I Got an Ex-Class Omnipotent System - Chapter 7
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 7
Episode 7: A Rival? (3)
Breakfast time for the trainees.
The instructors should have been eating breakfast as well, but due to one urgent matter, they had all been summoned without a chance to eat.
Led by Hwang Hana, the chief instructor of the Seoul Hunter Training Center, along with Choe Phil, who oversaw physical conditioning, six instructors in total had gathered. Since it was Choe Phil, not Hwang Hana, who had called this meeting, no one voiced any complaints.
Contrary to appearances, Choe Phil commanded considerable respect as the Hunter Association’s designated Healer. Not a single instructor in this room had escaped needing his assistance within the Black Gate.
It wasn’t merely because of those imposing muscles that bulged against his instructor uniform as if threatening to tear it apart.
Crack, crack—!
Flinch!
Well, probably not.
In any case, while several instructors were visibly flinching at the sight of Choe Phil’s otherworldly musculature, he stepped forward before the assembled group and opened his mouth.
“First, I appreciate you all making time from your busy schedules to gather here at my request.”
Contrary to his appearance, his gentlemanly demeanor caused several instructors to quietly sigh with relief and focus on his words.
The reason Choe Phil had gathered them was straightforward.
“Normally, we receive at most five trainees per intake, but currently, the Seoul Hunter Training Center has an exceptional circumstance with ten trainees enrolled. Therefore, I am requesting that we operate two teams of five members each.”
At his polite explanation, several instructors tilted their heads in confusion.
Ten trainees was certainly a lot, but it was still just ten.
Since the instructors could teach them all at once without issue, some voiced their questions, but Hwang Hana, who had already dealt with trainees before, could only nod in agreement.
“You’re trying to foster competitive spirit.”
“Yes, exactly. Even during this morning’s training, I observed a competitive dynamic forming between the five who arrived earlier and the five who arrived later. It appeared they were dividing into factions under Dohyun and Jiyuchan respectively.”
At Hwang Hana’s words, Choe Phil immediately nodded in agreement.
All the instructors who heard this nodded as well.
After all, competition had always been a medium that made people stronger.
However, several instructors still harbored doubts.
Jiyuchan was understandable—they had heard about him—but Dohyun?
It was a name they had never heard before.
To be precise, they had seen his paperwork, but since there was nothing remarkable about it, they were puzzled.
At that moment, one of the instructors posed a question, still seeming confused.
“Does Dohyun actually possess competitive capability comparable to Jiyuchan? Based on his paperwork, he doesn’t seem particularly different from the other trainees.”
It was Kim Arum, a petite female instructor and the one responsible for morning information education that would follow breakfast.
Her question aligned with the doubts of the other instructors, and several nodded in agreement.
After all, competition only had effect if there was actual competitive capability.
So they posed this concern to Choe Phil, but the answer came from elsewhere.
“I believe he possesses sufficient competitive capability. Jiyuchan also seemed conscious of Dohyun during training.”
“Oh, if the chief instructor says so, then it must be certain.”
At Hwang Hana’s words, Kim Arum was startled and nodded in response.
In fact, Kim Arum had been an instructor for longer. No, if measured by experience alone, no one here had less experience than Hwang Hana.
Neither as an instructor nor as a Hunter.
However, since no one in this room possessed greater skill than Hwang Hana, when such words came from the chief instructor’s mouth, the doubts simply had to dissipate.
In the Hunter industry, nothing held more weight than skill.
Surviving longer might hold some meaning, but it didn’t apply to the other instructors who were C-rank or below.
By contrast, Hwang Hana was the fastest person in South Korea to reach the B-Rank Zone, was she not?
Though according to the Seoul Hunter Training Center records, she had dropped from first to second place two months ago, no one had yet ascended to the B-Rank Zone faster than she had.
Therefore, her opinion carried considerable weight.
Moreover.
“I too agree with Chief Instructor Hwang Hana’s assessment. During this morning’s physical training, Trainee Dohyun overtook Trainee Jiyuchan and demonstrated the most superior physical capabilities.”
Choe Phil’s statement could only stir the instructors.
Jiyuchan had lost.
Among those gathered here, not a single person hadn’t reviewed the files of these ten candidates.
“What?! Jiyuchan lost?”
“Huh? Jiyuchan’s physical abilities were certainly record-breaking in their own right.”
“Isn’t Dohyun’s performance far too low by comparison? I hate to say it, but his physical abilities seemed even lower than some of the female trainees?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Huh?”
Everyone wore expressions of astonishment as they pulled out Dohyun’s sections from the documents they’d brought and began revising their notes.
The shock was that profound.
Even Hwang Hana, who had recommended Dohyun, was equally taken aback.
‘Already surpassed Jiyuchan?’
She had considered it remarkable that he’d mastered the foundational techniques merely by reading textbooks, but physical ability was something difficult to overturn through luck or genius alone—she had expected Jiyuchan to maintain his advantage for at least several days.
Yet he had reversed that from the very first morning.
Hwang Hana felt this and found herself unconsciously murmuring as she gazed at Dohyun’s file.
‘What exactly is his identity?’
To master foundational techniques and basic magic at a glance from a textbook, and to elevate physical ability instantaneously—he was a type of person that defied conventional understanding.
If even Hwang Hana thought so, what of the other instructors?
Everyone began buzzing with excitement at the emergence of this new catalyst.
Since they taught trainees at the Hunter Training Center, they too were those passionate about education, and they discussed how to make their instruction more effective.
“Then we should divide them into teams and introduce competition.”
“Hmm, a team ranking system would be convenient.”
Changing from the existing ranking system to a team-based ranking system is no trouble at all.”
“We should implement it starting with the next class.”
“Competition—how exhilarating.”
Watching the instructors in such high spirits, Hwang Hana found herself boldly predicting that this cohort would not set record-breaking results.
Indeed, what would unfold from the very first day.
* * *
Thus, in Classroom 201.
The moment the instructor entered, I could not help but be taken aback.
It wasn’t because of the sudden team assignments.
It was because of her status window.
『Kim Arum』
『Trait: ×』
『Skills』
▶「×」
『Stats』
▶「Strength: 2」
▶「Agility: 3」
▶「Stamina: 3」
▶「Mana: 0」
Can an ordinary person really be an instructor?
That was my initial thought, but I understood once I heard Kim Arum introduce herself.
“Hello, everyone. I’m Kim Arum, a Ph.D. in Black Gate Ecology, and I’ll be handling your information education for the next month.”
A Ph.D. in Black Gate Ecology.
That was certainly impressive enough to qualify as an instructor.
It was a shame that she couldn’t acquire skills since she wasn’t a Hunter.
Or earn AP either.
But since we were just attending lectures anyway, I didn’t think it mattered much.
Meanwhile, as Kim Arum introduced herself, she addressed the trainees.
“First, let me announce something before the lecture begins. To put it bluntly, we’ll be dividing you into teams due to the large number of people.”
“Teams?”
“Oh, is it a team project?”
Some trainees’ expressions darkened at the mention, as if they had unpleasant memories, but their faces began to shift as Kim Arum continued speaking.
“Yes, teams. Five people per team. During your month-long stay at this training facility, all educational courses—not just my lectures but all training—will be evaluated by team. The better-performing teams will receive higher scores through a point system.”
Everyone was caught off guard by the sudden announcement, yet their expressions became peculiar.
As if they had been hoping for exactly this, or perhaps even welcomed it, they were already seated in their respective groups, making the atmosphere all the more apparent.
Kim Arum couldn’t help but smile inwardly at the sight.
The dynamics were already forming. It was real.
And quite intense at that. Jiyuchan’s reaction was similar. But…
Kim Arum found Jiyuchan’s fierce reaction quite satisfying, but Dohyun’s response was ambiguous.
Dohyun showed no emotion beyond bewilderment.
At the same time, he was scratching his head as if annoyed.
Does he find group activities inconvenient?
Whether he liked it or not, inside the Black Gate one had to move in parties—there was no way around it.
Party training was one of this facility’s core functions after all.
With that in mind, Kim Arum called out names to stoke the competitive fire further.
“Kwon Eunchai, Kim Yunjung, Dongwook Park, Jiyuchan, and Han Junseo—you five are Team 1. And Guminah, Yongchan Kim, Yesul Park, Dohyun, and Jeongminwoo—you five are Team 2.”
It was a deliberately calculated team arrangement designed to provoke subtle rivalry by placing Dohyun, who had arrived first, in Team 2.
And indeed.
“Wait, we arrived first, but we’re Team 2?”
“Shouldn’t teams be assigned based on arrival order?”
“Exactly.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t seem right.”
“…?”
Except for the bewildered Dohyun, all of Team 2 voiced their complaints.
However, in response to Team 2’s reaction, Team 1 looked at them as if it were absurd and spoke up.
“Huh? We awakened first, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, when you think about it, aren’t we the seniors?”
“That’s right, the instructor assigned it perfectly~.”
“You’re arguing with the instructor’s decision?”
“….”
Similarly, Jiyuchan said nothing, but unlike Dohyun, he seemed quite satisfied.
Seeing the trainees’ reactions, Kim Arum smiled as if everything was going according to plan, then, while pretending to mediate between them, threw out an opinion to stoke the flames further.
“Hmm, the resistance is stronger than I expected. Then, how about we do this?”
At Kim Arum’s sudden suggestion, everyone turned to look at her and focused on her words.
Indeed, an effective way to capture attention.
As everyone concentrated, Kim Arum presented her idea to them.
“In the Hunter world, there’s a saying that ability comes first. After this lecture ends, we’ll have a pop quiz, and how about the team that answers the most questions correctly becomes Team 1?”
Normally, this would be something everyone dreaded.
With the average age well into the mid-twenties, who would be happy about suddenly having a lecture and pop quiz?
Without exception, everyone disliked it.
But if framed this way?
“Sounds good. Ability comes first, after all.”
“We need to show what we’re made of.”
“We should show them what it means to awaken first~!”
“Heh, exactly.”
“…Very well.”
Team 1 spoke as if things had worked out perfectly, while Jiyuchan agreed with measured composure.
“Huh, we came first and read the Record Room first too—the difference is huge.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
“We need to show them what we’re capable of.”
“We’ll definitely prove it.”
“…?”
Team 2’s members spoke as if things had worked out well, while Dohyun found the entire situation bewildering.
As everyone’s opinion aligned, Kim Arum smiled to herself as if her plan had succeeded perfectly, then began the lecture.
“Well then, since it’s the first day, I should explain the Black Gate to you.”
As Kim Arum explained the Black Gate, she covered one of its most fundamental laws.
Starting with knowledge commonly known even to ordinary people.
“As you know, the Black Gate can be entered from anywhere it’s visible if you wish, but you absolutely cannot enter alone. It’s what you might call a party system, like what you see in games, and it applies to the Black Gate as well.”
The party system within the Black Gate was quite a famous topic among Hunters. While there was no actual system visible before their eyes, it referred to a law that prevented anyone from entering alone and allowed those who wished to enter together to do so as a group.
The minimum number was three people, and the maximum party size was five.
“So by dividing you into teams like this, it will be convenient when you’re dispatched to the Black Gate after your training, won’t it?”
Though the situation was unexpected, all the trainees focused intently on Kim Arum’s lecture as if they couldn’t afford to miss becoming Team 1.
Dohyun was going through the motions, but inwardly, I was anxious.
‘I’m not confident about the exam….’
It wasn’t that Team 2 would be so bad, but seeing how the other team members burned with enthusiasm, I didn’t want to be a burden, so I decided to concentrate as much as possible.
However.
“When you enter the Black Gate with your party like that, the first zone that appears is fixed at F-rank. From here, as you gradually reach the end of the F-rank zone, you enter the Dungeon and receive a promotion….”
It was more tedious than I expected.
What am I supposed to do about this?
As Dohyun thought this and forcibly crammed the lecture content that wasn’t registering into my ears, something appeared before my eyes.
[Analyzing information about the Black Gate.]
[Recording information.]
At the two-line short message, Dohyun had the illusion that Analysis was speaking to me like this.
The exam is difficult? Then let me help you.
At Analysis’s generous nature, Dohyun thought with genuine sincerity.
‘Thank you, Analysis.’
The lecture passed like that for two hours, and the result was.
“Hahaha! Dohyun is the best!”
“A perfect score!?”
“This, this can’t be!?”
“Wait! How many points did Yuchan get!?”
“…I got one wrong.”
“Ah….”
It was Dohyun’s overwhelming victory.
And so Dohyun’s team became Team 1.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————