I Became an Ultra-Rare Healer

The Real World is basically a game. Conspiracy nuts would raise suspicions that its perfect world-building and polish reflected another world mirroring reality, but aside from a few morons, no idiots bought into that crap.

- Do all abilities in Real World exist in reality? Ignoring that unproductive bullshit, Real World Gallery—Riweolgal—users had verified a ton through experiments on the plausible stuff.

- Some exist, some don't, it seems? In the end, the most solid proof that Real World is a game was its system, subtly different from real hunters'.

Hunters awaken abilities and get status windows, but that's it. No levels like in games, no quests for growth. Hunters' only way to grow? Clear rifts and absorb Rift Stones dropped by the monsters they hunt.

That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠why Rift Stones are pricey. They're the fuel for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hunter growth and a replacement resource for modern energy too.

Anyway, unlike hunters who grow that way, Real World's status window had levels like the one I was seeing, plus HP and MP. You could gain skills by leveling, snag rewards from quests. Basically, they'd gamified reality's frustrating, monotonous grind to let you grow faster.

Even if it's a game mimicking reality, if your only growth option after years was grinding the same monsters for barely-dropping Rift Stones and inching up stats by dick-sized amounts, even I'd smash the delete button.

"...But why's the level showing?"

That was the issue. The status window info visible only to my eyes. I'd caught that it differed from Real World's when I saw my name and age, but the level, HP, and MP below felt like a mashup of both worlds' windows. Weird. No clue how to interpret it.

"Game? Or reality?"

I'd gained a game's hidden ability in reality. And if the visible status window followed game rules, was this a real ability or a game one?

Didn't matter either way.

Instead, the familiar system—and hazy memories from years ago—popping up was better for me.

"Moments like this happened."

Memories, if you could call 'em that. The thrill of finding the server's first 5-star healer among the rare few.

Of course, my beautified memories weren't all happy bliss. Three years. The time and effort I'd sunk into becoming Seora's pocket-money gigolo healer was like military service.

Thinking back fondly... but if told to do it again, I'd flip off with "Fuck you!!"

"...Gotta do it all over again?"

There's a curse of knowledge. Knowing is power, but ignorance is bliss.

I'd played this game. Fuck.

"Nah."

Game and reality are different. I wanted to believe that, but the tutorial before my eyes matched the game exactly.

"Ah..."

Great power demands great effort. Reality's biggest difference—and flaw—from game Real World: In reality, great power just came with rewards. The luckiest among 7 billion got sweet abilities, skills, stats; they strolled safe rifts, raked cash, lived easy mode.

Games weren't like that. Hard-earned powers needed even harder effort to grow. 'Cause it's a game. To give users that achievement high, keep 'em grinding, hook 'em to good abilities so even when they rage "But you love this game anyway?" they wouldn't quit.

"Might not be."

Still early days. Just the awakening tutorial. Plus, I was just psyching myself out from bad memories.

"Let's do it."

No other choice. Hearing ambulance sirens racing to Namsan for the anomaly, I quietly slipped down a deserted path.

In reality, aside—but in Real World, yeah. A world where anyone meeting conditions could become a decently tricky 2-star healer. Even that method only revealed years later, but plenty picked healer after hearing "healers are nobles," boosting numbers a bit. Briefly.

Not just healers. Non-combat classes like buffers with zero fighting power had to leech off others for rift hunts. Reality ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had Rift Stones for growth at least; games needed XP for levels, so serious issue. Lucky for me, soon after my 5-star, I met Seora and leveled easy.

But no Seora now.

"...Did I luck out?"

No choices even. My awakening tutorial? Save a target below 10% HP. Not hard.

Nicely gave the base skill for clear, even HP check. Real World was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠game-like yet reality-mimicking, so unfriendly in spots—like no HP bars on monsters or players. Couldn't easily time burst damage like typical RPGs.

So my Recovery's base trait was a privilege. I could tell Seora roughly how much monster HP left while she fought.

Thanks to that, tutorial was a freebie.

"Time to test."

Skill use same. Use my heart's dick-sized 1 MP on a target below 10% HP. Easy peasy—but key was doing it undetected.

"Kang San-ssi?"

"Yes."

"Come this way."

Figured I'd wing it, arrived at meetup. Eight-ish hunters gathered at the rift. Game-gear clad, tinkering weapons or chatting in clusters. Got led to porters' spot, away from them.

Hefty load. Four folks sitting.

"...Hello."

Greeted cautiously; porters eyed me, nodded curtly. Rift buddies, but no bonding vibes. Fine by me—relieved. Introverts like me hate crowds. Why I gamed in my room till 30.

Sat quietly, true to form.

"Depart in 20. Check your gear carefully."

2 nights, 3 days. Shared hardship gear, so double-checked. Mine: two magic-effect backpacks, one two-hand case.

"Kinda heavy..."

Eight people, lotsa stuff—but lugging heavy box seemed risky. No complaints though. First time porter, but seen endless on Hunter Gallery.

'What? Too heavy? Fuck off. Plenty porters.'

No quals, just healthy body—low barrier, typical response. Hands tied by gear? Not my problem, handle it.

"Heave-ho."

Lucky part: artifact backpack party. One front, one back, hands full with box—scanned others.

How they haul? Any tips?

"..."

Saw the other four's loads: one magic pack each, picnic-chill faces. Knew I got shafted, ignored me anyway.

'Fuck.'

My flashy 5-star healer debut began with heavy baggage.