episode_0018

A different table was laid out before us today, contrasting the lavish feast we had enjoyed yesterday.

A thin potato soup with a few chunks and hard bread that seemed like it was boiled just enough.

That was the entirety of our breakfast the next day.

“This is just to fill us up, right?!”

“Ugh, it’s so tough! Feels like chewing on rocks.”

Complaints erupted from students here and there.

Truly, even to me, the food looked unappetizing and lumpy.

And then it happened.

A sharp-eyed woman in elegant white robes, her hair tied back, wearing rimless glasses—Professor Myoryeong.

Adjusting her rimless glasses, Professor Donna McDonagh spoke softly.

“It seems many of you are quite dissatisfied with the meal in front of you. However, such complaints will be dismissed. Regardless of how dissatisfied you may be, you must survive. Only those who survive have the right to complain.”

Survival…

From the first day of enrollment, the right that living beings naturally should have enjoyed became a duty. The atmosphere grew even more chaotic.

“Why do they speak as if most of us are going to die right here?”

And then, Professor McDonagh activated a large projection beam on one side.

“Monsters. Aberrations, Abominations, Beasts, and Monsters. Before even entering the academy, you must have heard about these ferocious creatures.”

“Yes, we came to exterminate them!”

“Haha.”

As a student roared with determination, the cafeteria buzzed with excitement.

“Confidence is good, but…”

Adjusting her sharp glasses, Professor McDonagh continued her presentation.

“However, you must know the difference between confidence and recklessness. ‘Monsters’ refer only to creatures above the Species Rank. When encountering a monster, whether you are a freshman or an upperclassman, you must flee immediately as confronting them without organizing a raid is futile.”

Of course, there were heroes capable of facing monsters one-on-one.

These exceptional individuals beyond the standard were known as 4-Star Heroes (★★★★).

But it was a story that being at the 4-Star level by birth wasn’t enough; one had to reach that level through current strength.

“Aberrations, Beasts, and Monster species. They respectively mean ‘Humanoid,’ ‘Beast,’ and ‘Object.’”

In this world, there were also lifeless monsters.

These races were called ‘Objects,’ which included constructs like Golems, Homunculi, and Magic Weapons.

“You will spend part of your future life at the academy repelling invading creatures. And during that process, outstanding students will be selected every month. For students who show exceptional performance…”

Shhh…

As the presentation flipped to the next page, accommodations reminiscent of a luxury hotel lobby unfolded before our eyes.

Facilities so luxurious they were bewildering for student dormitories.

In this world, where a single house cost a fortune, there lay a massive 60-inch 8K UHD TV, an electronically controlled motion mattress with recovery modules, and a personal archive connected to the academy’s information network.

Not to mention premium wireless speakers from Gryphon, various high-end liquors at the wine bar, a private gym, and more.

From top to bottom.

Things that would typically be found only in the highest-grade VIP suites of most hotels were present in each student’s accommodation.

“Along with this accommodation, you can enjoy the same quality of feasts throughout your academy life as you did yesterday.”

“Wow, what’s all this?”

The eyes of all the students widened in amazement.

One, those are privileges only S-rank hunters can enjoy.

Following that are A-rank hunters, B-rank hunters, C-rank hunters, and so on…

Sceneries of accommodations varying by grade followed thereafter.

From A-rank to B-rank, the facilities were akin to high-end residential setups.

Even up to C-rank, there was still an air of elegance. It felt like a luxurious apartment.

However, from D-rank hunters onwards, thoughts of typical cramped single-room apartments commonly found near university campuses came to mind.

As the view transitioned to E-rank hunters’ accommodations, a dormitory reminiscent of where academy freshmen left their luggage yesterday appeared.

“We have to live here for six years?”

“Surely they won’t place us in somewhere even more run-down than this?”

But beneath the surface lay a basement.

One of the remarks made by users who couldn’t afford in-game purchases upon realizing that characters they had diligently raised were stuck at only E-rank or F-rank hunters.

The lodgings of such F-rank hunters could be likened to a graveyard.

Not spacious enough to stretch out one’s arms, let alone move around comfortably. The room was so narrow that one might consider pitching a tent on the field and camping out instead of staying there, whether to escape the cold or heat.

When the accommodations of these F-rank hunters were revealed, the morale of numerous students could only plummet.

That was when it happened.

A figure emerged, shattering all the glass surfaces of the restaurant front with sheer force.

“Roar!”

Crash───

He was known as the strongest figure in the academy solely through his prowess, the 6th-year class president and physical education instructor, ‘Ha Yi-hachi (★★★★★).’

Famous for enhancing the basic physical fitness of numerous academy trainees, he once again appeared, shattering all the reinforced glass windows of the restaurant in this instance.

Crash, crash, crash, crash───

“Failure is how a man grows!!”

“Wow! Hey, you guys!”

As cheers erupted from some male students.

“Don’t keep smashing the glass. Do you think I’m incredibly wealthy or something?”

“Hahaha! To awaken the minds of weaklings, spending my monthly salary is nothing!”

After lightly dismissing them, Professor Macdonagh continued with a broad smile on his face.

“You will soon be taking the prestigious entrance test of the academy. And even if you fail this test, you will not be sent home.”

It would be fine to fail the test. Ha Yi-hachi explained why it would be okay even if he failed the test.

“Each of you is a valuable human resource with seeds of potential from all corners of the world!”

In fact, even characters like mine, rated only 1-star (★), were far stronger than civilian 0-star (☆) characters. It was a natural fact.

“So never give up! Think that the future of our nation rests solely on your shoulders!”

Monsters. Beasts. Creatures. Aberrations.

No modern firepower could scratch any type of monster.

Because only attacks from ‘heroes’ imbued with ‘magic’ could inflict wounds, many military experts believed that a country’s hunter capacity directly correlated with its military strength.

Ha Yi-hachi’s formidable presence was met with Professor MacDonagh’s calm voice.

“However, the government believed that until each of you properly unleashes your potential, a rigorous training process is necessary. Therefore, those identified as F-rank hunters will receive the same meal every morning.”

Talents may vary from person to person.

However, I believe that opportunities should be fair. Yet, even those opportunities seem to favor the geniuses. What’s the difference between lower-ranked hunters being seen as bullet catchers by the country?

That one point was something I also had a complaint about. But what’s clear now is that, first and foremost, I must strive for survival!

And I will definitely survive. I’ve decided to survive until the end of this story.

Because I made a promise to Author Seoin 1004.

Chyurk ──

As they turned over the last page, the students looked around at each other’s faces, filled with tension.

This is the beginning.

Who is a better opponent than me?

They began to scrutinize with a tense air who they should rely on to rise to higher ranks.

One thing to note: the grading in this academy is absolute, not relative.

So, if you faithfully follow the bald instructor’s words, at least no student will be left behind as an F-grade hunter.

But….

Isn’t it a boring situation that I already know everything about?

A dull moment listening to the briefing.

In a moment where even yawns escaped due to boredom, Ryona Reyna suddenly started to reveal a hint of cleavage.

I blinked in confusion, surprised!

Smooth, pink peaks like polished glass!

Surrounded tightly, boasting a bursting volume of breasts ♡!

But most surprising of all was the fact that she was braless.

Ryona smiled softly at me, then quickly pulled her blouse back down to its original position.

She gently stroked my head.

“Do you like our puppy, hmm~? ♥”

==========================

▼ Once again today, Ryona exposes her breasts for the protagonist who is bored during the briefing…!