One day the world undergoes an defining upheaval. Dungeon, tower and treasure sprout across the blue sphere. But as the boons came along with monster atacking people plunging this world into chaos. And yet hope persist as a phenomenon called "Enlightment", more commonly known as the first qualification of a Hero. "Enlightment" come in form of an awakening of self-insight when pushed or broke through one limitation.
Most became Active-duty Heroes after achiving "Enlightment". But since becoming one require lots of training and experience, they usually trained in an institute before officially become Heroes. While most of the cadet has yet reach enlighment due to their age, there still some exception.
"Now, let's start with self-introductions. I'm Kim Soohyuk, the instructor in charge of all of you for the year."
I vaguely recalled his name coming from the man behind the podium.
"My national rank is 3850. World rank 9737. By the association's classification, I am a high-intermediate rank, grade 5 hero."
"That's enough for my introduction."
This is no dream, this is the world that i have written. The world that i once abbandoned due to writer block has come to life. So i take a look around the class i am in now. Amidst the students or rather cadets, I see a few familiar faces.
Kim Suho
Shin Jonghak
Chae Nayeon
Rachel
Yoo Yeonha
They are the main character of this world. Everything i knew and wrote resolved around this small group of people.
How could i known who they are if this is a novel? Well it is hard to miss when their faces is broadcasted as top students on the Military Agent Academy. As for me, i'm nobody, an extra, just a speck of dust.
If only had i known this would happened, i wouldn't have agreed to that anonymous email. Now i have to find ways just to survive this world for 10 year. For now lets sleep before planning any further, sweat dream.
"Now!"
A thunderous shout woke me up. The instructor stood behind the podium when I opened my eyes.
"Today's the first day, so there won't be any special training. But I hope all of you did your morning training. You can never go wrong with training in the morning when mana is most dense."
Morning training? Oh, right. There was something like that. A training ground opened up from 5 A.M. to 8 A.M. I stuffed it into the story so the leading characters could meet. Noted for later.
"Prepare yourselves. Our schedule today won't take long. The first task is to select your main weapon." The instructor said as he leave the class. Well, guess i can sleep later.
...
"Any weapon you can think of should be here."
"Stand in front of your chosen weapon. We'll supply you with the training weapons, but don't underestimate them. Their market prices go for 5 million won each."
Sword, spear, saber, dagger, rapier, halberd, greatsword, zweihander, bow, gun, whip, gauntlet, anything you can name is sorted and hanged infront of the cadet as they made their way to their weapons of choice.
Meanwhile, i stand alone at the section of weapon i can only use. A mordern weapons in this world of cold steels and monsters, a useless clump of gunpowder and copper. The biggest reason was i had never train with blades or any other weapons. The other reason is that I just dont like blood splattered whenever i hit something either with melee or ranged.
As all the other students looked at me, including Shin Jonghak and Kim Suho. I didn't like being the center of attention, so I quickly walked up and grabbed the weapon. I could feel the metal weight in my hand as the smell of rust tickled my nose. More eyes continued to stare.
I chose a hand gun.
After some questioning about my choices, the instructor reluctenly let me go. It is natural since only either they can't wield mana or a madman that chose such an expensive to maintain yet limited in power. Being accepted into Cube naturally mean at least i can see mana, so they can only assume if i was the later. I then recieved my smartwatch and went to my room.
[Kim Hajin]
▷Stat
Variable stats:
Strength. : 1.3
Stamina. : 1.3
Speed. : 1.5
Perception. : 2
Health. : 1.3
Magic. : 1
Invariable stats:
Inteligence. : 4.105
Perseverance. : 7.207
Luck. : 9.1
Charm. : 4.135
▷Gift:
[Observation and Reading] [Null attribute] — Observation: You may observe characters in your vision — Reading: You may read the laptop's settings without a medium whenever you desire.
[Master Sharpshooter] [Low-intermediate rank] [Spirit attribute] [Evolving — Grade 10] [EXP 0%] Master Sharpshooter's Training: Familiarity with all long ranged weapons — Thousand-Mile Eyes: Can see far away and somewhat predict a target's movement path. — Bullet Time: Only in combat and once every 24 hours, you may spend 3 seconds in bullet time.
▷Arts (0/3) X
▷Physique (0/3) X
▷Setting Intervention [Authority] — You may modify or add settings to a non-living target by using SP. — You may spend SP to modify or add settings to your stats, gift, arts, and physique.
▷??? — Will unlock when the main story is completed.
After a night spending my only 10 free stats point and a 10000 S.p (story point) gift card that came as a newbie bonus with SettingIntervention, i managed to scrap a decent stats sheet. I came to the training ground to test my new gift with shooting pratice and i have to say i'm impressed. Though it wont be enough for the future, it will do for now.
With said sheet, i was able to complete my first pratical training despite being left behind on the way or treated like air by Yoo Yeonha and our team. It was a weird feeling when i first used Bullet time. Everything slowed down to the point that i can still see some after image of those around me. Within the 3 seconds of slowed time, i emptied 3 clips and fired 60 bullets at the baby octopuses flying toward us. The exhaustion hit hard so i lied down on the sand as time turned to normal.
[ Team 5's result are being calculated
Team 5's clear time : 58 minutes 58 seconds
Current rank : 17th place ]
Eventhough i wanted to blame a certain someone for taking 50 minutes just to get to the giant octopus, his still has a great contribution toward our score. His gun quickly killed every baby octopus in just 3 seconds instead of 15 minutes like i had planned. So, i can only hold back my impules
"Nayun, how was it?"
"Hm? Ah, as you can see, 5th place. What a shame. I wanted to beat Shin Jonghak and Rachel. What about you?"
"I'm… 17th."
"Oh? Wow, you got 17th with that gun-using sharpshooter?"
"We got the black hump octopus, so we just had to remove the hump."
"You were the one who did it, right?"
I nodded with a bright smile.
"Yep."
Yet soon i realised something was wrong with the result of Nayun and her team's score.
"Wait, 5th place?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"There a team that ranked higher than you?"
"Not just my team, Shin Jonghak's team, Rachel's team and even Kim Suho's team is also below that person."
"Not even Kim Suho? What team is it? Why have i never heard of them?"
As i shook Nayun shoulders asking all the questions i need to know and then...
"Wait, what do you mean that person?"
"Welll..."
"Answer me, Nayun. What do you mean that person?"
"Well....."
"Nevermind, i'll find out later."
'Here, in 2.78 seconds. He shot 60 bullets in just 2.78 seconds with a hand gun at that.'
'Is it even possible to draw and shot that fast or is it because of the gun's hidden automatic trigger'
'Even so, compare to his extraordinary reflexes, his action is strange. And why don't i remember seeing him in the Academy?
"Speaking of strange, who is that person Nayun talk about?"
< Creator Sacred Grace's guild building >
<3rd P.o.v>
[ Creator's Sacred Grace, Yoon Seungah, Vice- captain ]
" Vice-captain, isn't this..."
"Yeah, this is indeed absurd. I know Kim Suho was amazing. His movement is smooth like flowing water, his swordmanship doesn't resemble any school we know. It was like he's dancing with a blade. But he's still only at the top of cadet's level. Meanwhile this cadet is on a different scale. And under our eyes this whole time"
"Should we reach out to the person, Vice-captain?"
"Yes, but also keep an eye out for the boy with the gun. We'll see if it worth recuiting him soon enough"
As a video came to an end, all that left was Yoon Seungha and her subordinate gazing on the moniter. Though are running as silent filled the small dark office. The only source of light there was a moniter screen and a projector showing only a blue window of text.
[Team 26's result are being calculated
Team 26's clear time : 5 minutes 23 seconds
Current rank : 1st place]