The hover-bus slowed to a stop, its sleek silver frame hissing as its doors slid open with a quiet hiss. Tyler stepped out, his boots crunching softly on the obsidian tiles that formed the massive plaza.
Before him stood the Hunter Tower—a monolithic structure that pierced the clouds like a sword aimed at the sky. It shimmered with polished steel and glowing neon lines that pulsed with soft blue mana, like veins running across its futuristic shell. Floating drones circled the upper levels like silent sentinels, while massive transparent panels displayed holographic information about upcoming rift clearings, guild recruitment, and monster sightings.
"Woah…" Max whispered beside him, eyes wide. "This is nothing like school."
Tyler nodded. Even in his past life—no, he shook the thought off. In this life, he had never seen anything so advanced and... alive. The building seemed to hum with power.
A few other students were murmuring, clearly awestruck. In total, fifteen of them stood there, all first-year high schoolers from Skyhaven High who had chosen to become a hunter. Not all of them were committed to the Hunter Association itself—some were aiming for freelance licenses or to be recruited into one of the many private guilds that operated throughout the nation.
The sky was clear, the air crisp with the faint smell of ozone and mana. Towering trees with silver leaves lined the plaza, and mana-lights danced like fireflies in the air, casting faint glows over everyone.
Then a voice boomed from a hidden speaker:"Class B-3, report to the rear training grounds. Now."
Everyone flinched, even Max.
A side door of the Hunter Tower hissed open and a glowing blue path lit up on the ground. The students exchanged glances, then began moving. Tyler took a deep breath and followed them.
The path led to the back of the tower where a different kind of marvel awaited.
A colossal training field stretched out before them, at least the size of three football stadiums. Unlike the polished sci-fi style of the front, the field was wilder. Sections of the ground shifted like a living organism—stone platforms rising or sinking as needed, magical barriers flickering to life in various zones, and combat dummies that moved like real monsters.
Standing at the center, arms crossed, was a tall man with sharp, angular features. His short dark hair was swept back, and a long coat fluttered behind him despite the absence of wind. His eyes glowed faintly—one blue, one gold.
"That's Instructor Logan…" one student muttered.
They had all heard the rumors. Logan was a Tier 2 Hunter, formerly a field operative for one of the top five guilds. Now he trained first-years to make sure they didn't die before they even graduated.
Logan's gaze scanned them like a predator sizing up prey."Stand straight. Eyes forward."
The students quickly lined up.
"Welcome to the Hunter Orientation Program," Logan said, his voice steady, calm, but razor-sharp. "You've taken your first step toward becoming Hunters. Whether you want to work for the Association or crawl into some guild's lap, one thing remains the same if you're weak, you die."
Silence.
He continued. "Before you swing a sword or cast your first spell, you need to learn the basics. Today, we start with mana core refinement. This will be your foundation. Weak cores break under pressure. Strong ones evolve."
He raised a hand, and a series of glowing rings formed in the air. They rotated slowly, forming the shape of a core surrounded by overlapping diagrams.
"This technique was standardized by the Universal Hunter Federation. It strengthens your core, purifies your mana flow, and increases your control. Some of you will take weeks to get it right. Most of you will fail today. But try anyway."
He snapped his fingers. The ground shifted, forming fifteen small platforms spaced evenly apart.
"Sit. Close your eyes. Focus on your mana core. Follow my instructions."
Tyler settled onto one of the platforms, legs crossed. The mana here was richer than he expected, almost heavy in the air. He could feel it pulsing faintly against his skin like static electricity.
Logan's voice guided them through the process.
"Find the center of your chest. Picture your mana core—not as a sphere, but as a whirlpool. A spinning, breathing vortex of energy. Inhale. Gather the mana. Exhale. Let it circle. Refine it with your will."
Tyler felt the pull instantly. A faint warmth in his chest, followed by the familiar sensation of cool, ghostly energy brushing against his mind. Unlike others, his core pulsed with a strange duality: living mana and something colder… spectral.
As Logan's instructions grew more detailed, Tyler found himself slipping deeper into a meditative state. The ghost energy stirred. It was restless, but not hostile. It obeyed his thoughts.
'Refine'
Suddenly, the energy began to spiral. It was subtle at first, but then grew sharper, denser. His mana core reacted, spinning with precision. The edges of his perception blurred as if something clicked inside his body.
He could feel it.
His mana core was changing. Strengthening.
A faint glow surrounded his body—pale blue tinged with silver. It was soft, almost unnoticeable. But Logan noticed.
From the sidelines, the instructor's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the faint light around Tyler."Interesting…" he murmured."He's already syncing with the technique?"
Most of the students were struggling, brows furrowed, some sweating from the effort. Max had fallen over backward with a groan. Others sat perfectly still, unaware of what they were doing wrong.
But Tyler sat like stone, perfectly calm.
Inside him, something shifted—like a lock clicking into place. He could feel the spectral energy binding tighter to his core, no longer fighting for dominance but becoming part of it.
He opened his eyes slowly. The world felt sharper. He didn't just see the mana in the air—he understood it.
He had done it.
"Incredible," Max whispered after the session ended, panting as he sat up. "That was brutal. My head feels like someone hit me with a frying pan…"
Tyler glanced at his own hands. They trembled slightly from the aftershock of the refinement, but he could feel the power—more stable, more dense than before.
Logan walked past the rows of students, eyes scanning.
"Some of you did nothing. Some of you made mistakes. But…" He paused briefly near Tyler, casting him a side glance.
"One of you succeeded."
Then he turned around.
"Dismissed. Tomorrow, we start combat pratice. Don't be late."
As Logan walked away, the training field shimmered, reverting back to its dormant state.
Tyler remained seated for a moment longer, eyes reflecting a cold determination.
"I'm getting stronger."
And this was only the beginning.