Why on Earth Does My Ability Have to Be Like This?

The world changed fifty years ago.

When the first Gates appeared and monsters poured out, humanity thought it was the end. But then people started awakening supernatural powers. The age of heroes had begun.

Now, in this modern South Korea where Gates and monsters are just part of everyday life, every kid grows up dreaming of becoming a hero. Me included.

My name is Moon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Eun-ran. I'm a perfectly ordinary high school girl. Or at least I was, until today.

Finally... finally it's my turn!

I stood in the middle of the Academy's Awakening Examination Room, heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. The examiner, a bored-looking hero in his thirties, waved his hand lazily.

"Just relax and let the device scan you. It'll only take a second."

The machine hummed to life around me. A warm light enveloped my body. This was it. The moment I'd waited seventeen years for.

Please, anything but a D-rank. Even a C would be fine. Just give me something I can work with—

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

The room fell silent.

I blinked. Once. Twice.

Wait. What did it just say?

The examiner's face slowly turned from bored to... something else entirely. His eyes widened as he stared at the monitor, then at me, then back at the monitor.

"Y-Yaeum?" he muttered. "As in... the hanja for 'lustful' and 'lewd'?"

My soul left my body.

No. No no no. This can't be happening. There must be some mistake. Maybe the machine glitched. Maybe it's a translation error. Maybe—

The status window floating in front of me didn't care about my desperate prayers. It just kept shining there, proud and unapologetic.

I wanted to scream.

Why?! Why on earth does my ability have to be like this?!

The examiner cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well... congratulations on your awakening, Miss Moon. B-rank is excellent. Though the... nature of your ability might require some careful handling in public."

Handling? Handling?!

I could already picture the headlines.

"New Heroine Awakens Lewd Ability — Public Safety Concern?"

"Academy Student Uses Seduction Powers on Monsters... and Maybe Students?"

My face burned hotter than a fireball skill. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

But then something inside me snapped.

No. Absolutely not. I refuse to be known as the perverted hero. I won't let this ability control me. I'll train it. I'll twist it. I'll make it into something heroic even if it kills me.

I clenched my fists, staring at the glowing status window with pure determination.

"Fine," I whispered. "You want to be lewd? I'll make you the most wholesome lewd ability in history."

The examiner gave me a strange look. "Did you say something?"

"Nothing!" I squeaked, forcing a bright smile. "Just... excited to start training!"

As I left the examination room, my phone was already blowing up. News of my awakening must have leaked. The group chat with my friends was a war zone.

I stared at my phone, thumbs hovering.

What was I supposed to say?

Hey guys, I got a B-rank seduction ability with a name that literally means "lewd淫." Send help.

Instead, I typed the only thing I could think of.

My phone immediately exploded with even more messages. I turned it off with a groan.

Walking through the academy halls, I could already feel the stares. Word traveled fast in a place full of superhumans. Someone must have posted about it on the school forum.

I pulled my hoodie up over my head and hurried toward the training grounds. If this ability was really stuck to me, then I'd just have to train until I could use it without looking like some kind of... succubus hero.

I won't let this define me. I won't.

But as I passed by a group of male students, I noticed three of them freeze mid-conversation. Their eyes locked onto mine for way longer than three seconds.

One of them blushed bright red. Another dropped his water bottle. The third looked like he was about to confess his undying love right there in the hallway.

I broke into a sprint.

WHY ON EARTH DOES MY ABILITY HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS?!

This was going to be a long, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long school year.