Chapter 5: What the heck, I guess I didn’t know

“As a cadet of the Seoul Supernatural Ability Academy, as a sword and shield protecting the world, as a seeker of the truth of all things, I solemnly swear to stand at the forefront and uphold peace.”

A grand auditorium, even more spacious than the athletic fields of most schools.

Standing tall on the stage in such an enormous hall, a female student, representing the new recruits of the academy, raised her right hand and recited the oath.

Even considering the fact that developed magical power enhances one’s appearance and physique, she was a striking beauty. Her jet-black hair, akin to ebony, and her pale white skin stood out.

Despite her young age as a new student, she carried herself with an air of composure that captivated people’s attention.

—And then, I sensed dark magic.

It wasn’t an illusion.

I have slain tens of thousands of demonic creatures and ensured that dozens of demons never resurrected.

Other than demons and those directly involved with them, I probably know their nature better than anyone else.

If this were a fantasy continent, I would have drawn my sword immediately, severing at least one of her limbs before asking any questions.

But this was an unfamiliar world.

There was still too much I didn’t know to make a hasty judgment, so I had to be careful about whose head I decided to remove.

“Ah, that person…”

“Wow, she’s in the same year as us.”

And just what was I doing up until a moment ago?

A thorough market analysis.

To be precise, a succession process.

Those who had meticulously gathered intel on their peers wouldn’t be unaware of the one who entered as the top student.

I listened in on the chatter of the walking encyclopedias around me and pieced things together.

Her name was Chun Ju-yeon, the top freshman.

She was the successor of the Yeongrak First Sect, a mysterious order that gained fame when its previous leader prevented an S-rank dungeon break near the academy’s headquarters.

Though the sect was shrouded in mystery and its true origins were unclear, it was undoubtedly among the top-ranked martial organizations.

And the successor of such a sect had suddenly appeared on stage at the entrance ceremony.

“I don’t understand.”

With a slightly displeased expression, I watched as Chun Ju-yeon descended from the podium.

I wasn’t denying the fact that she, a wielder of dark magic, had been chosen as the freshman representative.

Nor did I feel the need to interrogate her.

Listening to the murmurs around me, it seemed like everyone already knew she possessed dark magic.

“Oh my goddess… a dark mage?”

The previous leader of her sect was rumored to be an SS-rank dark mage.

This world, with its advanced magic studies and countless supernatural abilities, seemed far more tolerant of ominous black magic than my own.

In fact, the hottest trend in the hunter industry these days was necromancers—those who single-handedly cleared dungeons by commanding summoned creatures.

Solo dungeon conquest.

No wonder I recently saw some random skeleton-themed show ranking #1 on Retflix.

Alright, I get it in theory.

But the real problem was how I felt.

Having spent my life as a hero slaying dark mages, suddenly finding myself in a world where they were treated like celebrities… I couldn’t quite adapt.

Actually, no. Even in theory, I didn’t fully get it.

How could anyone trust those black-robed bastards who started human sacrifices the moment they hit a bottleneck in their magic?

“Skeletons are trending…?”

I felt a deep sense of unease as I overheard a female student mutter, “I wanna be an SSS-rank necromancer earning a trillion won a year too…”

On paper, I had officially graduated from high school.

But in reality, I had only completed my first year before my circumstances changed.

“Not that I have any plans of going back.”

Regardless of my physical age, my mental age was well past thirty.

How could I now sit in a classroom alongside a bunch of kids who talked about that kind of stuff all day?

So coming to this academy—something akin to a university—was actually a welcome change.

The only problem was…

I had no clue how the academy worked.

Of course, this was a special institution in a different world, so it was bound to be completely different from academies as I knew them.

I had heard that attendance at the entrance ceremony wasn’t even mandatory.

Clearly, I couldn’t expect my old-world common sense to apply here.

Still, just as a middle schooler stepping into the unknown world of high school would feel a strange nervousness, I felt the same now.

An entirely different universe from elementary, middle, and high school—one that was not part of any compulsory education system.

Becoming a member of this academy gave me a unique sense of both tension and excitement.

[‘The Goddess of Order and Causality’ smiles warmly, saying she’s looking forward to seeing how things unfold.]

As soon as I removed the mental block on my thoughts, that Goddess appeared again, just as slyly as before.

Like her, I, too, scanned my surroundings with equal parts anxiety and anticipation.

Once the entrance ceremony ended, the freshmen were guided to separate rooms according to their departments and majors.

That meant everyone here was someone I’d be seeing regularly for the next few years.

“Combat Studies students, please come this way.”

As this institution was designed to train future hunters, the most prestigious major was none other than Combat Studies.

Students were divided into classes based on the nature and level of their abilities.

I was placed in Class 1.

Unlike high school, the lecture hall was structured like a tiered auditorium, which was quite interesting.

And being in the first class somehow made me feel good.

“I’ve heard they offer majors like artifact crafting, hunter politics, and alchemy too.”

But I wasn’t particularly interested in those.

After spending years fighting in my old world, I had come to one conclusion—people should stick to what they’re good at.

If you’ve been making a living with a sword for decades, suddenly picking up a hammer is just ridiculous.

Even if I did dabble in those subjects, I’d take them as electives or club activities, not as a major.

Politics and alchemy were the same.

Anyway, since this room was filled only with Combat Studies students, I took my time scanning the faces of my future classmates.

Most of them were unfamiliar, but as the most prestigious department in the academy, I recognized a few names from earlier conversations.

A young woman with icy blue hair and an expression as cold as steel—rumored to be a genius from the Magic Tower.

A girl sitting beside a chunk of metal—a scion of one of the most renowned noble families.

Chun Ju-yeon, the freshman representative, was also in Class 1, along with a genius spirit summoner from Japan.

—Hmm?

Somehow, I made eye contact with someone.

I had completely suppressed my presence, yet this person was looking directly at me.

At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but even when I subtly shifted my seat to the side, their gaze continued to follow me.

“What the hell?”

For a brief moment, my inner dorky sensitivity flared up, making me wonder.

Are they interested in me? But I immediately dismissed the thought.

It was way too early to entertain such delusions, and besides, the person in question looked quite—no, very—young.

Rather than a romantic comedy heroine, they gave off more of a junior or younger sibling vibe.

“Oh, they’re frowning now.”

Still, there was something strangely cat-like and adorably irritable about the expression, which I found amusing for a moment before shifting my gaze elsewhere.

Rattle—

“Is everyone here? No one sneaked home or ran off to the restroom, right?”

A professor had entered.

“Whoa, it’s Shin Ah-rin.”

“A High-Ranker.”

Even here, just like in the auditorium, there were plenty of self-proclaimed explainers.

Though this time, their whispers were more of a hushed muttering since the subject of their gossip was standing right in front of them.

“Tsk, you shouldn’t go around calling your professor by name so casually. Sure, I might be a public figure to some extent, but from now on, I’m your teacher.”

Shin Ah-rin, an S-rank Hunter and one of the top 100 High-Rankers worldwide, could hear even the faintest of murmurs.

She had distinctive light purple hair and wore a black eyepatch covering one eye. With a playful tone, she turned toward the student who had spoken her name and continued,

“Got it? Be more careful next time.”

“Y-yes, we’ll be more mindful…”

“I’m not trying to be too strict, but when you’re in front of someone as skilled as me, you’d best watch yourselves.”

Since it was the first day, she let it slide with that.

“Well, I assume everyone already knows my name, but just in case, I’ll write it down.”

She casually scrawled her name on the whiteboard and then scanned the lecture hall with a satisfied smile.

It was the kind of look a professor gives when they’ve already spotted promising talents among their students.

For a second, the old saying crossed my mind—Bad kids go to juvenile detention, bad college students go to graduate school.

“I am strong. And I believe that all of you have the potential to become just as strong.”

“This Supernatural Ability Academy is a cradle designed to nurture talented individuals like you.”

“I took on this professorship for that very cause, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you grow stronger than anyone else.”

“Whoa, Professor, you’re amazing!”

“Hahaha!”

Since she was half a celebrity, watching her was more like watching a performance than attending a typical lecture.

After making such a grand declaration, she moved on to explaining the basic things freshmen needed to know—campus facilities, how to register for classes, and other formalities.

Then, with a sly grin, she lightly tapped the desk in front of her.

“Ahem. Of course, as students, making good use of the university and attending other lectures is important.”

But.

The moment that word left her mouth, the atmosphere in the room subtly shifted.

At that instant, I sensed a magical disturbance forming from the ground, the walls, and even the ceiling.

“Since we’re in the Combat Studies Department, and since we’re warriors meant to slay monsters, I firmly believe that, in the end, real combat and actual strength are what matter most.”

Shin Ah-rin smirked and snapped her fingers.

The entire lecture hall was engulfed in a brilliant blue glow, a clear sign of an incantation.

A few students flinched, but no one seemed particularly surprised.

“Huh, I guess I was the only one who didn’t know about this.”

It was apparently a well-known annual tradition.

“So, prove yourselves.”

The moment Professor Shin Ah-rin spoke those words, a flash of light erupted, and I didn’t resist.

Whatever she was about to do, refusing to participate from the start wasn’t an option.

As the spell successfully activated, I felt a brief moment of weightlessness before landing on a vast grassland.

“Hmm.”

A sudden change of location.

Considering how much magic a teleportation spell consumes, it was unlikely to be that.

Having fought demons and devils for years, I had developed a keen sense for recognizing different types of spells.

“An illusion spell, huh?”

A type of barrier magic that temporarily grants a near-realistic sensory experience to those caught in it.

The crisp breeze and the soft sensation of grass underfoot felt vividly real.

At first glance, it almost seemed like a picnic setting.

But then—my enemies appeared.

—Creeeak?

Twenty goblins wielding rusty swords.

And among them, a larger hobgoblin warrior.

Each of them carried weapons, cackling menacingly as they slowly approached me.

“Oh-ho.”

For the first time in a while, I was facing low-level mobs—and it felt refreshing.