The location announced by the Hunter Academy was crowded with people.
“Wow, it’s packed again this year.”
“Well, graduating from the Academy means you get a C-rank Hunter license handed to you on a silver platter, skipping the grind of slowly clearing gates to rank up. Four years is worth it.”
“And with more people retaking the exam each year, the crowd just keeps growing.”
Despite their chatter, the journalists didn’t stop adjusting their cameras.
A famous Hunter was a force to be reckoned with.
Through the process of accepting overwhelming mana and physical transformation, they evolved into ideal forms—absolute beauty, unmatched and alluring.
The scene here, at the Hunter Academy entrance exam site, was filled with people whose presence eclipsed even the most dedicated models or idols.
It felt less like a Hunter exam and more like a rookie audition for an idol agency.
“Still, there doesn’t seem to be anyone exceptional this time,” one junior journalist remarked.
Other reporters nodded in agreement.
Every year, the Academy entrance exam revealed a hidden gem—a figure who stood out in their sheer presence.
These weren’t successors of already famous guilds or promising rookies with established names from engraving tests.
These were complete unknowns, seemingly dropped from the heavens, whose abilities made them instant legends.
One journalist jotting down notes about the prospective Hunters turned to a C-rank Hunter standing nearby, who was using mana detection to evaluate the candidates.
“So, these three are the ones we should watch out for?”
“…Hello? Are you listening?”
The C-rank Hunter couldn’t answer.
For the C-rank Hunter, free will had ceased to exist.
Every ounce of her attention—her sight, smell, hearing, even her mana detection—was irresistibly drawn to a man in the distance.
All she could think about was engraving his image into her mind for as long as possible, even if only for a second.
The reporters exchanged puzzled glances, noticing her slackened expression.
Drool trickled from her parted lips.
Her flushed cheeks betrayed the whirlwind of emotions she couldn’t suppress.
It was as if the seasoned C-rank Hunter had transformed into a lovestruck girl experiencing her first crush.
Baffled, the reporters turned their heads to follow her gaze.
And then they saw him.
Step, step…
Each step the man took seemed to fill the space with his overwhelming presence.
Every movement—every step, even the smallest gesture—captivated the attention of everyone present.
His mere presence seemed to paralyze the senses, leaving the candidates preparing for the entrance exam frozen in place.
It was as if they had forgotten how to breathe, their focus consumed by this single man.
Silence blanketed the area, broken only by the weight of his existence.
“Found him…”
Amid the silence, a journalist couldn’t help but curl his lips into a grin.
Only the male reporters, who were neither candidates nor prospective Hunters, remained unaffected by the man’s overwhelming aura.
They were the only ones who retained their rationality.
However, even they could feel it—his presence was undeniable.
It wasn’t due to the effect of an engraving.
Engravings naturally caused physical changes in the awakened, depending on the type of ability.
A physical-focused engraving might enhance strength and agility, while a magic-focused one might increase mana and intelligence.
The changes were unique to each individual, shaping them into their ideal form.
The man at the center of everyone’s attention, Si-woo, was no different.
His Symbol of Allure, etched onto his wrist, had refined his body to an almost otherworldly level, making him far more appealing and magnetic than the average Hunter.
“This is such a naturally gifted ability… for a host, at least.”
As Si-woo made his way through the captivated crowd, those who remained stared at him blankly, unable to tear their eyes away.
Meanwhile, the senior journalists began scolding their juniors.
“What are you doing? Start taking pictures already!”
“B-but, sir, what about his right to privacy…?”
“We’ll deal with that later. Just get the shot!”
That man was already newsworthy based on appearance alone.
And if he was taking the Hunter Academy entrance exam, it meant he intended to become a Hunter.
With looks like that, even if his combat skills were lacking, he could easily become the mascot of an entire guild.
For Si-woo to also possess exceptional combat abilities as a Hunter would be ideal, but the journalist found it unrealistic.
“With looks like that, paired with a charisma that dominates the atmosphere…”
It was obvious to anyone that Si-woo was the owner of a **charm-type engraving.**
Such engravings weren’t particularly useful for Hunters tasked with slaying monsters.
No matter how much training he had undergone, his abilities would pale in comparison to someone with a proper combat-focused engraving.
Even with incredible luck, the journalist doubted Si-woo would make it into the Academy.
Confident in his assessment, he pressed the camera shutter again and again, eager to capture as many shots as possible.
—
“The theme of this year’s entrance exam is ‘Cooperative Combat.’”
At exactly 12:00 PM, the scheduled start time, an announcement rang out through the speakers.
“This year’s entrance exam will be conducted in pairs, with each participant assigned a partner. Information about your partner has been sent to the device provided to you. Please check it immediately.”
‘Cooperative Combat?’
Even Si-woo widened his eyes in surprise at the unexpected format.
The Hunter Academy had always been known for its strength-focused philosophy, where raw power took precedence over teamwork or character. Si-woo wasn’t the only one baffled by the sudden change.
“Pairs? Two people in one team!?”
“And we don’t even get to choose our partners? They’re assigned randomly!?”
“This is ridiculous!”
Disgruntled murmurs rippled through the crowd of candidates, quickly escalating to protests.
The role of a Hunter was a privilege granted only to a rare, chosen few—those who had been blessed with an engraving.
Only the strongest, the superhumans, were allowed to pursue such a career.
The candidates gathered here weren’t just any ordinary engraved individuals; they were those who had awakened high-tier engravings the moment they were engraved—a badge of extraordinary talent.
This exam site was filled with individuals eager to prove their worth, to demonstrate their abilities in front of headhunters and journalists.
To many of them, relying on someone else’s strength felt unnecessary, even offensive.
Driven by a fierce desire to prove their self-sufficiency, the candidates raised their voices in frustration at the unorthodox rules of the exam.
“Anyone dissatisfied with the format may feel free to ‘exit.’”
The candidates’ protests were swiftly silenced by the cold, mechanical voice emanating from the speakers.
No amount of complaining would change the rules.
The voice over the speakers delivered that fact plainly, leaving the awakened candidates with stiff, frozen expressions.
‘They’re really naïve.’
Si-woo glanced at the frustrated candidates with a faint look of pity.
Newly awakened individuals often deluded themselves.
They believed they were irreplaceable prodigies, coveted by all.
If their engravings had been lower-ranked, they might not have fallen into such illusions.
However, the people gathered here had all awakened A-rank or higher engravings—they were extraordinarily lucky.
No, not prodigies.
Lucky individuals.
They mistakenly thought there were no substitutes for themselves.
In reality, there were countless replacements for each of them.
The Academy’s cutthroat competition was proof enough of that.
The Academy wasn’t interested in catering to egos.
Instead, it was a stage for candidates to prove themselves.
Those unwilling to accept the format were simply asked to leave.
“This place doesn’t need you. You’re here to show us what you’ve got. If you don’t like it, please exit immediately.”
Si-woo remained silent, having already learned the hard truths of the world.
At the host bar, he had encountered true prodigies and hard workers.
Compared to them, these candidates were nothing but frogs in a well, blissfully ignorant of the greater dangers beyond.
Most of them had never even stepped into the gates—a world of hell where true Hunters lived and died.
Si-woo, more than anyone, understood that society wasn’t a place where throwing tantrums would grant wishes.
So, he stayed quiet.
By entering the Academy’s entrance exam, the hierarchy of power was already clear: the Academy held all the cards.
“I assume there are no more complaints,” the voice from the speakers continued, cool and commanding.
The meaning was unmistakable: anyone who still had complaints would be dismissed from the exam without a second thought.
Si-woo wasn’t the only one who heard it that way.
The candidates, subdued, listened closely to the remaining announcements in the ensuing silence.
“Candidates are to locate their assigned partners and proceed with the exam according to their designated numbers.”
The format was a simulated battle against golems shaped like monsters.
The goal of the exam was to clear a total of 10 artificial gates in sequence.
“This concludes the announcement. If you have any questions, please ask the examiners. The first test will begin in 30 minutes, with candidates proceeding in the randomly assigned order.”
As soon as the announcement ended, the candidates scrambled to find their partners.
Those assigned early test slots were particularly frantic, searching desperately for their temporary partners to get at least a bit of practice together before the exam started.
“Who’s partnered with him?”
“So lucky…”
Even amidst the chaos, many couldn’t take their eyes off Si-woo.
Some were already lamenting the fact that their partner was a woman, not a man, and envying the fortunate soul who was paired with Si-woo.
It wasn’t long before a woman boldly approached him, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Huh?”
“Her?”
Her deep blue hair shimmered like the ocean in a gentle breeze.
The flowing locks reached down past her waist, complementing her sharp, crimson eyes that resembled blooming roses.
Her piercing gaze, reminiscent of a seasoned predator, gave her an aura of authority.
“…Saria?”
Si-woo recognized her name immediately.
She was the daughter of the Guild Master of Arkineth, a guild composed entirely of magic-users.
A prodigy who had awakened an SS-rank engraving, she was the heir to the Arkineth Guild and had been raised with every advantage imaginable—a true elite.
“Nice to meet you, Kang Si-woo,” she said, extending her hand toward him with a short, curt greeting.
As their eyes met, Si-woo struggled to maintain a neutral expression.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen that look.”
Her sharp gaze, like that of a predator sizing up its prey, bore into him.
Meeting her eyes, Si-woo sighed inwardly.
It seemed this entrance exam was not going to be as straightforward as he’d hoped.
