Lee Jun-Seo lived his life like a mouse among elephants. His world was modern, but it was ruined by monsters. Because of this, strength meant everything. Jun-Seo was listed as a Hunter, but he was a E-Rank failure. He had no talent, couldn't fight, and always smelled like cheap food and fear.
Every day at the Hunter School was terrible. The stronger students, the B-Ranks and C-Ranks needed someone to pick on, and Jun-Seo was the perfect target.
"Look, it's the guy who failed the shield test three times," mocked Kim, a big C-Rank who used fire magic. He pushed Jun-Seo into a locker.
"At least try to use your useless power, weakling," Kim added, then slammed the metal door shut.
Jun-Seo never fought back. His 'special power' was only good for making cotton slightly thicker. It was a stupid joke. He let them hit him and insult him. He was weak, he knew it, and he hated it, but he thought he couldn't change.
Then the Calamity Beast came.
It was an S-level monster, huge like a mountain of shadows and teeth. It ripped through the city's defenses easily. The air was heavy with poison magic. Jun-Seo was hiding in a broken mall with other scared people. Suddenly, he saw a little girl frozen in the street, right where the monster's claw was about to land.
In that moment, Jun-Seo forgot all his fear and weakness. He was the coward who couldn't lift a training sword, but he didn't stop to think. He just ran.
He didn't run to save himself; he ran straight at the danger.
With a loud shout, he pushed the girl out of the way. Then came a crashing noise and a sudden white light. He felt a sharp, burning pain, and then... nothing. His last thought was a brave one: I didn't die hiding.
Silence.
The bad smell of the monster's world was gone. It was replaced by a clean, sharp smell, like old wood and sweet smoke. A cool, soft breeze touched his face.
Jun-Seo opened his eyes.
He was in a soft, fancy bed in an old, rich room. Stone walls, large windows covered in velvet, and a ceiling painted with pictures of knights and dragons. This was not his world.
New, broken memories flooded his mind. He was now Roran Ashborne. A young student at the Royal Dawn Academy. A noble's son. And just like before, he was still completely, totally weak.
He was now in Aethelgard, a land where Mages used real fireballs to melt steel, and Knights could cut stone with one powerful swing of their swords. His old world, with its weak D-Ranks, was nothing compared to this. The air itself felt stronger here.
I was the weakest person in the weak world, Jun-Seo thought as he sat up. Now I'm the weakest person in the strong world.
He looked at his new hands. They were thin and smooth. They shook, not from fear, but from a cold, new idea: He would not be weak again.
He remembered the bully, Kim. He remembered the monster's claw. He remembered that one second of true courage before he died.
A strong, clear decision formed in his heart. This time, he would never be bullied. He had died bravely as a weak person, but he would live powerfully in this new body.
He stood and walked to the big wooden closet. Inside, he found a simple, heavy steel training sword. It was meant for beginners.
Roran Ashborne the new Jun-Seo grabbed the handle. The cold metal felt right. He was starting at the bottom, perhaps the weakest student at the Royal Dawn Academy.
But a brave heart, once it starts burning, is hard to put out.
Aethelgard, he thought, looking toward the noisy training grounds outside. You think you are strong? Good. I will become stronger.
Roran Ashborne didn't wait. He walked out the door and started his difficult, new life at the Royal Dawn Academy. Just as he stepped onto the stone pathway, a bright, blue screen suddenly flashed into view, blocking his sight.