Return Of The SSS-Class Hunter

In the dining hall of the Raging Bulls....

"Didn't you say Derek woke up yesterday? I went to his room but didn't find him. He didn't come for dinner either. Where is he now?" Art asked Henry as the two of them were eating.

"How would I know?" Henry replied. "After regaining consciousness, he went to see the House Master. I haven't seen him since."

"So is he coming for breakfast or not?" Art pressed again.

Henry simply shrugged.

Art was about to ask another question when he suddenly noticed someone entering through the gate.

It was Derek.

"Derek! Over here!" Art called out excitedly, waving his hand.

Derek spotted him and walked over with a smile on his face.

"Where have you been? And how are you feeling now?" Art asked hurriedly as Derek sat beside them.

"I was doing a bit of training. And I'm perfectly fine now," Derek replied.

"Again into training already? You couldn't even fully recover before running off again," Art muttered, though relief was clear in his tone.

With their usual back-and-forth, they finished breakfast quickly and headed toward the academy building. Soon, the three split off toward their respective classrooms.

When Derek arrived, the class had already begun.

"May I come in, sir?" Derek asked, sliding the door open.

The instructor turned toward him. "So you finally decided to show up, huh? Come in."

As Derek stepped inside, he saw the students practicing Lightning Pace — running while trying to keep the bells on their waist and ankles silent.

"I heard you had some sort of accident. I'm glad you're alright," the instructor said.

"Thank you, sir."

"Are you ready to participate? If you're not feeling well, you can sit and watch today."

"No, sir. I'm ready."

"Alright. Join the line."

Derek walked over to the queue. Harold had just finished his attempt and moved to the back. Billy was at the front.

When Billy saw Derek, he smiled and waved. "Welcome back, Derek!"

"Welcome back," Paul and Mia added.

"Thanks, guys," Derek said, taking his spot behind Harold.

Billy sprinted forward. As Mia waited for her turn, she glanced back at Derek with concern. "Are you sure you're ready to train already? I heard what happened."

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Accidents can happen anytime. We can't stop moving forward because of them, right?"

Mia nodded softly. "Right."

Paul went next, then Mia, and finally it was Derek's turn.

'I need to keep my speed and strength under control… otherwise everyone will be too shocked.'

With that thought, Derek began running.

The bells around his waist and ankles rang, but strangely, he felt as if he could sync his movement slightly with the rhythm of the bells themselves. 'That feeling! I know what to do.'

They continued practicing.

And unlike last time… Derek was improving at an astonishing rate.

For some reason, Derek found it far easier to grasp the technique required to keep the bells silent. The more he ran, the more naturally his body adjusted. By the end of the class, he had improved tremendously. The bells still rang occasionally, but nowhere near as frequently as before.

Everyone was astonished — especially the instructor, who knew just how difficult this technique truly was. When the class-break bell rang, Derek finished his final sprint of the day… and the bells on his waist and ankles had only sounded twice.

"Derek, you're doing great. Have you been practicing this technique continuously the whole time?" the instructor asked, surprised.

"Y-yeah, sir," Derek replied. In reality, he hadn't been focusing solely on this technique, but he went along with the instructor's assumption. Anything else would have sounded too unbelievable.

"Good. Keep working hard. Soon you'll be able to move without making a single sound," the instructor praised.

After class ended, Derek continued following the same routine in the days that followed.

Every day, he cultivated from the moment classes ended until the next morning, right before class began. And during class, he devoted all his focus to mastering the Lightning Pace technique. He would go to the dining hall with Art and Henry, where they would share their experiences.

After five days, Derek could run without making a single sound.

"Excellent," the instructor said. "Now, everyone else will continue practicing as before. But Derek, starting today, you'll not only sprint to the finish line, you will also turn and sprint back to the starting point without letting the bells ring."

Running silently was already immensely difficult. However, changing direction under the same conditions was several times more difficult.

The moment Derek attempted a complete circuit, the bells rang each time he turned or shifted direction. But little by little, he began to get the hang of it. His movements grew more precise, more refined.

By the end of the third week, Derek could run as much as he wanted without the bells making a single sound — even while turning, stopping, or changing directions.

"Great job, Derek. What you've achieved isn't just impressive — your comprehension ability is top-notch," the instructor said, genuinely astonished. Anyone else might have taken years, if not a full decade or even longer, to reach this level. His progress left the instructor both shocked and delighted.

It usually took people twelve to fifteen years to master even a single technique. Lightning Pace was no exception.

"Now," the instructor continued, "your body has been conditioned. From this point onward, it will become like muscle memory. The more you practice, the better you'll get. Eventually, it will feel as easy as walking down a street."

He then shifted his gaze to the other four students. "As for all of you — continue practicing the first stage. And don't even think about slacking off or trying to dodge."

"Yes, sir!" everyone replied — everyone except Derek, since this part wasn't directed at him.

"Derek, come with me."

The instructor walked toward the back section of the classroom.

"This space should be enough. If you stayed over there with the others practicing, it would be difficult for you to concentrate." As he spoke, he took out a long strip of fabric and handed it to Derek.

"Blindfold yourself," the instructor instructed.

"Huh? Why?" Derek asked, confused.

"You'll understand soon. Just do as I say."

"Alright."

Derek tied the cloth around his eyes, completely blindfolding himself.

"Now, try to dodge the attacks," the instructor's voice echoed calmly.

"What atta..." Derek began to ask, but just then....

Pap!