Chapter 1
Chapter 1
I won the lottery. Third prize? Or maybe second?
No. First prize. The actual payout was around two billion won.
I barely listened to the clerk suggesting investment plans or savings accounts and walked out of the lottery office.
"Huh, huff, gasp."
Seeing the newly opened bankbook with the winnings, dizziness washed over me.
Was this a dream or reality…? I pinched my cheek hard, and the pain confirmed it.
"Ugh! It's not a dream. This is really, truly real."
They say even a mousehole sees the sun eventually.
Excitement coursed through my entire body, and my heart was pounding so violently I felt like I could take off at any moment.
"Let's go. First, I'll get home and think after that."
Walking along the main street outside the building, I felt people staring at me.
"This is insane! Nobody around here knows I won. Act natural, just walk normally."
Even in the lottery-winning reviews I’d read beforehand, it said there’s no one targeting you after receiving the prize, so don’t worry…
Yet, I couldn’t help feeling intimidated.
If I kept walking or got on a crowded subway, I’d probably lose my mind, so I hastily hailed a taxi.
"Thank you."
I got off near my studio apartment and quickly arrived home.
The moment I opened the door, dopamine seemed to explode inside me, and I clenched my fists, letting out a silent scream.
──────!
Unable to contain my excitement, I rolled on the floor in a frenzy, and suddenly I craved a beer.
Right. On a day like this, I should grab a can of beer and just collapse. Better hit the convenience store first.
I tucked the bankbook deep into a drawer and headed to the nearby convenience store.
As I walked, I thought.
"What should I do with this money right now? How should I live from here on?"
First, quit the company. I’ll submit my resignation tomorrow.
I’m tired of being subtly bullied and ignored at work because I’m an orphan.
It’s a crappy company, so let them deal with their crap.
A house? Apartment or officetel, doesn’t matter.
I just want to escape this tiny studio room.
I’ll think about a car later…
"If I splurge recklessly with twenty billion won, I’ll go bankrupt quickly. I’ll stop by the orphanage I used to live in, see the director I occasionally kept in touch with, sponsor them, and try to live well from now on."
Not exactly fond memories… but still, it’s the place that raised me.
Thunk!
Crash.
As I was turning a corner while mulling over my future, I collided with a shabby-looking man running toward me and fell.
"Ugh, sorry. What the hell was that game…? I was running so fast I didn’t watch where I was going. Are you okay?"
What kind of person runs while playing a phone game?
Still, seeing him apologize politely calmed my anger, so I took his outstretched hand and got up.
"Yeah. I’m fine. But be careful next time─"
That was when it happened.
Before I could finish speaking, something strange started happening around us.
Brrrrr.
[Crack cleared!]
[Exercise caution during transference.]
The smartphone he was holding vibrated, and a hologram appeared between us.
Ziiing─!
At our feet, strange symbols and shapes, like magic circles from a novel or webtoon, began to glow.
"W-what is this? Transference? Are we seriously entering the game?!"
He shouted in a mix of panic and excitement at the hologram, but I was only bewildered.
"Damn it! Why won’t this hand let go? I don’t care about transference or whatever, just let go!"
The hand I had been holding to get up wouldn’t let go no matter how hard I tried.
"Hey! Let go of this hand! What the hell is happening right now!"
"Hahaha, let’s go, another world transference! Beautiful girl, starting─!"
"Hey, you bastard! I don’t care if it’s another world or a pretty girl, let go of my hand and disappear!"
This is bad. This guy’s eyes seem completely gone; he can’t hear me.
As if that weren’t enough, his body started turning into particles from his feet upward.
Am I really being transferred too?
Judging by the hand still holding me, I’d get dragged along if I didn’t break free.
I’d have to let go.
Leaving twenty billion behind and traveling to another world instead of somewhere on Earth?
My house, my car, my future… not a single penny used, turned into scrap?
"Ugh! Agh, aaahhh!"
Tears and blood vessels burst in my eyes from the force, but I slowly regained feeling in my fingers.
Zap.
Thunk!
At the moment only his arm remained, sparks flew, and I could finally let go.
I fell backward hard from the force, but the relief outweighed the pain.
Some skull cracking wouldn’t kill me, right? My money! Thank God, truly.
Shouldn’t the pain hit as I land…?
「Intervening in a call of your own will? A mere human?」
A chillingly smooth voice pierced my mind.
「It’s been a while since a human with such strong will appeared. I wonder what variable you might become to them.」
What?
As the voice cut off, the heaviness that fell over me wasn’t pain from hitting my head, but as if I were sinking into the deep sea.
‘What the…’
Everything is black. My body is heavy. I need to regain focus…
Unable to resist the rushing tide, I lost consciousness.
"Ahhh!"
At some point, my eyes snapped open.
‘What happened? Did I pass out? Where am I?’
Clutching my fuzzy head, I recalled everything—the guy shouting about another world, the strange voice.
And then began the five stages of death.
Denial.
"No. This can’t be real. Did I really get transferred to another world? This is a dream. Please, someone tell me it’s a dream!"
Anger.
"What? Strong will? Damn it, then twenty billion is flying away without me even using it. Who wouldn’t panic if they couldn’t let go at that moment? Why me, why me of all people!"
Negotiation.
"I don’t know who you are, but please send me back! I’ve struggled as an orphan all my life, and I was finally starting to live well. Why are you doing this to me? I’ll live better from now on, I swear!"
Depression.
"A being capable of casually sending one or two humans to another world… would it even heed my words and return me? Haa."
Acceptance.
"Fine. Instead of lying around and dying, I’ll live here. Who knows? In another world, maybe I can find some mysterious power and return, or just enjoy a fantasy life."
My emotions were swinging wildly in a short time, even rationalizing… I felt insane.
I steadied myself and looked around, spotting a black window before me.
[Chaos has ended, we ask.]
!
"Is that you? The one who dragged me here after barely escaping the magic circle?"
[Chaos is similar, but different.]
[Chaos seems fully restored, attempting connection with the master.]
"Master? …Understood for now."
After a moment, the voice I’d heard before I lost consciousness spoke.
「Can you hear me? You’ve regained consciousness quickly.」
Even while being dragged here, my body responded to that strange, smooth voice. Crazy.
"Th-the voice is very close. Could you adjust it a bit? Sorry if I sounded rude."
「Puhuhu, what’s this? Cheeky, huh? Really unique. Usually, humans hearing a god’s voice tremble in fear or awe.」
I could faintly hear a giggle.
「Some deny the god, treating it as a prank or impossibility. But…」
The voice sounded delighted.
「You think of me as… a seductive woman? Interesting. Cute. Should I appear in human form to talk?」
With that, black smoke swirled and formed a figure.
A beautiful woman with black-and-white hair stood before me.
"Wow."
I forgot the situation and just muttered in awe.
Seeing her silently smile, my senses sharpened instantly.
Damn. Reacting like this to the one who sent me here… I could go mad with self-disgust.
‘Focus. One gesture from her and I could die. Brace yourself.’
「Good. Admirable. I’ll explain the situation now.」
She spoke slowly, pleasantly.
「For some reason, this world, once a battlefield of gods, fell into ruin. Most gods ceased conflict, combined their power, and restored it. In the aftermath, many were forgotten or went dormant.」
Boom!
…A battlefield of gods.
「With all the power concentrated, the continent was restored, but the dimensional distortion deepened. A rift formed at the center, stretching endlessly.」
So it’s not just another world transference… the scale is insane.
「Humans called it the Great Labyrinth, building cities into a fortress to surround it.」
She shrugged.
「The labyrinth posed both danger and opportunity. Remaining gods changed their methods, summoning humans from compatible worlds.」
I had to ask.
"Why were such powerful gods fighting in the first place?"
She smiled.
「Dividing into good and evil gods… maybe many reasons. Gods have feelings too.」
She continued, brushing aside the question.
「Anyway, humans who clear certain rifts in a world modeled after this one… we summon the ones with minimal causal cost to acquire fragments at the labyrinth’s depths. The god who achieves this stands above all others.」
"Wait. Then what am I? I didn’t play any game, I just got caught up… Why am I summoned? If it weren’t for you!"
The air thickened as I shouted in frustration.
「Huhu, I like your spirit resisting despite being called. Cute, I’ll overlook it.」
I felt her hand on my head.
「The reason I brought you? Your resistance caught my attention. Don’t be too angry. I was shocked paying the causal cost to summon you!」
"Causal cost?"
「Yes! Usually, rich or famous humans cost too much to summon. There’s a secondary filter among humans who clear the game.」
So not all clearing humans are summoned.
「The cost paid during summoning converts to traits and skills, but efficiency is low.」
Ah, so summoned humans get skills based on cost and level.
「That other human lived a wasted life playing games at home, so he was low cost.」
‘No wonder he flipped out when transference happened.’
「You also appear strong, but your shabby life made you suitable… Yet bringing you here, you might become rich soon, leaving me empty-handed.」
Winning twenty billion from the lottery and living well? Or using that money for a future advantage?
Her form started fading.
「Hmm, I’ve nearly exhausted my power, can only communicate briefly for now.」
Wait.
「I don’t know about your twenty billion, but the causal cost you paid will help your growth.」
‘Briefly? How long will the conversation be cut off?’
I urgently asked the most important thing.
"Can I return the causal cost and go back to my original world?!"
She chuckled.
「Not that simple. Better give up on returning.」
Hearing that, all my strength drained.
「Instead, I won’t force or dominate you, since I like you and didn’t summon you carelessly.」
She raised her index finger.
「If you grow on your own and reach the labyrinth’s inner depths, rewards await. Some cruel gods enslave summoners; kind gods like me are rare.」
Not giving medicine after disease, just sending me to grow stronger instead of letting me spend money?
I sighed deeply.
‘Stop whining like a child. Can’t go back, so take what’s given, get strong, and live large. Ocean-view apartment, foreign car… maybe a magic vehicle replaces a carriage. Being weak won’t make me an orphan again.’
「Ready? Good. It will hurt, but endure. Next time we meet, I hope to see a better you. I’ve risked everything, so I hope you survive.」
Then, goodbye, my cute disciple.
Smooch.
In a blink, she kissed my cheek, smiled, and disappeared.
Rubbing my cheek in daze, excruciating pain surged throughout my body.
"Ughhh─!"
[Applying causal effect…]
It began with my eyes.