[TL: Due to lacking support I will not be translating any new chapters as I am focusing on uploading more chapters on series that people are willing to pay for (This is my job lol don’t hate me for it.) If you wish to keep reading this series via me translating simply join the discord and message in general chat. Even just 1 or 2 people doing it could make me continue :)]

“You’ve arrived, Ha Yuri.”

“Yes… well.”

Kang Seong-jun clapped his hands and addressed everyone in the conference room.

“Now that we’re all here, shall we discuss which newcomers are the most outstanding?”

About ten people were gathered in the conference room—all of them instructors.

A man spoke up.

“...The job is just a common Archer, but there’s one newcomer with considerable talent.”

A woman sitting across from him asked a question.

“Oh... who is it?”

“Kang Iseo, one of the dungeon raiding party members. For a fledgling, she shoots well and adapts remarkably quickly.”

“Hmm... I think I know who you mean. The girl with the sharp tongue who stood at the front during the speech?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm... Our clan is a little short on ranged fighters. Should we extend an offer to her?”

“...Eternity Clan Master, aren’t you being too greedy?”

“Hah… What greed? Isn’t everyone here just as eager for talent?”

Everyone nodded.

This meeting was meant to exchange information about talented newcomers and fairly compete for recruitment.

At least, on the surface.

The man snapped in frustration.

“Didn’t you already steal the recruit we were trying to recruit last cycle?!”

“Hey, you’ve grown bold, huh? You’re just a substitute for your master, yet you’re talking back? I remember when you used to tremble in fear in front of me, that was cute.”

“Cough... What does that have to do with this discussion?”

The woman smirked at the man’s reddening face.

From a little farther away, another man spoke up with a serious expression.

“...We all know there’s a complete monster among them.”

Silence fell.

Everyone had already heard bits and pieces about what happened during this tutorial.

“There’s a newcomer named Seo Yu-ju, whom I taught this time. Honestly, at first, I didn’t believe the rumors. Because, well… they were too absurd.”

Everyone here had thought the same at first. Until they cross-verified the stories from the recruits, they dismissed it as nonsense.

Another man voiced his doubts.

“Veritas Clan Master, are you saying those rumors about the recruit are true?”

“They’re true. Seo Yu-ju’s talent… To be blunt, she’s above us.”

Everyone was shocked.

The people gathered here were among the best in this world.

“What… Are you mistaken?”

“Then let me ask you the opposite, which one of us achieved such feats at her stage? We weren’t nearly that strong as fledglings.”

“......”

“Of course, we’re far stronger now. But will that still be the case in three years?”

“...Then wouldn’t it be better to eliminate her early—”

Bang!

The man suggesting Seo Yu-ju’s elimination flinched as someone slammed the table with a fist.

“What kind of insane nonsense is that?! Kangsan Clan Master, are you in your right mind?!”

“N-no, I misspoke. Please, calm down, Fire God Clan Master.”

“Let’s at least maintain a minimum level of decency. We’re not those lunatic Eastern Alliance bastards. Don’t ever say something like that again.”

“...I apologize.”

After regaining his composure, Kang Seong-jun spoke again.

“Were there any other noteworthy recruits?”

The Veritas Clan Master responded.

“...Honestly, the entire raiding party seems outstanding. Regardless of raw talent, their adaptability is incredible. Of course, at the center of it all is Seo Yu-ju.”

“Well… Everyone will try to recruit Seo Yu-ju anyway, so let’s set her aside. We all know her value, don’t we?”

After the woman spoke, a large-built man chimed in.

“...I’m not sure if you all know about a middle-aged man named Kim Ho-won, but he’s also quite remarkable. His resistance stat seems strong and more than anything, he’s incredibly experienced in battle. He didn’t seem like an ordinary person back on Earth.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Kang Seong-jun turned his gaze to Ha Yuri and asked a question.

“Ice Witch, was there any recruit who stood out to you?”

Ha Yuri remained silent for a moment before answering.

“Lee Yu-hyun and Song Ha-eun. These two… are exceptional. One is a Priest and the other is a Spirit Summoner.”

Everyone murmured in admiration. Priests were already rare, but Spirit Summoners were nearly unheard of in this continent.

“Amazing… A Priest and a Spirit Summoner? Are they also in the raiding party?”

“That’s right and while everyone seems to be focusing on the Spirit Summoner, the real one to watch is the Priest. His job is Hero Grade.”

“...What?”

Everyone fell silent as if they had just heard something impossible.

The Veritas Clan Master asked in disbelief.

“...Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

“Can’t believe it? I doubted my own eyes at first too. But I confirmed it myself when I saw that kid using his abilities during my lecture.”

“...Unbelievable, an Awakener…”

Everyone sighed in disbelief.

The existence of an Awakener was that difficult to accept. In this place called Eras, there were fewer than five Awakeners in total.

Kang Seong-jun spoke, looking utterly dumbfounded.

“This batch… is truly remarkable. Seo Yu-ju, an Awakener, a Spirit Summoner? What kind of ridiculous combination is this?”

“…And there’s one more.”

“…Who? You’re saying there’s another?”

“I mean this in a bad way. I don’t know if you’ve heard of him, but Lee Yun-seong.”

Kang Seong-jun quickly recalled. That was the man who had asked him various questions when he guided them to the dormitory.

‘…He seemed to adapt quickly and was doing fine, though?’

“What about him?”

“For someone who obtained a job in the tutorial, his mana pool is low. His sense of using magic is honestly subpar. He’s probably the weakest member of the raiding party. He has no value for recruitment.”

“…Is that so?”

Just as everyone was about to accept Ha Yuri’s statement, someone burst into laughter.

“Hahahahahahahah!”

Everyone froze at the sudden laughter. Ha Yuri scowled and turned to the one laughing.

“…What’s so funny, Mythic Clan Master?”

“Hahaha… Give me a second… I’m laughing too hard… My stomach might burst…”

“…Have you lost your mind?”

“Haha… It’s nothing, really. I just know that guy too.”

‘It hadn’t even been a week, so how did this woman already know Lee Yun-seong?’

Ha Yuri couldn’t understand.

‘…Did she just pay close attention because he was in the raiding party?’

“Hmm… Ice Witch—no, Arcane Clan Master. Don’t you hate Dark Mages?”

“......”

For reasons unknown, everyone here knew that Ha Yuri held a deep hatred for demons and Dark Mages.

“That guy’s a Dark Mage, is that why you dislike him?”

“…So what if he is? That and his talent is…”

“Come on, he’s got some determination and he’s pretty sharp. Isn’t your evaluation too harsh for someone who’s only had a short time to train?”

“If someone lacks talent, should I not say they lack talent?”

“Hmm… I won’t argue that he lacks talent for magic. But outright declaring he’s not worth recruiting… It just sounds like you’re biased against Dark Mages.”

“Hah… Then what do you call a mage with no talent for magic if not trash?”

“Haha… See? You just called him trash.”

As Yoon Yeon kept rebutting her, Ha Yuri’s expression darkened.

“…Ha, you seem to have taken quite a liking to him. Then why don’t you just seduce him, duel him or recruit him yourself?”

Yoon Yeon smirked and replied.

“Already did, I even invited him to my chamber on the first day.”

‘What kind of nonsense… Did she just say that?’

“W-wait, what?!”

“I already did.”

“S-so… you two… did that?”

Not just Ha Yuri, but everyone else looked extremely flustered. Yoon Yeon had deliberately phrased it in an easily misinterpretable way.

With a sly grin, Yoon Yeon clarified.

“Haha! What are you all imagining? I made him a recruitment offer.”

Just as Ha Yuri’s face was about to turn red from realizing she had been played, something Yoon Yeon had said stuck in her mind.

“…Wait, you made him an offer? Already?”

The others also looked confused. Normally, offers weren’t made this quickly unless the recruit was exceptionally talented or had made a strong impression.

If it had been Seo Yu-ju, they would have understood.

But Lee Yun-seong?

Ha Yuri looked genuinely baffled as she asked, “…Why? What value did you see in him to offer so soon? Mythic Clan Master, are you on something?”

“Hmm… He asked me that too, why I made him an offer.”

Kang Seong-jun, looking genuinely curious, asked Yoon Yeon.

“Mythic Clan Master, just out of curiosity… May I ask what made you offer to recruit Lee Yun-seong?”

“…Just a feeling, the guy looked… desperate. I tend to be drawn to people who are either lacking something or desperate. Those types usually achieve something, whether it’s good or bad.”

“…Understood.”

“I didn’t really want to say it since it might create more competition, but… I’ll just put it this way: Seo Yu-ju may be the leader of that party, but Lee Yun-seong is its core. Just saying.”

Everyone understood what Yoon Yeon meant.

‘Don’t ostracize Lee Yun-seong just because he seemed untalented—doing so could turn the entire party against them.’

“Well… Someone here may have already made that mistake.”

“…What?”

Kang Seong-jun shifted the topic to wrap things up.

“Let’s end today’s meeting here. Everyone, prepare for tomorrow’s lectures.”

A month had already passed since training at the facility began. Others seemed to have somewhat adapted to the place by now.

“Ugh… I’m dying. Damn it, isn’t this training too brutal?”

“…Are you the only one suffering? I’m struggling too.”

I had assumed that, as a Dark Mage, I wouldn’t have to do physical training, but that was a naive thought. Regardless of class—whether mage, priest, or otherwise—physical training was mandatory.

According to the instructors, physical endurance was crucial for every class.

For example, when a party or clan goes on an expedition, even a short one takes several days, a normal one takes weeks and a long one can last over a month.

That means carrying gear, marching and camping.

Of course, large clans could afford to hire porters to reduce the strain. Some even traveled by carriage.

For someone like me, who had barely exercised in his life, this was absolute hell.

“Hey, why are you so weak? How are you gonna perform at night? Pfft.”

“Shut up… you crazy woman.”

Physical training was exhausting, but it was bearable. The real problem was Ha Yuri.

‘That insane woman… Seriously… Hah…’

She was getting worse.

Not physically abusive, but she refused to properly explain lectures, ignored my questions and overall treated me like dirt. It almost felt like I had wronged her in a previous life and was now paying the price.

During lectures, Yu-hyun and Ha-eun constantly looked at me, worried. Ha Yuri kept belittling me while showering them with praise.

‘Damn… But Seo Yu-ju is an even bigger problem.’

Even though I tried to hide my struggles, she must have heard something from Yu-hyun or Ha-eun. Lately, her expression had been anything but normal.

Sometimes, when she looked at Ha Yuri from a distance, I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination, but it felt like she was ready to tear her apart.

As I was lost in thought, Kang Iseo spoke to me.

“Hey, are you really okay? You look terrible lately… Want a massage? I heard your instructor’s been giving you hell.”

“Hah… Where’d you hear that? It’s nothing, just two more months to endure.”

“If it’s that bad, why not talk to the Chief Instructor? He seems reasonable, maybe he’ll do something about it.”

“Even if it gets resolved, it’ll just make me look weak in the eyes of those above.”

“…You just look like you’re barely holding on, dude.”

“Damn it, I’m exhausted because of the physical training. The instructor just talks shit—I don’t even care anymore, you lunatic.”

“Oooh… I liked that. Swear more, will you?”

“Crazy woman… I’m going to eat.”

I quickly left Kang Iseo behind and rushed off to grab food.

“Hey! Wait up!”