The world did not change overnight.
It changed in silence.
And Jin was the only one who knew it.
Orion High SchoolAfter the Awakening Ceremony, Orion High School was no longer the same.
Students who awakened high ranks walked proudly through the corridors.
Those who awakened low ranks avoided eye contact.
Power had already decided everyone's place.
Jin walked quietly through the hallway.
Tall.
Handsome.
Calm.
But invisible.
"F-rank… what a waste."
"He was first in theory exams."
"Brains don't matter in this world."
Jin heard the whispers.
But he didn't react.
To them, he was weak.
And that was exactly what he wanted.
Aira's PerspectiveAira sat near the window, her silver-black hair shining under sunlight.
Students whispered around her.
"S-rank mage…"
"The Aira family's daughter…"
"She's on another level."
Aira ignored them.
Her eyes moved slightly.
Toward Jin.
He was reading quietly.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Different from others.
He's not useless, she thought.
But strong?
No.
She never thought that.
Not even once.
Jin's Hidden WorldThat night.
Jin stood alone in his room.
Lights off.
Only moonlight.
"System."
A black screen appeared.
🖤 Shadow System Activated
User: Jin
Public Rank: F
Hidden Class: Shadow Hunter (SSS)
Another screen followed.
Status Window
Name: Jin
Class: Shadow Hunter (SSS - Hidden)
Strength: 12 (F)
Agility: 14 (F)
Magic: 9 (F)
Vitality: 16 (F)
Intelligence: 27 (E)
Endurance: 11 (F)
Jin stared silently.
He wasn't strong yet.
Not even close.
But his body felt different.
Alive.
Then another message appeared.
🖤 Physical Quest Activated
Objective: 100 push-ups
Reward: +3 Strength, +1 Endurance
Jin blinked.
"…Quest?"
He had never heard of such a thing before.
Most hunters only gained power through dungeons and skills.
But he was different.
He lowered himself to the floor.
One.
Two.
Three.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
By the time he reached one hundred—
His arms were trembling.
But he didn't stop.
✅ Quest Completed
Strength +3
Endurance +1
Jin clenched his fists.
He felt it.
His muscles felt denser.
His breathing steadied faster than before.
He opened his status again.
Strength: 15 (F)
Endurance: 12 (F)
"…So I can grow like this."
For the first time—
Jin smiled slightly.
The First Shadow, two days later.
On his way home from school.
A narrow alley in Seoul.
The air felt strange.
His shadow trembled.
🩸 Shadow Devouring Reaction Detected.
Jin stopped walking.
He looked around.
No hunters.
No people.
Only silence.
Then—
A small goblin crawled out from a crack in the air.
E-rank monster.
Weak.
But dangerous to normal humans.
The goblin saw Jin and rushed toward him.
Jin didn't run.
His body moved instinctively.
Absolute Physical Constitution Activated.
Time felt slower.
He grabbed a metal rod from the ground.
His movements were precise.
CRACK!
The goblin fell.
Dead.
Jin stared at the corpse.
His heart was beating fast.
But his mind was calm.
Then his shadow moved.
It wrapped around the goblin's body.
🩸 Shadow Devouring Activated
Target: Goblin (E-rank)
Black energy flowed into Jin's shadow.
✅ Skill Acquired
Skill: Minor Regeneration (F Rank)
Attributes Gained
Strength +2
Agility +1
Vitality +2
Jin's eyes narrowed.
He opened his status.
Strength: 17 (F)
Agility: 15 (F)
Vitality: 18 (F)
Not much.
But real.
Real growth.
The goblin's body turned into dust.
No evidence.
No witnesses.
Jin walked away quietly.
Jin's DecisionThat night, Jin stood on his balcony.
Seoul's lights glowed below.
Hunters.
Guilds.
Academies.
A world ruled by power.
Jin looked at his shadow.
He was still weak.
But he was growing.
Slowly.
Silently.
In the darkness.
Two years later—
When the academy entrance exam arrived—
He would no longer be F-rank.
He would reach S-rank.
But until then…
He would remain invisible.
And the world would never notice him.
Until it was too late.