Chapter 75: The hunters path
Noah sat cross-legged on his dormitory bed, his sharp crimson gaze fixed on the academy's crest etched into the wall. The Hunter Academy had its rules, its structure—a system built to churn out soldiers, explorers, and killers. Graduation wasn't about knowledge or skill alone; it was about **reaching Level 20**, the bare minimum required to survive in this world teeming with dangers.
For most students, that goal was distant, daunting. Talent and luck played crucial roles. A promising hunter might take **five months** to reach Level 5, while the less gifted might flounder for a year or more. At Level 5, the academy weeded out those who couldn't keep up, sending them back to the ordinary lives they were so desperate to escape.
Noah's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Pathetic," he muttered to himself. "They claw at scraps, while I ascend unhindered."
---
Noah was different. His Legendary-grade class, **Night Sovereign**, stood in a league of its own. It wasn't just the title that set him apart but the growth it afforded. Unlike his classmates, who gained a single attribute point per level, Noah received **five**, making each level-up exponentially more valuable.
His stats were already monstrous compared to his peers, and he had surpassed **Level 10** months ago in a dungeon—a feat unheard of for someone his age. Most of his classmates were still slogging toward Level 5, their progress painstakingly slow.
If he wanted to, Noah could graduate within the next two years, bypassing the grueling five or more years it took for others.
But speed wasn't his concern. Secrecy was.
"If they discover I'm already Level 10—no, closer to 15—it'll raise too many questions," he thought, leaning back against the cool wall. **"The academy is filled with predators like Darius. I don't need them circling.
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The academy was a carefully crafted ecosystem of competition, power plays, and ambition. Students were ranked by their levels, their performance in dungeons, and their ability to wield mana effectively. But rankings weren't the true measure of strength.
Favoritism was rampant. Instructors funneled resources into students they deemed promising, often favoring those with noble bloodlines or connections. The rest had to scrape by with whatever scraps they could claim.
For Noah, it was amusing.
"They have no idea what a real hunter is," he mused. " Their pampered prodigies wouldn't last a week in the chaos I've known."
His Legendary-grade class had brought him far, but he wasn't blind to the academy's undercurrents. The instructors weren't just teachers; they were opportunists, eager to attach themselves to rising stars.
And then there was Darius. The veteran hunter's gaze lingered too long, his curiosity far too sharp for Noah's liking.
"He's waiting," Noah thought, narrowing his eyes. "Waiting for me to slip up, to reveal what I truly am."
---
Noah's strategy was simple: advance without drawing attention.
He would level steadily, maintaining a pace that seemed exceptional but not impossible. His **[Level Concealment]** skill, a passive gift of his bloodline, masked his progress. To the academy's detection systems, he was just another promising student hovering around Level 5.
"They see what I want them to see,"Noah thought, his smirk returning. "And they're none the wiser."
He attended his classes, sparred with peers, and delved into dungeons, all while hiding his true potential. For now, he allowed the academy to believe he was playing their game, even as he quietly laid the groundwork for his own ambitions.
---
Despite his confidence, there was a nagging uncertainty that Noah couldn't ignore.
This world, though calm compared to his previous life, was far from simple. The academy was only a microcosm of the larger stage—a controlled environment where students could test their limits. Outside, there were true monsters, both literal and figurative, waiting to strike.
Rumors spoke of hunters who had reached Level 40, their power incomprehensible to most. Others whispered of beasts and entities beyond mortal understanding, capable of leveling cities with a flick of their claws.
Noah had yet to encounter such power, but he was no fool. He couldn't let himself grow complacent.
"I need to understand the limits of this world,"he thought. "What's the peak? What's the ceiling? And how do I shatter it?"
---
Noah's thoughts drifted to his classmates. They were oblivious to his true strength, their petty rivalries and ambitions laughable in his eyes.
Then there was Sienna. The werewolf heiress remained an enigma. Their brief encounters had left him intrigued—and wary. She knew what he was, and that knowledge made her both a potential ally and a dangerous liability.
"She's not under my control," Noah admitted to himself, his expression darkening. "But perhaps she doesn't need to be. Not yet."
He would see her again, of that he was certain. Until then, he would sharpen his skills, deepen his knowledge, and prepare for whatever this world had to throw at him.
"Graduation is just a formality," Noah thought, standing and stretching. "The real game begins when I leave this place. And when I do, I'll be untouchable."