All Eyes on the Newcomer
Glance, glance. Peek, peek. In an instant, the classroom air froze solid, not even a breath to be heard. Every gaze converged on one spot.
To Shin Yuseong, already half in superhuman territory, not just breaths but even the rustle of clothing was crystal clear. That only made the awkward classroom vibe hit harder.
What's their deal? he wondered, rolling his eyes this way and that.
Everyone else in the classroom, excluding him, got a whole different impression. The genius mage dubbed from the Blue Tower. The wolf-eared spirit shaman from Japan. The heir to one of the world's top summoning families. Even the top entrant this year, the next leader of the mysterious sect, wore a meaningful expression.
So relaxed. That mana barrier's perfection is top-notch.
Good smell.
What the— he's insanely handsome.
……
In their eyes, the male student Shin Yuseong was an unprecedented beauty, his mana—the root of all ability users—eerily stable, and the aura he exuded was the epitome of leisure. Nothing about him seemed ordinary; the unreal vibe was so intense it drew eyes magnetically. They almost doubted if this was really standing there in front of them.
Regardless of that disbelief, plenty of students gawked slack-jawed, lovestruck.
"What're you doing standing there?"
The frozen air began to thaw as the time limit hit. The arrival of the most passionate presence in the room melted it.
Shin Arin, Combat Department professor and S-rank Hunter.
Shin Yuseong kept a casually composed face despite his heart pounding like he'd downed a dozen espressos, turning to face her behind him.
"Hey?"
The moment he'd long awaited. Shin Arin beamed a full smile solely at him, her fierce gaze brimming with scorching interest and passion. Yuseong didn't need explanations to grasp her feelings.
Playing the model student, he flashed a relaxed, polite smile and bowed his head slightly.
"Hello, Professor. I just got here myself."
Then, like nothing happened, he casually took a seat in an empty corner of the classroom, thinking,
……What the hell?
He hadn't even introduced himself, yet somehow everyone already knew him. At the unexpectedly intense reactions, Shin Yuseong broke into a cold sweat inwardly.
"Nice to meet you all. We saw each other at the entrance ceremony level test, but let me reintroduce myself. I'm Shin Arin, your professor for at least this first year. I'll handle attribute lectures for warriors, close-quarters combat against monsters, and field training."
Ahem. Clearing her throat, she shifted to a more comfortable expression, smiling brightly.
"Honestly, I'm not great at putting on airs, so bear with me there. But when it comes to the dangers you'll face in real combat, I can teach you better than anyone. So please, drop the formalities and take whatever you want from this class."
Clap, clap. Small applause echoed from spots around the classroom. A far cry from the prior heavy, tense air—quite welcoming, in fact.
The basic theory lesson that followed went smoothly and mildly. These were all elite students, after all, and the instructor up front was a top-tier high ranker at the peak of the industry.
Even if it was just lecturing on weaklings like goblins and hobgoblins.
"Ha, these guys are so pathetic individually. You can't help underestimating them, but the key caution is they're the sneakiest bastards among monsters. Anyone know a goblin's specialties?"
"They breed fast?"
"Poison and traps?"
"Right. They actively use poison and traps, and while it's more about traveling in packs than breeding... not entirely wrong. True to their rep as the natural enemy of male adventurers, they go nuts for men and try to kidnap them."
"Gasp."
"We've even used that habit—packaging a doll, sending it to their lair, then wiping out the mapped maze in one go."
No one dared chat or jeer while a pro S-rank Hunter shared real experiences. Glance. No overt distractions, but some inevitably lost focus. Eyes glazing over, minds wandering, lost in their own worlds—that was normal.
But today, this classroom had a black hole sucking in every gaze like a hippo chugging water. Peek, peek, sweep. Yep, that hero was me.
Why're they staring at me?
Hey, you lot. You're paying millions in tuition—focus on the front, not me.
Every time focus slipped, I felt the sweeps and side-eyes, but I avoided eye contact as much as possible. …Not running away or anything; it'd be weirder to lock eyes with dozens mid-lecture, right? Especially since I planned to play model student, I strained to stare only at the professor up front.
"Mm, good focus today. Goblins are weak, sure, but they're what new awakeners run into most, so stay sharp."
Maybe from me boring holes into her, the professor glanced my way more too. Was this what "stare into the abyss and it stares back" felt like? Nah, honestly, the class focus wasn't that great. She just saw the fanatic student in front and assumed.
The Goddess beams delightedly at the hero at a loss for where to put himself. [(ㅎ^ㅎ)]
Even the Goddess—supposedly on my side—went full spectator mode, leaving me to deal solo. The lecture mattered, but why were these students so fixated? Even in this reversed world, this level of attention didn't compute.
……Even if the PC bang part-timer's cute, you don't stare during a game.
Wait, was I just asexual? While I was oblivious, others multitasked—gaming in the canyon while eyeing the counter babe?
Intense Rift battles and they pull that off? Insane.
Hmm.
Tempted for a tactical retreat, but bailing day one felt wrong. If I hated the attention, ghost-mode assassin style worked, but turning my precious campus life transparent? No way. …… Peek—sweep-sweep— Ah, screw it, retreat just for today?
Level test #1. Peerless beauty. Not separate titles on different people, but combined on one—shining extra bright in a hunter academy.
Wait, such a person exists? After the first lecture ended, cadets hearing rumors late rushed over, but
"Where'd he go?"
"I bolted right after class."
"Gimme back my handsome king."
The rumored stud Shin Yuseong had already vanished.
Lecture done right. Break time—legit rest, not fleeing.
Those who missed the flash-escape let out disappointed sighs, but
What? He's really gone.
Dream, mirage. Not real after all?
Even classmates were baffled. Did he fly to the sky or sink into the earth? No one knew.
His unreal entrance matched by a mysterious exit—felt like a dream for real.
"Maybe a handsome ghost; too perfect, mass hallucination."
"Ooh, wanna see that ghost."
"Hundred times over."
Thus, a new urban legend born on the Seoul Superhuman Ability Academy community boards.
"……."
Watching the chatter, this year's top cadet—the mysterious sect's next leader Cheon Juyeon, hottest topic at entrance—stared blankly out the window, face impassive.
The whereabouts of the desperately sought Shin Yuseong. Relief? Her eyes clearly saw him even now.
I'm not #1?
……Yes, should I question the professors on this farce?
No, skip that.
Ever since hearing she'd lost the level test, he'd nagged at her mind. Show this much power, and profs would see "irregular." She'd secure top spot.
But unexpected twist. Hearing "male" made her doubt briefly. How elite could a peer be?
But impressive.
Face-to-face, undeniable. Every glimpse of his mana-shrouded form brought awe.
Though she'd never seen the "handsome face" others raved about. Her perfectly attuned mana vision saw only light.
Rumble— Watching the real-time pillar of light outside, Cheon Juyeon touched her lips.
[Pfft, pfft, lame idiot hero.]
"……."
For strategic retreat… no, rightful break time, I holed up in the men's lounge for an emergency op meeting.
"……Hmm."
"Goddess, random thought: wanna strip your rank, manifest, and throw down?"
First, reined in the damn goddess's attitude.