There was nothing that could be hidden from me… I had seen the vile desires, and they disgusted me.

So I stomped down with all my strength, determined to grind them into the ground.

I felt a certain satisfaction, the sensation of having disposed of trash.

And the result was Clean.

'I picked up a good martial art. It’s only F-rank, but to be able to defeat a certified hunter without even using Asadia?'

A remarkable improvement. A surge of emotion welled up within me.

Just as my chest swelled with pride, Hayangi approached.

Jung Chaemin was still dazed.

Her drunken mind struggled to process how an elementary school-sized kid had caused such a commotion.

Her vacant expression still reeked of alcohol.

Achilles spoke.

[Did you not notice?]

"Notice what?"

[Look at what’s stuck to your leg.]

I looked down… and a tentacle wiggled, and eyes sparkled.

Kkoma was there.

Somehow, it had managed to cling to my leg without falling off.

Ah, so obedient. I patted it affectionately.

"What about Kkoma?"

[Your last attack contained the saga of a spirit. It seemed to have an instant death effect. Though even without it, the result would have been the same.]

Achilles' words felt strange.

In other words, I had unknowingly wielded Kkoma’s power?

'How?'

I had spent all this time trying to tame Kkoma, but it had never moved according to my will.

Even if I could see through everything about it, controlling its saga was another matter entirely.

Yet somehow, I had used it by accident just now.

'Hmm, why? Did it react to my ideation?'

I wasn’t sure, but there must have been some conditions required to command a spirit.

Perhaps I should ask Haruki in the clubroom later?

Just as I was lost in thought—

"What happened?!"

"What’s going on?!"

The alarmed voices made sense.

The shockwave from my footwork had erupted with such force that it must have sent tremors through the entire area.

Hearing the disturbance, Taesan Bukdu guild members had rushed over.

Academy students were also running in, breathless.

Their expressions were grave, likely from how severe the noise had sounded.

A barrage of questions flew at me, but I saw no need to make excuses or elaborate.

The evidence was already scattered everywhere.

A few firm responses were enough.

After hearing the situation, the guild members murmured amongst themselves.

"…Wait, Kang Sihoon was a demonized being?"

"All of a sudden?"

"But it makes sense."

"So this is why his skill level suddenly increased."

And then… their gazes turned to me.

"…You did this?"

"Seriously?"

"That’s incredible."

"A first-year this young actually achieved this."

Their eyes shifted from disbelief to amazement, and then from amazement to recognition.

It was understandable.

Demonized beings were creatures corrupted by the remnants of World Bosses.

They weren’t easy to handle. Of course, this one was different.

He had merely absorbed demonic energy, and he hadn’t even controlled it properly.

Compared to real demonized beings, he was nothing more than a mere pest.

"It was just luck."

On the surface, it looked like I had accomplished a great feat.

But I spoke humbly. Hunters tended to exaggerate their achievements, but I wasn’t one of them.

And because of that, unjust hostility directed itself toward me.

Someone spat out their words with scorn.

"As if you actually did anything."

"You must’ve just hidden behind Jung Chaemin."

"What could a gunner even do?"

They wouldn’t even treat a cockroach like this… their whispers reached my ears.

They spoke loudly, knowing I could hear.

'What’s their problem?'

I had no idea, so I merely tilted my head in confusion.

By the time I returned, the sun had set.

Hot water gushed out as I showered in the steamy heat.

By the time I finished drying my hair, the world had grown dark.

It was exam season, everyone was on edge, and yet, assignments kept piling up.

Looking outside, the dormitory lights never went out.

And it wasn’t just the dorms. Research labs, study rooms, training halls, the library, even the anatomy practice labs of the pre-med department.

The entire academy functioned like a massive factory, running through the night.

Under those lights, even at this very moment, someone was solving equations, another was memorizing test answers, and others were running laps in the training fields, struggling to push their limits.

A strange feeling settled over me.

'Everyone’s working hard. So this is a prestigious academy, huh.'

Something about it made me feel like I should be studying all night too.

But there was no need. Focusing during school hours was more than enough.

Because I had opened my Upper Dantian. I had discarded the weaknesses of a Savant while retaining its strengths.

I absorbed the world through shapes and patterns, and once I saw something, it remained vivid in my mind forever.

So my time held a different value from that of others.

I yawned. Sleep was the most precious thing at a young age.

"Haaah. So sleepy."

The cherry blossoms were starting to bloom and the days had become warm.

With just a towel-dried body, I threw myself onto the bed.

Creak—

The mattress sank with a soft bounce… It felt like sinking into a cloud.

The blanket?

I kicked it away.

‘Too warm. Go away.’

"Mmm… Zz."

I simply lay there, basking in the moonlight.

With each deep breath, a soft white glow pulsed in response.

The next day.

"That concludes today’s lecture."

A sense of fulfillment filled my mind, since the class had been enriching.

The professors were always logical, their explanations concise.

The thrill of learning something new? It was always electrifying.

Soon I sprang up from my chair… I had drunk too much strawberry latte, and my bladder tingled.

'Bathroom.'

I moved quickly. Team members for the group project were being decided.

But by the time I returned, it was already over.

There was no point in hurrying.

The atmosphere had changed. Everyone had quickly grouped up, forming teams with their close friends.

I had been subtly erased from their considerations.

"Is there anyone who still needs a partner?"

My words were ignored, I was a quiet exclusion.

I cautiously approached one of the groups.

As someone who had been blind, I had never experienced a normal social life.

I feared rejection. I hesitated as I spoke, my foot idly scuffing the ground.

"Do you need one more member?"

The conversation halted, and they exchanged glances.

A brief silence.

Then, awkward smiles.

"Uh… our team is already kind of set…"

"Yeah, we’ve already divided the roles, so adding another person would be difficult."

They trailed off, avoiding eye contact.

One of them fiddled unnecessarily with their laptop.

I closed my mouth.

'What do I do? This is bad.'

As I anxiously shifted my weight, a girl about my height spoke to me.

"Oh? You’re that commoner I saw at the bathhouse? We’re in the same department, huh? You sure are lucky. I’m giving you the chance to do the project with me. Will you accept this honor?"

A casual lack of formality.

That distinct, arrogant tone of the rich.

Even after getting beaten up by Kkoma, she had survived, thanks to sacrificing some expensive equipment.

She looked completely fine, showing no aftereffects.

Loran Esperance.

She gazed at me with confident eyes, and I recognized her immediately.

We had something in common.

The eyes of an outcast. Abandoned due to having no friends.

"……"

I had no choice, but something about this situation felt incredibly off.

Korea’s Tower had risen from the sea, and along with it, the entire landmass had risen.

A reclamation project, courtesy of the [System].

An entire new territory had been granted for free, and the miracle of overturning millions of years of sediment happened in a single day.

And built on that land was the academy. Of course, the campus was vast.

We walked diligently, just the two of us.

"Ugh, how much farther is it?"

"We’re almost there."

"Can’t we just use internal energy and run?"

"Using magic or martial arts without permission at the academy leads to punishment."

Hunters were a warrior race, so naturally, conflicts between students were frequent.

Even minor arguments often escalated into physical altercations.

To prevent this, the academy had strict rules prohibiting unauthorized combat techniques.

"Tch."

Loran held herself back, since even a rich kid couldn’t afford to antagonize the academy.

Our meeting place was in front of a cave, a labyrinth stretching deep underground.

A facility built by the academy for student combat training.

The entrance was as large as a tunnel, exuding an eerie aura from within, and a low hum resonated from the darkness beyond.

It wasn’t just the wind.

"Wear it over your clothes."

We received our gear from the instructor.

Miles Gear.

State-of-the-art equipment designed for realistic combat simulation.

It recorded movements, stored battle data, and even simulated damage at hit locations.

It introduced a concept unfamiliar to students… HP.

"Eh? Do I really have to wear this?"

"It’s a group project. If you don’t wear it, I’ll get a zero too."

"I don’t really care. How about we just skip it? I’ll treat you to something nice."

"……"

I was actually afraid she might follow through with that… I couldn’t afford to ruin my grade over a group project, so I moved quickly.

"Alright, you’re set."

I helped Loran put on her gear first.

Fastening the buckles, adjusting the shoulder straps. Everything was done smoothly.

No issues, but now came the real problem.

Loran acted indifferent, but her expression was subtly strained.

"Hey, stop moving."

"I wasn’t moving."

Click. Buckle. Click. Strap. Click.

She maintained a neutral expression, but her slightly downturned lips and tense fingers betrayed her frustration.

It wasn’t going as she had hoped.

"…It just won’t… fit."

"Can’t you just pull harder?"

"Grr. Even if I pull harder… it’s not working."

Loran pouted, yanking at the straps with force.

Click.

…Was this really that difficult?

"…It’s too big. Even pulling a bowstring isn’t this hard."

Then, finally, with a final snap, the metal clasp locked into place.

"There. Ugh, finally. What a pain…"

Loran dusted off her fingers… and her expression flickered with something momentary.

Was it annoyance? Relief? Or perhaps even a hint of satisfaction?

She quickly turned away, and her pace quickened slightly.

Her footsteps carried a subtle urgency.

I merely tilted my head.

'What’s with her?'

"Wait for me."

"Don’t walk next to me. Keep your distance!"

I had no idea.