The city outside ASTRA ACADEMY felt louder than usual.
Not because anything special was happening.
Just because Jihan noticed it now.
Cars honked like they were personally offended. Street vendors shouted prices like auctioneers. Someone argued loudly about parking while holding a plastic bag of oranges like it was evidence in court.
Jihan walked past it all with his hands in his pockets.
First day out after the evaluation suspension.
No training rooms.
No dungeon access.
No quiet.
Just sunlight, noise… and freedom.
He stopped at a street cart selling egg toast.
The old man behind it cracked eggs with the seriousness of a surgeon.
"Student discount?" Jihan asked.
The old man looked up slowly.
"You look like you have money."
"…That hurts," Jihan said.
"You smell like academy food," the old man said, flipping toast. "Academy kids rich."
Jihan sighed. "I have rich enemies. Not rich wallet."
The old man considered that.
"…Fair."
He handed over toast.
Jihan bit into it and immediately burned his tongue.
"…I deserved that."
A few college girls nearby giggled.
Jihan turned.
Across the street stood a glowing sign.
STAR CUP – PREMIUM MILK TEA
Air-conditioned.
Comfortable.
Dangerously expensive.
He stared at it like a hero facing a demon king.
"…Five million won signing bonus," he muttered.
"…I can afford many milk tea."
Five minutes later he walked out holding a cup like it contained liquid gold.
He sat on a bench, took a careful sip—
Heaven.
Creamy. Cold. Sweet.
Worth it.
He closed his eyes for half a second.
Peace.
Then—
"Yo. Look who it is."
Peace died immediately.
Three guys stood in front of him wearing flashy hunter jackets. Cheap leather. Too many chains. Sunglasses indoors energy.
Local low-tier hunters.
The loud kind.
The useless kind.
The leader leaned forward.
"You're from ASTRA, right?"
Jihan took another sip before answering.
"…Maybe."
The guy grinned.
"I saw your face online. Rank-1 first-year, right? The F-rank clown."
Jihan blinked slowly.
"…You opened conversation with that?"
The guy laughed loudly like he'd said something clever.
"You got lucky in one practice dungeon. Everyone knows it."
His friend added, "We clear real gates every week. E-rank stuff. You academy kids play in sandboxes."
Jihan nodded seriously.
"Must be hard."
They puffed up proudly.
"Yeah."
He pointed at their jackets.
"So hard you bought leather armor from a bike shop."
One of them choked.
The leader frowned. "What?"
Jihan leaned back on the bench.
"You look like delivery drivers who stole props from a cosplay shop."
The milk tea straw clicked softly as he took another sip.
"…Also your sunglasses have the sticker still on them."
The second guy hurriedly ripped it off.
The first slapped his arm. "Idiot!"
People nearby started laughing quietly.
The leader's ears went red.
"You think you're funny?"
"No," Jihan said calmly. "I think you're loud."
That hit harder.
The guy stepped closer.
"Listen, academy boy. Wanna prove you're strong? There's a gate opening tonight. Real one. Come clear with us."
Jihan looked at him.
Looked at his shoes.
Scuffed.
Cheap.
No mana reinforcement.
Looked back up.
"…You want me to risk my life with people who can't afford proper boots?"
The third guy exploded. "These are limited edition!"
"They're from roadside stall," Jihan said gently. "I saw same pair next to fake Crocs."
A burst of laughter from a tea shop table nearby.
The leader grabbed Jihan's collar.
Big mistake.
Jihan didn't move.
Didn't stand.
Didn't even spill milk tea.
"…Careful," he said quietly. "That shirt is new."
The guy froze.
"…What?"
Jihan's eyes lifted slowly.
"You're holding Rank-1 ASTRA student in public. Cameras everywhere."
The guy's fingers were still twisted in Jihan's collar when Jihan's eyes drifted past him.
A lamppost.
A tiny red light blinking beneath its metal hood.
Recording.
The grip loosened like someone had cut a wire.
Jihan smoothed the wrinkle in his shirt with two fingers. "…Appreciate it."
The leader's face flushed dark, anger fighting with caution. His friends shifted uneasily, glancing up at the camera, then back at Jihan.
"You think academy cameras save you?" he spat. "Out in real gates, nobody cares."
Jihan leaned back on the bench, lifting his cup. The ice clinked softly.
"You clear E-rank gates, right?"
"…Yeah."
He pointed lazily at a dented trash bin beside the bench, plastic lid rattling in the breeze.
"Then you're ahead of the sanitation staff."
A pause.
Somewhere behind them, a student choked on a laugh.
Another one followed.
The leader's jaw twitched.
"Fight me."
Jihan set his cup carefully on the bench.
Stood up.
No rush.
People nearby edged closer, pretending to check phones while angling their cameras.
The leader lunged first.
A big swing—shoulder wide, chin open.
Jihan stepped aside.
Two fingers brushed the man's wrist.
The punch missed empty air. Momentum yanked him around like a loose hinge. He stumbled into the bench and crumpled against it, milk tea wobbling—
Not spilling.
Jihan glanced down at the cup. The lid stayed tight.
"…Good."
The second guy rushed with a shout.
Jihan's foot slid forward.
A gentle hook.
The guy's own speed carried him down. He skidded across the pavement, palms scraping.
The third grabbed for Jihan's shoulder.
Jihan turned, tapped his forehead lightly with one finger.
The guy froze mid-grab, blinking like someone had pulled his plug. He sat down hard on the curb, stunned, staring at nothing.
Three bodies on the ground.
Street quiet.
A scooter slowed nearby.
A shopkeeper leaned out of his doorway.
Someone whispered, "That's him… Rank-1…"
Jihan picked up his milk tea again. The straw made a soft sucking sound.
"…Stretch before you fight," he said around the sip.
A single clap sounded.
Then another.
The leader groaned, rolling onto his back. "You cheated."
Jihan crouched beside him, shadow falling across the man's face.
"You grabbed a guy holding milk tea."
He patted his shoulder once.
"That's just poor life choices."
More laughter.
A small police drone buzzed closer, camera lens whirring as it focused.
The three hunters scrambled up instantly. One slipped on the curb and nearly face-planted before catching himself. They ran anyway, pride dragging behind them like loose cloth.
Someone actually cheered.
Jihan sat back down.
Finished the drink slowly.
The red light on the lamppost kept blinking.
Wind rustled paper cups in the trash bin.
For a moment, the street settled back into ordinary noise.
Almost.
The bench creaked softly as someone dropped down beside him.
Jihan didn't look immediately.
Just another student, he assumed—until a second straw slid into the quiet, and the faint scent of jasmine tea drifted over.
He turned.
Short hair, cut uneven at the ends. Oversized grey hoodie pulled halfway over her hands. Calm eyes watching the street like she'd been there the whole time.
She lifted her cup, took a slow sip.
Ice clinked.
"…You're funnier than the forum said," she murmured.
Jihan stared at her a moment.
"You read forums about me?"
She shrugged, chewing an ice cube lazily. "People get bored between classes."
He angled his body slightly, studying her properly now. No ASTRA badge. No familiar face. No nervousness.
"You been following me all day?"
She tilted her cup toward the lamppost camera, then toward the police drone drifting away.
"Relax. If I were stalking you, you wouldn't notice."
A small pause.
He snorted quietly. "Confidence."
She nodded toward the crushed bench leg where the hunters had hit earlier. "Technique was clean."
Jihan sipped his milk tea. "They swung first."
She nodded like that answered everything.
Wind tugged her hoodie sleeve. A metal bracelet flashed briefly at her wrist—engraved crest, unfamiliar academy emblem.
"I'm Rank-2," she said casually, eyes still on the road.
"In another academy."
Jihan blinked once.
"…Of course you are."
She smiled without looking at him.
The kind of smile that wasn't mocking. Just amused.
Traffic rolled past. Someone shouted about bus tickets. Somewhere a dog barked.
She tapped her phone screen. The academy announcement glowed briefly.
"Team-vs-Team in forty-eight hours," she said.
Jihan nodded slowly.
Their straws scraped the bottom of their cups at the same time.
She stood.
Pulled her hood up halfway.
For a second she hesitated, then glanced down at him, eyes bright with something sharp and curious.
"See you there, Rank-1."
She walked into the crowd.
Didn't look back.
People swallowed her in seconds—uniforms, backpacks, sunlight flashing off windows.
Jihan watched the spot where she'd disappeared.
The bench creaked again as he leaned back.
He took the last sip. Ice rattled uselessly at the bottom.
"…I can't even drink milk tea in peace," he muttered.
His phone buzzed against his palm.
Once.
Twice.
He unlocked it with his thumb.
Team Seven
Mira: Where are you?
Jisoo: Training hall booked. Hurry.
Minjae: Bring food.
Jihan looked down at the empty cup in his other hand. The last cube of ice rattled uselessly when he tilted it.
"…Should've bought two."
He dropped the cup into the trash bin. The lid clattered, echoing faintly in the quiet street.
The academy gates loomed ahead, glass catching late sunlight. Students streamed in and out, uniforms flashing white and blue.
He slipped his phone into his pocket and started walking.
Behind him—
A whisper, not nearly quiet enough.
"That's him. The guy who punched the monster."
Another voice, half laughing. "He roasted three hunters too."
A third voice joined in, louder now. "Rank-1, right? Kang Jihan?"
Footsteps slowed around him.
Someone pretended to tie a shoelace just to look longer.
A pair of first-years nudged each other and raised their phones slightly, like they were checking messages.
Jihan rubbed his face with one hand.
"…I need sunglasses."
A vending machine near the gate blinked invitingly. Rows of cheap drinks glowed under fluorescent light.
He stared at the price list for a second.
Then sighed.
"…And cheaper milk tea."
The gate scanner chimed softly as he passed through.
Inside, the academy buzz was already waiting—sparring shouts from Practice Hall 2, metal clanging from weapon drills, instructors barking time limits.
His phone buzzed again.
Mira: Seriously, hurry. Jisoo's panicking about strategy.
Minjae: If you don't bring snacks I'm voting you out of the team.
Jihan's steps quickened.
Across the courtyard, Team Seven's training hall lights were already on.
Through the glass, he could see Mira pacing, Jisoo scribbling frantic notes, Minjae leaning against the wall pretending not to worry.
Jihan pushed the door open.
Warm air rushed out.
"…I'm here," he called.
Three heads snapped toward him at once.
And for the first time all day—
He smiled a little.
To Be Continued.