Liberation

Beep, beep, beep, beep—

I opened my eyes to the sound of the alarm, greeted by the same dark room I’d fallen asleep in. Another grueling day had begun. It was 5:00 AM. Classes wouldn't start until 9:00, but Kim Ilshin’s day started now. I stumbled into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face to wake myself up. I still couldn't turn on the lights. Still, I’d long since grown accustomed to moving around in the dark. Before I’d gotten used to it, I’d stubbed my pinky toe on the desk hundreds of times. At this point, I had no choice but to adapt. ‘I really wanted to die the third time I hit it in a row.’

I dried off, pulled on my workout clothes, and headed out. I carried a bag containing a water bottle and my student ID. It took ten minutes by tram to get from the dormitory to the training hall. Running took thirty minutes, which made it the perfect warm-up before my morning workout. I tightened my shoelaces and hit the road. It was a familiar path I’d traveled hundreds of times every morning.

Upon arriving at the training hall, I opened the door with my student ID and stepped inside. After countless attempts, I had finally learned how to use mana. I could open doors with it. However, my proficiency was so low that opening a single door or turning on a light drained my mental energy so severely that I couldn't function for the rest of the day. That was why I still carried my student ID everywhere. And, obviously, I still couldn't turn on the lights in my dorm.

I headed to the physical training room on the second floor. The other training rooms in this building were primarily for mana manipulation or weapon mastery, so I’d never been anywhere but the physical training room.

The physical training room, filled with all sorts of exercise equipment, was quiet. Even among academy students, few people did physical training at such an early hour. That was exactly why I chose this time.

Clack.

It wasn't that there wasn't a single soul there. There was someone who had arrived before me. Hair as white as snow that looked like it would melt at a touch, and blue eyes that sparkled like crystals. When I first saw her, she was so beautiful that I felt the mystery of seeing a fairy. Baek Ha-yeon. She was the successor to the Baek family, led by one of South Korea’s greatest heroes, and she possessed the skill and reputation to match. The Baek family’s prestige in South Korea was immense, and even I, at the start of my freshman year, had tried to strike up a friendship with her. She was thirsty for the family head’s recognition and desperate for growth, and I had a way to help her. I thought that if I could build a rapport with her, my academy life would be set.

‘That was the wrong choice.’

I had tried to get close to her by offering advice that would improve her swordsmanship. What I got in return was a suggestion that I drop out of the academy and become a researcher for the Baek family’s swordsmanship. It was a cold-hearted intention, implying that since I had no talent, I should drop out quickly and be useful for improving her skills.

‘If it had been someone else, it might have been a good offer.’

Of course, it wasn't for me. The reason I could advise Baek Ha-yeon on her swordsmanship was by using the memories I’d gained while playing the game. Since I lacked even basic knowledge of swordsmanship, I would surely have been kicked out immediately if I had joined them. So, I politely declined her offer. But what followed was thorough neglect. I didn't know what my actions had triggered in her. I didn't want to know, either. The only thing that mattered was that from that day on, the bullying against me began in earnest.

As the successor to the Baek family, she was one of the power brokers in our class. Her sudden behavior of treating me like I didn't exist was taken by the other students as an indirect endorsement of bullying me.

‘……That’s when it started.’

Frowning at the unpleasant memory, I turned my eyes away from Baek Ha-yeon and began my routine. I started with large muscle groups, gradually moved to more detailed areas, and finished with cardio. Even with my restrictions, I couldn't just wait around without training. After falling into this world, I visited the training hall every day to study how [Growth Stagnation] applied to my body. As a result, I confirmed that basic elements with little interference from talent, such as muscle strength and stamina, were less affected by [Growth Stagnation]. Those two things were the only ones I could grow through effort. Mana, however, was firmly under the control of [Growth Stagnation]. For instance, if I did a bench press, my technique wouldn't improve at all, but the muscles I used would grow steadily.

‘I should be grateful for even this much.’

I didn't skip physical training for a single day, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠waiting for the day the restrictions on my body would be lifted. Thanks to that, I could confidently say that my basic stamina was among the best in the academy. Muscle growth was heavily influenced by mana, so it grew slower than stamina. Still, it definitely grew.

“Hoo…”

After finishing my final exercise, I wiped off my sweat with a towel and headed out. I didn't make eye contact with Baek Ha-yeon until I left. When I stepped outside, the day had already dawned. I ran toward the dormitory at a slightly slower pace than when I’d arrived. I went into the dorm, showered again, and put on my uniform. The first day of the new semester for third-years was tomorrow. Today, there would be an orientation to explain the academic schedule and other details. I just hoped it would pass without incident.

***

When I headed to school on time, I saw many students wearing the same uniform. I saw a few familiar faces, too. When our eyes met, they all wore expressions of surprise.

“He’s still hanging on. He’s really persistent.”

“Wow, he didn't drop out? I’ll give him credit for that much.”

The number of students at Cosmo Academy, which approached a thousand per grade for the first and second years, drops sharply starting in the third year. This is because students who felt the wall of talent among the renowned geniuses or judged that they wouldn't be able to survive the exams from the upper grades drop out in droves. That’s why the period between the second and third year is called the first filter. The second filter is the first exam of the third year. In that sense, the fact that Kim Ilshin hadn't dropped out was a huge shock to the other students. Judging by his skills so far, he would never be able to pass the second filter.

“What’s in his head? Does he think this place is a joke? There’s a limit to being stupid.”

“Leave him be. He’ll be kicked out soon enough anyway.”

The surprise soon turned into looks of contempt. They thought that Kim Ilshin not dropping out was an insult to them, to Cosmo Academy, and to the profession of being a hero. I walked on in silence. I was used to these gazes. By now, I’d feel empty without them.

Thwack, thwack, thwack!

I heard running footsteps behind me. As I ducked my head, a large palm swiped over it. It wasn't that I’d noticed the attack and dodged it; it was the result of forced repetitive learning.

“Hey, you’re dodging well now?”

There are people in this world who resolve their own inferiority complexes by dragging others into the gutter. Jeon Tae-yoon, standing right in front of me, was one of them. Jeon Tae-yoon had decent skills, but the wall between him and the top tier was too thick. That was a reality the proud Jeon Tae-yoon couldn't endure. He tried to resolve the inferiority complex stemming from that reality by bullying me. In his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes, I was a clear weakling and an easy target that he could mess with without any consequences.

“Long time no see, Ilshin?”

“Look at this guy, he doesn't even say hello when we haven't seen each other in a while.”

Jeon Tae-yoon’s group blocked me on both sides. I remained calm. They couldn't do anything here, where there were so many eyes watching.

“Relax your face, man. We just came to say hello. We have to spar and play again starting tomorrow, right?”

Then, Park Jun-hyeok, one of Jeon Tae-yoon’s group, gripped my shoulder until it felt like it would shatter. My face twisted in pain as my bones were crushed. The “sparring” he mentioned meant violence disguised as a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠match. It meant they would drag me to the sparring arena and assault me without caring about anyone else’s eyes. With my body, which was close to that of an ordinary person, taking a beating from a superhuman using mana was life-threatening. There were few days when I didn't have bruises or wounds on my body, and there had even been times when I’d lost consciousness and been taken to the infirmary. If Jeon Tae-yoon was the leader of the group, Park Jun-hyeok was the enforcer. Most of the time, it was Park Jun-hyeok who inflicted direct harm on me. The day I couldn't take it and lost consciousness was the same.

“See you tomorrow?”

Park Jun-hyeok patted my shoulder and retreated, following Jeon Tae-yoon. Watching their backs, I made a vow. ‘I will definitely crush you all.’

As I turned my head to continue on my way, I met a pair of green eyes. When I focused my gaze, I saw black, chin-length hair with a greenish tint. Seo Ye-ryeong. She was a character who boasted top-tier talent even in [COSMO], and she was a classmate of mine. Notably, she openly disliked me. I didn't know why. Was she that annoyed that I’d forfeited the moment our sparring match started on the first day? Seo Ye-ryeong turned her head away as if she didn't even want to look at me, and I walked on without caring.

***

The orientation didn't end until early evening. It was because they’d spent time explaining every single class. Sitting in the corner at the back of the classroom, I slipped out as soon as the orientation ended and went back to the dorm. Staying there any longer would only invite more trouble. Usually, I would have done more physical training or gone out of the academy to work at this hour, but I didn't feel like it today. I sat at my desk, turned on the desk lamp, and opened the locked drawer. I took out the old book kept safely inside and placed it on the desk.

Ilshin Pacheon-gong.

It was a martial arts manual left behind by an unknown martial artist, which coincidentally contained my name. It was a hidden item that could only be obtained in the early second year of the game. I’d been lucky enough to get it. In the game, it could only be used to sell on the auction house for money. No matter which character I used it with, I only ever got the message, “Cannot be learned.” But for now, I was keeping it. Once the restrictions were lifted, I might be able to learn it.

‘There are plenty of other items, but… I’m grateful for just this much for now.’

Even hidden items required a minimum level of martial prowess to obtain. Such knowledge could be poison to someone who couldn't even handle mana properly. Even if I somehow acquired it, if I left a trail in the process, it would surely be snatched away again. After considering all of that, this was the book I’d finally managed to obtain.

Rustle—

I slowly turned the pages and read the writing. I couldn't understand it, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I chewed over every single word as I read, thinking of it as a way to pass the time. Rustle— Rustle— Usually, I would close the book after an hour, but today, it was unusually easy to read. There were no parts that stumped me, so before I knew it, I’d read the entire book in one sitting.

‘The time…’

I closed the book and suddenly checked the clock. 11:59. My heart began to pound violently. The moment I’d waited for so long was right around the corner. Today was the last day. In just a few dozen seconds, I would be free from this terrible curse. Emotion, expectation, relief, anger, despondency, remorse, sorrow……. Various emotions swirled in my mind, unable to mix. Among them, the most prominent was anxiety. It was the emotion that hadn't left my side for two years, tormenting me. It was the same now. The joy that the time had finally come was fleeting, and the worst-case scenarios kept popping up in my head. The possibility that the restrictions wouldn't be lifted was dominant, and as I thought about it, my clenched fists grew damp with sweat.

That was when it happened.

12:00.

The time had come. Along with a massive sense of liberation that I felt immediately, the world changed.