Power was not always loud.
Sometimes, it was silent.
And silence was the most dangerous kind.
The training ground of Orion High School was filled with noise.
Metal clashed against metal.
Magic exploded in flashes of light.
Students shouted, laughed, and competed.
Since the Awakening Ceremony, practical combat classes had officially begun.
For most students, this was the moment they had been waiting for.
A stage to prove their worth.
Training Class"Pair up!"
The instructor's voice echoed across the field.
Students quickly formed groups.
Those with high ranks naturally gathered together.
Those with low ranks stayed at the edges.
Jin stood alone.
As usual.
"F-rank," someone muttered.
"No point pairing with him."
Jin didn't react.
He simply walked toward the far end of the field and sat on a bench.
To others, it looked like resignation.
But in reality…
He was observing.
Every movement.
Every skill.
Every mistake.
His eyes were calm, but his mind was sharp.
Aira on the Field at the center of the training ground, Aira stood quietly.
Unlike others, she wasn't excited.
Her presence itself created distance.
Silver-black hair tied loosely behind her head.
Straight posture.
Unmoving gaze.
When she raised her hand slightly—
Mana surged.
Blue light gathered around her palm.
The air trembled.
"Magic Control Exercise," the instructor said.
"Show us your output."
Aira nodded.
She released her mana.
The air distorted.
A sphere of compressed magic formed.
Then—
BOOM.
The target dummy shattered instantly.
The entire field went silent.
"…S-rank."
Someone whispered.
The instructor exhaled slowly.
"Perfect control."
Students stared at her with awe.
Not jealousy.
Not hatred.
But acceptance.
She was simply on a different level.
Aira lowered her hand quietly.
Her expression didn't change.
But for a brief moment—
Her gaze drifted toward the edge of the field.
Toward Jin.
He was sitting quietly, watching.
Not impressed.
Not excited.
Just observing.
That was strange.
Most students looked at her with admiration.
But Jin looked at her like he was analyzing something.
Aira frowned slightly.
He's really not ordinary…
But again—
She never thought he was strong.
Only… different.
Jin's Hidden GrowthWhile the others trained openly,
Jin trained in silence.
That night, in his room—
Physical Quest Activated
Objective: 200 push-ups
Reward: +4 Strength, +2 Endurance
Jin didn't hesitate.
He dropped to the floor.
One.
Two.
Three.
His muscles burned.
Sweat ran down his back.
But his breathing stabilized unnaturally fast.
By the time he reached two hundred—
His arms trembled, but his eyes were calm.
✅ Quest Completed
Strength +4
Endurance +2
He opened his status window.
Strength: 21 (E)
Agility: 17 (F)
Magic: 10 (F)
Vitality: 19 (F)
Endurance: 14 (F)
Intelligence: 27 (E)
He had crossed into E-rank in strength.
To the world, he was still F-rank.
But inside…
He had already stepped forward.
Shadow Devouring — A Quiet HuntTwo days later.
Late evening.
A deserted construction site on the outskirts of Seoul.
Jin stood quietly in the shadows.
A faint distortion flickered in the air.
A low-level dungeon crack.
From it—
A creature crawled out.
A mutated wolf.
D-rank monster.
Normally, this would require a licensed hunter team.
But tonight—
There was no one else.
Jin stepped forward slowly.
His shadow moved.
🩸 Shadow Devouring — Ready
The wolf lunged.
Jin's body moved.
Faster than before.
His foot shifted.
His hand struck.
CRACK.
The wolf collapsed.
Not by brute force.
But precision.
For a moment, Jin stared at his hand.
So this is the difference…
Then his shadow expanded.
It swallowed the monster's shadow.
🩸 Shadow Devouring Activated
Target: D-rank Monster
Black energy flowed.
✅ Attributes Gained
Strength +4
Agility +3
Vitality +3
His status changed again.
Strength: 25 (E)
Agility: 20 (F)
Vitality: 22 (E)
Not impressive.
Not yet.
But steady.
Relentless.
Jin's RealizationStanding alone in the dark, Jin understood something.
Aira was S-rank.
He was E-rank.
The distance between them was enormous.
But—
Unlike others,
His distance was shrinking.
Slowly.
Silently.
Without anyone noticing.
The Distance Between ThemThe next day at school—
Aira stood surrounded by students.
Guild scouts visited the school again.
Teachers spoke to her respectfully.
She belonged to the center of the world.
Jin walked past quietly.
He belonged to the edge.
For now.
Their worlds did not overlap.
Yet.
But Jin knew—
This distance would not remain forever.
One day,
The girl who stood under the light…
Would realize that the boy in the shadows…
Had already reached a place she could not see.