Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1: The World of Hunters - A Prelude

Hey guys! How is everyone? It's been many years! Wow, a lot of things have changed in my life, but fanfictions have been the one constant for me, no matter what happened.

I've spent a lot of evenings wondering what to do, and I've been thinking about getting back into writing for months now. It's tough getting started again when you've been out of practice for so long. But the passion is still there, and so am I, so today (which happens to be a Friday), I've decided to push through my hesitation and just go for it.

I have a few plans for my other two Naruto stories, and that anime/manga is still my go-to for when I want to read something new, but today, I wanted to do something different. This time, I'll be diving into Solo Leveling, an extremely popular Korean Manhwa that recently got an anime adaptation. It's based on a light novel, which was then adapted into a manhwa (Korean manga). For those of you who aren't familiar with it, here's a quick summary:

Plot Summary of Solo Leveling

The story follows Sung Jinwoo, who starts out as an E-Rank hunter—the weakest of them all, often called "the weakest hunter." After a near-death experience in a dangerous dungeon, he gains a mysterious power that allows him to "level up" like in a video game. With this unique ability, he begins to grow exponentially in strength, surpassing other hunters and becoming humanity's strongest hope against increasingly powerful monsters and world-threatening forces.

That's a very abridged version of the plot, as there are a lot of characters, countries, guilds, hunters, and even some economics involved, especially with things like Mana Crystals and Essence Stones—rare resources found inside dungeons.

Introduction: A New World After the Gates

Twenty years ago, the world changed forever. Gates, mysterious portals that connected Earth to another dimension filled with monsters, began appearing all over the globe. As powerful monsters began pouring through, humanity faced extinction. However, Awakened individuals, known as Hunters, emerged as the only ones capable of fighting back.

These Awakened could harness the power of mana, making them humanity's only hope of surviving the onslaught from the Gates. Over time, the world adapted, and a new global order was established—one that centered around the exploitation of resources from these Gates and the powers of the Awakened.

Hunter Statistics and Global Distribution

The world population stands at around 7.8 billion, but only a tiny fraction of that population is Awakened. Currently, only 0.05% of the world population is made up of hunters, which translates to about 3.9 million hunters worldwide.

Hunter Rank Distribution:

E-rank Hunters (60-70%): 2.34-2.73 million hunters

The weakest Awakened. Often engage in non-combat roles or work as porters during raids.

D-rank Hunters (15-20%): 585,000-780,000 hunters

Strong enough to handle low-level dungeons.

C-rank Hunters (10-12%): 390,000-468,000 hunters

The backbone of most raid teams, handling moderate-level Gates.

B-rank Hunters (2-4%): 78,000-156,000 hunters

Strong, often part of elite guilds and capable of tackling high-tier dungeons.

A-rank Hunters (0.3-0.5%): 11,700-19,500 hunters

Exceptionally powerful, able to clear high-level dungeons and often lead raid parties. Considered elite, but more common than S-ranks.

S-rank Hunters: 500 hunters globally

Nation-level assets. The most powerful hunters, capable of soloing high-rank Gates. Their power and influence can shift global politics and economic control.

S-rank Hunter Distribution by Country

Even though S-rank hunters are incredibly rare, they are disproportionately concentrated in certain countries.

United States (Population: 331 million): ~30 S-rank hunters (including Special Authority hunters like Thomas Andre)

China (Population: 1.4 billion): ~30 S-rank hunters

Japan (Population: 125 million): ~20 S-rank hunters

South Korea (Population: 52 million): ~10 S-rank hunters

India (Population: 1.4 billion): ~15-20 S-rank hunters

Russia (Population: 146 million): ~10-15 S-rank hunters

Germany (Population: 83 million): ~8-12 S-rank hunters

France (Population: 67 million): ~5-10 S-rank hunters

And so on…..

Awakened Hunters: Roles and Non-Combat Jobs

Not all Awakened individuals choose to live the dangerous life of a hunter. While A-rank and S-rank hunters almost always pursue careers in combat, many E-rank and D-rank hunters work in non-combat professions.

Porters: E-rank and D-rank hunters often work as support staff during raids, carrying equipment and handling logistics for higher-rank hunters.

Mana-based Industries: Some hunters use their abilities in industries like mana crystal processing, construction, or transportation.

Guild Administration: Hunters with weaker abilities may work in management positions, helping run guilds by handling contracts, logistics, and financial transactions.

Mana Crystals and Essence Stones: The New Currency

The discovery of Mana Crystals and Essence Stones inside dungeons has revolutionized the global economy. These are now considered valuable commodities, much like oil or precious minerals.

Mana Crystals are used as a clean, renewable energy source, making them immensely valuable.

High-rank dungeons (S-rank, A-rank) yield rare, high-quality crystals, while lower-rank dungeons produce lesser-quality crystals. The most powerful crystals are worth millions.

Essence Stones are even more valuable, as they are dropped by monsters and used for weapon enhancements, medicine, and mana-infused technologies.

Mana crystals have replaced fossil fuels in many countries, leading to massive shifts in the global power structure.

Similar to the Industrial Revolution, mana has enabled the creation of new technologies like medical devices that revolutionize healthcare.

Countries that control more Gates with higher-quality crystals and Essence Stones have emerged as superpowers or key players in world affairs.

Economic Impact of Gates and Hunters

The appearance of Gates has given rise to entire industries, disrupted existing markets, and caused massive shifts in the global economy.

Hunter Guilds:

Hunter guilds are now massive corporations, responsible for recruiting hunters, managing dungeon expeditions, and trading mana crystals and essence stones.

Elite guilds have multi-billion-dollar budgets, and high-rank hunters often have personal sponsorships from companies looking to capitalize on their celebrity status.

Dungeon Resource Companies:

A whole industry has developed around mining and refining mana crystals and essence stones. Specialized firms handle the dangerous work of dungeon mining, hiring support hunters and scientists to safely extract materials.

Monster Parts as Commodities:

Monster hides, bones, and venom are sold for various industries. High-rank monster parts are used to craft luxury goods, potent medicines, or enhanced weapons and armor.

Global Power Shifts:

Nations with more Gates or stronger hunters have become economic powerhouses.

Black markets have sprung up around illegal dungeon raids and the smuggling of rare materials, creating an underworld economy.

Political Power of S-rank Hunters

S-rank hunters are often treated as national assets, and countries that possess more S-rank hunters—like China and the United States—wield tremendous influence. These hunters are capable of soloing high-rank dungeons and can protect entire regions from catastrophic monster outbreaks.

Special Authority Hunters, a unique subset of S-rank hunters with extraordinary abilities, operate on a level beyond other S-ranks and command global attention due to their unique powers.

Hunter Guilds as Economic Powerhouses

Guilds not only manage dungeon raids, but they also control the market for mana crystals, artifact sales, and the distribution of dungeon loot. The wealthiest guilds in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea hold enormous influence over both the world's political and economic landscape.

Hunter Classes in Solo Leveling

In the Solo Leveling universe, hunters are divided into combat roles based on their abilities and fighting styles.

Fighter/Warrior Class:

Melee combatants who specialize in physical strength and wield swords, axes, or other heavy weapons to deal damage up close.

Tanker Class:

Defensive hunters who focus on soaking up damage and protecting their team by drawing the attention of monsters using high durability and taunt abilities.

Assassin Class:

Stealthy hunters who rely on speed, agility, and high-burst damage, often attacking from the shadows with daggers or light weapons.

Mage Class:

Long-range spellcasters who use mana to cast destructive magic and crowd-control spells, often specializing in elemental attacks like fire, ice, or lightning.

Healer Class:

Support hunters whose primary role is to heal injuries and restore health to their teammates during prolonged battles.

Ranger Class:

Hunters who fight from a distance using powerful abilities like shooting arrows or similar weapons. Also masters of tracking and scouting. They focus on dealing damage or supporting their team from a distance.

A New Player in the Game

In this world, our SI original character is reincarnated into the Solo Leveling universe. The character awakens with a Player system, much like Sung Jinwoo, but with unique aspects. The Player system allows the OC to gain levels, skills, and stats, allowing them to grow stronger with each completed quest or defeated monster.

Let me know what you guys think of this idea. I have already finished half of the actual first chapter of this story! I want to know if you guys have any suggestions or if there are any aspects of this world that you want me to elaborate on or change, but I want to think that I did a pretty good job.

Je ne!

Anbustar16

Chapter Text

Here is the first full chapter as promised everyone! I’ve been out of practice for so long that it took me a few days to write it. 

I also have two more Naruto stories that I wrote 10 years ago and plan on continuing here and on FF.net

Please check them out on that website and/or here (when I post them here). 

New Story and New characters!

Hope you guys enjoy!

FYI - I don’t own Solo Leveling

Chapter 2: The New World – A Slow Awakening

~Beep Beep Beep Beep~

The high-pitched beeping pierced through the dark room, bouncing off the walls and stabbing through my skull. I groaned, my hand fumbling over the nightstand until I finally found the snooze button. Silence returned, but it did nothing to ease the heavy ache in my head.

Blinking against the harsh red digits on the clock, I glared at the time: 4:30 a.m.

I sighed deeply and rubbed my face, my fingers dragging across the dark bags under my eyes. Barely got any sleep last night thanks to this damn cold, and now I have to wake up again so soon for work. My life’s a joke, I thought, sinking back into my pillow for just a few more seconds of quiet.

But I knew there was no point. Five more minutes wouldn’t change a thing. I tossed the sheets aside, forcing myself up. Across the room, my roommate slept soundly, unaffected by the noise.

Must be those expensive earbuds, I thought, my lips twisting in the faintest hint of jealousy. Lucky bastard.

Yawning, I shuffled toward the shared bathroom, every step reminding me of how little sleep I’d managed to grab. The bright light above the mirror flickered to life, making me squint as I stared at my reflection.

There I was. The same old, unremarkable face staring back at me: short, messy dark hair, pale skin, and those goddamn bags under my eyes that were practically permanent at this point. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d looked in the mirror and liked what I saw.

Nothing special, I thought, dragging my toothbrush from its holder. Just John. A name as common as my face.

As I brushed my teeth, my mind wandered back to the past, the one story that never seemed to change. The orphanage. I grew up there, and from as far back as I could remember, no one could tell me who my parents were—or if they were even alive. The staff gave me the most common name they could think of, and I grew up just like all the other kids in that place: a face in the crowd, another mouth to feed.

The orphanage itself? A third-tier city nightmare barely hanging on by a thread. Most of our clothes came through donations or hand-me-downs that never fit right. I wore shoes too small for my feet for a whole year, but it didn’t matter. I was lucky to have them.

The school wasn’t any better. The local kids made sure we knew exactly where we stood. They got picked up by their parents in shiny cars. We walked back, heads down, avoiding their stares. Jealousy was the first thing I learned, and it stuck around like a bad habit.

By the time high school ended and we turned eighteen, the orphanage kicked us out. I knew it was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. They gave us just enough to survive. The rest? That was on us.

Spitting out the toothpaste, I rinsed my mouth and stripped off my clothes, stepping into the shower. The icy water hit my skin, making my muscles clench as goosebumps rippled across my arms. I moved fast, scrubbing myself down in a desperate race to get out of the freezing shower before I turned into an ice block.

Six months, I thought, teeth chattering. The house owner had ignored us for the past six months, despite us practically begging him to fix the hot water. Finishing up, I dried off and went back to my room, where my roommate was still fast asleep.

I stared at him for a second, tempted to rip the blanket off him and let him feel the cold I had to deal with. But I shook my head, a mischievous smile creeping up before I let it fade. If he wanted to blow all his money on gadgets and barely make rent at the end of the month, that was his problem, not mine.

I sighed as I pulled on my boots and jacket, bracing myself for the cold morning air. The house was as frigid inside as it was outside. Every time I felt the cold biting at my skin, I cursed the landlord, hoping one of my made-up curses would actually do something painful to him—preferably to his dick and balls.

“That fat bastard had the gall to call us entitled brats when we asked him to install some heating in this house. I hope you choke on dick, Jim, you miserable cunt.” I muttered the words under my breath as I ran a comb through my hair, imagining him sputtering at his desk, clutching his throat. It was a nice thought—if only one of my curses would actually work.

I took one last look in the mirror. Same tired face. Same dark bags. I looked older than eighteen, but there was no point in thinking about it. Grabbing my bag, wallet, and keys, I stepped outside.

It was still dark, the air biting and unforgiving. I walked slowly, keeping my head down and an eye out for anyone lurking in the shadows. My neighbourhood was poor, and danger was always just a block away. It took about twenty minutes to reach the bus stop, and by then, my hands were numb. I needed to be on the first bus to make it in time for my shift. It was the weekend, which meant the restaurant would be busy, and the chefs would need all hands on deck for prep.

I was five minutes from the bus stop when I heard a rustle behind me. Probably a bird, I thought, walking past a line of hedges without looking back. But then I heard footsteps, and as I turned around, I felt cold metal press under my chin.

A gun.

Woah, woah, woah! My heart raced, and my breath caught in my throat as I raised my hands, palms out, in surrender. My eyes widened in panic the second I felt the cold press of the gun under my chin. Everything around me blurred—my vision tunnelling on that gun, gleaming under the faint streetlights.

"Don’t hurt me, man," I managed to choke out, my voice shaking. "Just—just take what you want."

The thug in front of me grinned, his teeth flashing in the dim light. His eyes stayed cold, unblinking. "Oh, we will," he said casually. "Now, let's see what you've got."

Behind him, two more thugs emerged from the shadows, each carrying baseball bats slung over their shoulders like they were out for a casual game. One of them smacked his bat against his palm, the echoing thud sending shivers down my spine.

"Look at this idiot," he sneered. "Kids shouldn’t be out roaming around this early in a neighbourhood like this. You know this place ain't safe, right?"

"Yeah," the other thug said with a chuckle, circling behind me, his bat hovering dangerously close to my side. "Some people are just asking for trouble."

"I-I've got my wallet in my back pocket," I stammered, my voice coming out in short bursts. The gun was still pressed against my chin, cold and unforgiving. "Phone’s in my right pocket. My bag... it's just got work clothes in it. Please, just take it all. I’m just trying to get to work."

One of the thugs yanked my bag off my shoulder, already rummaging through it as if he expected to find something valuable. The guy with the gun stepped back slightly, enough to let me breathe, but my pulse was still thundering in my ears.

"You’re broke as hell," one of them snorted, flipping through my wallet with a disappointed shake of his head. "What, you don’t carry more than this?"

"Work clothes, huh?" the other guy mocked, tossing my bag aside like it was garbage. "Man, you're practically begging to get robbed."

And then it hit me—like a punch to the gut—this was my life. This was all it ever was. Just getting screwed over, being pushed around, with no way to fight back. And what pissed me off the most wasn’t even the mugging. It was that I’d been here before, a million times in my head, and in every single one of those scenarios, I wasn’t just a victim.

I mean, I’d dreamed about this exact situation ever since I was a kid. Ever since I started reading comics, manga, and manhwa. My whole life, I’d devoured those stories—the ones where the main character was nobody, just like me, but then something would happen. They’d get powers, a secret strength, some kind of system that let them fight back.

In my head, I’d always imagined what it’d be like if I was one of those characters. If I had super strength or powers like Goku, or if I could pull off an epic comeback like in a manhwa. Hell, sometimes I’d pretend I was like Sung Jinwoo, leveling up from the weakest nobody to an unstoppable force.

In my fantasies, I wasn’t helpless. I could grab the thug’s wrist, twist it, disarm him in a blink. His buddies? They wouldn’t even see it coming. I’d be the one walking away, leaving them on the ground, groaning in pain, asking themselves what the hell just happened.

But in reality? I was still here. Frozen. My eyes darted between the gun and the two guys with bats, hoping they didn’t decide I wasn’t worth the trouble and smash my head in. I was just John, no powers, no strength, no secret system unlocking deep inside me. Just a broke kid with two shitty jobs and nothing worth stealing.

The thugs kept laughing, passing my phone between them like it was some kind of joke.

"Man, look at this weak little shit," one of them said, flipping my wallet before tossing it back to me. "Bet you couldn’t fight your way out of a paper bag, huh?"

I didn’t respond. What was the point? My hands were still raised, my heart pounding in my chest like it was trying to break free. "Can I go now?" I asked quietly. My voice came out rough, strained. "You’ve taken everything I have."

The gunman rolled his eyes and snorted. "Yeah, yeah, we’re done with you." He took a step back, motioning for the others to follow. "Next time, kid, try carrying more cash."

Just as they were about to leave, I noticed something—a car creeping down the street toward us, its windows tinted so dark I couldn’t see inside. My stomach dropped, a sick feeling crawling up my throat. The thugs noticed too. Their conversation stopped abruptly.

The car slowed to a crawl.

One of the thugs swore under his breath. "Shit, we gotta go—"

Before he could finish, the windows rolled down, and the next thing I heard was the sharp crack of gunfire. Pop-pop-pop—the sound echoed off the buildings, a barrage of bullets spraying toward us.

The two guys with the bats cursed and took off, sprinting back into the hedges. One of them nearly tripped, stumbling as he disappeared into the bushes. The other was already halfway gone, yelling something incoherent as they both made their escape.

But the gunman? He didn’t run. He fired back a few shots, his eyes wide with panic. Then, before I could even register what was happening, he moved behind me, using me like a human shield.

I froze. My body locked up as the shots kept ringing out. I didn’t even have time to think, didn’t have time to react. One second I was just standing there, too scared to move—and the next, I felt a hard shove from behind. My feet skidded across the pavement, and suddenly, I was in the middle of the street, directly in the line of fire.

The gunman shoved me forward, and I stumbled right into the open. "Move!" he hissed before bolting after his buddies, sprinting for the bushes. He didn’t look back. He didn’t care.

I tried to run too. I tried to move, but—

Crack!

The pain hit me like a truck. My chest exploded in fire as something hot and sharp slammed into me. I gasped, choking on air that didn’t seem to be there. A bullet. Straight in my chest.

I dropped to my knees, clutching my chest, feeling the warm blood seep through my fingers. The car sped off, tires screeching as it disappeared down the street. But I wasn’t even looking at it. I couldn’t focus on anything. All I could see was the blood—so much blood, pooling underneath me, dark and thick against the concrete.

I tried to breathe, but every inhale felt like drowning, my lungs burning, my vision starting to blur. I screamed, but the sound came out more like a ragged sob. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t hold onto a single coherent thought except one:

I’m going to die.

My mind raced, spiraling between panic and disbelief. This was it. This was the end. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Not like this.

This isn’t fair!

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes as the realization crashed over me like a wave. All of my dreams, all of my stupid, pointless goals—they were all meaningless now. I was nothing. I’d never be anything. All those fantasies about having powers, about being someone who could fight back? They were just that—fantasies. The kind of daydreams that kids have when they don’t know any better.

I was never going to become strong. Never going to have a chance to change my life. My whole existence—everything I’d worked for—meant nothing.

And worst of all? No one was here. No one had ever been there for me. I’d lived alone, and now... I was dying alone.

Why did it have to be like this? I thought, my fingers digging into the pavement as I tried and failed to push myself up. The strength just wasn’t there. I could feel it slipping away, draining out of me with every heartbeat, every drop of blood.

I had always been alone. No one ever cared. No one ever came to help me, not even now. I was just another forgotten face in the world. Another nameless body on the sidewalk.

Please... someone... anyone... help me. But there was no one. The streets were empty. The world was silent, except for the faint ringing in my ears.

As the darkness crept in, my tears fell harder. I started this life alone... and now I’m going to die alone.

The world around me began to fade. The pain that had torn through my chest was receding now, replaced by a creeping numbness. My hands, slick with my own blood, felt distant, like they belonged to someone else. Even my breath, ragged and shallow, was barely audible in my own ears. It was like I was slipping away, piece by piece, into the dark.

I knew I was dying.

My vision blurred, the streetlights above me fading in and out, replaced by memories—flashes of my life, dull and muted. Nothing joyful, nothing meaningful. Just... moments. Moments of loneliness. The orphanage. The empty streets. Working shitty jobs, getting by day after day with no one ever giving a damn about me. The endless grind of a life that never went anywhere.

But... was there anything? Was there anything good at all?

I tried to reach for something, anything—some fragment of happiness. A happy memory, a moment of joy. There had to be something, right? Something that made it all worth it. My mind strained, searching through the haze of disappointment and regret, and there it was, flickering like a weak candle in the storm.

I remembered...

Sitting in the library, alone, flipping through the worn-out pages of my favorite manga. For a moment, I was lost in another world, where heroes rose from nothing and became strong. I could almost feel the excitement, the awe I felt when reading those stories. A small, fleeting moment of joy. The kind of happiness I never found anywhere else.

That was it. That’s all I had. But... it was enough.

I’m dying , I realized again. But fuck it.

If this was the end, I didn’t want to go out crying. I didn’t want to die with a look of fear or regret plastered on my face. No. Life had already taken everything from me—my family, my dreams, my future. I wasn’t going to give it my dignity.

Even now, at the end, I could feel it—the unfairness of it all. Life had always beaten me down, kicked me around, and now, it was taking the one thing I couldn’t get back. But if this was my last moment, I’d face it on my own terms.

So, I forced it. Through the pain, through the fear. I forced my lips to curl, trembling as they were. A small, crooked smile spread across my face.

Fuck you, life, I thought. I’m going out smiling.

As my vision dimmed, my body going heavy, I felt it. Peace, of a sort. My breath slowed, each one harder than the last. The street, the blood, the world—it all started to drift away. But then...

Just as the darkness began to take me, something flickered in front of my eyes. At first, I thought it was just my mind playing tricks, the last, desperate spark of consciousness before death claimed me. But it wasn’t that.

A screen appeared. Floating, glowing, translucent. It hovered in front of me, right in my line of sight, like something out of a video game. The same kind of screen I’d seen a million times in the manhwa I’d read, in the RPGs I’d played.

[Initializing Player System...]

[Error... Error...]

The screen glitched, flickering wildly. For a moment, it stabilized, showing more text.

[Congratulations! You have been selected as...]

Then, more errors. The letters scrambled, the text flickering and breaking apart like a corrupted file. I squinted, trying to make sense of it, but my vision was already dimming. The screen blinked and flashed, as if the system itself was broken.

[Rebooting... Please wait...]

[Error: System Unstable...]

[Error: Beta Version Detected...]

The words didn’t make sense. Beta version? Was this some kind of... test?

The screen flickered again, almost disappearing entirely before new lines of garbled text took its place. My chest heaved, blood still spilling from my wound, but I could barely feel it now. I couldn’t even move. My eyes were half-lidded, watching as the system struggled to function.

[Restarting...]

[Error: Critical Failure Detected...]

I could barely focus anymore. My thoughts were fuzzy, slipping away like the blood pooling beneath me. But even in my final moments, a bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. Of course, even in death, I’d get a broken system.

Figures.

As the light of the screen flickered one last time, my eyes closed. The darkness wrapped itself around me, and with it, the cold, final acceptance of what was coming. My last breath left me as a whisper, a single word slipping through my lips.

“...Help.”

And then, everything went black.

The first thing I felt was pain.

A sharp, brutal jolt to the side of my face. My head snapped to the right, and for a moment, all I saw were stars. Pain exploded across my cheek, and before I could even process what was happening, my feet stumbled underneath me, sending me crashing to the cold, hard ground. My face scraped against the rough pavement, and I groaned, tasting blood in my mouth.

I blinked, my vision spinning, my ears ringing. I tried to pull myself together, but my mind was too clouded. My whole body throbbed with the aftershocks of the punch, and as I tried to lift my head, a wave of confusion hit me like a wall.

‘What the hell is going on?’

“Still on the ground, huh?” A sneering voice cut through the ringing in my ears. “You really thought you could walk home without us catching up to you, huh, Kyungho?”

My eyes widened as the name hit me like another blow. Kyungho? That wasn’t my name. It couldn’t be. And yet, the moment I heard it, something in me stirred. Like the name had been mine all along, even if I didn’t know it. I blinked again, squinting through the daze.

Three figures loomed over me. Blurry, but I could make out their grins—the mocking sneers on their faces as they looked down at me like I was dirt under their shoes. The one closest to me, the one who’d thrown the punch, was shaking his fist out, the knuckles red.

His lips curled into a smug smile as his gaze locked onto mine. “Aw, look at him,” he said, glancing back at the other two, who were snickering. “Still as weak as ever.”

I touched my face, my fingers trembling as they brushed against the swelling on my cheek. The pain was real. So real that it was almost blinding. My heart raced in my chest, thudding against my ribs. Fear clawed its way up my throat, and my breathing grew shallow.

But... I had died. I knew I had. I could still feel the cold from the sidewalk, the wet blood pooling under my body. I had died. I was sure of it.

‘So why am I here?’

I tried to get up, my body trembling as I pushed against the pavement. My palms were scraped raw, and I winced, a sharp hiss escaping my lips.

"Aw, you gonna cry, Kyungho?" the guy sneered again, his voice dripping with mockery. Before I could steady myself, his foot shot out and slammed into my side. A gasp tore from my throat as the breath was knocked out of me. I collapsed back onto the ground, clutching my ribs as pain radiated through my chest.

My mind was spinning, trying to process everything. The pain in my body, the sound of their laughter echoing in my ears... and the fact that they were calling me Kyungho.

‘Why are they calling me that?’ I wasn’t Kyungho. I wasn’t...

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to focus, but memories—fragments of things I didn’t recognize—started pushing their way to the surface. Like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place. This body... it wasn’t mine. And yet, it felt familiar. Like the memories were mine now.

I forced my eyes open again, my vision clearing just enough to make out their faces. Seong-Ho. That was his name. Seong-Ho Lee—a face I knew. A face I recognized, though I didn’t know how. The arrogant grin he wore was just as cruel as it had always been. Behind him, Minho and Taesun stood back, their eyes glinting with amusement, the same way they always had when they were watching me get hurt. The bullies from the orphanage.

My heart sank into my stomach. The realization hit me like another blow. These weren’t just random attackers. They were the same assholes who used to torment me.

"You’ve always been weak," Seong-Ho said, leaning down slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me like I was nothing. His lips curled into a cruel smile. “And tomorrow, when I get my rank assigned, you’ll see how much stronger I am than you."

I coughed, gasping for air, my hand still pressed against my ribs. My eyes flicked up to him, trying to hold his gaze, but my body was too weak, too shaky to get up. My mind was still reeling. This wasn’t my life. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

‘But it is your life ,’ something whispered in the back of my mind. ‘ This is your life now.’

I squeezed my eyes shut again, but the memories of Kyungho Shin’s life flooded my mind. This body’s life. The orphanage. The beatings. Seong-Ho, Minho, Taesun—they had always bullied me. Always treated me like trash. My chest tightened as the memories clicked together, my head swimming in the flood of emotions.

“You should’ve stayed at the orphanage, Kyungho,” Minho added, a cruel grin plastered on his face. “It’s not safe out here for weaklings like you.”

My fingers dug into the pavement beneath me. Weak. The word echoed in my mind, louder than anything else. My vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall, and I clenched my jaw, biting back the rage and fear twisting in my chest.

Another punch slammed into my shoulder, and I hit the ground again, coughing and choking on my own breath. The pain was unbearable, but it was the helplessness that hurt the most.

“I’m Awakened now, Kyungho,” Seong-Ho sneered, standing over me, casting a long shadow across my face. “Tomorrow, I’m going to the Hunter Association to get my rank assigned. You? You’re just trash. Nothing’s changed. You’ll always be weak.”

My breath hitched in my throat, and I forced myself to look up at him, my vision swimming in and out of focus. My chest was burning, my body trembling, but my mind was fighting to piece everything together. ‘ Awakened? Rank assigned?’ The words felt foreign but familiar at the same time. Like I should know what they meant.

And then it hit me—harder than any punch ever could.

‘The screen.’

The screen I’d seen just before dying. The one that flickered and glitched, telling me I had been selected, but cutting out before I could make sense of it. Could this be it? Could this be what had happened to me? I wasn’t just alive again. I was... somewhere else. In someone else’s body.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Seong-Ho said, leaning down closer to me, his breath hot against my face. He grabbed the front of my shirt, jerking me forward slightly. His eyes were glinting with excitement, like he was savouring every second of this.

“Maybe you should pray I don’t kill you before I become a Hunter. Might do the world a favour.”

My heart raced, the pounding in my chest so loud I could barely hear anything else. The pieces were all there now, but they were jagged, sharp, and confusing. I was Kyungho Shin now. In a world where Hunters existed, where people got Awakened.

And Seong-Ho—this piece of shit standing over me—had been Awakened too. He was stronger than me. Faster. And tomorrow, he’d be officially ranked.

I bit down hard, feeling the sting of blood in my mouth. I wasn’t strong enough to stop them. Not yet. But I wasn’t dying here again. Not like this. Not in this life.

‘I don’t know how I got here ,’ I thought, tears of frustration burning in the corners of my eyes. ‘ But I’m not dying again. Not like this.’

I wasn’t going to win this. Not here. Not now.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to fight back, to claw at Seong-Ho’s face, to kick and thrash until he let me go. But I wasn’t strong enough. Not yet. And right now, figuring out what the hell had just happened to me—how I ended up in the world of Solo Leveling, of all places—was more important than any petty fight with these guys.

I swallowed hard, tasting the blood in my mouth again. But I knew I had no other choice. Surviving was more important than whatever pride I had left. With a shaky breath, I looked up at Seong-Ho, his face smug and dripping with arrogance.

“I admit defeat,” I muttered through clenched teeth. “Just... let me go.”

Seong-Ho raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. “What’s that? Admitting defeat so soon? Didn’t think you’d give up so easily, Kyungho.”

I forced myself to stay calm. Anger bubbled under the surface, but I couldn’t afford to let it spill over. “There are cameras back there,” I said, motioning weakly toward the back of the bar where I worked, the same place I’d just walked out of. “The Monitoring Division is going to be all over your ass if you get caught beating up a civilian.”

Seong-Ho’s grin faltered for a second. His eyes flicked toward the bar, then back to me, a hint of hesitation in his gaze. But he recovered quickly, laughing under his breath as if the thought of being caught barely phased him.

“You’re not even worth the trouble,” Seong-Ho said, waving me off as though I were nothing more than a nuisance. “Let’s go, guys. He’s not even fun anymore.”

Minho and Taesun snickered, kicking dirt in my direction as they turned to follow Seong-Ho down the alleyway. “Stay weak, Kyungho,” Minho called over his shoulder, his laughter ringing out into the night. “It suits you.”

I waited until their footsteps faded into the distance before I allowed myself to breathe properly. My ribs ached with every breath, and my body screamed in protest as I pushed myself up off the ground. My hands were scraped raw, my legs trembling as I stood, but I didn’t have time to focus on the pain.

I needed to figure out what the hell was going on.

‘I died. I was shot. I was supposed to be dead.’ And now, I’m in Kyungho Shin’s body. In the world of Hunters and Gates. My head spun with the impossibility of it all, but I couldn’t stay here in this alley.

I stumbled forward, letting my body move on instinct, guided by unconscious memories. Each step felt like I was walking through a fog, my mind still struggling to process the fact that I wasn’t John anymore. I was Kyungho now, whoever that really was.

As I walked, I glanced around, taking in the world that was slowly coming into focus. Bright billboards lined the streets, some flashing images of big-shot Hunters—men and women dressed in expensive suits, holding weapons, their faces plastered on everything from energy drinks to luxury cars.

Hunters, in this world, were celebrities. That much was clear.

A few steps further, I spotted another billboard, this one flashing a warning in bold red letters:

"Attention Citizens: Report all Gates immediately. Do not approach unauthorized areas. Gates are highly dangerous."

The message flickered across the screen, cycling through images of hunters and Gates, the warning constantly flashing as a reminder to the public. I stared up at it, my mind racing with what I already knew about this world.

A bit further ahead, I nearly stopped in my tracks when I saw it.

Baek Yoonho. His familiar face glared down at me from a billboard, holding some new brand of energy drink. The same Baek Yoonho from Solo Leveling. His face was exactly how I remembered it from the manhwa—the S-Rank Hunter with the Beast-like abilities. Except... he was real. Standing there. Looking down at me from that giant screen as if he had always existed.

‘Oh my God. What the hell?’

My heart skipped a beat, and I stared, wide-eyed, at the advertisement. I could barely think straight. I was already dealing with the shock of being in this world, but now seeing fictional characters—or at least, who were supposed to be fictional—alive, breathing, and apparently just going about their lives in this world... it felt like my mind was about to explode.

But it wasn’t just Baek Yoonho.

Another billboard caught my attention just across the street. Two more faces I recognized: Choi Jong-In and Lim Tae-Gyu. S-Rank Hunters. Major players from the manhwa, except now they were real people, endorsing some product or other, their faces splashed across billboards like they were movie stars.

‘What the fuck?!’ Baek Yoonho, Choi Jong-In, and Lim Tae-Gyu—these were names I knew. These were faces I’d seen before. In the manhwa. In a story. But now, they were here. In front of me. Real people, living in this world alongside me.

I forced myself to keep walking, though my legs felt heavy, like I was moving through molasses.

This was real. I had known that, intellectually, the second I realized I was alive again, but this? Seeing them? It brought everything into sharp, terrifying clarity. This wasn’t some far-off fantasy I was dropped into. I was living in Solo Leveling, with the same people, the same Gates, Monsters and Hunters.

But how? How did this happen? I racked my brain, trying to remember every detail I could about Solo Leveling. There had been no talk of reincarnation. No Player System until Jinwo. None of this made sense. Why me? Why was I here, now, living in this body of a nobody in the middle of it all?

Think, Kyungho, think.

It had been around seven or eight years since the Gates first appeared, since Awakened individuals started emerging to fight the monsters, if the memories of Kyungho were right. It’s the time before Jinwoo’s rise—three years before the Double Dungeon Incident. Which means...

I was in the pre-Jinwoo world. The world that had already changed, but not enough for me to know what was going to happen. I knew who the strong ones were. I knew who was in power now. Choi Jong-In was running the Hunters Guild. Baek Yoonho was a major player. And Lim Tae-Gyu was one of Korea’s deadliest Rangers and also the head of Fiend Guild. But I was nothing in comparison.

I rubbed my temples, feeling the ache of the realization hit me even harder. I knew these characters’ backstories, their abilities, and even some of their future moves... but what use was that knowledge to me now? I was nobody. I wasn’t Awakened. I had no powers.

I glanced at another ad, blinking hard as the face of Jung Yiran, an A-Rank Hunter, flashed across the screen in a glamorous gown. She was smiling like she had just stepped off the red carpet, selling some new mana-based fashion line.

Hunters were celebrities here.

I felt a tightness in my chest as I thought back to the power structure in this world. Hunters didn’t just fight monsters. They dominated the economy, the media, and the political landscape. And me? I was stuck in the lowest tier of society, fighting for scraps. Even Seong-Ho was Awakened.

I reached for my pocket, fumbling to pull out my phone. I needed information—anything that could help me figure out where I was, what year it was, and how this world compared to the Solo Leveling I knew from my past life.

But when I pulled my phone out, the screen stayed black. Switched off. I tapped the power button, hoping it would flicker to life, but instead, a small icon flashed across the screen.

~Battery Low~

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. I gripped the phone tightly, frustration creeping up my spine. ‘ Why does this always happen?’

I forced myself to take a few deep breaths, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions tearing through me. No phone, no immediate answers. I’d have to figure this out on my own—for now, at least.

With my hands trembling, I shoved the phone back into my pocket and kept walking. I let my mind drift, focusing on memories that weren’t mine but had become part of me.

‘My name is Kyungho Shin.’ I repeated it to myself, testing the sound of it, rolling it around in my mind as if it might unlock something. ‘ Kyungho. Kyungho. It means “strong and brave,” doesn’t it?’

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Strong and brave. Two things I definitely wasn’t right now.

I stumbled into the entrance of my apartment building, a run-down place with a faint smell of mildew clinging in the air. I let my body move on autopilot, pushing open the door to the small room that was mine.

The memories of this place came to me slowly—the hours I spent working to pay the rent, the empty nights spent in this lonely room. It wasn’t much, but it was home. Or at least, Kyungho’s home.

I shuffled to the kitchen, grabbing an ice pack from the freezer. My face stung, and my ribs ached, but I pressed the ice pack to my cheek, wincing as the cold seeped into my skin.

I needed to think, to gather my thoughts and dig through Kyungho’s memories. I had to figure out everything I knew about this world, how far into the Solo Leveling timeline I was, and what the hell I was supposed to do next.

But first, I needed to stop my head from spinning.

With a long, slow breath, I collapsed onto the small couch, the ice pack still pressed to my face. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to let the pain fade, trying to centre myself before I dove into the memories swirling in my head.

I leaned back on the couch, wincing as the cool ice pack pressed against the swelling on my cheek. My whole body ached, and the adrenaline from the fight had finally worn off, leaving behind a dull, throbbing pain. I stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, my gaze unfocused, while my thoughts swirled like a storm.

This world. Solo Leveling. Fiction turned reality.

Hunters were real. Gates were real. The faces of S-Rank Hunters I’d only seen in the manhwa were now plastered on billboards like they were living, breathing celebrities. And me? I was a nobody. Unawakened. Weak.

I glanced over at the small, battered laptop sitting on the desk in the corner of the room. My hand reached up to rub my temples as the dull headache I’d been ignoring pulsed again. As soon as this swelling went down, I’d use it. I needed to collect as much information as I could. I needed to know everything—about the Hunters, the Gates, and how much of this world matched what I remembered from the manhwa.

I rubbed my fingers against my temples harder, trying to focus. But just as I was mentally mapping out what to do next, something hit me.

I sat bolt upright, slapping my forehead with a groan, the ice pack slipping from my hand and hitting the floor with a soft thud. I’m an idiot.

“Holy shit,” I muttered, my voice thick with frustration. “I’m a total idiot.”

I couldn’t believe it. In all the chaos—the panic, the pain from the beating—I had completely forgotten. The screen I saw before I died. The Player System. I had remembered it the moment I reincarnated, and yet, I hadn’t even thought about it since then. How the hell did I not connect the dots sooner?

I let out an exasperated breath, running a hand through my hair, pulling at the strands for a second before letting my hand drop.

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner,” I muttered, shaking my head. Stupid.

My cheek still throbbed, the skin swollen and hot, but I pushed the pain aside and tried to focus. I straightened my posture on the couch, then leaned forward, elbows resting on my knees. My eyes were glued to the empty space in front of me.

Taking a deep breath, I called out into the air.

“Player System.”

For a second, nothing happened. I blinked and frowned, suddenly feeling like a total idiot again. My heartbeat picked up a little. Maybe it wouldn’t show up? Maybe... maybe it wasn’t real?

But then—a faint flicker of blue light danced in front of my eyes.

I sat up straighter, my breath catching in my throat.

A translucent screen materialized in the air, hovering just a few feet in front of me. I stared at it, my eyes wide, hardly daring to breathe. It was exactly like the Player System I remembered from the manhwa. Floating blue text boxes, like something ripped straight out of a video game.

For a brief, shining moment, joy swelled in my chest. This was it. The Player System. It was real. It had followed me into this world. I wasn’t completely helpless. I wasn’t doomed to be a weakling forever.

But before I could relish the feeling, the screen glitched.

[System Error... Beta version detected.]

[Do you wish to reboot?]

I blinked. My grin faltered, confusion creeping into my mind. System Error? Beta version? What the hell?

This never happened to Jinwoo. His Player System just... worked. The system had activated when he was on the brink of death, and it had guided him every step of the way to becoming the strongest Hunter in the world. But this? A beta version?

I sat there, staring at the screen, my brows furrowing. Beta version. That meant something was incomplete. It was a test. An unfinished prototype, like a game that was still being developed. But what the hell was a beta version doing here?

I leaned back against the couch, rubbing my chin, my mind racing. ‘ Did the Architect—the one who designed the system—screw up the initial design?’ Or was this... something intentional?

The system’s text flickered again, as if urging me to decide.

[Do you wish to reboot?]

Reboot? The word sent a shiver down my spine. What the hell did that mean?

I rubbed the back of my neck, suddenly nervous, a cold sweat starting to form at my temples. Was it asking to restart the system... or was it going to restart me? I swallowed hard, the back of my throat dry. The word reboot carried way too many implications.

I leaned forward again, my elbows resting on my knees, staring at the flickering screen. If I said yes, would it wipe me out? Reset me, like I was just another program? Would I be forced to die again, or start all over?

A wave of uncertainty washed over me, and I chewed my bottom lip, absently drumming my fingers against my knee. This was a dangerous gamble. I didn’t know what would happen.

But then again... I’d already died once.

I ran a hand down my face, sighing heavily as my fingers brushed against the sore spot on my cheek. I had already been through hell—bleeding out on a cold sidewalk, feeling my life slip away... and then waking up in this new world, only to get beaten half to death.

I stared at the glowing screen again. What was I supposed to do? I wasn’t strong enough to survive here on my own, not without help. The Player System could be my only shot at making it.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” I muttered, my voice carrying a hint of bitter humor. I’ve already died once. Almost died again not long after. I was living on borrowed time, anyway.

If this was my only shot, I had to take it.

I squared my shoulders, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. My hands clenched into fists as I mentally prepared myself for whatever was about to happen.

“Fine,” I muttered. “Yes. Reboot.”

The moment the word "Yes" left my lips, the screen flickered. The text blinked away, replaced by a rotating circle symbol. The familiar icon, spinning lazily in the center of the translucent screen, indicated the system was rebooting.

[Rebooting Player System… Please wait.]

I let out a shaky breath, sinking back into the couch, but before I could relax, an unsettling sensation crept over me.

A wave of dizziness hit me.. My vision blurred, the edges of my sight turning fuzzy as if the room was spinning out of control. My body felt like it was slipping away like I was being pulled underwater.

No.

I tried to move, to reach out for something—anything—to anchor myself, but my limbs were suddenly heavy, unresponsive. Panic surged through my veins, and I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

I’m going to die.

I wanted to shout for the system to stop, to cancel the reboot, but my voice was locked somewhere deep in my chest. The world around me grew dimmer and dimmer until the room itself started fading from view.

No!

But it was too late.

I slipped into unconsciousness, the world disappearing into a dark, suffocating silence.

A shadow stirred in the room.

At the far end of the dimly lit apartment, a monstrous silhouette shimmered into existence, stepping out of the air like a ghostly apparition. Massive and imposing, the figure took the form of a stone statue, shaped like a hooded angel, its six massive wings spreading outward, filling the small space with an oppressive, unnatural presence.

This was Kandiaru, the Architect. His body was constructed of dark, weathered stone, the surface cracked and chipped as though he had endured millennia of decay. His glowing red eyes, nestled deep within the stone sockets, burned with malevolent intensity, and the black sclera around them only amplified their ominous glow. In the center of his forehead was a thin, oblong-shaped purple gemstone, gleaming faintly as it pulsed with a cold, sinister light.

The six wings on his back weren’t merely wings—they were extensions of his body that could shift and transform. Two of them reshaped into additional arms, each one massive, with long, claw-like fingers that scraped the ground as he moved forward, giving him a total of eight arms.

Kandiaru’s towering form dominated the room, his stone limbs moving with slow, deliberate grace, each step filling the air with a low, grinding sound, like ancient rock scraping against itself. His presence was suffocating, like a force of nature pressing down on everything around him.

He paused, his hooded head tilting slightly, his gaze falling on the blue screen flickering above Kyungho. His glowing red eyes narrowed in confusion, the light from his gemstone dimming as if in response.

But then his gaze dropped to Kyungho’s unconscious form.

The confusion vanished, replaced by a sudden flash of alarm. Kandiaru’s eyes widened, the red glow within them intensifying with a mix of panic and fury. The thin cracks running through his stone skin deepened, glowing faintly with an internal fire.

“No…” The word rumbled out of him like the grinding of stone against stone, laced with desperation.

He lunged forward, all eight of his arms extending, reaching out toward Kyungho and the screen hovering over him. The air trembled with the force of his movement, his stone fingers outstretched to tear the screen apart before—

Flicker.

Kandiaru’s silhouette wavered, his form glitching as though reality itself couldn’t hold him in place. Before his claws could reach Kyungho, his entire body vanished—disappearing in mid-air like a broken image, leaving the room silent once more.

A moment of quiet hung in the air.

Then, as if emerging from the very darkness itself, another figure appeared—this one even more imposing, radiating an overwhelming aura of authority and malice. Towering over everything in the room, his presence cast long, dark shadows across the floor.

This was the Absolute Being.

He was a giant of a man, standing at least twice as tall as any normal human. His long, silver hair cascaded down his back, shimmering faintly in the dim light, framing his face like a halo of moonlight. His skin was an unnaturally pale white, almost translucent, giving him the appearance of a ghostly figure carved from marble. His eyes—blank yellow orbs—were devoid of pupils, empty and endless like a void.

The Absolute Being wore silver robes, draped loosely over his massive frame, the fabric shimmering with an ethereal glow. Beneath the robes, pieces of light brown armour were visible, covering parts of his chest and arms. The armour looked ancient and worn, its edges chipped and cracked like it had seen the weight of eons. On his head rested a tall, light brown hat, its surface intricately detailed with strange runes and symbols, hinting at his once-godlike status.

His feet were bare, as if the earth itself had been too unworthy to hold his full might.

The Absolute Being's expression was one of twisted amusement, his thin lips curling into a cruel smile as his blank yellow eyes landed on Kyungho’s still body.

The blue screen still flickered above Kyungho, showing the words Rebooting Player System… Please wait.

The Absolute Being’s gaze shifted toward the screen for a brief moment, as though contemplating it. But then, his eyes returned to Kyungho, and the cruel smile on his face widened. He extended his hand—pale, long fingers tipped with sharp nails—toward Kyungho, as though about to claim him.

But just as his hand hovered inches above Kyungho’s chest, a brilliant flash of light exploded from Kyungho’s body.

The Absolute Being jerked back, his hand snapping away as if he’d been burned. A loud, vicious hiss escaped him, his expression twisting from amusement to shock and rage. His hand smoked where the light had touched him, the skin scorched and charred.

His eyes, once empty and emotionless, now blazed with fury.

“No… impossible!” His voice, low and filled with venom, vibrated through the air like a death knell.

Kyungho’s body, still unconscious, was now bathed in a rainbow-colored glow—a shimmering, translucent aura that enveloped him entirely. The glow pulsed rhythmically, forming a protective barrier that shielded him from the Absolute Being’s touch.

The Absolute Being stepped back, his chest heaving with fury. He reached forward again, but the moment his hand touched the edge of the rainbow light, it burned him once more, forcing him to retreat. His silhouette flickered, his towering form beginning to disintegrate, the edges of his body unraveling into wisps of light.

With one final, enraged scream, his entire form disintegrated, vanishing into the air in a flurry of sparks and flickers of light.

The room fell into a deep silence once more, the only sound being the soft hum of the rebooting system. The rainbow-colored glow surrounding Kyungho slowly dimmed, fading into nothingness as if it had never been there.

A few moments later, Kyungho stirred on the couch, his body shifting slightly as a groan escaped him. His eyes fluttered open, blinking in confusion.

He lifted his head, disoriented, still half-dazed from whatever had just happened.

“W-what…?” His voice was hoarse as he tried to process the lingering dizziness and the faint flicker of light from the Player System screen still hovering above him.

Kyungho sat up slowly, blinking again as he looked around the room, but there was no sign of the strange visitors. His heart raced in his chest, though he wasn’t sure why. Something had happened—something strange—but his mind was still too foggy to fully comprehend it.

He glanced at the blue screen, its faint glow the only light in the dim room.

The words Rebooting Player System… Please wait blinked steadily in front of him, like nothing had changed at all.

The glowing message flickered in front of me, stuck in the same loop:

[Rebooting Player System… Please wait.]

I kept staring at it, but nothing new popped up. What did "reboot" even mean for a system like this? The concept felt bizarre—a game-like system in the real world, now rebooting like it was some faulty piece of tech.

The questions kept running through my head, but the answers… nothing. Only silence.

I let out a frustrated breath and began to pace around the room, my body tense with nervous energy. I glanced at the clock. I hadn’t been out for long. A minute? Two at most?

Why did I pass out?

I could feel my heart beating faster, the unease bubbling under the surface. What if something’s wrong with the system? What if it’s broken? A Player System might be my only shot at surviving here, and the idea of it malfunctioning this early was terrifying.

I needed to clear my head. Focus.

The laptop on the table caught my eye. Right. I need to know exactly where I am in the timeline. If this really was the Solo Leveling world, understanding the timeline was everything. The only thing keeping me from spiralling was knowing I had some time before things went haywire.

I walked over to the desk, flipping open the laptop, and pressing the power button as I let out a slow, steadying breath. One step at a time.

The familiar sound of the laptop starting up grounded me, but just as I was about to sit down on the couch, I froze.

There was no pain. Not in my ribs. Not in my cheek. No soreness at all.

I blinked and slowly raised a hand to my face, touching my cheek where Seong-Ho’s punch had landed. Nothing. The bruise I’d been expecting—the pain I had felt only minutes ago—it was just… gone.

My hand instinctively moved to my ribs, where the sharp ache had been gnawing at me earlier. I pressed down gingerly, expecting the pain to shoot back through me. But again—nothing. No bruises, no tightness. No pain at all.

It didn’t take long for the realization to sink in.

The system healed me. That was the only explanation. The system had been rebooting, and somehow, in the process, my injuries had been wiped away.

I glanced back at the still-flickering message in the air, feeling a strange sense of both relief and uncertainty. What exactly is this Player System? I dropped onto the couch, letting out a sigh. Okay… at least it’s helping me in some way. But that brought its own set of questions. Why a reboot? What was the system “fixing”? And what would happen when it finished?

I needed answers. I couldn’t just sit here and wait for it to complete, especially if this was a world I barely understood.

With the laptop fully booted, I started browsing the internet, diving into articles, and searching for any information that could confirm the timeline. Kyungho’s memories helped piece things together, but there was nothing like solid facts from the world itself.

A few clicks in, I stumbled upon what I had been looking for.

“Seven to eight years since the first Gate opened,” I said out loud, my mind racing. That confirmed it. If the timeline stayed true to the manhwa, I had about three years before Jinwoo’s Double Dungeon incident—before his rise to the Shadow Monarch. Three years sounded like a lot of time, but in a world this dangerous, with so many unknowns, it suddenly felt like a clock ticking down faster than I could process.

I clicked around, looking for any mention of Hunters or significant figures, my mind tracing the events I knew from the manhwa. Jinwoo’s still a low-ranked Hunter at this point, I told myself. That meant there was no Shadow Monarch yet. No massive power struggle between the Monarchs and Rulers. At least not yet.

But then… there was someone else I needed to know about.

I typed in her name: Cha Hae-In.

To my surprise, what came up wasn’t the S-Rank Hunter I’d expected. No mention of her powers. No mention of her being a Hunter at all.

Instead, she was listed as an athlete—a rising star in track and field who had been forced to quit after a severe injury. A broken ankle, apparently. Huh. So this was her life before awakening.

It made sense now. Her incredible reflexes and combat skills in the manhwa must have had roots in her past athleticism. But still, no Hunter yet. Three years, I reminded myself. She’ll awaken soon if the timeline stays true.

I leaned back, rubbing my forehead. So far, everything was more or less falling into place as expected. But still, there was a nagging feeling in my gut—something was off.

I kept scrolling through the pages, more and more details filling in as I searched.

But the more I read, the more I realized how much the manhwa had barely scratched the surface. The real world of Solo Leveling wasn’t just about monsters and Gates; it was so much more than that.

This world was an economic powerhouse, built on the back of mana, Awakened Hunters, and the resources they brought back from dungeons. But it wasn’t just the Hunters at the top—even the non-combat Awakened played a huge role in shaping this world.

It didn’t take long before I started seeing advertisements targeting Awakened people. Armor shops, potion makers, even artifact creators. Mana-infused weapons, custom gear tailored to specific Hunters, and potions—potions that, in the manhwa, had only been something Jinwoo accessed through his Player Shop.

Here? They were everywhere.

“Top-quality potions, approved by the Hunter Association!”

I read on, my brow furrowing as the details sunk in. The Hunter Association regulated the sale and distribution of potions, much like the way pharmaceuticals were handled in the real world. That meant potions were a thing here, publicly available, but strictly controlled.

It made sense, really. Potions, if misused, could cause all kinds of issues. Counterfeits, adulterated concoctions—there had to be a system in place to ensure safety and quality, especially when people were consuming mana-based products. And considering the importance of Hunters in this world, the last thing anyone needed was faulty healing potions or mana restoratives in the middle of a raid.

I kept reading, piecing it together. The Hunter Association played a larger role than I had initially thought. They weren’t just overseeing Gates and Hunter activities—they were regulating the entire economic infrastructure around mana and its use.

Weapons, armor, potions, artifacts… it was all controlled.

Hunters weren’t just powerful—they were clients. The entire system revolved around them. The Awakened were a new class of people who had their own set of rules, privileges, and challenges. Even the non-combat Awakened, those who couldn’t—or wouldn’t—fight in Gates, still found lucrative work in industries that supported the Hunter world. Potion makers, armor crafters, mana researchers—they were all part of this new, thriving economy.

I leaned back into the couch, exhaling slowly. This was bigger than I imagined. So much more complex than the battles and dungeons I had read about. This world had evolved around the existence of the Gates, and Hunters weren’t just fighting monsters—they were economic players, part of a global system driven by mana.

And now I was part of that world.

Three years until Jinwoo’s awakening.

Three years to figure out how to survive, how to grow stronger. But now, I understood more clearly than ever that this wasn’t just about fighting—it was about understanding the whole world I was now living in.

I glanced at the screen again, still waiting for the reboot.

[Rebooting Player System… Please wait.]

But now, at least, I knew one thing for certain: This system, whatever it was, was my lifeline in this world. And when it finished rebooting, I would be ready.

As I scrolled through more articles, diving deeper into this world's structure, a soft ping caught my attention. I glanced up at the blue screen floating in the air.

[Rebooting Player System… 90% complete.]

A wave of relief washed over me. Finally. The system was almost done rebooting. For a while, I’d been worried it might be permanently glitched—stranded in some endless loop—but now it looked like I was just a few minutes away from seeing what it could do.

I took a deep breath, letting the tension ease from my shoulders. If the system could heal me without even being fully operational, who knew what kind of powers I’d unlock once it finished?

Just a little more.

I turned back to my laptop, deciding to keep myself busy while the system worked. I still had a lot to learn about this world, especially since the manhwa didn’t cover everything. If I wanted to survive here, I needed to understand everything—not just the big battles or the Hunters, but the entire system that this world operated on.

As I skimmed through an article on Hunter classes, I felt a small flicker of recognition. Fighters, Mages, Assassins, Tankers, Rangers, Healers—they were all here, just like in Solo Leveling. Combat Hunters on the front lines, non-combat Hunters supporting them behind the scenes. Nothing new. The same categories as always.

"Fighters and Tankers take the hits. Mages and Rangers deal damage from a distance. Assassins sneak in for the kill, while Healers keep everyone alive." I said to myself as I read. Simple enough.

It was all familiar. The standard roles everyone played in raids and dungeons. But high-ranking Healers, like Min Byung-Gyu, were essentially combatants at S-Rank, able to hold their own despite their support role.

I felt a twinge of comfort in the familiarity. This was the Solo Leveling world I knew. But as I continued reading, something new caught my eye—a section I hadn’t seen before.

"Special Rank Hunters: The Rise of Multiclass Awakened."

I blinked at the headline, feeling my curiosity spike. Multiclass? Special Rank? This was definitely not in the manhwa.

As I dove into the article, the words jumped off the screen.

"Special Rank Hunters are a rare breed of Awakened, capable of wielding the powers of two different classes. These hunters have the unique ability to combine skill sets from distinct combat types, making them far more versatile and powerful in battle."

I sat up straighter, my eyes scanning the details. Multiclass Hunters? I hadn’t even considered that possibility. I kept reading, the implications of this revelation sinking in.

Most Hunters awakened with one class, like Fighter or Mage, and stayed within those boundaries. But Special Rank Hunters? They could combine two classes, switching between them or even blending their abilities into hybrid skills.

"Special E-Ranks" might combine weaker abilities like a Mage’s fireball with an Assassin’s stealth, giving them a unique edge in strategy despite their low mana output.
"Special C-Ranks" could merge roles completely—imagine a Mage-Tanker casting shields and absorbing hits at the same time. The flexibility alone could make them invaluable to raid teams.

I could feel my heart pounding faster as I kept reading.

"Special B-Ranks" could dual-class on the battlefield, shifting between roles like a Summoner-Assassin, sending creatures into the fray while sneaking in for the kill. At "Special A-Rank", these Hunters were terrifying—combining two high-level class abilities to dominate fights. A Fighter-Healer or Mage-Ranger could practically do it all.

I sat back, trying to wrap my head around it. Multiclass Hunters, capable of combining two class types. This wasn’t just versatility—it was game-breaking. By the time they hit A-Rank, they weren’t just strong—they were juggernauts. The idea of switching between long-range destruction and close-quarters combat on the fly? That could turn the tide of a raid in an instant.

And then came the Special S-Ranks.

"Special S-Ranks are legends. Combining two extremely powerful classes, they can become forces of nature on the battlefield—global assets. A Mage-Tanker could control the battlefield with spells while shrugging off attacks. A Fighter-Summoner could rip through enemies with their own strength, backed up by summoned creatures."

My mind raced. Multiclass S-Ranks. Stronger than regular S-Ranks, maybe even capable of rivaling multiple Hunters at once. The sheer power of it was hard to grasp. In this world, an S-Rank Hunter was already a celebrity, a national asset. But a Special S-Rank? They’d be unstoppable.

The rarity of it all sank in. Special Rank Hunters were incredibly rare—even rarer than regular S-Ranks in most cases. These weren’t just Hunters who got lucky in their awakening; they had to have something else—something in their mana, their bloodline, or their exposure to dungeon magic that unlocked this potential.

I exhaled slowly, processing the weight of the information. Two classes... at the same time.

If I could do that… My thoughts trailed off as the possibilities filled my mind. Having access to two different classes, switching between them, or even combining their abilities? It wasn’t just useful—it was game-changing. I remembered how Jinwoo had started as the weakest E-Rank, rising through the ranks by mastering his Shadow Monarch powers. But what if I could combine that kind of power with something else?

A dual-class system wasn’t just about more options—it was about becoming something unstoppable. I bit my lip, trying to rein in my excitement. The Player System reboot was almost done, but I couldn’t help but wonder—could it give me something like that? Could I unlock the potential to combine classes, just like these Special Rank Hunters?

I glanced at the system screen again.

[Rebooting Player System… 95% complete.]

Almost there. And if the Player System was really different, who knew what kind of power it would unlock?

Another ping echoed through the room, and I turned toward the blue screen.

[Reboot complete.]

A second screen flashed up immediately after:

[Welcome, Player.]

Relief flooded through me, and I jumped up from the couch, nearly tearing up in sheer excitement. “Finally!” I yelled, grinning like an idiot. After all the waiting, all the uncertainty, the system was finally working. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride and joy—I had my system.

But the real test had just begun. Was this system anything like Jinwoo’s? I needed to know what kind of advantages I had in this world. It was time to see what cards I’d been dealt.

I took a deep breath and, with a mix of anticipation and nerves, spoke my first command. “Stats.”

[Player: Kyungho Shin]

Level: 1

Strength: 1

Agility: 1

Stamina: 1

Intelligence: 1

Perception: 1

Vitality: 1

MPOT (Monarch Potential): 0

Health: 100/100

Mana: 10

Fatigue: 0

I stared at the screen, blinking in disbelief. Everything’s at 1?

“Wait, what? Jinwoo started at 10 in all his stats,” I whined while exasperatedly raising my hands, feeling a surge of annoyance. How is that fair? But after a moment of sulking, I realized the difference—Jinwoo had at least worked as an E-Rank Hunter before he got his system. I was just some guy who’d been dropped into this world without any prior combat experience. No wonder I was starting from scratch.

“Alright, fine,” I sighed, letting go of the unfairness. I had to start somewhere. At least I had a system.

I went through the stats, each one clicking into place. Strength, physical power. Agility, speed and reflexes. Stamina, endurance. Intelligence, which likely governed my mana pool. Perception, for awareness and precision. Vitality, for health and resilience. All the basics were there, and the numbers made sense—even if they were pathetically low.

But then my eyes landed on something that didn’t make sense.

MPOT (Monarch Potential): 0

“What the hell is that?” I stared at the MPOT stat, feeling a strange mix of excitement and confusion. Monarch Potential? That was definitely not something Jinwoo had in his system.

I tapped on the stat, and a detailed description popped up.

Monarch Potential (MPOT): Governs your ability to wield Monarch powers. The higher your MPOT, the more Monarch abilities you can safely use without suffering side effects or draining your core stats. This stat increases through Monarch-related quests and events. You can access powers from multiple Monarchs, allowing for diverse abilities.

I froze. Powers from multiple Monarchs?

My heart started racing again as I reread the description. Jinwoo had been confined to the powers of the Shadow Monarch—an insanely powerful skill set, no doubt—but this... This was on a different level. If what the system was telling me was true, I wasn’t limited to just one Monarch’s powers. I could potentially access the abilities of several Monarchs.

“Holy shit.” My mind raced with the possibilities.

The Shadow Monarch’s abilities alone were terrifying—summoning legions of shadows, controlling armies, manipulating the battlefield with darkness. But if I could tap into the powers of other Monarchs, like the Frost Monarch, the Beast Monarch, Querehsha, the Monarch of Plagues or even the Dragon King Antares...

I’d be unstoppable.

"So, I could potentially access all of that...?" I whispered, the weight of it hitting me. "I could use powers from different Monarchs… That’s insane." the sheer scope of what this stat meant hitting me all at once.

This wasn’t just about controlling shadows like Jinwoo. This was all the Monarchs. Fire, ice, plague, destruction— I could potentially unlock any of their abilities, depending on how much I increased my MPOT stat.

The sheer versatility of it made my head spin. If I could tap into multiple Monarch powers, that would give me abilities that no one else—not even Jinwoo—had access to.

My excitement soared. The potential of this stat was unreal. But there was a catch—of course, there was always a catch.

The system wasn’t going to just hand me these powers on a silver platter. According to the description, MPOT didn’t increase automatically like the other stats. No, I had to earn it by completing Monarch-related quests and unlocking fragments of their powers.

I’d have to fight for every bit of Monarch power I wanted. But the payoff... If I could get my hands on the abilities of multiple Monarchs, it would be worth the struggle. But I couldn’t get ahead of myself. MPOT would only grow through Monarch-related quests. I wouldn’t be able to spam Monarch abilities right away—it would be a slow grind, unlocking one piece at a time.

Still, this was a huge opportunity. Monarch powers from different domains. If I could master it, I could become an entirely new kind of Player.

"This stat… this is insane," I muttered to myself, feeling a grin spread across my face. "This changes everything."

Sure, it wasn’t going to be easy. The stat started at zero, and I’d have to unlock it piece by piece, but the end goal... the potential was off the charts.

I couldn’t help but laugh. The possibilities ahead were staggering, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

“Alright,” I said aloud, clenching my fists. “Let’s do this,”

That's it for now folks! I have already started writing the second chapter, so let me know what you think so far and don’t forget to leave a review if you like my story!

Ja Ne!

Anbustar16

Chapter Text

Hi everyone! New Chapter is here. But before we get started I would like to thank all the people who have reviewed the story so far and for their input. I do read them and they all give me valuable ideas to consider.

I also appreciate reviewers for pointing out my mistakes and those who PM me to have a chat. I have had a busy week but things should be much easier from now on.

Hope you guys enjoy!

FYI - I don’t own Solo Leveling

Chapter 3: The Painful First Steps

The Hunter Association Headquarters towered over the city of Seoul, its glass exterior reflecting the city’s soft evening lights. The streets below, though quieter than earlier, were still busy—cars moved through the streets, and distant sirens occasionally echoed in the night air. Inside the building, the work never stopped. The hum of machines, the flickering of monitors, and the soft talking of staff gave life to the otherwise still structure.

On the top floor, in his office, Go Gunhee sat behind a heavy mahogany desk, his scarred hands resting on a stack of reports. Despite his age, there was an undeniable strength in the way he carried himself, a lifetime of battles etched into his powerful frame. His greenish-gray eyes, sharp and perceptive, moved slowly over the papers before him, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He leaned back in his leather chair, the soft creak of the seat a reminder of how long he had been working. His graying hair caught the dim light from the desk lamp, the room otherwise bathed in shadow. Gunhee’s mind drifted toward Jeju Island—a dark thought that had loomed over him for days. The failed raid had left the island overrun with Ants, forcing a massive evacuation to the mainland. The situation was dire, and the international ridicule stung worse than the failure itself.

A knock broke the stillness.

“Come in,” Gunhee said, his voice firm but heavy with the weariness of the day.

The door opened, and Woo Jinchul entered, moving with precision. He was a tall, lean young man, his orange hair slicked back except for a single stray strand that stubbornly poked out. His black eyes were calm and focused, betraying none of the stress he must have been feeling after yet another long day. He closed the door behind him and walked toward the desk, his posture straight, his steps measured.

Jinchul stopped a few feet in front of Gunhee’s desk and bowed deeply, his eyes lowered for a moment in a sign of respect.

“President.”

Gunhee nodded in acknowledgment. “Woo Jinchul-ssi,” he greeted, his voice low but steady. “It’s late. You should be home by now.”

Jinchul, ever the professional, stood rigidly, his hands behind his back. “So should you, sir,” he replied in a calm, controlled tone. “But I doubt either of us would sleep, given the circumstances.”

A soft chuckle escaped Gunhee, though it held no humor. “True enough,” he admitted, his fingers briefly rubbing his temple as he leaned back in his chair. “What’s the update?”

Jinchul stepped forward, holding a slim file in his hand. He placed it on the desk with a quiet tap, then stepped back, resuming his upright stance. His black eyes flickered toward the file, but his face remained emotionless, a mask of professionalism. “The numbers remain steady,” he said, his voice even, sticking to the facts as always.

Gunhee opened the file, his scarred hands flipping through the report while the soft ticking of the wall clock filled the silence.

Number of Gates Appearing:

• 30 Gates appeared today, in line with the weekly average.
• Concentrated activity in Incheon and Gyeonggi.

Number of Gates Cleared:

• 35 Gates successfully cleared today. All teams accounted for.

Hunter Casualties:

• 4 deaths were reported today and 24 injuries (none fatal) 
• Two close calls: One C-Rank and one D-Rank. Both Hunters were stabilized, though the D-Rank may not return to active duty.

New Awakened Hunters Registered:

• 28 new Awakened today. Mostly E-Ranks and D-Ranks, with two C-Ranks and one B-Rank from Busan.

Notable New Hunters:

• The B-Rank in Busan has already received offers from several smaller Guilds. Monitoring is ongoing.

Gunhee closed the file, his scarred fingers brushing the edge of the paper as he set it down on the desk. His eyes lingered for a moment on the mention of the B-Rank, though his expression remained composed.

“A B-Rank,” Gunhee murmured, his voice thoughtful. “Not enough to tip the scales. Still... it’s something.”

Jinchul nodded, though his posture didn’t shift, his hands still clasped behind his back. “The Guilds are already circling her,” he said, his voice betraying none of his frustration. “We’ve advised her not to sign anything too quickly, but... it’s difficult to keep high-rankers from being poached.”

Gunhee let out a slow breath, his eyes narrowing slightly as he leaned back in his chair. His greenish-gray eyes, once bright with the fire of youth, now held a steady but burdened gaze. “The Guilds,” he muttered under his breath. “They’re becoming too powerful, aren’t they?”

“Yes, sir,” Jinchul said, his voice calm as always, though there was a slight tension in his hands now. “The major Guilds—White Tiger, Hunters, Fang—are especially aggressive in their recruitment. And the international media hasn’t helped. The failure on Jeju Island... they’re mocking us.”

Gunhee’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk, his eyes drifting away as if staring into the distance. “Yes, I’ve seen the reports,” he said quietly, his tone carrying the weight of his thoughts. “Everyone’s eager to point out our mistakes. It seems the world enjoys watching us stumble.”

Jinchul’s stoic demeanor faltered just slightly, his lips tightening for a brief moment. “The international Hunters—Thomas Andre from the U.S., Goto Ryuji from Japan—they’ve been the most vocal. Thomas called it a ‘tragic display of incompetence.’ Goto... he was even more insulting. And neither country has offered to help. Not a single one of their Hunters volunteered for the raid.”

There was a rare flicker of frustration in Jinchul’s usually calm black eyes, though he kept his posture firm. He despised those who only sought personal gain, and the international criticism, combined with the lack of help from supposed allies, left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Gunhee, however, remained calm, his expression one of resignation. He had seen this too many times before—countries looking out for their own interests, unwilling to risk their resources unless they were directly affected. It was a hard lesson, but one that South Korea had learned long ago.

“We should have expected that,” Gunhee said quietly, his voice steady but firm. “South Korea has always stood alone when it comes to Hunters. The U.S. and Japan protect their own. They won’t risk their S-Ranks for a problem that isn’t theirs.”

Jinchul’s lips pressed into a thin line, his jaw tightening as he held his hands behind his back a little more firmly. “But aren’t we supposed to be allies, sir? The Ants on Jeju... if they spread beyond the island—”

“They know that,” Gunhee interrupted, his voice unwavering. “But it’s not their problem. Not yet. And as long as the Gate remains confined to Jeju, they’ll wait. They’ll watch and criticize, but they won’t lift a finger to help us. That’s the lesson we’ve learned today, Woo Jinchul-ssi. We cannot rely on other countries.”

Jinchul nodded slowly, though the tension remained in his body. His black eyes flickered with frustration, but he kept his voice neutral. “I suppose you’re right, President. It just... doesn’t make it any less frustrating.”

Gunhee’s lips curled into a faint, grim smile. “Frustrating, yes. But it’s the reality we face. South Korea’s Hunters will have to stand on their own.”

The silence in the room grew heavier as the conversation hung between them. Gunhee sat quietly for a moment, his mind turning over the events of the past few days. The international ridicule, the Ants growing stronger on Jeju, the Guilds growing more aggressive with each passing day—it all pressed down on him like a weight he could never set down.

“We need to be prepared,” Gunhee said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “The world is watching us, waiting for us to fail. But we won’t. Not this time.”

Jinchul, ever the professional, stood even straighter, his black eyes sharp as he met Gunhee’s gaze. “We’ll find a way, sir,” he said, his voice quiet but resolute. “We always do.”

Gunhee nodded, his fingers drumming lightly on the desk again. “We will. But we can’t wait too long. The Ants are growing stronger every day, and the Guilds... they’re dragging their feet.”

Jinchul’s brow furrowed slightly, though his face remained mostly neutral. “The Guilds are still hesitating. Choi Jong-In is preparing his team, but no one has fully committed yet.”

Gunhee’s greenish-gray eyes narrowed slightly. “They’re afraid,” he said, his voice calm but heavy. “And I can’t blame them. Jeju was supposed to be a show of strength. Now, it’s become a reminder of our weaknesses.”

Jinchul’s hands, still clasped behind his back, tightened slightly. “We can’t let it stay that way, President. If we don’t act soon...”

“We will,” Gunhee said, cutting him off. “But we have to be smart about it. We can’t afford another failure.”

The room fell silent once more, the ticking of the clock growing louder as both men stood in their thoughts. Gunhee’s fingers finally stopped drumming, and he looked back up at Jinchul.

“Keep an eye on that B-Rank in Busan,” Gunhee said firmly. “We can’t afford to let them slip through our fingers. We need every capable Hunter we can get at the Association.”

“Yes, President,” Jinchul replied with a respectful nod.

“And keep me informed on the Jeju situation.”

Jinchul straightened, his posture remaining rigid, his black eyes calm but serious. “Understood, sir. I’ll report back as soon as there’s any change.”

Gunhee watched as Jinchul turned to leave, his back as straight as ever, his steps measured and precise. But before he opened the door, Jinchul paused, turning slightly to meet Gunhee’s gaze one last time.

“Sir... you should get some rest. Tomorrow will be another long day.”

Gunhee chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I’ll rest when this is over.”

Jinchul gave a slight bow, his expression respectful and stoic as always. “Goodnight, President.”

With that, he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him.

Go Gunhee sat in the quiet office, his eyes drifting back to the window. The lights of Seoul twinkled in the night, but all he could think about was the darkness gathering on Jeju Island. 

With Kyungoho

"Alright," I said aloud, trying to pump myself up, clenching my fists with determination. "Let’s do this."

For a brief second, I felt that classic main-character energy flowing through me. You know, the kind where everything suddenly clicks, and you’re ready to take on the world.

Then reality hit me square in the face.

I’m broke. Again.

My fists unclenched, my shoulders sagged, and my spirit deflated like a balloon with a slow leak. My eyes flicked around the cramped, dimly lit apartment. The chipped paint on the walls, the half-broken furniture, the peeling floorboards—it all added up to one inescapable truth.

"I’M A BROKE ORPHAN AGAIN?!" I shouted at the ceiling, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Seriously?! I could’ve reincarnated as a rich kid, a genius, a prodigy with powers! But nooo, I’m stuck in another run-down dump as an orphan AGAIN?!"

I paced back and forth in the small living room, gesturing at the walls as though they were somehow responsible for my misery. "What kind of cosmic joke is this?! Who did I piss off in a past life? What kind of karma is this?!"

My voice bounced off the narrow walls, only serving to echo my frustration back at me. After a few more seconds of flailing, I finally stopped, my chest heaving from the exertion.

And, of course, there was no answer. No sudden divine intervention. Just the sound of my own ragged breathing and the persistent creaking of the floorboards beneath me.

"Fine," I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. What’s the point of getting worked up? This is my life now. Again."

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to calm down, though a few bitter thoughts still bubbled up to the surface. Why did I always have to be the broke orphan? Couldn’t I have been reincarnated as some genius Hunter already? Instead, I was stuck in another dead-end life, barely scraping by with rent due next week and nothing to show for it.

My mind drifted back to the memories of this new life—Kyungho’s life—and I sighed. There was no getting out of it. I had a job, and if I didn’t want to end up on the streets, I’d have to keep going to it. Tomorrow. Bright and early. Because rent wasn’t going to pay itself.

Shuffling over to the small bedroom, I grabbed my wallet from the bedside table, flipping it open with the last desperate hope that maybe I had more than I remembered.

"2,000 won?" I stared at the sad, crumpled bill inside, despair washing over me. "That’s not even enough for ramen!"

I groaned, tossing the wallet back onto the bed in frustration. "Of course. I’m poor. Rent’s due, and I have to work tomorrow. How glamorous," I muttered sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

As if to rub salt in the wound, my stomach growled loudly. Of course, even my stomach has to remind me that I’m broke.

Sighing, I headed to the bathroom, flicking on the light—which flickered weakly for a second before stabilizing. The mirror reflected a sight I was almost too tired to care about.

It was me. But not quite.

Staring back at me was a Korean version of myself. The features were the same: dark hair, average face, tired eyes. Just... different. My eyes traced over the new details—pale skin, slightly sharper cheekbones, and of course, the complete lack of muscle.

"No muscle, of course," I said dryly, lifting up my shirt to confirm the sad state of my body. "Just my luck."

There was no definition, no scars or marks—nothing that screamed “Hunter material.” I looked like an average guy you’d pass on the street without giving a second glance.

"Well, at least I don’t look like a total dweeb," I grumbled, attempting a weak flex in front of the mirror. But the sight of my skinny arms quickly made me give up. "Yeah, who am I kidding?"

Sighing again, I headed to the kitchen. My stomach was growling louder now, and if I didn’t eat something soon, it was going to stage a revolt.

Opening the fridge, I surveyed the contents with a sinking feeling. Leftover rice, a couple of eggs, and some kimchi that looked like it had seen better days. Still, it wasn’t the worst I could’ve hoped for.

"Let’s make this work," I said, grabbing the ingredients and setting a pan on the stove. Within minutes, the familiar smell of kimchi bokkeumbap filled the small apartment. Simple, quick, and cheap—exactly what I needed.

As the rice sizzled, my gaze drifted to the faint, translucent blue screen in the corner of my vision—the Player System.

Right. The system.

I’d been too distracted by my financial woes to fully explore it earlier, but now... now it was time to see what I was working with.

I wiped my hands on a dish towel, sat down at the tiny kitchen table, and called the Player System back into focus. The flickering blue light expanded in front of me, revealing more details as I scrolled through.

Quest Log – Daily Quests

• 100 push-ups: incomplete

• 100 sit-ups: incomplete

• 100 squats: incomplete

• Run 10km: incomplete

I stared at the screen for a moment, my brow furrowing. The same exact daily quests Jinwoo had. I scrolled down, expecting to see some kind of reward—stat points, experience points, items, something. But...

Daily Quests Reward: Full Recovery and Random Reward
Penalty for Incomplete Quests: Penalty Zone Activation

I blinked. Wait.

There were no stat points attached to the daily quests. Just a full recovery and a chance for a random reward. And then... my eyes caught on the last part. The penalty.

Penalty Zone Activation.

A chill ran down my spine. I remembered the penalty dungeon Jinwoo had been forced into. The giant centipede, the hours of torturous running just to stay alive.

"Oh, crap..." I whispered, staring at the screen as dread crept in. "If I don’t finish these quests, do I get thrown into one of those...?"

The thought alone made me shudder. I glanced at the clock. Thankfully, the quests didn’t start until tomorrow. I had time to prepare. But still, the looming penalty left a pit in my stomach.

"Well, great," I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Not only do I get no stat points for doing all this, but if I don’t, I get thrown into a death trap?"

After a moment of brooding, I forced myself to stop and think. Jinwoo’s daily quests had made him stronger, right? Even without the stat points, the exercise would still help me improve my body. And that was something I needed. I might not get a stat boost for doing a hundred push-ups, but my body would get stronger over time. And if I wanted to be a Hunter and enter Gates, I couldn’t be a weakling.

"Alright, maybe it’s not all bad," I murmured, my tone slightly more optimistic. I continued scrolling through the system, hoping for more useful information.

I found something.

Class System

• Fighter

• Mage

• Assassin

• Tanker

• Ranger

• Healer

I stared at the screen, curiosity sparking in my mind. The six main classes. Just like in the manhwa. I tapped on one of the classes—Fighter—and more details appeared.

Fighter

• Abilities and skills: Earn mastery through usage and class-based challenges.

• Gain stat points and skills through leveling up abilities.

I scrolled through the other classes, noticing the same structure. The more I used specific abilities, the stronger I’d become in that class. No subclasses here, just raw skills and abilities that I’d have to train and improve over time.

I nodded to myself as I scrolled through the options. It was all about usage. If I wanted to get better at any of these, I’d have to put in the work. No shortcuts.

"So... it’s all about experience, huh?" I said aloud, taking it all in.

I continued scrolling and found more details about stat points.

Stat Points

• Gain 3 stat points per level-up.

• Additional points can be earned through challenges, item drops, or completing Instant Dungeons.

Instant Dungeons. Now that was interesting.

I tapped on the information about Instant Dungeons and found that, much like Jinwoo’s system, I could be transported into dungeons to complete specific challenges or defeat enemies. However, it seemed I could earn additional rewards from these dungeons—stat points, items, or even specific skills or abilities. But if I wanted skills or abilities from the outside world, I’d need to find Rune Stones dropped by magic beasts.

"So... I’ll have to earn everything the hard way," I said, scratching my chin. "No free power-ups, no auto stat boosts... but at least I have control over how I grow."

The system was different from Jinwoo’s, but it wasn’t all bad. It had its advantages. I could choose my path—choose which class to focus on, which stats to boost, and how to gain power.

As I chewed on my last bite of kimchi bokkeumbap, a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.

I finished the last bite of my kimchi bokkeumbap, feeling a bit more full now that I had some food in my stomach. There wasn’t much left to do for the night. Work was in the morning, and I’d already spent the last few hours being slapped around by reality—both literally and figuratively. The Player System was my one silver lining, but even that seemed like it had a long way to go before I could consider myself anything close to powerful.

With a sigh, I stood and started clearing the table, grabbing the dishes and carrying them to the small sink in the kitchen. As I turned on the tap and began washing up, I couldn’t help but let my thoughts drift back to the system.

I’d been excited at first, thinking that I’d landed myself the same power as Sung Jinwoo, the Shadow Monarch from the manhwa. But now, after seeing the quirks of this beta version, I was starting to realize that things weren’t going to be that simple.

“Levels alone won’t be the best way to gauge my progress,” I reasoned quietly, scrubbing a plate as I spoke to myself. “Jinwoo’s system and mine are too different.”

Jinwoo had shot through his levels like a rocket in the manhwa, quickly surpassing even the strongest Hunters with insane speed. But from what I’d seen so far, it didn’t look like I could use his levels as a reference for my own progress. For one, he’d gotten a lot of boosts from his daily quests and level-ups—free stat increases that I didn’t seem to have access to. My system, on the other hand, was more about control and strategy—where I put my points, how I built up my mastery over different classes.

“Yeah, comparing myself to Jinwoo is just going to give me a headache,” I muttered, placing a cleaned plate in the drying rack. “Better focus on stats, not levels.”

I paused, the water from the tap still running, as I wiped my hands on a towel and pulled the Player System back into focus. If I wanted a reference for how strong I was—how strong I’d need to be—I’d have to start with stats.

Right now, every one of my stats was at 1. I was literally no better than an average human, and if I wanted to call myself a Hunter—even an E-Rank Hunter—I’d need to be stronger than this. A lot stronger.

I recalled what I knew about Jinwoo before his Player System kicked in. He’d been ranked as an E-Rank—the weakest of the weak—and yet, even then, his stats had been sitting at 10 each when he first checked. His mana output had been the lowest possible, but it had still been something.

I glanced at my own stat screen again, my eyes narrowing as I did the mental math.

Current Stats:

Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Vitality: 1
Intelligence: 1
Perception: 1
Monarch Potential (MPOT): 0

“Ten,” I said aloud, frowning. “If Jinwoo had 10 points in each stat and that got him ranked as an E-Rank Hunter, that means I need to get all my stats up to 10 just to reach that level.”

I glanced back at the dishes in the sink, feeling a little less motivated to continue cleaning. That was a long way off.

“Which means,” I told myself as I rinsed off a bowl absentmindedly, “I can’t even walk into the Hunter Association and ask to be tested for a Rank yet. Not unless I want to embarrass myself with an unawakened reading.”

My stats needed to improve, and fast. But leveling them up would take time. I wasn’t like Jinwoo, who had an automatic boost for every level. No, I’d have to carefully assign points each time I leveled up and figure out the best way to balance everything.

I set the bowl down and turned off the water, staring at the faint blue Player System screen that still hovered in front of me. The dishes could wait for now. I needed to understand more about what I was dealing with.

Monarch Potential (MPOT): 0
More information unlocked at Level 3.

My eyes lingered on the MPOT stat. So far, it hadn’t done anything, and the little info I had was frustratingly vague. From what I’d gathered earlier, this stat governed how much Monarch power I could wield, but right now, it was sitting at 0, and I wouldn’t know more until I hit Level 3.

“Monarch Potential...” I mused, rubbing my chin thoughtfully. This was a whole new mechanic that hadn’t existed for Jinwoo. Sure, he’d unlocked his Shadow Monarch powers, but from what I could tell, my system wasn’t limited to just one Monarch. The MPOT stat would eventually allow me to access powers from multiple Monarchs—each one unique and powerful in their own right.

But... not yet. Not anytime soon.

“Okay, so MPOT is a long-term thing,” I acknowledged, making a mental note to push for Level 3 as soon as I could. “But in the meantime, I’ve gotta figure out how to get my basic stats up.”

“Ten in each stat... yeah, I’ve got a long way to go,” I remarked, grimacing at the sink full of half-washed dishes. I couldn’t even bench a decent weight, let alone kill monsters in a Gate.

But at least I had a clearer idea of what I was working toward. Ten. That was my goal for now. I needed to get my stats up to 10 before I could even think about calling myself a Hunter.

And then there was the matter of skills. My class system allowed for flexibility, and I could pick from a range of classes as I leveled up, but gaining actual abilities would be a challenge. Rune Stones, dropped by magic beasts, were the main way to get them or inside Instant Dungeons, just like in the manhwa.

And from what I’d seen, I wouldn’t be able to get stat boosts or skills without putting in the work. Instant Dungeons seemed to be my best shot at gaining extra stat points and items outside of just leveling up, but I hadn’t seen any pop up yet.

“This isn’t going to be easy,” I sighed, setting the last dish down with a soft clatter. My Player System might have some advantages, but without daily stat boosts, I was going to have to grind—hard—just to survive.

For now, my first goal was clear: I needed to reach Level 3 as fast as possible and see what new information I could unlock. Then, maybe, I’d be strong enough to start thinking about the Hunter Association and getting ranked.

“Guess tomorrow’s going to be fun,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone as I dried my hands on the towel. The daily quests were already looming over me, and I’d need to get started on them bright and early. 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10km run was going to be painful with my current body. But there was no other choice.

Feeling the day’s exhaustion catch up with me, I finally headed toward the bedroom, casting one last glance at the Player System screen before swiping it away.

The system may have healed my injuries, but it hadn’t done anything for the sheer fatigue weighing down my limbs. Sleep was non-negotiable at this point.

Tomorrow, I’d have to juggle work and whatever daily quests the Player System threw at me. A part of me groaned at the thought of it all—thank you, rent. I grabbed my laptop and slid under the covers, hoping to gather a bit more information about the world before crashing for the night.

As I settled in, the soft glow of the screen illuminated the darkened room. There was one piece of news I’d been avoiding ever since I reincarnated here, something too big and too terrifying to confront right away. But now, lying here with nothing else to distract me, I couldn’t avoid it anymore.

Jeju Island.

I took a deep breath and opened a few news sites, quickly finding what I was looking for.

Jeju Island S-Rank Raid Ends in Tragedy!

South Korean Hunters Forced to Evacuate—Magic Beasts Overrun the Island!

International Hunters Criticize South Korea’s Failure!

It had happened two days ago, and it was still plastered all over both local and international news. My stomach churned as I scrolled through the headlines, dread creeping in. The S-Rank gate on Jeju Island had turned into a disaster. The South Korean Hunters who went to close it had been overwhelmed, and in the end, the entire island had to be evacuated.

I leaned back against the headboard, staring at the screen, feeling the cold weight of reality settle in. Three years from now, that S-Rank gate would become home to one of the most terrifying monsters in existence— Beru.

A shiver crawled down my spine just thinking about it. Beru—the Ant King. A magic beast so powerful that he would butcher elite Hunters without breaking a sweat. His speed, his strength, his absolute ferocity... if I were to come face-to-face with him right now, I’d die. Instantly.

I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over my face as the gravity of it all sank in. Jeju Island was cursed ground for South Korean Hunters. Two more attempts would be made before Jinwoo finally succeeded in clearing the gate. And the death toll from those attempts... I grimaced just thinking about it.

"Beru’s not even the worst part," I murmured, staring at the headlines. "It’s the entire swarm. Thousands of ants. An army." The thought of those creatures spreading unchecked was enough to make me nauseous.

For a moment, the temptation to stay out of it completely gripped me. It would be smart, wouldn't it? Lay low, avoid Jinwoo, and let him handle this after the double dungeon incident three years from now. It would be safest for me—just stay in the background and avoid becoming a part of the butterfly effect.

But that line of thinking didn’t sit right with me. Not completely.

"Yeah, I’m not Jinwoo," I reasoned aloud, "but if I’m forced to fight in those first two attempts, I can’t just sit back and let people die around me."

I wanted to be strong—not just for my own survival, but because I knew that if I got dragged into one of those failed raids, I couldn’t afford to be weak. I didn’t want to stand by and watch people die senselessly like they had in the manhwa. And if there was anything I could do to minimize the damage, I’d do it.

"Be strong enough to survive," I said softly, my voice firm, "but also strong enough to help if it comes down to it."

Because the truth was, Jinwoo needed to succeed in that double dungeon incident three years from now. He needed to rise and become the Shadow Monarch, not just for his sake but for humanity’s survival.

I had no delusions of trying to take his place or mess with the flow of events too much. But that didn’t mean I’d let hundreds of hunters die needlessly if I could stop it. Minimize the damage. Survive. Let Jinwoo shine.

Those were my goals.

As I continued browsing through the news and hunter websites, I came across something else that made me stop short.

There are Special S-Rank Hunters?

The shock made me pause. I hadn’t come across that detail before. As I kept reading, I found their names, and to my surprise, they were all hunters I knew.

Thomas Andre – Special S-Rank Hunter (Tanker and Fighter Classes)
Goto Ryuji – Special S-Rank Hunter (Fighter and Assassin Classes)
Liu Zhigang – Special S-Rank Hunter (Fighter and Ranger Classes)

My jaw practically hit the floor. I had known these guys were S-Rank monsters in their own right, but... Special Rank? I stared at the screen, trying to absorb this new information.

Thomas Andre—one of the strongest Hunters in the world, and now it made sense why. He wasn’t just a Tanker; he was a Fighter, too. The Goliath nickname suddenly made even more sense. A Hunter who could tank damage and dish it out like a fighter? That combination was deadly.

Goto Ryuji, Japan’s top Hunter, wasn’t just a Fighter either—he had Assassin abilities. That explained why he was so fast and lethal in combat.

And Liu Zhigang, China’s greatest, was a Fighter and a Ranger. He had the brute strength of a Fighter but the precision and deadly long-range attacks of a Ranger.

"Wow," I whispered, sitting back against the headboard. "That’s... insane."

But what really caught my attention was how these Special Rank Hunters came to be. According to the info I was reading, most of these multiclass hunters weren’t born that way. They had cleared Gates and fought magic beasts for 7 to 8 years, pushing themselves to their limits. Through that grueling process, they’d gone through what some people were calling partial reawakenings, gaining the ability to wield powers from two different classes.

Even then, it was incredibly rare. These three were the only known Special S-Ranks so far.

The more I read, the more fascinated I became. This world was becoming so much more complicated than what I remembered from the manhwa. New systems, new rules, new ranks... I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of excitement alongside the dread.

"Looks like there’s a lot more to this world than I realized," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Multiclass hunters... reawakenings... this place is insane."

And yet, the more I learned, the more determined I became. I had the Player System, and while it might not be Jinwoo’s exact system, it gave me the opportunity to carve out my own path. And if partial reawakening was a possible explanation for those hunters, maybe—just maybe—I could use this as an excuse down the line.

I glanced at the screen again, absorbing the last bit of information before closing the laptop.

One more thing crossed my mind before I drifted off. I pulled up the Hunter Association’s website, typing quickly to access the Hunter registration database.

A few seconds later, I found what I was looking for.

Sung Jinwoo. E-Rank Hunter.

Just seeing his name there put my mind at ease. I’m in the right timeline. Jinwoo existed. His path to becoming the Shadow Monarch hadn’t changed.

"Okay," I muttered, shutting the laptop with a small sense of relief. "It’s all still on track."

That was good. Knowing Jinwoo was out there—still E-Rank, still on his own journey—meant that I could focus on my own path without worrying about some weird alternate timeline.

But for now?

I needed to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be another long day. Work, daily quests, and a lot of planning if I wanted to start growing stronger.

I set the laptop aside and turned off the light, the darkness of the room wrapping around me as my thoughts finally began to settle. Three years to prepare. Three years to survive. And if I played my cards right, I’d be strong enough to make a difference when the time came.

The city of Seoul spread out before him like a glittering web of lights, weaving through the dark night. Skyscrapers stood as sentinels against the shadowy sky, and below, cars traced glowing arteries along the streets, flowing with the pulse of city life.

In his office on one of the upper floors of the White Tiger Guild headquarters, Baek Yoonho sat alone, the lights turned off, the faint reflection of the cityscape shimmering against the wide glass windows.

Baek Yoonho was a muscular young man with spiky orange hair, vivid orange eyes, and pronounced canine teeth that gave him an almost beast-like appearance. His sideburns were neatly trimmed, and he wore a crisp white formal shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His jacket lay discarded over the back of his chair. Tonight wasn’t about appearances or formalities—it was about the cold, hard truth of what had happened at Jeju Island.

His desk was cluttered with documents, all of them related to the raid and its aftermath—hunter reports, media statements, damage assessments—untouched for the moment. In his hand, he held a glass of expensive whiskey, the amber liquid reflecting the faint light from outside. The bottle sat on the desk beside him, nearly full. Tonight, the drink was meant to numb the sting of failure, not drown it entirely.

He took a slow sip, feeling the warmth settle in his chest, though it did little to soften the cold, heavy weight pressing down on his mind.

Jeju Island.

It loomed in his thoughts like a dark cloud, impossible to dispel. The failed raid, the loss of so many hunters, the crushing realization that even the best of the best hadn’t been enough to turn the tide.

And he knew the implications reached far beyond the losses themselves.

He stared out at the night skyline, his gaze distant. The media had already begun circling, like sharks smelling blood in the water. The criticism from other nations was growing louder, accusations of incompetence, of strategic failure. Japan and the United States—countries that were supposed to be allies—had remained on the sidelines, watching as South Korea struggled and ultimately failed. Yoonho had seen the news reports, heard the whispers.

He took another sip of whiskey, his eyes narrowing at the thought. The same international Hunters and their Associations who had once shaken hands with South Korean hunters, were now using this as an opportunity to mock them.

Hypocrites. The thought passed through Yoonho's mind with a bitter edge. It was all so... infuriating.

But more than the words of foreign hunters, it was the loss of his people that gnawed at him. The raid on Jeju Island had been a combined effort—South Korea’s strongest had gathered to face the threat. Choi Jong-In, Lim Tae-Gyu, Ma Dongwook, Eunseok, Min Byung-Gyu—all of them had been there. The Ultimate Hunter, South Korea’s greatest Mage, had led the charge, his powerful magic blazing through the battlefield. Lim Tae-Gyu, the Deadly Ranger, had covered their advance, every shot precise, every arrow landing true. Ma Dongwook, a Tanker whose resilience was almost legendary, had held the line against the unending tide of magic beasts.

And Min Byung-Gyu, the healer, had fought with everything he had to keep them alive, pouring his mana into spell after spell, refusing to let his comrades fall.

But despite all that effort, despite all their combined strength, they had failed.

Eunseok, another powerful mage, had exhausted himself, his mana depleted as he tried to hold back the monstrous force of the gate. They had given it everything they had, and still, it hadn’t been enough. And they had lost good hunters—too many good hunters—their lives cut short because they hadn’t been strong enough. Thankfully no South Korean S-Ranks ended up losing their lives because the results would have been catastrophic and would have crippled South Korea. 

Yoonho clenched his jaw, setting the glass down on the desk with a soft thud. The White Tiger Guild had been one of the leading forces in the raid, and he’d gone in with his guild members, confident that their strength would make a difference. But now, all he felt was the hollow emptiness of failure.

And then there was Hwang Dongsoo.

The name brought a fresh wave of bitterness to the surface. Hwang Dongsoo, once one of South Korea’s S-Ranks, had chosen to abandon them—betrayed his own country for money, power, for whatever it was that the United States had promised him. Yoonho couldn’t help but wonder if things might have been different if Dongsoo had been there. If one more S-Rank had joined them, could they have turned the tide? Or would it have made no difference at all?

The thought twisted inside him, a tangle of resentment and regret.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the images that replayed in his mind—the determination on the faces of his fellow hunters as they had boarded the helicopters to Jeju Island, the desperation in their eyes as the battle began to slip out of their control, the frantic calls for retreat.

"I failed them," he whispered, his voice almost lost in the silence of the darkened room.

They had fought with everything they had, and still, they hadn’t been enough. And the reputation of the South Korean guilds, their credibility, had taken a serious blow. They were being mocked, ridiculed, their strength questioned, their competence doubted.

People were scared. And in their fear, they had begun to doubt their hunters. Without the support of the people, without their trust, what were they? They were supposed to be the first line of defense, the ones standing between the gates and ordinary civilians. But how could they fulfill that role if even their own people doubted their strength?

He opened his eyes, looking out again at the city, the lights glittering against the darkness. There was something about those lights, that enduring glow, that gave him a small measure of comfort.

"We’re not done yet," he said, his voice firmer this time. The words were meant for himself, a reminder that despite everything, despite the failure, they were still here. They could still fight.

The S-Rank Magic beasts on Jeju Island was still there, waiting. There would be another attempt—there had to be. They couldn’t leave it like this, with Jeju Island overrun, with the monsters unchecked. They would regroup. They would get stronger. They had to. Because there was no one else who could do it for them.

He reached for the glass again, his fingers brushing against the cool surface, but then he hesitated. Instead of taking another sip, he set the glass aside, straightening in his chair. He had indulged himself enough for the night. There were still people counting on him—his guild members, the other hunters, even the public, despite their fears.

The people needed someone to stand up, someone who wouldn’t back down, even after failure.

"We’ll get there," he said quietly, almost as if convincing himself. "Your sacrifices will not go in vain"

He didn’t know how, and he didn’t know what it would take, but White Tiger wasn’t finished yet. South Korea wasn’t finished yet. He would rebuild, regroup, and prepare for whatever came next.

Because they had no other choice.

He glanced one last time at the city lights, taking in the view, letting it remind him of what they were fighting for. Then, with a deep breath, he stood, leaving the glass behind on the desk. The whiskey could wait.

They had lost. But tomorrow, they would begin again.

5:00 AM.

The loud, irritating beep of my alarm clock sliced through the quiet room, jolting me awake. For a moment, I just lay there, blinking groggily up at the ceiling. My eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom of early morning, and I could barely make out the familiar silhouette of furniture around me.

Familiar... but not quite.

My gaze drifted to the small wardrobe against the wall, the desk with my laptop resting on it, the cracked paint on the ceiling. It all felt vaguely recognizable, yet there was still a strange sense of displacement that gnawed at me. Slowly, I shifted my head to the side, seeing the little alarm clock blinking with red digits on the bedside table.

"Did I really...?" I whispered, my voice raspy from sleep.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position, my fingers brushing against the wrinkled sheets, feeling the slight stiffness in my joints as I moved. This wasn’t a dream. The faint chill in the room, the distant sounds of Seoul waking up outside my window—it was all real.

"Right... I really did reincarnate," I muttered, running a hand through my sleep-mussed hair, feeling the strands tangle between my fingers. I let out a sigh, my shoulders slumping. "And I really am in the Solo Leveling world."

For a brief second, I felt an odd mix of emotions—relief that it wasn’t just a figment of my imagination, but also a deep, resigned frustration at the realization that this was my new life. A life that wasn’t much different from my previous one.

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet touching the cold floor as I rubbed my eyes with my knuckles. I stood slowly, stretching my arms above my head, feeling my back pop. There was no escaping it now. I had to face this life head-on, no matter how much I wanted to hide under the covers and sleep for another hour... or ten.

The apartment was still shrouded in shadows, the early morning light barely seeping through the curtains. I dragged myself to the bathroom, each step feeling heavier than the last, the floorboards creaking beneath my weight. Flicking on the light, I winced as the brightness hit my eyes, forcing me to blink rapidly.

The reflection that stared back at me from the mirror was one I was starting to get used to. It was me—but not quite. My hair was still dark, but it fell in a slightly different way. My eyes were the same, yet they had a subtle sharpness to them, a hint of tiredness that hadn’t been there before. I leaned in closer, staring at my own face, as if trying to convince myself that this was really me.

I splashed cold water on my face, letting the icy chill shock me fully awake, droplets trailing down my neck. I shook my head, droplets flinging off as I straightened.

"Alright," I muttered to my reflection, my eyes narrowing slightly. "This is real. Time to deal with it."

After taking a shower, I padded back to the bedroom, grabbing my clothes off the chair where I’d tossed them the night before. My fingers fumbled with the buttons on my shirt, my eyes flicking to the small Player System screen still hovering in the corner of my vision. The translucent blue light was a reminder of the opportunity I had.

"Just need to get through today," I said to myself, nodding in determination as I buttoned up my shirt. "Get to work, finish early, and then start with the daily quest. One step at a time."

The Player System flickered softly, almost as if it acknowledged my plan. I took in a deep breath, forcing a smile onto my face, trying to pump myself up.

"Yeah, I got this," I said, giving a mock salute to my reflection in the window. But as soon as I turned away, my shoulders slumped a little, the smile fading. Who was I kidding? This wasn’t the kind of reincarnation story I had hoped for.

I grabbed my bag, the weight of it slinging against my shoulder, and threw on my jacket. It felt heavier than usual, and I knew it wasn't the bag’s weight that caused it. No matter how much I complained, though, I had to face it head-on.

Stepping outside, the cool air hit me, making me suck in a sharp breath as the chill settled into my skin. The steps of the old apartment building creaked underfoot as I made my way down, the early morning stillness giving way to the growing hum of the city waking up.

The streets were already alive. People were moving, their heads down, focused on their own paths. Cars weaved through the streets, the exhaust curling in the chilly morning air, headlights cutting through the dimness. Even at this hour, the city was bustling—Seoul’s work culture, a relentless grind that started early and ended late. It was something I hadn’t quite experienced in my past life, not to this extent. Seeing people already rushing around, their expressions filled with purpose, their strides quick and purposeful, drove home how different things were here.

"Right, today’s another day," I muttered, shoving my hands into my pockets as I began the walk to the bar where I worked. It wasn’t far—twenty minutes, maybe less if I picked up the pace. The wind whipped through the narrow streets, tousling my hair, and I hunched my shoulders against the cold.

As I walked, my thoughts drifted back to the Player System. Specifically, to something I’d stumbled upon last night.

My fingers brushed against the inside of my jacket pocket, and with a thought, I accessed my inventory. There was a faint shimmer of blue, and in my hand appeared a small, white key. I held it up, letting it catch the early morning light.

This was the Instant Tutorial Dungeon Key.

The system had given it to me—an opportunity to train, to learn how to fight like a hunter, to survive. It was the first of three tutorial dungeons, each one supposedly harder than the last. It made sense. Jinwoo had experience, albeit minimal, as a hunter before getting his system. He’d already fought in Gates. But me? I’d never even held a weapon in my life.

I turned the key over in my hand, the metal cool against my fingers.

"Jinwoo never had a tutorial dungeon," I murmured, watching the light glint off the key. He’d just been thrown into the deep end—straight into the dungeon where everything had changed for him. Sink or swim. Fight or die.

And he had fought.

A small smile tugged at my lips, an admiring one. "The guy’s got guts, that’s for sure," I said quietly.

I slipped the key back into my inventory, the faint blue light disappearing as the key vanished from sight. Maybe the system knew I needed this. Maybe it had seen how I’d struggle if I was thrown in headfirst like Jinwoo.

Maybe, just maybe, I had a chance to make this work.

I was about halfway to work when something unusual caught my eye. The usual flow of traffic was being diverted, with vehicles honking in frustration, some drivers leaning out of their windows to shout angrily at each other. I frowned, curiosity getting the better of me, and picked up my pace, lightly jogging toward the commotion.

As I neared, I saw a group of police officers standing in front of a barricade, their expressions serious as they waved cars and pedestrians away from the blocked-off area. The flashing lights of their patrol cars bathed the street in blue and red, adding to the confusion of the scene.

"What’s going on?" I muttered, my steps slowing as I approached the barrier, craning my neck to see what was happening.

And then, I saw it.

Right there, at the center of the cordoned-off area, stood a Gate.

My breath caught in my throat. A real Gate. My eyes widened as I stared, unable to look away. The swirling mass of blue, the way it seemed to shift and spin, like an endless vortex of energy, was hypnotizing. It was both beautiful and terrifying. The manhwa had never quite captured the feeling of it—the sheer presence of it.

The air around it was different, almost like it was alive, carrying a faint vibration that seemed to settle deep in my bones. I could feel the mana in the air, the faint waves of energy that drifted outward, brushing against my skin.

There were two black cars parked near the Gate, with several Hunter Association employees gathered around it. They wore their standard black and white uniforms, their attention focused on the measuring devices they’d set up near the Gate.

“E-rank, most likely,” I heard one of the employees say, his voice drifting over the noise of the growing crowd. A couple of reporters had already arrived, speaking urgently into their microphones, their cameramen focused on the Gate behind them.

An E-rank Gate. The lowest rank. Barely a threat compared to the kinds of Gates that high-level hunters dealt with. And yet... I couldn’t look away. It was mesmerizing, the way the colors shifted, the way the light twisted and pulsed at the core.

Not a drawing in a comic, not something I’d seen in passing on a screen. It was real, it was right in front of me, and it was everything I had imagined it to be—and more.

I stood there for a moment longer, my breath held, my heart thudding in my chest as I watched the Gate spin, as I took in the surreal beauty of it.

It wasn’t just fiction anymore. This was the reality I’d been thrown into. And it was terrifying. And exhilarating.

Finally, I forced myself to turn away, my feet moving reluctantly as I continued my walk to work. The last thing I needed was to be late and get scolded by my boss. But even as I walked, I couldn’t help but look back over my shoulder, the image of the Gate still burning in my mind.

One day, I’d have to step through one of those. One day, I’d have to fight whatever lay beyond it.

And when that day came, I had to be ready.

4:00 PM.

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden light through the windows of the bar as a few patrons filtered out. I could feel the exhaustion in my bones, the hours of standing and serving drinks taking their toll, but finally—finally—the shift was over.

I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the satisfying crackle of joints loosening after a long day, before heading to the back to grab my bag. I couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement welling up inside me as I remembered what I had planned for today.

It was time to put the Player System to the test.

As I walked back to the kitchen area, I spotted Hyunsoo wiping down the counter, his usual concentrated look in place as he methodically cleaned each inch.

"Hyunsoo-ssi, I’m heading out," I called, giving him a small wave.

Hyunsoo, a man in his mid-forties with neatly styled hair, looked up from his task. He smiled, a genuine but tired smile. "Kyungho-ya, you’re done for today?" he asked, still wiping the cloth across the counter.

"Yes, it’s been a long one," I replied, shouldering my bag.

Hyunsoo gave a short nod, then grinned. "See you, Kyungho-ya. Don’t forget, we’re cleaning the stockroom tomorrow morning. Don't be late, okay?"

I let out a small groan but returned his grin. "I won’t, don’t worry. See ya Hyunsoo-ssi."

Moving towards the entrance, I passed by Somin, who was just about to start her evening shift. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail, her apron freshly tied around her waist as she fiddled with the bar's register.

"Annyeong, Somin-ssi!" I greeted her, giving her a slight nod.

Somin glanced up, her eyes lighting up with recognition. "Oh, Kyungho! Going home already?"

"Yeah, finally getting out of here," I said with a sigh. "Good luck with the evening crowd!"

She let out a playful scoff. "I could use more than just luck. These people think bartending is some glamorous gig... It’s just a lot of polishing the glasses," she joked, shaking her head.

"Cheer up, Somin-ssi. I’ll see you tomorrow!" I said, giving her a thumbs-up as I moved towards the exit.

"Bye Kyungho! Try to get some rest, alright?" she called after me.

I waved in response as I slipped out the door, letting it swing shut behind me. The warmth of the setting sun greeted me as I stepped out into the open. The evening air was still cool, though not as biting as it had been early in the morning. It was the perfect weather to start what I’d been dreading since I got the Player System's daily quests—the workout.

"Alright," I said to myself, clenching my fists. "No more delays."

I broke into a light jog, heading towards the nearest park. The daily quests were going to be brutal, especially with my current lack of strength and stamina. 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10km run. It sounded more like a personal torture plan than a workout, especially with my pitifully low stats. But it had to be done. If I was going to get stronger, I had to start from somewhere.

The park wasn’t far from where I worked, just a few blocks away. It was a relatively quiet area—families with kids, joggers, a few people walking their dogs. Maple trees dotted the landscape, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, creating a serene backdrop that seemed to mock the exhaustion I was about to put myself through.

I reached the park and paused near a small grassy clearing, taking in a deep breath. "Okay, Player System, let’s see what you’ve got in store for me."

The translucent blue screen flickered into existence, displaying the Daily Quest in bold letters:

Daily Quest – Preparation to Become Stronger:

• 100 Push-ups: Incomplete

• 100 Sit-ups: Incomplete

• 100 Squats: Incomplete

• 10km Run: Incomplete

Reward: Full Recovery, Random Reward
Penalty for Incompletion: Penalty Zone Activation

"Penalty zone... yeah, let's not think about that," I muttered to myself, shivering slightly at the memory of Jinwoo’s penalty dungeon. The thought of getting thrown into some nightmare scenario just because I couldn't do enough push-ups was motivation enough to get this done, no matter how painful it was going to be.

I dropped my bag beside a bench and unzipped it, pulling out a water bottle. I took a deep breath, trying to psych myself up. "Alright, 100 push-ups first. I can do this."

I got down onto the grass, positioning myself in a push-up stance. My arms already felt weak just at the thought of it, but there was no going back now. I bent my elbows, lowering myself to the ground, and then pushed myself back up.

"One..." I breathed out, already feeling the strain. "Two... three... okay, this is... worse than I thought."

By the time I reached twenty, my arms were trembling, my shoulders burning. I collapsed onto the grass, lying flat, staring up at the sky as I tried to catch my breath.

"How many more...?" I groaned, waving my hand to pull up the Player System screen.

Push-ups: 20/100
Sit-ups: 0/100
Squats: 0/100
Run: 0/10km

I stared at the screen, my face scrunching up in despair. "Still eighty left?! I’m gonna die here... just end me already," I muttered dramatically, throwing my arm over my face. "Is this what they mean by death by reincarnation? This sucks."

After a minute or so, I pushed myself up onto my knees, shaking out my arms. "Alright, no time to lie down and die. Let’s go again," I grumbled, glancing at the Player System, the tasks still very much incomplete. I couldn’t stop now. This was my only way forward.

"Alright, alright," I said aloud, getting back into position. "No pain, no gain, right? Or more like, ‘no pain, Yes penalty zone,’" I added with a sigh.

I managed another set of fifteen before collapsing again, my muscles screaming at me to stop. I groaned, rolling onto my back, glancing up at the blue screen hovering in the air.

Push-ups: 35/100
Sit-ups: 0/100
Squats: 0/100
Run: 0/10km

"Still... only thirty-five?" I muttered, feeling both frustrated and oddly amused. "I’m... going to need... so many breaks."

With each set, I felt my body slowly giving in, the fatigue settling deep in my bones. But I kept going, taking breaks whenever I needed, sitting on the grass, feeling the cool breeze as I gulped down water, wiping the sweat from my brow.

By the time I finished the push-ups, my arms felt like jelly. I flopped down onto the grass, panting heavily, the corners of my lips quirking up into a smile of satisfaction as I looked at the updated quest log.

Push-ups: 100/100 (Complete)
Sit-ups: 0/100
Squats: 0/100
Run: 0/10km

"One down... three to go," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. "And here I thought I'd be dead by now... guess not," I added with a tired chuckle.

I moved onto sit-ups next, lying down on the grass, my knees bent. I could feel the soreness in my abs from the first few attempts, but I gritted my teeth and lifted myself up.

"One... two... three..." I counted under my breath, each time pushing out a pained exhale, my breaths coming out in harsh gasps by the time I’d reached thirty.

Push-ups: 100/100 (Complete!)
Sit-ups: 30/100
Squats: 0/100
Run: 0/10km

"Only thirty," I groaned, lying back on the grass, staring up at the swaying branches of the maple trees above me. "How did I let myself get this weak? I can’t even beat a salad bar right now."

"Alright, alright, up again," I said, forcing myself into a sitting position. "I need to at least get halfway before I take another long break." I huffed, shaking my head. "Man, I could be home, watching a movie, eating chips... instead, I'm out here playing hero."

The sun continued to sink lower in the sky, the shadows lengthening around me as the park slowly began to empty out. The air grew cooler, and I continued to push through the sit-ups and then moved on to squats, my legs trembling beneath me as I bent my knees, the muscles in my thighs burning with each motion.

Push-ups: 100/100 (Complete)
Sit-ups: 100/100 (Complete)
Squats: 100/100 (Complete)
Run: 0/10km

Finally, it was time for the run. My entire body protested at the mere thought of it. I got to my feet, feeling the aches in every muscle as I started at a slow jog.

"Okay, ten kilometers... just kill me now," I muttered, the Player System screen showing the distance remaining.

Run: 0/10km

With each step, my legs grew heavier, my breathing growing more ragged. But I kept my focus ahead, on the winding park path, on the sound of my feet against the ground.

With every kilometer, I pulled up the screen, watching the numbers slowly tick forward.

Run: 3/10km
Run: 5/10km
Run: 8/10km

The moon was already rising by the time I approached the final lap. My legs were shaking, my chest tight, but I could see the end in sight. I forced myself forward, step by step, until, finally...

Run: 10/10km (Complete)

A sigh of relief escaped my lips, my entire body slumping in exhaustion as I stumbled over to the bench where I’d left my bag. I collapsed onto it, letting out a wheezing laugh.

"Completed... all of it..." I whispered, glancing at the Player System screen with a sense of accomplishment. "And I'm not dead. That's a plus, I guess."

The words Full Recovery and Random Reward flashed across the screen, and for a moment, I allowed myself to smile.

It was just the beginning. But it was progress.

The park had grown quiet, the last few joggers and families heading home as the sky turned a deeper shade of navy blue, dotted with the first few stars of the evening. I sat on the bench, gulping down the last bit of water from my bottle, my muscles still aching even though the satisfaction of completing my daily quests was undeniable.

I pulled up the Player System screen, the prompt for the Full Recovery glowing in front of me, and with a deep breath, I decided to go for it.

Select Full Recovery?

"Yes, please," I whispered, half-expecting it to be some kind of scam. A part of me was convinced that nothing would happen, that I’d still be here, aching and panting like a broken-down engine.

But then, a sudden wave of relief washed over me. The aches and exhaustion seeped out of my muscles as if they were being drained away, replaced by a lightness and energy that I hadn’t felt in years—maybe ever.

I blinked, glancing down at my arms. "Whoa..." I breathed, slowly standing up and giving an experimental stretch. My shoulders didn’t protest, my legs weren’t shaking, and my lungs felt like they were full of fresh air.

I flexed my arms, bouncing on my toes a bit, laughing softly in disbelief. "That’s... incredible. It really worked," I muttered, a grin spreading across my face. The difference was night and day.

This... was the kind of power that came with the Player System. Even if my stats were pitiful right now, the Full Recovery was already making me feel like a million bucks.

Still buzzing from the sudden energy, I sat back down, opening up the Player System screen again. Time for the Random Reward. My heart thudded in excitement—this was the part that Jinwoo always looked forward to, the chance for something really good to drop.

Select Random Reward?

I tapped yes, and just like that, a small red box materialized in my hand, tied up with a neat little bow. It looked just like the one I’d seen in the manhwa. My excitement bubbled up as I untied the bow, lifting the lid.

The box disappeared in a flash of light, leaving behind a long red key that rested in my palm. The design was intricate, more elegant than the tutorial dungeon key I’d found earlier.

My eyes widened in recognition. "No way... it’s just like Jinwoo’s," I murmured, running my thumb along the carved patterns etched into the key. Jinwoo had gotten a similar one, and it had led him to the Hapjeong Subway Station Instant Dungeon—his first real fight against magic beasts.

I glanced down at the key, a nervous chuckle escaping my lips. "Well, it looks like I’ve got my own station to visit."

I pulled up the key’s details, and sure enough, it displayed:

Instant Dungeon Key
Destination: Euljiro 3-ga Subway Station
Time Limit: 14 Days

Euljiro 3-ga Station. I knew that station—it wasn’t far from where I lived. The fact that it was a subway station instantly made it seem more real. It wasn’t just some random game location—these were places I could physically go to, now tied to the Player System.

But I shook my head, carefully tucking the key back into my inventory. As excited as I was to try my hand at an instant dungeon, I knew there was no way I could survive that right now. Not before I completed those tutorial dungeons.

"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves," I said to myself, standing up from the bench. I swung my bag over my shoulder, casting a quick look around the park. It was mostly empty by now, the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows along the pathways.

With that, I started heading home. The cool evening air felt refreshing against my skin, my steps lighter than they’d been all day. I was on my way to my rundown apartment, still buzzing with energy from the Full Recovery, the excitement of the reward key clinging to me like an electric current.

As I walked, my thoughts drifted back to everything that had happened today. It felt like a lot—too much, almost. This world was still a little unreal, but the system, the Gates, the daily quests... they were all undeniable proof. Proof that I was here, that I was alive in the Solo Leveling universe.

I was nearing the spot where the E-rank Gate had appeared this morning. The street seemed busier than before, the usual traffic being diverted, and a small crowd gathered along the barricades, peering at the Gate with curiosity.

My breath caught as I noticed the familiar blue glow in the distance. I jogged lightly over to the edge of the barricade, weaving through a small group of people who were snapping photos with their phones.

The Gate stood out against the backdrop of the night, its swirling shades of blue seeming even more vivid under the dim light of the street lamps. The vortex-like center moved hypnotically, almost as if it were drawing you in.

And that’s when I noticed them— Hunters .

My heart skipped a beat, and I pushed a little closer, standing on tiptoe to get a better look. There were two Hunter Association employees, talking to a group of nine individuals. The Hunters. They were the real deal, right in front of me.

They were clad in light armor, some carrying swords or polearms or staffs, while a few others held bows slung across their backs. Only one among them didn’t carry any visible weapon—likely a Healer, I thought. I couldn’t recognize any of them, which made sense. They probably weren’t anyone prominent in the story, but still... Hunters. Real Hunters.

I watched them, my eyes wide as I took in their appearances—each one of them looked confident, even if they weren’t as impressive as the high-ranked Hunters I’d seen in the manhwa. They looked like normal people in some ways— serious expressions, chatting among themselves—but there was a certain aura about them, the kind that came from wielding power that the rest of us could only dream of.

The Hunter Association employee, a man in a neat black suit, gestured towards the Gate, saying something I couldn’t quite catch. I watched, fascinated, as the Hunters nodded, a couple of them rolling their shoulders, adjusting their gear.

I leaned forward slightly, almost as if doing so would let me hear what they were saying. The anticipation thrummed in my veins. This was it. This was what being a Hunter was all about—stepping into the unknown, putting your life on the line to clear a Gate. And I was seeing it happen, right in front of me.

The employee finally gave the go-ahead, and the group of Hunters moved towards the Gate, their faces focused, their steps steady. One by one, they walked closer to the vortex, and then, in an instant, they disappeared—swallowed by the swirling blue mass, vanishing as if they had never been there.

It was surreal, seeing them enter the Gate like that, knowing the kind of dangers they could face on the other side. There was no manga panel or anime episode that could properly capture the feeling of seeing people willingly walk into a portal that led to God-knows-what.

I couldn’t help but grin. It was terrifying, but it was also thrilling. This was what I was working towards.

Someday, I’d be stepping through one of those Gates myself.

"Better get stronger fast, Kyungho," I grinned, my voice tinged with both determination and a hint of amusement. 

Taking one last look at the Gate, its blue light casting shadows across the pavement, I turned and started heading back home, the excitement still buzzing inside me.

It was just the beginning. But I had a goal. And I was going to make it happen.

Let me know what you guys think! Please give me feedback, be it positive or negative. I’m still out of practice so it still takes a while for me to write long chapters. The beginning is a bit slow because of the world building but I don’t want to rush anything. 

I’m already writing the next chapter so I’ll see you then! Don’t forget to leave a review if you like my story!

Je ne!

Anbustar16