Prologue: Affection Locked at 100
The peaceful era had only just continued when an immeasurable ordeal descended upon humanity. The Gates. Through portals linking to other worlds, countless monsters burst forth indiscriminately and attacked people. At the moment that heralded humanity’s extinction, the Awakening began. And humanity launched its counterattack. They grew stronger using the flesh and bones of the monsters that emerged from the Gates, and through harmony with the intelligent races beyond them, humanity continued to evolve.
I awakened as well. Mental-type ability, E-class. Mind Stabilization. An ability that calmed a person’s mind. Its effect was not particularly strong, so it was rated at the lowest tier. But my real ability was the power to manipulate other people’s affection levels. I hid it, thinking that revealing it would only make others wary. In reality, powerful mental ability users were thrown into the front lines and died in droves. Because it was an ability that caused humanity more anxiety than the monsters themselves. Since I was an E-class awakener, I was assigned to the rear. And the work I did was…
“Mom, mom, mommyyyyyy….”
“We have to believe in God!!! We must believe in the god who created the Gates!!!”
“I’m going to die… I’m, I’m going to die…”
The Gates had taken so much from humanity, and the war against the monsters left countless awakeners mentally broken. Yet simply sending those whose minds had become dangerous back into society could lead to who-knows-what kind of catastrophe. So they were moved to the rear-guard Mental Protection Ward for treatment. I was one of the doctors in charge here.
“Hanseong! Get over here and use your ability!”
“Yes, I’m coming!”
Today a rather special patient had arrived. She was a member of another race—an elf. Normally her own people would have taken her back to their camp, so why had she ended up in humanity’s territory?
“Excuse me?”
“……”
“Miss Anna? Can you hear me?”
“……”
It was bad. Her eyes were completely dead. What had she gone through during the war? If her limbs were intact, she normally wouldn’t have deteriorated this far. It seemed she had suffered countless layers of despair.
“Miss Anna, don’t worry too much. The Gate subjugation is almost over. We’ll soon regain peace.”
“…Ah.”
Had the word “Gate” triggered her? For the first time, a spark of life returned to her eyes.
“First, I’ll calm your mind with my ability.”
Name: Anna Criesty
Race: Elf
Affection: 0 (Stranger)
Affection from stranger to friendly neighbor should be enough.
Name: Anna Criesty
Race: Elf
Affection: 20 (Friendly Neighbor)
Good. This should be sufficient.
“Miss Anna?”
“…Me.”
At that instant, the world trembled. A voice without a single shred of emotion rang inside my head.
The tutorial has ended.
Tutorial? Don’t tell me… everything up until now was still just the tutorial and the real game hasn’t even started?
Not only me—everyone stood frozen in shock.
“Bullshit… it’s only starting now?”
“All the suffering we endured, all the sacrifices we made—were they meaningless?”
The people inside the ward were gradually being consumed by madness. I had many thoughts of my own, but first I had to calm them down.
Talking won’t work. I have to use my ability. I’ve never used it on this many people at once, but I have no choice.
I activated the Affection Window again and again.
After using the ability without end, my head felt like it would split open.
Phew… is it finally over?
“I’ll kill you… die… die!!!”
At that moment, Anna—who had been motionless—lunged at me and wrapped her hands around my throat.
Damn… friendly level wasn’t enough?
Her mind had already been shattered beyond repair. The second shock seemed to have pushed her completely over the edge.
Thankfully her body has grown so weak that her strength isn’t that strong, but if I stay like this I might actually die.
I have to raise her affection. All the way, in one go!
“Urk… Ah… Miss Anna…”
Name: Anna Criesty
Race: Elf
Affection: 100 (Can’t Live Without You)
The instant I did, it felt as if my head were exploding.
The affection ability…
The affection ability…
The affection ability…
The affection ability…
The affection ability…ERROR
ghrkaeh smdfurdl… BROKEN
ERROR
All affection levels fixed at 100.
After that, I lost consciousness.