The holographic screen faded, leaving Jae-Hyun-Woo alone in the quiet of his bedroom, the morning sun now painting stripes across his worn rug. He was eighteen again, in a body that felt both familiar and frustratingly weak. But within him hummed the power of the Mythic System, and in his mind lay the memories of a life lived and the knowledge of a future yet to come. The initial shock had passed, replaced by a cold, clear determination that settled deep in his gut. He had a month until the Hunter Academy entrance exam, and a quest that meant the difference between keeping this power and losing it forever.

  One month. To go from this… He glanced down at his still-slight hands. …to being ready to not just enter that academy, but to start building the strength I need.

  He accessed the System again, the translucent blue screen materializing before him. He bypassed the Status and Quests he'd already examined, his focus now entirely on maximizing his growth. He navigated back to the [Skills] window, specifically the newly revealed [Omni-Hunter Exclusive Skill Tree].

  He delved into the tree, examining the greyed-out nodes and the few he could currently access. [Adaptive Combat Physiology] and [Systemic Insight: Combat Analysis] were the only ones available from the start. He reread their descriptions, the implications of accelerated growth across all disciplines and real-time combat analysis settling deeper into his understanding. This wasn't just a boost; it was a fundamental change to how he would learn and fight.

  He looked for any guidance the System might offer on optimal training methods. He found a section labeled [System Guidance]. Accessing it brought up a new interface, offering various categories: [Physical Conditioning], [Mana Control], [Weapon Mastery], [Skill Proficiency], etc. Selecting [Physical Conditioning] brought up a list of exercises, each with a small indicator of the potential Attribute and Proficiency gains. Basic push-ups, sit-ups, squats – they were all there, listed with their low but consistent returns. Higher-level exercises were locked, requiring higher stats or class levels.

  It was simple, almost deceptively so. The System wasn’t going to magically make him strong; it was going to guide and quantify his effort, making that effort exponentially more effective.

  He exited the guidance section and stood in the center of his room. No time to waste. He dropped into a push-up position. He focused on the form, the controlled descent, the push back up. It was harder than he remembered from his peak in his past life, his muscles protesting with unfamiliar weakness. But as he completed each one, the faint notifications appeared at the edge of his vision, tracking his progress with unwavering precision.

  [Push-up: +0.1 Strength Proficiency]

  [Push-up: +0.05 Vitality Proficiency]

  [Basic Conditioning Proficiency: +0.1]

  [Adaptive Combat Physiology: Analyzing and Optimizing Physical Stress...]

  The last notification was new. The Omni-Hunter class wasn't just tracking; it was analyzing and optimizing. He felt a subtle difference in his muscles with each repetition, a faint warmth that seemed to aid recovery and push him further.

  He moved to squats, then sit-ups, pushing his body through the basic motions until his muscles trembled with fatigue. He watched the numbers climb, small increments that represented a speed of growth he’d only dreamed of in his first life. A single focused session of basic exercises was yielding the kind of proficiency gains that used to take days or even weeks of consistent effort.

  Next, he sat cross-legged on the floor, attempting to sense mana again. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his awareness as the System had guided him. The faint tingle from yesterday was more noticeable now, a subtle energy weaving through the air. He focused on drawing it in, on feeling the potential power within his own body.

  [Basic Mana Sensing Proficiency: +0.3]

  [Mana Sensitivity: +0.08]

  [Omni-Hunter Class: Integrating Mana Flow with Physical Pathways...]

  Integrating Mana Flow with Physical Pathways? That was something entirely outside the standard Mage training he remembered. His unique class was already blurring the lines between physical and magical development.

  He spent the rest of the morning cycling through basic physical training and mana sensing, observing how the System tracked his progress and how the Omni-Hunter class seemed to subtly enhance every aspect of his effort. He was a Level 1 with baseline stats, but his potential was being rapidly awakened, his proficiency in fundamental skills increasing at an astonishing rate.

  He began formulating a rigorous training schedule for the month ahead. Mornings would focus on physical conditioning and Brawler techniques, leveraging his Echoed Skills and the System's optimization. Afternoons would be dedicated to mana sensing and basic mana control exercises (once he unlocked them), building his magical foundation. Evenings would be for studying theory – hunter knowledge, monster anatomy, dungeon layouts – information he already knew but needed to confirm and organize in this timeline, and where the System might offer new insights through his Timeline Echo.

  He knew this wouldn't be easy. A month of intense, almost non-stop training would be brutal, even with the System's aid. His body would protest. But he remembered the alternative – the average life, the constant struggle, the tragic end. And he remembered Mia.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  He looked towards the door of his room, towards the rest of the apartment. His motivation. His reason. He wouldn't be average this time. He wouldn't be limited.

  He accessed the Quest window again, looking at "The First Step." Enroll in the Hunter Academy. A simple objective. But completing it was the key to unlocking further System features and continuing his accelerated growth.

  He had one month. And he would use every second of it to become strong enough to not just pass the exam, but to start playing this game on his own terms. The preparation had begun.

  The small apartment, usually a place of quiet respite, became a hub of focused, almost relentless activity for Jae-Hyun-Woo. With his training plan set and the System as his guide, he threw himself into the month of preparation with an intensity that surprised even himself. Every spare moment was dedicated to getting stronger, faster, more skilled.

  He knew that basic bodyweight exercises and mana sensing could only take him so far. To truly accelerate his growth, he needed better tools. Remembering the out-of-the-way pawn shop near the old market district, a place he’d occasionally frequented in his past life, he made the trip. The owner, a retired hunter named Mr. Han, was a man of few words but a sharp eye for decent gear that still had some life left in it.

  Approaching Mr. Han, Jae-Hyun-Woo spoke with a maturity and knowledge of hunter equipment that felt strange coming from his younger voice. He didn’t just ask for generic training gear; he inquired about specific items he knew Mr. Han sometimes had – a reinforced training dummy designed to withstand stronger impacts, a set of adjustable weights with a wider range than standard, and crucially, a small stock of low-grade stamina and mana recovery potions that were invaluable for pushing through fatigue and accelerating mana recovery.

  Mr. Han, initially giving him the usual dismissive look he reserved for greenhorns, raised an eyebrow as Jae-Hyun-Woo accurately described the kind of training dummy he was looking for and the properties of the specific potions. He saw a spark of something in the young man’s eyes that he hadn’t expected. After a brief, shrewd negotiation, where Jae-Hyun-Woo demonstrated a surprising knowledge of fair prices, Mr. Han led him to a dusty corner of the shop and produced the items.

  "You... know your stuff, kid," Mr. Han grunted, counting the cash Jae-Hyun-Woo offered. "Not many your age would know what to look for in these."

  "Just... read a lot," Jae-Hyun-Woo replied, offering a small, tight smile. He left the shop with his newly acquired resources, a sense of grim satisfaction settling in. Every little advantage counted.

  Back at the apartment building, he managed to set up the reinforced training dummy in a rarely used corner of the courtyard. This became the centerpiece of his physical training. Hours were spent hitting the dummy, practicing the forms of [Brawler Technique: Iron Fist], feeling his proficiency increase with each impact. The System tracked the force of his strikes, providing data he used to refine his movements and maximize his power output.

  He incorporated the adjustable weights into his routine, pushing his muscles to their limit, feeling the burn that signified growth. When fatigue threatened to shut him down, he used the stamina potions, feeling a surge of energy that allowed him to squeeze in more sets, more repetitions. The System’s notifications of [Strength Proficiency], [Vitality Proficiency], and [Basic Conditioning] gains became more frequent, the numbers increasing steadily.

  His mana sensing practice intensified. He used the mana recovery potions, feeling them replenish his nascent internal mana pool, allowing him to practice sensing and manipulating energy for longer periods. He focused on drawing the subtle energy into his body, guiding it, feeling the faint warmth as it flowed.

  [Basic Mana Sensing Proficiency: +0.8]

  [Mana Sensitivity: +0.15]

  [Mana Control: Level 1 Acquired!]

  Acquiring [Mana Control (Level 1)] was a significant milestone. It meant he could now not just sense mana, but actively attempt to control it, to shape it, the crucial first step towards casting spells. He immediately began practicing simple control exercises the System suggested, attempting to gather mana in his palm, to make it visible as a faint glow.

  The month blurred into a relentless cycle of training, guided by the System, fueled by potions, and driven by his unwavering resolve. There were moments of intense fatigue, when his muscles screamed and his mind felt dull. But he pushed through, remembering the pain of his past life, the cold of death, and the warm, bright image of Mia’s smile.

  He made sure to spend time with Mia each day, carving out moments of normalcy amidst his intense preparation. He helped her with her homework, ate dinner with her, and listened to her talk about her day. He saw the subtle way she looked at him sometimes, noticing the increased discipline in his movements, the focused intensity in his eyes. He explained it away as "academy prep," and while she seemed a little curious, his consistent presence and affection kept her from being truly worried.

  One evening, while helping her with a science project, she struggled to lift a small but awkward piece of equipment. Instinctively, he reached out and effortlessly picked it up with two fingers, placing it where she needed it. She stared, her eyes wide.

  "Wow, Oppa! You're getting really strong!"

  He just smiled and ruffled her hair. "Gotta be ready for the academy, right?"

  Inside, he felt a surge of pride, not just at his physical gain, but at the tangible proof that his efforts were paying off. He was becoming stronger, faster than he could have ever imagined in his first life. The System wasn't just a tool; it was an accelerator, propelling him towards a level of power that felt almost unreal.

  His confidence grew with each passing day. He was no longer the average hunter hoping to scrape by. He was Jae-Hyun-Woo, the Omni-Hunter, with the knowledge of the future and a power that defied the world's limits. He was still young, his stats still relatively low compared to experienced hunters, but the speed of his progress was astronomical.

  The final week before the exam was the most intense. He pushed his training to the absolute limit, depleting his potion reserves, squeezing out every last bit of potential gain. He reviewed his foreknowledge of the exam one last time, solidifying his strategy for each section.

  The day before the exam, he stood in his room, looking at his reflection. He was still his younger self, but the weariness of his past life was gone, replaced by a sharp, focused intensity. He accessed his Status window. His stats had increased significantly since that first day, though they were still not high by veteran standards. But his proficiency in fundamental skills had skyrocketed, and his Mana Control was steadily climbing.

  He had done everything he could in this month. He had taken the first steps in utilizing the Mythic System, in embracing his Omni-Hunter class, in preparing for the game ahead.

  The fear and uncertainty he had felt before the D-rank dungeon in his past life were absent. Replaced by a cold, unwavering resolve. He was ready. Ready to face the academy, ready to complete "The First Step," and ready to continue his ascent. The game was about to get a lot more interesting.