Chapter 1. Prologue
I was bewildered at first. I thought my life was set in stone, that the same dreary days with no clear future in sight would stretch on forever. However, that day, my life changed drastically.
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***
Kim Do-Joon was an Awakener, but he was not a Hunter. To ordinary folks, an Awakener and a Hunter might seem like the same thing. However, if they delved into the industry, they would quickly discover otherwise. Not all Awakeners were Hunters, and there were many reasons behind that. Perhaps they did not enjoy fighting, or they just preferred the research field more. Their abilities could also simply be ill-suited for combat.
[Yggdrasil System]
Name
- Kim Do-Joon
Age
- 35
Compatibility
- 1%
Stat Runes
- Strength Level 1, Agility Level 1, Vitality Level 1, Mana Level 1, Perception Level 1
Skill Runes
- Potion Crafting
Kim Do-Joon was one of those cases. The skill Potion Crafting, as the name would suggest, was not suited for combat. Therefore, he could not become a Hunter. It didn’t really bother him, though. He did not particularly romanticize the profession of a Hunter, and being a Potion Crafter was enough to make ends meet.
However, making ends meet was not enough for Kim Do-Joon. He needed more money. Potions had a high production cost because their ingredients could only be obtained in dungeons. Hence, despite the risks, he started entering dungeons as both a Crafter and a Gatherer.
***
Rustle—
Kim Do-Joon woke up to the sunlight pouring onto his face. Rubbing his eyes groggily, he got up and scratched his head. It was already morning—already time for him to open shop.
Kim Do-Joon yawned as he stepped out of his room. The sight of shelves stocked with various products greeted him.
District 13 General Store
This small, humble shop was both his home and workplace. He started the day dusting the shelves and sweeping and mopping the floor. He then restocked empty shelves and tidied up the clutter.
Afterward, he took a shower, dried his hair, and changed into clean clothes. Finally, he flipped the shop sign from "CLOSED" to "OPEN."
Kim Do-Joon sighed as he endured the dull wait. "Haaa… As usual, there are no customers..."
His shop was not exactly bustling with customers. His main sources of income were the regulars and the guilds he supplied potions to once a week. Still, it was enough for him to earn a living. Potions were essential consumables and fetched a decent price.
Not only did he craft and sell potions, but he also worked as a Gatherer, entering dungeons to collect potion ingredients. Therefore, despite the quiet shop, his income was quite good. Most of it went to medical bills, though, leaving him to eat and sleep in the room attached to the shop.
Ding—
When the chime on the door rang, Kim Do-Joon stood up to greet the customer. "Welcome."
"Good morning," said a woman as she walked in.
"Welcome back, Ms. Ji-Ah," Kim Do-Joon replied.
Lee Ji-Ah was a staff member of the Awakener Association. She had shoulder-length hair and a distinctive mole under her eye, making her look like an elegant and intelligent businesswoman.
Kim Do-Joon was the first Awakener she had been put in charge of. She was the one who had welcomed him upon his initial awakening and had been overseeing his care and development over the past six years. Thanks to that connection, she occasionally visited his shop despite not being a Hunter.
"You seem free today as well," Lee Ji-Ah said.
"That's right. Haha…" Kim Do-Joon laughed awkwardly as he brewed two cups of coffee. He offered one to Lee Ji-Ah.
"Thank you."
She took a sip as they fell into silence. Neither Kim Do-Joon nor Lee Ji-Ah was particularly talkative, preferring to speak only when necessary. Nevertheless, although they rarely engaged in personal conversations, it wasn't awkward. They didn’t mind the silence too much. Having known each other for six years, it now felt natural.
After drinking about half a cup, Kim Do-Joon broke the silence with a question. "Are you here today because of Association matters?"
"Yes. I came here to inform you about a D-rank gate that we’re almost done clearing," Lee Ji-Ah replied.
Kim Do-Joon immediately took out a piece of paper. He then took notes while listening to her explanation.
According to her, the dungeon was located in a small park in Seorim-dong. The raid team consisted of two C-rank Hunters and eleven D-rank and E-rank Hunters, thirteen in total. The cleanup party was open for all to join, as was usual.
Dungeon raids were normally conducted in phases. First, the raid team would eliminate all monsters except for the boss. Then, the cleanup party would enter and gather as many resources as possible within the allotted time. Finally, the raid team would return to defeat the boss to close the dungeon.
"You could have just told me about this over the phone…" Kim Do-Joon muttered.
"I dropped by on my way to work, so don't worry about it," Lee Ji-Ah replied bluntly as she put down the paper cup.
After saying she enjoyed the coffee, she stood up to leave.
Ding—
"See you tomorrow then," Lee Ji-Ah said.
"Take care," Kim Do-Joon replied.
Since there were no customers present, he escorted her to the door.
So they’ll be done clearing the dungeon by tomorrow morning? Kim Do-Joon thought as he watched her leave.
If so, the cleanup party would likely be allowed entry tomorrow or the day after.
Kim Do-Joon had to get ready. As he was about to return to the shop, thinking about the materials that he had to pack, he spotted a dark, blurry figure in the distance. It was a giant, majestic tree shrouded in mist—much like the tree that swallowed the Little Prince's planet.
Yggdrasil, the World Tree, was an enigma that simultaneously released monsters onto Earth and created superhuman beings called Awakeners. It had appeared long before Kim Do-Joon was born.
On the day Yggdrasil sprang into being, strange characters appeared before every person on Earth.
[Planet V2 – FRD48295]
[The planet has met the criteria for habitation and exceeded the required number of intelligent life forms. Sufficient nutrients have been gathered.]
[The seed of the World Tree is germinating.]
Massive tree roots then sprouted out of the ground in various places unleashing monsters that caused the world to undergo rapid changes. However, that wasn't the only thing that changed.
Although most of the roots gave birth to monsters, a few seemed to serve a different purpose. Unlike the sinister and twisted roots, these grew unusually straight and had crimson flower buds that bloomed once a year at their tips. Every time they did, glittering particles spread out like a flock of stars.
[Spores are spreading.]
The spores stuck to people as if they had their own will. Since they were so tiny that not even walls and clothes could block them, hiding from them proved quite useless. The people these particles attached to would eventually become known as Awakeners in this new world.
Six years ago, some of those spores had stuck to Kim Do-Joon’s neck. He could still vividly remember that moment. From the back of his neck, a sharp sensation arose and pierced through him. As if roots were taking hold of his body, the dreadful feeling then spread to the rest of his physique.
[Name: Kim Do-Joon]
[Body: Scanning in progress…]
[Mana Aptitude: Mid-High]
[Skills: Engraving in progress…]
[All processes have been completed.]
Kim Do-Joon began living the life of a Potion Crafter from that moment. Since he could not possibly cover the hospital bills with just his monthly salary alone, he left his previous job and started his own business with the severance pay.
At first, Kim Do-Joon ran a simple street stall by dungeon entrances. Six years later, he had set up a small but decent shop, and his current income had become incomparable to when he had been working for a company. It was a world of difference. Perhaps that was why people were so crazy about becoming Awakeners.
These days, books like How to Become an Awakener in 10 Years! or Be Proactive, Go After the World Tree’s Spores! were extremely popular among the youth. The problem was that none of the books were reliable.
Well, what does that have to do with me?
It did not matter to Kim Do-Joon anymore. He was already an Awakener, after all. Hence, he dismissed the lingering thoughts with a stretch.
Ha… I'll just close the shop before evening and get ready to enter the dungeon.
Later that day, Kim Do-Joon began preparing for tomorrow.
***
The next day, Kim Do-Joon joined the other Gatherers waiting in front of Seorim Park. As he sat down, Mr. Jang, who regularly spoke to him, greeted him.
"Joining us today, Mr. Kim?" Mr. Jang said.
"Hello, Mr. Jang," Kim Do-Joon replied.
"How are you feeling today? Do you think you’ll be able to gather a full load?"
"That goes without saying."
Mr. Jang chuckled. "Haha, it’s great to be young."
Kim Do-Joon just smiled faintly in response.
Kim Do-Joon was already thirty-five years old, an age where some might even call him "Mister," yet he was one of the younger ones present. Young Awakeners were normally busy attending academies or schools and doing whatever it took to become Hunters. Those who gave up on becoming a Hunter often ended up becoming Gatherers.
In the eyes of youngsters, Gathering was nothing more than an unglamorous occupation with unstable income. Unlike Hunters, they did not receive significant government support. Moreover, even if they went through the trouble of joining a cleanup party, they could still end up striking out if they entered a dungeon that only had a few resources to offer.
"Mr. Do-Joon," Lee Ji-Ah greeted.
"Good morning, Ms. Ji-Ah. Thank you for yesterday," Kim Do-Joon said.
"No problem. Thank you for the coffee yesterday."
Seeing Lee Ji-Ah bow in response to Kim Do-Joon’s gratitude, Mr. Jang chimed in. "Huh? What's going on between you two?"
"Nothing," Lee Ji-Ah replied.
"Hmm. Are you sure?" Mr. Jang asked with suspicion.
"Yes," Lee Ji-Ah replied firmly.
Mr. Jang pursed his lips, disappointed that the teasing did not get to her. He then glanced at Kim Do-Joon and shook his head. Mr. Jang often complained to Kim Do-Joon that Lee Ji-Ah was difficult to deal with.
Kim Do-Joon smiled, amused by the scene, then looked at the entrance of the dungeon.
The dungeon entrance did not look like the shimmering portals commonly seen in games or movies. Rather, the Awakeners entered and exited dungeons through the roots of the massive World Tree.
Kim Do-Joon watched the raid team assigned to conquer the dungeon stream out of the dungeon entrance. Despite being covered in dirt and monster blood, the Hunters seemed happy. They had likely only suffered a few injuries and no casualties.
"Just a moment."
After excusing herself, Lee Ji-Ah approached the Hunters. She returned shortly.
Clap, clap.
"They say they have completed the first phase of the raid. Cleanup party, please get ready," Lee Ji-Ah told the people gathered in front of the entrance.
A man raised his hand. "How much time do we have?"
"You have until midnight," Lee Ji-Ah replied.
The man was surprised. "Midnight?"
Although they were usually given at least three days, they didn’t even have a full day this time. The others also seemed surprised and dissatisfied.
"This dungeon's mana wave is somewhat unstable, so the higher-ups want to close it as soon as possible," Lee Ji-Ah explained.
Although dungeons could be forcibly closed by defeating the boss, they would still close naturally if left alone. That said, an unstable mana wave meant that they only had a bit of time left before the dungeon closed. Hence, when dealing with unstable dungeons, Gatherers were given only a small amount of time.
"I might not even be able to fill up a basket today then."
"It can’t be helped. We have to follow what the higher-ups say."
"Don't be so discouraged. At least we got work."
Kim Do-Joon stood silently amid the murmuring crowd of Gatherers, biting his lips.
I guess I’ll just be earning pocket money today.
The pay wouldn’t be bad, but he was always in need of money—especially now that he was receiving payment reminder calls from the Hospital Administration Department. Still, at least he had work. If he was lucky, he might even be able to put out the urgent fires.
"Let's get going then!" Mr. Jang said cheerfully.
The cleanup party entered the dungeon. One by one, they touched the roots, and they immediately disappeared. Kim Do-Joon was the last to enter.
Huh?
However, just as he touched the roots, he had a strange feeling—an uneasiness unlike anything he had felt before.
What's going on?
He couldn’t make sense of it. However, since the feeling of discomfort was minimal, he just attributed it to his mood.
[You have discovered a treasure room.]
That evening, only Kim Do-Joon did not make it out of the dungeon.
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