Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Start
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Dungeon of Gate.
A roguelite RPG where you progress with a randomly generated protagonist, recruit various characters, and conquer gates to grow stronger.
Dead characters can't be revived, and if the player dies, that's it. You're ejected straight to the main screen, and your save is gone—a classic roguelike.
Despite its excellent gameplay, it never gained mass appeal due to these features.
Think about it.
Your painstakingly nurtured characters wipe out from one mistake, with no way to turn back.
Sure, you can recruit similar performers, but after bonding with them, can you stay cold-hearted when they die?
Countless players couldn't handle that twist and left, never to return.
Me? That's exactly why I loved it.
The thrill of all your efforts vanishing in an instant.
The countless variables from randomness.
Unlike games you quit after one clear, this one stayed fresh for the long haul.
On the monitor, a sword-wielding male character led a colorful party trailing behind.
This run felt promising.
Top-tier abilities from the start, plus item luck that was downright abnormal.
No exaggeration to say it was the best of my last hundred runs.
At this rate, a smooth ending was in sight.
I was conquering gates, tension eased.
"What the fuck?!"
One early party member suddenly backstabbed me.
It morphed into a stranger and ditched the party.
A criminal with transformation powers.
The bullshit event where they impersonate an ally and betray at the worst moment.
Ejected to the main screen without warning, I plunged into massive regret.
Losing a 14-hour save was bad enough, but this was peak run material.
I'd just assembled the endgame squad.
All that was left was to savor the high, but it ended so pointlessly.
Shut down and sleep?
No more gaming mood.
Still, quitting felt wasteful, so I moused up to the center.
"Just make a new character and call it."
I hit 'Random Character Generation'.
*
"Congratulations. We support your new journey as an E-rank Hunter. A basic orientation for new hunters will begin shortly in the auditorium, so please take your seat by the designated time."
The office lady handed me my hunter license and a thin booklet in a polite but businesslike tone.
Name: Han Yujin, Age: 27, Rank: E-rank
Unfamiliar face, unfamiliar identity.
I'd thought I'd adjusted over the past week, but the fresh-off-the-press license felt awkward still.
Guess I wasn't fully adapted.
I skimmed the booklet titled [Basics for New Hunters!] and headed to the auditorium.
'Isekai into a game, huh...'
I'd only meant to check the new character and crash.
Denial lasts a day or two; after a week, I accepted my lot.
Had to. No money otherwise.
Opening the auditorium door, I was hit by the buzz and excitement of dozens packed inside.
Tiered seats filled with fellow newbies.
Few were prior Awakeners just now registering; most fresh Awakeners.
Some faces stiff with nerves, but most rode the high of transcendent power, chatting away.
Seemed ordinary at a glance.
But underneath, subtle ability flexing and superiority plays.
One guy stood out sharply.
"You've heard of it, right? Barrier Creation. Association staff praised it—top-tier support ability."
A man boasting loudly to about ten admirers.
One questioned him.
"But high-end raids barely use supports, no? Healers cover it anyway."
He scoffed like it was ridiculous.
"Old news. You know Arang Guild? Their main raid support has the same power as me."
"Whoa..."
Claiming parity with a Four Great Guilds main raider.
Envy and jealousy mixed in their stares, but they fawned to network anyway.
I sat, eyeing the braggart already assuming guild recruitment, and recalled his info.
'Shin Sanghyeon, Barrier Creation, traits: pathological liar and attention whore.'
Stuck out first in DoG's tutorial combat training, so memorable.
Recruited him often till I graduated newbie phase.
Now as a vet, one sentence: 'Barely worth considering for early gates when you're stuck.'
Even ignoring party friction from bad traits, potential sucked.
C-grade ceiling, no matter how you raised him.
Plus a superior with S-rank guarantee and same ability later—though not early.
Better grab others despite early hardship—then I wry-smiled at my situation.
One word in my hazy status window's ability slot.
[Illusion]
Useless in combat, non-combat type. Bottom of strategy site tier lists.
Few early monsters it worked on; needs massive growth to pull weight—late-game oriented.
Even then, payoff not higher than others.
That time invested? Reroll physical enhancement and endgame already.
In-game, instant restart, no glance.
Gloomy as hell, but my reality.
Mulling countermeasures—
—Bam!
Auditorium front doors burst open; heavy footsteps crushed the noise.
"Everyone sit. Shut your traps and face front."
No mic, yet his thick bass boomed through.
Shin Sanghyeon and crew scrambled to seats; silence fell.
"Welcome, newbies. I'm Kim Jintae, handling your basics today."
He scanned from the central podium.
Where his gaze hit, shoulders hunched instinctively.
Not just bulk or voice—true 'hunter' aura from surviving countless kill lines.
"Feeling like comic protagonists now? One power and the world's yours?"
Gaze locked on Shin Sanghyeon's chatter group.
Shin flinched away.
Kim Jintae remote-clicked the projector.
Screen lit: massive 'Survival'.
"Don't delude yourselves. In gates, you're monster chow. My goal: Get you out alive, hungry for more."
He growled on.
"Next hour. Slackers get booted by me. Got it?"
*
Kim Jintae's lecture shattered newbie illusions plenty.
Year-zero death rates, injury types, common monsters.
Dark industry truths, soon their reality.
Faces paled; graphic wound pics sparked dry heaves.
"...That's it. Questions?"
Hour up, excitement gone.
Only harsh reality weighed them down.
"None? Dismissed. Next: B2 virtual combat room."
Packing gear, he added.
"Theory done—time to practice. Basic combat training. Don't be late."
He left; pent-up breaths burst out.
"No way, for real that bad?"
"Fuck, scaring us over nothing..."
Sensations varied, but all rose for next schedule.
Just daunted by the grind ahead—nothing more.
Reconfirmed what they knew; no one bailed scared.
All gone, alone in empty auditorium, I reached my conclusion.
'Hunter life's a no-go.'
With a party, maybe—but solo E-rank push? Suicide.
Decided on alternatives, stood.
Not scared, really.
*
Central lobby—still bustling where newbies registered.
Behind counter, stacks of papers; Kang Jiwon frowned between monitor and docs.
Cross-checking new registrant data, sorting.
Rubbing tired eyes with thumb and forefinger, she sensed someone at desk, snapped head up habitually.
"New registration? Take a number and wait—oh?"
Face familiar; she dug memory.
Han Yujin, last in line, got license from her.
Rare mental ability stuck.
"Han Yujin? Basic combat training's on B2 now, though?"
Too early for kicked out.
His calm face—not scared runaway; missed training for some reason.
"I'll call Kim Jintae for okay—head to B2 now."
"No need. Judged it unnecessary."
"Pardon?"
Phone halfway up, she looked up, unsure she heard right.
"Ah," he explained.
"My ability doesn't mesh with combat, so training wouldn't help much."
Kang Jiwon nearly dropped receptionist mask for weird face.
'No need for training' sounded arrogant but made sense.
Basic training used hologram monster sims from data—not real, so Illusion useless likely.
But declaring it sans experience? Hard to grasp.
"...Then why—or how—did you come? Need something?"
"Pondered my ability's mismatch for hunter work. Thought Association might know uses."
Casual, but intent clear.
She dropped mask, tone cooler.
"You mean Association direct special missions."
"..."
"Special missions for vetted identities/abilities, exclusive hunters. Sorry, not for today's newbie Han Yujin."
Some cocky newbies overreached; she'd handled many as team lead.
But this? First absurd ask from a rookie.
"Other business? If not—"
"How to get ability guarantee?"
Mask off, she glared.
Time for reality check.
"Use it on me here."
"Pardon?"
"If it works even a bit, I'll pitch upstairs. Don't worry about me—got some mental resistance."
Association trained staff periodically, including mental fortitude.
E-rank? No breaching her barrier.
At worst, mild dizziness—enough for interest, solid test.
'Type who needs humiliation for self-awareness.'
Or backed by real skill.
Curious which; slight anticipation.
Her confidence stiffened his face, hesitation gone.
He furrowed brows, glared briefly.
Eyes widened—that was it.
"How's my ability?"
"..."
"Pardon?"
"...Leave now, or I call security."
No effect whatsoever.
Ability use shifts mana flow, detectable.
But mana so faint? No sign.
Wasting time on this amid busyness—self-loathing and rage surged.
Seeing her glare, he slunk back awkwardly.
That day, overtime from wasted time.
Usually teasing colleagues/posteriors backed off at her face, mumbling encouragement.
"I-I'll stay and help!"
"No need. You worked hard—go rest."
Even rookie sent home; hour later, freed.
'Fucking hell...'
Even seasoned with jerks, today's topped stress.
Trudged dusk streets home.
—Beep.
Door unlocked; sanctuary reached, smile finally.
"Mungchi."
Meow. She scooped the sauntering pet cat, rubbing face wildly.
Mungchi freaked, resisted, then resigned.
"Sis had a super tough day..."
—Me?
"Some jerk—confidence S-rank? Absurd, so I said show me your ability."
—Mrowrl, meow!
"Hm? What's up?"
Cat twisted, wanting something; she loosened grip, faced it.
Mungchi stared into her eyes, mouth opened—familiar man's voice.
"How's my ability?"
—Crash!
Glass shatter; Kang Jiwon blinked.
"...........?"
Han Yujin stood before her.
She wore a suit.
She was processing new registrant data at the counter.
......Kang Jiwon was still at work, unchanged.