Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 3

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

3
“You all likely remember evacuating during the Break Incident when you were young. In those early days, our knowledge of Gates was severely limited, which is why the Breaks occurred simultaneously across multiple locations. Can anyone explain what a Gate Break is?”
“It’s when monsters pour out like a pack of dogs if a Gate isn’t cleared by the designated time with the designated personnel.”
“Like a pack of dogs… I can’t say that’s an inaccurate description.”
One of the trainees seated in front answered, and Professor Lee Mu-yeol chuckled softly, easing the rigid atmosphere of the Lecture Hall.
“Correct. Gates connect us to worlds entirely unlike Earth. If a Gate isn’t cleared within the time limit, a Break occurs, and hundreds or thousands of monsters flood through for a set duration. Unfortunately, even after clearing a Gate, it doesn’t disappear—it persists, and monsters regenerate after a certain period, so periodic clearings are necessary.”
The professor paused to catch his breath before continuing.
“Information about Gate Breaks, which is common knowledge now, didn’t exist back then. Electronic devices became useless inside Gates, making clearings far more difficult. Furthermore, firearms had some effectiveness against lower-level Gates, but they were utterly useless against high-level monsters.”
Professor Lee Mu-yeol continued.
“Ultimately, through the sacrifices of modern military weapons, soldiers, and Awakened individuals, we barely managed to contain the flood of monsters pouring out. But those casualties continue to haunt us. That’s why preventing Breaks before they occur became the top priority. The Hunter System and the Academy were established for precisely that reason.”
Though I already knew this material, I sat quietly and listened.
The other trainees also focused intently on Professor Lee Mu-yeol’s words in the solemn atmosphere. While they had a general understanding from regular schooling, the precise statistics and firsthand accounts from Awakened individuals mixed into the lecture demanded their full attention.
After two hours of lecture, the bell rang.
“Then, we’ll continue tomorrow. Enjoy your meal.”
I headed to the Cafeteria and filled my tray with food. I found an empty table in the corner and sat alone. I had no particular desire to befriend anyone, but cliques had already formed, and no one paid me any attention.
I normally ate quite a bit, but I deliberately packed in more. The afternoon training would demand greater physical exertion.
After the meal, everyone gathered on a Training Ground several times larger than a typical school field. Following the instructor’s directions, I took the same position I’d stood in during the entrance ceremony.
“Do you know what’s most essential in a Gate?”
The instructor asked everyone.
“Skills!”
“Items!”
“Stats!”
Answers erupted from all directions.
“All correct, but the most crucial element is stamina. While leveling up increases it depending on your class, it’s one of the few abilities you can raise through physical training. A difference of just 1 or 2 points can mean the difference between life and death, making it both foundational and essential. Each of you, pick up the backpack in front of you.”
Backpacks with trainees’ names written on them lined up beside the instructor.
I went out and found my backpack. When I slung it over my shoulder, its weight exceeded even military gear. It felt like carrying another person on my back.
“This is the weight you’ll have to carry inside a Gate. Regardless of your class or gender, without these supplies, you cannot survive. Ah, those in the Warrior class, where stamina is particularly critical, have been given especially heavy loads.”
While porters are sometimes used, we were operating under the assumption of no porter support—meaning we had to carry everything ourselves.
The trainees groaned as they lifted their backpacks, surprised by how heavy they actually were.
“Physical training begins now, and the instructors will play the role of monsters. Those who fall behind should prepare to be attacked. But don’t worry—there are Healers standing by in case anyone gets injured.”
The trainees began murmuring nervously.
“Then, start running. The instructors will begin pursuing in thirty seconds.”
The instructor said this and watched the trainees calmly.
Several trainees, including myself, immediately began running.
“Twenty seconds remaining.”
“Run!”
When the instructor spoke again, most of the trainees shouted and scrambled to start running.
The weight was so heavy, and the backpack dug painfully into my shoulders, making running difficult. My legs were already growing heavy, my pace slowing, but I gritted my teeth and pushed harder.
Though I was giving my all, the Warrior-class trainees and non-Warriors with superior stats continued to surge past me.
Meanwhile, several trainees who clearly had better stats than me but lacked experience with this kind of training began falling behind.
Then the instructor kicked the last trainee with a sound that made them retch.
“Do you think you can escape from monsters by running like that?!”
The instructor who had knocked down the trainee shouted.
The Healer ambled over and checked the condition of the trainee writhing on the ground.
After witnessing this, the trainees at the back began running desperately. Naturally, and unfortunately, they couldn’t outpace the instructors. The instructors pursued from behind, delivering kicks or hurling blunt daggers—non-lethal but sufficiently agonizing attacks.
The trainees who had been whimpering had already experienced the instructors’ wrath. And one instructor latched onto me immediately. Gritting my teeth and running, but with such pathetic stats, I was caught in no time.
The instructor kicked my thigh from behind. A pain as if my bone was shattering shot through me, and my body flew into the air before crashing down.
The instructor who had kicked me didn’t even look back, already moving on to the next target.
The Healer approached me as I lay on the ground.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to heal me.”
“Oh, do you have a recovery skill?”
“Yes, something similar.”
I exhaled roughly and got back up. My leg was actually fractured, but I gritted my teeth and started running again. Regeneration had already begun.
Since the instructors weren’t pushing beyond a certain pace, the leading group deliberately didn’t run faster either. This was endurance training now.
I continued running despite my injuries, but some trainees who had fallen once simply remained lying there. When the instructors caught up to them again, they kicked or trampled over them without mercy.
“Ugh! I can’t! I can’t do this!”
The first dropout appeared. He threw down his bag and left the Training Ground.
As if this were a common occurrence, the instructors didn’t even glance back.
That first dropout probably dreamed of becoming a high-ranking hunter and living a comfortable life, but he hadn’t anticipated that basic training would be this grueling.
Seeing this, a few more people began to drop out, though their numbers weren’t significant. Without passing through the Academy, one couldn’t enter a Gate, and without that, advancement became impossible.
Blood pooled in my mouth and my leg throbbed with such intensity that my mind grew hazy, yet I kept moving my legs. Still, I was caught up regardless. A wooden dagger struck me, and an instructor darting about mercilessly kicked my torso.
In my previous life, I’d been kicked many times, but I never gave up. I couldn’t. Too much was at stake.
That said, I didn’t run until my breath gave out. I received help from the Healer and rested when I could. In my past life, I had done my best in my own way.
But now I understand how much further I can push. When I fell, I gritted my teeth until they nearly shattered and forced myself back up.
Pain is already familiar to me. I don’t fail to feel it, but having endured days drenched in agony, I’ve become far more capable of bearing it.
As I kept getting up without healing, one instructor became my dedicated tormentor. While kicking the other trainees, he wore a subtle smile that suggested he enjoyed tormenting us rather than developing us, but regardless, it suited me fine.
Each time I was kicked and fell, I rose again and smiled at that instructor.
Displeased by my smile, he circled around and caught up to me again, this time delivering a kick with an intensity far beyond what he’d shown before.
I reflexively blocked the incoming foot with my arm, but my arm and body bent like a bow, sending me flying several meters.
“Heo O-sung!”
The Senior Instructor directing the other instructors shouted at the instructor who had kicked me.
“What are you doing?! Can’t you control your strength?! Healer!”
My arm shattered and my ribs broke, puncturing my lung. Blood poured from the torn flesh of my arm and chest, and more surged from my mouth.
I could see the instructor and Healer rushing toward me from a distance.
Then, before the approaching figures, a notification window appeared with an alarm.
[You have leveled up.]
[Regeneration skill has risen from F to E.]
“Heh… hehehehe… heheheheheh…”
Upon seeing the notification, laughter escaped me unbidden. A skill that took five years to raise in my previous life—I’d obtained it in a single day thanks to that insane instructor. I’d thought it impossible to raise here at the Academy, but now I felt like giving him a gift later.
My skills and stats increase through training or self-inflicted wounds, but it takes time. However, when facing mortal danger or sensing killing intent, that improvement speed accelerates tenfold.
In other words, that damned instructor harbored malicious intent and unleashed an attack that could have killed me. My skills have improved, and compared to my past life, this incident hardly warrants concern. Yet I understand a fundamental truth: if I let someone who bears me ill will go unchecked, they will continue to underestimate me. Though I’m powerless now, I will remember this.
“H-hah… Healer! What’s going on?! Did he get hit in the head?!”
The Senior Instructor’s face drained of color as he watched me smile despite the blood coating my features, and he turned to question the Healer.
“There are no wounds on his head, sir…”
The Healer spoke as he cast his healing magic upon me.
“Huh? Did your skill level increase? The recovery is incredibly fast.”
As my wounds visibly closed before his eyes, the Senior Instructor turned to the Healer with another question.
“No, sir. This trainee’s skill is Regeneration. That’s likely why.”
“I’m… fine now.”
As my body recovered sufficiently and I attempted to rise, the Senior Instructor gripped my shoulder.
“No, rest now. Recovering from injury is also part of a hunter’s duty.”
Though I wanted to resume training, observing his expression, I sensed he wouldn’t attack again if I delayed. I nodded in agreement.
“The rest of you, continue running! Begin!”
The Senior Instructor seated me on a bench, then shouted to the others once more. Their feet resumed their frantic pace.
“Status window.”
——————————————————————
Name: Lee Ji-seok
Occupation: Unemployed
Level: 2
Strength 6, Stamina 7, Agility 5, Intelligence 7, Vitality 70, Mana 35
Skills: Regeneration E
——————————————————————
An Awakener’s level increases through any form of experience—combat, crafting, and the like. Being struck moments ago counted as experience, granting me a level increase and raising my Regeneration skill rank as well.
My Strength, Stamina, and Agility each rose by 2, Intelligence by 1—a total gain of 7 stat points. Compared to other Awakeners whose level-ups typically grant 1 to 4 points, this was extraordinary.
This time, I examined the detailed information of my Regeneration skill.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————