Chapter 5
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Surviving as an F-Class Healer (5)
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“Alright, everyone, take a seat.”
Just as we were starting to gather one by one for introductions, our homeroom teacher—a handsome man with silver-rimmed glasses—walked in.
Once everyone was seated, the teacher spoke.
“Since it’s the first day, I’ll just go over the announcements, we’ll do self-introductions, and then we’re done.”
“Ooh!”
“Welcome to Narin Academy. You all have your Awakener certificates, but as you know, you need to graduate from the academy and get your official Hunter license to work as a proper hunter. And you need at least D-rank for that license. This was established after the Day of Catastrophe when an S-rank dungeon broke out—based on the global agreement that anyone below that rank is basically no different from a regular person in a dungeon.”
He glanced briefly in my direction.
Then continued indifferently.
“Even as a hunter, you really need to be C-rank or higher for any meaningful survival odds. Narin Academy’s graduation requirement is explicitly set to C-rank or equivalent achievements. So, everyone, work hard. That’s the only way you can look forward to a future.”
It was straight out of the original story.
“In this class… the highest rank right now is C-rank. And there’s even a useless F-rank.”
The teacher’s eyes flicked toward me again as he checked the roster.
Pretending not to notice, he muttered just loud enough for us to hear.
“She’ll die soon enough.”
Does my photo have to be on there too?
In this world, restructured around abilities over human rights, no one seems fazed by comments like that.
I could see everyone looking around at the mention of F-rank.
I kept a faint smile on my face and subtly checked the protagonist’s reaction.
He muttered something with a baffled look—probably Was there an F-rank too?—then sighed and shook his head.
It was kinda funny.
The teacher droned through a few more announcements with a blank expression, then snapped the roster shut and said.
“Alright, time for self-introductions. I’ll start. I’m Choi Ji-hyeong. B-rank Planter.”
The oohs at B-rank turned into disappointed murmurs at “Planter.”
Honest reactions.
But they had no idea.
This teacher joins the protagonist’s party later on.
After nearly all the students die in the Fourth Cataclysm Dungeon.
Freely manipulates plants. And he’s hiding his real rank.
He’s probably A-rank.
Adult Awakeners often conceal their ranks to some degree.
Hiding about 30% of your power is advantageous for survival.
Taking that into account, he’s at least an A-rank plant-manipulating support dealer. Which means.
“We’ll go from the left front row, one by one. Begin.”
Don’t mess around.
I carefully schooled my expression to look polite.
And waited for my turn.
“I’m Lee Si-hyeon! C-rank Telekinesis user, but I prefer moving my body! Nice to meet you all!”
The student who said “nice to meet you” lifted his desk with telekinesis, set it down, and grinned.
I squinted at the youthful energy.
Is this how introductions are supposed to go?
Oh, hell no.
“Hello. I’m Lee Sang-hee… My ability is D-rank Barrier. I’m still a bit clumsy, so I get stuck inside the barrier more often… But I do have some things I’m good at… Yeah…”
Lee Sang-hee demonstrated getting stuck in her barrier while talking.
Do we all have to do this?
Was it like this in the original?
I nearly grimaced in bewilderment but held it together.
And finally.
“Yoo Han-seong. D-rank Dark Attribute Mage.”
The protagonist introduced himself.
I snapped to attention and examined him closely.
He let a bit of black mana flow from his hand, then dispersed it, speaking in a bored tone.
“I hate hassle. I like valuable people.”
Already got that protagonist syndrome.
Nah, it’s just his maxed-out aggro passive in action.
And he’s handsome enough that it doesn’t grate.
Attribute buff giving him unusually jet-black hair, silver-gray eyes sparkling like embedded stars,
His body remade through regression into baby-smooth, translucent white skin, perfectly balanced features standing out sharply.
His slightly upturned eyes had a subtle, mood-altering effect just looking at them.
Wonder what his Charm stat is.
Right now, he’s only D-rank, stats at about half his pre-regression levels, and he’s already like this.
I don’t remember the exact numbers, but pre-regression, everything was near max level.
“So don’t mess with me.”
Okay, a bit much.
…But look at Lee Sang-hee’s eyes lighting up.
Classic yandere girl trigger line, no doubt.
The protagonist sat down after briefly drawing all eyes to him.
I looked away from him and chose my words carefully for a good first impression.
The second attitude I needed here to achieve my goal.
Don’t act defeated.
That way, I wouldn’t end up as bait, bait, or shield in his memories, but as “There was this one F-rank friend who gave it her all back then.”
“I’m Jin Hari. F-rank, Healer.”
Of course, moderately, moderately.
“I’m happy to be in the same class. Please take care of me this year.”
In a gentle tone that stuck in the ears.
Might stand out since I didn’t demo a skill.
With a faint awkwardness lingering, I quietly sat down.
A week passed after that.
And I was thinking.
Aren’t these kids hunters? They’re way too pure compared to the original.
Plus, each one has this spark of justice—it’s fresh, admirable, and cute.
…How am I supposed to watch them get hurt.
Yeah, they trash-talked, but I was a diehard reader of the original.
It was natural to feel affection for this world and its people.
After a week watching these underage hunters who couldn’t even dream of doing anything extreme, I couldn’t help thinking that.
Because, damn it, most of them die?
I wish they wouldn’t, if possible.
Not as a fan of the original, but because I couldn’t stay indifferent to kids about to die.
Of course, with my own issues, I couldn’t do much actively.
The best I came up with was to really, very, extremely grind my Potion Making skill.
Luckily, Awakeners in this world can grow.
F-rank has growth limits even with a miracle, though.
Still, thinking about how they risk their lives to save the world—and how I’d benefit in the long run—fueled my motivation even more.
It was on my to-do list anyway. Let’s do it properly.
There are a few top-grade potions absolutely necessary to prevent the cataclysm. I’ll make them myself!
I was pondering how to acquire and time them perfectly. Making and giving them myself seems best.
Not sure if I’ll reach that skill level.
Nothing to lose.
Better than screwing up crafting and getting caught as bait in a dungeon.
With my resolve set, the vague guilt of being a bystander eased a bit.
Heal is too low-rank to matter yet, but potions should yield results with practice.
No choice. Gotta put in the effort.
Plus, making special potions myself seems more feasible than buying rare ones. Buying what the protagonists need would bankrupt me.
Not nosy. Leveling my skills will help my shop later.
However.
Two things to handle first.
One: Create a ‘situation’ where healing and sharing potions doesn’t seem weird.
To give potions to protagonists without special ties, it’s easiest to build an image of freely sharing with everyone.
The other: Lack of mana.
Mana has its own solution.
Today, I’m waiting for a chance to build that image.
Hoping someone picks a fight.
Outside, any Awakener passing by would mess with an F-rank.
Is it because grades are on the line?
Or are all the other classes full of goody-two-shoes too?
No one’s loudly harassing the F-rank.
Jin Hari went through hell before enrolling, from what I recall.
I was feeling a bit disappointed when.
“Uhahaha, so the F-rank’s in here?”
The door slid open, and a gang of delinquents barged in.
I forced down my delighted expression and turned toward them.
“Hey, first F-rank healer I’ve ever seen in my life. Who is it?”