Chapter 2

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 2

Chapter Title: Awakening (2)

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"...Nightmare?"

I stared blankly into empty space. The text showed no signs of vanishing.

It wasn't a hallucination. A chill ran down my spine in that instant.

This was completely different from the usual difficulties I'd heard about. Nightmare? I'd never even heard of such a thing.

'So that's why...'

Ten goblins. Spear-wielding ones, no less, swarming me on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first floor.

"This is insane......"

A hollow breath escaped instead of laughter.

This was beyond bad luck. I'd nearly died without a clue what hit me.

Or had I already died once and come back?

In the meantime, the blue status window flashed aggressively.

My jaw dropped.

48,280 points.

More than five times the previous top score.

'Well, yeah.'

While others took down four goblins, I'd faced ten. An overwhelming result like this was only natural, right?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Then, the last line blinked red.

A name, huh.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't have time to think. The nickname I always used in games popped out reflexively.

"Blanc."

The ranking registration wrapped up smoothly.

Suddenly, a hazy glow shimmered in the air.

"They really hand it out right away......"

The tutorial reward... that thing everyone got.

Swoosh.

As the light faded, a worn book materialized.

"Oh."

I let out a short exclamation. A green glow emanated from the book.

Most were Normal grade, from what I'd heard. Not a bad start.

But the book didn't wait for me to grab it.

Hum.

The green light flickered once, then shifted to a vivid blue.

"......Rare?"

The book had transformed into a striking blue cover.

Items like this were hard to buy even with money. As I reached out quickly, the light surged again.

Pop! Light burst forth.

The blue cover turned purple.

"......"

I stared blankly into the air.

Hero grade. The legendary grade I'd only heard about was right in front of me.

I grasped the book carefully, as if holding glass.

'Hero grade.'

Higher grades didn't always mean better, but at Hero level, even a trash skill held immense value. Something money couldn't buy.

Please, just not something weird.

I swallowed dryly and opened the book.

I hurriedly tapped the details.

"......"

Silence fell.

"......That's it?"

I asked the air, but no answer came.

No way. Hero grade? The one even S-rank hunters desperately wanted?

Wasn't this description a bit too half-assed?

"Ha......"

A sigh escaped.

I couldn't tell if this was good or bad.

"Well, whatever...... It's passive, so it'll come in handy sometime."

At least it was Hero grade.

And with that, the space around me rippled and collapsed.

When I came to, I was standing in the plaza near my house, right in front of the tower.

A massive tower loomed behind me. Its silhouette was sharp even in the darkness.

I quickly scanned the surroundings.

If this were Seoul, it'd be crowded with people, but it was the dead of night in some provincial area. The place was deserted.

I hurried away before running into anyone.

The moment I got home, I booted up the computer.

I had a mountain of things to check.

[Tower Forced Summon], [Unknown Goddess], [Nightmare Difficulty], [Augmentation]......

I jammed every keyword I knew into the search bar. Hunter communities, shady sites—I scoured them all.

But.

The results were all the same.

No similar cases to mine, not even mentions of 'goddess', 'augmentation', or 'nightmare'.

"......No one really knows?"

My mind went blank.

Yawn—

A lazy yawn came from behind me.

......?

I whipped around in surprise. My hoodie hat was sagging limply. A silver head poked out from inside.

It was that Little One I'd summoned in the tower.

I'd been too frazzled to notice. It must have hidden in my hoodie hat and followed me.

I shook out the hat to extract it. Placing it gently on my palm, it sat obediently, looking up at me.

Up close, it was even more surreal.

Blindingly white long hair, translucent skin, and a frilly dress that fluttered like something out of a fairy tale doll.

"......Cute."

Honestly, it was really cute. I had to admit it.

As I gazed at it, I absentmindedly turned my head. My reflection caught in the balcony window.

In the dark night, the glass mirrored the room like a looking glass.

A strange girl stood there.

I'd freaked out when I first saw myself in the mirror after getting home, and even now, I couldn't get used to it.

White hair down to my waist, bloodless skin.

Doll-like sparkling features that screamed 'pretty' at first glance.

The problem was the size.

Generously speaking, upper elementary school? Maybe even younger.

My sturdy twenty-something guy's body had turned into a little girl's overnight.

"Ha......"

What happened happened. Crying wouldn't change me back.

Better to adapt quickly. Luckily, I was the optimistic type.

Not a jackpot, but it didn't feel like a total loss either.

I glanced at my face in the glass, then back at the Little One on my palm.

Window once. Little One once.

"......"

Identical.

Scale up the one on my palm, and it'd match the me in the window perfectly. Hair, features, vibe—exact copy.

The only difference was clothes. I had a drab gray hoodie, while it wore a floaty dress.

I gently stroked its head with my fingertip. It looked puzzled at first, then narrowed its eyes in contentment.

Yawn—

It yawned wide again. My mouth gaped open in tandem. I checked the clock in the bottom right of the monitor.

[AM 04:12]

Already this late? As tension faded, suppressed fatigue crashed in. No point racking my brain now.

"Yeah, let's sleep for today."

Think after some rest.

I flopped onto the bed. I carefully placed the Little One from my palm next to the pillow. It wriggled a bit, liking the soft feel, then settled in.

I pulled the blanket up to my chin.

What a long day.

At the same time, Seoul, a penthouse on the top floor of a high-rise by the Han River.

One room still blazed with light despite the dawn.

The guild master's office of Korea's largest guild, Dawn Guild.

Beep.

A notification popped up in the center of the monitor.

The woman slowly raised her head.

Choi Se-hee. S-rank mage and Guild Master of Dawn Guild.

She swiped the screen.

"...Forty-eight thousand?"

She thought she'd misread. America's 'that monster' held the record at around 8,500. And this shattered it fivefold in one go? A hollow laugh escaped her.

Tap.

'Blanc'

A name she'd never seen. Choi Se-hee immediately picked up her phone.

"It's me."

A low, husky voice replied. The Vice Guild Master.

Choi Se-hee didn't take her eyes off the monitor.

"Tutorial ranking. Number one changed."

"...Score?"

"48,280."

Silence on the other end.

"Nickname's 'Blanc', in Korean Hangul, not alphabet."

"...Hangul?"

"Yeah. 'Blanc'. In Korean."

Choi Se-hee's lips curved ever so slightly.

"High chance it's Korean."

The Vice Guild Master shifted tone immediately.

"Understood."

"Gather all info. Not just domestic—overseas too. Could be a bait with Hangul."

"...Yes. Mobilizing all channels."

She nailed it down firmly.

"Money, items—whatever it takes. Prioritize guild recruitment invite. Secure them unconditionally, no upper limit."

"Got it. Moving now."

Click.

Call ended.

Choi Se-hee checked 'Blanc's score once more.

[48,280.]

A monster beyond specs. First to reach out gets it.

"...This time, it's ours first."