Chapter 1: Crypto Crash
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 1: Crypto Crash
I stared at the computer and let out what was meant to be a cheerful sound.
No, there was nothing fucking cheerful about it.
Because the chart on the screen signified that my crypto investment had just plunged into the abyss.
Today, I learned something.
I have zero talent for crypto.
“I’m screwed.”
Realizing that the life I’d bet my dreams on had just gone down the drain, I felt a wave of exhaustion and pressed the back of my hand to my face.
Just looking at the screen made my head throb, and my mind wouldn’t clear.
What do I do?
That was the last of my money.
My gaze drifted to the side, where a game console with a ‘VR’ logo sat.
Price: 875,000 won.
The console that could run Lord of Academy, the world's first proper VR RPG.
It was expensive, but to this day, I’ve never regretted buying it. Everything I’d done in that game meant a great deal to me.
The console was already five years old, but thanks to my diligent polishing and care, the thing was still gleaming.
And that gleam was starting to sway my resolve.
Should I sell it?
Rent is due tomorrow, and I’m cutting it close.
I blew all the money I earned from my part-time job yesterday on booze and crypto, which led to this mess. I pressed my hand to my forehead.
No.
I have to find another way.
Maybe I should sell some items.
To cool my throbbing head, I decided to just log into the game.
If I didn’t, I felt like I might go check the temperature of the Han River.
I put the headset on and closed my eyes. A moment later, the character selection screen appeared.
I had three characters to choose from.
I picked one, and after a short loading screen, I was in the game.
A brilliant greatsword and a black helmet.
Looking at the class description that read ‘Black Knight,’ I did a light stretch.
It was a ritual I always performed upon entering Lord of Academy, a way to feel like I’d truly arrived in the game world.
[ Black Ahyu: Welcome, Domi. ]
Just then, a familiar chat message popped up.
Two people were online in the private chat for the Dangchan Guild I’d created, and one of them, Ahyu, had sent the message.
[ Doremi Fasol: yo ]
[ Black Ahyu: yo yo, wanna run some duo queue today? I'm free. ]
[ Doremi Fasol: nah, came to sell some items. ]
[ Black Ahyu: Items? Did you get a good drop? ]
[ Doremi Fasol: nah my crypto tanked lol. don't even have rent money for today ]
[ Black Ahyu: Man, you shouldn't be laughing about that. ]
When I told him my situation, Ahyu's reaction was quite serious.
Ahyu is a gaming friend I've known for almost four years now.
We've never met in real life, but he knows my circumstances well. I've told him a lot over the years, which is why he was showing such genuine concern.
[ Doremi Fasol: That's why I'm thinking of selling some gear. Maybe my Black Sword. ]
[ Black Ahyu: No way, think about how much work went into that. How much money did you spend just on enhancing it? I even helped you with the enhancements. ]
[ Doremi Fasol: I'll give you a cut if I sell it. ]
[ Black Ahyu: I don't need it. Seriously, man, is your situation that bad? ]
Seeing Ahyu's genuine worry made me feel a little better.
At least there's one person in this bleak world who truly cares about me.
( IKnowit has logged in. )
Just then, another name appeared in the chat.
[ IKnowit: G'mornin ]
[ Doremi Fasol: It's noon. ]
[ IKnowit: Was busy with work yesterday ]
[ Black Ahyu: Hey, IKnowit. Doremi's in big trouble. He says he doesn't have rent money. He's about to get kicked out. ]
[ IKnowit: ? Guild Master, for real? ]
[ Doremi Fasol: haha.. ]
[ IKnowit: This is no time to laugh. Send me your bank info, I'll wire you what you need. ]
Her next message made me pause.
I couldn’t believe she just asked for my bank info.
I knew IKnowit could be a big spender, but she was my age at best.
We'd spent as much time together as I had with Ahyu, but she was still just a girl my age.
Pride doesn't put food on the table, but I didn't want to be a burden.
[ Doremi Fasol: It's fine. I'll figure it out. ]
[ IKnowit: Just take it. No interest. I have plenty of money. ]
[ Doremi Fasol: Still... ]
[ IKnowit: -- If you don't take the money, I'll come find you. ]
How would she find me when she doesn't even know where I live?
I stared at the chat, puzzled, and continued to politely refuse.
“Hyeong!”
While I was typing, Ahyu must have figured out my location, because he came running up to me.
Red twin-tails and a chest that was enormous at a glance.
The character, a perfect replica of Yua from the idol group Blackstar, ran toward me—a testament to how much effort he'd put into customization.
Of course, the one controlling that character was a burly guy.
“Seriously, don’t be like that. Just take my money. I’ll lend you some.”
“You too? Why are you being like this?”
I had just refused IKnowit's money, and now Ahyu was offering to lend me some. I was at a loss.
What money could Ahyu, who just turned twenty this year, possibly have?
Well, considering how much he spends on his idol merch, I guess he's not broke.
Still, it was money from a friend who was like a little brother to me.
I couldn't take his pocket money.
“Hyeong, seriously, stop being so proud! You know I know your situation. At the university…”
“Ahyu.”
I cut him off. He flinched and lowered his head.
He mumbled his lips as if he'd made a mistake.
The character was so pretty that the gesture looked cute, but knowing it was a guy behind the screen, the action lost all meaning in my head.
“If things get really bad, I'll just sell the console. So don't worry.”
“N-No!”
Ahyu suddenly shrieked.
What’s with him all of a sudden?
As I blinked, Ahyu desperately grabbed my cape.
“If you're gone, who am I going to duo queue with?!”
Oh, a very practical reason.
“What about IKnowit?”
“Ahing-nuna is too serious about her rank. I'd die.”
“Hey, I'm serious about it too.”
“But you play on your alt with me.”
Ahyu started fidgeting, tapping his fingers together in the air.
The thought of me quitting the game seemed to have been a huge shock to him.
“Even so, don't quit the game. Are you just going to abandon all of us in the guild?”
“It's not abandoning. I'd just pass on the guild master role.”
“Is this all our friendship means to you!?”
He had a point there.
The relationships I'd formed in the Dangchan Guild were precious to me, too.
A bond that had lasted for five whole years.
I rarely had real-life friends I was this close with, and more than anything, being in the game was fun for me.
But reality kept closing in.
My life had been completely ruined since that incident at university.
A girl in my department accused me of sexual harassment, even though I hadn't done anything, and I was forced to drop out.
No matter how much I insisted on my innocence, no one believed me because of the scorn I received from the department and her political maneuvering. I quit in disgust.
No, the biggest reason no one believed me was probably her background.
The daughter of the chairman of JMC, Korea's biggest hunter company.
The ‘Tower of Revelation’ had suddenly appeared all over the world, and with it came the dimensional gate phenomenon.
JMC was the top corporation in Korea that managed the super-powered hunters who appeared at the same time.
I still remember it.
“Do you get it now? It doesn't matter if you're number one or how talented you are. If you get on my bad side in Korea, you're fucked.”
That’s what she said to me with a smile as I was leaving after submitting my withdrawal form.
And as fucked up as it was, I could predict my future even if I went to court to claim my innocence.
I knew whose side the court would take.
The daughter of the chairman of Korea's top hunter company…
or a broke dropout who lost his parents to a dimensional gate.
The outcome was just too obvious, wasn't it?
That damn bitch trying to freeload on the assignment was in the wrong. Was I wrong for calling her out on it?
The university I attended was Korea's top hunter university, with numerous departments related to hunters.
I don't know how far her influence reached, but as a mid-semester dropout, there were no hunter-related companies that would hire me.
And now…
After a moment of profound existential disillusionment, I threw myself into gaming, which brings us to the present.
26 years old, unemployed, a shut-in.
The only thing I have going for me is being a Master-rank player in Lord of Academy and running the 29th-ranked guild, Dangchan.
Writing it all out, it sounds pretty pathetic.
Of course, Ahyu doesn't know the whole story.
He only knows a part of it.
Just that I was forced to quit university because of an unfair incident.
I knew there was no point in telling others the whole story, so that's all I shared.
Just then, my stomach started to growl.
It was a sensation I could feel even in the game, a sign of my body's hunger.
“Alright, fine. Forget the rent money. If you insist, you can just buy me a meal.”
“Huh? A meal?”
Ahyu stared at me with wide eyes.
He seemed a little flustered by the word "meal."
Is rent money okay but buying a meal isn't?
He could just send me a digital gift card or something.
Hearing my words, Ahyu crossed his arms, seemingly in deep thought.
The pose emphasized his character's chest, but since it was just a character, I didn't pay it much mind.
A moment later, Ahyu seemed to have made a decision and nodded.
“Okay. I… I wanted to meet you in person someday anyway!”
Huh?
That's not how I expected this to go.
Hearing Ahyu's words, I blinked.
I thought he'd just send a gift card, but it seems he interpreted my words as an invitation to treat me to a meal in person.
“Just… don't be surprised when you see me.”
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
Ahyu told me a place to meet at 2 PM and logged off. I scratched my cheek.
I had his number, so it wasn't a problem, but this would be the first time meeting him in real life.
What does he mean, don't be surprised?
Is he fat or ugly or something?
I pictured the stereotypical otaku obsessed with games and idols and shrugged.
It didn't matter to me what he looked like.
Besides, it's not like I'm in any state to judge.
I should probably shave.
With that casual thought, I decided to go out and get a free meal from Ahyu.
Little did I know that this would be the start of everything.