighed.
Without a shred of enthusiasm, he grabbed his backpack and left the room.
The academy was beautiful, both inside and out. The facilities were designed to be efficient while also maintaining an artistic aesthetic pleasing to the eye.But to Kain, none of that mattered in the slightest.
Anyone from this world would be thrilled to attend the academy.The problem was that Kain wasn't from this world.He was a reincarnated person from another world.
Normally, if someone told you something like that, you'd question their mental health and consider sending them to a psychologist. But for Kain, it was an undeniable truth.
The problem was that he had absolutely no interest in this new life. He'd had a good life in his previous world—he wasn't rich, not even close, but he didn't live badly. He had friends, family, his studies completed, and a job in progress. It wasn't a bad life, and he had been pretty satisfied with it.And yet, without wanting it, he had been reincarnated.
"Why the hell did it have to be me?" he thought, cursing his situation.
He had no explanation for it: no status window, no system, not even some god speaking to him. Nothing. He just woke up one day in this damned world out of nowhere.The only good thing was that the memories of this body had been transferred to him; thanks to that, getting used to life and living normally had been possible, even if he despised it.
As he walked, the people around him moved happily toward their respective classes. Before he knew it, Kain had arrived at his own.He stared at the closed door and let out a loud sigh. He hadn't expected to ever set foot in a classroom again; the memories of those days made a nostalgic smile slip out.
"Are you planning to go in?" someone asked behind him.
Kain turned to see who had spoken.It was two classmates: a girl with short brown hair and a boy with brown hair, slightly taller than Kain. Both looked at him strangely, having waited several minutes for him to enter before growing tired of waiting.
"Sorry, I got lost in thought," he said quickly as he opened the door and stepped inside.
The classroom was shaped like an auditorium. Every gaze instantly shifted toward him, making him flinch for a moment under the unwanted attention. Fortunately, the stares only lasted a second before everyone returned to their things.
Kain sighed and observed the room: the front seats were occupied, the middle ones almost full, and the back nearly empty—so he headed there.The seat closest to the window was unoccupied, so he took it without thinking too much. It got good light and he could stare outside if he got bored—convenient enough.
"I just want this day to end quickly," he murmured as he sat down.
The seats around him began to fill, but there was still some time left before class began, so he leaned back and closed his eyes.
PowA small sound drew everyone's attention. Kain lifted his head in mild surprise at the sudden noise and looked for the source, only to realize the instructor had already entered the room and was glaring at everyone with an unfriendly expression.
"Good morning, everyone. I hope you all rested well," he said as he set his briefcase on the front desk."My name is Edras Hale, Intermediate Knight and A-rank hunter. I'll be your instructor for this year," he explained.
"Many of you probably already know this, but I'll explain it in case someone doesn't," he added, snapping his fingers. Behind him, the academy's symbol—a sword encircled by a laurel crown—appeared floating solemnly before the class.
"The academy is a special training center, a place meant to shape elites capable of facing monsters and demons." His voice grew heavier at the word demons, and everyone immediately straightened up upon hearing it.
"This is not a place where just anyone can graduate," he continued, slowly pacing in front of the cadets."Now that you're enrolled, you've taken the first step… but the trials you'll face will be so difficult that many will fall along the way. Not even the majority may make it to the end."
He paused, and everyone waited, tense and expectant.
"But those who do reach the end—and overcome all those trials—will be the best of the best," he finally said.
Then, with a somewhat bored expression, he added:"With all that said, let's begin today's lesson."