Training Class [7]

I realized something after checking my penalty: 

First, the most painful part—I probably wouldn't be able to use [Blue Flames] ever. Not with [Mana Restriction]. And maybe not even any other spells I might pull in the future. 

For now, I could only rely on [Dash] for the practical exam and whatever comes next. But there were also my physical limitations. Even though I felt slightly stronger than the average person after awakening, I was still one of the weakest hunters in the novel. 

The original Kim Arrieta Sugil was extremely weak. Even though he barely appeared at the beginning of the story—or almost never—he was always described as 'useless,' a 'lackey,' or even 'the weakest student in all of SERA.' 

Honestly, I have no idea how he even passed the practical exam. 

That's the kind of character I ended up in. And on top of that, my system gives me a gacha that's practically useless since I can't even use magic. 

But… 

There was still one way for me to grow stronger—to rise above these pathetic titles of loser and good-for-nothing. 

[My knowledge of the novel.] 

I can say this out loud without fear of criticism. And I truly believe it— I am the biggest fan of this novel. I've reread it at least a hundred times. 

I remember almost every event. I'm basically a walking Wikipedia for 'Save the Humanity.' 

That means I know where to find high-rank items that will make me stronger—without affecting the story more than it already has with this new Sae-jin. 

And speaking of items, I know exactly where to find one. 

But for now— 

'I just need to withstand Sae-jin. A little longer. To not fear him, or this world around me. It's only by overcoming that fear and adapting that I can truly become stronger.' 

Right after my sudden realization, a notification window popped up in front of me: 

[Information: Kim Sugil's mental strength and awareness of this world have increased. Not by much, but they are improving.] 

"Heh." 

'Not by much, huh… What a joke. But I guess it's better than nothing.' 

— 

"Grah… damn it!" 

Ha-joon shouted as he tried to land a hit on Sae-jin, but it was futile. Sae-jin dodged nearly all of Ha-joon's and Lim's attacks with ease. 

After a few minutes of evading, Sae-jin suddenly smiled. Then— 

'Phah!'

"GAKH!" 

With a calculated kick to the stomach, he sent Ha-joon flying several meters back. Ha-joon's body skidded across the training ground, leaving marks on the dirt. 

"Ugh… You bastard…" 

Ha-joon muttered, struggling to get back on his feet, holding his stomach while writhing in pain.

'Ever since yesterday, everyone's been talking about this asshole. But before that, I was the center of attention… I'm the son of a highly esteemed family. I can't afford to be humiliated any further by a loser like him…' 

His eyes burned with anger as he glared at Sae-jin. 

Lim Astread whistled, watching Ha-joon in rough shape. 

"Nice kick." 

Then, he turned to Sae-jin with sharp eyes and a confident smile. 

"And by the way, he really deserved that, so you really did me a favour" 

Sae-jin simply smiled and didn't reply. 

'Even though it's already been a week… I still can't fully believe it…' 

Without another thought, Sae-jin dashed toward Lim, drawing his sword. 

[Seijuro Style: ★★★★☆ ] 

Holding nothing back, Sae-jin finally activated the 'Seijuro' style. His sword extended like a whip, striking from nearly every angle, forcing Lim Astread to struggle to adapt. 

'He's finally using it!' 

Ah-reum thought, watching the fight from a distance. 

'With this, I have my proof. Sae-jin is definitely the strongest of the three.' 

"Damn, Ah-reum, you've really got a monster in your class…" 

Kang Sung-min, standing beside her, widened his eyes. 

Ah-reum could only smile at his words. 

"Even though Kim Sae-jin has only been here for a few days and even missed the first lesson… he's someone you could call a prodigy. A person with pure talent. SERA is lucky to have someone like him. If we refine him properly, these three years will allow him to reach Rank B in no time. And once he becomes a confirmed Ranker, I'd say give him five years before he reaches SS or even SSS rank." 

Lee Ah-reum's attention was then drawn to some students looking elsewhere. Curious, she followed their gaze. 

"What is—" 

"What's that little four-eyes doing over there?" 

Inside the [Battle Zone], a bit further behind the fight, a boy stood firmly, gripping his mid-length sword. His legs were bent, his stance set—his deep, unwavering gaze locked onto Kim Sae-jin. 

— 

'Wait for the right moment, Sugil…' 

I thought, my eyes fixed on Sae-jin.

[Quest: Reach Level 5 during the entrance exam

Rewards: New card abilities of 1 or 2 stars, gain points in STR and END.

Failure to complete the quest within the time limit will result in penalties for the next 10 days. Quest difficulty: RANK F.]