Mock Battle: My First Victory
The mock battle began with a heart that felt like it was on the verge of shattering. I glanced around and saw that Han Min-young hadn’t come to school today. According to the homeroom professor, something had come up with her family, so she was taking the day off from the academy.
Maybe when she gets back, she’ll set the record straight?
I knew that was nothing but empty hope. From what I’d heard, she’d lost consciousness during the erosion incident, and the rumor that I’d tried to rape her had been spread by the other cadets. Still, I couldn’t stop myself from clinging to that sliver of possibility.
“All right, everyone. Since today is Friday, finish your level-based classes and head straight home. That’s all.”
Level-based classes.
When there were no rank battles scheduled, the academy ran integrated level-based classes for all grades every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Think of it like how regular schools used to shuffle students into different rooms for English or math based on proficiency. Pretty much the same idea.
The only real difference was that every grade participated together in a single session.
I was in E-class. The absolute bottom rung, obviously. And there was one thing that set me apart from everyone else.
My nameplate was a special black one. The academy’s lowest tier. In other words, the tag they only gave to the biggest losers. It was the academy’s official way of branding someone a worthless piece of shit.
I had no idea why they felt the need to destroy a person’s self-worth like that. On paper it was supposed to be “motivation” to work harder, but if getting treated like garbage was enough to trigger an awakening, I’d be a goddamn SSS-rank hunter by now.
After homeroom ended, I headed to the location for E-class lessons.
The Hunter Academy had multiple auditoriums because physical training was so common. E-class had been assigned one of them for our sessions.
When I arrived, I picked the most isolated spot possible, far from the other cadets. No one wanted to sit with me anyway, and being around them only ever led to more bullshit. The E-class kids in particular—maybe because their own self-esteem was in the gutter—seemed to enjoy tormenting outcasts like me even more.
I was waiting for the instructor when I sensed someone beside me.
“S-s-s-senior… H-hello…”
“Oh, uh… hello.”
It was Park Ha-eun, a first-year junior. The only person in the entire academy who ever spoke to me.
“W-w-would you… l-like this…?”
What she held out was a piece of crispy crunch chocolate.
“Ah, I’m fine.”
“B-but… please eat it…”
She forced the chocolate into my hand anyway.
Ha-eun always greeted me first and made sure to give me snacks. I had no idea why.
“Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Y-yes…”
I remembered that Park Ha-eun had an incredibly cute and pretty face.
Why talk about her like I’m reminiscing when she’s standing right in front of me? The reason was simple.
Even in this moment, I was staring at the floor, desperately avoiding eye contact with her.
That’s what being labeled a sex offender does to you. You have to control your gaze at all times to minimize misunderstandings or accusations. My own little survival strategy.
“Hello, everyone. It’s a wonderful Friday.”
The professor had entered and was greeting the cadets.
“As I announced on Wednesday, today we’ll be conducting mock battles. The rank battle is only two weeks away, right? Consider this preparation. Give it everything you’ve got.”
Sparring at the academy was extremely close to real combat. The only difference was that you could only use the provided equipment. It was the kind of fight where killing your opponent was technically allowed.
Not that anyone actually died here. Thanks to advances in magitech, the sparring arena had a barrier system. When your life was in danger, the barrier would shatter and protect you.
Any wounds or injuries could be completely healed by the high-rank healers stationed at the academy. Of course, the trauma remained, but this inhumane place couldn’t care less about something like that.
“All right. I’ll display the matchups on the screen. Everything is randomly assigned, so no complaints.”
As the professor said, the bracket appeared on the screen.
“Whoa!! Jackpot!! What kind of pairing luck is this? My opponent’s the pervert senior?!”
“Lucky you, Jun-seo! I’m seriously jealous.”
My opponent was Yoon Jun-seo. A first-year male cadet. From what I remembered, he had awakened recently and wasn’t particularly strong. That was why he was in E-class.
Of course, “not particularly strong” for an awakened person still put him far above any normal human.
Even these freshly awakened bottom-tier E-class cadets were all preliminary hunters who had undergone awakening. A guy who could barely manage three sets of 300 kilograms before could now lift 500 or 600 like it was nothing. That was the kind of power awakening gave you.
Which meant that for someone like me—an awakened in name only—beating that guy was practically impossible. Unfair as hell, but even though the bastard was a weakling, he was still way stronger than a muscle-brained guy like me.
“Everyone checked the matchups? Who wants to go first?”
“Me!! Professor!! I’ll go first!!!”
“Good. Then Jun-seo and Ji-min will start us off. Since this is mock sparring, no weapons—bare hands only.”
“Nice!!”
Yoon Jun-seo looked absolutely thrilled. Probably because he’d drawn a pushover like me and was itching to let loose.
And so the first match of the day was set: me versus Yoon Jun-seo.
“Haha. Pervert senior! I heard you committed another sex crime?”
“……”
“You’re seriously a disgrace to the academy, aren’t you? I guess I’ll have to beat some sense into you.”
This bastard was usually dead serious when sparring with other students. Since he’d only awakened recently, he was probably still cautious by nature.
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
“Oh! Senior, are you looking down on me? I was nice enough to treat you like a senior and you still don’t know your place?”
Guys like this—who turned into arrogant bullies the moment they found someone weaker. I’d seen plenty of them during my time at the academy. Disgusting pieces of trash.
That was exactly why I refused to lose. I was sick of being treated this way. I was tired of it all.
“Begin!”
At the professor’s shout, Yoon Jun-seo charged at me with terrifying speed. He started throwing wild punches at my head.
Thud!Thud!
Fuck…
Even with my guard up, the impact was no joke.
“Your torso’s wide open! Body shot!”
Thud!
“Urgh…”
His fist buried itself in my gut, twisting my organs.
“Now your face is open? Yap!”
A clean punch to my temple. It felt like my skull was cracking.
The beating disguised as sparring continued. I endured somehow while he kept hammering me like a sandbag.
If I protected my head, he went for the body. If I dropped my arms, he targeted my head again. Just defending was exhausting. Counterattacking wasn’t even an option.
Huh…? Wait a second.
A thought suddenly hit me. I might be able to use my hardening perfectly.
The guy still lacked experience. His attack patterns were extremely predictable. And since it had been working so far, he probably wouldn’t feel the need to change things up.
I could use that against him. I could only activate hardening once. I had exactly one chance.
I raised my guard, tilting slightly to the right while protecting my head.
Yes. Just enough to leave my left side exposed.
“Senior, this spot’s open, right?”
As expected, the excited bastard swung at my left side. Now.
Steel Body (Hardening)
Crack—
I focused the palm-sized hardening on my left ribcage as much as possible. The instant his fist connected—
Crunch—
“AAAAAARGH!”
The sickening sound of his fist breaking.
Now!
I dropped my guard instantly, grabbed the writhing Yoon Jun-seo by the collar, and slammed my forehead into his face without hesitation.
Bam—
“Keuk!”
My forehead must have smashed into his teeth. I could feel blood on my head.
But who cared? An injury like this meant nothing.
I yanked his collar again. And then—
“AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!”
I sank my teeth into his ear. Awakened or not, a human was still a human. Bite hard enough and blood flows just the same.
Thud!
He swung at me with his good left hand, but I ignored it. It hurt like hell, but I could endure this much.
Thud! Thud!
Enduring the pain, I drove my elbow into him and hammered my fist into his face.
“Argh! It hurts!! Let go, you crazy bastard!!”
Fear finally flooded his eyes. The confidence from earlier had vanished completely.
I kept hitting him. When my arms got tired, I bit. Then I hit his face again.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
I refused to stop. I kept punching, kicking, never giving him room to breathe. I pressed the attack relentlessly.
And in the end—
Crash!
“Stop!”
The sound of the barrier shattering rang out as the professor called the match.
“Th-the winner… is Yoo Ji-min!”
Silence blanketed the auditorium.
What the hell was this feeling?
I dropped to my knees. Then I roared.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”
Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
I had won. My first victory since entering the academy.
It was against a junior. A dirty dogfight where I’d even bitten him. But to me, it was more precious than anything in the world.
You think I’m ugly? Pathetic?
Yeah. Curse me all you want.
I’m used to being cursed at. Being treated like trash doesn’t hurt me anymore.
But you know what? The real show starts now.
I won’t be afraid of bastards like you anymore. I won’t lose again. Ever.
I’ll get stronger no matter what it takes. Stronger than all of you. No—stronger than anyone in this world.
And then I’ll chase every last one of you to the depths of hell and make you suffer. Even if you cry and beg, I won’t show a shred of mercy.
No matter how long it takes, I won’t give up.
You call me a villain? Fine. If that’s what you want, I’ll become one.
You know, I don’t think I’m a bad person.
But for all of you… I’ll become the cruelest villain in the world.
Look forward to it.
You fucking bastards.