Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: E-Rank Regeneration
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[Regeneration (E): Evolves when regenerating the body.]
Same as my previous life. Starting from E-Rank, not only does the regeneration speed increase, but the body evolves in the direction of overcoming the wounds or stress it receives. The more you get hit, the tougher your body becomes, and the more you run, the faster you get.
I examined the wound on my body from earlier. New flesh had grown where the skin tore, leaving it smooth without a scar. This was another advantage of the Regeneration skill. It wasn't simple recovery but true regeneration of new cells, like nails or hair, so no scars formed.
On top of that, severed limbs or large wounds couldn't be fully healed with basic recovery skills or potions, but the Regeneration skill would regenerate them even tougher, as long as there was enough vitality and time.
Motivation surged through me. The Regeneration skill had leveled up, and the speed was noticeably faster now.
I had planned to build stamina and properly level my skills inside gates, but now I had even more reason to push myself to the absolute limit.
Whether from healing injuries with Regeneration or the intense training, my stomach ached from hunger.
As I entered the cafeteria, I felt the stares of the other students. After taking a major injury from the instructor on the first day, I had become famous in a certain sense.
"That punk? No ability, but struts in here as an awakener just 'cause he awakened?"
"Yeah. F-Rank Regeneration or something?"
Trainees' skills were supposed to be confidential, but I had no idea how they knew. Since I wouldn't be sticking around the academy long anyway, I ignored them, grabbed my food, and headed to the corner seat I'd used for lunch.
Ignoring the stares, I silently shoveled the heaping tray of food into my mouth and finished my meal.
After eating, I returned to the dorm, grabbed my clothes, and headed to the public bathhouse.
My level had only gone up by 1, but my body was slightly bigger and firmer. It was probably because my body had been so soft before that the changes felt especially clear.
I washed away the dirt and blood clinging to my skin with scalding hot water.
After finishing and changing clothes, a group of students passing by spotted me and approached.
"Hey, F-Rank. Why not just go home instead of bothering the serious hunter hopefuls?"
The one who seemed to be the leader came forward and picked a fight. He was nearly two meters tall with a massive build.
Awakeners usually had strong pride. They saw themselves as different. They had actually awakened an ability, after all. So it was common for them to bully non-awakeners or those with mediocre skills who tried to muscle into awakener territory.
"Mind your own business."
I finished dressing without even glancing at him.
"What? Listen to this punk's attitude."
In my previous life, I would've just given an awkward smile and avoided contact, but there was no need for that now. I silently packed my things, turned around, and glared right into his eyes.
"Hah... Got that awakener attitude, huh? Do you even know who I am?"
"No clue."
Unfamiliar face. That meant he wasn't someone who'd make a name for himself in the future.
There were admissions a few times a month, and this wasn't the only academy, so being a big shot here just made you small fry in the end.
"Hahaha... You've got a real talent for pissing people off nice and slow. What, you got something to back you up?"
The guy, much bulkier than me, looked down and prodded my forehead.
"Not particularly?"
I swatted his annoying hand away.
"Hahaha... Ha!"
Mid-laugh, he swung his fist at my head. He might've thought it was a sneak attack, but the motion was so telegraphed it was obvious.
I twisted my body to dodge and drove a punch into his side.
A thud echoed as my fist sank in, but he didn't budge an inch. His body was tougher than it looked.
"My skill's Reinforcement, you punk!"
I dodged the punch aimed to smash my skull, but his agility stat must've been at least double mine—I couldn't evade the flurry that followed.
I took a hook to the face and hit the floor.
My head rang. As I tried to shake it off and get up, a kick came flying.
I twisted this way and that to avoid the vitals as best I could, but the other onlookers joined in, stomping down.
"Fuck! Who the hell you think you're messing with!"
Rage boiled up—maybe I should just kill them all—but then I realized it wasn't a bad idea. I'd been thrilled with the unexpected skill level-up today, and getting pummeled by these malicious bastards might net me one or two more skills.
"You fuck, don't drop out. From now on, every time I see you, I'll stomp you flat. Ptui!"
He spat on me as I lay there and left the shower room. His gang followed.
In the empty changing room, I lay there for a while until I recovered enough to stand.
"Damn. Gotta wash again."
By the time I came back with clothes and washed up, all the wounds had already healed.
* * *
The chaotic first day passed, and the next day, the reveille trumpet blared at 5 a.m.
"Rise! Rise! You think you can sleep in like this inside a gate?! Assemble at the field in 10 minutes!"
The academy, designed to simulate gate conditions, had early wake-ups.
I was already awake but took my time dressing and strolled out of the dorm.
The high-stat trainees bolted like they were flying, and a few even jumped out windows. When most had arrived, the instructor shouted.
"Here! Any trainee over 10 minutes attaches these weights to both wrists and ankles. Execute!"
I sauntered in and strapped the weights on as ordered.
I needed more load for training, so this penalty was actually a good thing. But coming early and wearing them would've drawn more attention, so I'd come late on purpose.
It was still early days—10 kg each, total 40 kg.
Once all the students were lined up, the lead instructor began.
"No stamina means no survival in gates! Sometimes you hunt over days, run out of food, take injuries. What's most helpful then, most basic? Stamina. Keep that in mind and train. Now... First 80 to the summit and back. Go!"
Some students panicked at the sudden race declaration, but most had adapted to yesterday's training and shot off like arrows. The lead instructor set the direction, and the students surged after him in a pack.
The latecomers with an extra 40 kg struggled—even awakeners felt like their limbs might fall off.
With my stats barely above a normal person's, I gritted my teeth and ran with the 40 kg dragging me down, my steps slowing.
They started bunched together but soon stretched into a long line, yet the lead instructor never looked back and kept running.
The front group reached the rear mountain summit and was already descending. But my tail-end group, including me, hadn't even summited yet.
Drenched in sweat, I crested the top, where a cool breeze soothed the heat. But there was no time to rest—I started down immediately.
An hour later, back at the start, most students were already gone.
"So slow you survive monsters chasing you?! Everyone arriving now summits again. Go!"
To us rear-guard students, out of breath to our chins, it felt like the sky was collapsing.
"In... Instructor, can we at least take off these weights?"
A female trainee asked in a crawling voice, her face pale from exhaustion.
"Being late is your fault and responsibility. Run as is. Execute."
"Ex... Execute."
Lacking the guts to defy him, she turned and started running. But the instructor wasn't wrong. If you couldn't handle this, you wouldn't survive a gate anyway.
I headed for the summit again.
My heart and legs felt like they were tearing apart, my head spun, but I kept my legs moving nonstop. As I crested the summit again amid the refreshing wind, a notification appeared.
[Strength has increased by 1.]
[Stamina has increased by 1.]
[Skill: Resilient Mind (F) acquired.]
The stat and skill ups made me happier than the breeze. I'd thought the academy was a waste of time, but yesterday's incident had turned into a gain.
The Resilient Mind skill boosted overall mental durability—resistance to pain, mental magic, endurance, and the like.
I felt my stamina rise, my body lighten, and I pushed the speed on the descent.
With no worry about getting hurt, I ran boldly, making the downhill far easier.
Drenched in sweat, I returned to the start. Among those who'd run twice, I came in first—no one else was there.
"Lee Ji-seok trainee. You're dismissed to eat."
The waiting instructor spoke to me, and I gave a quick nod before heading back to the dorm.
* * *
That morning was Monster Fundamentals class.
The students who'd run twice were wiped out from the morning exertion, but I'd fully recovered after breakfast—no muscle pain or fatigue.
"Welcome to Monster Fundamentals. We don't have time to cover every monster, but you'll get a brief on the ones you'll face over the next year."
The instructor, muscular enough to pass for active duty, displayed a goblin photo on the screen.
"What? Just a goblin?"
"We gotta learn about that?"
Murmurs rose from the students.
"Quiet!"
The professor slapped the wall to get attention. An awakener himself, apparently—a crack formed with a bang.
"Think goblins are a joke? They're the number one killer of rookie hunters."
"What?! Aren't they the weakest monster?"
"Right—pure combat power, they're the weakest. About 130 cm tall, strength a bit less than a non-awakener adult male. Stay calm, and even a non-awakener can take one 1v1."
"Then why do hunters die?"
"They swarm. Huge numbers. And they're clever. Traps, poisoned weapons. A goblin throwing its life at you has a different mindset from someone raised comfy in modern life—that's why rookies die so often."
The professor showed raw photos of hunters killed by goblins.
"Ugh...."
Some covered their mouths and looked away, while others stared intently, tense.
"Too brutal? This is the reality you'll face from now on. Mess up at a company? Write a report, get fired worst case. Mess up as a hunter? Someone dies."
In the tense atmosphere, he continued the lecture on goblin habits and ecology.
"That's it for today. Don't slack on studies—the academy graduation exam requires hunting goblins."
Everyone filed out of the classroom, half expectant, half tense.
Afternoon was interpersonal combat training. The first actual combat drill since entering the academy.