As we walked out of the changing room in our suite, each of us wore outfits that had our own unique colors and designs.
I had to admit, I liked mine. The black really complimented my hair. It felt sleek, stylish—almost like it was made for me. But even as I admired it, I couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in my stomach. The idea of actually testing it out in battle made my hands feel clammy. I could barely think straight.
Despite my nerves, something caught my attention.
Mr. Roy was having a conversation with a girl—someone older than us. She seemed like a fourth-year. She had the same deep blue shade of hair am, which was rare, but that wasn't what unsettled me. No, it was the strange feeling I got just from looking at her. A weird sense of unease that I couldn't explain. Like I had seen her before... or like I was meant to see her.
I didn't like it.
While the girls were still changing, Mr. Roy gave us a brief rundown.
"Alright, I have an important meeting to get to, so Miss Raina here and her friends—who are currently on their way down —will be in charge of your safety. Please treat them with the respect you would me," he said.
After saying that, he pulled Raina aside. They talked in hushed voices, as if discussing something important. Meanwhile, the rest of her friends simply stood around, looking relaxed.
The class, however, was buzzing.
"Those guys are practically full-on hunters."
"I heard Raina once soloed an A-rank monster."
"Yeah, they're celebrities at the academy!"
I frowned. Great. Not only are we being babysat, but by actual prodigies judging our every move.
After a few minutes of checking to see if we were all ready, we finally walked through the portal.
A New World
The moment I opened my eyes, I felt my breath hitch.
It was beautiful.
Like something out of a dream, or one of those high-resolution wallpapers you'd find online. Except this was real.
The air was so fresh, crisp, and clean. Every breath felt refreshing. The lush green grass swayed with the gentle breeze, stretching endlessly in every direction.Even the sky was something else—bright, vibrant, with soft clouds drifting lazily.
Flying monsters soared in the distance, adding to the scene rather than ruining it.
For a brief moment, I forgot why we were here.
But then, reality hit me.
The beauty of this world wasn't a comfort—it was a distraction. A false sense of security. Because beneath all this majesty, this was a hunting ground. A place crawling with monsters.
And I was standing in it.
A cold shiver ran down my spine as I spotted something—a bird-like monster gliding through the sky. My heart jumped, but it didn't attack. It just... flew past us.
Raina and her friend giggled when she saw our pale faces. "Don't worry about them. They won't attack... unless you make them mad. Then you're in trouble," she teased.
Before I could fully process her words, a chilling sound echoed in the distance.
Laughter.
At first, it almost sounded like a hyena's cackle. But as it grew louder, I realized something.
It was human-like.
I turned my head toward the noise, and my blood ran cold.
Goblins.
Short, green humanoid creatures with pointy ears. Their skin was rough, covered in dirt, their jagged teeth showing through sinister grins. Each of them wielded a weapon—clubs, rusted swords, makeshift spears. Their yellow eyes gleamed with malice.
And there were a lot of them.
Sixty. Maybe more.
Or maybe I was just too scared to count properly.
"Looks like a big group," one of Raina's friends said, completely unfazed. "Alright, newbies. You just need to kill three each and get out. Feel free to go all out."
The class wasted no time.
Everyone rushed forward, weapons drawn, eager to fight. Some looked downright excited—probably wanting to impress the 'Fantastic Four' watching over us.
I, on the other hand, hesitated.
I took a deep breath, summoning my gun. The weight in my hand felt reassuring, but my heart was still hammering.
I aimed at one of the goblins.
The moment I locked onto it, the goblin turned and met my gaze.
And then—it smiled.
A smug, mocking grin.
Like it knew I was hesitating.
Like I wasn't even a threat.
A wave of anger surged through me. You little bastard...
I pulled the trigger.
Boom!
The bullet struck its arm.
The goblin howled in pain, clutching the wound, but its eyes blazed with fury. It let out a loud, guttural cry—a signal.
I barely had time to react before more goblins turned their heads toward me.
Not three. Not five.
Seven.
I quickly tried to fire again, but before I could, a translucent screen popped up in front of me. Strange symbols covered it, forming a message I couldn't understand.
What the hell?
Then, I heard a voice.
"Mind if I translate that for you?"
My breath caught.
Emily.
"I thought you abandoned me," I muttered, nearly tearing up.
"Don't be a baby. I was just busy adjusting, you know system work and stuff ," she said casually. With a snap of her fingers, the text shifted into readable form.
---
[NOTIFICATION]
[NEW CLASS UNLOCKED]
[CLASS TITLE: Assault]
---
[NOTIFICATION]
[NEW ASSAULT SKILLS UNLOCKED]
{AIM ASSIST}
{MARKSMAN}
---
[NOTIFICATION]
[ASSAULT HAS BEEN SET TO ACTIVE CLASS]
---
A strange feeling rushed through me—confidence.
I turned back toward the goblins, gripping my gun.
Let's test this out.
I aimed at the first goblin's leg and fired. The bullet hit clean, sending it tumbling forward. Before it could recover, I fired again—this time at its head.
Boom!
One down.
The others charged.
One swung an axe, barely missing, cutting a strand of my hair. I fired back—headshot.
Dodge. Fire. Repeat.
I was keeping up—barely.
Then, I tripped.
My stomach twisted as I hit the ground. The goblin with a club loomed over me, weapon raised.
I'm dead.
But before the blow landed—
Its head was gone.
No—all their heads were gone.
I stared in shock as blood splattered the ground.
And then, I saw her.
Raina stood a few feet away, unfazed.
"You were doing fine," she said. "But you're still too slow."
I swallowed hard.
At that moment my I knew that the goblin weren't the only monsters here.