Murmur, murmur-

Inside the fairly noisy auditorium.

Seo Hyorin, who was in charge of the training, crossed her arms and watched Ha Gangwoo.

‘An L-Grade, huh.’

Her grade was a whopping S-Grade. But it hadn’t started that high.

Back in the Tutorial, her grade was D-Grade. A paltry rank. But she’d pushed through Gates and Scenarios with endless effort.

As a result, she’d achieved S-Grade through re-evaluation. That was why she knew well.

L-Grade. It wasn’t a rank you could just get by luck.

‘And if he’s already been to see the senior, that says it all.’

On top of that, even her idol Cha Yuseong had personally come by and taken notice of him.

What in the world did you have to do in the Tutorial to receive an L-Grade?

‘I’m curious.’

Seo Hyorin clicked her tongue and walked toward the trainees.

The trainees were chattering away with excited faces. Well, the Rank-1 player had come and gone—she could hardly blame them.

Seo Hyorin cleared her throat once. “Hm.” The sound pulled their attention.

“Ten minutes are up. Gather around.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The trainees assembled with booming voices, and Seo Hyorin continued.

“As announced earlier, we’re going straight into the test. After that, we’ll head out to clear a Gate immediately.”

“The Gate we’re tackling today is E-Grade. This is real combat—you could lose your life. I expect everyone to give it their all.”

Seo Hyorin paused and read the trainees’ faces. Even if they’d gone through every procedure in the Tower, these were people who had died. Their resolve would be different.

And sure enough, the trainees wore a mix of expressions.

One man swallowed dryly, anxiety plain on his face. Another wore an inexplicable smile of anticipation. And then—

Seo Hyorin’s eyebrow twitched as she looked at Ha Gangwoo’s expression.

‘Interesting.’

His pupils, utterly unshaken, were fixed on her. As if he had more interest in something else than in the Gate itself.

Seo Hyorin’s face went cold.

‘Now I’m even more curious. Let’s try the test.’

Ordinarily, she’d assign teams by grade and position. But Seo Hyorin was curious about Ha Gangwoo.

An L-Grade man, no less. What kind of power did he actually have?

Seo Hyorin reached into the air. She pulled out a longsword, a full two meters in length.

“Alright, let’s begin the test.”

The trainees scratched their cheeks, staring at Seo Hyorin and her sword.

“Wait, the test is just fighting her directly?”

“Come on—no way we can beat a max-level player.”

The complaints bubbled up, but Seo Hyorin thumped the longsword against the floor and spoke.

“Monsters won’t care about your level, your grade, or your circumstances. If you don’t want to take the test, feel free to leave.”

Her firm words shut them all up like mutes. Then one man shot to his feet, pulling a spear from his Inventory.

“I’ll give it a shot!”

That man was none other than Kim Daeseong.

Kim Daeseong frowned as he stepped up in front of Seo Hyorin, clearly in a foul mood.

He ground his teeth and gripped the spear tightly.

‘Fuck, this is shitty.’

The memory of lowering his gaze to Ha Gangwoo kept circling through his head.

He’d backed down from just a look. What pissed him off more was that his hands were still shaking.

Kim Daeseong clenched his trembling hands hard.

‘I’ll earn recognition somehow.’

If nothing else, he wanted to prove himself in this test.

Kim Daeseong’s Trait was combat-related. He had confidence in that.

He tapped the spear’s tip on the ground and asked.

“What’s the test? Just sparring? Or do you want us to show our Traits?”

As Kim Daeseong asked, Seo Hyorin drew a longsword from its sheath, the blade whispering against the leather.

“Treat me like a monster and give it your all.”

“Huh?”

For a moment, Kim Daeseong’s face went blank. Her words meant he should charge in as if to kill.

But Seo Hyorin’s expression was icy as she slowly parted her lips.

The moment their eyes met, goosebumps rippled across Kim Daeseong’s entire body.

“This isn’t the Tower. Even when hunting a small Goblin, you must go all out. The instant you let your guard down, thinking it’s just a test or that the monster in front of you is weak—you die.”

*Gulp.*

Every trainee who heard Seo Hyorin’s words grimaced as they stared at her.

Each short sentence built a heavy tension. Because she radiated the intent that even she—the instructor in charge—was taking this seriously.

Kim Daeseong seemed to snap out of his daze, his eyes settling into a focused calm as he locked gaze with Seo Hyorin.

Then, with an easy air, Seo Hyorin gripped the longsword with both hands and spoke.

“Let’s start right now. For five minutes, I’ll only defend.”

“Yes!”

In the hall, a thick silence hung in the air.

Kim Daeseong charged at Seo Hyorin with all his might, spear in hand.

Ha Gangwoo sharpened his Sense to the limit, capturing every detail of their sparring.

Kim Daeseong’s footwork was solid. His speed wasn’t bad—fast and fierce, his Agility seemed to exceed 50.

“Whoa~! Fast. Guess that’s B-Grade for you.”

“What do we do? I’m so nervous.”

The other trainees watched with wide eyes, letting out impressed murmurs as they observed the spar.

In that instant, Kim Daeseong thrust his spear toward Seo Hyorin.

*Shwoosh!* The sound of the spear splitting air reached even the trainees.

Whoever taught him Basic Spearmanship, his stance had no wasted movement.

The thrust was smooth.

But the spear cut through empty air. Seo Hyorin twisted her body to dodge.

Kim Daeseong’s face scrunched up.

‘As expected from a max-level!’

He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the spear. He’d expected her to block or dodge. So he immediately followed up with a second strike.

He pulled the thrusting spear back and aimed for Seo Hyorin’s waist.

But *clack*—her sword casually deflected the spear strike.

“Whoa~! B-Grade’s definitely different. Must’ve learned Basic Spearmanship at the House of Training. That was fucking flashy.”

“Right? If this were a fight between trainees, they’d have been completely destroyed.”

Everyone was amazed by Kim Daeseong’s spearwork.

But after five minutes, their awe turned into tension.

In the end, Kim Daeseong’s spear hadn’t even grazed a hair on Seo Hyorin’s head.

And the moment time ran out—

*Thwack!!!*

One punch from Seo Hyorin ended the test.

“*Kkeok*…”

Kim Daeseong clutched his stomach and rolled on the ground, groaning.

Seeing that, the trainees swallowed dryly and exchanged glances with each other.

“What kind of test is this? So in the end, you’re getting hit at least once no matter what…”

“Crazy. If a B-Grade got wrecked like that, what the hell am I supposed to do?”

Everyone was just trading wary glances, putting off the next test—until that moment.

Ha Gangwoo swung his arms in loose circles and stepped in front of Seo Hyorin.

At that, the trainees started whispering among themselves.

“Figures—L-Grade Player. Watched that spar and went straight for it.”

“Oh! Right, there’s an L-Grade Player here. They say you’re lucky if even one S-Grade shows up a year. But L-Grade? He’s gotta be insane, right?”

“I’m curious, sure. But what if he just got lucky, like that B-Grade said? Earlier, that B-Grade challenged him to spar and he just sat there without a word.”

“You think? Well, a Tutorial newbie going up against a max-level—how’s that supposed to work?”

After seeing Seo Hyorin’s skill, the trainees had all lost their nerve.

Naturally, they were certain Ha Gangwoo would lose.

“Haah… haah…”

Kim Daeseong, still clutching his stomach, watched Ha Gangwoo and Seo Hyorin.

‘Level really is a bully. She’s damn fast… But why does it have to be that bastard right after me?’

Kim Daeseong furrowed his brow and slumped down onto the floor. His gut still throbbed like it was on fire from the hit.

Then, all of a sudden, a smile spread across Kim Daeseong’s face.

‘But what difference does it make who goes up? Isn’t it all the same? So—’

The reason for the smile was simple.

‘That means I get to watch him writhing in pain on the floor, doesn’t it?’

He was already picturing it: Ha Gangwoo taking a hit to the gut from Seo Hyorin and rolling around on the ground.

‘This’ll be fun.’

His own pain forgotten, Kim Daeseong fixed his gaze on the spar.

And at the center of all eyes, Ha Gangwoo strode into the middle of the gymnasium.

Then Seo Hyorin opened her mouth, her expression flat.

“Just what I’d expect from an L-Grade Player. I like the nerve. Come at me with everything you’ve got.”

Ha Gangwoo looked at Seo Hyorin and sank into thought.

‘If she’s max level, her average stats are probably around two hundred.’

He checked his own stats.

Strength: 100

Agility: 70

Vitality: 72

Mana: 60

Sense: 50

Luck: 60

According to known information, the average max-level stat was around two hundred. But the Player in front of him had to be a high-grade Player even by the Association’s standards.

Assuming an average stat of around two hundred fifty was the safe bet.

He was short on both Strength and Agility, but he couldn’t help being curious.

‘Is she stronger than Antero?’

Ha Gangwoo lowered his stance, narrowed his eyes, and called Celeritra to his hand.

[You have summoned Celeritra from your Inventory.]

The sword sucked into his palm with a soft *thwip*, and the trainees’ eyes went wide at the sight.

“What the? Did he just pull that out of his Inventory?”

“Huh? Looks like it. Or maybe it’s a weapon-summoning skill? Now that’s an L-Grade Player! Fucking awesome.”

The trainees were sure Ha Gangwoo would lose, but they felt an odd flicker of interest anyway.

Seo Hyorin felt the same.

‘Interesting. What kind of Trait is that?’

Ha Gangwoo watched, then lifted the longsword in both hands and settled into his stance.

“Same conditions. I’ll just defend for five minutes, so give it your all.”

“Understood.”

Ha Gangwoo grinned as he squared off.

‘How good am I, really?’

The woman before him was a veteran Player who’d been through it all—a max-level pro.

But he was just a rookie fresh out of the Tutorial.

How big could the gap really be?

Gangwoo had his own confidence.

Weapon Mastery—gained through insight while watching Antero’s movements.

When it came to swordsmanship alone, he wouldn’t fall short.

What he lacked were Stats and skills.

But that didn’t mean he had no options.

Demonization doubled every Stat—though the foggy-minded penalty was real, he could handle it for three minutes.

On top of that, Attack Stance made up for power, and Swift Movements covered speed.

Maybe because he had so many reliable cards to play, his competitive fire surged.

Light kindled in Gangwoo’s eyes.

‘Let’s go.’

Thud! He drove his right foot forward and activated his skills.

[Swift Movements] [ON]

[Movement speed increased by 50%.]

A blue glow wrapped around both feet.

[Attack Stance has been activated.]

[Your next attack deals 2x damage.]

A red aura rippled across his entire body.

And then—

‘Demonization.’

The moment Lucifel’s Ring engaged,

black smoke coiled around him, his skin darkening to pitch.

Fsssh—as the black mist peeled away, revealing Gangwoo’s transformed body—

“Whoa~!”

The trainees’ jaws dropped at the sight.

“What the hell? Is that really a newbie Player?”

“No way. Must be some Demonfolk trait. That’s insanely cool.”

As if answering their awe, Gangwoo stomped hard and launched himself forward.

In an instant, the floorboard beneath him screamed and burst—Pow!—and as he tore past, the ground itself split apart with a grinding roar.

“He’s fucking fast! I can’t even see him.”

“No… no way.”

Everyone stared, stunned, their faces blank.

Seo Hyorin frowned and tightened her grip on her sword.

‘Fast.’

Hyorin had plenty of PVP experience. That alone let her gauge the man’s capabilities.

‘Speed-wise, he’s on par with a Player in their 70s who specializes in it.’

As she made that assessment and swallowed dryly—

Gangwoo, now right in front of her, swung his sword, using his forward momentum.

Whoosh—the blade sliced through the air with a savage arc.

Seo Hyorin watched the strike and narrowed her eyes.

‘Trait, ability—everything’s solid. But experience is thin.’

Relying too much on speed, he’d charged in a straight line and swung. The attack was far too easy to read.

Seo Hyorin twisted her body, dodging Gangwoo’s blade.

A sharp *swish* cut through the air as Ha Gangwoo’s blade carved a clean arc through empty space—his own momentum, too much for his body to control, carried him right past Seo Hyorin.

*’That one swing just cost him ten seconds.’*

Seo Hyorin expected Gangwoo to keep sliding, helpless against his own speed.

But then—

*Clang!*

Ha Gangwoo stopped dead, planted right beside her.

*’What the—?!’*

Seo Hyorin’s face tightened as she tried to reset her stance, but a dull, vibrating shock climbed up her legs.

*’A slow skill?!’*

As if in answer to her question—

Ha Gangwoo, his entire body wreathed in a crimson aura, smoothly swung his sword.

*’Fast.’*

Lack of experience? Absolutely not.

This attack had been planned from the start.

She’d told the trainees never to let their guard down—and she’d done exactly that herself.

Gritting her teeth, Seo Hyorin snapped her longsword up.

*Crack!* A deafening blast made the air itself shudder.

Her longsword met Gangwoo’s Celeritra edge-on, sparks flying from the collision.

*’Heavy!’*

Seo Hyorin’s face twisted as she locked blades with him, a contest of raw strength.

Perfect timing, a broken posture—threatening enough on its own. But it was the gap in stats that let her overcome it all.

Her expression went cold as she stared down at Gangwoo.

A complete greenhorn, fresh out of the Tutorial. Level twenty at most.

Abilities aside, his PVP skill was anything but ordinary.

*’So this is what it means to be L-Grade.’*

Without realizing it, Seo Hyorin had become fully absorbed in the match.

Outsized power, speed, technique—every part of it drew her interest.

Their stalemate dragged on.

Seo Hyorin’s brow furrowed as she gripped her sword with both hands and pushed harder.

Gangwoo began to slide back, his stance lowering.

Even using Demonization with max-level Strength stats, he still came up short.

He pulled his blade back and created a little distance.

*’Guess raw power won’t cut it.’*

It wasn’t just strength. Even after completely breaking her posture, the gap in Agility stats had let her block him.

But there was one thing that worked.

*’My swordsmanship is better.’*

Swordsmanship.

When she drew a longsword, he’d assumed she was a blade-specialist player—but the instant their swords clashed, he knew.

Seo Hyorin was clumsy with a sword.

*’I’ll drag this into a brawl!’*

Changing his strategy, Ha Gangwoo charged at Seo Hyorin.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Their melee began.

***

Silence hung over the auditorium as a savage *clang* tore through the space.

*Clang!*

Every clash of blades sent a shudder through the trainees themselves.

“No way. He’s trading blows with a max-level….”

“No—he’s actually got the upper hand… This is insane.”

Jaws dropped all around as they stared, unable to hold back their awe.

Kim Daeseong watched, his fists clenched tight.

“Is that even possible? She’s not getting pushed back?”

Strictly speaking, Seo Hyorin was only blocking.

She was being pushed back, yes—but that wasn’t the point, not for the trainee, not for Daeseong.

The one fact that mattered was enough: their instructor had no room to breathe.

And then.

Shiiing—Gangwoo’s sword began to graze Hyorin’s skin, snip at her clothes.

Kim Daeseong let out a relieved sigh, his mouth hanging open.

‘He’s insane… If… if I’d let my temper get the better of me and accepted that PVP…’

Kim Daeseong thought himself lucky—the man who had, at some point, cowered and lowered his gaze.

Meanwhile.

Seo Hyorin scowled as she blocked Gangwoo’s blade.

The strike came without fail, arcing toward her shoulder.

The moment she moved to block the afterimage, the sword’s trajectory twisted.

‘His swordsmanship is no joke.’

Her Agility stat was definitely higher. That’s why Gangwoo’s movements didn’t seem that fast.

But his sword technique—it was too sharp.

On top of that, this was a test. She couldn’t counterattack.

The more sword-steps they accumulated, the more gaps appeared. And this man slipped through every single one.

Shiiing—

Each time, Hyorin’s skin was nicked, fine and shallow.

Gritting her teeth, Seo Hyorin parsed Gangwoo’s pattern.

A descending strike from right to left—the instant she tensed her muscles to block it, he twisted the angle. The deviation always found the opening. That was what made it so hard to defend.

Her expression hardened into ice.

‘Let’s end it here.’

After all, the test was only meant to assess a trainee’s capabilities for five minutes.

She had lost track of time, too focused on the spar.

‘As expected of an L-Grade. Impressive.’

A satisfied smile touched Seo Hyorin’s lips as she curled her hand into a fist.

Just as she reached out—

Gangwoo swung his sword again.

Vwoom—it split the air with a fierce howl, aimed at her shoulder.

But Hyorin didn’t stop her fist.

Her Vitality stat was well over 300.

A sword strike swung with Strength under 100.

She was certain.

It might graze her skin, but it would never cut through her muscle.

So she drove her fist straight toward Gangwoo’s abdomen.

But then—

Swoosh—

A violet light rippled across Gangwoo’s entire body.

The instant she saw it, Seo Hyorin pulled her fist back, involuntarily.

‘What was that?’

Spooked by a nameless dread, she instinctively readjusted her grip on the sword and braced for the blow.

At that moment. Claaaang!!

A massive shock ran up through her hand.

‘Ngh!’

It was the same kind of impact as striking the heavy armor of a hulking boss!

Seo Hyorin’s knees buckled, just slightly.

‘If that had hit, it would have been bad.’

A faint smile crept across her usually impassive face.

‘Interesting.’

Seo Hyorin’s lips curved into a wry grin as she threw a punch.

An attack with just a hint of real intent behind it.

Crack!

A heavy, wet impact echoed through the room, and Ha Gangwoo blacked out on the spot.