Fell Into the Dungeon

｢Next up: Due to an oversupply of low-grade dungeon byproducts, mana stone prices continue to plummet day after day. As concerns grow over declining hunter profitability, the government is considering raising the minimum ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠purchase price for mana stones…｣

"Skip."

｢Only 15,000 won, but it's that matcha gray pig sausage you crave. Made with ingredients hand-prepared by our hunter-turned-owner…｣

"Skip."

｢Hey everyone, it's BucheonMan. One commenter asked if dungeon gates pop up often in Bucheon too. So, how many unconfirmed gates do we have in Bucheon right now?｣

"Haa… Shorts algorithm's totally broken."

They say the algorithm's so smart these days.

Why does it keep recommending videos about awakened hunters—stuff I'd only watch if I were one?

I'm still an unawakened normie…

But even that "still" is wishful thinking.

From "still unawakened" to "permanently unawakened" feels more like a downgrade than an evolution.

｢This hunter's completely lost it. The truck carrying B-rank dungeon mana stones slipped, and all the stones in the cargo bed…｣

"Sigh." ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Anyway, tired of these irrelevant shorts, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I turned off my phone.

It was already 2 p.m.

Time to head to my convenience store shift, so I went to the bathroom to wash up.

-Splash──.

Another speedrun shower, same as always.

Didn't take long to finish everything.

Failed to beat my personal record, though.

"If I leave now… I won't be late."

I mentally calculated the commute from home to the store.

Then grabbed the hairdryer from the shelf to dry my damp hair.

-Slip!

"Whoa, oops."

My wet palm made me drop it, but I barely caught it.

Could've ended up taking a full-body dip with the hairdryer in the tub.

Good thing it wasn't plugged in—no electrocution risk—but water in the dryer would've ruined it for sure.

I don't have a weird hobby of dunking perfectly good hairdryers.

"Almost broke… Phew."

Relieved it was fine, I stepped out and blow-dried my hair with a whir.

This thing's pricey too—can't afford a replacement.

"Ugh, it's cold."

Changed into my going-out clothes and stepped outside, hit by the still-chilly wind battering me.

Thought about heading back in, but no choice.

Hunters who awaken and join good guilds rake in billions easily.

But me? Never awakened outside of games.

Unawakened like me can't even enter dungeons—just gotta grind the convenience store gig.

"Me, living diligently day by day—praise me~… Sigh."

Still, it's not like I have zero backup plans.

I've been investing the cash I've saved from part-timing.

Even if it grows slowly, maybe it'll snowball someday?

I'm rational and cold-hearted—no betting on lotto odds.

That's why I never expected to suddenly awaken after a lifetime as a normie.

Extreme realist.

That's me.

"Gaaah!!"

Indescribable horrific messages made me scream involuntarily.

Is this the legendary all-blue…?

My precious assets got Thanos-snapped.

Who said stocks aren't gambling but rational investments for future me?

…No, wait.

That guy's probably cashed out fat, burped, and dipped.

Now he's laughing at losers like me, thinking believe it, suckers.

"Uhehe… My life's over…."

Will and spirit both Thanos-snapped, I trudged on.

Looks like no samgyeopsal for dinner tonight.

Hope for store discards, at least.

If not, I'll be chewing sand…

…Then hospital bills pile up.

"Me, starting a diet—praise me…."

Sinking into deepening gloom, I opened my phone and headed to my hometown.

Sought solace for my wounded heart in my internet homeland.

Orphan with no real hometown, but I at least have a spiritual one.

"Uh oh…."

Emergency.

My spiritual hometown was already in chaos.

"Yeah, you guys are just like me."

Hunter Aspirant Gallery. Nicknamed HunterGal.

Usually posts about hunters, as the name suggests.

But when shit hits the fan, frog memes flood in, the world ends a few times, then rebuilds.

Mod, you're late.

Nukes are dropping on my cozy sanctuary….

Does a mod who doesn't show up during gallery dystopia even qualify?

I seriously pondered a cyber nuke war mod bonfire.

Good thing not too late.

A bit longer and I'd have doxxed the mod's crossdressing pics—close call.

Watching the posts normalize, I headed back to the store.

The familiar sign came into view.

At the crosswalk, waiting for the light, I glanced at my phone.

Thankfully, Hunter Aspirant Gallery was back to its usual self.

Posts refreshing in seconds.

I chimed in on the recovery flow.

No point just spectating my homeland rebuild.

But amid it all,

One post made me squint.

"Hah."

Hunter Aspirant Gallery has hunter posts, but actual hunters don't post.

Awakened, i.e., confirmed hunters get banned on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠principle.

Gallery rules ban real hunter activity.

They have their own gallery.

This is a coward's shelter for normies like me.

Warming each other's wounds… something warm like that.

But straight-up trashing normies like this?

Probably a lurker, but justice demands I click.

"Oh ho."

A loach messing up my hometown's waters.

You think I didn't wanna awaken?

Take it back…!

Slammed dislike, toggled VPN for multi-account dislike botting.

About 30 dislikes tanked the troll post.

Crashed to the bottom unseen.

Defended my homeland again today.

"Ahem, leading by example—praise me~."

Light changed soon after.

Green across the way—I crossed the windy crosswalk.

Time tight; hurry or late to shift.

Then Manager'd possess angry chihuahua soul.

Hard pass.

Halfway across,

-Wobble.

"Huh…?"

No sensation in my foot.

Looked down: sinkhole.

"Uwaaaah──!"

Sucked into the sudden sinkhole underfoot.

Suddenly, a floating message I didn't understand.

-Whoooosh──────

Fell for ages.

Couldn't bear rising fear and tension—blacked out briefly.

-Flash!

"…Ngh!"

How much time passed?

Snapped out of it from the sudden sinkhole.

But my fall didn't stop.

"Wh-what! What is this!!"

Literal freefall.

While plummeting, unfamiliar messages appeared.

"Ugh, ngh."

Status window or something?

No, no gallery status screens looked like that.

Still, flailed at the messages in midair.

Gotta grab something—gonna get seriously hurt.

Or die.

But they slipped away; more unfurled.

"What the…?!"

-Plop!

"Ughk."

Kept falling, then soft cushion under my butt—fall stopped.

Long drop, but no pain.

Legs intact, not even broken.

"…Did I die on impact?"

Body too fine—doubted instant death.

Way too unhurt after that drop.

Okay, test time.

"D-did I… win?"

Mumbled my go-to rez spell from games, pinched cheek.

Ouch. Hurt.

Rez successful, looks like.

Evidence: cheek squishy like newborn.

"Huh? Wait??"

Finally noticed something off.

Voice thinner, higher; eye level way down.

Felt like a short kid suddenly.

Arms and legs shorter too.

Pulled out phone, checked camera.

At least phone was fine.

"Hmm…."

Stared at screen showing unfamiliar girl, not me.

Then.

"Bleh bleh bleh."

Stuck out tongue—girl on screen did too.

Did all sorts of weird stuff for a while, then had to admit it.

Yes.

I'm that girl, and that girl's me.

"Hmm…."

Long white hair, slightly haughty eyes.

Cute, pretty face.

Body looks about 11 max.

"Why'd this happen?"

The girl with serious expression? That's me now.

No clue why, but I turned into a girl.