Not too long ago, I used to hate mornings. My body felt as heavy as a boulder. My eyelids weighed a ton.

The warmth of the blanket contrasted with the cold outside.

I would wriggle deeper into it, wanting to sink back into dreamland. It was natural, after all, I was still growing.

Sleeping in was to be expected. Before sunlight, before the wind, before the start of the day, sleep always came first.

But now, things are different.

Ever since I achieved Reversal of the Heavens and gained the Heavenly Demon’s Body, mornings were no longer a struggle. My eyes opened on their own.

‘It’s a school day.’

Had someone soothed me throughout the night? My mind was clear, my body light.

It was strange. My eyes were bright and alert.

Of course, keeping them open for too long made them sore, so I closed them again.

‘At this age, I should be sleeping more.’

That was the effect of the Heavenly Demon’s Body. I didn’t need to exert effort or focus.

The moment I inhaled, demonic energy surged in reverse. As I exhaled, it seeped into my body. It never stopped for even a moment.

There was no need to force circulation, my energy moved on its own. My meridians had opened.

Each vein absorbed demonic energy.

My muscles hardened, my bones became as strong as steel.

Beneath my skin, demonic energy swirled. The energy coursing through my meridians was dense, quietly condensing in my dantian.

‘Since I reassembled it in reverse, the demonic energy seems to like me too much. Maybe it’s because it finally found a home.’

Even while sitting, lying down, or sleeping, the energy accumulated, refined itself, and grew richer.

Even the president of the Yongbong Association, Sword Dragon, didn’t possess a body as advanced as mine.

‘My body is unconsciously responding to Ideation. The synergy is incredible.’

My body continuously moved on its own. If I had to name it, I would call it ‘Heavenly Demon’s Moving Technique’.

My body trained and honed itself. Was this what an automatic martial art looked like? Not auto-hunting, but auto-training?

“A sniper should be precise.”

I heard that Hunters were naturally diligent. They had to wake up at dawn to regulate their energy flow.

They had to refine their internal energy through rigorous training. But I had no need for that. All I had to do was stretch and loosen my body.

‘No one knows my body better than I do.’

As I stretched, my Ideation activated my core.

It coursed through my meridians, swept across my muscles, and illuminated my bones. It was like looking into a mirror, observing my body’s condition.

Was anything out of place? Was the flow of energy smooth? Were any meridians blocked? If there was an anomaly, I corrected it immediately.

If a meridian was obstructed, I cleared it in just five minutes.

Like a supervisor checking if a subcontractor was doing its job properly, I performed a quick inspection.

However…

‘I’m still incomplete.’

I was still growing. My body hadn’t fully matured yet. My muscles and bones still had room to strengthen.

Until I reached my complete form, I remained unfinished. When I turned twenty, when I became an adult, that would mark the beginning of my prime.

Maybe that was why—

“This is annoying.”

It wasn’t because of course registration. I had been looking forward to attending school.

I had signed up for everything I wanted to do. Of course, I avoided S-class professors.

The reason? Simple. If they were there, cheating would be impossible.

The problem was something else.

“Why did only certain parts grow?”

My body, once as vast as the universe… my Heavenly Martial Body that I had reconstructed it in reverse to survive.

Its balance, structure, and energy flow had all been rearranged. This was the result.

‘Is this the price of Reversal of the Heavens?’

So this is what happens when you defy the natural order.

Something that wasn’t there before…

A soft, round, warm sensation filled my palm.

I had wished to grow quickly, but why did only this part mature?

“……?”

I carefully grasped it again. The pliant texture seeped between my fingers.

An unfamiliar weight pressed against my palm. It was a strange, foreign feeling. For some reason, I was reluctant to let go.

I pressed lightly.

Squish.

“……Oh-ho.”

I curled my fingers.

Squeeze, squish.

“……Oh-ho-ho.”

This was strangely amusing.

Like a child playing with a newfound toy, my curiosity ignited. Carefully, but unable to stop, I continued to fidget with it.

……And that was why I was late.

“So many people.”

I spread my Ideation, scanning the area. A vast auditorium packed with hundreds of students.

All eyes were on me. Within their gazes, I saw jealousy, wariness, and reverence. I faced all of them alone.

‘Strange.’

My heart was calm. My fingertips didn’t tremble. Far from being nervous, I felt comfortable.

These students were all geniuses. The weight of competition should have been suffocating. And yet, I found it natural.

And in that moment, I realized. I, too, was a genius.

A genius of sight.

If their talents were extraordinary, I could see through them. I could instantly comprehend their techniques and insights, peering beyond them.

This attention, this weight, it was all natural.

That was why I didn’t feel nervous. I took a step forward. My footsteps were light, my stride firm.

She put on her sunglasses. A guide dog stood beside her.

Anyone would see her as a person with a disability. Someone who didn’t belong at the Hunter Academy.

Perhaps that was why countless eyes were drawn to her.

Murmur, murmur.

“Oh…….”

“She’s first place.”

“That girl……?”

“I heard she’s blind.”

Nevertheless, her steps did not falter. Without a cane or any assistance, she walked forward.

Step. Step.

Was it as if sunlight, drifting through the air, had coalesced into a single place?

Her golden-blonde hair was neatly tied into two strands, swaying gently with each step.

A girl who barely seemed old enough to be in middle school. The youthful softness was still evident on her cheeks.

Naturally, gazes drifted downward. Small shoulders, delicate arms. She looked far too fragile to stand against the world.

Yet beneath that, a shape that threw off her body’s balance, a curve that seemed unfitting.

At first, Jung Chaemin thought she was mistaken. Her eyes widened.

But no matter how much she blinked and looked again, there was no way someone this distinct could be mistaken for another.

‘No way. Did she eat something weird? She wasn’t like this a week ago. Sure, girls her age grow fast, but… My little El…’

Her childlike face remained unchanged. Still adorable.

But her proportions were far from childlike. The mismatched curves made the contrast stand out even more.

The notably swollen chest revealed its presence beneath the coat. A curve that seemed like a burdensome weight.

The fabric, which should have fit, was stretched taut over it, as if struggling to contain it.

Yet Erniaan was unfazed. As if she didn’t care about the stares at all.

Her small shoes tapped against the floor. The podium was high. She hesitated slightly before stepping up onto the prepared platform.

Hop—

Peek.

A small head barely peeked out from the top.

Did she know? That even just peeking out like this made the viewers’ hearts tighten and loosen at her whim?

‘At this rate, she’ll either match me or surpass me…’

Jung Chaemin’s hands moved swiftly. She wasn’t worried, she was thrilled.

The camera shutter clicked madly.

Click.

Click-click-click—!

Focus? Perfect.

Composition? Flawless.

Continuous shooting mode? Of course, ON.

‘If she’s already like this now… in the future?’

Her breath hitched. Just imagining it was breathtaking. The girl captured in her camera would become a stunning beauty. In many ways.

A student next to Jung Chaemin glanced at her, then slowly edged away with a horrified expression.

Screech—

The chair groaned under shifting weight.

‘She’s a lolicon…’

At that moment, a small mouth opened.

From the podium, the microphone trembled.

A clear, delicate voice rang out, transparent as morning dew, like a lark’s whisper.

A crystalline resonance filled the auditorium.

"Freshman representative, Erniaan Ludwig."

March, the arrival of spring. The moment the new semester began.

I had no idea how time had passed.

It was already Friday.

I had cleared the daily dungeons without missing a single one. Mornings were spent doing my stretches, keeping busy with barely a moment to breathe.

I quietly looked down at my schedule.

‘Is this too intense? Maybe I should have left a free period.’

I had lived my entire life as a visually impaired person. This was my first time selecting courses.

What did I know?

I signed up for everything I wanted to learn, anything that seemed interesting. Like piling a plate at a buffet without restraint. Greedy, with no real plan.

Still, it wasn’t unbearable.

Wasn’t it common for kids in Hell Joseon to be crushed under academic pressure?

We gathered at the training ground. The area was crowded with people.

And among them, I spotted a familiar face.

Jung Chaemin.

The moment she saw me, her eyes widened.

Then she approached and whispered.

"El, are you okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"You took ‘Fundamentals of Martial Arts’ this morning too, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

I tilted my head, puzzled. What was the issue?

"It’s hard to learn both martial arts and magic. Their systems are completely different, and even within each, the specializations are deeply segmented. The deeper you go, the more divergent the required knowledge and techniques become. In the end, you have to specialize in one."

She continued her explanation.

"For example, in martial arts, you have internal energy-based ‘Qi Martial Arts’ and external energy-based ‘Body Martial Arts’, which are completely different. The same goes for magic. Even for basic elemental magic, fire, water, wind, and earth all have separate disciplines. When you reach advanced courses, you’ll find things like elemental fusion or high-level computational magic, far beyond simple fundamentals."

She stared at me and added,

"...But you’re planning to do both martial arts and magic?"

"Yes."

Jung Chaemin smacked her forehead.

"...You’re insane."

"Why?"

"If you overextend yourself like this, you’ll turn into a wreck before midterms. How are you planning to graduate?"

"I’ll just do it all."

Jung Chaemin was speechless. She blinked at me in stunned silence.

"......You’re seriously special."

Her lips moved slightly. A whisper, barely audible.

Normally, I wouldn’t have caught it. But thanks to my Heavenly Demon’s Body, my senses were heightened.

I swallowed a laugh.

Was it praise? Complaint?

Maybe both.

‘Still, I want to use magic too.’

No one in the Hunter industry used firearms.

In a world where martial arts and magic had been discovered, firearms were less efficient than cold weapons.

I was walking an untrodden path.

There was no precedent to follow.

I had to forge my own way.

So, I needed to learn everything I could.

I never knew when or how I might need it.

And even then learning isn't particularly difficult, is it?

‘I’ve never felt like I’ve hit a wall while studying.’

As we chatted, the professor entered. The room instantly fell silent. If dignity could take human form, it would look like this.

A silhouette with jet-black hair neatly tied back. Not a single detail out of place in his pristine attire. Calm eyes, precise pronunciation. More than just a scholar.

Only those who mastered both theory and practice could carry such an aura.

A-rank Hunter, Kim Chunbok.

‘He’s an incredible person. But his name is his only flaw.’

With the dignified presence of a man who could have been the lead in a box-office hit, his name was… Chunbok.

If only it were a little less old-fashioned, he’d be perfect.

But such thoughts faded quickly. Today was the long-awaited practical lesson.

The time for theory alone was over. Now, it was time to use magic directly.

“Everyone should already know this, but both magic and martial arts originate from skills. Scholars have analyzed the mechanisms of the System and the Skills it grants, leading to the structures we use today. While martial arts rely on internal energy, magic is built upon Circles.”

Professor Kim Chunbok raised his hand. The air wavered. At his fingertips, Ideation condensed.

Invisible threads wove together, distorting the space as they formed something.

In an instant a blue light flickered into existence.

A sphere.

A perfect, floating sphere emerged in midair. Without a single distortion, without any deviation. Smooth, refined energy centered it.

A single Circle.

If released as it was, it would merely be a powerful projectile. However…

What if additional design was incorporated?

The Circle, through precise calculations, could resonate with the mana in the atmosphere.

And then, it would become ‘Magic.’

“Circles are the fundamental unit of mana manipulation. Simply put, the number of Circles one can control determines a magician’s capabilities.”

Murmurs of awe spread among the students. Seven Circles had materialized in the air.

“Wow!”

“Seven Circles!”

“Is this the power of an A-rank Hunter?”

The Circles formed a structured orbit, branching out from the central one like tree limbs. From a distance it resembled a constellation.

“However.”

The professor paused momentarily, scanning the students with a measured gaze.

“Merely having many Circles does not guarantee powerful magic. As the number increases, the difficulty of control rises exponentially. Reckless use places extreme strain on both body and mind. In severe cases, it can be fatal. You must recognize the moment when your control starts to waver.”

Some students swallowed nervously. His sharp eyes gleamed.

“So, do not become arrogant. Today’s practice will show you exactly where your limits lie.”

A tense silence settled over the room.

Then, the practical session began.

But, the real problem was that the professor approached me specifically.

I simply stared at him, blinking blankly.

Professor Kim Chunbok bent down slightly. Our eyes met, and a knowing smile played on his lips.

“El, would you like to have a secret practice session with me?”