The arena buzzed with activity after the obstacle gauntlet. Jin Hwan's name spread like wildfire among trainees. Whispers echoed across the facility like rumors in a school hallway.
"He's gotta be secretly an A-rank, right?"
"No way he's just an F-rank. That movement…"
"Did you see his system? It was golden—golden, bro!"
Despite all the eyes on him, Jin Hwan simply sat in the rest area, sipping a juice box.
He didn't even notice the girl across from him practically glaring holes into his head.
"You're seriously just going to drink that after humiliating everyone?" she snapped.
Jin Hwan blinked. "...Huh?"
The girl in question stood up, flipping her short pink hair with flair. She was small, but the way she carried herself screamed, I am important.
Her name tag flashed as she stomped over:
Name: Park Ara
Rank: C
Class: Mana Blaster
Role: Mid-range DPS / Hunter Academy Elite
She leaned in, jabbing a finger at his chest.
"You skipped ranks! You embarrassed seniors! And you look like a damn idol with those stupid rabbit ears!"
Jin Hwan looked down at her finger. "...You're very aggressive for someone that smells like strawberry shampoo."
Her face went red. "W-WHAT!?"
"Also," he added seriously, "My ears aren't stupid."
Park Ara turned away in frustration, muttering curses under her breath.
Yuri walked by, grinning ear to ear. "Someone's popular."
"I didn't do anything."
"Exactly. That's why they're all freaking out." She pointed to the digital board overhead. "Round two's up. Time for the real test."
❖ Combat Evaluation Round 2: Simulated Dungeon Raid
The room shifted again—walls dissolving into an expansive, cave-like dungeon simulation. Mossy walls. Flickering torches. The low, ominous growl of monsters echoing through the darkness.
Yuri's voice came through the comms.
"Your goal: clear the dungeon's core and retrieve the [Simulation Core Crystal]. Monsters are real. Pain is real. Death isn't—but failing means disqualification."
"Also, this time, you'll be working in randomly assigned teams."
Panels blinked across the wall, assigning names and ranks.
Team 4
Jin Hwan (F)
Park Ara (C)
Lee Hyun (C)
Cho Daeho (B)
Park Ara: "...No. No. No. Why HIM?!"
Jin Hwan: "Wow. Karma really is fast."
Cho Daeho, a towering dude with a shaved head and greatsword, clapped Jin Hwan's shoulder.
"You're the rabbit guy? That was some nice hopping earlier. I'll cover the front. You do… whatever rabbits do."
Lee Hyun, the fourth teammate, nodded from behind his glasses. He was quiet, calm, and had a faint bookish aura.
"Try not to get in the way, Rabbit-nim."
Jin Hwan sighed.
"Cool. So I'm the team mascot now."
The dungeon's first section was standard—low-level goblin simulations. Easy for most teams.
But not Team 4.
Cho Daeho rushed in swinging like a maniac, drawing attention to himself. Lee Hyun stayed back casting defensive buffs. Ara fired mana blasts from mid-range—while complaining non-stop.
And Jin Hwan?
He dodged.
Hopped.
Occasionally slapped a goblin's head with a backflip kick.
[Skill Used: Quick Hop (Lv. 2)]
[Evasion Successful]
[Combo Achieved – Agility +1 Temporary Boost]
[New Passive Unlocked: Bunny Reflexes (Lv. 1)]
After ten minutes of chaos and insults, they cleared the room.
"You barely did anything," Ara said, brushing off goblin guts.
"I didn't need to," Jin Hwan said casually. "You guys were doing a great job. Besides, the real fight's deeper in."
"Ugh, you're so—"
Suddenly, the lights flickered.
A red alert flashed.
[WARNING: Dungeon has shifted]
[Mutated Entity Detected – Rank A threat]
[Survival rate: 22%]
The walls rumbled. Rocks fell. The dungeon restructured into a narrow tunnel leading toward a cavern that pulsed with crimson energy.
A mutated ogre roared in the distance.
The team froze.
"This isn't part of the plan," Lee Hyun muttered.
"We're C and B rank at best," Daeho said, gripping his sword. "I didn't sign up for an A-rank boss!"
Yuri's voice came through, calm but distant.
"Team 4, you've triggered a hidden simulation node. Either clear it for bonus evaluation points or forfeit now. Up to you."
Park Ara looked between the others.
Cho Daeho cursed. "I'm not dying in a fake dungeon. I'm out."
Lee Hyun nodded. "Same."
They turned toward the exit portal.
Only Jin Hwan stood still.
"I'll do it," he said.
Ara's head whipped around. "What?!"
"I'm staying."
She stepped forward. "Are you insane?! You're F-rank!"
Jin Hwan's golden system flared open.
🟨 [Golden System Interface] 🟨
System Sync: 19.82%
New Skill Unlocked: Rabbit's Burrow (Lv. 1) – Create a temporary shadow-step style tunnel to dodge attacks or relocate behind enemies.
New Passive: Danger Sense (Lv. 1) – Gain a pulse of warning 1.5 seconds before a lethal attack lands.
Hidden Stat Activated: Resolve
Current Resolve: 5/100Bonus Agility and Focus under pressure.
"I'll distract it," he said. "I'll figure it out."
Ara stared at him for a moment, something unreadable in her eyes.
Then she sighed loudly.
"Dammit. If you die, I'm failing too, aren't I?"
He grinned. "Technically, yes."
She grumbled. "Fine. I'm in. But if you get me killed, I'm haunting you."
❖ Boss Room: Mutated Ogre (Simulated – Rank A)
It was ten feet tall, muscle-bound and dripping dark mana. Its eyes glowed red. Chains dangled from its wrists like broken shackles.
Ara charged up her spell. Jin Hwan activated Rabbit's Burrow and vanished from sight.
The ogre roared—and the battle began.
He blinked behind the ogre mid-swing, slapped its calf with a flash kick, then immediately hopped sideways as a backhand came flying.
Ara fired two rapid-fire mana shots at its head.
[Evasion Successful]
[Skill Chain Bonus +1]
[Rabbit's Burrow Cooldown: 13s]
Jin Hwan gritted his teeth.
"Gotta stall for her to charge the big one…"
He zipped in again, distracting, annoying, baiting attacks.
His golden interface glowed brighter.
[Golden System Sync: 24.01%]
New Active Skill: Flicker Hop (Lv. 1) — Short-range teleport within 5 meters. Costs stamina.
Title Acquired: "Ogre Dodger"
Ara raised her hand. A massive mana sphere swirled above her.
"MOVE!"
Jin Hwan hit Flicker Hop—vanishing just as the orb launched.
BOOM!!!
The ogre screeched, burning, collapsing under the onslaught.
Silence.
And then—
Dungeon Clear.
[Bonus Evaluation Achieved][Survival Bonus: +100%][Affinity Raised – Park Ara: +10 (Annoyed Respect)][New Record Set – First F-rank to clear Solo A-Rank Boss (Sim)][Hidden Achievement: The Foolish Brave – UNLOCKED]
As they stood in the portal back to base, Ara looked sideways at him.
"You're still stupid."
"Thanks."
"…But you were cool. Just this once."
Jin Hwan smiled.
Then his system window popped up one more time.
🟨 [Golden System Interface] 🟨
Level Up!
Current Level: 4
Stat Points Earned: +5
Skill Points: +1
Choose Stat to Distribute:
Strength
Agility
Intelligence
Luck
Charm
Resolve