The cold wind of the morning bit against Jae-Hyun's skin as he stood before the Knight Academy's entrance. The towering structure, built of enchanted stone, had once been a symbol of rejection for him. But today, things were different.
Today, he wasn't just the weak outcast. He had the system.
[ Mission: Attend the Knight Academy Evaluation ][ Progress: 0% ]
Taking a deep breath, Jae-Hyun stepped inside.
The training grounds were bustling with students, each clad in armor or robes, sparring and casting spells. Some wielded flaming swords, others manipulated the air itself—it was clear he was surrounded by the elite.
"Jae-Hyun?"
A familiar voice made him freeze.
Turning, he came face-to-face with Elaine Frost, the top-ranked prodigy of the academy. She was everything Jae-Hyun wasn't—talented, respected, powerful. Her piercing blue eyes narrowed in surprise.
"You're here for the evaluation?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You do realize this isn't for beginners?"
Jae-Hyun forced a calm expression. "I know."
Elaine studied him, then scoffed. "Well, don't get in the way."
Before he could respond, a loud boom echoed across the field.
"Silence!"
A deep voice cut through the noise. At the center of the grounds stood Instructor Garan, a hulking man with a scar over one eye. He was a former warrior of the frontlines, known for his brutal training methods.
"Today's evaluation will separate the weak from the strong," Garan barked. "Those who fail will never step foot in this academy again."
Murmurs spread. The stakes were high.
"The test is simple," Garan continued. "You will each face a Combat Puppet—a magical construct that scales in difficulty based on the opponent."
Jae-Hyun stiffened. A combat puppet?
[ Warning: System Assessment in Progress… ][ Opponent Assigned: Level 10 Combat Puppet ]
His heart pounded. Level 10? That was already beyond what most beginners could handle.
One by one, students stepped forward. Some passed, some failed.
Then—
"Jae-Hyun. Step forward."
Swallowing his nerves, he entered the sparring ring. The moment he did, a shimmering blue figure appeared before him—a humanoid construct wielding a sword.
[ Opponent Level: 10 ]
[ New Mission: Defeat the Combat Puppet ][ Reward: +2 Strength, +2 Agility ]
Jae-Hyun tightened his stance, gripping the wooden practice sword they had given him.
The puppet charged.
It was faster than he expected.
Jae-Hyun barely managed to dodge, his body reacting on instinct.
[ "Instinctive Dodge" Activated ]
The puppet missed by an inch, and Jae-Hyun's body moved on its own—his sword slashing across the puppet's side.
[ Direct Hit! Opponent HP: 80% ]
Gasps echoed from the spectators. Did Jae-Hyun just land a hit?
But there was no time to celebrate.
The puppet adjusted, its movements now sharper. It lunged—too fast for Jae-Hyun to dodge completely.
[ Warning: Damage Taken (-5 HP) ]
Pain flared in his side, but something strange happened.
[ "Trial of the Ascendant" Activating… ][ Analyzing Battle… ]
[ Skill Acquired: "Adaptive Combat (Lv.1)" ]
A rush of knowledge flooded Jae-Hyun's mind. His grip tightened. He knew what to do.
As the puppet swung again, Jae-Hyun stepped into the attack, redirecting it with a precise parry before countering with a swift strike to its chest.
[ Critical Hit! Opponent HP: 30% ]
A perfect counter.
The students watching were stunned.
Elaine's eyes narrowed. This wasn't the Jae-Hyun she knew.
Garan, watching from afar, muttered, "That kid… What the hell happened to him?"
Jae-Hyun exhaled. His body felt lighter, stronger—like he was evolving mid-fight.
The puppet staggered but came at him one last time.
Jae-Hyun didn't hesitate. He dodged effortlessly and brought his sword crashing down—shattering the puppet into pieces.
[ Combat Puppet Defeated ][ Reward: +2 Strength, +2 Agility ][ System Integration: 15% ]
Silence.
Then—
"Incredible…" someone muttered.
The disbelief on everyone's faces was clear.
Jae-Hyun, the weakest student, had just done the impossible.
And this was only the beginning.