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Chapter 1: I Became a Tentacle Villain
What if someone offered you 10 billion won to kill a person?
Most people would probably decline.
And if you asked them why, they would certainly spout something about human ethics, morality, and the like.
But the true inner thoughts of a significant number of them are quite different.
‘Is it even possible to kill someone without getting caught?’
In the modern era, amidst countless CCTVs and advanced forensic investigation techniques, killing someone without getting caught has become nearly impossible.
Then let’s alter the question slightly.
‘What if someone offered you 10 billion won to kill a person, under the condition that you would absolutely never get caught?’
They would probably scoff, replying that such a thing couldn't possibly be real.
But still... what if it were possible?
And what if that reward wasn't just 10 billion won, but surpassed 100 billion, or even 1 trillion won?
And what if someone out there actually made that choice, and was currently enjoying immense wealth and happiness without a single shred of guilt?
Could you truly forfeit that opportunity without any hesitation?
If there was even a slight flicker of hesitation in your choice...
Then at the very least, I ask that you refrain from criticizing my decision.
***
Gold spoons. People who live comfortably under wealthy parents, without a single worry about the future.
The very symbols of capitalism, ruling over others simply because they met the right parents, regardless of how incompetent they might be themselves.
They say that a few decades ago, this was the social class that envied the most.
Of course, those with wealthy parents still draw plenty of envy today. But in front of these people, even gold spoons amount to nothing.
Awakened Hunters of the highest echelon.
Those who have awakened traits of S-grade or higher, growing incomparably stronger than others at a much faster pace.
A trait refers to an ability bestowed upon humans by the Goddess once they reach adulthood.
A tiny minority of humans obtain the power to resurrect the dead, while someone else might gain legs that surpass the speed of sound.
Some humans obtain the power to regenerate wounds, or legs that let them run as fast as a car.
However, the vast majority of humans fail to obtain any trait at all.
The probability of awakening an S-grade trait is 0.01%—merely one in ten thousand.
The exact moment it happens, one's life changes entirely. Large conglomerates, professional occupations, gold spoons—none of those things can even bear comparison.
An SS-grade trait occurs once in ten million people, and there are currently only six individuals in all of humanity who possess an SSS-grade trait.
The crucial point was that none of this had anything to do with effort.
And the biggest reason these top-tier Hunters are envied by everyone is because this awakening of traits functions exactly like a mobile game's "gacha."
What prestigious university you graduated from,
how athletic you were,
how handsome you looked,
how wealthy your parents were,
or how virtuous of a human being you were—
none of that mattered in the slightest.
It was simply a gift bestowed by the Goddess upon whoever caught her fancy.
Yet, what directs the Goddess's favor toward a specific human remains entirely unrevealed to this day.
There was a time when she bestowed an SS-grade ability upon a death row convict who had committed horrific serial murders, enabling him to break out of prison. On the other hand, a freedom fighter imprisoned while waging an independence movement awakened an SSS-grade ability and successfully liberated their country.
Therefore, this is the ultimate, one-time gacha of life.
Just like a gold spoon, a single lucky bastard takes all the wealth and fame.
And I am just one of the many left behind in a world that has devolved into a luck-driven, trash-tier game.
****
The man wearing wireless earphones just stared at his phone, as if he hadn't heard a word I said.
I waved my hand to catch his attention.
Only then did the man thrust his card forward with an annoyed expression.
He never took out his earphones.
Even after the payment went through, his eyes remained glued to his smartphone.
Clutching the plastic bag containing his soju, the man walked out into the rainy street.
‘You could at least lift your head.’
Cursing inwardly, I turned my phone back on.
Beep.
"That will be 12,900 won."
The man wearing wireless earphones just stared at his phone, as if he hadn't heard a word I said.
When I waved my hand to catch his attention, only then did the man thrust his card forward with a bothered, annoyed expression.
He didn't remove his earphones, keeping his eyes locked onto his smartphone the entire time.
Even after the payment went through, the man gripped the plastic bag containing his soju and trudged out of the convenience store into the rain.
'You could at least lift your head when you speak.'
Cursing inwardly, I turned on my phone and opened the [Hunter Gallery], just as I always did.
To a convenience store clerk who once dreamed of turning his life around but ended up left behind, this kind of thing is the only source of entertainment left.
Though I had only set my phone down for a few minutes, a mountain of new posts had already been uploaded.
Since most of them were just shitposts, I checked the conceptual posts immediately. There, I found a post that had racked up over 1,000 recommendations despite being uploaded less than five minutes ago.
The moment I saw the title, I instantly understood why.
[Hunter Gallery]
================
[S-Grade Trait Certification]
Author: OneShotLifeReversal
S-grade arrived, let's gooooo LMAO.
Below the text was a photo of a Hunter license adorned with gold foil. The gold foil trim is exclusive to Hunter licenses belonging to those with S-grade traits.
Anonymous (118.235): Wow, I'm so damn jealous.
IWantToSuckTheSaintess'sBoobs: Congrats on reversing your life, congrats.
Anonymous (231.235): What trait did you get?
└ OneShotLifeReversal: Ultimate Fire Magic Enhancement dropped.
└─ Anonymous (231.235): A classic dropped. LMAO. It's a shame it's not a lazy autopilot trait.
└── OneShotLifeReversal: Fact LMAO. But since I graduated from a magic academy, it's fine. I would've been totally screwed if I went down the swordsman or archer tech tree.
└── CloudRoomBangBang: LMAO. Stop acting so spoiled. If an S-grade trait drops, you say thank you even if it's for a swordsman and switch tech trees immediately.
Though the post had only been up for a few minutes, hundreds of comments had already flooded in.
The vast majority of the comments were a mix of envy and jealousy.
TongTongPiPi: Have any guilds contacted you yet? What about the down payment?
└ OneShotLifeReversal: All of the top three guilds in Korea contacted me LMAO. When they offered the contract salary, I thought I misheard for a second. The base salary alone is over 1 billion won.
└─ Anonymous (228.111): Wow, the relative deprivation is hitting insanely hard LMAO. I'm an A-grade myself and already in my fifth year, but I only make 150 million even with all allowances included.
└── TongTongPiPi: Typical girl-style phrasing just to brag about your own salary.
└─── Anonymous (228.111): Why are you suddenly throwing a tantrum? Making it obvious you're a loser?
At some point, the comment section completely devolved into a mess.
I closed my phone.
'I am so damn jealous.'
They say the probability of becoming an S-grade Hunter is one in ten thousand, yet a certification post pops up on the gallery at least once a week.
The gallery average claims to be A or B-grade, and even S-grades wander around like stray cats, casually tossing up posts.
Meanwhile, I couldn't even awaken an F-grade trait, making my forced retirement as a Hunter an absolute certainty.
While it is technically possible to work as a Hunter without awakening a trait, you can't get insurance and no guild will accept you. Attempting a solo Hunter life in that state is nothing short of suicide.
And so, having semi-forcibly given up on the dream of turning my life around as a Hunter, I live a life earning minimum wage at a convenience store, scrolling through gallery posts and wallowing in jealousy.
An Extra #1 and Loser #1 kind of life. That is my reality and my future.
Tring.
Just then, the convenience store door swung open, and a couple walked in. It was a tall man sporting a luxury watch and expensive designer clothes, accompanied by a cute-looking girl with an exceptionally large chest.
"Dinner was so delicious today, Oppa."
"I'll take you somewhere even more expensive next time. There was a 3-star Michelin restaurant I originally wanted to take you to, but it just had to be closed today of all days. Totally ruined my pride as an S-grade Hunter."
"No, it's fine, you even bought me a Louis Vattou bag today."
The two moved toward the inner display shelves glued together as if they would die if they separated, before bringing a box of condoms to the counter.
"Two packs of MarlborX."
I don't even know this guy, yet he's instantly speaking to me informally.
I felt a surge of irritation, but judging from their conversation, the guy was an S-grade Hunter. Getting entangled with him would only result in a loss for me.
Their public displays of affection continued even while I was pulling out the cigarettes.
The man slowly shifted his hand, which had been wrapped around the woman's waist, down toward her buttocks.
"Oppa, don't touch me here. We're in a convenience store."
She sounded like she was refusing, but her voice was laced with aegyo, practically begging him to touch her as much as he wanted.
"It's fine, who cares who's watching."
The man kneaded her buttocks. He didn't do it stealthily or out of sight; he openly squeezed them as if he were working bread dough.
"Ah, Oppa... you're such a pervert."
"Could I ever match Yujin, who loves it even in a situation like this?"
I kept my eyes averted as much as possible while scanning the barcodes.
"Do you need a bag?"
"Then do you expect me to carry all of this in my hands?"
The typical customer-from-hell logic of answering a question with a question. I did my best to pretend I didn't hear the attitude. Responding to people like this only makes them act out even more.
Even as I packed everything into a bag and handed it over, their public display of affection persisted.
No, it actually intensified. It seemed my complete lack of reaction had triggered a sense of challenge in this asshole.
Just as I looked up at the two of them to hand over the bag, the man suddenly grabbed the woman's breast.
"Ah, Oppa?! The clerk is st-staring."
"Yujin's breasts are just so pretty that I can't help myself."
The woman put up a slight resistance, but the S-grade Hunter easily neutralized her efforts and continued to indulge in her body.
Her breasts, buttocks, waist, and neck.
The man fondled the woman's entire body, almost as if he were demanding that I watch. He slipped his hand beneath her top to knead her breast, left kisses on her neck, and pressed his crotch right against the cleft of her buttocks.
However, when I maintained an entirely expressionless face, the man finally seemed to lose interest and stopped his groping.
"Tch. Let's get out of here."
"Uh, huh? Oppa?"
Watching the woman get pulled out of the store without understanding why, I let out a quiet sigh.
I had encountered plenty of awful customers before, but this guy took the cake. Still, it was a relief.
Nothing good ever comes from getting tangled up with an S-grade Hunter.
In the past, an S-grade Hunter had actually murdered a woman who rejected his request for a date. The sentence that S-grade Hunter received back then was a mere probation. Though the nature of the crime was heinous, he didn't go to prison because he had 'contributed greatly to society.'
In the modern era, high-ranking Hunters were beings who viewed the law itself as a joke.
Am I jealous, you ask? Don't I want to be like that too?
'Of course I'm fucking jealous.'
***
After finishing my shift, I returned to my studio apartment, which smelled faintly of mold.
Perhaps because it was the monsoon season, the room was thick with an unpleasant, oppressive humidity. Realizing it would be impossible to sleep like this, I took a thorough cold shower before finally lying down on my bed.
Though I lay in bed, sleep eluded me.
It wasn't because of the humidity. I just couldn't erase the image of that man and woman from my mind.
As much as I hated to admit it, that woman had a cute and pretty face.
And her breasts were incredibly large.
Would that be a G-cup? I had never even had a girlfriend to compare it to, so I didn't really know. At any rate, it was absolute certainty that she was a woman entirely out of my league.
Witnessing such a scene directly was far too intense a stimulation for a virgin like me. As I replayed the scene in my mind, I could feel blood rushing straight down south.
A profound sense of self-loathing washed over me. I knew that giving in to my urges and masturbating right now would mean reacting exactly the way that man wanted, yet I was going to do it anyway.
Living in this cramped, monthly-rent room inside a forty-year-old building was already enough to make me acutely aware of how miserable my life was. But that man had etched it even deeper into my mind, proving that my life was far more pathetic than I had ever imagined.
Right as I was feeling the utterly worthless value of my existence down to my very bones, the clock struck midnight.
The only reason I knew it was midnight was because something that only happens at midnight began happening to me. And it was something that should have been impossible.
Words were floating right before my eyes.
[The Fallen Goddess [Greedias] wishes to grant a second chance to the human [Choi Soo-hyun]. Will you accept this opportunity?]
Midnight on one's 20th birthday—the [Awakening Day], when one forms a contract with a deity to receive a trait. Only then did I realize today was my birthday, but even so, this made absolutely no sense.
The Awakening Day is an event that comes only once in a lifetime. I had never heard of anyone undergoing an awakening twice.
It was unbelievable.
Was it a dream? Yes, it was highly likely a dream. Even if I accepted the opportunity here, the moment I woke up, I would only suffer from the despair of watching that hope vanish like smoke.
Even so... I had no choice but to take this chance.
"I accept."
[You shall serve the Fallen Goddess [Greedias]. Are you prepared to become an enemy of humanity?]
Only then did I realize that the awakening text was far from ordinary. This was no standard contract with a typical deity.
The Fallen Goddess [Greedias].
Unlike the majority of goddesses, she was a fallen entity, and humans who received traits from such beings became 'Villains.'
To this day, they remain the greatest threat to mankind, having slaughtered countless humans and orchestrated numerous large and small acts of terror.
Naturally, contracting with a fallen deity was a capital offense—simply forming the contract carried an automatic death penalty.
In short, a single word right now could brand me as a criminal until the day I died.
Yet, I didn't ponder it for a single moment. Without even a shred of hesitation, I spoke with absolute resolve.
"I will become an enemy of humanity."
Even if I must become an enemy of mankind, and regardless of what consequences this choice might bring, I would rather burn as a bright flame to show everyone who I am, than wither away and die in obscurity.
[The Fallen Goddess [Greedias] bestows the SSS-grade trait [Tentacle] upon you. May your journey be filled with absolute greed.]
In that instant, the world before my eyes was plunged into a deep, heavy darkness. Even as my consciousness drifted away, I desperately prayed that this was not a dream.