​“Huh…. You're still at 1 star?” The teacher’s voice echoed in disappointment as he stared at Lucian's essence results displayed on the screen. “At this rate, Lucian, you'll never become an official hunter,” sighed the teacher, shaking his head. ​“Why can't you be like your peers? You need to put in more effort so you can earn your place if you want to qualify for a decent hunter academy and become useful to society,” he reprimanded him. “Harry is already in the late stages of 2 stars. Why can't you be more like him and match even a fraction of his effort?” ​Lucian’s jaw tightened as he met the teacher's eye for a second. “Ok teacher, I understand. I'll try harder,” he assured him reluctantly before turning back toward his seat. ​Commotion erupted through the crowd. Some burst into laughter while others whispered. ​“I guess trash will always be trash.” ​“Seriously, what’s the point? Dead weight like him won’t last a week in a portal!” ​“HAHAHA…. I don't even know why he keeps try

A few days passed in a blur. Lucian dropped to the floor, completing the final set of push-ups. His arms trembled, sweat rolling down his forehead, but his breathing was steady now. The [ding] of the system echoed in his mind, as familiar as the beat of his heart.[Daily Quest Complete]+3 stat points +10 EXPLucian sat up, wiping his brow. The glowing panel flickered before him, and he couldn’t help but smile at his stats.[Status]Name: LucianRace: HumanLevel: 1Class: WarriorHP: 50/50MP: 10/10Strength: 17Agility: 14Stamina: 11Perception: 10 (EXP 40/100)“Not bad…” he muttered with a smile, flexing his fingers. His hands still looked the same thin, pale, calloused in places. His reflection in the window displayed the same face, the same auburn hair falling over his eyes. But inside? He could feel the difference. His legs felt coiled, like springs ready to burst. His lungs filled with air more easily, his heart thudded with steady rhythm.The daily quests that once left hi

Lyra plunged her spear into the hide of a plainstalker. The beast howled, its emerald eyes flashing with rage as it bit at the shaft lodged in its chest. ROOOAAAAR! Another plainstalker charged at Lucian, baring its teeth with claws extended. It struck so fast he barely managed to block the hit. SKRAAATCH! [-10] The impact slammed him backwards. He clenched his teeth against the sudden numbness in his arm. The metallic smell of blood mixed with the scent of trampled wild grass. "Gods, it's trying to break my arm" he thought, exhaling sharply as he forced his weapon back up. “Tch… you’re really trying to break my arm, huh?” he grunted. “Too bad… I’m not going down that easily.” The plainstalker’s emerald eyes locked onto him, agitated by his defiance. Lucian’s own heartbeat thundered in his ears. Instantly, it leaped. He rolled, the gust of wind from its claws brushing past his face. They tore through the air where his head had been. The moment he found his feet, he pivote

“Kids! Breakfast’s ready! get down here before it gets cold!”. After the meal, the mood grew heavy. Lucian and Harry came down with their bags, where Velma and the kids waited by the door. “Are you both done packing?” she asked. “Yeah, we’re ready,” Lucian said. Velma’s eyes shimmered as she pulled them into a hug. “My babies… take care of yourselves, and look out for each other, alright?” The younger children clung to them. In this little home of theirs all they had was themselves. Lucian forced a smile, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I promise, Velma. I’ll get strong enough so I can create a better life for us.” Harry grinned. “Count me in. I’ll bring him back in one piece.” A knock interrupted. A hunter in uniform stood at the door. “It’s time. The train to Solis City leaves soon.” “We’re ready to leave,” Harry said. “Bye, Velma! Bye, everyone! Take care of her, okay?” Lucian burned in his memory the faces of his modest family most especially Velma’s trembling smile.

Each cultivation stages for a hunter is divided into early, middle and peak stages. There are 9 hunter ranks each stage with its own bottleneck. The more talented a hunter is, the easier it is for them to break through the internal barrier and advance. The less talented the more time it'll take them to advance past their bottleneck. Instructor Brann clapped his hands sharply, the sound cutting through the quiet celebration. "Enough. The celebration ends now. You've passed the entrance, but that just means you're qualified to struggle. Your real training starts tomorrow." A ripple of nervous tension replaced the brief joy. Then, a new figure stepped forward. She was tall and severe, her uniform impeccable, her hair pulled into a sharp ponytail. "I am Instructor Vian. I formally welcome you to Astraea Academy." Her eyes scanned the crowd,. "Your first lesson in our world is this: nothing is given. Everything is earned." She gestured, and several teachers moved about the arena, hand