Chapter Six: Unlocking ability
The sun hung high in the sky, casting warm light over the academy's courtyard. Rows of students in dark blue graduation robes sat in front of a raised platform, where teachers and school officials stood, preparing for the ceremony. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement—students whispering, adjusting their robes, or taking last-minute pictures before the event started.
Quinn sat in the middle of the crowd, his hands resting on his lap, his gaze distant. Around him, his classmates were animated, talking about their futures. Some are planning for college, and some have already lined up job offers. Others were preparing to join low-ranking guilds as trainees. A few even had sponsors—connections that guaranteed them a place in the world of Hunters.
And then there was him.
He had spent the last week training in secret, testing his abilities, feeling the weight of something entirely new inside him. The knowledge that he was different now had settled deep in his bones, making this whole ceremony feel… surreal.
"Man, can you believe we're finally done with this place?"
Quinn turned his head to see his best friend, Damien, dropping into the seat beside him with a wide grin. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried himself with the confidence of someone who had already planned his next step. "Feels weird, huh? No more exams, no more stupid lectures."
"Yeah," Quinn muttered, offering a small smirk. "No more being yelled at for showing up late, either." Damien let out a laugh. "Hey, I was barely late most of the time."
Quinn shook his head. Damien had always been the type to coast by—talented but lazy. Unlike Quinn, he actually had a clear path ahead of him. He was planning to join a small awakened squad under an established guild outside the district. Not prestigious, but a solid start.
"So, what's next for you?" Damien asked, stretching his arms behind his head. "Gonna find a job? You could probably get into security work, y'know. You're decent in a fight."
Quinn hesitated for a moment. He had always expected to take a normal job, but now? His future looked completely different.
Before he could answer, the speakers crackled to life.
"Welcome, students," the headmaster's voice boomed over the courtyard. "Today, we celebrate the achievements of our graduates as they take their first steps into the world beyond these walls…"
The speech continued, but Quinn barely heard it.
He wasn't like the others anymore. His life wasn't going to follow the same path.
He clenched his fists.
After today, he would start chasing his future.
The ceremony ended in a blur of handshakes, congratulations, and the occasional tearful goodbye. By the time Quinn finally made his way out of the crowded courtyard, the afternoon sun had begun its slow descent.
As he reached the academy gates, he spotted her—Emily, standing off to the side, waiting for him.
She was wearing her usual casual clothes, her long, dark hair pulled into a loose ponytail. The moment their eyes met, she beamed and held up her phone.
"Smile!"
Before he could react, she snapped a picture.
Quinn groaned. "Emily…"
"What? I need proof you actually graduated," she teased, stepping closer. "You look good in that, by the way."
He glanced down at his robe. It was simple, nothing special, but it meant something—to her, at least.
Emily's expression softened. "I'm proud of you, Quinn."
A warmth settled in his chest. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly awkward. "Yeah, well… it's just graduation."
She nudged him playfully. "It's still a big deal. So, what's next?"
That question again.
Quinn exhaled, looking at the sky for a moment. "I have some things to figure out."
Emily studied him, her sharp eyes picking up on something different about him. But before she could say anything, Quinn suddenly felt it—
A strange pressure in the air.
His body tensed. His instincts screamed at him.
Something was wrong.
A bloodcurdling scream rang out.
Both Quinn and Emily snapped their heads toward the academy entrance.
A group of students had stopped near the front gates, frozen in fear.
And then—he saw them.
Five Possessed.
The tension in the air was thick. Students stood frozen in fear, their eyes locked onto the grotesque figures near the academy's entrance.
Five Possessed.
Twisted beings with blackened veins and glowing red eyes, their bodies twitching unnaturally as if something inside them was struggling to break free. Their jagged claws scraped against the pavement, their lips pulled back in sick grins.
One of them, a hunched, lanky creature, turned into the largest of the group—a brute-like Possessed with thick, mutated arms.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?"
The brute let out a guttural chuckle. "Yes. Before any Awakened Hunters come, we'll have eaten enough and made a break for it."
Quinn, who had been observing from the side, suddenly felt something shift.
A translucent blue screen flickered into existence in front of him.
[System Notification]
[Quest: Five E-Rank Possessed have appeared! Kill them all.]
[Reward: Unlock Ability, Mana increases]
Quinn blinked. A quest?
His lips curled into an amused smirk.
"An interesting quest… but I really don't want my graduation robe getting tainted with blood." He sighed, running a hand over the fabric. "Then again, their cores should sell for a decent amount."
Before he could make a move, one of the Possessed cracked its neck and grinned.
"Let's get this started, then."
With a burst of unnatural speed, the creature lunged toward a terrified student—claws extended, aiming straight for their throat.
Quinn disappeared.
In an instant, he was gone from where he stood.
Emily, his sister, barely had time to register it.
"Where's Quinn…?" she muttered, confused. He had been right beside her just a second ago.
Then her eyes widened.
Quinn was already in front of the Possessed.
The monster's claws were mere inches away from the student's throat—until Quinn grabbed its wrist.
A sharp CRACK echoed through the air.
The Possessed screeched in agony as Quinn twisted its arm unnaturally in the wrong direction, snapping the joint like a dry twig.
Before the creature could even react, Quinn lifted his leg and drove his knee into its gut.
BOOM!
The impact sent the Possessed flying backward, skidding across the pavement before smashing into the academy's outer wall.
Dead silence.
The remaining four Possessed stared at Quinn in shock.
The students? Speechless.
Emily's jaw dropped. Since when was he this strong?
Quinn rolled his shoulders. "They better sell these E-Rank Possessed cores for a good price."
The brute-like Possessed growled. "You little—!"
It charged.
Quinn exhaled through his nose, watching as the hulking creature raised its massive arm, swinging it down like a sledgehammer.
At the last second—
He vanished.
The brute's attack struck nothing but air.
Then—
BANG!
A fist slammed into its stomach.
Quinn had reappeared behind it. His punch landed with such force that the Possessed's feet lifted off the ground. Its mouth hung open in a silent gasp before—
BOOM!
It was sent flying backward, crashing into two of its own kind.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
This wasn't normal.
Quinn wasn't normal.
The remaining three Possessed hesitated, but the brute roared, staggering back to its feet. "You—You bastard!"
It launched forward again, swinging its mutated fist with enough force to shatter the stone.
Quinn tilted his head slightly, dodging the attack without effort.
Then he countered.
A powerful uppercut connected with the brute's chin, lifting the massive creature off its feet.
But Quinn wasn't done.
In the same fluid motion, he twisted his body, spun mid-air, and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to its head.
The Possessed's skull caved in on impact.
Its body was flung like a ragdoll, smashing into a nearby tree so hard that the trunk split in half.
THUD!
The brute didn't get back up.
The last three Possessed shuddered.
"W-What is this guy?!"
Quinn cracked his neck. "I was hoping you'd be more of a challenge."
Rage replaced fear. The remaining Possessed lunged at him all at once, attacking from different angles.
But Quinn was faster.
He dodged with effortless precision, his body weaving through their strikes like he could see them before they happened.
A claw swiped toward his neck—he ducked.
Another came for his ribs—he twisted his torso just enough for it to miss by inches.
A third aimed for his back—he stepped forward, causing the attackers to stumble over each other.
Then, he countered.
One punch—shattered a Possessed's jaw.
One kick—broke another's leg in half.
He grabbed the final one by the face and—
SLAM!
Drove it into the pavement, leaving a crater.
The fight had lasted less than a minute.
Blood dripped from Quinn's knuckles, but his breathing was steady. He had taken zero hits.
The last Possessed weakly tried to crawl away.
Quinn walked up to it—slowly.
It whimpered.
"I-It wasn't supposed to be like this…"
Quinn crouched down. "Yeah? Bad luck."
Then he clenched his fist—
And ended it.
A notification appeared before his eyes.
[Quest Complete!]
[Reward: Unlocking Ability…]
Quinn smirked as he felt power surge through his body.
This was just the beginning.