Numbers on Heads
“...Um, this is embarrassing, but I've probably watched it dozens of times.”
The moment we ordered coffee and sat down in the quiet café, that was the first thing Yoo Seong-su said.
I took a sip of my iced vanilla latte through the straw before asking, “Watched what dozens of times?”
“That video from a week ago where you took down those orcs all by yourself. On the day you awakened, no less!”
“Ah, that one...”
“I can't even describe the shock when I first saw it. Sure, I've watched plenty of player highlight reels... but no one else showed that kind of potential on their very first day except you, Jae-min.”
Was it really my talent, or more thanks to Mom's vitamins...?
Staring at Yoo Seong-su, whose eyes sparkled like a fan meeting their idol, it hit me anew.
'This guy's always dreamed of succeeding as a player, just like me.'
The reason was simple. Money.
In today's world, no job lets you swim in wealth quite like being a player.
Of course, this guy wasn't just some materialistic chaser. That wasn't his style.
“More than anything, you embodied the image I've always dreamed of. To be honest, I even fantasized... what if the star of that video was me?”
“......”
“Actually, I awakened about a month ago too. F-rank, though.”
His face, etched with a bitter smile, blurred faintly over the steaming coffee surface.
“I was thrilled at first. Thought my life was finally turning around. But the second I opened my status window, a chill ran down my neck.”
I didn't ask what his status window looked like. No need—he hadn't volunteered it, and for any awakener, a status window was deeply personal info.
Like a hand in a card game. You don't reveal it to just anyone.
“My already pathetic stats were one thing, but even the starter skill that comes by default was locked. I asked my sponsoring constellation what it was, but they just stayed silent... Haah...”
“I, uh, see.”
Dude! You don't just spill that to someone you met today!
Good thing it's me... This naive kid.
In Yoo Seong-su's eyes, part of his status window probably looked like this:
The day Yoo Seong-su unlocks that question mark is a year from now. But thanks to my regression cheat, I already know the hidden condition.
I heard it straight from him in a year.
To spoil it lightly:
Meeting 700+ players unlocks the skill. So what does that number mean?
“Um, ever since awakening, I can see numbers floating above people's heads. Awakened people only, though. Not normals.”
“Is that so.”
“Yeah. But they're all over the place, from 1 to 100... No clue what they signify. They must tie into unlocking the skill somehow, though...”
Spot on. The guy's naive but sharp where it counts.
The number he sees only on other awakeners is dead simple: affinity level.
How much goodwill or trust Yoo Seong-su feels toward that player.
What's mine right now?
“So you can see a number above my head too, right?”
“Of course! Let me check... 136! Whoa, highest I've ever seen!”
No surprise there. I'm the guy who pulled him out of that mess—he owes me big.
But 136? Even then? What the hell does 700+ even mean? Marriage?
Just imagining it makes my coffee churn. Spare me that curse, Mom.
'I have to unlock that skill somehow.'
Like Lee Chan-hyuk getting the legendary holy sword, Yoo Seong-su blooms a year later by unlocking his starter skill. The player who triggers it? Oh Min-jun.
Don't know their exact relation, sadly.
But there's a critical reason I need Yoo Seong-su to unlock it ASAP.
'First target has to be me.'
I know the perk for the first person he uses it on.
'Oh Min-jun jumped from B-rank to A-rank thanks to it.'
Not this time. That boost is mine.
As I sketched plans in my head, Yoo Seong-su let out a massive sigh.
“Anyway, aside from spotting awakeners via those numbers, I got nothing special. No guild wants an F-rank like me, and soloing a gate? I'd die screaming. Haven't even peeked inside a dungeon since awakening.”
Oh? Perfect opening to grind affinity.
I sipped my coffee calmly, hiding my excitement.
“Wanna check one out now?”
“Huh? Where...”
“A dungeon.”
His eyes went wide.
“D-Dungeon? Me?”
“With me, obviously. Hmm, but you look beat. If it's too much...”
“N-No! I'm good! Dying to go! Just wiped out from night shifts, a bit sleepy, but I can't pass this up!”
Yeah, he scraped by with double part-times before his big break. Explains the wilted look.
“Thanks so much, Jae-min. But... why go this far for me?”
Endless favors got him puzzled—not suspicious, just genuinely confused.
I shrugged it off casually.
“Eh. Loosening up before my team's evening raid tonight?”
“Ah...”
“And you get a dungeon tour. Win-win. Who knows—maybe your skill unlocks inside.”
“Jae-min...”
If my eyes weren't lying, tears welled in his like chicken droppings.
That quick?
Yeah, gonna need that talk. Don't go vouching for randos later, Seong-su...
***
To keep our precious Seong-su safe, we hit the lowest-risk green gate.
Three D-ranks clear it 80% of the time; geared C-rank solos easy.
And me? I soloed a twin-head ogre for kicks. Green gate? Piece of cake.
Kieek-?!
Kerruk!?
If I struggled here now, I'd deserve to drown face-first in a puddle!
Every casual swing of my Pandora's Box longsword sent goblins—the fantasy world's favorite punching bags—flying dead.
Just a tour—no need for tough gates. And our guest's loving it!
“Holy crap. Monsters crumpling like paper... Videos don't do it justice, Jae-min!”
...Not the reaction I expected, but okay?
He wanted a dungeon tour—shouldn't he be geeking over ecology or mobs? Why stare at me in awe?
“Even for a green gate with goblins, one-shotting them? First time seeing that! Jae-min, you're seriously S-rank material soon.”
“No need to grovel for raid invites later. Tour's free.”
“Not flattery—dead serious!”
Reacting like an isekai hick discovering tech. Overkill.
Still, praise makes even whales dance. A tad awkward, but not bad.
What should've been a yawn-fest turned fun thanks to his cheers.
His fawning peaked when:
Thud-!
I one-shot the boss, Goblin Champion, at the dungeon's end.
“Whoa... Even the boss...”
“Enough wow-ing. Since we're here, try something yourself.”
“Huh?”
I tossed him a hunting dagger from its leather sheath instead of answering.
He caught it clumsily with both hands, eyes asking what's this?
“Goblin Champion's core is in the solar plexus. Dig it out.”
“M-Me alone?”
“Why else hand you the dagger?”
“B-But first time extracting...”
“Everyone starts somewhere. C'mon. Lame to just watch and leave, right?”
“...True.”
Hesitant at first, he steeled himself and stab!—into the solar plexus.
Slightly off-target?
Gush gush gush-!
“U-Uwaaak?! B-Blood...!”
“I said solar plexus—not the gut! Ack! Blood! It's all over my clothes!”
“W-What do I do?!”
“H-Hold on! Lemme find something to plug it! Damn! Heavy bleed lowers core freshness...”
Moments later, we sprawled starfished on the field, blood-soaked.
One hand clutching the core—humanity's true trophy...
“...Never knew core extraction was this brutal.”
“...Sorry.”
“Gotta hit the sauna before tonight's raid.”
(No raid scheduled, but lies gotta commit.)
Suddenly, I snorted in disbelief.
“...J-Jae-min?”
Damn, once I cracked, couldn't stop. What was so funny?
Oh—us. Covered in gore, laughing our asses off.
Laughter's contagious, huh? He eyed me weird at first, then cheek-twitching led to belly laughs.
Yeah. Two bloodbath bros cackling? Total psychos.
Laughs dying, I slipped the Goblin Champion core into his hand.
“Take it, Seong-su.”
“...Huh? ...Huh?! N-No, I can't...”
“Not a gift—trade.”
“W-What do I give...?”
“Your number.”
“Number...?”
“Stay in touch, get close. Dunno who's hyung or dongsaeng yet, but we'll banmal it eventually.”
(I'm a year older, FYI. Never got that tight last time.)
“......”
Clutching the core like treasure, he gulped, speechless.
Before he tied himself in knots, I cut in.
“What's my head number now? Still 136?”
“Number? Uh...?”
Glancing at my crown, he gawked.
“Jumped to 284?!”
***
We swapped numbers and split at the gate exit.
On the surface.
“Can't you sponsor just one skill?”
I lobbed a straight ball at Mom, eyeing his retreating back.
No, don't look away, Mom. Look at your son. Please.
Master of push-pull, Mom...
The skill I requested? Stealth.
Hides appearance and presence. Perfect for...
Stealth
Shrrk...
...tailings.
'Gotta dig something up.'
284 after all that? How long for 700?
Not a total waste—we bonded. But still...
'Anything small. Intel on Seong-su to skyrocket affinity.'
Should've buddy'd up more last round. Barely know him beyond the skill.
Stealthed, I shadowed his bold stride somewhere.
Figured home first, but:
Guro Seongsim Hospital
“......”
Hospital? A full-on one.
Why? Did he get hurt in the dungeon without me noticing?
Nah—he'd whine if hurt.
Puzzled, I tailed as he chatted with the desk nurse and headed to floor 7.
Creak-.
Room 703. He opened the door.
I slipped in before it shut—but froze like lightning-struck at the sight.
A single bed in the private room. A woman lay there.
His mom, obviously. Only explanation.
But why'd I freeze? Her appearance was...