The Hunter Academy was supposed to be sacred ground.
A place where talent bloomed, where future heroes were forged, where rankings decided worth and destiny.
To me?
It looked like an oversized tutorial zone.
I stood at the academy gates wearing a cheap black jacket, my hands in my pockets, aura forcibly suppressed by approximately nine layers of system intervention.
[AURA SUPPRESSION: ACTIVE (99.999%)]
[WARNING: REMAINING 0.001% MAY STILL CAUSE MASS FAINTING]
"…Do your best," I muttered.
Even so, the air around me felt wrong. Like the world knew I didn't belong here.
Students flooded past—fresh Awakeners, Rank F to C, chatting loudly, flexing mana, laughing like they weren't one dungeon accident away from being fertilizer.
I hated it already.
[EMOTION DETECTED: DISDAIN]
[PASSIVE SKILL UNLOCKED: ACADEMIC CONTEMPT (SSS)]
Effect: All tests become insults rather than challenges
Perfect.
Entrance Hall – Awakener Registration
A long line stretched across the hall. Screens displayed rankings, guild advertisements, sponsorship offers.
"Rank determines everything," a staff member droned.
"Your dorm, meals, missions, respect—"
I stepped forward.
"Next."
The clerk barely glanced at me.
"Name?"
"Kang Woojin."
Typing.
Pause.
Her fingers froze.
"…Kang Woojin?"
"Yes."
The screen flickered.
Glitched.
Then reset.
[SYSTEM INTERFERENCE DETECTED]
The clerk swallowed.
"…Your rank is—"
I leaned closer.
"Say it."
She flinched.
"F-Rank."
The room erupted in laughter.
"HAHAHAHA—F-RANK?"
"Why even enroll?"
"Isn't this place dangerous for civilians?"
I smiled faintly.
Good.
This was how every story started.
[CONDITION MET: SOCIAL DISRESPECT]
[REVENGE ARC (PASSIVE) INITIALIZED]
I accepted my ID.
Rank: F
Mana Capacity: Unmeasurable (Displayed as 0)
Class: Unassigned
Clean.
Anonymous.
Perfect.
Combat Assessment – Arena A
Students gathered in the massive arena. Professors watched from above, faces bored, eyes sharp.
"This test evaluates raw combat ability," an instructor announced.
"Failure results in expulsion."
One by one, students entered.
Explosions. Skills. Shouts.
Mediocre.
Then it was my turn.
"Kang Woojin. F-Rank."
The arena barrier activated.
A mechanical voice echoed.
[TEST OPPONENT: ENHANCED B-RANK GOLEM]
The crowd gasped.
"A B-RANK? Against an F?"
"Someone messed up."
"No, he's dead."
The golem moved.
I didn't.
[SYSTEM PROMPT]
**Would you like to:
Flick
Breathe
Blink
Accidentally Think Too Hard**
I sighed.
"Option 2."
I breathed.
The golem collapsed into dust.
Silence.
The arena barrier shattered like glass.
Shockwaves rippled outward.
Students were blown off their feet.
Professors stood abruptly.
"What the hell—?!"
"That wasn't a skill—!"
"No mana signature—!"
[COMBAT RESULT]
Opponent: Deleted]
Damage Type: Passive Existential Pressure]
The system chimed again.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "FAILED SUCCESSFULLY"]
Effect: Tests no longer scale correctly for you]
I scratched my head.
"…Was that too much?"
No one answered.
They were all staring at me like I'd just rewritten their belief system.
Aftermath – Medical Wing
They insisted on checking me.
Doctors. Scanners. Artifacts.
Nothing worked.
Mana readers exploded.
One artifact screamed and cracked in half.
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
Conclusion: SUBJECT IS A PROBLEM]
A woman entered the room.
Tall. Red hair. Sharp eyes. A scar across her cheek.
She wore an S-Rank badge.
"Vice-Instructor Yoon Haejin," she said.
"Answer honestly. What are you?"
I met her gaze.
"A student."
Her lips twitched.
[HAREM CANDIDATE DETECTED]
Archetype: Strong, dominant, morally flexible]
Interest Level: Dangerous]
She leaned closer.
"If you're hiding power, do it better. You just destabilized the academy's evaluation system."
"Not my fault it's weak."
Silence.
Then she laughed.
Loud.
Unrestrained.
"I like you."
Trouble.
Dormitory – F-Rank Wing
The F-Rank dorms were… depressing.
Cracked walls. Flickering lights. Shared rooms.
My roommate hadn't arrived yet.
Good.
I lay on the bed and opened my system.
[STATUS WINDOW – KANG WOOJIN]
Level: ???
Titles: 17 (Hidden: 12)
Gold: ₩2,430,000,000
Assets: Rapidly Increasing
Tower Ownership: Pending
Regression Authority: Locked
Harem Slots: 0/???
"…Regression Authority?"
[SYSTEM: YOU'LL REMEMBER SOON.]
That didn't sound ominous at all.
My phone buzzed.
Stock alert.
[MARKET DOMINATION]
Event: Market Crash in 6 Hours]
I smiled.
Time to get richer.
Then—
The door slammed open.
A girl stumbled in.
Silver hair. Big hoodie. Wide eyes.
"Oh—! S-sorry! I thought this was my room!"
She froze when she saw me.
Mana flared instinctively.
[ANALYSIS]
Name: Lee Ara
Rank: C (Healer – Rare)]
Trait: Pure Luck, Hidden Potential]
Survivability in Your Orbit: Questionable]
She bowed repeatedly.
"I-I'll leave!"
"No," I said.
She stopped.
"…This is your room too."
She blinked.
"O-Oh."
Awkward silence.
Then—
The lights flickered.
A pressure descended.
The academy alarms blared.
[WORLD ALERT]
Dungeon Break: S-Rank]
Location: Beneath the Academy]
Students screamed.
Teachers rushed out.
Lee Ara grabbed my sleeve, trembling.
"W-we should evacuate!"
I stood.
Cracked my neck.
[QUEST GENERATED]
Title: FIRST DAY, FIRST MASSACRE]
Objective: Handle It]
Reward: Harem Slot + Regression Fragment]
I smiled.
"Stay here."
"But—!"
I walked out.
The floor beneath my feet cracked.
Deep underground, something ancient woke up.
And it recognized me.
[DUNGEON CORE STATUS: PANICKING]
Good.
End of Chapter 3