The day after Si-woo finished moving into the Academy’s top-floor dormitory, reserved exclusively for the top student:
“This isn’t as uncomfortable as I thought.”
Si-woo inspected the uniform provided by the Academy for the entrance ceremony.
“Well, it’s not like I’ll be wearing this often except for formal events.”
The Academy’s rules were far more relaxed compared to regular schools.
This was partly because the minimum awakening age for engravings was 20, but mostly because awakened humans were inherently dangerous.
Trying to overly suppress them could lead to catastrophic outcomes that would go far beyond ordinary incidents.
As long as it stayed within the boundaries of the law, almost anything was tolerated.
The uniform was no exception.
It served only as a marker to signify a student’s affiliation with the Hunter Academy during formal occasions, such as entrance or graduation ceremonies.
Outside of such events, students rarely, if ever, wore it.
Adjusting the black necktie and observing his reflection in the mirror, Si-woo let out a small sigh.
“Hmm… Maybe I should put in colored contacts or something.”
The uniform, black with golden embroidery, bore an uncanny resemblance to the suits Si-woo used to wear during his host days.
Staring at his reflection, he couldn’t help but feel like he was facing his past self from that time.
Though there were subtle differences if he looked closely enough, the similarities were undeniable.
“Tsk, my reputation’s too infamous as it is.”
No matter how much effort he put into changing his image, it would be impossible to fool the sharp eyes of high-ranking Hunters.
Besides, the name Kang Si-woo carried too much weight.
One woman had already made her mark, firmly staking her claim.
No matter how much he altered his appearance, the women who had fallen for him would always recognize him.
To those blinded by their obsession, any changes he made seemed trivial at best.
“What a waste of time.”
Si-woo let out a self-deprecating laugh and gave up on his futile attempts at disguise.
As usual, he finished his preparations with some basic skincare, lotion, and sunscreen.
Finally, he checked the sword strapped to his side before stepping out of the dormitory.
The men’s dormitory at the Hunter Academy was eerily quiet.
More specifically, the top-floor dormitory reserved for the top student was silent, with not even a shadow of another person in sight.
From the hallway to the lobby, there was no sign of life as Si-woo made his way out.
It reminded him of a news article he had seen online a few days ago.
“This year, the number of male applicants is unusually low.”
The reason? None other than Kang Si-woo himself.
Men had been captivated by what they had seen of Si-woo—entranced by his strength and prowess.
They attempted to imitate his movements, inspired by his performance.
There’s a proverb that goes, “A crow-tit that tries to walk like a stork will tear its legs apart.”
That perfectly described the male applicants who had intended to enroll in this year’s Academy.
Anyone who had witnessed Si-woo’s engraving in action, regardless of gender, could sense the overwhelming allure it exuded—even men.
Still, those male candidates had convinced themselves they could replicate Si-woo’s swordsmanship, despite being the same gender and lacking any combat-oriented engraving.
“Well, it’s not just the men, to be fair.”
Si-woo chuckled softly, recalling the women who had tried to imitate him through the monitors.
As Si-woo exited the dormitory, he soon arrived at a fork in the path.
Past the split that led to the men’s and women’s dormitories, people finally began to appear here and there.
“Hey, isn’t that…?”
“That’s the top freshman.”
“He cleared the entire entrance exam. I couldn’t even get past Stage 4.”
Both new and returning students murmured as they noticed Si-woo.
His presence naturally drew attention, not only because of his refined appearance and physique enhanced by his engraving, but also because of the unprecedented strength he had displayed during the entrance exam.
Ignoring the whispers around him, Si-woo walked on.
He had grown far too accustomed to such chatter.
“Popular already, huh? Even this early in the morning?”
As Si-woo approached the auditorium, a voice called out to him.
Turning toward the speaker, he saw a woman with deep blue hair reminiscent of the ocean depths and crimson eyes that sparkled like rubies.
Recognizing her instantly, Si-woo greeted her with a warm smile and waved his hand.
The two faced each other.
Although she had initiated the conversation, Saria found herself frozen like a statue, unsure of how to continue.
Remembering something, Si-woo pulled out a piece of paper, as if he had been waiting for this moment to show her before he forgot.
“-!!”
Whoosh!
A small gust of wind stirred as Saria’s arm moved.
Her speed was so quick that even Si-woo, for a brief moment, couldn’t track it.
Forgetting for a moment that she was a mage, he realized she had snatched the partner application form from his hand.
Her crimson eyes sparkled with interest as she examined it.
“If you were that curious, you could’ve just called me.”
“I told you before, I didn’t want to pressure you.”
It was sincere.
As much as Saria wanted to spend her Academy life alongside Si-woo, she was even more determined not to become a burden to him.
While she couldn’t help being captivated by him, she wanted to prove that her mind wasn’t being controlled by his allure.
This feeling wasn’t a result of his engraving—it was entirely her own.
She wanted Si-woo to know that this was 100% her true emotions, born from her own heart.
Saria unfolded the paper.
Seeing not only her own familiar name but also the three characters for Kang Si-woo written on the partner application form, she smiled blissfully, as if nothing could make her happier.
The fear that had weighed heavily on her heart dissolved, vanishing like a breeze.
“We can figure out the schedule after the entrance ceremony, right?”
Si-woo’s face suddenly leaned closer.
A faint scent filled Saria’s senses, mingling with an inexplicable fragrance that wasn’t from any cologne.
It was a natural, subtle aroma that stirred her mind, evoking something primal.
It was only then that Saria realized the situation—Si-woo’s face was so close that it felt as though he might kiss her.
Her heart pounded.
For at least the next four years, she would get to be with this man.
The suppressed emotions she had been holding back began to break free, shattering the cage of reason she had built around herself.
“Yeah, today’s free time starts right after the entrance ceremony, along with course registration,” Si-woo said casually.
Even as she tried to act nonchalant, Saria couldn’t fool Si-woo’s sharp eyes.
Her overflowing emotions were clear as day to him.
Seeing her flustered expression, Si-woo chuckled softly and reached out to hold her hand.
“?!!?!”
Her instincts and reason froze entirely in the face of his touch.
The coldness of her hand was overwhelmed by the warmth flowing from Si-woo’s.
It wasn’t just her heart—her head felt like it was spinning, as if everything inside her was about to break down.
“Don’t be so nervous. We’ll be together from now on, won’t we?”
“Y-Yes, but…”
How could anyone stay calm when the person they loved was right next to them?
Perhaps she would grow used to it over time, but for now, it was simply too overwhelming.
Saria, her face bright red, kept her head down as she began walking toward the auditorium.
‘And yet, he still hasn’t let go of my hand.’
Enjoying her flustered reaction, Si-woo held her hand firmly, adjusting his stride to match hers as they headed to the auditorium.
There was still plenty of time left before the entrance ceremony began.
Hunter Academy Entrance Ceremony.
The entrance ceremony at Hunter Academy was surprisingly short—far shorter than one might expect.
Starting with a brief oath of admission, the ceremony wrapped up in less than an hour.
“There are a lot of Hunters who hate old-fashioned, boring events like entrance ceremonies,” someone explained.
Gone were the traditional long-winded speeches from the headmaster that often defined such events.
The ceremony at Hunter Academy was simple and concise, focusing only on what was necessary.
Key information about the Academy, its schedule, and an introduction to the demerit and reward system were the main highlights, leaving little room for unnecessary pomp.
As soon as the hour-long orientation-style ceremony concluded, the students began rising from their seats one by one.
“Yo.”
“So, the only thing left is course registration, huh?”
“Yeah, since it’s Friday, we just need to submit our schedules by the end of the weekend.”
One key difference between Hunter Academy and traditional universities was evident:
As long as students attended the required core lectures, there was no need to take any filler courses just to meet credit requirements.
The concept of “graduation credits” simply didn’t exist here.
“There’s no limit to the number of courses you can take, either. If you cram your schedule completely full, it’s even possible to rack up 40 credits in one semester.”
“Why would anyone want to live like that?”
Saria shrugged with a smirk, as if to say, “Of course not.”
Unlike other schools, Hunter Academy prioritized cultivating its students’ skills over forcing them to meet arbitrary credit requirements.
Packing one’s schedule full of unnecessary lectures for appearances’ sake was nothing but a foolish waste of time.
Pulling out her phone, Saria opened the link provided by the Academy to check the courses available for this semester.
“Since the core lectures are already set, I’ll just need to plan around those…”
Saria began mentally organizing her schedule, but suddenly, her movements came to a halt.
“Wait, what?”
Si-woo stopped as well, seemingly just as surprised.
Instead of focusing on the course titles, they both noticed something else—the names of the instructors.
Saria’s judgment had been spot-on.
In the Hunter Academy, where midterms, finals, and even graduation exams were all conducted as practical assessments, experience outweighed theory.
As a student and a Hunter, her choice to seek out lectures taught by those with firsthand battlefield experience was a wise one.
But as a woman, it was a mistake.
The names that caught their attention belonged to three women—all targeting Si-woo—who were on an entirely different level compared to other instructors.
These weren’t just regular Hunters but ranker-level elites with overwhelming skill and experience.
Course List.
Course Name: How Mages and Swordsmen Can Work in Harmony
Instructor: Kitsunezawa Wakamo
Course Name: Manifesting Magic through Magic Circles and Chanting Omission
Instructor: Baek Eun-seol
Course Name: Surviving in a Gate
Instructor: Jung Se-ah
The fact that these three exceptional Hunters were now Si-woo’s potential instructors only added fuel to an already fiery rivalry.