Life Rebooted with Copy and Paste

“Ha...”

A boy in a school uniform let out a heavy sigh as he walked. The brick path ahead led to an imposing building so massive, it could’ve been mistaken for a gymnasium.

Today marked the start of his journey as a high school student at the Academy.

What kind of auditorium is that big?

Today’s entrance ceremony was to take place there. Having only awakened his abilities recently, he had attended a regular middle school until now, so this was his first time seeing the building.

Rumor had it that the previous auditorium was destroyed in an accident, before being rebuilt into this colossal structure about ten years ago.

Ten years was a time so distant he could barely remember. As far as he knew, it had been an era of unimaginable disasters. The events of that year were so pivotal that no modern history lesson excluded them.

According to adults, dungeons and monsters had mysteriously become tamer since then. Experts and government officials even predicted that monsters would vanish entirely within a few decades. In preparation, research into reducing humanity’s dependency on monster-derived materials was underway.

While these developments sounded significant, they had little to do with him personally. A few decades from now, he would likely be retired, or at least well off enough to enjoy his old age comfortably.

The notion of monsters disappearing was akin to hearing that oil reserves would run out someday, which was concerning in theory, but far too distant to feel real.

He was still young, and his focus was on the present. And today’s priority was the entrance ceremony.

“Ha...”

However, why was he sighing so much on such an important day?

“Ah!”

Too distracted by his phone, he bumped into someone and fell.

“Are you okay?”

The boy lifted his head, feeling a twinge of embarrassment at having fallen so helplessly.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I’m sorry. Huh?”

Just as he was about to apologize, he froze. The reason was straightforward and undeniable.

A girl stood over him, asking, "Are you okay?"

In his 16 years of life—one filled with movies, dramas, and comics—he had never seen anyone so stunning. Surely, any guy would freeze in front of such a girl.

"Do you need a hand?" she offered.

"No, no, no! I'm fine!" he stuttered, springing to his feet.

Regret hit him instantly.

You idiot! You could’ve let her help you and maybe held her hand!

“Are you heading to the entrance ceremony?” she asked. “I’m on my way, too.”

His eyes widened. Did that mean she was also a new student? Now that he looked closer, she was also wearing the academy’s uniform.

Forcing his lips to move, he managed a response.

“Oh, uh, yeah. You’re a freshman, too?”

“Nice to meet you. I’m—oh! Dad!”

She cut herself off mid-sentence, her gaze lighting up as she looked over his shoulder. She smiled so brightly, it made his heart pound harder.

“Well, see you later! Bye-bye!” she chirped, waving her hand before jogging off.

“Uh... yeah, see you,” he replied weakly, watching her leave.

She stopped under a large tree where a man stood waiting.

Did she just say dad? That’s not her brother?

The man looked far too young to be her father. He seemed to be in his late twenties or early thirties at most. His tailored suit hinted at a strong, athletic build.

The boy could not hear their conversation from this distance, but the girl linked arms with the man and walked cheerfully toward the auditorium.

Her warm interaction with her father added to her charm. It was nice to see someone so beautiful and so kind. If she had been rude to her own family, he would have been disappointed.

Lucky me.

The boy’s heart started racing.

Running into someone like her by chance? What are the odds? Would I see her again? Could I end up in the same class as her? Should I try talking to her first?

Before he knew it, he’d started daydreaming as he made his way to the auditorium.

The entrance ceremony began soon after. Predictably, it was filled with long-winded speeches. Just as the monotony started to wear everyone down, the sound of a lively announcement broke through the air, catching everyone’s attention.

—The 2032 freshman representative of the Association’s Academy High School Division, Kim Jeong-Hak.

Following the announcement, a student walked confidently onto the stage. Each step he took stirred a buzz among the crowd.

“Is that him? The top-ranked student?”

“People say he’s never been second ever since elementary school.”

“Wow, he’s tall!”

Hearing the murmurs around him, the boy from earlier suddenly remembered why he had sighed so much.

He’s lucky...

Even among Awakeners, the gap between him and that guy was immeasurable. No matter how much effort he could put in, the moment of Awakening had already set them apart.

I should’ve just gone to a normal high school...

The boy thought his ability was embarrassingly minor. It was slightly enhanced vision, a trait utterly unsuited for combat. On top of that, he had awakened so recently that he had not even started training yet.

In contrast, the freshman representative on stage was a born combat specialist. He had awakened early and, rumor had it, had been wielding a sword since elementary school. No matter how hard he tried, the boy knew he could never catch up to someone like that.

And it was not just the students who were interested in him. Up in the VIP section, representatives of various guilds watched Kim Jeong-Hak with serious expressions, whispering among themselves.

For them, this entrance ceremony was more than a formal event. It was a recruitment ground. Guilds were already vying for promising talents, marking their territory.

In the midst of it all, something caught the boy’s eye.

Wait... isn’t that...?

Seated in a corner was a familiar face. It was Shin Yoo-Sung, the President of the Korean Hunter Association. Even with sunglasses on, his identity was unmistakable. Shin Yoo-Sung was the most famous person in the country.

Why is the Association’s president here?

The Academy was under the Association’s jurisdiction, and the entrance ceremony was a good opportunity to scout future talents. However, it seemed overkill for the president himself to attend.

While the boy wrestled with his confusion, Kim Jeong-Hak’s oath continued. Soon, the ceremony reached its final event.

—And now, we’ll move on to the final event of the entrance ceremony, the sparring demonstration.

This was the highlight of the day, what everyone called the “flower” of the Academy’s entrance ceremony.

***

The announcer’s voice echoed.

—For this year’s sparring demonstration, we have Mr. Hong Hak-Cheol, the practical combat instructor.

Hong Hak-Cheol walked onto the spacious sparring arena. He was dressed lightly, carrying nothing.

“I’m sure you’ve all heard this before, but participation in the sparring demonstration is completely voluntary!” Hong Hak-Cheol shouted with a grin. “But if you step up, don’t expect me to hold back!”

The students’ eyes lit up. The reason why the sparring demonstration was such a big deal was simple: it was a chance to impress the VIPs in attendance.

Despite Hong Hak-Cheol’s bravado, the students were confident it wouldn’t be that bad. After all, no one had ever ended up in the hospital because of the sparring event. It was more of a symbolic trial, with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

This year’s different, you little brats!

Hong Hak-Cheol smirked inwardly. He had always been dissatisfied with how the sparring was handled. As a practical combat instructor, he believed it should simulate real battles as closely as possible. However, in past years, permission for that approach had always been denied.

This year, for some reason, the green light had been given.

—Mr. Hong, we’re counting on you.

—Leave it to me!

The principal had mentioned that, for some reason, this year’s entrance ceremony was attracting an unusual level of interest from higher-ups.

Not only had the Association President shown up, but so had Yeon Hong-Ah from the Rune Mage Guild, and Hwang Hyun-Woo, the master of Midas—the crafting guild dominating the current market.

News of their attendance alone had drawn representatives from nearly every top guild in the country. With such a high-profile audience, there was no room for a half-hearted event.

That was why Hong Hak-Cheol had been chosen as the sparring instructor. He was a recently retired A-rank Hunter and the Academy's strongest instructor, to boot.

"Alright! Step up!" he called out.

“Me!”

“I’ll go first, sir!”

“Call me Instructor!” Hong Hak-Cheol shouted.

The students erupted, hands shooting up as they jostled to volunteer.

Even among the students, some were aware of the VIP turnout this year. For them, the sparring session was a rare chance to leave an impression.

One by one, students stepped onto the stage.

“Urgh!”

“Aaah!”

“Go easy on us!”

Each one hit the mat as fast as they climbed up. In no time, the floor below the stage was littered with groaning students. Hong Hak-Cheol laughed heartily at the sight.

“Go easy? What for? If you can’t handle this, you’ll be dead in the field!”

More and more students piled up in the medical bay, yet many others continued to step forward. They knew he would not go easy on them, but the chance to catch the guilds' attention was too valuable to pass up.

Still, every challenger met the same fate—taken out in a single exchange.

Even Kim Jeong-Hak, the top-ranked student and new student representative, managed only a slightly better performance.

"Urgh!"

“Jeong-Hak!”

"Isn’t that the first-place kid who just gave the speech?"

His effort earned him no mercy, and he, too, ended up being carted off by the medical staff.

After all, being first among freshmen meant little against a former A-rank Hunter.

“Alright, who’s next?” Hong Hak-Cheol scanned the crowd below.

No hands went up.

“What? No one else?” He clicked his tongue.

Such a waste, squandering a rare chance to experience real combat in a controlled environment.

"Can I give it a try?"

Then, a quiet voice broke the silence.

“Of course. Come on up,” he replied, gesturing for the volunteer to step forward.

The moment the girl climbed onto the stage, Hong Hak-Cheol froze, momentarily stunned.

She was breathtakingly beautiful. Though still young, it was clear she would grow into a woman so stunning, the term nation’s beauty would seem inadequate.

—Whoa... Who is that?

—Holy... she’s gorgeous.

—Anyone know her?

The crowd below erupted in whispers. Even the boys writhing in the medical bay seemed to muster newfound energy, craning their necks to get a better look.

“Ahem.” Hong Hak-Cheol cleared his throat, regaining his composure. “I haven’t seen you before. Did you transfer from the middle school division?”

“No, I’m a transfer to the high school division,” she answered politely.

Hong Hak-Cheol nodded.

Makes sense. I should take it easy on her, Hong Hak-Cheol thought, feeling his previously unwavering resolve crack. Of course, he had his reasons.

A high school transfer likely means she awakened recently. She probably hasn’t had much training yet.

It was a reasonable conclusion. While some of the students he had mercilessly trounced earlier were also transfers, this time, it did not seem to matter.

"Instructor! Just this once, go easy!"

"Seriously, don’t hurt her!"

"If she gets even a scratch on that face, you’re doomed!"

The students who had been knocked out earlier were now among the most vocal in urging restraint.

They’re more worried about her than themselves?

"Alright then. Come at me!" Hong Hak-Cheol shouted confidently, bracing himself with a small grin.

Huh?

Thud—!

A short moment later, before he could even process what had happened, darkness claimed him.

***

A stunned silence blanketed the room. No one—not a single person—had seen exactly what happened.

The only thing they could be certain of was the image now before them: the girl standing calmly, wooden training sword in hand, and Hong Hak-Cheol unconscious on the ground.

“She... she knocked out an Academy instructor?” one of the students whispered. “With one hit?”

Reality took a little shorter to register in the VIP section, because chaos erupted.

“What the hell was that? I didn’t even see the strike!”

“Wasn’t Hong Hak-Cheol an A-rank Hunter up until last year?”

“Who is that girl? Does anyone know her?”

The room was abuzz with frantic speculation, the noise from the VIP section spreading to the auditorium like wildfire. Students, faculty, and staff alike were left dumbfounded, unable to wrap their heads around what had just occurred.

“What do we do now? We have to continue on with the sparring match...” a teacher murmured nervously.

“But Instructor Hong is unconscious. Who else can step in?”

“Do we not have anyone? We still have students waiting for their turn...”

The Academy staff exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unprepared for such an unforeseen development.

When it became clear that no other instructor was stepping forward, the girl standing on the stage scratched her cheek, glancing at the gathered crowd.

Judging by the restless energy buzzing around the auditorium, there were still plenty of students eager to spar. And truth be told, the match ending so abruptly left her unsatisfied since she was expecting a light warm-up. Stepping down like this made coming up in the first place feel like a waste of time.

Then, finally, she spoke, “Anyone want to spar with me instead?”

The auditorium fell silent once more.

Then, a frenzy of volunteers erupted, the energy even more chaotic than during Hong Hak-Cheol’s matches.

“Me! Me! Me! I’ll do it!”

“No way, I’m going first!”

“Shut up, loser! I called it first!”

“You wanna fight me for it?”

Most of the eager challengers were noticeably male. The girl raised a brow at the commotion. Then, with a small shrug, she delivered a simple solution.

“Come at once, all of you.”

Her calm declaration instantly silenced the squabbling. And so began an impromptu, one-versus-all showdown between the girl and the rest of the remaining students. It became a spontaneous event that no one, not even the VIPs, could have foreseen.

***

“Hmm... Seems like she’s brimming with energy now that she’s fully recovered. Just a few days ago, she was pestering me for a spar the moment she came back home after ten years,” Kim Do-Joon remarked with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

“What’s wrong with that? It’s commendable and admirable, haha!” Jecheon Seong replied with a hearty laugh.

“It’s lively and wonderful. Right, Bo-Mi?” said Siwelin, crouching down to stroke the small creature by her side.

“Kyah! Kyah!” Bo-Mi chirped, as if in agreement.

“Hyung! As expected, your daughter’s amazing! Wait... huh? Isn’t that scout from the VIP section? Why is he down there sparring?” Hwang Hyun-Woo asked.

“It’s not just him. I just saw our own Team Leader Baek head down, saying he wanted to see her skills firsthand,” Yeon Hong-Ah commented.

“Sir! That child shouldn’t be doing this! She’s meant to walk the path of a Healer! Please, entrust her to our Association, no, to Mir!” Shin Yoo-Sung pleaded.

“No,” Kim Do-Joon replied firmly.

In the increasingly chaotic auditorium, this group’s corner remained uniquely composed.

On the sparring floor, representatives from various guilds had joined the fray, each determined to test the girl’s skills for themselves. Yet, despite the growing number of challengers, none could so much as graze her.

As the girl deflected yet another flurry of attacks with ease, she suddenly looked up toward their corner and grinned.

“Daddy! Look how strong I am!”

Her father, standing among the onlookers, broke into a soft smile. Memories of past struggles and countless dangers flashed in his mind—the hardships, the near-death experiences. Yet now, none of that burden lingered on his face.

Instead, all that remained was a profound sense of pride, fulfillment, and happiness.

“Of course. Whose daughter do you think you are?”

And for him, this joy was enough to carry him forward, always.

-The End-