The Sun and Moon's Child

"Ga-eul, are you really going to use that? The instructors told you not to."

"Yeah. It's my magic staff."

"Fine····."

Even as we head toward the classroom, stares keep coming our way from every direction.

"How are you planning to store it? Isn't it way too big?"

"This? Just toss it in my inventory space."

"Huh?"

When I demonstrate by stuffing the axe into my inventory, Noah—who had been walking beside me—stops dead in his tracks.

"S-S-Spatial magic!"

"What's with you?"

For the short time I've known him, Noah has always been the picture of neatness—clean speech, clean manners, everything polished. Now he's flailing like he's seen a ghost.

"Is it really that impressive?"

"It's insane! Spatial magic, and without any chant at all!"

Thanks to Noah's outburst, even more eyes swivel our way.

"Good stuff is good stuff. Let's go."

"Wait, that's it? Ga-eul, wait up!"

I ignore him and keep walking. He trails after me, firing off the same questions about when I awakened.

Creak. I push open the door marked J Class, and every head inside turns toward us again.

"What are you staring at, you little—mmph!"

"Haha, my friend's just not feeling well. Sorry about that."

The room is laid out like a university lecture hall, with tiered seating so everyone can see the front clearly. Most students have already claimed the front rows. It really hits me again—this place is packed with elites.

"Let's sit in the back."

We take the rearmost seats. Noah slides in right beside me. It almost feels like I'm a real student again.

"Whoa."

One of the cadets suddenly leans over, shoving his face right into mine.

"Pretty face like that, and you're already dragging a guy around—urk!"

"Shit, you scared me. Who the hell are you?"

"Ghk! Ghk!"

The guy isn't some beastkin—he's covered head to toe in scars. Looks like he crawled out of a war zone.

"Who are you?"

"Ghk!"

"Um···· Ga-eul, maybe let go of his neck so he can answer?"

"Should I?"

"Yeah. His eyes are rolling back."

"Ghhk!"

Creak— While I'm still debating whether to release him, the front door by the podium opens and a woman in her fifties walks in.

"Everyone, sit down."

She sets a book on the podium and slowly scans the room.

"I'm Professor Hwang Mi-ran, homeroom teacher for Class J. You can call me Professor Hwang or Professor Mi-ran, whatever's easiest."

Even though she's a professor at the prestigious Wisdom Academy, she comes across surprisingly laid-back.

"And you, in the back."

"Ghhk!"

"Yes!"

"Class is starting, so please let go of his neck."

"Professor! He's the one who started it!"

Shake shake shake.

"Ghk! Ghk! Ghk!"

"Who in their right mind would think the guy currently passing out is the victim here?"

Professor Hwang shoots me an exasperated look.

"Also, I'm a professor, not a middle-school teacher."

"Ghk! Ghk!"

"You've just awakened and flowered, so I understand the blood rushing to your head, but tone it down."

"Neng."

I drop the guy onto the floor. He immediately rolls his eyes back and collapses. Clear finger marks are already bruising his neck.

"So you're the one."

"Me?"

Professor Hwang's gaze locks onto me after watching the whole scene.

"The cadet who received the Supporter class at the flowering ceremony and picked up a battle axe?"

"It's not a battle axe, it's Ppongppong-i."

"You already gave it a name?"

"Neng. Its real name is Ppong-mangchi. Ppongppong-i is just the cute nickname."

Even though my words are dripping with childish playfulness, Professor Hwang lets out a helpless chuckle.

"Well, cherishing your weapon is part of a hunter's duty."

The fact that a professor I've never met knows this much tells me rumors travel fast around here.

"So, the most basic party composition consists of Tanker, Attacker, Ranger, Battle Mage, and Supporter."

One tanker to hold aggro and take hits at the front. One melee ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠DPS who can also sub-tank. Two ranged DPS for firepower. One supporter to handle everything else. One tank, one melee DPS, two ranged DPS, one support—the ideal smallest unit according to the professor.

"Of course, in reality it's nearly impossible. Unskilled mages are basically dead weight, so most parties hire shooters and rangers instead. Same with tankers—hunters who enjoy risking their lives to eat attacks are rare. Most lean toward attackers. And supporters are so rare they're practically mythical; even massive raid parties might only have one."

She explains that regular mages take far too long to master their craft, so parties avoid hiring half-baked ones altogether.

"There are already tens of millions of known attacker types, and everyone's skills and classes are wildly different after flowering. Forcing them into that neat template is impossible."

"Because this isn't a game."

The professor's eyes snap to me.

"Exactly. Because this isn't a game."

Every battlefield is one where you stake your single, irreplaceable life. There are no restarts like in a game. What matters most isn't the perfect composition—it's how well you mesh with your teammates. That's why all-melee parties exist too. Which is why the potion trade is booming.

"That's all for today. Enjoy your lunch, everyone."

"You too, Professor."

"Thanks."

Professor Hwang gathers her book and papers, then walks straight out.

"Whew, finally over."

"Haha, good work."

Noah is grinning weakly beside me. He looks just as relieved class ended.

"Seriously, having class on the first day of school? Who does that?"

"At least there's only one in the afternoon."

Noah keeps talking, but his eyes are fixed on the floor. The guy who passed out before class is still lying there. Professor Hwang had muttered something about not being a babysitter and that adults should handle themselves.

"Hey. How long are you planning to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sleep?"

I wonder what kind of life this guy has lived. At his age, with that many scars, he definitely hasn't had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it easy.

"Time to eat. Get up."

I keep nudging him with my foot until a low groan escapes.

"Ugh····."

"C'mon, buddy. Lunchtime."

The groaning figure slowly opens his eyes.

"····You little shit! Do you even know who I am?!"

He tries to lunge at me the second he wakes up. Looks like he's got some fight-dog blood in him.

Thud!

"Ghk!"

I stomp on his neck and pin him again. He thrashes beneath my foot.

"Buddy. Who exactly are you? And why are you throwing a tantrum the second we meet?"

Crack!

"Ghhk!"

"I don't like brats much. Let's keep it civil, yeah?"

Crack. Crunch.

"Ghhhk!"

"You're full of that lowlife thug energy. I used to be exactly like you. Pathetic."

The guy starts trembling, then rolls his eyes back again. These academy kids are tough—I like that.

"Let's go eat."

"Ugh···· You sure we can just leave him like that?"

"He'll wake up and go eat eventually."

We step outside, leaving the unconscious guy behind. Fresh air greets us. Looks like spring has arrived here too. Cherry blossoms drift from the towering trees planted across the wide academy grounds.

—Hiss, hiss.

"Haa— Nice weather."

"Gasp. Ga-eul, smoking's bad for you."

"Shut it. My mouth was dry. Want one?"

Noah shakes his head. He's not even a kid, yet he's nagging nonstop.

"Haa—"

I stub out the cigarette and look around. People are streaming toward one spot. No need to search—must be the cafeteria.

"How much money did they pour into this place? This isn't a cafeteria, it's a palace."

The inside is just as extravagant. Rows of food courts line the walls—department-store level luxury.

"Grab your food and come to that table over there."

"Okay."

Noah waves lightly and heads off in the opposite direction. I scan the options and spot exactly what I want. Luckily, the line is short.

"Hello."

"Welcome. First time here?"

"Yeah."

The cashier smiles kindly, clearly recognizing me as a new student.

"Just pick your menu on the kiosk over there and pay with your device."

"Thanks."

When I tap the kiosk, countless dishes appear. I've already decided, so no hesitation. Beep! After selecting, I tap my device and get a waiting number. They said we'd pay at the end of the month like a credit card. For academy food, the quality-to-price ratio is excellent.

"Your order's ready."

"Huh?"

The food comes out almost immediately after payment. Did they prep it in advance? When I go to collect it, the cashier hands over the tray with a bright smile.

"Thank you."

"Enjoy your meal."

I carry the tray to the table I saved and start slicing into the pork cutlet when Noah arrives.

"I got salmon steak."

"Ugh····."

"What? Don't like salmon?"

"I've been eating so much fish lately I'm sick of it."

I pop a crispy piece of cutlet into my mouth. Pure happiness floods in.

"Mmm! So good."

Meat beats fish any day.

"Today's lesson is a summoning aptitude test."

That explains why they called us out to the wide training field. The cadets' eyes sparkle as they stare at the professor. The reason they've gathered even unrelated students is obvious—there's only one goal. Whether it's one in a hundred thousand or one in a million doesn't matter. For the academy, that irregular 1% who can become the face of the school matters far more than the ordinary 99%.

Professor Hwang seems to be handling this class too until a dedicated instructor arrives. She unrolls what looks like a scroll in the center of the field.

"This is a summoning magic circle. Just recite the incantation I teach you. We'll go in order: general summoning, spirits, then contracted beasts."

She places faintly glowing stones around it. Probably because students can't supply enough mana on their own—the stones must be substitutes.

"Summoning aptitude is extremely rare even worldwide. So don't be disappointed if it doesn't work. This is just a routine check, nothing more."

Once preparations finish, cadets step forward one by one and begin chanting the incantation Professor Hwang provided.

"I beseech thee, I desire a contract with you. Answer my call····."

God, do I really have to shout this out loud? I want to run away right now.

Professor Hwang, knowing full well most will fail, lounges in a metal chair with a bored expression.

"Ugh."

A different window from my usual status screen pops up in front of me. Why do I have two status windows? Three, if you count the original one. And what's with the level? I must've hit level 8 after killing that ogre, but my stats are still in the gutter. Not even triple core—just straight-up broken. The projection device didn't show levels, but everyone else probably leveled up a ton. Or maybe I'm the only one with a level. Still not enough information.

"Next, Cadet Han Ga-eul."

"Yes."

While I was checking the information from the back, my turn apparently arrived. I wasn't mentally ready yet—too fast. I have to chant that stupid incantation.

"Huu."

"No need to be nervous. If anything happens, I'll protect you. Trust me."

Professor Hwang seems to have completely misunderstood.

"I."

Whoooosh—!

"Huh?"

The pleasant spring breeze vanishes. The temperature plummets. I only forced my mouth open and said a single word.

《Once upon a time, long long ago, there was a sun》

[The sun rises]

The sun that had been directly overhead at noon suddenly begins to swell.

"W-What?!"

The seated cadets stir. The sudden anomaly throws everything into chaos. The bored professor leaps to her feet, already on guard.

《Because the sun loved the moon so much》

《The moon came to love the sun as well》

[A daytime moon rises]

A radiant moon appears beside the blazing sun.

Whoooosh—!

Even amid the chaos, a freezing gale and blizzard roar in. The world feels like it's ending—or going insane.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—!!

Ice pillars erupt from the ground. The insane cold begins freezing everything.

"Everyone, over here!"

Professor Hwang creates what looks like a barrier and gathers the cadets.

《Geum-i's ── wishes to see you》

《Sang-i's ── strongly desires a contract》

《Geum-i's ── wishes to see you》

《Sang-i's ── strongly desires a contract》

..

..

..

The massive sun and moon slowly begin to merge.

《The ── of the Sun-Moon God strongly desires a contract》

I really only said one word. I didn't even get to the "contract" part.

'But why is it going this crazy?'