Instant Death (1)

Morning light had broken.

"Chae-won-ah, how about having a meal out for once?"

I said to Chae-won while wearing a t-shirt.

"Already? Eat with those part-time workers. I'll just starve."

"......"

Did she not take any Tylenol?

Her disheveled appearance was a bit cute, but seeing her look so sensitive made me feel sorry. How severe must her menstrual cramps have been...

"I was going to go to a samgyeopsal restaurant... It's a shame, I'll have to grill it all by myself."

"Samgyeopsal...?"

"Strawberry parfait for dessert too."

"......"

My little sister has a weak appetite.

Her appetite is immense. The all-purpose medicine that is one of humanity's achievements loses its effect in front of this.

"I don't want to eat alone. What should I do? It would be nice if there was someone to eat with."

Glance.

I looked at Chae-won.

She was bowing her head like she was thinking about something.

"I'll prepare it, so if your mind changes, come."

Chae-won-ah. You're still too young to me.

My little sister is in the palm of my hand.

I told her as if informing her and went outside.

"Eye?"

Outside, the first snow was falling.

It had piled up quite a bit since when.

No way. Was it today?

Looking at the snow falling from the sky, memories from the past came to mind.

- Oppa, what's going on?

Chae-won sat down with a thud on the snow that had accumulated softly.

Her pupils were half-dilated. She stared at one place in disbelief.

- Eh, what do I do.

Her voice trembled delicately. She reached out her hand but there was nothing there.

Tears welled up in Chae-won's eyes.

- Hic, hic. Haaaaaaa!

In front of the collapsed store.

Chae-won wailed and poured out tears.

I came back to my senses.

My expression hardened.

I opened my smartphone.

- January 13th.

Today is an important day.

**

Roulette Gate.

It refers to the phenomenon that appears without any warning in the middle of the city center.

The grade of the monster that comes out varies.

It could be a goblin, or a boss-level monster.

However, the sure thing is that it causes enormous damage regardless of the monster's grade.

No one could have predicted it.

"Almost a big disaster."

In this life, I vowed not to let my sister shed a tear. Even if it's a bit sappy, I will keep it to the end.

In the past, that is, in the original history.

On the day the first snow fell, the Roulette Gate appeared in the center of Seoul.

There were quite a few casualties, and in the process, the naengmyeon restaurant that had been passed down from parents to generations collapsed.

For Chae-won, the naengmyeon restaurant held a lot of meaning. I felt the same. It was also our last remaining inheritance from our parents.

So, I had to stop it.

'Artifact. Exploration use.'

'Apocalypse grade. Neculus Snake.'

I looked at the artifact that looked like a compass.

The compass clearly pointed in one direction.

I walked following the direction the compass pointed.

How far did I walk? The needle of the compass kept spinning in a certain section.

'Here.'

A quiet alley. Ordinary asphalt floor.

After briefly scanning the surroundings, I confirmed there was no one.

I hit it hard with my fist.

- Bang!

With a loud sound, a large hole was drilled in the floor.

A sinister feeling was transmitted through the gap in the hole into my body.

And without hesitation, I threw my body into the hole.

**

"Hmm, still no abnormality yet."

Roulette Gates occur in dungeons.

If dungeons are not cleared for a long time, over-saturated monsters jump out.

The problem is that this gate called 'Seoul's Apocalypse' seemed to have no abnormality.

'There are no monsters.'

Even scanning the surroundings, no common goblins were seen.

This can't be a gate in an over-saturated state.

'Okay. Anyway, this place is confirmed.'

Dungeons are naturally generated in various places around the world.

So, when a dungeon appears, the country or guild manages it thoroughly.

If it becomes over-saturated and monsters jump out, it would cause devastating damage.

If it's a dungeon in the metropolitan area, management is even stricter.

In the metropolitan area where many people gather, even one goblin leaking out would be no big deal for killing three people.

This place, known as the 'Snake Dungeon', is an accident from that method.

No one thought there was a dungeon under the sewer.

"It's too quiet for that. As if someone cleared it."

Since I came from the future, I naturally knew the cause. That's why I used the artifact to find the exact dungeon.

...Even though this place is confirmed, no monsters were seen.

I decided to walk more. Checked the time. 9:38 AM, if my memory is accurate, the gate will erupt in 12 minutes.

'I shouldn't be late.'

The image of my little sister wailing in front of the collapsed store didn't leave my mind.

If I had arrived a little earlier, I could have changed the future.

It was time to correct the twisted event of that day.

- Surrurru.

A bad sound came from far away.

It was a dark sewer, so it wasn't visible in detail, but a huge form was vaguely visible.

I approached slowly while holding my breath.

100 meters, 50 meters.

And soon.

The face of that hideous thing I saw in my previous life appeared.

"Seeing it again."

The snake also noticed me and raised its huge body.

And it approached me quickly on the floor.

Because it was so huge, the entire sewer shook.

I looked at it with a cold, sitting expression.

"How much I wanted to rewind this moment."

Past events flashed like a stroboscope.

Especially the day I went to clear the area the day before.

The day I regretted dying because I didn't arrive on time.

The next day, I submitted my resignation and became the top hunter.

- Kwaaaaa!

The snake opened its huge mouth and tried to swallow me whole.

"Die."

The distance to reach was right in front of my nose.

It stopped with its huge mouth open.

A moment later.

- Puff!

A sound of something twisting, and the snake's head exploded like a firework.

Its blood rained down from the sky.

I covered my nose.

"Brush your teeth in the next life."

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠smell of its mouth couldn't be smelled twice.

"Congratulations. Reward: Absolute Shield."

The good feeling was fleeting, and I felt a bit uneasy.

"That means there was someone who got this in their previous life."

It's a good artifact. Artifacts with this value are priceless. It can easily handle at least one building's worth. No, the very idea of selling it was absurd. Who would sell an artifact equivalent to a reserve life?

The problem was that in the original history, it was a hunter who obtained the 'Absolute Shield'.

'The history can be twisted. Moreover, I have no intention of interfering lightly in this life.'

If it was the previous life, it wouldn't matter. After all, when a dangerous monster appears, I easily eliminate it.

However, in this life, I decided not to interfere.

That is, this enormous item is not necessary for me. I don't care if I don't have this.

'...Who was it? The hunter who originally gets this.'

I recalled a vague memory.

Roulette Gate. The name of the hunter who handled it.

Fortunately, I was able to recall it clearly after a while.

"Yoo Sia."

Chae-won's only friend.

In the previous life, she was the second strongest after me.

Yoo Sia.

'Yeah, thinking about it, she started getting attention from people and showing her power from around this time.'

At the time when I had just acquired the ability, foolishly, I was roaming around here and there under the pretext of testing.

When I returned after hearing about the collapse, everything was already over.

The store was collapsed, and the situation was perfectly resolved.

The Roulette Gate was cleared by Yoo Sia.

Up until then, she had lived hiding most of her abilities, but she didn't overlook her friend's misfortune.

"Then this."

Originally, I was going to give it to my little sister.

Even though it's once a day, being able to block a fatal attack is the most reliable weapon for a hunter.

As someone who was trying to push my little sister to become a hunter as much as possible, there was no such gift.

"I have to return it to Sia."

But I gave up.

Because Yoo Sia was...

'At that time, I wondered how she miraculously survived, but it was thanks to this.'

During life, one experiences a very significant crisis.

"It can't be like that. My little sister's friend."

Most importantly, it was my little sister. However, I couldn't let Chae-won's only friend die.

I firmly vowed to return this artifact to her without hesitation.

**

- Shwaaaaa!

Upon returning home, I immediately ran to the bathroom.

Now the smell won't come out?

I showered three times.

Because the sewer smell wouldn't come off.

The kitchen is cleanliness is life, after all.

I turned off the shower faucet and came out of the bathroom.

Then, I dried my hair appropriately and put on a fresh-smelling outfit.

I have to go to work.

I headed to the store with light footsteps.

The store is not far from home.

About 5 minutes on foot.

It will be quick.

After walking for a while, the store came into view.

In front, two part-time workers had arrived first and were waiting for me.

They're so diligent.

A bit sloppy, but the passion when working was commendable.

"Everyone, you came early? How long have you been waiting?"

I waved my hand happily.

However, their expressions were not good.

"...Time."

"...Three hours. I waited three hours. Where did you go!"

I looked at them with a dumbfounded expression.

Somehow, it was like right before becoming a snowman.

"Why wait like a fool? Isn't the phone a form?"

I shook my smartphone. It was sloppy, but this was being stupid.

With a pitiful gaze.

Yujin bit her lip, said in a slightly suppressed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠voice.

"...There."

"Eh?"

"You didn't tell me."

"?"

"You didn't tell me the number."

"Ah."

I scratched my head.

If so, I'm the trash.

"I'm sorry. Please don't report to the human rights commission."

"...Won't report. Rather, Seonghun-ssi."

Yujin sighed and handed over the phone.

"Give me the number."

"Ah."

I shook my head as if it was troublesome.

"My number is a bit expensive. Sorry."

- Ttallang.

And I flipped the sign attached to the door handle.

- OPEN.

How many customers will come today?

Soon it would be lunch time. I prepared to open with a smiling face.