Dawn of the Academy Grind
Dungeon exploration morning, 7 AM. Beep beep.
“Ah.”
The alarm jolted my eyes open. My head was still foggy from just waking up, and a barrage of random thoughts flooded in. I've gotta head to school. Me, at this age, going to school? Ugh. I sighed inwardly and dragged myself out of bed.
To shake off the sleep, I splashed water on my face and threw on a short-sleeved shirt. Over that went a white dress shirt, followed by a necktie. It was a bit chilly outside, so I layered a hoodie on top. Then the vest, and black slacks for pants. If there's one good thing about school, it's this—no more agonizing over what to wear. Korea Hero School doesn't nitpick as long as you have the shirt, tie, and vest.
I slipped on the sneakers they issued at school, grabbed my bag, and headed out. Plenty of students were already out and about, making their way to class.
“Look, it's the top scorer.”
“Hey, don't stare. What if he gets pissed and wrecks you? Didn't you see what happened during weapon selection?”
“……Is he that impressive?”
The kids whispering from afar hit my ears crystal clear. Thanks to my special stat, Nian. I took in the surroundings leisurely as I walked. The dorm to classroom trek was short, so I arrived at the door to Class 1-A in no time.
Standing there, my thoughts grew complicated. But I shook my head to clear them and pushed the door open.
Creak.
The chatter died the instant the door slid open. Every eye locked onto me—probing gazes, wary ones, suspicious stares. All kinds of looks pinned me in place. I played it cool and scanned for my seat. I'd come in relaxed, but almost everything was taken. Front rows full, only the back had openings. Superhumans like these shouldn't care about seat positions anyway.
Suits me fine. I headed to the very back by the window.
“You look pretty beat.”
A familiar, haughty voice rang out. I turned to see blazing red eyes. Hong Yuhwa. Why the hell is she in the seat next to mine? As I stared in bewilderment, a presence stirred in front of me. Sky-blue hair came into view. The protagonist of this world, showered in favoritism, had plopped down ahead of me.
“Mornings are my weak spot.”
“Slacking on physical training, huh? So you're a mage type?”
“A mage who cleared it in just one minute flat?”
Hong Yuhwa shot me a look like I was some freakish monster. Kim Seohyeon eyed me with keen interest.
“Hm?”
Then I felt another gaze. Following it, I spotted a girl smirking. Her eyes were unique—platinum irises with star-shaped pupils, like stars embedded in them. Erhil Merhen. The girl hailed as the de facto strongest student at Korea Hero School was watching me. Her starry eyes brimmed with curiosity. Where'd this guy pop up from?
“……That's the one who got third in the entrance exam?”
Hong Yuhwa asked, her face tense.
“Yeah, she's third.”
“Right after me? She looks like a mage too……”
Kim Seohyeon studied Erhil with intrigued eyes. Erhil had cleared the trial about five minutes slower than Kim Seohyeon, the close-combat genius, making her a figure to watch among the students. Source: the game, of course. Normally, she'd be eyeing Kim Seohyeon with fascination……but since I snatched top spot, that curiosity swung my way.
Hmm.
Honestly, Erhil's attention isn't welcome. She's got a playful streak a mile wide. And her power? Ridiculously overwhelming—like a walking natural disaster. The issue was her ability. It's extreme. Everything she has serves illusions. She actually used illusions to snag third in the entrance exam. Normally, she'd be the top threat in this school, but for me? Totally different story.
Thanks to my Reverse Heaven Body.
Reverse Heaven Body. Absolute immunity to curses and illusion-based powers. Unless the transcendent soul she hosts steps in, Erhil Merhen poses no real threat to me. At least, not to someone like me.
Objectively, Erhil's strong. Among first-years, only three can meet her gaze as an equal. One's protagonist-tier Kim Seohyeon. Another's the total shut-in girl who's sealed her own overwhelming power. And the last……
Such thoughts trailed off as the door creaked open again. Eyes turned instinctively.
“……”
Speak of the devil. In strode a towering girl. Long bangs covered half her face, while her hair flowed to her waist. At 175cm, she was huge for a girl, and even her ample vest couldn't hide her massive chest. Kim Ara, who'd deliberately restrained her immense strength. Unleashed, few could face her head-on. Not even instructors in a pure strength contest.
“That's the one with the 'Giant's Sword'? Looks weaker than I thought.”
“They say she's Paewang's kid.”
“Her? No way.”
The whispers faded as they dismissed her as no rival.
“Seoha, how strong you reckon she is?”
Kim Seohyeon asked me chummily. Damn insufferable popular kids.
“Strong. Pure strength-wise, you're no match…… If you fought her, you'd aim for a draw at best. And even that's a stretch.”
“……For real?”
Kim Seohyeon gawked at Kim Ara. Hong Yuhwa alternated suspicious glances between us. Doubt filled their eyes. Makes sense—Kim Ara can't fully control her power and hates attention for some reason. She deliberately scored mid-pack in the exam. Tied to her origins.
I turned forward. Kim Ara, unmatched in raw power. Erhil, vessel to a transcendent soul that ruled a world for a millennium. Hong Yuhwa, Red Tower heir destined to claim the Crimson Flame. Kim Seohyeon, blessed by the world itself.
And then, a girl whose talent rivaled them all. Seo Gayeon. Yet to awaken her gifts, she'd barely scraped into Korea Hero School. Wielder of Stellar Mana, holy power opposing the demonic Ma.
Good, she made it in.
The one I'd worried most about during the entrance exam had passed. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Creak.
The front door opened. Instructor Seo Wooju stood at the podium in a crisp suit.
“You all took the entrance exam and got some rest, I trust? Always rest after training. The body grows tougher with conditioning, but push too hard and it snaps.”
Instructor Seo Wooju's face was stern.
“To that end, our first lesson is physical conditioning. No excuses about academics or weak stamina.”
His firm tone drew an inner sigh from me. Figures he wouldn't go easy.
“Mornings hold mana second only to dawn's purity. Train first, then cultivate, and you'll draw purer mana.”
He smiled contentedly.
“Change into gym clothes and assemble at the field.”
“Attention, all!”
Instructor Seo Wooju called out.
“Some of you might gripe about early morning PT. But once you're heroes, even that complaint becomes a luxury. The more sweat you shed now, the less blood you'll spill later.”
He swept his gaze over us.
“We'll skip today, but from tomorrow, assemble here at 5 AM sharp. Daily dawn training, no exceptions.”
We knew conditioning mattered, but his words were brutal.
“Warriors, take these bracelets.”
He distributed to the warrior classes. Plain-looking, but enchanted like sandbags—over 50kg each. By mid-year, Kim Seohyeon wears them on arms and legs at max weight. Not human.
“Light jog to start.”
Seo Wooju took off. Mages followed suit. Heroes aren't always fighting monsters—villains and scum target mages too. Self-reliance is key. Everyone ran without complaint.
Five minutes in.
“Whoa, top scorer's got a clear weakness, huh?”
“Huff, huff. Shut up and go ahead.”
Erhil Merhen breezed past with a mischievous grin.
“Seoha. Consistency's key in training. Can't have this later—it's dangerous.”
“G-got it, so huff, don't talk, heave.”
Kim Seohyeon sounded worried.
……Truth be told, I might've underestimated this. Stamina 5 should handle it fine. But damn, 3km at full sprint to match Seo Wooju? And these guys are fresh with sandbags?
“Huff, huff, the huff, so-called top scorer huff, struggling at just this? Haah, I'll huff, snatch that spot soon enough, huff.”
Hong Yuhwa panted haughtily beside me.
Just fuck off already.