《Struggles of a Dungeon Hunter》


 Chapter 1

    One hundred years ago, Earth merged with another world on a different plane of existence. As such, dungeon gates opened up between the worlds and monsters from the other planet invaded Earth. It became complete chaos, and millions across the globe died.


    However, not all hope was lost, as humans were given magical abilities to fight back. Slowly, but surely, these humans known as "dungeon hunters" or simply "hunters", brought stability back to civilization.


    Some time later, hunter academies were established. These academies aimed to train the next generation in using their abilities to fight monsters. One such academy, "Evergreen Academy", became the most prestigious hunter academy around, as several top tier hunters were alumni from Evergreen Academy.


    And now, I''ve become a student at that very same academy.


    ''My imposter syndrome is seriously acting up...''


    What started as a joke applying to several schools way out of my league ended in me being shocked stupid by an acceptance letter. I honestly don''t even know what Evergreen Academy saw in some generic guy like me, but it''s not like I was going to complain about getting accepted.


    ''Anyways, shouldn''t my roommate be coming any minute now?''


    The entrance ceremony had ended a few hours prior. Since classes didn''t really start until tomorrow, I had used that time to familiarize myself with the campus layout. Afterwards, I just decided to go to the dorm room and lay down for a while.


    "Hello hello hello! Is my roommate here~? Oh! There you are! You aren''t asleep, are you?"


    The young man with peach hair who had just walked in casually poked my cheek, and I let out a soft sigh.


    "...No."


    Somehow, I felt like my time at Evergreen Academy would be very exhausting.


    ? ? ?


    "Hey Gene! You should wake up! You probably don''t want to be late on the first day of classes, right?"


    My roommate Red aggressively shook me awake, and I weakly pushed him away. We hadn''t talked much last night, as he had left with an awkward expression after a phone call, but we''d at least gotten through basic self introductions.


    "...Screw off. Let me sleep more."


    "No way! You''d hate me if I did that."


    Despite my protests, I was dragged out of bed by Red and forced to put on the academy''s uniform. As a uniform, it was actually pretty simplistic, just consisting of a white button up shirt and dark green pants, but I was surprised at how much it complimented my black hair.


    Anyways, once I had gotten it on, Red brought some pancakes with fruit over to me.


    "Here, we have time, so eat up!"


    "Aren''t you being excessively nice to someone you basically just met?"


    Red cocked his head to the side like he didn''t understand what I had said.


    "Do I need a reason to be nice to someone? Well, if I had to give one, it''s because I''d like to be friends with my roommate!"


    "Ah, alright then... thank you- I''ll try to repay this kindness in the future."


    "Well, don''t feel the need to, but if it makes you comfortable, go ahead."


    With that considerate remark from Red, I dug into the fruit and pancakes that Red had given me. The fluffy texture melted in my mouth, and the combination of the juicy fruit and syrup made for a perfect medley of sweetness. They were shockingly delicious, to the point where I questioned whether they were even considered pancakes or not.


    "You like them?"


    "Yeah, they''re amazing. It''s a bit awkward to be eating them alone though."


    "Oh, haha, sorry. I made mine earlier right after I woke up."


    "...Just how early do you wake up?"


    "I''d say about 5 A.M. is a comfortable time for me to wake up. Any earlier and I get kinda... stubborn?"


    "...Huh."


    ''I can''t believe morning people actually exist like this.''


    Momentarily stunned, I just ate the rest of my pancakes with a blank expression. After I was finished, it was time to go to our first class, and so Red and I headed off to the freshmans'' lecture hall.


    ? ? ?


    "Good morning everyone. My name is Instructor Barrett, and I will be your homeroom instructor during your time at Evergreen Academy. I will be in charge of any general announcements, trips, or other major events that may occur for your class. Since we will be seeing each other for a while, I hope we will get along well.


    Anyways... as you all know, hunters each have their own unique abilities. Some abilities may share very similar characteristics with each other, but they ultimately differ as a whole. As such, it can be very difficult to quantify the strength of a hunter.


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    However, Evergreen Academy has managed to do just that. Every student here will take a ranking examination today and be ranked fairly according to their capabilities. There are three different ranking categories; offense, defense, and support. Please group up in front of the category you are most confident in."


    Instructor Barrett stepped aside to let the students group up. He had a bit of an intimidating physique, but the students weren''t too afraid of him as he seemed agreeable enough in his introduction earlier. Red and I got up from our seats in the corner of the lecture hall and joined the multitude of students clamouring to the different categories.


    "Hey Gene, which category are you going to?"


    "The offense one. It suits me best."


    "Really? I''m going there too! Let''s compare our ranks afterwards!"


    "...Okay, sounds good."


    I never quite cared for ranking systems before, as I felt that they''d made people a lot more hostile in the name of "friendly competition". Regardless of my thoughts on that matter though, all of the students were eventually grouped up in their respective categories. Two more instructors then entered the room, one a confident and beautiful woman and the other an enthusiastic young-ish man.


    "Hello everyone, you can call me Instructor Reina! I''m in charge of your combat classes here at Evergreen Academy."


    "And I''m Instructor Lee! I''m in charge of alchemy class, and this is my first year teaching classes on my own, so please treat me well!"


    Instructor Lee looked towards Instructor Barrett with expectant eyes, as if asking to be praised. In response, he gave a light nod, brightening Instructor Lee''s expression and allowing Instructor Reina to continue speaking.


    "Offense and defense students, please follow me to your examination room. Support students will follow Instructor Lee to their examination room."


    After Instructor Reina finished speaking, we followed her down a corridor and into a large room filled with virtual reality capsules. It was very impressive, and it could probably hold at least a few dozen students at once.


    "This is our state-of-the-art virtual reality training room. Today, you''ll be using this to take your examination. When you first enter the virtual world, you will be prompted to input the exam you''re taking and the characteristics of your ability. Please do this accurately, as various monsters have different characteristics that benefit different people, and we want to make sure everyone has an even starting line. Once you have done that, you will recieve further instructions depending on the examination you''re taking. After the exam is finished, you will return to the lecture hall so that another student may take your place.


    Don''t worry, if you have any questions about the exam, you''ll have an opportunity to ask them before you begin. Now that I''ve said my piece, please enter the room in an orderly fashion. Once all of the capsules are full, just wait outside until a student leaves."


    Despite the initial chaos, the students actually managed to organize themselves in a semi coherent line, apart from a few troublemakers. Red and I ended up somewhere in the middle of the line, and so we struck up another conversation while we were waiting.


    "Have you ever used a virtual reality system before, Gene?"


    "No. They''re too expensive."


    "Ah, well, I think you''ll like it! It''s really cool! Everything in virtual reality feels so real, from walking and eating to even riding rollercoasters! It''s a shame this is only a training program though... do you think they would have any VR games in here?"


    "Probably not. This is a school, not an internet cafe."


    "True, true... I''ll just have to bring in my own games then!"


    "...I somehow doubt the school will let you do that. And even if you managed to smuggle them in, how on earth would you get the games installed on the system, let alone without getting noticed?"


    "Hm... I''m not sure... how about you give me some ideas?"


    "...How about you just come up with some better ideas of your own?"


    "Oh yeah! I''ll just bring in my own VR capsule!"


    "..."


    Time passed quickly as we continued to mindlessly chat, and we eventually entered the training room where the examinations were being held.


    ? ? ?


    Opening my eyes in the virtual reality space and taking my first breath, I couldn''t help but let out a gasp of admiration.


    ''Holy... it''s just a white matrix void, but it feels so real! This is amazing!''


    A child-like curiosity and amazement that I hadn''t felt in years washed over me as I moved my body around. Suddenly, a blue screen filled with blanks popped up in front of me.


    ''Ah... this must be where I input my info.''


    I diligently inputted my info into the screen before pressing "confirm" and saw a few warnings about the dangers of virtual reality pop up in front of me. I closed those pop-ups and watched as the white landscape turned into a beautiful grassy plain. I was at a loss for words.


    I started hearing a voice in my head, but I tuned it out as I ran around the grassy plain. I could feel the wind hit my back, and I decided to shamelessly roll around in the grass for a bit.


    ''This is great! It''s not hot, I don''t get dirty, and best of all, there''s no bugs! I wish there was a hill though, I''ve always wanted to try rolling down one.''


    After messing around for a while, I finally remembered that this was supposed to be an examination and I tuned back into the voice that was probably very important to listen to.


    "-If you have any questions, feel free to ask now. Otherwise, whenever you are ready to start the exam, just hit the green button on your wristband."


    The voice sounded like a pre-recorded version of Instructor Reina, and I let out a sigh of relief I didn''t know I had.


    ''...Okay, let''s just pretend I didn''t do all that.''


    Regaining my composure, I looked down at the wristband Instructor Reina had mentioned. I was impressed that I hadn''t even noticed this on my wrist in the first place. There were two buttons, one green and one red. The green one started the exam, so I assumed the red one ended it.


    "I''m sorry, I couldn''t understand your instructions. Could you repeat them for me again?"


    But there was no reason for me to play any guessing games when I could just ask for the instructions again.


    "Sure thing. In this examination, you will face off against several rounds of monsters. There could be one monster, or there could be many. The more rounds you complete, the higher your ranking will be. After each round, any injuries you had sustained will be healed. If you wish to give up at any point during the exam, just press the red button on your wristband.


    Everything in this examination will feel real, but please do not worry, as your body is safe and sound in the real world. However, if you are ever too afraid or injured to continue, do not hesitate to give up. Especially if you''re in a near death state. Your mental health is important.


    If you have any questions, feel free to ask now. Otherwise, whenever you are ready to start the exam, just hit the green button on your wristband."


    The pre-recorded Instructor Reina finished her spiel, and I was surprised at just how kind her words sounded. Pushing that aside though, now that I knew what the exam was actually about, I readied myself and pressed the green button to begin the exam.

 Chapter 2

    "Round 1: Goblin."


    Instructor Reina''s pre-recorded voice hit my ears, and I saw a small green creature that was about half of my proud 5''9" height materialize in front of me. It had flabby, wrinkly skin but it was as thin as bones. The goblin wore nothing more than rags on its body to cover the important bits, and it sported a crudely made knife.


    ''It looks easy to defeat, but this is my first time fighting monsters. I can''t overestimate myself or underestimate the enemy.''


    For the first time since coming to Evergreen Academy, I activated my ability. A dagger made out of dark energy appeared in front of me, and I grasped the hilt of it. I charged towards the goblin and swung at its neck like it was instinct.


    The goblin reacted quickly, and it blocked my strike with the knife it was holding. However, it''s crude design made it clear that it was weakening. I didn''t let the goblin go on the offensive, and I instead sweeped my leg while the goblin was focused on the clash of our knives. It lost its balance for a moment, and I used that opening to send a direct stab towards its head. The goblin blocked once more, but its weak balance caused the already weak knife to break into pieces. It didn''t even get to register what had happened as I used my previous momentum to plunge my dagger straight into its head, killing it instantly.


    "Press the green button whenever you''re ready for the next round."


    The goblin corpse disappeared as I decided to do some light stretches. The first round was most likely just a warm-up round for the students. Those who''d never seen a monster before in person would have time to adjust, and it was easy enough for anyone with offense oriented abilities to defeat.


    Relaxed and ready for the next round, I pressed the green button.


    "Round 2: Orc."


    Another green creature materialized in front of me, but this time it was about half a foot larger than me. The orc seemed to have tough skin, with well built muscles and a large snout. It also carried a medieval shield and axe, making it much more formidable than the goblin earlier.


    ''It''s impossible for me to kill it in one hit in a direct battle. I''ll have to weaken it and wear it down through multiple strikes.''


    I charged at the orc with my dagger like before with the goblin, but it confidently blocked me with its shield before swinging its axe. Unable to dodge in time, I chose to block the axe with my dagger, but that left my side exposed. The orc shield bashed me, and I stumbled backwards, losing my posture. I gritted my teeth as the orc relentlessly attacked me with its axe and shield, keeping me on the defensive.


    ''I''ve got to change my weapon!''


    At the cost of a small gash on my torso, I created some space between me and the orc and changed my dark energy dagger to a dark energy spear. Considering my lack of dark energy and control, it was more like a thin and shaky rod, but I couldn''t get any attacks to reach the orc otherwise.


    I ran forwards once more and thrusted the spear towards the orc. It blocked it with the shield, but unlike before, the axe couldn''t reach me. I sideswiped my spear past the shield before it could react and pushed it forward as fast as possible. I struck the orc straight in its lower abdomen, causing it to let out a bellowing roar that nearly sent shivers down my spine.


    I twisted my spear before pulling it out, causing as much damage to the orc as possible. The orc entered an aggravated state, becoming even more relentless than before. It lost its reason and moved purely on instinct, making it much more difficult to hit the orc again with the spear.


    ''I can kill it if I get close, but how do I do that? Wait... the axe! The handle''s definitely something I can slice through!''


    Being a medieval axe, the handle was made out of wood and almost certainly weaker than the orc''s skin. I changed my spear back into a dagger and feigned an attack on the shield. Moving on instinct, the orc blocked my feint and began to swing down its axe. But I moved first, and I directly hit the axe handle with my dagger, causing the axe head to fall off. It hit my shoulder to make it bleed before hitting the ground, but that was well worth the advantage I gained.


    The orc seemed to recognize that its weapon was now useless, and it chose to take the time to drop its weapon. I didn''t miss this opening, and I lunged past its shield with my dagger and struck its wound again. The orc roared loudly in pain and made my ears bleed, but I continued to just stab and stab.


    However, I''d forgotten that the orc now had one of its hands free. It grabbed me by the neck with a crushing force, and it opted to drop its shield to grab my neck with its other hand as well. The orc lifted me up and away from its wound with its strength, and I began to suffocate from the pressure on my neck.


    ''If I can''t reach it with the dagger anymore, I''ll just have to make the dagger reach it!''


    Both the orc and I were in a completely defenseless position now, and so I pointed my dagger at the orc''s snout and directly transformed it into a spear. The spear stabbed into the orcs snout, causing it to roar even loader and somehow put more force into its hands.


    My heart began to pound furiously as I had the dark energy spear bend and twist inside the orc, desperately trying to stab a vital point. Flailing my arms that were holding the spear around, my vision began to darken just as I saw blood spurt out of the orc''s head. Finally, the roaring stopped and the hands on my neck loosened, causing me to fall helplessly to the ground.


    "Press the green button whenever you''re ready for the next round."


    I took huge breaths in and out and returned my heart rate to normal as I laid in the grass. All of the bruises and cuts I had sustained were healed, but my mind felt a bit shaken.


    ''That might as well have been the real round 1, and I already barely survived. If I had more control over my ability, or heck, even if I just had more dark energy, things wouldn''t have been this tough.''


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    I sighed.


    "...I''m really quite pathetic for an Evergreen Academy student, aren''t I?"


    "No person starts out with exceptional abilities right from the get go. The top ranked hunters you see today have reached their positions through hard work and perseverance. The purpose of Evergreen Academy''s ranking exam is not to belittle anybody for their abilities. Rather, it is to encourage them to keep working hard so that they may surpass their limits."


    ''...Huh. So Instructor Reina pre-recorded these kinds of messages too. She really does seem like a considerate person.''


    I got up from the ground and started to do some light stretches, my head feeling much clearer than before.


    ''Well anyways, she''s right. It''s not like I''ve really practiced my ability at all, so of course it''s going to be pathetic. It was a miracle to get into Evergreen without any real effort, but ironically enough, it''s now an opportunity for me to start putting effort in. The only thing I can do right now though is give it my all, down to my last breath.''


    With a newfound resolution, I pressed the green button to start round 3.


    "Round 3: Goblin Horde."


    Around 30 goblins appeared in front of me, and they instantly pounced on my lonesome self. I struggled to get any strikes in as the goblins surrounded and slashed at me, causing me to bleed all over the place and forcing me to be very defensive.


    ''I can''t waste time trying to break their weapons. It''s got to be one strike, one kill. Conventional means won''t work here.''


    I became completely reckless with my body as I threw a punch at one of the goblins. As I did so, I formed a fast moving and sharp spike from my hand, piercing straight through the goblin''s shoddy weapon and its skull. I retracted the spike and returned to my defensive position, but I was already starting to feel a bit woozy from the increasing blood loss.


    ''My defense is too weak... ah, if I time it right, I can fully utilize my ability!''


    I covered my body in a thin layer of dark energy. It wasn''t much, but it forcefully suppressed the bleeding and prevented the weaker stabs and slashes from hurting me. I then threw another punch at a goblin, moving all of the dark energy from my body to my hand in a spike. Just after the spike pierced the goblin''s skull, I retracted it and covered my body with the dark energy again.


    This worked for a few goblins, but then I suddenly felt a blinding pain in my left eye unlike anything else I''ve ever experienced, and I screamed in agony. My ability worked faster than my mind or my body, and a dark energy spike forcefully protruded from inside my left eye. A shoddy knife and a goblin corpse fell to the ground. My body was shaking and screaming in pain, but my mind was calm, and I quickly gathered my thoughts.


    ''I almost died there, I was lucky just to go half blind. Was it instinct? No nevermind, that''s not important right now. I need to change my attack patterns so that the goblins can''t adapt.''


    I swung my fist at another goblin. The goblin, expecting a spike, didn''t bother blocking with the knife and instead evaded to the side. Meanwhile, the other goblins, expecting me to be defenseless, all moved to attack me at once.


    However, I didn''t make a spike, and by the time they realized, they were full of openings. Instead of a spike, I opted for a sideways blade, and I forcefully swung my hand around. Many goblins became casualties, and others were significantly injured.


    At this point, the corpses and injured goblins were somewhat becoming a hindrance to the other goblins. Not to mention, my attacks became unpredictable, and so the goblins were leaving more openings than before. However, I wasn''t faring much better. My body was battered and aching, and my movements were becoming clumsy.


    ''It''s a game of endurance now.''


    I forcefully continued to swing my arms around and stab the goblins with spikes or a blade. My breathing became heavier, and it felt like I was choking on air. Despite my defensive dark energy around me, I was still losing blood, and I felt very lightheaded and faint. Eventually though, it was just one lone goblin standing between me and the end of round 3.


    The goblin swung its knife at me, but I couldn''t physically dodge anymore. I fell to the ground at eye level with the goblin.


    ''I might not have the energy to move, but I''m still able to use my ability.''


    When the goblin got close to me with the knife, it believed I had run out of strength and didn''t bother guarding itself. I launched a surprise attack with a dark energy spike from my head, and the last goblin fell down.


    "Press the green button whenever you are ready for the next round."


    I completely collapsed on the grass at the sound of Instructor Reina''s voice, and I felt all of my physical fatigue and pain wash away. My heart was still beating very quickly though, and so I took a few deep breaths to calm it down.


    ''I wonder... my ability saved me earlier without me even thinking about it. Is it not linked to my mind, but rather something else?''


    I didn''t know much about abilities in general though, and so I just let that be a passing thought as I stood up and pushed the green button again.


    "Round 4: Great Wolf."


    A large wolf my size with glowing eyes and gray fur materialized in front of me. I barely even lifted my arm when the wolf jumped forward and bit it. I let out a scream as the wolf easily chomped it clean off.


    I used some dark energy to form a thin wall around my stub of an arm to stop the bleeding, and I used the rest to form a dagger in my remaining hand. I moved to stab the wolf in its eyes, but it just opened its mouth and chomped my other arm off before ramming straight into my stomach. I lost my balance, and I fell onto the ground.


    ''I might not be able to attack it head-on, but I can attack it somewhere else!''


    As the wolf rushed towards me to finish me off, I rolled to the side and shot a spike of dark energy into the side of its stomach from one of my stubby arms. It let out a pained yelp and leaped away, before running and striking at my neck with its claws.


    I blocked it with some strategic dark energy, but the force of the impact left me completely prone on the ground. The wolf simultaneously opened its mouth towards my head and swung its claws at my stomach. Only able to protect one area with the small amount of dark energy I had, I chose to protect my head.


    A louder scream of agony came from me as my inner organs became soup from the wolf''s claw. I felt my strength weaken as the wolf continued to attempt to bite off my head. The wristband that had magically moved to my arm stub tried to entice me to press it, but only one real thought ran through my mind at that moment.


    ''...Let''s not have any regrets.''


    I channeled my dark energy through my head and used a dark energy spike to pierce through the roof of the wolf''s mouth. As I did so, the wolf bit off my head, but it also howled in pain immediately afterwards.


    ''I''m dying, but I feel satisfied with myself. This must be the meaning of effort.''


    In my last vestiges of consciousness, I saw the wolf brutally mauling my corpse in anger while profusely bleeding from its snout.

 Chapter 3

    I slowly opened my eyes and faced an unfamiliar ceiling. However, I was very comfortable where I was, so I remained still.


    ''...Did I pass out in the real world when I died?''


    My suspicions were confirmed as I saw a blonde nurse approach me. I turned my head to face her, and she let out a small sigh.


    "...My goodness. It''s the first day and you''ve already ended up here. I''m assuming you died in the virtual world, yes?"


    "That''s right."


    "Do you feel any pain right now, as if you lost your limbs?"


    "No."


    "Are you feeling afraid, as if you might die at any given moment?"


    "No."


    "Is there any sort of mental confusion, as if you''re not sure why you should be alive right now?"


    "No."


    The nurse sighed again, but this time it was a sigh of relief as she smiled at me afterwards.


    "It looks like you have a strong mentality. It can be jarring for anyone to face death, even in a virtual world, so it''s a relief that you seem alright. Anyways, the ranking exam has been over for a long while, so feel free to return to your dorm since you''re feeling well. If you ever start feeling any of the symptoms I mentioned earlier though, don''t be afraid to come visit me here. Evergreen Academy has some of the best mental health resources out there, and I''d be more than happy to help."


    "Understood. Thank you."


    I got up from the comfort of the sick bed and was about to leave the nurse''s office, but the nurse spoke up again.


    "Oh, one other thing. A friend of yours came to visit earlier, but I wasn''t sure whether you''d be in a stable condition or not when you woke up, so I sent him away. You might want to go reassure him."


    "...Alright, thanks for letting me know."


    I left the nurse''s office and returned to the dorm room quickly, because I had a feeling that Red was the friend the nurse had mentioned.


    When I opened the door, I saw Red anxiously fiddling with his phone on his bed. However, when he saw me enter, he stopped fiddling with it and opened his eyes wide.


    "Is that you Gene? I''m not hallucinating, right?"


    "Why would you be hallucinating?"


    Red leaped up from his bed and put his hands on my shoulders, as if he were determining whether or not I was real. When he realized that I was in fact standing here, he broke out into a grin.


    "Ah! Gene! Why''d you scare me like that? I thought my one and only roommate was going to die!"


    Red aggressively shook my shoulders, and I tried my best to brush off his hands.


    "Isn''t that a bit of an overreaction? At worst, I probably would''ve just fainted for like a week or something."


    "That''s still serious! Don''t you know that dying in a realistic virtual reality has been directly linked to cases of temporary mental instability?!"


    "The nurse mentioned something like that too... wait, isn''t that just straight up grounds for a lawsuit? The virtual reality people should really work on a solution for that."


    "No, it''s not. They''re not liable because they list several warnings about the possible symptoms of using virtual reality and dying in virtual reality."


    "Huh. Is that how that works?"


    "Apparently. Oh, anyways! I got you some fruit!"


    Completely derailing the conversation, Red rushed over to the mini fridge and brought out several different packages of sliced fresh fruits.


    "It''s a get well soon gift! I didn''t know what fruit you liked, so I kind of just got them all."


    "I''m fine in terms of getting well soon but... isn''t fresh fruit really expensive?"


    "Hm? I don''t think so?"


    "Well... okay then, thank you for the gift."


    "You''re welcome!"


    I was actually feeling quite hungry since I hadn''t had anything since the morning, so I grabbed the package of sliced kiwi off of the counter and began eating that. It was good in the same way that fresh fruit is always good and juicy, but they were surprisingly not as delicious as the pancakes I had earlier in the morning.


    "...You should eat some fruit too."


    "But they''re yours."


    "I feel awkward eating it alone."


    "Mm... alright then!"


    Red grabbed the strawberries and began eating those happily. But then he stopped eating them, and he looked at me like he had an epiphany.


    "Hey Gene."


    "Yeah?"


    "Let''s go bake some cake!"


    "...What?"


    ? ? ?


    Somehow, I ended up sneaking into the school''s kitchen with Red.


    Evergreen Academy actually had a huge canteen that served lunch and dinner to the students, however I had missed this time frame today because I was passed out. The canteen was attached to the staff kitchen, and Red had confidently crawled through the window where students passed in their trays while I had reluctantly followed. The dorm area had a kitchen too, but it was nowhere near as nice as the staff one.


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    "So, you do know how to bake cake, right?"


    "Of course I do! In fact, I know how to bake and cook lots of different things!"


    "It sounds like you really enjoy making food."


    Red laughed, and he showed a very bright expression as he pulled the needed ingredients for the cake from the shelves.


    "Yeah! It''s really fun... you know, when I was younger, I was a bit reluctant to start cooking. When I began though, I just felt so relaxed and... well, happy. But I think what truly made me fall in love with cooking is when I saw someone enjoy my food. I was just filled with immense pride and joy at seeing someone appreciate something that I made, you know?"


    "...I think I understand the feeling a little."


    I wasn''t sure about the exact situation Red had described, but from my own experiences it felt nice when I was acknowledged for doing an excellent job with the dishes or cleaning up.


    "I''m a bit curious though. You seem to really like cooking, so why not become a chef instead of a hunter?"


    At my words, Red hesitated a little, and his bright expression lost some of its sincerity.


    "...Ah, well, I think being a hunter suits me more."


    "I see..."


    I didn''t try to pry more into what Red had said. Everyone had their own secrets to keep, and it was up to them whether they wanted to tell others or not.


    I tried to think of another conversation topic to get rid of the slight awkwardness that had settled between us, but I couldn''t think of anything. So instead, I just opted to apologize to him.


    "I''m sorry."


    "Huh? What for? You didn''t ruin the cake, right?"


    "Of course not. I don''t know anything about baking, so I haven''t even gone within 5 feet of the bowl."


    "Oh! You should let me teach you then!"


    Red brightened right back up, and he looked at me with enthusiastic eyes.


    "...Okay. Sounds good."


    I gave a small smile and let Red guide me to the right ingredients and tools to use.


    ''I guess there was nothing to worry about in the first place with Red''s personality.''


    A couple of hours later, the cake was finished. It was a strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It looked a bit messy, because Red had let me do the decorating, but what really mattered was the taste.


    I took a bite of cake with a little bit of everything on it. The soft texture of the cake combined with the silky and cool whipped cream made for a heavenly combination, and the burst of the strawberry afterwards perfectly complimented the taste.


    "It''s good."


    "Yeah! We did great!"


    Red had a proud look on his face as he ate, and even though I didn''t contribute much, I felt a little happier knowing that we baked this cake together.


    ? ? ?


    "Good morning everyone. Today, your ranks will be announced."


    It was already the next day, and I was intently listening to Instructor Barrett. I was actually pretty curious as to what rank I would get, although I expected it to be nothing great.


    "These ranks are split into three categories, each corresponding to one of the exams. They are also school wide, meaning you are competing against the sophmores, juniors, and seniors as well. Furthermore, there will be more chances for you to take the ranking exam later this year. So, don''t be discouraged even if you get a low rank."


    A large screen slowly dropped down the ceiling from behind Instructor Barrett and showed everyone''s ranks. They were split into three colors representing the three exams, red being offense, black being defense, and blue being support. Looking at the screen, I saw my name near the bottom of the offense list.


    ''Gene Halvanna, Rank 392/403. Yeah, that about checks out.''


    Honestly, I was surprised that there were even eleven people who scored less than me. I figured they must''ve been people who were terrified of monsters, slackers, or people who miraculously got accepted into Evergreen Academy like me.


    I looked over to where Red was, and he seemed a bit disappointed with what rank he had. I scanned the screen from the bottom with my eyes and eventually found Red''s name.


    ''Red Maxard, Rank 365/403. Hey, that''s not bad at all!''


    "Good job, Red."


    "Huh- oh, ah, thank you."


    "If you''re disappointed, think about it this way. You''re stronger than about half of our grade''s offense students. Furthermore, this is just a baseline of our current abilities, without any training, experience, or education. You''ve got four years to work hard and get the rank you want, so take it step by step. No need to beat yourself up if you stumble a bit."


    Partially inspired by Instructor Reina''s words, I tried to give some encouragement to Red. It worked, as Red''s eyes became bright and he gave me a genuine smile.


    "...Man, having to listen to this encouragement speech feels a bit cheesy."


    "Next time I''ll just leave you to wallow in your depression then."


    "Haha, sorry, sorry! In all seriousness though, thanks. I''m feeling optimistic now!"


    "No problem."


    In the time that we were chatting, Instructor Barrett had brought out a table with a lot of small things on it. It was hard to see what exactly they were though because I was sitting in the corner of the lecture hall with Red.


    "By now, you should''ve seen your rank. On this table, there are different colored and numbered name tags, and they correspond to the ranks that you achieved. Instructors will use these to identity you during class. If you are uncomfortable with displaying your rank, it''s possible to hide your rank as well and just display your name.


    I''ve organized these name tags in the order that''s on the board, so you shouldn''t have too much trouble finding yours. Please come down in an organized manner and grab your name tag. Once you have it, return to your seat."


    After Instructor Barrett was finished speaking, he stepped aside and let everyone come down to get their name tags.


    "Oh! Gene! I''ll grab your name tag for you! What rank did you get?"


    "Rank 392."


    "Ah... that''s... uh..."


    "Yeah, I know it''s a bit rough, but it''s the rank I deserve right now."


    "...Well then, let''s both work hard like you said and make it into the top 50 of our grade next time!"


    "...Yeah. Definitely."


    I smiled as Red enthusiastically joined the crowding students to grab our name tags. After a few minutes, he returned triumphantly and placed one into the palm of my hand.


    "Ta-da!"


    "Thanks."


    "No problem!"


    I carefully examined the name tag I was now holding, which was actually a metal pin. My name and rank was embossed on it in a strong ruby color, resembling the fact that I took the offense type exam. I also discovered that I could flip back my rank as well due to a small hinge in the back, hiding it from view as Instructor Barrett had mentioned.


    ''The real question is how Evergreen Academy managed to make such high-quality name tags in less than a day.''


    Playing with the pin and letting my mind wander, my attention only snapped back to reality once Instructor Barrett continued talking.


    "There''s one last thing for today''s homeroom. As most of you know, since yesterday was the ranking exam, today starts your first real day of classes. However, individual schedules have not been made for each student yet. So, just for today, offense students will go to Instructor Reina, defense students will go to Instructor Jenny, and support students will go to Instructor Lee for morning classes. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask me, otherwise you may be dismissed."


    As Instructor Barrett completed his lecture, many students began leaving while some decided to stay behind. Red and I were a part of the former, and so we started finding our way towards Instructor Reina''s classroom.

 Chapter 4

    Red and I were currently standing in the middle of a large padded room, along with the rest of the combat students. Instructor Reina''s classroom seemed to just be a training room designed specifically for fights with abilities. Instructor Reina herself waited for everyone to come in before speaking up and beginning class.


    "Hello everyone! As you already know, my name is Instructor Reina, and I teach basic combat classes. Now, I personally believe that the best way to learn something is through practical application, and so this class will have a lot of duels and fighting practice between students. Furthermore, I will make arrangements with the other instructors to ensure that everyone here will get some safe experience with real gates, as learning something is very different from actually applying it in the real world.


    With that being said, some of you may wonder why we''re focusing on combat skills rather than ability usage. Well, unlike what most people may think, abilities are not the foundation of a hunter. Rather, it''s combat skills. I sound biased, but it''s true. Hunters who are skilled in combat are able to fully utilize their abilities to the max, and they can make the best judgement in any situation.


    So, for today''s class, I''d like to fight each and every one of you individually in order to show you the importance of knowing combat skills. After I duel you or while you''re waiting for your turn, you may watch or you may duel amongst yourselves. This room does have healing potions stored in the corner, but take care not to go overboard."


    Once Instructor Reina had finished speaking, she sectioned off an area of the training room and brought a student inside of it with her.


    "I wonder what Instructor Reina''s ability is..."


    Red looked inside of the makeshift arena with curiosity, and I did the same. I was looking forward to seeing how my classmates fought.


    The student and Instructor Reina had a short discussion, and then they stepped back from one another and began the duel. The student inside showed off a sparkling water ability, letting the water form a tidal wave from the ground. Instructor Reina also used her ability, giving her sharp claws and fierce eyes like those of a tiger. She seemed to be holding back her ability quite a bit to match the student she was facing so that whoever had better combat skills would win.


    The tidal wave quickly surrounded Instructor Reina in an enclosure, but she leapt through it with enough momentum to break out and let out a low tiger''s growl for intimidation as she quickly charged the student. The student, afraid, flinched and let out a beam of water towards Instructor Reina in a panic, but she easily dodged it and swiped at the student''s throat. It only left a small cut, but it was clear that the student would''ve been dead had this been a real fight.


    ''Ah... it was so short.''


    The student and Instructor Reina seemed to talk for another short moment, before the student left the arena and Instructor Reina called another student inside. The process repeated, and that student was also completely defeated. Red gasped in admiration.


    "Wow! Instructor Reina''s amazing!"


    "Yeah, she is. She''s doing this in a way where it''s theoretically possible for us to win."


    "Really? It just looks like a one-sided massacre."


    "I mean, you''re not wrong, but let''s take the first round as an example. I don''t know what that student''s ability fully encompasses, but it looked like she could freely control the water and make it come from the ground. In order to beat Instructor Reina, she should''ve used that to her advantage to try and break Instructor Reina''s momentum as she was charging at her. Instructor Reina''s advantage is her momentum, so once you get rid of that, it''s easy to defeat her. At least, while she''s holding back."


    "Hm... how are you sure that would work?"


    "Well... I''m not, but it''s at least something I would do if I were in that student''s situation."


    "I don''t think it''s easy to think rationally when you''re in the heat of battle though. Even simple ideas can become difficult to think of when you''re facing a tough enemy."


    "...Really? I mean, it makes sense, but..."


    My thoughts wandered back to the ranking exam that was yesterday. I had been facing plenty of difficult enemies, and yet my mind was calm during the entirety of those battles, even while I was in agony. Now that this fact had been pointed out, I realized how strange that was, especially given that it was my first time facing monsters yesterday.


    "Is something wrong?"


    Red looked at me with concern, and I shook my head.


    "No. I just got a bit distracted, that''s all."


    It was no use thinking about it now though, so I simply continued watching the students duel Instructor Reina. Some of them had very strong abilities, and others actually came close to beating her. A few times after a duel, Instructor Reina even had to heal herself with a healing potion. However, they always made a misstep or two that caused them to lose. But considering their lack of experience, that was already very impressive.


    "Gene Halvanna, you''re up!"


    ''...Looks like it''s my turn. Honestly, I''m not sure if I could do much better than them.''


    As I stepped away, Red gave me a pat on my shoulder and a bright smile.


    "You got this!"


    "...I''ll try my best."


    With Red''s words, I stopped worrying so much and entered the arena, where Instructor Reina stood across from me and gave me a light smile.


    "Hey Gene, it''s nice to meet you! I''ve noticed you''ve been paying good attention to the duels going on today."


    "...Yeah, that''s right."


    "You can actually gain quite a bit of insight from watching people spar, so it''s good that you''re paying attention. Anyways, you already know that my ability involves partial or full tiger transformation, so why don''t you tell me a little bit about your ability?"


    "Ah... well, it''s nothing much, but I can use a dagger''s worth of dark energy and manipulate it freely."


    "I see... you''ll definitely have to work on improving the amount of dark energy you can use, but don''t worry about that too much for this duel. Are you ready to begin?"


    "Yes."


    "Alright, don''t be afraid to treat this as a real battle. Attack whenever you''re ready."


    I stepped back from Instructor Reina and made a dark energy spear, while she transformed her hands into claws and her eyes into those of a tiger looking at its prey.


    ''Instructor Reina''s advantage is her speed, so I need to hinder that somehow.''


    I decided to try and throw my spear at Instructor Reina''s leg in an attempt to keep her pinned to the ground, but unfortunately it didn''t work. Instructor Reina easily dodged the spear and let out a low tiger''s growl that nearly sent shivers down my spine. Being away from me, the dark energy spear dissipated, and like with many other students before me, Instructor Reina began charging at me.


    ''If I time this right, I should be able to land a surprise attack.''


    Just before she reached me, I created a dark energy spear from my hand and attempted to pierce Instructor Reina''s abdomen. She had said to treat this as a real fight, but I felt hesitant about trying to stab someone''s neck, so I chose the abdomen instead. Unfortunately, Instructor Reina mostly dodged it as if she''d predicted my moves beforehand, so it only cut her side.


    Feeling that Instructor Reina was about to slash me with her claws, I sidestepped her and used dark energy as armor to block her assault. That''s when she used a kick to knock me completely off guard, and I stumbled back. Using that opening, Instructor Reina finished me off with a quick swipe to the back of my neck, leaving a small cut.


    "...Looks like I''ve already lost."


    I regained my posture and dissipated my dark energy as Instructor Reina released her transformation.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "You did, but you honestly performed very well. Have you ever fought monsters before coming to Evergreen Academy?"


    "No. Yesterday was my first time."


    "Really? I''m surprised. You have good instincts, and I can tell you kept a cool head throughout our duel. In fact, I think I can confidently say you''ve remained the calmest out of anyone I''ve fought so far."


    "Thank you."


    "A few things to mention though. Firstly, your moves are too predictable. After I started charging towards you, you were clearly waiting for me to get close. I figured something was up, and so that''s why I easily avoided your attack."


    "Huh... I didn''t even think of that."


    "That''s okay, most people wouldn''t, especially someone without experience. It takes some getting used to."


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    "Secondly, you leave yourself too unguarded. Specifically, I think your mind tends to focus on one thing at a time, and so you lose awareness of your general surroundings. When that happens, you''re giving the enemy an opening to take advantage of."


    "I see."


    I nodded at Instructor Reina''s advice and thought back to how my shortcomings also appeared during the ranking exam.


    ''I definitely will need to work on those weaknesses, as well as improve my overall ability.''


    "Anyways, that was a good duel. I look forward to seeing your growth this year, Gene."


    "I''ll do my best not to disappoint."


    With some new goals in mind, I left the arena and returned to the area where Red was standing. Once he saw me, he grinned and waved me over.


    "Oh, man, I thought you would''ve won... don''t worry though! I''ll definitely get revenge for you!"


    "You just want to be the one to beat Instructor Reina, right?"


    "...That too. But still!"


    "Here''s some advice then. When you fight Instructor Reina, make sure she can''t predict your moves. Also, don''t panic no matter what happens."


    "Ah- Is that what Instructor Reina told you?"


    "A little bit, but some of it''s my own advice."


    "Okay, that seems easier said than done, but I''ll try my best! Wish me luck!"


    "Of course."


    After a while, Instructor Reina called Red up to duel her, and I waved him off. When their initial discussion was over, the duel began, and Red created pure white flames from his hands while Instructor Reina did her partial transformation.


    Red fired the first attack, launching a pillar of pure white flames at the ground underneath Instructor Reina. The floor was set ablaze, and it quickly spread around. Instructor Reina, unable to completely escape the flames, opted to charge straight at Red.


    In turn, Red used more flames, this time spreading them out into the air like an AOE flamethrower. Instructor Reina forced her way through the thinnest part of the flames and swiped at Red once she broke through, causing him to step back to dodge. As a counterattack, Red fired even more flames from his hands, but Instructor Reina was relentless in her pursuit despite the numerous burns on her body, forcing him to keep moving. After a bit of back and forth, Red eventually stumbled back and fell out of exhaustion, allowing Instructor Reina to use that opening to cut his neck and defeat him.


    ''Wow- Red''s ability seems really awesome! And to think that there''s so many more people out there more powerful than him...''


    Shortly after the duel, Red came back to where I was standing while Instructor Reina took a quick break to grab a potion. Even though he lost, he seemed pretty happy.


    "I was so close to beating her! If my flames were stronger, or if I had better endurance, I might''ve won!"


    "Yeah, I really liked your duel. You made good decisions and you even made Instructor Reina use a potion afterwards."


    "Haha, I think I might''ve just gotten lucky. I was almost scared to death, but I tried my best to make rational decisions."


    "Either way, you did good."


    "Thanks!"


    Red and I continued watching the duels, trying to figure out strategies for each one of the abilities that we saw. It was good inspiration for how to use our own abilities.


    We also considered dueling against each other during this class, but we decided against it since we weren''t sure when we''d get the opportunity to watch so many duels again.


    Eventually though, the last duel ended and Instructor Reina removed the barrier between the arena and the rest of the room. Gathering everyone''s attention, Instructor Reina began speaking up once more.


    "I hope these duels have given you all a sense of what combat skills are about. Think about what I''ve told you in terms of your combat and try to work on it in the future. This training room, alongside the virtual reality training room, is available at any time other than classes, so don''t be afraid to use it.


    Anyways, after the lunch period is over, you will head to Instructor Lee for your next class. Hopefully by the time I see you again, you will have received your schedule and be in much more manageable class sizes. In any case, you may now be dismissed. Have a nice day!"


    When Instructor Reina finished speaking, a mass of students began rushing out the door. Red and I followed them, and we eventually made our way to the cafeteria.


    ? ? ?


    "This food''s pretty good."


    I stabbed my fork into the pasta on my plate and took a bite. Unlike the lunch at my high school, the food here actually had a pleasant flavor and texture. It was also self serve, so there wasn''t a super long line to wait in.


    "Is it better than my cooking though?"


    "Obviously not."


    Being honest, I answered quickly. Red smiled at my compliment before continuing to eat his food as well. He had made himself a homemade salad for lunch in the morning, and it looked very appetizing being filled with toppings and dressings.


    "But I think we should''ve eaten somewhere else. It''s very loud here."


    "Hm..."


    It seemed that about half of Evergreen Academy had lunch during this time, and a lot of students had chosen to stay in the cafeteria. Red and I had gotten here relatively early, so we were able to get a small table of our own, but it was quickly reaching the point where students were sitting at any table with open seats.


    "What if we went outside? I bet the view from the top of Evergreen Academy is awesome!"


    "Is it even possible to get on top of the academy?"


    "There''s probably a rooftop access somewhere. Come on - let''s go look for it!"


    "Wouldn''t it be inconvenient to bring our food around while looking for it though?"


    "I can deal with it!"


    With Red agreeing to deal with the cumbersome food, we left the cafeteria and went to the top floor of the academy. When I was touring the academy myself two days back, I only really focused on the classrooms and student amenities, so I wasn''t sure of any of the other areas to go to.


    "First, let''s look for any door or hatch that contains the word ''exit'' on or near it. If that doesn''t work, then we''ll check out the maintenance areas and any other miscellaneous rooms. And if that doesn''t work either... then we''ll just have to climb our way up."


    "...Why do you sound so serious about this?"


    "Going outside is a very serious business! Plus, we only have until the end of lunch, so we need to hurry!"


    With a firm resolve, Red and I wandered the top floor of the academy according to the plan. Fortunately, we didn''t have to resort to visiting miscellaneous rooms or climbing up a five story building, as we soon found a door with an exit sign above it.


    Opening the door, there was a small staircase leading to another door. This second door led to the outside rooftop, and so Red and I stepped through it.


    ''Ah... looks like we aren''t the only ones here.''


    There were a few small groups of students hanging out with one another on the rooftop. Regardless though, they remained pretty quiet with their conversations, so our goal of finding a tranquil place to eat was a success.


    "Gene! Gene! Let''s go check out the view!"


    Although Red was enthusiastic, he also kept his voice at a reasonable volume in respect for the quiet rooftop sanctuary. We walked over to the edge of Evergreen Academy''s rooftop and gazed out into the distance. Red let out a small gasp.


    Evergreen Academy was located at the edge of a city, so we saw numerous buildings in the distance. Even further beyond the roads and skyscrapers, the ocean was barely visible and glistening. At the same time, on the other side of the rooftop, there was a view of a large mountain in the distance with a waterfall rushing down it. The tops of many trees were visible, and it was almost as if we were on top of a forest canopy.


    ''Wow... it''s really nice.''


    Neither Red and I said anything for a while. We just appreciated the moment in silence. Eventually, Red quietly spoke up again.


    "...I bet the city''s even prettier at night."


    "...Yeah."


    My mind sank into thought as I stared into the city side. Fame and wealth came with being a hunter, but honestly, I appreciated simple moments of peace like this the most.


    ''Why did I become a hunter in the first place when I could''ve just been an ordinary hard-working citizen then? I think... it''s because I want the power to protect this peace.''


    Of course, I didn''t have any lofty ambitions like stopping all the monsters from dungeon gates or something like that. It would be enough just to be able to protect myself and the people I care about.


    "Oh shoot, I almost forgot!"


    Completely breaking the silence and my thoughts, Red handed me back the plate of pasta we''d taken from the lunchroom. By now, it was lukewarm at best, but I still smiled happily.


    "Thanks."


    "No problem!"


    Eating my pasta, I looked out into the mountainside with Red.


    ''Yeah... this is exactly the kind of life I want to live.''