Settling into the Academy
Click-clack, click-clack. The sharp sound of heels echoed through the pristine white corridor lined with luxurious elegance. Iris, the source of those footsteps, was heading toward the personnel office in the academy's main building. Trailing behind her was a man of mysterious origins.
Iris glanced back over her shoulder, and the man was gazing around as if the space itself were a marvel.
...Just what the hell is he?
She bit her lip as she walked ahead. The hand that had shaken his still twitched faintly in her pocket. She didn't know the reason, but it was crystal clear that her body was rejecting him outright. And the cause was simple.
Her race. She was a beastkin. Beastkin were a species similar to humans but with organs resembling those of specific animals. They often inherited traits or abilities from those animals—like heightened senses or superior physical prowess.
Hers was a sheep. Among sheep and certain other herbivore beastkin, there was one special ability: sensing dangerous presences. An instinct evolved eons ago to detect predators and flee. So it wasn't strange that she alone reacted so strongly to Seongjin's presence, even when superhumans with far sharper senses than a normal person like her felt nothing. This was the realm of genetically ingrained instinct, not cognition or strength.
Any other herbivore beastkin in her place would have reacted the same way. But in modern times, beastkin blood had thinned, and life-threatening dangers were rarer, so the sheep beastkin's ability was far weaker compared to other beastkin races. That's why Iris didn't recognize it. She'd never experienced it before, and it wasn't in any book.
Of course, the fact that her dulled instincts were still ringing alarm bells meant Seongjin's presence was overwhelmingly massive.
...
Iris recalled the sensation from that handshake, then immediately regretted it and shoved the memory away. Even thinking about it made her dizzy. Goosebumps prickled across her skin. A bead of cold sweat trickled down the nape of her neck.
Honestly, she wanted to bolt away from him right now. But she was the director's aide. She would never abandon her duties.
"Hoo..."
Iris took a deep breath and forced herself to keep walking. Seongjin, oblivious or not to her turmoil, simply followed, his eyes darting everywhere.
A short while later, the two arrived at the personnel office on the third floor of the main building. The automatic doors slid open to reveal a sleek space buzzing with staff. Iris guided Seongjin with brisk professionalism.
"This is the director's seal. We're here for the 'special instructor' hiring."
The personnel staffer checked the documents, hesitated briefly at the content, then proceeded. Holographic screens flickered before the staffer and Seongjin, strings of indecipherable characters scrolling by. In moments, an electronic document with Seongjin's photo—taken somehow without his notice—popped into the database.
-Whirr.
Soon, a thin card slid smoothly from a nearby machine. Seongjin picked it up. It bore the Noble Academy emblem with a subtle golden sheen, and beside it, the title Special Instructor emblazoned in sharp clarity.
Noble Academy Special Instructor ID
Holder: Han Seongjin
"Basic registration complete. Now I'll show you to your dorm."
"Already done? That's fast."
Iris ignored Seongjin's comment and hurried off. Just being in the same space as him felt like her lifespan was ticking down in real time.
They exited the main building, crossed the impeccably manicured gardens, and soon a futuristic monorail and station came into view.
"We'll take this monorail to the dorms. It's free, so just hop on."
"Monorail for a short trip to the dorms? This place really is huge."
"...Yes."
Iris gave a curt reply and fell silent. Seongjin didn't press further. With classes on break, the interior was quiet. After a few stops, the monorail reached their destination.
Seongjin and Iris disembarked and walked ahead until modern standalone villas emerged, blending seamlessly into the surrounding woods. It looked less like dorms and more like a high-end resort.
Iris stopped in front of the innermost one, a two-story villa shrouded in dense trees.
"This is your dorm, Mr. Han Seongjin. Per the director's special orders, it's the highest-spec unit. The security system activates with the card you just received."
Seongjin tapped the card to the terminal. A soft chime sounded, and the heavy door swung open. Inside lay a spacious living room, a state-of-the-art training room, and a sleek kitchen—all visible at a glance. Beyond the windows stretched a panoramic view of the academy and the city below the clouds.
"Way better than I expected. Tell the director thanks."
Seongjin plopped onto the leather sofa in the living room, looking pleased. The moment he sat, Iris edged back toward the entrance like she'd been waiting for it.
"Yes. Unpack and rest easy. Essentials and ingredients are stocked in the kitchen. Order anything else via the living room terminal—it'll arrive in ten minutes."
She glanced outside, speaking rapidly like someone scouting an escape route.
"Full procedures and academy tour... tomorrow at 10 a.m. The director's swamped with work today anyway."
"Ah, got it. Thanks for your help, Ms. Iris."
Seongjin waved lightly. Iris gave a quick nod and practically fled, shutting the door behind her. Seongjin chuckled dryly as her heels clicked rapidly down the hall.
"Does she really hate me that much?"
It stung a little, but he let it slide. Sensitive types gonna be sensitive.
Seongjin tossed the bag holding his 10 million credits onto the living room table and stood slowly. The vast dorm was wrapped in silence. Instead of heading to the bedroom first, he stopped in the center of the living room.
No surveillance cameras... good.
He didn't think they'd spy on him now, but better safe. After a thorough sweep confirming total isolation from the outside, he positioned himself before the massive full-length mirror in the corner.
Time to properly test the power he'd only glimpsed in the bathroom mirror hours ago.
Seongjin closed his eyes and focused his senses across his entire body. As if enveloping himself completely.
—Shlrk!
In an instant, black liquid swallowed his form, grotesque and razor-sharp plating encasing his entire body. The trait gained when his Demonic Body hit level 3: Variable Bio-Armor.
"...Yeah, this look's a bit much."
The mirror reflected pure menace—an overwhelming, intimidating silhouette. Parading around like this would invite misunderstandings. Sure, body-altering transformations happened with some enhancement-type superhumans, but this went way beyond. Visually, it screamed "S-rank hero emergency deployment."
Still, he couldn't just ignore a hard-earned ability. He needed a workaround.
Change the design? But how? I don't even know the controls yet.
He tried tweaking the helmet—the biggest issue—but failed. No matter if he removed and reapplied it, tapped it, splashed water, or singed it over a flame, the demonic horns and slits remained intact.
Pondering the troublesome armor, a thought struck Seongjin.
If the full body-up is the problem, can I just summon it on specific parts?
The Swarm Tentacles could sprout from anywhere at will. Same origin from the Demonic Body, so similar principle.
Seongjin released the full-body armor. The black liquid seeped back into his skin, restoring his normal human appearance.
He took a deep breath and focused on his right arm. Suppressing the urge to cover his whole body, he channeled energy solely from elbow to fingertips.
Forearm only. Wrap it right here.
He visualized precisely: the elbow joint, finger segments, the sharp gauntlet texture over the back of his hand.
—Tss, shlrk!
Suddenly, black energy surged over his right arm's skin. Viscous liquid coiled around it, hardening swiftly into form.
And the result...
"Oh. It works."
His arm was sheathed in plating, forming a sleek, razor-edged black gauntlet. He threw a light jab at the air.
—Whoosh!
The air-splitting whoosh was on another level. Despite the added weight, speed hadn't dropped—in fact, the mass amplified destructive power.
"Success."
A faint smile tugged at Seongjin's lips. Sleeves or a coat could easily conceal this in daily life, and it passed as mere body modification like the tentacles.
Might as well try the rest.
Left arm next, then both legs. Partial armor generation succeeded repeatedly.
—Shlrk! Shrak!
Now he could plate specific areas at will, skyrocketing concealment and versatility. Boost striking power on impact zones, armor only the threatened spot for defense, or feign vulnerability to lure enemies.
Of course, mastery will take training.
But that was no issue. Training was pure joy for Seongjin.
He released the armor, his limbs smoothing back to flawless skin. Nodding in satisfaction, he gazed out the window.
Sunset painted the academy buildings red. Seongjin sank into the sofa, pulling out his phone to check the Noble Academy start date.
Then...
-Bzzz.
A vibration signaled a message. The sender's name flashing on screen was unexpected.
"Lien?"
Why the sudden contact? First since parting at Raven's bar. Feeling an odd twinge of delight, Seongjin opened it.
"Hm."
Seongjin pondered the message. Sudden urge to meet? Why? No reason she'd need him anymore. Performance quota shortfall? Then a memory flashed.
Oh, right—she goes here too.
He'd caught it in passing on the news: Lien Crossfield, first-year at Noble Academy.
Guess we'll cross paths at opening ceremony.
Seongjin's lips curved. It amused him. A slum vigilante suddenly flashing academy staff ID—what face would she make?
He typed a reply slowly.
After hitting send, a weird feeling settled in.
'See you at school.' Not a lie, but the teacher-student dynamic already played out vividly in his mind.
No favoritism, though. Education demanded fairness.
He stared at the app for minutes.
"...Why no reply?"
Not unread—the '1' was gone. She'd seen it.
...Wait, is this that?
The slang for reading a message on text, messenger, or social media but ghosting with no response. Left on read.
"......"
For the first time in his life, Seongjin had been left on read.