Res Limen.

That’s the name of the city where I am now.

Its meaning is "Threshold of the World."

When the gods disappeared, the mysteries of the world began to vanish too. But there’s something that has once again brought forth the mysteries—an endless abyss of wonders, revered and feared as the Abyss.

Res Limen was built directly above that Abyss.

The seal of the depths. The heart of the world. The center of the continent. The city of cities.

If there is a way to return to Earth, it would certainly be here.

Dimensional travel is considered the pinnacle of mysteries. And the Abyss is the source of all mysteries in this world.

If not the Abyss, then nowhere else could hold the key to interdimensional travel.

‘And this is the place where even people like me can be considered normal.’

Res Limen, a melting pot where all kinds of people gathered, was the largest city in the world, with the greatest concentration of population and wealth. Even outsiders like me could blend into the diverse mix of races and ethnicities.

At the heart of this bustling city stood the Explorers’ Guild (Tamyeon Yeonmaeng).

It’s the core organization of Res Limen, overseeing all who explore the Abyss. This guild manages, controls, and supervises the guilds of Abyss explorers, and it’s also responsible for issuing official explorer licenses.

It’s also where I was now.

"I’d like to apply for an Abyss Explorer license."

"You’re here to apply for the training course, correct?"

"Yes."

Without an explorer license, access to the Abyss is forbidden—unless you want to be an outlaw on the run.

Graduates from the training course receive basic equipment, mentorship, and other support. In other words, there’s more than one benefit to be gained from this.

"Can I have your name, please?"

"Roman. Roman Sun."

"Ro...man. Got it. As you probably know, since you’re applying for an Abyss Explorer license, the training course is currently only for mages. Even if you complete the course, you must be a mage to obtain an explorer license."

"I understand."

As I nodded, the clerk, who was likely speaking out of procedure, moved on to the next question.

"What is your class?"

"I’m a Demon Summoner."

Yes, I, a Demon Summoner.

At the mention of my class, the clerk’s expression immediately grew cold. A barely suppressed "Ah..." escaped, revealing what the world thought of Demon Summoners.

But I remained confident.

And with good reason.

‘I’m different.’

This wasn’t just an empty claim. I truly was different from the other Demon Summoners they knew.

The main reason Demon Summoners are looked down upon is the price they must pay for borrowing a demon’s power.

It’s usually far too high a cost.

But I don’t have that problem.

In this world, merely existing and breathing is enough to fulfill the terms of my contract with Seir, the demon.

That’s right.

The economy here is different.

Between Earth and this world, there’s a massive gap in the value of things.

Just like how currency and prices shift drastically when crossing borders on Earth, the difference between worlds is even more extreme.

It’s like how people from impoverished countries would send laborers to places like Korea. Or how, in the old days, Korea sent miners and nurses to Germany to earn foreign currency. Or how citizens of oil-rich countries live without financial concerns for life!

Here, in this rich land, simply being alive and breathing is enough to make up for the steep cost that would be impossible to pay back on Earth.

Effectively, I had access to unlimited magic, with no risk.

There was no need to feel small.

The only problem was that I didn’t know how to properly wield that power.

‘That’s what the training course is for.’

Being a Demon Summoner made me the number one target for guild avoidance.

Everyone rejected Demon Summoners, leaving me with no other option but the training course if I wanted to learn.

But at least I had plenty of magic at my disposal. I could afford to make mistakes, and I’d figure it out eventually.

From now on, my time had finally come!

§

Or so I thought.

"The first task of training is to form teams. Each team will consist of three members. Begin."

The moment I heard that, I thought to myself:

‘This… isn’t good.’

Teaming up on the first day?

‘This won’t be easy.’

It wasn’t about my personality. It was about my class.

Demon Summoner.

To most mages, Demon Summoners were the worst of the worst. Once considered foundational, they had become relics of a bygone era.

No wonder Demon Summoners proudly held the number one spot on the list of the three most despised mage classes.

‘Why does it have to be a group of three?’

What are we, some kind of explorers who hunt as a team?

‘Well, no choice but to give it a try.’

Sink or swim, I had to go for it.

Some people had already formed groups, clearly prepared in advance. Others, like me, wandered around looking lost.

I approached one of the lone participants.

And then—

"Demon Summoners, huh..."

They rejected me immediately.

Alright, moving on.

"A Demon Summoner? What kind of mage are you even trying to be? Get lost!"

Thrown out.

Next.

"What? You’re twenty years old and just starting? And you’re a Demon Summoner? Hahaha, what a joke."

"So...?"

"No, seriously, you’re hilarious. Why don’t you just join a circus or something? They’re always looking for funny people like you."

Mocked.

"I can’t believe someone like you still shows up these days. Haven’t seen one in a while, but let me give you some advice: forget being a Demon Summoner. The price you paid for that contract with the demon is a sunk cost. Cut your losses and move on."

"I’m actually fine, really..."

"Forget it, kid. You’re still young, that’s why. You’ll get burned eventually. No point talking any more. Go find someone else."

Pity.

"What are you talking about? Why would we take a Demon Summoner on the team? What, do you want to get stabbed in the back?"

Ignored.

‘So this is the reality of being a Demon Summoner.’

I’d known in theory, but experiencing it firsthand was brutal.

The instructor had said this was the first training task.

Fail to form a team, and you fail the task.

That means I’d be out.

‘This is tough.’

Why team training from the start?

‘Is there really no one left?’

The training course opened every few months. If I failed now, I’d have to wait three months for the next one.

No choice.

I decided to just grab anyone who was alone like me.

‘Failing here would be a disaster.’

[For a summoner without friends, this is quite the difficult test.]

I nearly screamed in surprise.

Barely managing to suppress my voice, I spoke inwardly.

‘Could you at least give me a warning before you pop in?’

[A warning? What’s that?]

Seems she knows some modern things but not this.

‘I meant, don’t surprise me like that.’

[Haha, were you startled?]

‘Yes. So please…’

"Excuse me…!"

“Gah?!”

Damn it.

This time, I couldn’t hold back.

An ambush from inside and outside at the same time—who wouldn’t get startled?

Turning quickly, I found myself face-to-face with a hooded figure who had somehow approached without me noticing.

"Um, are you... looking for a team?"

"Well, yeah, still looking."

I couldn’t see their face, but I had a feeling that beneath that hood, they were probably smiling.

"Then! How about teaming up with me?"

"I’m fine with that, but are you sure? Just so you know, I’m a Demon Summoner."

"Really? Ah, I don’t mind! I’m a Spirit Summoner, hehe."

Ah, I see.

They were also someone who couldn’t find a team.

A Demon Summoner like me and a Spirit Summoner—it’s all the same.

The infamous three most despised classes include Spirit Summoners as well.

"Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Roman Sun. As I said, I’m a Demon Summoner."

"Ah! I’m Leaf Yusglemt."

"Are you a noble?"

"No, no, not at all."

I asked because her name sounded unique, but Leaf shook her head quickly, causing strands of straw-colored, dirty blonde hair to escape from her hood.

I couldn’t see her face well under the hood, but from her voice and wrist, she seemed to be a girl.

It was still warm in the daytime, with summer lingering, so her heavy clothing left quite the impression.

‘Alright, we’ve got one member.’

Despite her timid appearance, the fact that she approached me to ask for a team showed she had some backbone.

I was a bit concerned about the Spirit Summoner part, but it couldn’t be helped.

And who knows? Maybe Leaf was hiding some sort of cheat ability like me.

"Now we just need one more person..."

Scanning the room...

Another person on their own...

"You."

"...Me?"

"Yeah."

I had been wondering how we’d find the last member for this cursed team of a Demon Summoner and Spirit Summoner, but here we were—the last member had approached us.

‘Why another hooded one?’

Shorter than Leaf, with a lower voice but an unmistakable youthfulness beneath the rough tone.

I had a bad feeling about this.

The second hooded figure bluntly asked:

"You're a Demon Summoner?"

"...And?"

Were they here to pick a fight?

Their tone and attitude were definitely hostile, not friendly.

I was already having negative thoughts before the conversation even began. Maybe because I’d been rejected so much earlier, I’d developed a bit of paranoia.

"Let me join."

"...You want to join even knowing I’m a Demon Summoner?"

"Yes. Problem?"
 

"...You want to join even knowing I’m a Demon Summoner?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

We hadn't set a specific time limit, but I doubted we’d find anyone better. Maybe it was better to go with someone who knew what they were getting into.

"Leaf, are you okay with this?"

"Ah, yes! I’m fine."

"Well, there you go. What’s your name? I’m Roman, and this is—"

"I’m Leaf Yusglemt! Spirit Summoner."

Despite what appeared to be a lack of social skills, the second hooded figure responded without hesitation.

"Rei. Battlemage."

If the introduction had been any longer, I might have felt more appreciative. But the real issue was with the second half of that introduction.

‘Battlemage?’

Battlemages don’t belong to any specific magical system. In fact, they’re so varied that it’s hard to categorize them under one umbrella.

They’re often regarded as heretics, using magic as a tool purely for combat rather than as an academic discipline. Their magic is solely focused on fighting.

In most mage societies, Battlemages are frowned upon and subtly excluded. But things were different here in Res Limen.

To face the challenges of the Abyss, combat power is crucial. And as far as the guilds are concerned, a Battlemage’s skill set is far more useful than that of a traditional mage.

In fact, some guilds prefer Battlemages over other classes.

However, there’s a significant downside to the class.

Due to the lack of a consistent system, developing their abilities is difficult, and the power gap between Battlemages is often vast.

It’s a broad term that lumps together those who know how to fight with magic, regardless of their background.

Do you remember the three most despised mage classes?

Demon Summoners, Spirit Summoners, and the final one—Battlemages.

More specifically, the lowest-tier Battlemages, the ones whose combat abilities aren’t strong enough to make them desirable. They’re despised not just because they’re solely focused on fighting, but because they’re often weak in that aspect too.

On the other hand, powerful Battlemages are sought after by royalty. Weak Battlemages? Well, they’re ignored and avoided like the rest of us outcasts.

So, where did Rei fall on that spectrum?

Most people would probably bet on the latter.

She didn’t exactly look like a combat powerhouse, after all.

‘Ha… Looks like we’ve gathered all three of the most despised classes.’

This team was not going to be easy.

Of the three of us, I might actually be the most "normal."

‘We’re really carrying dead weight here.’

§

"Enough. Anyone who hasn’t formed a team yet, move to the left."

Several people, either alone or in pairs, grumbled as they moved to the left.

If they’d been willing to compromise, they could have formed a team by now. What were they waiting for?

‘Did they really think the instructor would just assign them a team?’

That kind of thinking is doomed from the start.

My guess was spot on, as it turned out.

"You’re all dismissed. Abyss exploration isn’t something you do alone. Anyone who can’t even form a team doesn’t belong here."

Immediately, complaints erupted from the disqualified participants.

But they were swiftly silenced.

The instructor was strict.

The person who had been leading the protest was quickly subdued, and the others who had been grumbling fell silent, leaving the training grounds with their heads hung low.

As soon as they left, the instructor wasted no time and moved on to the next task.

"We’ll begin the next phase of training immediately."

After witnessing several people get kicked out, the rest of us became noticeably more attentive.

With a hint of satisfaction, the instructor announced:

"Now that you’ve formed teams, it’s time to assess each member’s abilities. We’ll be conducting team-based sparring."

At the mention of sparring, the mood shifted dramatically. The quiet murmurs among the participants quickly turned into a commotion.

The instructor’s voice rose once more to quell the growing unrest.

"What did you expect? This is a training course. We don’t have the time to teach you everything step-by-step. If you wanted something like that, you should have gone to an academy. We’re starting now!"

The next steps happened quickly.

After watching a few people get dismissed, no one dared to move slowly when the instructor gave an order.

The sparring matches began in rapid succession, with all sorts of magic flying across the arena. It was intense. Even the most basic physical enhancement spells seemed to be standard here.

The ground shook, lightning flashed—this was what real magic looked like.

I focused carefully, observing the flow and structure of magic, trying to learn how the others were using their abilities.

After watching a few teams spar, it was finally my turn.

"Good luck, Roman!"

"Thanks."

With Leaf’s encouragement, I stepped into the center of the sparring ring.

I slowed my pace slightly, wondering if Rei would say something too. But nothing.

Seems like there was nothing for the Demon Summoner after all.

So cold...

As I stepped into the sparring ring, I found myself face to face with the same guy who had pitied me earlier, giving me unsolicited advice about my future.

He looked at me and said:

"You should probably forfeit."

"Huh?"

"You’re a Demon Summoner, right? I don’t even need to sense it—your poorly managed magic is easy to pick up on. I can feel the alien magic from the demon. You don’t want to pay the price, do you? Forfeit now, and you won’t be kicked out. If you forfeit, we both win, right?"

He made a fair point.

This sparring match was merely an extension of the team formation process. The fact that I had managed to form a team probably meant I wouldn’t be kicked out, even if I lost.

The participants who had lost their sparring matches hadn’t been disqualified either. It seemed unlikely that they’d be kicked out afterward. If that was the plan, they would’ve done it immediately.

However, losing would certainly affect my evaluation.

"...You’re right."

I muttered, and he continued speaking, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

His expression wasn’t one of concern, but rather indifference—he wasn’t trying to persuade me; it was more like he was granting pity to someone beneath him.

"Exactly, right? Let’s just call it quits here. I don’t need to hear people bragging about how they beat a Demon Summoner in a sparring match."

Then, as if to rub salt in the wound, he murmured something under his breath, not even bothering to hide it from me.

"Man, what’s with all these Demon Summoners thinking they can join the Abyss explorers... Nowadays, any old fool thinks they can make it."

If he had really wanted me to forfeit, he shouldn’t have said that.

"That’s the last straw."