Prologue

Everyone has probably imagined it at least once.

The lottery ticket that was bought a few days ago won first prize, letting one become a billionaire overnight.

Digging in the yard and finding gold or oil.

Or some man dressed in an expensive suit coming and telling you, ‘You are the child of a famous chief director’, and that you are to receive an inheritance.

But this kind of imagination loses its appeal as soon as one thinks about it.

The probability is too low, and one already knows that such luck is not theirs.

I was the same.

I never expected that such luck would come into my life of misfortune.

Of course, it’s totally different from the scenarios I mentioned at the beginning, but even so…

I rubbed my eyes and dazedly stared at the translucent screen floating in front of me.

[ Equipment Item

Name: Odin’s Lost Eye

Rating: Mythic

Odin, the mightiest of all the gods of Aesir, gave up this eye in order to attain wisdom from Mimir.

Upon Equipping, the user gains the ability to decipher runes, and may reverse any form of magic to either nullify or destroy them.

*The only Mythic-Tier item in the world.

*Warning! Soulbound on equipping!

Effects

1. Skill 《Absolute Calculation》

2. With a complete understanding of runes, all kinds of powerful magic can be used without casting.

3. Blank cards can be consumed to copy another person’s skills.

*When copying skills, penalties do not carry over.

Blank cards in possession: 1 ]

The only Mythic item in the world.

An item that I couldn’t even name a price for fell into my hands.

“Is this real?”

Of course—

[ *Warning! Bound once equipped! ]

—there was a slight problem.

Chapter 1: Lucky Day (1)

“You crazy bastard! You’re telling me to be a meat shield!”

“No, hyeong. Don’t take it the wrong way. Besides, you said you needed the money, right?”

Even with Umin Jeong dissuading him, Jaehyeon Min shouted angrily. Jaehyeon’s voice rang out through the interior of the cafe.

Jaehyeon glared at Umin Jeong, who was standing in front of him, while biting his lip in frustration.

Damn. No wonder he said he’d take me along on a dungeon raid.

He had wondered why Umin Jeong was contacting him out of the blue.

Umin Jeong.

Jaehyeon’s partner from the Raider agency. He was someone that took care of and distributed work to freelance raiders that weren’t part of any guild.

So when Jaehyeon was contacted by Umin Jeong, he thought there was work he could do for a change.

But when he heard the request—Damn.

Stand on the front line with a shield in a dungeon full of undead monsters.

It basically meant that they would use him as a meat shield in a dangerous situation.

Ha…

Of course, it wasn’t that Umin Jeong didn’t understand where Jaehyeon was coming from.

However, there was no other way.

Jaehyeon Min was a lower mid-level D-tier raider among the Awakened. And a Brawler at that.

It wasn’t like he was more experienced or skilled than his tier implied. So the treatment Jaehyeon was currently receiving could be said to be natural.

Jaehyeon sighed and lowered his volume.

“Why are there only jobs like this left, when those with a lower tier than me get pretty good jobs?!”

“Well, you know how it is, hyeong. Nowadays, there aren’t many places that like to hire Brawler-class raiders even if they are high-tiered.”

“So, are you insulting me for being a drawler? Jeez, I apologize for the grave sin of preferring the arts.”

Drawler.

It was basically a derogatory term for a raider that specialized in combat.

Fundamentally, Awakened raiders were classified as either Brawlers or Mages, but Mage-class raiders could get quite a lot of commissions even if they are low-tiered.

On the other hand, the situation wasn’t that great for Brawlers.

Umin Jeong took a sip from the cup of coffee in front of him and spoke.

“In reality… that’s true. Nowadays, the Mages are taking up all the jobs. Martial artists are pretty slow in completing tasks and have a higher rate of injury, so they aren’t the first choice for employers.”

That was the bitter truth.

Compared to those that hunted monsters from the rear, martial artists that were in the front could only receive more injuries.

And it went without saying how superior Mages were in large-scale combat.

At Umin Jeong’s words, Jaehyeon gulped down the iced Americano in his hand.

Clack!

Jaehyeon put the glass down with a bang and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

I’m aware. It would have been different if it was 10 years ago. But now, there is nowhere a martial artist can go. Damn… I should have chosen to be a Mage back then…

<11 years ago, back in his third year of middle school>

Jaehyeon got a good score on the awakening aptitude test and entered the Milles Academy, which specialized in raider training.

At the time, the score Jaehyeon got on his magic aptitude test was a whopping 97%.

Even the score of the current top Mage in Korea—I-na Seo—was merely 92%, so Jaehyeon’s score at that time could be said to be out of this world.

On the other hand, his combat score was just 34%.

However, Jaehyeon still chose martial arts.

He didn’t have any great reason or grand purpose for doing so. There was just a tendency to disdain Mages at the time.

Of course, it was the opposite now. Martial artists had waned, and Mages were worshipped.

If I had chosen to be a Mage eleven years ago, would my life be better right now?

Jaehyeon shook his head to get rid of useless thoughts.

Normally, a raider’s growth stopped in their 20s.

In other words, even if Jaehyeon regretted it now, nothing would change.

At one time, his talent was envied by all those who wished to be a Mage.

However, he was now a D-tier raider with nothing special about him.

The difference between Jaehyeon’s past and present was incredibly vast.

After a moment of silence passed—

The person who started the conversation again was Umin Jeong.

“Hyeong. Such opportunities don’t come by very often. I was going to give this chance to someone else, but I remembered your circumstances. So I came to you first.”

“……”

Jaehyeon knew from the very beginning that he didn’t have a choice. If he wanted to survive in his situation, he couldn’t do so by avoiding rough work.

<A moment later>

Jaehyeon spoke after contemplating the situation.

“I understand. I’ll do it.”

“You’re making the right choice, hyeong.”

A smile spread across Umin Jeong’s face.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow at 8 o’clock. I’ll text you the location beforehand. Don’t be late.”

“What do you mean, ‘see you’? You’re also busy with stuff for the agency. Don’t worry about it, just do what you have to do.”

At Jaehyeon’s words, Umin Jeong laughed slightly and whispered in a low voice.

“No, I also have something to do there tomorrow. See you tomorrow, hyeong.”

* * *

<The next day>

Despite what he said, Umin Jeong couldn’t be seen at the entrance of the dungeon.

Time quickly passed from the 8 o’clock he’d promised to meet Umin Jeong at, and it got closer to 9 o’clock. Jaehyeon strolled around the dungeon entrance by himself and mumbled.

“…Umin Jeong, that bastard. He talked about meeting today, but I can’t even see his shadow. It would have been better if he hadn’t said he was coming.”

Then again, for Umin Jeong, it would be better to take care of those with better talent.

He was merely a D-tier brawler, but Umin Jeong was an A-tier Mage. A tier that obviously received good treatment wherever they went.

There was no way such a person could be dedicated to just him.

To begin with, I don’t know why such a guy is working in a mere raider agency…

He could become a part of any guild. But to think he’s wasting his time at the agency…

It was not something Jaehyeon could comprehend. But since he was receiving help with this and that due to it, he didn’t think too deeply into the matter.

Everyone has their own circumstances after all.

Jaehyeon let out a sigh as he observed his surroundings.

As soon as he did so, he saw brawler raiders in the same situation as him.

There were a little over forty of them. As they wiped their tiny shields, everyone’s expression showed they knew they were facing their deaths.

If they wipe them any more, they might bore a hole in their shields.

This time, he turned to look in the other direction.

Unlike the indifferent laborers, the Mages had a cordial atmosphere with bright expressions.

Even with just a look, one could see that it was a top guild filled with high-tiered raiders. It was worthy of its name, the Yuseong Guild, which was becoming famous as a rookie guild lately.

Seeing the view in front of him, Jaehyeon reflected on his own circumstance.

Truthfully, he hadn’t wanted to participate in this raid.

However, the deposit for the room he was renting right now was 5 million won plus 350,000 rent. Thinking about the money that went out every month for food and armor repair, as well as the little bits that went out for miscellaneous things, there was no other option except to go on a raid.

Of course, seeing as he was still only 27, Jaehyeon could ask his parents for help.

Above all, his father—Seong-o Min—was an A-tier raider. One of the people envied by all citizens.

Unfortunately, his father had no love for him. The same could be said for his mother, who had already passed away.

Seong-o Min.

Jaehyeon’s father, who physically and verbally abused the two of them, was so-called human trash.

That was why he left home penniless the moment he became an adult.

He wanted to get out of his father’s shadow.

But as a result, Jaehyeon ended up in poverty.

It wasn’t that he had never tried to do other jobs. But this was the only thing he learned at the academy, so he found that other jobs didn’t suit him. He couldn’t last long at other places and always came back.

Well, the result was that he was now in a situation where he was repairing his shield to be a meat shield himself.

A familiar voice could be heard from behind Jaehyeon, who was deep in thought for a moment.

“Huh? Jaehyeon! We’re meeting here again, huh?”

Jaehyeon turned to look in the direction where the voice was coming from. Soon, the familiar face of a middle-aged man appeared in Jaehyeon’s sight.

Myeongho Lee.

Jaehyeon had met him a few times in dungeons as a scout since he was a brawler raider like Jaehyeon.

“Myeongho hyeong, you came as well?”

“Yeah. There’s not a lot of work these days… These kinds of jobs may be a bit dangerous, but they pay a lot.”

“Yeah… Well, that’s true. Especially since…”

“And there’s no place for brawler raiders other than this. Right? Anyway, kids nowadays don’t have any love for the sword. What’s so cool about sending out a fireball from the rear?”

What ‘love’? I’m about to starve to death.

Of course, he didn’t let those words leave his mouth. He merely sighed and shrugged.

Myeongho Lee shook his head to show he didn’t care much about it and put a hand on Jaehyeon’s shoulder.

“Well, regardless. Let’s do our best this time, too. So, do you want to go drink soju after this?”

“Yeah… sounds good. But I don’t have much money right now…”

“No can do. I paid last time, too.”

At Myeongho Lee’s stern words, Jaehyeon’s shoulders drooped and he made a pitiful expression.

Myeongho Lee looked at him with sympathy for a moment, then scratched his head as he spoke.

“Ah! Alright. Alright! Then I’ll pay for it this final time!”

He’s a really easy guy.

Jaehyeon laughed internally.

This was exactly the eighth time he was getting free drinks.

“Everyone, gather at the dungeon entrance! We will enter in 30 minutes.”

At the sudden announcement from a member of the guild, Jaehyeon and Myeongho Lee lost their spirits.

The two quickly moved toward the area where the voice was coming from.

At that moment, Jaehyeon abruptly stopped walking and turned on the phone he took out from his chest pocket.

“Jaehyeon. Why aren’t you coming?”

Seeing that Jaehyeon hadn’t followed him, Myeongho Lee turned around and looked at what Jaehyeon was doing.

A smile promptly spread on Myeongho Lee’s face.

“Ha! Are you looking at your smartphone again? You seem to always do that before going into a dungeon. What are you looking at so diligently? Are you looking at a picture of your girlfriend?”

“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Jaehyeon’s stiff expression softened a little.

On the old smartphone’s screen, there was a picture of his younger self and his mother, Seonhwa Lee.

A slightly bitter smile appeared on Jaehyeon’s face.

I’ll come back safely.

Jaehyeon turned his phone to dungeon mode and stuck close to Myeongho Lee. Without losing his smile, he was sucked into the dungeon along with Myeongho Lee.

* * *

“Hey! Tank! Raise your shield properly. Keep the line straight!”

“Fuck! Why can’t you understand human language? Maintain your position even if you die!”

The guild Mage that Jaehyeon was guarding didn’t stop with the curses and verbal abuse. Since it was a scouting mission with their lives on the line, the Mages were also high-strung.

The Brawlers, including Jaehyeon, had their own tasks.

While the Mages were casting, the Brawlers had to secure the battle line and block the monsters’ attacks endlessly.

“The glittering lights of Alfheim…”

“Flames under Surt’s command, destroy all enemies in sight…”

During that time, the Mages would aim and shoot spells at the monsters using cringey casting.

Crash!

The monsters that were running toward the Brawlers turned to ashes in an instant.

“Phew…”

The hand holding his shield was covered in sweat. Jaehyeon panted as he returned to his position on the battle line.

All the monsters that appeared in the dungeon this time were the undead type.

They came back to life even when killed, so they had to be either cut down with weapons filled with holy power or hit with holy magic. They were monsters that were complicated to deal with.

Kieeeehhhhh!

Kaaaak!

However, displaying the power of a guild of Mages, the members of Yuseong quickly disposed of the undead monsters.

If it’s going to continue like this, I don’t have to worry about dying.

Jaehyeon recalled what had happened yesterday and considered himself stupid for spending the whole day worrying. At the speed they were proceeding, it wasn’t too much to say that they could clear the dungeon by evening.

The bitter fight against the monsters continued for four hours.

The raid captain looked around the razed dungeon, then he stopped walking and spoke.

“This place seems roughly done. Let’s rest for a while!”

“Everyone heard that, right? We’re resting here for a while before continuing! Raiders who were at the front! Come back!”

At the words from the raid captain and guild member, those that were walking in front turned around.

Myeongho Lee, who was walking right beside Jaehyeon, began to speak.

“Wow… Any way you look at it, this place is massive.”

“Yeah. With this size, we could probably build a soccer field here.”

Jaehyeon spoke in agreement as he looked around.

It truly was a huge dungeon.

I’m not sure if it’s because it’s an A-tiered dungeon, but it sure is enormous.

The dungeon the Yuseong Guild was currently trying to clear was A-tiered. According to a news article that came out recently, this was the first time a rookie guild attempted to clear an A-tiered dungeon so quickly.

I don’t want to admit it, but a guild of Mages… truly is strong.

A few doors that looked like cave entrances could be seen amidst the foggy darkness.

One of those doors probably led to the boss room.

Jaehyeon looked at the row of doors and gulped.

However great of a rookie guild Yuseong was, this was an A-tier dungeon where hundreds of elite raiders died every year.

It was not a place that permitted carelessness.

“Whew… is the boss room the only place left?”

Jaehyeon caught his breath as he sat on a folding chair at the edge and did some stretching.

<At that moment>

“Huh?”

All the strength in his body suddenly left him, and Jaehyeon started to waver like a sheet of paper.

[ ……The Aesir System is downloading.

User connection will be temporarily interrupted.

The system is rebooting. ]

“Huh? What is this…”

A voice spoke out of the blue.

Jaehyeon focused on the machine tone in his ears with a dazed expression.

Shouldn’t the Aesir System already be downloaded? There hasn’t been anything like this until now.

However, the confusing messages did not stop there.

[ …The Aesir System could not reboot due to unknown reasons. ]

Rebooting… failed?

The system downloading and the reboot failing were all things that were happening for the first time.

The strange situation, one that he had never seen on the awakened community’s raider bulletin board, continued. Jaehyeon’s mind became blank in an instant.

<At that moment>

A voice from an unknown source started to calmly spread inside Jaehyeon’s head.

「……light………follow……」

[ An unknown presence is infiltrating the Aesir System!

Returning to safe mode.

…failed! ]

An unknown presence…? What the hell was the voice from a moment ago…

“Did it say… to follow the light?”

“Huh? Jaehyeon, what do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just now, I thought I heard someone tell me to follow the…”

Jaehyeon was unable to finish his sentence.

Oooowoooowowww….

A firefly shining with a white light wavered in front of his eyes.

This light… was it saying that I should follow this light?

Jaehyeon swallowed nervously.

What on earth is happening right now?