“It seems like you’ve been handling a sword for a long time. Are you perhaps affiliated with a specific school?”
“A school? Nah, not really.”
It’s true that I’ve handled a sword quite a bit during my time as a Hunter.
There were a few lessons along the way, but I don’t belong to any swordsmanship school.
“So… you’re saying you self-taught the sword?”
“Well, I did get about a month of training on grip and basics.”
To be precise, three weeks. After awakening my ability and joining the Hunter Guild, I only received basic training on Gates and weapon handling.
But it seems that wasn’t a satisfying answer for Ichinose.
“A month is too short to say you’ve learned the sword. Especially if it’s just the basics.”
“Well, I guess if you swing it enough, the right posture just sticks with you.”
I can’t explain it any better than that.
In the end, my greatest teacher was real combat.
“Not entirely wrong, but…”
Ichinose trailed off, chewing her lip as if deep in thought.
Seeing how serious she was about the sword, I suddenly thought to myself.
‘Was my swordplay actually decent?’
Her intention might have been different, but it felt like an indirect compliment.
It felt good to have the hard times I endured as a Hunter acknowledged.
‘Well, if I couldn’t handle a blade properly, I would’ve died in my first year.’
The ability I had during my Hunter days was “Cutting Power Enhancement.”
A simple power that made my sword swings sharper.
It was a practical ability for combat, but the downside was that my ability aptitude was the lowest, an F.
Unlike mana in fantasy or internal energy in martial arts, abilities are fixed from the start—a set amount that doesn’t change no matter what you do.
No matter how hard I trained, only my physical abilities improved.
And even that stayed within human limits. My ability output remained weak.
As a result, even if I moved fast and found openings, I couldn’t wound monsters above a certain rank. It was frustrating.
Even as my experience grew, that part never changed.
Facing higher-ranked monsters meant using expensive consumables and operating at a loss.
But!
Maybe those frustrating times as a Hunter are finally over.
‘Maybe I won’t feel as wronged now.’
Abyss City is different. The fact that I can increase my magical power makes it a whole new world for me.
If I just set my direction right, the path ahead is wider than in my past life.
“Alright, I won’t pry any further.”
Seemingly done with her thoughts, the girl nodded and adjusted her clothes warmly.
I simply replied kindly.
“Sorry, I don’t have much more to say.”
“Thank you. Sorry for taking up your time.”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t busy anyway.”
To Ichinose, I was just a guy who drank soy milk and felt nauseous.
“Then, I’ll be going now…”
“Ah, Ichinose!”
“Yes?”
I called out to Ichinose Yui, who was about to leave with a bow, and turned my head around.
It seemed like an opportunity to clear up a major doubt.
“It might be a bit strange to ask after calling you, but can I just call you Ichinose?”
“Sure. Is that all?”
“No. Let me ask you something too.”
“Do you have something you’re curious about?”
Since she had asked a question, it was only fair for her to receive one, so Ichinose waited for my words.
“There’s a cadet I’m looking for at Orion Academy.”
“What do you mean by ‘looking for a cadet’? Are you asking about their current location?”
“No. I just need to know if they exist. I heard they were enrolling this time, but I’m not sure if they actually did.”
“…”
Perhaps sensing that the question was a bit odd, the girl tilted her head slightly in confusion.
Seeing her reaction, I added more to my explanation.
“I heard they were really skilled, so I was looking forward to it, but I didn’t see them during today’s exam.”
“Ah… If it’s a name I know, I might be able to answer.”
Ichinose seemed to understand and accept this explanation.
I immediately continued the conversation.
“There are two people I’m looking for.”
“Do you know their names? Or just what they look like?”
“One is a male cadet named Lambert. He has brown hair and is good-looking.”
Ichinose pursed her lips and fell into thought.
A brief silence.
Then, Ichinose shook her head slightly.
“I’ve never heard of him.”
“Then there’s Cynthia. A female cadet. She also has brown hair and is quite pretty.”
Both names were of the protagonists from Abyss City.
If it’s a male, the name starts with Lambert, and if it’s a female, it starts with Cynthia. Both have brown hair and are referred to as handsome or beautiful by those around them.
“That name is new to me too.”
The girl shook her head again, indicating she hadn’t heard of them either.
I felt an oddly uncomfortable chill at her definitive answer and bit my lower lip.
‘This is strange…’
In the game, when you first meet Ichinose Yui, she starts the conversation by saying she’s heard rumors about you.
This situation feels off somehow.
“Do you know where those two are from?”
“They’re probably from the Sepia Archipelago.”
The academy city is a space operated jointly by three major powers.
The Tri-Nation that Ichinose Yui in front of me belongs to, Tigroba, the homeland of Noah Frozenheart, and the Sepia Archipelago, where the protagonist and some key characters are from.
“If they’re skilled cadets from the Sepia Archipelago, it’s rare for me not to know about them.”
“Really? So that means…”
“There’s also the possibility that I just don’t know them, so it might be faster to look them up on Orion Circle.”
“!”
At the word Ichinose mentioned, my eyes widened.
I hadn’t even imagined the existence of that app.
‘Orion Circle!’
One of the apps in Abyss City, used by the cadets of Orion Academy.
A community that only uses…
In the game, when cadets’ worries or rumors were posted, they were resolved as side quests.
I took out my smartphone from my pocket and immediately installed Orion Circle.
Maybe this is also a new path, like an achievement.
I got stuck at the part where I needed to verify my Orion Academy student ID, but I can easily solve it once I get back to the dormitory.
“Thanks. I’ll look into it now.”
“Was it helpful?”
“Extremely.”
“That’s a relief.”
Ichinose said she had to go now and greeted me again.
I also came out of the dark alley to head back to the dormitory.
I quietly watched Ichinose Yui as she left.
Seeing the direction she was heading, I hurriedly called out and approached her.
“…Wait a second!”
“What’s the matter?”
It might be unnecessary meddling, but remembering that Ichinose has no sense of direction, I couldn’t just let her go that way.
“If you go there, you’ll end up in Area 10. Where are you going?”
“…”
“You’re going to the dormitory, right?”
The girl hesitated, chewing her lip, then nodded slightly.
Did she overhear my conversation with Noah during practice? I didn’t ask further and took out my phone to open the academy guide.
‘The girls’ dormitory is over there, right?’
After checking the map and confirming, I took half a step forward.
“I don’t usually do this, but I haven’t had my snack yet…”
“That’s understandable.”
I’m not sure what the connection is between snacks and getting lost.
I nodded in agreement beside her.
Guiding Ichinose, we headed near the girls’ dormitory.
…
…
Starting the very next day.
I didn’t like this fragile body, so I started morning exercises.
‘First, expand the vessel of the body.’
In Abyss City, the body is the foundation for containing magical power. If the body becomes stronger, it can hold even more vast magical power.
In this world, innate talent plays a huge part, but there are aspects that can be overcome with effort.
I really like this.
“Gasp! Huff! Gasp!”
First, I ran like crazy for stamina.
I was furious at the weak stamina I couldn’t even imagine during my hunter days.
My lungs screamed as if they were dying, but I didn’t slow down out of stubbornness.
[Runner’s High! Achievement unlocked.]
[You have earned 5P as an achievement reward.]
Just as I was about to collapse from gasping for breath, the heaviness in my legs disappeared, and a notification window popped up.
‘Right. There was something like this.’
In the game, there’s an achievement for continuing to dash when stamina is depleted.
I didn’t know it would translate like this.
‘More! More! More!’
Returning to the dormitory, I repeated bodyweight exercises like crazy.
“Ugh──!!!”
Once the semester starts, inside the academy…
I plan to use the Strength Training Room at the academy, but I’ll need to get used to the muscle soreness and fatigue to feel more comfortable.
After finishing my workout, I’ll shower and then crash into bed for a quick nap.
It was the perfect routine.
“My body’s weak, so the fatigue just won’t go away.”
After sleeping deeply for two hours, I stepped out of the dormitory and hit the road to tackle some achievements I remembered.
While moving around, I checked out the Orion Circle that Ichinose Yui told me about—bonus points for that.
Scrolling through with my fingers, I could sense the vibe just by reading the titles.
“It’s just a regular community, isn’t it?”
Unlike games, the Orion Circle was filled with truly free-spirited content.
Feeling refreshed by that, I stopped by a convenience store and bought the cheapest lottery ticket, scratching it off.
It was a loss, but not entirely a loss.
[Someday, I’ll make easy money…! Achievement unlocked.]
[You’ve earned 5P as an achievement reward.]
“I need some money, though.”
Achievements like watching movies, reading comics, or eating certain foods ultimately require money.
On days I don’t go to the academy, I need some capital to solve my hunger without wasting points.
“Hmm…”
After checking my balance on a smartphone app, I had 24 coins and 60 tokens.
Roughly converted to Korean won, that’s about 246,000 won.
I won’t starve to death immediately, but it’s a pretty awkward amount.
“I’ll start looking for a part-time job once the semester starts.”
Cadets need the academy’s permission to take on part-time jobs, so I can’t do it right away, but it’s the most solid solution.
It’s also related to achievements, and since I’ve only lived as a Hunter, I want to try out various jobs.
“Let’s just work my ass off at anything.”
Thinking about the future makes me excited. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way.
Maybe it’s the first time ever.
And so.
From the moment I set my goal, my daily life became simple.
I worked out from dawn and spent the rest of my time wandering around the academy city, focusing on stacking achievements.
[Achievement unlocked: Lost and Found.]
[Achievement unlocked: Photographer of Dogs and Cats.]
[Achievement unlocked: Expiration Date of Glutinous Rice Cake.]
…
Time melted away, and February ended, bringing early March.
The opening day of Orion Academy arrived.
