The next morning, Adam woke up in a small room in the dormitory for new students at the academy.
The room was very simple compared to the luxurious rooms he had heard some students talk about.
The window overlooked a huge training field, where dozens of students were already practicing. The sounds of swords and magical energy echoed through the air.
Adam stood by the window for a moment, observing the place.
"So… this is where the strongest hunters are born."
But he hadn't forgotten yesterday's looks.
The looks of doubt…
Mockery…
And contempt.
He put on his simple academy uniform and walked toward the training field.
But the moment he entered, the whispers began.
"Look… it's the kid who shut down the machine."
"You mean the kid who broke it."
"Or the kid who has no power at all."
Quiet laughter spread among some of the students.
Adam ignored them as much as he could, but he felt the weight of their words in his chest.
At that moment, a tall young man appeared in front of him.
His silver hair was neatly styled, his eyes sharp, and his clothes looked far more expensive than those of the other students.
Clearly, he was one of the nobles.
He looked at Adam with disdain and said,
"So you're the boy who entered the academy without a result."
Adam did not answer.
The young man stepped closer and said with a mocking smile,
"My name is Kyle Varen. My family is one of the oldest hunter families in this country."
Then he looked Adam up and down.
"And you… are just a child from an orphanage."
Some students around them laughed.
Kyle continued in a low voice filled with contempt,
"Your presence here is an insult to this academy."
Before Adam could respond, a powerful voice echoed across the field.
"Enough!"
Everyone turned.
The combat training instructor had arrived.
He was a massive man, carrying a huge sword on his back.
He spoke in a sharp voice,
"Today we will begin your first combat training."
The students' eyes lit up with excitement.
The instructor continued,
"You will fight each other in training duels."
Some of the nobles smiled with confidence.
But Kyle immediately raised his hand.
"Instructor… I have a suggestion."
He looked directly at Adam.
"I want my first opponent… to be this boy."
The students began whispering excitedly.
"He'll be crushed."
"This duel will end in seconds."
The instructor looked at Adam.
"Do you accept?"
Adam froze for a moment.
He had barely learned the basics of controlling his power during the past week…
While this boy came from a noble hunter family.
But running away now… would make him the academy's laughingstock.
He slowly clenched his fist.
Then he said calmly,
"I accept."
Laughter rose from some of the students.
Kyle smiled widely.
"Good."
The two of them stepped into the fighting circle in the center of the field.
The instructor raised his hand.
"The duel begins…"
A moment of heavy silence passed.
Then suddenly…
A powerful blue energy exploded around Kyle.
The students shouted in shock.
"That's high-rank energy!"
"Impossible!"
Kyle smiled confidently.
"You won't need more than one strike."
Meanwhile, Adam stood on the other side…
Calm.
But he felt something familiar in his chest.
That strange feeling…
The power the hunter tried to teach him how to control.
But this time…
It was moving on its own.