Chapter 1. Unprecedented Jealousy
Chapter 1. Unprecedented Jealousy
-Breaking news.
-The Black Dragon Guild has set out to conquer the 40th floor of the Tower. They were confident they would finally show the world what a top-tier guild is capable of, weren't they? Unfortunately, they've returned empty-handed once again.
-The number one ranked Hunter!
-The Flame Emperor has once again soloed the boss!
I'm so jealous.
I stared blankly at the television and thought.
Jealous. So jealous I could honestly go insane.
-Hello, Flame Emperor!
-Ah, yes. Hello.......
Beyond the screen, a man furrowed his brow.
Somehow, even his furrowed brow was handsome.
-You've set a new record again today. The Flame Emperor is the only person to have set this many records. May I ask for a few words?
-First, I'd appreciate it if you'd change that dogshit title.
-Pardon?
-Flame Emperor. Why do you call me by some fucked-up nickname when I have a perfectly good name? What the hell is a Flame Emperor supposed to be, Flame Emperor? You might as well call me Typhoid. I swear I'm going to hunt down the bastard who came up with this nickname and beat the shit out of him.
-Uh, uhm.
The reporter stammered in bewilderment. But he only stammered—he didn't dare talk back to the man.
Because the man was the protagonist of this era, writing a legend so overwhelming.
And I was an extra who couldn't even make it as a supporting role.
"Ah......."
I muttered.
"I'm really jealous."
How good must that feel?
A life where you can say whatever you want, even on television.
I fiddled with my smartphone. I went to the Hunter board of some internet community. Because I was curious how people were reacting to the interview.
-LOL, the Flame Emperor's at it again with his bullshit!
-That guy's on TV every day being a total ass.
Sure enough, the board was an absolute inferno.
People were burning up as they watched the interview.
-Can't you watch your mouth when the whole world is watching?
└It's not like this is the first time, lol.
└Everyone knows he's like that, so this is the network's fault.
└For real... they're just making the interview provocative to boost ratings.
└Wow, the Flame Emperor fanatics have taken over this place too. So disgusting.
└I want to be like the Flame Emperor.
People defending the Flame Emperor and people criticizing him.
The internet split in two like the Red Sea.
-Flame Emperor, I hope you become a national representative Hunter with a personality as good as your skills. Every time your interviews get tranlsated into foreign languages and spread, I feel ashamed as a citizen of this country.......
└It's "translated," not "tranlsated." Before you worry about foreign languages, how about you learn your own language first? And nationality doesn't matter in the Tower.
└So it's fine when your idol curses in Korean? Pathetic, Flame Emperor.
└They were just pointing out a typo, why are you cursing at them? Your personality is twisted.
└What's twisted isn't my personality, it's your life. kthxbye
└I want to be like the Flame Emperor.
It was utter chaos.
It wasn't just this community that was noisy.
Anywhere that dealt with Hunters was in an uproar.
-The Flame Emperor's girlfriend has appeared! They say he's dating the Saintess!
└With the Saintess? Really?
└My friend is a Hunter and said they saw the Flame Emperor and the Saintess together.
└My friend is the Saintess and said no;
└I want to be like the Flame Emperor.
In some places, people were even gossiping about who this man was dating.
The Saintess was one of the most popular Hunters alongside the Flame Emperor. The post even helpfully included what people called the Saintess's best-ever photo. She was famous for having a personality as good as her outstanding beauty.
And they say he's dating this Saintess.
"Ughhh."
In the end, I put down my smartphone and clutched my head.
For the record.
-I want to be like the Flame Emperor.
I was the one who had written every single one of those comments.
I'd posted them while browsing those threads just now. I always left that same comment on posts like these.
Why do I consistently post the same comment?
"I'm jealous! So jealous! I want to be successful too!"
Because I'm jealous.
That was truly my pure, honest heart.
I can only say this honestly because I live alone in a one-room apartment.
Anyone who saw my studio apartment would be shocked. Magazine and newspaper clippings were plastered all over the walls. Every one of them was an interview or article about the world's number one ranked Hunter, the Flame Emperor.
「Flame Emperor solo clears Floor 39!」
「Floor 38 cleared solo! Another legend of the Flame Emperor!」
「Hunter Yoo Soo-ha. Ascends to world rank 1. First Korean ever.」
.
.
.
「The throne of rank 1, left empty by the Sword Saint's disappearance. Who will be the next to claim it? Foreign experts agree: "The strongest candidate is Korea's Yoo Soo-ha."」
「Impregnable Floor 10 breached. Who is the mysterious hero?」
「Sword Saint, day 22 of disappearance. Is the worst chaos in the hunter industry upon us?」
Starting from the most recent newspaper articles to articles over ten years old.
Newspaper clippings packed densely across the wall. Some papers were clean, but the old ones had yellowed and deteriorated. It was literally history. The history of the Flame Emperor. No, the history recorded from before Hunter Yoo Soo-ha had even earned the nickname Flame Emperor.
Ahh.
'I want to succeed like the Flame Emperor.......'
I want to succeed so much that other people envy me. I want to succeed and teach the people who have looked down on me or disrespected me a lesson.
And after teaching them a lesson, I even want to generously forgive them, saying, 'Try to be a better person from now on,' and be praised as a big-hearted man.......
Yes. I was jealous of the hero on television.
-Flame Emperor.
-Wow, I told you to call me by my name, not Flame Emperor. I thought only your brain rots when you do trash journalism, but do your ear holes rot too?
-I-I'm sorry. Finally, please say a word to the viewers!
-Haah. What word?
-There are many aspiring Hunters who work hard looking up to the Flame Emperor. Awakened as soon as he entered the Tower in his early twenties! Defeated a boss monster in less than a month! A Hunter who has literally written a legend, the Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-ha! Please define the secret to your success in just one word! Please give them advice!
The Flame Emperor let out a hollow laugh.
-If someone's going to succeed just because I say one word, then they'd succeed no matter what they do anyway. What difference does it make whether I give advice or not?
-Still, please say just one word!
-Ah, these damn broadcasting bastards are really... Fine. Then I'll say a few words.
The Flame Emperor scratched the back of his head roughly. A hairstyle with even his bangs swept back and tied with a rubber band. Was that what they called a ponytail? His black hair, hanging long like a horse's tail, swayed slightly.
-Those who are meant to make it will make it.
The Flame Emperor glared straight into the camera.
-But even if you succeed later, don't come at me. You'll die.
-Pardon?
-That's it. I have nothing more to say, so don't follow me.
And that really was it. The Flame Emperor left the camera behind and walked away alone. The reporter, flustered, shouted, "Flame Emperor! Flame Emperor! What did you mean by what you just said!" but was completely ignored.
I silently stared at the Flame Emperor's receding back.
"Haah......."
I was frustrated.
The one ignored was the reporter, but somehow it felt like I was the one being ignored.
I was genuinely frustrated.
"If only I had one decent skill......."
Reality was an F-rank bottom-tier Hunter.
The internet heating up in real time when I do an interview.
People taking interest in even my trivial private life.
Most of all, succeeding through my own abilities... becoming filthy rich.
That kind of successful life was far from me.
"I want to succeed... I want an S-rank skill too....... Ugh, it's not just about the money, I just want to succeed. How great would it be if the Flame Emperor's skills were mine......?"
Anyone seeing me right now would probably think I'm insane.
Muttering to myself and nakedly exposing my desires.
Again, I'm only like this because I'm alone in a one-room apartment. Muttering like this in a place with no listening ears was my own way of relieving stress.
It's a total eyesore, but so what?
It's better than causing a scene outside and bothering other people.
No one's listening anyway.
"...Huh?"
But it seemed my thinking was wrong.
As if someone had heard my words, a golden light flashed before my eyes!
"N-no way?"
A scene I had only ever seen in videos. A sight I had watched hundreds, thousands of times, pressing the replay button. A scene I played every morning when I woke up to fuel my jealousy.
It was the light that appears when a Hunter awakens a skill.
"Golden!"
And not just any golden light—the golden light that only appears when an S-rank or higher skill manifests!
My heart pounded like crazy.
Soon, the golden light gathered into one place and formed the shape of a card.
[A jealousy so ugly it's hard to find precedent!]
[The Tower is appalled by your hideous jealousy and tosses you a skill.]
Huh?
The skill awakening message is a bit different from what I've heard about.......
Normally when awakening a skill, you're supposed to hear cool things like 'The Tower is moved by your will,' 'The Tower rewards your upright training,' 'The Tower praises your achievements.'
But appalled by my hideous jealousy and tossing me a skill?
Isn't that like the tone of someone giving alms, saying, "Here, eat this"?
'N-no, wait. An S-rank skill appeared, so what does the tone matter?'
I felt uneasy for some reason, but I ignored it.
How long have I waited for this moment? There's no need to bring up needlessly ominous thoughts.
[Generating skill card.]
Flash!
The light burst one final time and a golden card was created.
I grabbed the card with trembling hands.
+
[I Want to Be Like You]
Rank: S+
Effect: Automatically activates when you are killed by an enemy. Copies 1 skill from the enemy who killed you and makes it yours. You cannot copy the same opponent twice. Which skill is copied is determined randomly.
※However, you die!
+
"Ohh! Ohh, oh... oh... huh?"
My voice naturally became strange as time passed.
I blinked.
"Huh?"
For a moment, I thought I had misread something.
I slowly read the sentence written at the very bottom of the card again.
※However, you die!
It really said that.
That using this S-rank skill would kill me.
"......."
I stared blankly at the card.
Wind came in through the window, and the newspaper clippings plastered on the wall fluttered. Only after a long while did a scream echo through my one-room apartment.
"Fuck, what is this! How am I supposed to use this skill!"
That day, I obtained a skill for the ages.
A shit skill for the ages.