[TLNote- There still has been no definite confirmation of whether Hayangi is a male or female dog, so i will assume “he” for now, due to achilles’s possession]

People often say that those born blind have an unnatural way of moving their eyes, their focus seemingly out of place. Most consider it unnatural. In any group, the number of people who truly understand disabilities is painfully small.

I had already experienced too many whispers behind my back.

Expecting kindness would only get me hurt.

That’s why I wore black sunglasses. A habit.

They were one of the few things that survived the destruction of my room when the World Boss tore through everything. Maybe that’s why I was so attached to them.

"How do I look? Do they suit me?"

[Hmph. Even I, with no knowledge of this world's fashion, can tell. You have absolutely no sense of style.]

What an insult.

Getting fashion advice from a dog? Unbelievable.

"Why? I don’t know if I’m cute or pretty, but I think I looked decent the last time I checked in the mirror."

[It’s not about your looks. You’re like a child pretending to be an adult, an ominous ghost bringing misfortune.]

"A ghost?! Are you saying I look creepy? You sure have a way with words."

[Still, hiding your eyes is the right move. Just the fact that you can see everything would make many people want to eliminate or exploit you.]

"I’ll admit that. Even if I were someone else, I’d want these eyes for myself. They can even analyze card packs and scrolls."

[You must never reveal what you see carelessly, nor flaunt your power. Hide it well. If a hunter S-rank or above notices, they’ll quickly realize your eyes are anything but ordinary.]

Achilles’ serious advice made me nod in agreement.

To be honest, if someone like me existed, I wouldn’t leave them alone either.

It was obvious—there would be those who sought to claim my power, no matter the means.

Kidnapping and forced servitude? Absolutely possible.

There must be countless people wanting to uncover the tower’s secrets and hoard treasures using my abilities.

Or worse, some secret research facility might abduct me and dissect me in silence.

‘What is the secret behind these eyes?’

‘How can they perceive everything?’

Would they tear me apart to find the answers?

‘Hunters with emotional abilities are extremely rare. I heard it on the radio before. The tower might hold hidden missions or treasures, and even identified items remain unappraised—meaning they’re worth a fortune.’

Even though I had gained sight, I still had to keep my eyes shut.

At least until I was strong enough.

“Who’s that blonde girl?”

“Is she disabled?”

“That kid’s here to become a hunter at the academy?”

“Are guide dogs even allowed here?”

But sunglasses alone weren’t enough to completely hide the fact that I was visually impaired.

The harness, the firm grip I had on it, the leash leading to Hayangi, and the service dog emblem attached to its coat.

Anyone could tell I was blind.

The murmuring spread.

I could feel eyes sweeping over me from all directions.

Discomfort, confusion, rejection.

It was natural.

This was the Hunter Academy.

A place that trained those who would stand at the frontlines of the world.

Hunters had to win. Always.

Failure wasn’t an option.

If a hunter died or failed their mission inside the tower, it wasn’t just one life that was lost.

It could trigger a chain reaction that destroyed countless lives, even altering the fate of an entire nation.

Weakness had no place in the hunter world, and I could already see my student life here would be bleak.

“I can feel their stares.”

[You’re already aware of others' gazes? You’ve grown quite adept at handling Ideation.]

“I’m used to relying on senses other than sight.”

I scanned the area with Ideation.

For a place boasting cutting-edge technology and the finest hunter prospects, there wasn’t a single facility for the disabled.

Or rather, it wasn’t that they didn’t exist—they had never been considered in the first place.

The academy had outright assumed that disabled individuals had no place here.

Not even a simple braille block.

Had I come here without mastering Ideation, I would have been in serious trouble.

[Still, don’t they stare too blatantly? These otherworlders are strange. They gawk as if watching a spectacle. A hero must respect the weak—those who fail to do so are no true heroes. Tsk.]

“It’s rare for someone as young as me to awaken, even rarer for a blind person.”

As the nation boasting the world’s most powerful hunters, South Korea’s academy was globally renowned.

The best in the country.

Possibly the best in the world.

Every aspiring hunter wanted to come here.

Naturally, many foreign students studied here.

The fact that I was a Westerner wasn’t particularly strange.

But the problem was my small frame.

A child.

And a visually impaired one at that.

Which explained why the receptionist was acting this way.

‘Is this kid joking?’

If I opened my eyes, I’d probably see those exact words written on his face.

His tone made it painfully clear he didn’t want to be here.

“You applied for the academy entrance exam?”

“Yes.”

“ID, please.”

I didn’t need to see to know.

Legs crossed, leaning lazily back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the desk.

Everything about his posture screamed indifference.

‘Why is his attitude so terrible when I’m just here to register for the exam?’

I sighed internally.

I pulled out my disability registration card. Discrimination was nothing new to me, so I didn’t feel much of anything.

“Excuse me, student. I asked for an ID, not a welfare card.”

“That is my ID.”

He frowned and glanced down at the card.

“What? This is your ID? Look, just give me a resident registration card, a driver’s license, or some kind of national certification.”

“I’m too young to have those.”

Clicking his tongue in irritation, he muttered, clearly displeased.

“Are you kidding me? What’s a kid like you doing here? Did you even awaken?”

His eyes scanned me up and down, clearly searching for a flaw. Then, he spotted Hayangi and scoffed.

“And what’s with this dog? You think this is some kind of pet-friendly place? Kid, this is the academy entrance exam site. Animals aren’t allowed. Stop playing around and go home.”

“He’s not just a pet. Look, he has a service dog tag. Do you not know that denying entry to a service dog is illegal? You could be fined for this.”

Still, he waved a dismissive hand.

“A fine? You’re just a brat, and you’re trying to threaten me? I said no. If you haven’t even completed your registration, just leave.”

Our argument had started drawing attention, and people began murmuring around us.

Damn it.

Not this again.

This is why so many visually impaired people refuse to go outside, choosing to remain locked in their rooms.

And then—

“Hold on a second.”

A clear, strong voice rang out.

The owner of the voice was a boy who looked like a high school student. He had neatly cut red hair and sharp, shining eyes, radiating youthful confidence.

“Did you register for the exam?”

He approached me and asked, his voice full of kindness.

Feeling a bit awkward, I answered.

“Uh… yeah, I was told I did.”

“If you registered, then you did. Why the hesitation? Anyway, that means it’s valid, right?”

When I nodded, he turned to the receptionist.

“Disability registration cards are legally recognized as identification. Why are you rejecting it?”

“Well… I’ve never seen one used here before.”

“If you’re unsure, wouldn’t it make sense to check the registration list first? If the name is there, there’s no issue. If it’s not, then you can request additional ID verification. You know there are actual laws against discrimination, right? If you keep this up, you could face legal consequences.”

The receptionist hesitated.

The boy pressed on.

“Especially in a public institution like the academy, a discrimination complaint could lead to fines and even disciplinary action for the responsible party. So instead of making things difficult, why not just process the application properly?”

Wow. He’s good at this.

With logic on his side and an audience watching, the receptionist had no choice but to comply.

Grumbling, he typed on his computer. After a moment, his fingers paused.

“Your name is…? The disability card says ‘Erniaan Ludwig.’ Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

The receptionist muttered my name again, visibly startled as he lifted his head.

“Erniaan? Erniaan? Wait… this application was submitted under Professor Park Hangyeol’s recommendation?!”

His words caused an immediate stir.

“Professor Park Hangyeol?”

“You mean the hunter who was one of the vanguard members clearing the tower’s frontlines?”

“Who’s that?”

“You idiot!”

“Ow! Why’d you hit me?!”

“How can you want to enroll in this academy and not know Park Hangyeol? He’s an S-rank hunter—Inferno of Determination!”

“What? Seriously?”

Just hearing the name ‘Park Hangyeol’ sent ripples through the crowd.

The receptionist, now visibly sweating, quickly bowed.

“S-Sorry! I didn’t realize! I’ll process it immediately!”

Panicked, he hastily completed my registration.

With that, the situation was resolved.

I turned to the boy who had helped me and bowed deeply in gratitude.

A perfect, respectful bow, straight from the heart.

Even Achilles was impressed.

[Oh ho. Stepping up to defend the weak without hesitation. This one has the makings of a hero!]

“Thank you. You really helped me out.”

“No problem. I have a little sister like you, that’s all.”

He brushed it off like it was nothing and turned away, his demeanor effortlessly cool.

Judging by the way people were still looking at me, they were likely full of questions.

Yet he didn’t seem interested in prying.

Just casually walking away as if nothing had happened.

I still had no idea why Professor Park Hangyeol had arranged my academy registration.

As I watched him leave, a thought struck me.

“Oh no, I forgot to ask.”

[Ask what?]

“That person… they weren’t a boy. They were a girl.”

[Huh. You can already use Ideation to that extent?]

“No, no. It was just that the receptionist pissed me off so much that I peeked out from behind my sunglasses for a second.”

Well, people have all sorts of preferences.

No need to pry.

[So, what’s your first test?]

“They said it’s a written exam.”

[A written test? Have you even studied for it?]

I paused for a moment.

A written test.

If it was really just sitting at a desk and answering questions, then…

“That’s easy. I’ll just cheat.”