[Hunter Association President Park Sang-min Achieves 98% Gate Conquest Success Rate This Quarter!]
[S-Rank Hunter Choi Ji-na Channels a Goddess! The Dungeon Suit She's Wearing Sells Out Instantly!]
The bus stop billboard flashed brightly.
The screen was packed with all the smug assholes who had it made.
Muscular builds, sharp features, and that arrogant glint in their eyes.
The face of Park Sang-min, the S-Rank Hunter dubbed the strongest of the modern era and president of the Hunter Association, took up the whole damn screen.
Next to him was Choi Ji-na, the top beauty among S-Rank Hunters, winking in a skin-tight suit that showed off her cleavage.
"Tch."
He spat on the ground.
His mouth tasted bitter.
Fuck this shit, the world is so goddamn unfair.
Passersby glanced his way.
He pulled his cap down low.
Whether it was contempt or disdain, he didn't care—it just soured his mood all the same.
He pulled out his phone and logged into the Hunter Gallery, the go-to community for hunter-related shit.
With anonymity as his mask, his fingers flew across the screen.
📰 Hunter Gallery PostTitle: Park Sang-min's a total fraud, right? LOL Content: Everyone knows he just barks orders from the back and swoops in for the finishing blow. Sick of all these ass-kissers. And Choi Ji-na? She's just hunting on looks and tits. If you're a healer, stay in the back—why's she always stealing the spotlight?
Post submitted.
He hit refresh, and comments started trickling in.
💬 Comments— AnonymousWhat a retard LOL. Earn as much as Park Sang-min's toenail clippings and I'll respect you.— AnonymousBasement-dwelling Yeopo shows up. Go get a job, you loser.— AnonymousInferiority complex much? LOL. Jealous? Awaken yourself then.— AnonymousOP's dick is probably 3cm LOL.
"These fucking assholes."
His fingers trembled with rage.
Even when he spits facts, they lose their shit.
That last comment grated the most.
"It's 3.4cm, you fucker."
The world was unfair from the start.
Some are born with S-Rank talent, raking in cash like it's nothing.
Others scrape by on convenience store gigs, surviving on discarded bentos.
That was Lee Jun's life.
He wasn't handsome.
Not smart either.
No rich family.
Even his pride as a man—that thing between his legs—was pathetic.
Every trip to the bathhouse was a frantic cover-up with a towel.
Is this what life was?
If God existed, he'd grab him by the collar and demand a balance patch.
"Fuck, this pisses me off. Just let me awaken already, goddamn it!"
He flipped off the sky out of habit.
That's when it happened.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have awakened.
"Huh?"
He froze in the middle of the sidewalk.
He rubbed his eyes.
Hallucination?
Has sleep deprivation finally driven him insane?
But the blue window didn't vanish.
It glowed even brighter.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙You have acquired the trait: Into the Comics (Lv. 1).
"W-what? For real? Actual awakening?"
His voice must've been loud.
Two college girls passing by whispered and pointed.
"Look at that guy, talking to himself."
"He's nuts. Let's hurry."
"Wow, he's seriously ugly."
Normally, he'd hang his head in shame and curse inwardly, but not now.
A system message floated before his eyes.
His heart pounded like mad.
Euphoria bubbled up from deep inside.
Thrill. Catharsis.
Words didn't matter.
None could capture his feelings.
Was this the awakening everyone talked about?
Was he finally a hunter?
His life was turning around!
"Hahaha! Jackpot! Fucking jackpot!"
He laughed like a maniac and bolted to his studio apartment.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Huff, huff."
He slammed the door shut and collapsed.
His lungs burned, but the grin wouldn't fade.
His cramped 5-pyeong one-room felt like a palace today.
"Status window! Status window!"
⚔ STATUS ⚔⚡ Strength: 1💨 Agility: 1✨ Charm: -20Traits: Into the Comics (Lv. 1)Skills: NoneName: Lee Jun | Age: 24
"What the fuck with these stats...? Charm's negative? And Into the Comics? What kind of ability is that?"
Normal hunters got straightforward shit like 'Flame Manipulation' or 'Sword Mastery'—even 'Robust Body' would do.
His trait sounded sketchy as hell.
Did it really mean entering comics?
He tapped the trait description.
⚙ TRAIT: Into the Comics ⚙Allows entry into comic worlds you enjoy. Currently accessible worlds: 3 Entry limit: 0/1 Warning: Once entered, you cannot access other comics until you see the ending or die. Trait level-up increases accessible and enterable worlds. On first entry, you must acquire at least 1 reward to exit. Subsequent entries allow free access. Time in comic worlds is independent; real-world time freezes during stays.
"...Holy shit."
His jaw dropped.
It was literally entering comics.
Ones he actually enjoyed, no less.
His bookshelf overflowed with comics—webtoons, manga, published stuff. He'd devoured them all, a total otaku.
All those worlds as his playground?
But time was the issue.
Spend years there, and he'd age to dust in reality, right?
He skimmed the bottom note.
Real-world time freezes.
"...Freezes?"
He rubbed his eyes and read again.
"Fuck!"
He jumped up, yelling.
"Time stop? This trait is broken as hell!"
Jackpot of jackpots.
Entering comics was OP enough.
Train 10 years or 100, and not a second passes in reality.
No stingy 2-day limit—just infinite mental and temporal space.
While others train a year, he could train a century.
"Kiyoooooot!"
He rolled on the bed, screaming.
Flung pillows, kicked blankets.
"I'm the best! I'm a god! Park Sang-min? Choi Ji-na? Bring it! I'll crush you all! Choi Ji-na, spread 'em—Lee Jun's cum is coming!"
Basement-dwelling otaku convenience store clerk Lee Jun was gone.
He couldn't calm down.
The joy was overwhelming.
He wanted to brag to someone.
But his only "friends" were faceless netizens.
He logged back into Hunter Gallery, face set in grim determination, and hit compose.
📰 Hunter Gallery PostTitle: Listen up, you wannabe hunter losers. Your bro awakened. Content: No matter how much you keyboard warriors type, we're in different leagues now. My power? You'd never get it with your pea brains. S-Rank? Fuck off. Mine's beyond that. You'll see my name in the news soon. Line up now and regret nothing, you fucks LOL.
He slammed enter.
His chest felt wide open.
Comments poured in fast.
💬 Comments— AnonymousHere we go again, retard. Time for your meds.— AnonymousThis guy's obsessed. Always trash-talking others.— AnonymousS-Rank my ass LOL. Stick to F-Rank porter work.— AnonymousNo proof? Fake as shit.— AnonymousLOL bullshit overload. Go wash your feet and sleep.
"Puhaha! Cute little shits."
Normally, he'd dive into a swear-fest, but now? He didn't give a fuck.
You lot finger-bash monitors forever.
Bro's a god-tier hunter now.
'Oh right. The job.'
He grabbed his phone and texted the boss.
[Quitting the part-time gig. Settle my pay however. No deposit in 15 days, I'm reporting to Labor Board.]
Shift started in an hour, but who cares.
Boss called; he blocked him instantly.
Set an alarm.
'If I'm in there, I'll forget real time flows.'
Critical stuff.
[If no convenience store pay in 15 days, go to Labor Board]
'Alarm set. Prepped.'
Tossed the phone, pulled up status again.
"Alright, time for the real game."
⚙ ACCESSIBLE WORLDS: 3 ⚙Three worlds await. System displays rewards and acquisition conditions.
Three options stared back.
Pick wisely—can't leave till a reward's claimed.
"Ooh... Iron-Blooded Alchemist. Classic."
He tapped it—and cursed instantly.
🌍 1. Iron-Blooded AlchemistGenre: Dark Fantasy, Battle Difficulty: Extreme (User stats) Reward 1: Skill - Intermediate Alchemy → Pass National Library Entrance Exam. Reward 2: Artifact - Homunculus Recipe → Gather Philosopher's Stone materials (1,000 humans). Reward 3: Authority - Chamber of Truth → Attempt human transmutation & sacrifice body part.
"You're shitting me?"
Great comic, sure—but entering it? Hell no.
Alchemy basics were calculus-level; quantum physics IQ required.
Protagonists were child prodigies.
Him? Math 7th grade on college entrance exam. A total math dunce.
Die of old age taking the exam?
And Reward 3? Human transmutation? Body sacrifice?
Is he insane?
No escape without a reward.
Pass. Hard pass.
🌍 2. Love and PeaceGenre: Romance, School Life, Harem, Pure Love Difficulty: High (User stats) Reward 1: Stat - Charm +50 → Reach lover status with main heroine. Reward 2: Trait - Pheromone → Conquer 3 sub-heroines. Reward 3: Trait - Harem King → Max affection with all heroines & dominate school.
"Heh heh heh..."
Drool pooled at his mouth.
Title screamed busty beauties.
Date 'em, build a harem—heaven.
Rewards were godsend: Charm boost, pheromones.
Real-world girls lining up.
But.
He eyed the mirror.
Skinny gut, dry skin, sunken eyes.
Objectively ugly.
"Sigh..."
Obvious fate: Hero snags girls; he's extra A, sucking his thumb in the corner.
Or errand boy.
Heroines had sky-high standards.
He'd fail, trapped forever as a loser—out only at death.
"Wait for me. I'll sculpt this body and return. Turn that school into pussy paradise."
Tears held back. On hold.
One left.
🌍 3. Abyss MinerGenre: Fantasy, Grind, Growth Difficulty: Low (User stats) Reward 1: Stat - All Stats +10 → Register as Miner Apprentice. Reward 2: Trait - Steel Body (B) → Mine 1,000 Iron Ore. Reward 3: Trait - Earth's Blessing → Slay 100 Abyss Moss Slimes.
"This is it."
Fist clenched.
Conditions perfect.
No brains, no face needed.
Just labor.
Apprentice? Line up.
1,000 ore? Grind it out.
Infinite time—1 year or 10, just mine.
Rewards insane.
Steel Body: Legendary. Turns his weak ass Captain America-strong.
Slimes: Floor 1 playground. Moss-eating jellies roll harmlessly.
Zero risk, sure reward.
Return buffed: Ripped body, base stats up.
'Then hit Love and Peace.'
Perfect plan.
"Plus..."
A scene flashed: Miners' Guild receptionist from episode 1.
Shirt buttons straining over epic cleavage.
Sweat-sheened bra lines.
"Heh heh, tire of mining? Eye candy break."
No hesitation. Selected Abyss Miner.
⚔ WORLD ENTRY ⚔Selected World: Abyss Miner First entry. Minimum exit condition: Acquire 1+ reward. Enter?
"Like I'd say no! Let's go!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Chatter and clamor assaulted his ears.
"Line up, newbies! Don't just stand there like idiots!"
"No quota filled, no food! Break your pickaxe, deduct from pay!"
Dust, thick sweat, faint metallic tang stung his nose.
Vaulted ceiling blocked by rock, massive glowing stones blazed like daylight.
'Heh. Straight from episode 1.'
This was Lumina Mine Village, starting hub of Abyss Miner.