Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Would You Like to Create a Character?
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Would you like to create a character? "Fuck..."
My girlfriend had just notified me that she was breaking up with me.
It was a notification, plain and simple.
[Lee Ye-rin: I've been thinking about this for a while.]
[Lee Ye-rin: Han-sol, let's break up.]
[Lee Ye-rin: Thanks for everything. Take care.]
A one-sided breakup via text message.
At the time, I couldn't wrap my head around it, staring at my phone over and over.
And for good reason—yesterday had been exactly our 200th day together.
The mood was beyond great. We'd had a fun date, followed by dinner at a nice restaurant.
And to top it off, I'd surprised her with that designer handbag she'd always wanted.
For a guy in his early twenties fresh out of the military, it was a hefty 2 million won splurge.
The expense stung, but seeing Ye-rin so happy made it worth every penny.
'We'd parted on such good terms last night...'
But when I woke up, instead of a thank-you message, there it was.
A breakup notice that made those 200 days feel utterly meaningless.
[Jang Han-sol: Ye-rin, let's meet up and talk first, okay?]
[Jang Han-sol: Why break up all of a sudden...?]
[Jang Han-sol: If I did something wrong, just tell me, please...]
[Jang Han-sol: Hey! Lee Ye-rin!]
I called endlessly and sent message after message.
But the read receipts never vanished.
After about four calls, it went straight to voicemail every time—clearly blocked.
"Haa... Maybe I should just die..."
"Dude, don't talk about dying over a breakup. Just drink it off, Jang Han-sol."
"Yeah, breakups happen in relationships. Forget her, man."
"But texting a breakup? Your ex is something else."
I'd posted in our high school group chat about the breakup, and it led to a drinking meetup.
The guys who'd usually tease me instead offered their condolences.
Maybe my mental state was tougher than I thought, or maybe their support helped.
Either way, the despair that had gripped me eased as we drank and talked.
Or at least, it was about to.
"Hey, Jang Han-sol... but listen..."
One friend, who'd been brooding quietly, spoke up cautiously.
"You sure this is just a normal breakup?"
"Dude, why bring that up again? Read the room..."
The guy next to him tried to shut it down, but I waved him off.
This friend wasn't one to spout nonsense lightly.
There had to be a reason he was saying this.
"What do you mean?"
"I saw something weird. Thought it was nothing at the time, but now that you mentioned the breakup, it feels off."
"What was it? Spit it out."
"I'm not saying this to piss you off, so if it sounds like bullshit, just ignore it."
"Got it. So what?"
"Your girlfriend... it looked like she was cheating with some other guy even before breaking up with you."
I shot up from my seat.
I nearly grabbed the soju bottle to smash his head, but his serious expression made me sit back down.
He wasn't joking.
He just sat there, unflinching, even as I mimed swinging the bottle.
"Hoo... What makes you think that?"
"There's this guy in my department, Lee Jin-hoon. Not close, but we swapped numbers for a group project. I checked his SNS recently, and one of the girls looked a lot like your girlfriend."
"Show me."
He pulled up Lee Jin-hoon's SNS.
It was filled with photos of my girlfriend with this Lee Jin-hoon guy.
Fancy restaurants, private villas.
And the post dates? All during the times she'd told me she was sick and needed space.
"Ha, fuck... That's her. My girlfriend..."
"Uh... did I screw up by telling you...?"
"Nah... Thanks, man. I thought I did something wrong. Now I know..."
It was a replacement breakup.
And on the very day we split—today—he'd posted a photo with her.
Caption: 'First day dating.'
Lee Ye-rin had hopped aboard with Lee Jin-hoon like it was nothing.
"Han-sol... you okay...?"
"Y-yeah... I'm f-fine... Anyway, the vibe's killed. Let's cheers and move on..."
I said I was fine, but of course I wasn't.
What was meant to be a breakup consolation turned into fresh rage.
I drowned in chaos, barely tasting the booze.
The mood was irreparably dead, and the gathering wrapped up quickly.
Back home alone, I stared holes into Lee Jin-hoon's SNS.
"To think I chased after trash like her..."
His feed chronicled just how much of a bitch Lee Ye-rin was.
And I'd been the idiot who'd handed her a 2 million won handbag.
'So that's all I was worth—a 2 million won bag.'
She dumped me the second she got it and jumped to another guy.
No more to squeeze out of me, so bye.
On the flip side, this new guy must be something special to make her switch.
Lee Jin-hoon's profile was packed with luxury watches and foreign cars.
Unlike my acne-scarred face, he had clear skin and decent looks.
Born into money, worlds apart from me.
Better face, better wealth—superior in every way.
'Impressive.'
The girl blinded by cash, switching lovers.
The guy knowingly stealing another's girl.
"Sigh... In the end, it's all about looks and money, fuck..."
Rich and handsome? You're golden.
Pretty with big tits? Ride every cock in sight.
"Some beauty with a rack like that, and every guy props her up..."
I caught myself mid-rant and conceded.
I'd fallen for Lee Ye-rin's looks too.
Wondered why she'd even said yes to me.
Mirror check: average family, average height, build, face.
Her? A stunner who could wring luxuries from guys like me on a whim.
Jealousy hit hard.
Life's so damn unfair.
'Lee Ye-rin was popular with juniors and seniors alike, no discrimination.'
Somehow, I'd held onto her for 200 days—that was the real feat.
"Hah, fuck... What kind of bullshit thought is that? Got replaced and I'm proud? Screw materialism and looks worship!"
Self-loathing crashed in; I buried my face in the blanket.
Head clearing, my first thought was school.
'Of all people, she's in my department... Can't avoid her.'
That's why they say no department hookups.
Just sharing a building would grate; face-to-face? Explosive.
Knowing me, I wouldn't confront her there.
But I'd stew at home all day, fuming.
"Haa..."
A sigh escaped at the vivid future.
With her pride, she wouldn't drop out.
Shed brazen it out and attend.
Seeing her would boil my blood every time.
Rumors would spread department-wide.
Usually, one side takes a leave.
Not me—I'd die before dropping out.
'I'm the victim. Why make it easy for that bitch?'
No way.
I'd steel myself and go till the end.
"At least it's break now..."
A whole month without school.
No risk of snapping at her sight and causing a scene.
"Guess I'll sleep..."
Stewing hurts only me.
She's probably giggling in her new guy's arms.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, I felt it.
Drip.
Tears flowed.
"Hic... Fucking bitch... I loved her so damn much..."
One regret from dating her: never wrecked that pussy before it ended.
"Would've let me once... You bitch..."
We'd held hands, kissed—but she guarded her body like a fortress.
'If I'd had money... celebrity looks... would it have been different?'
Indescribable grief swelled; sleep evaded me.
I drifted off only after purging the self-pity and rage from my mind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A pitch-black void, nothing but darkness around me.
Standing there, I instantly knew: this was a dream world.
'A lucid dream?'
Dreams where you realize you're dreaming and can control them.
Lucid dreams.
They say you gain the power to manipulate the dream fully.
I figured this stemmed from my strong will.
I'd thought about it before bed.
Wishing for money, looks...
It manifested as a lucid dream to grant that.
"So what now?"
Great, a lucid dream.
Problem: no clue how to control it.
The body felt eerily real, not dreamlike.
I thought fly—nothing.
Felt like moving my real body.
"What the hell am I supposed to do?"
I wished for something to appear.
Then—
"Huh?"
A translucent window popped up out of nowhere.
Like a character creation screen in a game.
'Play character creator in my dream?'
Lame lucid dream.
Couldn't even wake up at will, so I'd toy with it till I did.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 📝 Name: Jang Han-sol ⚥ Gender: Male 🎂 Age: 23 But even for a dream, it felt oddly limited.
Name, age, gender—fixed, uneditable.
"How's it know my name and age...? Oh, right—my dream."
Too real; forgot for a sec.
[Traits]
[Stats]
Tabs for traits and stats.
Traits first: Anger Management Disorder, ADHD, Kleptomania—mostly crap you'd avoid.
Anger Management Disorder +10 Points ADHD +10 Points Kleptomania +10 Points What's with the points?
Test: tapped Anger Management Disorder.
Stat points jumped from 10 to 20.
Tried Kleptomania: +10 more, to 30.
"Aha, got it."
Pick traits for bonus stat points.
Traits were all negatives; stats were winners.
Appearance, Stamina, Intelligence—classic game stuff, plus Music, Creativity, Sports, real-world skills.
'Virility stat? Genre's an eroge? Haha, blunt 'Wealth' too.'
Each had 0/10.
Max 10 per stat.
[Available Stat Points: 10]
Choice time.
Load bad traits for more points?
Or max out within base 10?
Arms crossed, deep thought.
"If I can handle the traits, max stats wins."
Forgot it was a dream; full immersion.
Aimed to craft my ideal character.
'It's just a fantasy—you're taking it too seriously.'
But seeing Jang Han-sol locked in name...
Felt personal. Bad build = bad me.
Planned mentally.
Infuse my desires.
Selected tolerable ones.
Rough Personality +10 Boiling Sexual Desire +10 Desire for Domination +10 Fierce Gaze +10 Four traits total.
Base + bonuses = 50 points.
Enough for five stats at max.
All-in: Appearance, Wealth, Stamina, Strength, Virility.
No need for others.
Concept: ultimate alpha male.
Riches, looks, stamina, strength, virility—top-tier in Korea.
"Traits are manageable."
Rough Personality? Boosted strength/stamina for fights.
Boiling Sexual Desire? Money + looks = pussy buffet.
Fierce Gaze? Charms handsome face.
Desire for Domination? Alpha's dark urge.
Nodding, satisfied—
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Intense desire from the subject confirmed.] [Subject's desire: Earth's ultimate alpha male that women crave.] [Compatibility: 100% achieved] [Alpha Male exclusive hidden traits unlocked.] ⚔ STATUS ⚔ 🔒 Acquired: Can't Move Once Impaled on Dick 🔒 Acquired: Dick You Crave After One Taste 🔒 Acquired: Intense Pheromones 🔒 Acquired: Virgin Pleaser "Ooh yeah..."
Some vulgar, trashy traits appeared.
Embarrassing even to look at.
"'Impaled and Stuck'? Total eroge."
But damn, it nailed my tastes.
Hidden traits too—like 'Want alpha? Here's the kit.'
Yeah, deep down, I'd wished for this.
Dreams reflect hidden desires.
"With these stats and powers, no bitch like Lee Ye-rin could toy with me. I'd fuck women daily."
Pity it's just a dream.
I hit create.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Would you like to create the character as is? It's a dream anyway.
I clicked confirm without a second thought.
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