"VR Equipment?"
Areum blinked rapidly, her large eyes showing curiosity.
She knew what VR equipment was, but it wasn’t exactly something she expected to hear in the context of a liberal arts lecture at the academy.
“Areum, come here for a moment.”
“Y-Yes!”
At Si-Hyun’s gesture, Areum stood up and walked over to her professor.
When she approached, Si-Hyun retrieved a device from a storage bracelet and handed her a head-mounted gadget.
“It’s a device made using magic that shares vision. Da-Young helped with it.”
“Oh, from the Wing Guild? The B-Rank crafting Hunter!”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Taking the device from Si-Hyun, Areum examined it, turning it this way and that.
Meanwhile, Eunbyul, seated at the back, raised a question.
“Professor, did you say it’s based on magic that shares vision?”
“Why? Want me to explain how it works?”
“Uh... uh...”
The casual response threw Eunbyul off guard.
It was already shocking that Si-Hyun had developed the magic herself, but to offer to explain it so freely?
‘If it’s magic she created, its value must be immeasurable...’
Eunbyul realized that her earlier thought—“Like teacher, like student”—wasn’t misplaced.
Professor Jeong Si-Hyun exuded a serene yet distinctively unique aura.
‘Is magic supposed to be this easy to learn...?’
Flustered, Eunbyul blinked rapidly, unsure how to respond.
When no answer came, Si-Hyun tilted her head slightly before turning her attention back to Areum.
“Professor... Should I just put this on my head?”
“That’s right. Want to give it a quick try?”
“Yes! I’d love to!”
As Areum put on the device, Si-Hyun remotely activated the mana stone within it.
Da-Young’s masterpiece came to life, glowing softly as it powered on.
“Whoa! This is amazing!”
Areum’s excited exclamation echoed through the room.
“Careful now. It only changes your vision, not your surroundings.”
“Oh, yes!”
Even in her short response, Areum’s excitement was palpable.
Si-Hyun smiled, pleased with her reaction.
The door to the lecture hall opened as students began filing in.
Seeing the strange scene before them, their heads filled with question marks.
Areum, wearing a peculiar device on her head and waving her hands in the air, was a bizarre sight to behold.
Shortly after, Si-Hyun checked the time and gently tapped Areum’s shoulder.
“Let’s stop here for now, Areum.”
“Okay!”
Areum handed the now-inactive device back to Si-Hyun, though her reluctance was clear.
‘I want to see more...’
The experience had been incredibly fresh and unique.
Si-Hyun’s VR device offered an experience unlike anything else, leaving Areum eager for more.
Returning to her seat, she impatiently awaited the start of the lecture, her heart racing to see what would come next.
“Welcome, everyone,” Si-Hyun began.
Once all the students had arrived, the lecture commenced.
After the usual attendance check, Si-Hyun transitioned into a theoretical lecture on a new type of monster.
However, the students’ attention wasn’t solely on the lecture.
Many were distracted by curiosity about the VR device Areum had tried during the break.
It was a simple yet effective motivator.
“...It’s break time now. We’ll use the new device during the sixth period.”
Clack. Tap-tap-tap.
Right on time, Si-Hyun stepped out of the lecture hall, leaving the students behind to chatter excitedly.
“It looks like VR equipment, right?”
“Ugh, I get motion sickness in 3D stuff. I hope it’s okay.”
Some students approached Areum with questions.
“Wait, was that a magic tool?!”
“Your professor sure knows how to leverage crafting guild connections.”
Each revelation about the device being a magic tool left the students astonished.
It also sparked quiet speculation, particularly among the magic-focused students.
‘She created magic?’
‘That’s not something just anyone can do.’
‘Does Professor Jeong Si-Hyun have strong connections in the magic community too?’
Of course, none of these thoughts were voiced aloud.
After all, in Introduction to Monster Studies, it would be stranger to find something ordinary.
Shortly before the break ended, Si-Hyun returned to the classroom.
She scanned the room to confirm all students were present, then spoke in a light-hearted tone.
“I’ll now distribute the VR devices I prepared for you. Before we start, though...”
As she handed out the devices, she listed off precautions:
Don’t move around too much to avoid injuries, and be extra careful with the expensive equipment.
Once everything was set up, the students donned their devices simultaneously under Si-Hyun’s guidance.
With a snap of her fingers—
Snap!
The previously quiet lecture hall erupted into chaos.
“Whoa!”
“Amazing!”
“Be careful, everyone!” Si-Hyun tried to call out.
“Holy crap, this is awesome!”
“This is incredible!”
But her voice was quickly drowned out by the students’ excited exclamations.
The students found themselves immersed in a magical world.
Though their bodies remained in the lecture hall, their vision was transported elsewhere.
They were inside a dungeon.
Not just any dungeon, but a high-tier one they had never visited before.
“Gasp!”
“Ahhh!”
In real-time, they experienced Si-Hyun’s perspective as she cleared the dungeon.
The VR’s magical application prevented any motion sickness.
With every swing of her blade, monsters fell effortlessly.
The students watched in awe, each captivated for different reasons.
Close-combat students admired her precise movements.
Magic-focused students were enthralled by the unfamiliar, hands-on perspective of a melee combatant.
Everyone was deeply engrossed in the simulation.
“Whoa!”
“Eek!”
That day, the Introduction to Monster Studies classroom was livelier than ever.
Even passersby stopped to peek through the windows, drawn by the commotion.
***
After the Lecture
Once the lecture concluded and Si-Hyun left the room with Areum, most of the students left behind sat in a daze, staring into space.
“...I want to see more.”
“Me too...”
They were so absorbed in the experience that they couldn’t bring themselves to leave.
‘To think we could experience something so vivid without any side effects.’
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The video could be summarized as a one-sided massacre of monsters.
It was thrilling, intense, and utterly satisfying to watch.
“Hey, I’m sorry about what I said before. I didn’t realize what it’s like to be on the front lines.”
“No, it’s okay. I should’ve been better too.”
Some students exchanged sheepish apologies.
Magic-oriented students gained firsthand insight into close combat, while melee students discovered areas for improvement.
The experience naturally led them to consider each other’s perspectives, fostering empathy.
The lecture had achieved more than just teaching monster studies—it encouraged mutual understanding.
“Shall we hit a dungeon today?”
“Let’s go!”
When the Introduction to Monster Studies lecture ended, many students headed straight for nearby dungeons.
It had become a routine part of their lives.
Meanwhile, in Si-Hyun’s Office
“P-Professor, about the VR device...”
“Hmm? What about it?”
“I, um, I kind of want one... How expensive is it?”
“Hmm...”
Si-Hyun paused briefly before responding.
“It’s expensive, but for our Areum, I might be willing to give you one. However, there’s a big catch.”
“Huh?! Really? What is it?!”
Areum’s eyes widened as she leaned in, her ears practically twitching with anticipation.
Si-Hyun smirked before continuing.
“The whole process, from recording to playback, is powered entirely by magic. You’ll have to study hard to make it work.”
“...Oh.”
Areum’s gaze darted around the room as her initial enthusiasm deflated in an instant.
In an Office in the United States
In a nondescript office building in America, a Western man with an unremarkable appearance, Evan, handed an item to the person sitting across from him.
It was an ordinary-looking wristwatch.
Jason, a sharply dressed man wearing the watch, tilted his wrist to inspect its design.
“This is an important matter, so I’ll emphasize it again,” Evan, the returned Hunter from the United States, began.
“A representative from the Hunter Association will soon be dispatched to South Korea to conduct the S-rank evaluation for Hunter Kim Ji-Ah. You’ll accompany them.”
Although procedural, the evaluation of an S-rank Hunter required examination by the World Hunter Association.
Evan was making this clear.
“At the same time, a celebratory party will be held for Hunter Kim Ji-Ah. That’s where you’ll start. Your task is to locate my target, who is hiding somewhere.”
“You’re certain they’ll attend the party?”
“Yes, based on the information, there’s a high probability. If they’re nearby, the watch will react. When that happens, create an opportunity for us to connect.”
“Hmm...”
Jason stroked his neatly trimmed beard thoughtfully before asking,
“What’s the trigger for the watch’s reaction?”
“It’s programmed to detect mana levels above a certain threshold. If it picks up such a reading, it will alert you.”
“Interesting.”
For Evan, creating a magic tool with such functionality was child’s play.
“I want this handled quietly. No unnecessary commotion, understood?”
“Of course, leave it to me.”
Jason smiled, a corner of his mouth quirking upward.
Inside, his thoughts were heading in a different direction.
‘If I must, I’ll make this seem like it never happened.’
Detecting someone with mana levels above a certain threshold? Searching for someone like that?
How intriguing.
Jason found himself deeply curious about the target Evan was pursuing.
‘Heh, what kind of person could they be? I’ll have to see for myself.’
With a bright, affable smile, Jason nodded, already anticipating what lay ahead.