The abandoned building was silent, only the sound of the night wind slipping through the cracks in the walls. The dim moonlight cast a faint glow over the dust-covered floor.
A group of students from Hunter Academy were on their first training mission. Mr. Goharu, their instructor, stood in front, holding a small notebook.
"This mission is simple," his voice was firm. "You only need to hunt down a Grade D curse hiding inside this building. But never underestimate the enemy. Even a Grade D curse can be dangerous!"
Dzeth stood at the back of the group, swallowing nervously. This was their first practical test. If they succeeded, they would be recognized as real hunters. But he… he had no Hunter Technique.
"We'll move in groups! Hwang, Akito, and Rei at the front! Dzeth, Akanza, and the others in the back for support!" Mr. Goharu ordered.
They carefully navigated the narrow hallway. A stale stench filled the air, and the darkness seemed endless.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corner of the building. Something moved swiftly within the shadows.
GROWLLL…
A pair of red eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Wolfer…" Rei whispered, his voice trembling.
From within the shadows, Wolfer, a curse in the form of a massive wolf with thick gray fur, emerged. Its gleaming fangs shone under the dim light, its breath smoky, and its claws scraping against the creaking wooden floor.
"Attack!" Hwang shouted, launching his Beast Hunter Technique. His hands transformed into massive bear claws as he lunged toward Wolfer.
His strike landed directly on Wolfer's chest, making it howl in pain before collapsing and vanishing into black smoke.
But suddenly
GROWLLL!!
Another Wolfer emerged from the left, charging toward Dzeth at high speed!
"Dzeth, attack it!" Rei shouted.
Dzeth froze. His hands trembled as he gripped the academy-issued weapon a small training knife.
Wolfer leaped at him.
"I-I… I can't…"
In an instant, the creature was upon him, claws raised, ready to tear into Dzeth's body
CLANG!
A sword slashed into Wolfer's side, forcing it to leap backward.
Akanza stood in front of Dzeth, gripping his Iron Sword tightly.
"If you can't fight, at least don't be an easy target!" Akanza scolded.
Wolfer let out an enraged howl and lunged at Akanza. However, with a swift, precise swing of his sword, the beast was slain instantly.
Silence. The mission was over.
The other students sighed in relief. But then, their gazes shifted toward Dzeth, who was still sitting on the ground, pale-faced.
"No wonder you don't have a Hunter Technique. Turns out you're just a coward!" Akito sneered with laughter.
"If you can't fight, just quit being a Hunter!" Rei added with disgust.
Dzeth lowered his head. His mind was blank.
While others kept getting stronger, he remained the same weak, powerless, and a burden.
"I… am not a real Hunter."
-
At Akademy
The vast blue sky stretched endlessly above the academy, accompanied by a gentle breeze that carried a refreshing touch.
Inside a classroom filled with talented students, a teacher stood before the whiteboard, passionately explaining how to become a better Cursed Hunter. At the back of the classroom, the academy's emblem hung on the wall a symbol of hope for those who sought to conquer a world plagued by curses.
However, beneath the serious atmosphere of learning, mocking laughter and whispered insults filled the air.
"Teacher, why are you still teaching us this? We're already skilled enough," one student spoke with an arrogant tone.
"Yeah! You should just teach Dzeth instead. He's the weakest hunter in this class," another added with a chuckle.
Dzeth, sitting at the far end of the room, kept his head down. His fingers tightened around his notebook. Their words were nothing new he was used to them.
"He doesn't even have a Hunter Technique, right? What's the point of being in this academy if he has no Hunter technique?"
"Maybe he's just a regular human!"
Laughter grew louder.
Their teacher, noticing the situation, slammed his hand against the desk.
BAM!
"Silence!" his voice boomed, forcing the entire class into momentary silence. "Never underestimate anyone! A true hunter is not only measured by their technique but also by their courage!"
Though the teacher had reprimanded them, the whispers of mockery continued behind his back. Dzeth clenched his pen tightly but said nothing.
Because they were right.
He had no Hunter Technique.
In a world infested with cursed creatures where every hunter relied on their unique abilities to survive Dzeth was nothing more than a powerless human.
-
At the School Field
Suddenly, a small tremor shook the school building.
BOOM!
The students inside the classroom rushed to the windows.
On the school field, a massive, dark creature slithered across the green grass. Its long body resembled that of a giant leech, with rows of sharp teeth protruding from its grotesque mouth.
"A Cursed Leech…" one student whispered.
The creature was a Grade B Curse strong enough to kill an ordinary human in an instant.
However, standing before the creature was a lone man wielding a long spear.
His black robe fluttered in the wind. His eyes remained calm, yet his presence radiated an overwhelming pressure.
"That's an S-Grade Hunter!" someone shouted in excitement.
With a single flash of his spear, the man's weapon pierced through the head of the Cursed Leech, and within a heartbeat the creature vanished as if it had never existed.
The students were in awe. They cheered.
But Dzeth only watched in silence.
-
The Next Day
The sun had just risen, its golden rays illuminating the path to the Hunter Academy.
Dzeth walked slowly, his hands tucked into his pockets. His heart remained heavy after what had happened yesterday.
He wanted to be strong.
He wanted to be like that S-Grade Hunter.
But how was that even possible?
Without a Cursed Technique, he was nothing but a weak human among monsters.
"Oi, Dzeth!"
A voice called out to him.
In front of him stood a young man with reddish-brown hair and sharp, confident eyes. His body was well-built, and he wore the academy uniform in his own style his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
He was Hwang Hawk.
A Grade D Hunter who was considered strong. Some even claimed he was almost on par with a Grade C Hunter.
"What are you doing here?" Hwang asked, his tone laced with mockery. "Isn't it boring to come to the academy when you don't even have a Hunter Technique?"
Dzeth held back his emotions, not wanting to cause trouble.
"I'm just here to learn," he replied.
Hwang scoffed. "Learn? For what? So you can become strong?"
He let out a cruel laugh. "Keep dreaming, Dzeth. You'll never be like us. You"
Ignoring him, Dzeth continued walking towards the academy.
"Pathetic bastard…" Hwang muttered.
WHAM!
Without warning, Hwang struck Dzeth's eye using Beast Hunter Technique.
For a moment, Dzeth's vision blurred from the impact of Hwang's hand, which had transformed into that of a bear's. The force sent him staggering backward, almost making him fall.
However, he steadied himself, refusing to show weakness.
The other students who had witnessed the incident remained silent.
They all knew that Dzeth had no chance if this fight continued.
The pain in his eye was unbearable, and within moments, Dzeth collapsed into unconsciousness.
Chapter 1 End..