Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Entering the Academy Party
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"Ugh..."
Walking around outside after so long was tough enough.
And of all things, in an unfamiliar woman's body.
Groans kept slipping out of my mouth.
Still, I stubbornly rode the subway and trudged on foot until I finally reached the Hunter Association building.
- Customer number 213, please proceed to window 3.
I'd drawn a number ticket and was sitting in a chair, blankly looking around.
That's when the speaker announced it was my turn.
I shot up from my seat and hurried to window 3.
"Yes, how may I help you?"
A woman who looked like your typical exhausted office worker greeted me.
Her eyes practically screamed, 'Please make this quick.'
"I awakened today and want to register as a Hunter."
"Hunter registration. Please state your name and resident registration number, and place your hand on the mana detector in front of you."
"Yes, my name is Yang Hayang, and my resident registration number is... ah."
I started to recite my number but caught myself.
Come to think of it, not only was my age different, but my gender had changed too.
So how should I say it?
Based on this new body?
It's the 35th year now, and I'm 12 years old, so...
Uh, what is it?
Why can't I calculate this all of a sudden?
I'm not some idiot.
I met the eyes of the staff member staring at me oddly.
I gave an awkward smile and racked my brain to spit out the front part first.
"241225..."
The back part originally started with a 3.
But since it's a woman's body now, I tried saying 4 as a test.
The staff member nodded after checking.
"Yes, Ms. Yang Hayang. You're confirmed."
"...Huh? Confirmed?"
"Yes."
What? Did my identity change too?
Like I was always a woman from the start?
But even for an awakener, could you really alter real-world records without any manipulation?
Doubts swirled, but the Hunter registration card she handed over seemed legit.
Only the birth year and the first digit of the back part had changed; the birthday, address, and other info matched mine perfectly.
Well, better than revealing I turned from man to woman and causing a hassle.
This was way more convenient, so I decided to think positively.
"Take that registration card and head to the equipment support desk over there."
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
I headed to the spot she pointed out, and a man spotted me through a small window, opening the door to come out.
"Here to register as a Hunter?"
"Yes."
"Wear this armor, and pick any weapon you want from over there."
This guy lacked enthusiasm in his tone too.
It felt like he was saying, 'Grab this crap and get lost quick.'
'This stuff looks way too beat-up.'
The gear he gave me was obviously low-quality at a glance.
Maybe it was stuff others had returned.
Or poorly maintained.
The leather straps were frayed in places, and the rubber coating was peeling.
They say new awakeners used to get great treatment back in the day.
But now that awakeners are a dime a dozen, unless you're a top ranker, don't expect VIP service.
'Guess I'll make do with this gear.'
I went into the warehouse next door and picked a baton.
It wasn't the thick, blunt club you might imagine.
More like the riot baton police use for crowd control.
If you're wondering why I chose it despite its low lethality...
I had no other options.
...Because all the weapons were like this.
Of the warehouse weapons, the baton was the only one without requirements.
The rest were impossible to even lift with my pathetic stats.
I tried picking up the greatsword experimentally, but nearly threw my back out.
The bow I could barely hold, but couldn't draw the string.
Reality hit hard; tears welled up.
'I got free gear, so I'll head to a gate.'
But I wouldn't give up this easily.
I steeled my resolve and checked the 'Gate Status Board' on the large monitor nearby before setting off.
Pat pat pat...
My already short legs as a guy were even shorter now, so just walking to the subway station was exhausting.
Gates are divided into seven main levels.
Omen - Rift - Contamination - Erosion - Collapse - Annihilation - Cataclysm.
Among them, I'd come to the lowest-grade one listed on the status board: an Omen Gate.
"Looking for Hunters to join an Omen Gate! At least one clear experience required! Experienced party leader!"
"Need one tank for a 4-man Omen Gate party! Damage dealers stacked! Party leader has rare-grade gear!"
"Healers! Come now and get 30% extra shares! We'll yield all gear!"
Whoa.
Mouth agape at the voices shouting from all directions upon arriving at the gate.
These are all Hunters, huh.
Now I get why the desk and equipment staff were so dry.
Still, no parties seem right for me.
Everyone wants at least one clear under their belt, or specific specs, items, or classes.
But with so many parties...
Surely one spot for me.
With that hope, I scanned around when...
"Seeking newbie Hunters for Academy Party assistance! Up to four! Operated by Yeohae Guild—no worries about accidents, come easy!"
'Academy Party?'
Ears perking at the unfamiliar term, I turned to see a burly man near the gate bellowing to the crowd.
Only seeking newbies?
Perfect for me.
No other conditions either.
'And it's Yeohae Guild.'
Yeohae Guild.
Undisputed number one Hunter guild in Korea.
A party run by them has to be top-tier.
Decision made, I approached the man cautiously.
"Hello. You said you're looking for newbies..."
"Yes, come on in. You're a newbie, right?"
"Yes."
He nodded and scanned me from head to toe.
"What's your class? Or just tell me your unique skill if you're not sure."
"I think I'm a buffer. I have ally enhancement skills."
"Ah, buffer..."
A flicker of disappointment—or pity?—crossed his face at my answer.
"Well, not bad. It's an Academy Party anyway; we don't discriminate classes."
"What's an Academy Party? I'm not too familiar..."
"You don't know Academy Party? That's rare. Even non-Hunters usually know the gist."
Is it that famous?
Well, I'd isolated myself from outside news.
Might seem weird to him.
"Simply put, it's parties where top Hunters mentor lower-grade ones. Mostly newbies team up, with a protector for safety."
"Aha."
Super convenient system.
Makes sense; you never know what happens in a gate.
So he's a pretty high-grade Hunter then.
Curiosity got me; his stats were impressively high.
At least by my standards.
What's this level thing?
Do Hunters have levels?
Probably just something I hadn't heard since I don't know the system well.
"Anyway, I'll grab two more. Wait here."
"Okay."
Kim Taesung left me briefly but returned in under a minute with three others.
Supposedly newbies, but their gear looked solid.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. Awakened a week ago. Name's Park Jaeseop. I'm a tank, so I'll take hits well."
"I'm Lee Doyeon. Mage. Nice to meet you."
"Choi Gyumin here! Confident in my moves! High agility, so call me if anything!"
Park Jaeseop must've gotten his shield separately; it looked sturdy.
Lee Doyeon held a staff-like thing with a bluish glow at the tip, giving off an eerie pressure.
Choi Gyumin looked like a spearman.
Tall, about Kim Taesung's height, but lean—definitely agile and nimble.
"I'm Yang Hayang! Buffer class. Nice to meet you."
"Huh? Buffer? Why the baton then?"
"Didn't get separate gear? Looks like supply stuff."
I greeted energetically, but the responses were odd.
Park Jaeseop seemed purely curious.
But Lee Doyeon sounded a bit blaming.
"Yeah, supply gear... Is that a problem?"
"...Nah, whatever. It's just a one-day Academy Party."
Her words said one thing, but her tone said, 'One day and done, so whatever.'
It irked me a bit, but no big trouble, so I let it slide.
"Finally, my turn. C-Rank Hunter from Yeohae Guild, Kim Taesung. I'll escort your party today as protector. Nice to meet you."
He emphasized "C-Rank" proudly.
Guess he has pride in it.
Makes sense; excluding outliers like S-Ranks, it's third from top: A to F.
A short round of applause followed, and Kim Taesung smiled contentedly, continuing.
"Alright, you all know Academy Party rules? I won't interfere with dungeon progress. But if it's too tough, ask me. Note: then I take all rewards."
"Academy Party but you take rewards? First time hearing that..."
Choi Gyumin looked puzzled, but Kim Taesung was nonchalant.
"If you can't clear it, it's thanks to the party leader's power. Same as any other party. If unhappy, join elsewhere."
"Ah, no, it's fine. Makes sense."
Choi Gyumin waved it off at the sharp tone.
His gear's good, but as newbies, other newbie-only parties might be too risky for clearing.
Fair enough; if one guy solos what four can't, he can claim rewards.
For me, experience mattered more than loot anyway.
"Don't overthink formation; just fight decently. If clearing gets hard, I'll help."
Hmm, really?
Formation doesn't matter much?
Feels like he hopes we fail, but probably just my imagination.
"Alright, let's go!"
We reached the white portal signaling an Omen Gate.
The moment we stepped in...
Entering dungeon. Combat mode activated.
Intelligence stat corrected to 100.
Nearby allies' stats increased by 30%.
Perfectly predicting enemy movements within 500m radius.