"Weakness Infliction."
As expected, the instructor’s fingers didn’t budge.
Rohan concentrated, channeling his focus to activate the skill.
And then—
It felt like the vessel holding his mana had shattered.
In an instant, all of his mana drained away.
[Mana insufficient.]
A notification window popped up in Rohan’s vision.
He didn’t even have the luxury of feeling disappointed.
A sensation beyond dizziness overtook him, as if his mind were flashing in and out.
His vision became clouded and unstable.
“Ugh...”
Rohan tried desperately to cling to consciousness, but the abrupt depletion of mana from such a sudden, intense usage was not something sheer willpower could overcome.
Slowly, his awareness began to dim.
At the same time, the instructor felt a chilling instinct stir deep within her.
Mana from Rohan seeped into her through his touch, threatening to disrupt the delicate balance within her.
‘Am I reacting like this to a cadet...?’
She suppressed the involuntary impulse to fling Rohan away with raw force, relying on her reason to maintain control.
She quickly shifted her focus back to Rohan and was shocked by what she saw.
The sword he had been holding slipped from his hand, and his grip on her fingers weakened.
‘He’s losing consciousness!?’
Rohan collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut, his body falling toward the instructor.
Ding ding ding!
The timer signaling the end of two minutes rang.
The instructor acted swiftly.
Without hesitation, she caught Rohan in her arms as he fell toward her.
There was no option to evade.
“I’m taking him to the infirmary. Everyone else, remain here,” she commanded firmly, her voice sharp like a bolt of lightning.
With that, she bolted from the gym, carrying the unconscious Rohan.
‘What...?’
Rohan opened his eyes, finding himself lying on a bed.
A thin but warm blanket covered him, and as he blinked to clear his vision, the familiar white ceiling came into focus.
Notification windows greeted him, marking his return to consciousness.
[Achievement unlocked: Running on Empty.]
[Reward: 10P.]
[Achievement unlocked: You Survived?]
[Reward: 30P.]
“...”
Without delay, Rohan summoned his status window.
『Name: Rohan
HP: 98%
Mana: 3%
Affiliation: Echoes of the Southern Ruins (殘鄕)
Organization: Orion Academy
Attributes: [Physical] [Fire]
Status: Exhausted
Remaining Points: 2304P』
‘If this had been a real fight, I’d be dead for sure.’
Seeing his status window and the IV connected to his arm, Rohan quickly pieced together what had happened.
He lifted his weak hand to cover his face, a wave of relief washing over him.
‘I’m glad I tested this beforehand.’
Now, all he could do was hope his skill level and overall capabilities would grow enough to create a viable breakthrough in the future.
‘...My condition is wrecked.’
The experience of mana exhaustion was far worse than any overuse of abilities he’d endured as a hunter.
His body felt like a soggy, overused rag.
Even simple thoughts—like confirming where he was or what time it was—seemed insurmountable due to the sheer weight of his lethargy.
Who knew how much time passed while he lay there, utterly drained?
The sound of a curtain being drawn back snapped him from his daze.
“Are you awake?”
“!”
Rohan moved his hand from his face and turned his eyes toward the voice.
The instructor stood there, her figure calm and composed as she pulled up a chair and sat down beside him.
“You experienced mana exhaustion. You drained every last bit of your reserves,” she said.
“...I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. Consider it a valuable experience and don’t feel the need to apologize. For now, just focus on resting.”
Her gaze shifted to the blue IV fluid dripping into Rohan’s veins as she continued speaking.
“How’s your body?”
“It just feels... a little tired.”
“This IV is designed to aid recovery. Just let it finish, and you’ll feel better.”
She placed Rohan’s bag and phone on the bedside table.
When Rohan thanked her and checked his phone, he realized class had already ended.
Messages from Ichinose and other cadets from Class 1 filled his inbox.
Though he wanted to respond immediately, checking the time was his first priority.
“Instructor.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know how long this IV will take to finish?”
“Wait a moment.”
The instructor left, the sound of her voice faintly audible as she consulted someone outside. She returned shortly.
“About two hours.”
“Whew...”
Rohan let out a sigh of relief. ‘I can still make it to my part-time job.’
Noticing his expression, the instructor frowned.
“Rohan. This IV isn’t a miracle cure. The effects of mana exhaustion will linger. You should rest today.”
“I’ll be fine. My part-time job is practically like resting anyway.”
“Hmm...”
The instructor had more to say but chose to hold back, realizing further comments would cross into unwelcome interference.
‘Everyone has their own circumstances.’
It wasn’t as though Rohan was planning to go out for fun—his livelihood depended on that job.
She couldn’t force him to rest.
The instructor was also curious about the skill he’d used, but as a teacher, there were limits to how much she could probe into his personal matters.
All she could do was watch as Rohan left the infirmary and resumed his daily life.
***
"..."
Jooyeon arrived home after finishing her duties at Orion Academy.
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
The lavish residence, arranged for her by the headmaster upon summoning her to the Academy City, greeted her with the same silent, pitch-black living room as always.
She considered returning the property or transferring it to another instructor when the opportunity arose, contemplating a move to a different location.
Beep-beep-beep!
The keypad chimed as she entered her code and stepped inside. The darkness of the spacious house felt particularly empty, making her long for the warm coziness of her home in Samhwaguk.
‘Houses shouldn’t be this spacious.’
An overly large home was difficult to maintain, and without enough furniture, even sounds echoed unpleasantly. Something a quarter of this size would be ideal, she thought.
With a click, Jooyeon neatly placed her shoes in the corner of the entryway.
She began removing her suit, placing it in the garment steamer, leaving herself in her undergarments, and heading for the bathroom to clean up.
Brush, brush.
She started with brushing her teeth, her reflection staring back at her in the mirror.
During her evening routine, she always made it a point to reflect on the day’s lessons.
‘I should incorporate more of these sessions in the future.’
The talents she witnessed today were nothing short of dazzling, shining even brighter than during her usual practical training sessions.
Among the cadets, three left the most vivid impressions on her.
‘Noah Frozenheart, Ichinose Yui...’
Those two, with steady growth, would undoubtedly surpass her one day.
In this turbulent era, the emergence of heroes seemed almost predestined, and she couldn’t help but think that these two radiant cadets were living embodiments of that prophecy.
Ssssaaaaaaa──!
“Phew...”
Under the cold stream of the shower, Jooyeon let her thoughts wander to the last cadet.
‘And Rohan.’
Unlike Noah and Yui, he didn’t fit the mold of a hero.
She couldn’t predict how he might develop.
As she replayed his movements in her mind, Jooyeon found herself oscillating between admiration and a bittersweet ache.
His fighting style wasn’t what you’d expect from a fresh-faced academy cadet; it was far too raw.
It wasn’t something learned through professional instruction but rather forged through sheer survival.
His every move carried a desperation to live, his actions wild and feral, as if dripping with blood.
Unlike Noah, whose talents seemed innate, Rohan’s abilities felt artificially cultivated.
In just two minutes of sparring, his past struggles were laid bare for Jooyeon to see.
And above all else—
‘It was definitely Scorching Blade (작열인).’
She hadn’t expected to encounter that technique so suddenly.
Had he stumbled upon it by chance, or had it been with him since birth?
‘Not that it changes anything... but still.’
Jooyeon recognized the immaturity born of lingering shadows from the past.
Yet she couldn’t help but feel curious, a lingering sentiment tied to her own longing for her younger sibling.
Ssssaaaaaaa──.
"..."
Even so, she resolved not to pry into Rohan’s life.
As an instructor, she understood how invasive and burdensome such questioning could feel to a cadet.
“Ah?”
Jooyeon snapped out of her thoughts, realizing she’d once again stopped moving while caught up in her musings.
‘I failed Rohan, too.’
The two minutes she spent distracted during their session could have been invaluable to him.
Letting her thoughts drift like that was unbecoming of an educator. She silently vowed to make amends.
“Whew!”
Finished with her shower, Jooyeon used a touch of mana-infused heat to dry herself off before slipping into the new underwear she’d recently bought.
The fit felt a bit snug around her hips and chest.
‘Hmm? Did I pick the wrong size?’
She hadn’t slacked on her training, so it wasn’t a matter of weight gain.
And as she was long past her growth phase, it wasn’t as if her body had suddenly developed further.
‘This brand is no good.’
Other brands fit perfectly at this size, but apparently, not this one.
She swapped to a different set and donned a light outfit before heading to the kitchen.
Grabbing a glass of cold water, Jooyeon picked up her phone and reviewed her messages.
‘Flower Spider Bookstore, huh.’
She checked the time.
According to her information, Rohan’s part-time shift wouldn’t be over yet.
Next, she opened the Orion Academy instructor manual and carefully reviewed the section regarding cadets’ part-time jobs.
‘An instructor’s responsibilities and duties... Maybe I should pay a quick visit.’
Jooyeon discarded her current outfit and opened her wardrobe.
Selecting a casual set of clothes she hadn’t worn in ages, she slipped into them and laced up her sneakers.
For the first time in a long while, she prepared to head out lightly dressed.