Chapter 2
It was a clear March day, the light spring wind brushing gently through the air.
I had just received a cup of iced Americano from a newly opened café near my house.
Ding—
A short, cheerful notification sound rang out.
[Web Message] Ms. Ju Ha-ryeong, congratulations on your acceptance to Raon Academy.
“…Excuse me?”
“Huh? Ma’am, do you need anything else?”
The employee asked with a puzzled expression at my involuntary reaction.
Embarrassed, I quickly forced an awkward smile.
“N-No. I’ll enjoy the drink.”
“Thank you! Please come again!”
Leaving the employee’s cheerful farewell behind, I hurried out of the café.
I can’t believe this actually worked…
I took a long sip of the cold coffee to calm the heat rising in my chest.
The recently established National Special Academy.
Any awakened individual in their early to late twenties could apply, but acceptance required passing a rank assessment and several tests.
And that acceptance message had just arrived for me.
Should I cancel it now while I still can?
They say you should strike while the iron is hot.
As I opened the internet app and accessed the academy homepage—
Ding!
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” drops the teacup it was holding in surprise.]
The reaction came instantly, as if it had been waiting.
“…Ha.”
I sat down at one of the terrace chairs outside the café.
Thirty years ago, the Age of Chaos arrived.
Since then, the Korea-U.S. alliance had extended beyond simple military cooperation.
Because of its vast territory and huge population, the United States possessed far more S-rank hunters than other countries.
Thanks to the friendly relationship between the two nations, the U.S. supported the development of Korean hunters. After the chaos gradually settled, countries around the world finally began establishing national academies.
Honestly, Korea was a bit late.
Even with foreign investment, the project had been delayed two full years beyond schedule.
Someone probably skimmed money off the top.
Thinking casually about it, I checked the message again while sipping through the straw.
It listed the freshman orientation date and location, and advised using public transportation due to limited parking.
Then suddenly—
a single name filled the screen.
“Father.”
The pressure on the straw increased, as if reflecting my mood.
If I answered, it would be trouble.
If I didn’t answer, it would also be trouble.
“Hello—.”
—“The result?”
His voice, as always, was flat and emotionless.
He had called because he knew today was the announcement day.
I had expected it, but for some reason it still irritated me.
“……”
—“If you failed, that examiner that day—”
“There’s no way.”
—“Good. Take care of yourself and be careful.”
Click.
With that single sentence, the call ended abruptly, as if cutting off our relationship with a knife.
A hollow laugh escaped from between my lips.
Who would believe this was a conversation between a father and daughter?
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” urges you to stop wasting time like this and start preparing.]
Holding the now-empty plastic cup filled only with ice, I stood up.
Crunch.
As I walked home, I crushed the ice in my mouth, forcing down my emotions.
—Take care of yourself and be careful.
That sentence wasn’t said for the sake of his daughter.
Five years ago, two weeks after I signed a contract with a constellation.
Only a few officials remained in the reporting office’s measurement room.
Taking advantage of lunchtime, the rank assessment had been conducted.
Through the glass window that separated the space, I met my father’s unusual gaze.
On the monitor, he had clearly seen this.
Reporter: Ju Ha-ryeong (19 years old)
Mana Type: Combat (Close Range)
Measured Rank: S
Final Rank: S
But in the final record, one thing had changed.
Final Rank: C
The result had been manipulated.
Yet the officially issued registration card still carried that rank.
Returning to my studio apartment, I immediately collapsed onto the sofa.
Ah… let me rest for a moment.
Just thinking about it makes me tired.
Back then, just like now—and probably in the future too—
he wanted to keep me locked under control while using me whenever it suited him.
* * *
I arrived in Apgujeong-dong, dressed casually.
A banner was already hanging above the academy gate:
“Congratulations to our new students on your admission.”
Orientation was held two days before the official entrance ceremony.
Looking around briefly, I could hear various regional dialects from students who had gathered from all over the country.
Some people were jumping out of taxis in a hurry, while others were being seen off by their parents.
I flipped through a pamphlet introducing the academy as I walked leisurely forward.
Then suddenly, someone’s voice reached my ears.
“Hey… doesn’t something look strange down there?”
At the same time, a familiar scream echoed along with a cracking sound.
“Ahhh!”
I quickly turned around.
A sinister sign of a spatial crack had already spread across the pavement.
Soon, pieces of sidewalk tiles began flying into the air.
From within it emerged a giant maggot-like creature with a thick shell.
…Disgusting.
I really couldn’t get used to that appearance.
“Holy crap, are you serious?”
“Shouldn’t someone call for help?”
People who had already passed through the main gate were busy running inside.
“Get back!”
Right then, the sound of something slicing through the air rang out.
An arrow.
It pierced straight into one of the monster’s eyes.
Apparently it wasn’t fatal, because the creature staggered, its huge body twisting as if it had lost its sense of direction.
“Are you okay?”
“Y-Yes…”
Another person came into view, shielding civilians who had been thrown toward the road.
A pale blue barrier spread around the man.
“Hey! Don’t just sit there—get away!”
Another arrow flew in and lodged itself into the monster’s side.
The creature screamed and crawled toward the road before collapsing with a heavy thud.
“Ahhh!”
“Mom! Mom—!”
The monster slammed its body repeatedly, as if searching for a gap in the barrier.
Ding!
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” watches with interest, saying it didn’t expect even an A-rank creature to come greet its contractor on a day like this.]
The man maintaining the barrier ahead of me was clearly a healer.
The question was what rank he was.
Thump. Thump.
The monster kept ramming its head against the thin barrier touching the ground, stubbornly targeting the same spot.
Unless he was S-rank, he wouldn’t be able to hold out for long.
And the arrows fired earlier didn’t seem to be dealing full damage, probably because of the creature’s white shell covering its entire body.
And no one is helping.
I glanced back toward the academy gate behind me.
A few people were holding their phones instead of weapons, apparently with no intention of stepping forward.
What kind of…
This was supposed to be a special academy meant to train hunters.
The situation itself was completely contradictory.
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” whispers slyly, asking if you plan to take out the sealed sword after such a long time.]
It might actually break, you know.
Before I could think any further, my body moved first.
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” reluctantly grabs another weapon lying nearby instead.]
Ha…
I already hate feeling tired this early.
Using the man’s barrier as a stepping stone, I lightly kicked off and leapt into the air.
Kiiieeek—!
“Ugh.”
The monster’s scream and my short groan erupted at the same time.
A cloud of dust filled the area, and my fingertips trembled slightly.
Still, I had jumped in just in time to draw the monster’s attention.
It began thrashing around, trying to throw me off its body.
I pushed the tip of the greatsword deeper into its shell and twisted.
“Hey, you there!”
“……”
“Shoot when I open a gap!”
I shouted toward the faint silhouette visible through the dust.
It didn’t matter if he didn’t answer.
This was all I could do here.
When I twisted the blade again, the maggot shrieked and raised its head.
[The Constellation “Guardian of Tae-won” remarks that this must be the moment to use the saying ‘empty carts make the most noise,’ then gulps down its cold tea.]
Crack—!
The shell split open, sticky flesh clinging to the blade.
Stepping on the creature’s side as it writhed in pain, I barely managed to guide its movement.
Then I slashed downward from the center.
A sharp line split across its body.
Whoosh.
At that moment, the air vibrated again.
A long, slender arrow flashed through the air and pierced precisely into the opening I had created.
The monster collapsed heavily to the ground.
As the echoing impact faded, I replayed what had just happened.
The arrow’s precise attack and clean kill.
The man’s wide barrier protecting civilians without hesitation.
And even my own blade, blocking the front line, had held up surprisingly well.
It was the first time.
Even if only for a moment—
I had fought alongside someone.
Silence followed as the dust slowly settled.
Exhaling deeply, I withdrew my sword completely.
“Are you injured anywhere?”
A low, deep voice spoke as if it had been waiting.
When I turned around, a man was looking down at me.
“……”
His dark yet steady gaze strangely held my attention.
I shook my head slightly and quickly checked the civilians still breathing hard inside his barrier.
“Th-Thank you! We almost died—”
Before the person could finish speaking, another wave of commotion approached.
At the same time, people began rushing out from inside the academy.
What were they doing until now?
Muttering inwardly, I carefully stepped past the monster’s corpse.
…So it was that guy.
Our eyes met with someone standing a little distance away.
The weapon he should have been holding had disappeared without a trace.
He simply tilted his head slightly, his empty hand tucked into his pocket.
That’s a bit disappointing.
Arrows with that level of purity were rare.
Our gazes didn’t linger long.
The man curved his lips into a faint smile and turned away without hesitation.
Oh—did it start already?
Only then did I check the time.
And I hurried after him.
