Pafnir, the Monster That Nearly Sent Me to Pandemonium on My First Day Back
Pafnir, that monster who nearly shipped me off to the demon world right from day one of my regression, had this to say.
He hated waking up as much as he hated dying.
Who would've thought I'd ever empathize with a giant reptilian dragon bastard?
Ding! Ding!
I bolted upright in a frenzy and checked the phone on my nightstand.
Even as I looked, 16 turned into 17, then 18... Shit. My head was already spinning first thing in the morning.
The texts? All the same crap.
Ever since I soloed that orc pack yesterday and shot to stardom, guild recruitment offers haven't stopped pouring in.
Do these psychos not sleep?
Hey, it's barely 6 a.m. Aren't they working way too hard before even office hours?
Seeing my son rise so splendidly, Sung Hyun-sook wipes away tears with misty eyes!
"I wanna cry too, Mom..."
Waking up never felt this miserable...
I'd set an alarm on purpose without turning the phone off, but maybe I should've just woken up naturally.
"Damn, wide awake now."
Time for some coffee to shake off the drowsiness.
Stepping out of the king-size bed, I turned the corner into the spacious living room adjoining the kitchen. Player Association dorms really were top-notch—better interior than most rentals.
I brewed hot coffee in a mug and flicked on the TV for morning news.
<Volt> Guild's mass disappearance! Or "disappearance," anyway—more like massacred. By me, no less.
The memory was still vivid.
—Rat-tat-tat!
—"Gahhh! Everyone, evade! Bullets incoming—urk?!"
—"Boss?!"
—"How the hell is that bastard shooting that well?!"
Their screams as they dropped like flies to my Pandora's Box-powered Rambo rampage.
At first, pulling the trigger and killing felt wrong. But Mom snapped me out of it—less "encouragement," more terrifying scolding. Kill or be killed. Stop acting like a pushover and shoot already.
Thanks to her, I won clean without a scratch.
I'd discovered more amazing things about Pandora's Box too, but that could wait.
"Time to head out."
I had somewhere to be. Why else set the alarm for 9 a.m.?
Sung Hyun-sook asks where her uncharacteristically early-rising son is off to!
Uncharacteristic? Harsh, Mom...
"Where else?"
I chugged the rest of my coffee, pouting.
"To properly start as a player today, I need my license first, right?"
In my first timeline, my player rating was F-rank.
Dreams of a changed life post-awakening? Pop! Reality was a dumpster fire.
But now was different. I had love vitamins, Mom's talents, and a super-useful 4D backpack!
Starting line was worlds apart from timeline one. What rank would I get now? Tense... but exciting.
"Hey! There he is!"
"Hwang Jae-min! Hwang Jae-min! I'm a scout from <Sky> Guild. Please spare a moment to talk—"
"Hey, you! Cutting in line like that?!"
"Cutting? What nonsense! I got here first and was waiting!"
"Yes, we're here! Yes! Don't worry, we'll snag him for our guild for sure!"
...Tense and excited? Bullshit. These assholes just pissed me off.
The rating office on the third floor of the Association was swarming with guild scouts.
"Whoa..."
I hadn't even been rated yet? You'd think I was already A-rank.
But it made sense—they were desperate after a fresh awakener soloed an orc horde.
"Hwang Jae-min! Here's my card—I'm this guy!"
"Don't push! Who's behind me?!"
"Move! I was first!"
What was this, a department store bargain sale? Surrounded by these predator hyenas, I pinched my brow.
The Hall of Fame has sleep gas items—if you need sponsorship, just say the word, says Sung Hyun-sook with a raised middle finger!
Not bad, but that'd get me arrested before rating, Mom.
I had a better way.
"Any guild whose scouts block my path from now on? I'm never joining. Got it?"
「……」
Moses' miracle in the 21st century. A clear path opened.
I strode through to the female clerk at the rating desk. Word of my license run had spread like wildfire, skipping formalities. She led me straight to the measurement room.
In the equipment-filled room sat a familiar cylindrical capsule—the virtual training pod from CF.
"Two days in a row in that thing..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Let's get started."
She tilted her head at my mutter but smiled professionally and explained the process. I already knew it, so boring.
TL;DR: Starting rank based on virtual dungeon performance in CF. Done.
Explanation over, I logged in as my avatar to the rating dungeon.
First timeline vibes: Claustrophobic nightmare.
Less dungeon, more pitch-black void like heavy curtains everywhere.
Rating measurement beginning.
Defeat as many monsters as possible in 30 minutes.
A chilling voice echoed from the darkness.
—Pop-pop-pop!
Targets burst from blind spots beyond sight.
First timeline impression? Bowling balls. Shape, size—spot on. Even the name: Bowling Stones.
They low-fly below eye level, striking from nowhere. Like this—
Wham!
One from a blind spot slammed my side at brutal speed. A noob would've eaten the hit and lost points, but—
Shhh—!
With mana deployed since login, expanding my senses, I felt it crystal clear.
Handled how? Boom!
Pandora's Box handed me a revolver-style player gun for close range. Easy peasy.
Not yesterday's machine gun, though.
Where'd it come from? Been backpacked since leaving the dorm.
Here's the 4D bag's magic: Pandora's Box turns transparent on command!
Bonus: Slick weapon picks!
Regular firearm? Instant DQ. But mana-condensed ammo player gun? Fair game.
Pop-pop-pop! Pop-pop!
Now they swarmed from all directions, zipping like erratic flies—not taking easy shots anymore.
Surrounded by bowling ball hurricane, I felt like the eye of the storm.
But doable!
Bang! Bang! Boom!
Trigger pulls, mana bullets spinning through, piercing clean.
Still surreal, yesterday and now. How was I pulling this off?
Passive skill effect ongoing!
Hit rate for bows, guns, and ranged weapons skyrockets!
I've never even used a gun, so why the skill boost? cries Sung Hyun-sook about the unfairness!
Why I shredded <Volt> unscathed? This talent! Respect, Mom. S-rank couple lived up to the hype—legendary marksman.
Don't be jealous of your son, Mom...
"Insane..."
"That's really a fresh awakener's physicals?"
"H-Hello? Team leader? You need to see this yourself. Yes. Way beyond my expectations..."
"Five times standard contract? N-No, I agree—we need that to compete."
Meanwhile, scouts monitoring me via lounge screens gaped.
What was this comet-newbie? Movement, reflexes, accuracy, power, mana control—flawless.
Newbie? Bull. Veteran polish all the way.
Stake scout honor: Snag this talent!
The lounge was a bloodbath of egos and guild fates.
And beyond expectations? A woman smirked like a hawk amid the frenzy.
Seo Ji-soo. One of fewer than 50 A-rank Association players in Korea. Patriotic hyena snatching promising sprouts for the Association.
Can't let guild rice-bowl guardians steal him!
Then—
Constellation 'Monk of Gluttony' eyes gleam.
Recruit that man and expect sponsorship rewards, smiles 'Monk of Gluttony'.
No need to tell me—I've already staked my claim.
Jackpot! Even her constellation backed her.
Recruit + sponsorship? Perfect twofer.
Seo Ji-soo stifled a laugh as my test ended.
End signal blared—scout eyes locked on the monitor displaying starting ranks.
"Let's see..."
Vets guessed C-rank. C for a newbie meant future A-rank.
Ding.
"What...!?"
B-rank start! But to their saucer eyes, it looked like another letter.
"S-rank candidate!"
"Team leader! Damn it, pick up!"
Fresh awakener, stats should've been weak—yet B. Polish him, Korea's eighth S-rank was inevitable.
Hiss—
Capsule opened. The shock rookie emerged.
"......"
I stared at the giant B on the board. Dreamlike at first, lips agape. Then a grin spread.
...Until the scout swarm hit.
"Hwang Jae-min! Join us! Best treatment guaranteed!"
"Name your price! We'll meet it!"
"Top items too!"
Peak frenzy—
"Join the Association, not a guild, Hwang Jae-min."
Seo Ji-soo's silken voice cooled the heat momentarily. She met my eyes, smiling.
"Great power comes great responsibility. If your amazing abilities serve national defense and public good, Korea could rise as a player superpower."
What the hell's she on about?
Scouts side-eyed her like an idiot.
Billions on the table, and she's yapping defense?
Sour grapes?
Great in combat, sucks at deals.
Waste of time. No red-blooded patriot would bite.
But they missed it.
"......"
My eyes, my heart—swaying with her words.
Got him—eyes wavering!
Seo Ji-soo cheered inwardly, mastering her expression.
Unseen, sinister mana swirled.
Word Spirit—imbuing words with power to mind-control. Useless on higher ranks, but...
Rookie B-rank vs. my A? Stats lower—works fine!
Best gift from 'Monk of Gluttony'. Super useful.
Almost there.
Mana shook my mind relentlessly. One final line to seal...
"I'll pass."
"...Pardon?!"
"......?"
"...Ah!"
Seo Ji-soo flinched, hand to mouth, face flushing pale. Confusion surged.
Word Spirit failed?!
Mana reflected back like mist.
Target immune to Word Spirit.
"Was my refusal that shocking?"
"N-No, it's just..."
Forced smile hiding screams.
Why~?!
Almost fell for it.
Why? Guild decided, yet unconscious OK nearly slipped out.
Weak to beauties? Nah, not my type anyway. Even if she was, no flimsy reason shakes me...
How floppy-eared are you? Listening to that witless drivel without retort.
If I hadn't driven off the wicked temptation targeting young Master Hwang Jae-min... Goodness.
"...Huh?"
Ding!
The nanny has arrived.
"......"
Oh right. Forgot about her, damn.