The D-Class dormitory was located on the western edge of the campus, tucked behind a cluster of old oak trees that blocked the view of the shiny, glass-fronted S-Class towers. It was a five-story brick building that looked more like an old apartment complex than a prestigious academy facility. The paint was peeling around the window frames and the elevators made a rhythmic clanking sound that suggested they were overdue for a service.
Min-ho didn't mind. The distance from the main hub meant fewer eyes and less noise. He carried his single duffel bag up the stairs to the fourth floor, bypassed a group of students complaining about their lack of premium mana-water, and found the door labeled 404.
He swiped his student ID. The lock clicked open.
The room was larger than he expected, though the furniture was basic. Three bunk beds were pushed against the walls, and the floor was cluttered with stacks of books and half-empty boxes of snacks. Two guys were already there.
The first was sitting at a desk, staring intensely at a cup of instant noodles. He was short, with messy brown hair and thick glasses that seemed to slide down his nose every few seconds. He didn't look up when Min-ho entered. He simply held his hand over the cup, his face turning a slight shade of red from effort. After a few seconds, steam began to rise from the noodles.
"Success," the guy muttered, his shoulders slumping. He turned around and noticed Min-ho. "Oh, hey. You're the third guy. I'm Han-gyul. My ability is Molecular Friction. Sounds cool on paper, but I can basically only heat up about 200 milliliters of liquid at a time. It takes a lot out of me, but at least I don't need a microwave."
Min-ho dropped his bag on the empty bottom bunk. "Min-ho. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Jin-woo," a voice said from the corner.
Min-ho turned and realized he had completely missed the second roommate. The guy was standing near the curtains, wearing a grey hoodie that matched the color of the wallpaper perfectly. He was so still that he had blended into the background. He stepped forward, and the illusion broke.
"My ability is Static Noise," Jin-woo explained with a small, tired smile. "I can create a bubble of silence about a meter wide around myself. The Academy thinks it's useless for combat because it doesn't stop physical force, but it's great for studying in a noisy dorm. If you ever need it quiet so you can sleep, just let me know."
Min-ho looked at the two of them. They weren't arrogant or bitter about being in D-Class. They were just people who had awakened with "glitch" powers that didn't fit the Association's combat metrics. In a world obsessed with fireballs and superhuman strength, a human microwave and a living earplug didn't get much respect.
"Actually, the silence might come in handy," Min-ho said. "I plan on sleeping a lot."
Han-gyul slurped his noodles. "Figures. Most people in D-Class either work three part-time jobs to pay for tuition or they just give up and sleep all day. Which one are you?"
"The second one," Min-ho said.
He didn't bother unpacking. He kicked off his shoes and lay down on the bunk. The mattress was thin and the springs squeaked, but it didn't matter. He could sleep on a stone floor if he had to.
"You're going to sleep now? It's only six PM," Han-gyul asked, surprised.
"I had a long day," Min-ho replied.
He closed his eyes and felt the familiar pull. He heard the muffled sound of Han-gyul talking about tomorrow's orientation, but the voice faded as the violet vortex claimed his consciousness.
The transition to the Slumber Realm was smoother this time. He landed on the obsidian platform and immediately noticed a change. The air felt denser, and the gold clouds were pulsing with a soft, rhythmic light. He opened the System Shop and navigated to the new category that had unlocked after his official registration as a student.
[Slumber Realm Expansion: Living Quarters]
The shop wasn't just for weapons and techniques anymore. It had a section for "Environmental Enhancers."
"If I'm going to spend years in here while the world passes by in hours, I might as well make it efficient," he muttered.
He scrolled through the items. He found the Spirit-Refining Meditation Mat and the Incense of Temporal Clarity, but his eyes stopped on a larger item.
[Item: Jade Bed of the Ancestral Dragon]
[Rank: Rare - Growth Type]
[Description: A resting place carved from soul-nurturing jade. Increases mental recovery speed by 50% and passively refines the user's mana circulation while they are inactive within the Slumber Realm. Connects the user's consciousness deeper into the Forge.]
It cost a significant amount of the credits he had left, but Min-ho didn't hesitate. He purchased it, and the obsidian floor shifted. A massive, elegantly carved bed made of pale green jade rose from the ground. It radiated a cool, soothing energy that made the "itch" in his marrow settle instantly.
He climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged. The Eternal Epoch Refining Scripture began to operate on its own, drawing the golden mist from the air and funneling it into his bones.
He didn't start a training session with the echoes immediately. Instead, he pulled out the Aegis of the Lunar Pulse he had bought for Min-ah. He had a second one in his inventory a twin set.
He held the stone in his hand and felt the connection. By refining this item within the Forge, he could create a tether. If Min-ah was ever in danger and her mana spiked, he would feel it through the Slumber Realm, no matter where he was.
He spent what felt like three days in the realm just focusing on this tether. He didn't move, didn't eat, and didn't speak. He simply channeled his gold-tinted mana into the jade bed and out through the lunar stone.
While he was in this deep state of refinement, he noticed something strange. The Slumber Realm wasn't just a training room. It was a record. As his connection deepened, he saw flashes of images in the clouds vast cities built of white stone, floating islands, and warriors draped in starlight. It was the "dead civilization" Director Choi had hinted at.
'Is this where the system comes from?' he wondered. 'Or is the system just a translator for what's left of them?'
He shook the thoughts away. The "why" didn't matter as much as the "how." He needed to be strong enough to ensure his family never had to deal with someone like Chief Han again.
When the training cycle ended, he stood up from the jade bed. He felt lighter, his mind clearer than it had ever been. He checked his status.
[Level: 15]
[Title: Sovereign in Training]
[Physical Density: 182% of Base Human]
He was slowly becoming something that was no longer entirely human. His bones were becoming like reinforced steel, and his nervous system was adapting to handle the massive amounts of pressure he could generate.
He exited the Slumber Realm and opened his eyes in Room 404.
The room was dark. A faint, humming sound came from the corner Jin-woo was asleep, his "Static Noise" ability creating a bubble of silence that kept the sounds of the hallway at bay. Han-gyul was snoring on the top bunk, a half-eaten bag of chips resting on his chest.
Min-ho sat up and checked his phone. It was 4:00 AM. He had been asleep for ten hours in the real world, which translated to over fifty days of soul-refining inside the Forge.
He walked to the small bathroom and looked in the mirror. He didn't see the black sludge this time. The Eternal Epoch Refining Scripture was doing its job, converting the impurities into energy before they could exit his pores. His skin looked polished, almost like marble, and his eyes had a sharpness that felt like they could cut through the dark.
He felt the Lunar Pulse in his pocket. It was humming. Min-ah was safe.
He sat back down on his bunk and watched the sunrise through the grimy window. The Hunter Academy was supposed to be a place of competition and growth.
"D-Class isn't bad at all," he whispered.
He spent the rest of the morning doing simple push-ups on the floor, careful not to crack the tiles. Even without using his mana, his base physical strength was becoming difficult to manage. He had to learn to move "lightly" again, to pretend that he was just another C-rank student with a mediocre future.
As the sun fully rose, the dorm started to wake up. He heard the shouts of students in the hallway and the distant sound of the training grounds coming to life.
It was the first official day of the Academy.