Chapter 1: Prologue

Prologue.

The world, where countless people live, is always changing rapidly.

However, most people do not easily notice that change.

Just as fish in the ocean do not feel the powerful waves even when they crash down.

Those accustomed to their lives and daily routines live faithfully in the lives given to them, only realizing it when they suddenly look back at the time that has passed.

They then perceive the changes they hadn’t seen, hidden behind the thin veil of familiarity,

and finally say, ‘So much has changed.’

Such a reaction was proof that the world was peaceful.

However—that was merely a story of the past.

One day, due to the sudden appearance of gates, the world as we knew it disappeared.

On the streets, elves with pointed ears and beastkin walking with wagging tails are frequently seen.

Internet news features stories of people losing loved ones and their homes due to monsters emerging from dungeons.

It’s a strange world where articles like a cat beastkin called a Returnee instantly defeating a sand worm that appeared in the American West are published.

A world where the common sense and order humanity had built over thousands of years are no longer taken for granted.

And sudden changes always provoke resistance.

In the form of worry, anxiety, discrimination, violence, and so on.

Even though a considerable amount of time has passed since gates first appeared—and the existence of Returnees and special abilities became public knowledge.

Many people still found it difficult to adapt to the changed world.

[Oh, by the way, I have something to tell you all. Yesterday, on my way home from work, I decided I should buy some side dishes—so I got off the bus a little early, right? But when I got off and walked down the alley, a huge octopus was walking around on two legs! You think I’m lying? No, I’m serious!]

–Slurp.

From that perspective, I was truly an ordinary person.

I felt that way, regardless of what others might think.

Yeon Ari. 23 years old.

It’s a bit much to say I’ve perfectly adapted to the changed world.

But at least I don’t live trapped in the past, denying the changes.

Although I lost all my family and friends due to the gates and monsters,

ironically, I make a living from a job created by the gates.

Just one of the common citizens in today’s world.

“Dungeon clear complete! Transport team, prepare!”

Magic that can instantly cross between Korea and America, or summon and drop giant boulders,

and abilities that can instantly raze everything within one’s sight just by looking, have become real in this world.

What I possess, then and now, is nothing but a sturdy body.

“Let’s work hard today—”

I threw the cup ramen I had been eating while standing in the unmanned convenience store into the trash.

I coiled up the earphones I had been wearing to watch a broadcast while waiting, and put them in my pocket.

I hung the Grade 9 exclusive identification tag, indicating my guild affiliation, around my neck.

There’s no one to return the tag to, but the feeling of belonging somewhere. It’s nice, isn’t it?

“Good work!”

“Yes, you too.”

As hunters emerged one by one from the cleared dungeon,

the monsters they caught and items they found in the dungeon also came out with them.

‘Ugh….’

Due to the emerging corpses, the smell of blood permeated everywhere.

The clean road quickly became cluttered with items of unknown purpose.

The sounds of people gagging at the unexpected scent of blood are now commonplace.

Since expensive tools and jewels are directly taken by the hunters who find them,

the spoils piled up like this are only materials that are in poor condition or not considered useful enough to carry away directly.

Nevertheless, because they are all materials that can only be obtained from dungeons,

from the perspective of the nation or guilds, they were valuable assets that absolutely had to be collected, even if it meant hiring porters like me.

‘I should finish quickly and go home to watch the broadcast.’

Rip—Rip—

Gagging sounds. The struggle between people trying to secretly pick up items and safety officers trying to stop them, and so on.

Amidst the familiar commotion, I skillfully processed the corpses.

I disassembled the monsters whose lives had been cut short, stripped their hides, and sorted out the expensive parts.

As I did so, if any items rolling on the floor looked decent, I picked them up.

Then, I repeatedly stacked them neatly in a box with my name written on it, far away.

“Hoo….”

As I repeatedly disassembled corpses while squatting and moved heavy items, my legs and back ached.

My nose, long exposed to the terrible smell of blood, was numb and felt nothing.

Although it’s a physically demanding job that gets my clothes covered in blood, and its social perception is poor despite its necessity,

I get to see the hunters, whom many people admire and marvel at, up close.

And since there are many risks involved, the income is quite good, so I was reasonably satisfied.

“Heave-ho.”

It’s almost full.

Once I fill this large box, my quota will be complete.

Having done this for over 5 years, I’ve become quite good at distinguishing between expensive and cheap items.

Since I filled it mainly with valuable items, my earnings should be pretty good.

As I pondered in my mind what I would do when I received my pay,

I soon thought, ‘I don’t really want anything, so I guess I’ll just spam my favorite VTubers with thousand-won punches—’

As I was having such trivial thoughts, the moment I picked up a bead rolling on the floor.

—Fwoosh,

“Huh?”

A bright light suddenly burst from the bead in my hand, enveloping my body as if devouring me.

What is this? Why is this happening?

The sudden abnormal state caused a commotion around me, and the site supervisor blew his whistle, telling me to drop the bead.

For some reason, I couldn’t put any strength into the hand holding the bead. I couldn’t throw it, nor could I let go. Sensation was disappearing from my fingertips.

The people working nearby evacuated the site, leaving me all alone.

Amidst the overwhelming sense of weakness and fading consciousness, the thought that came to my mind was.

‘…Ah. They said there would be a singing broadcast tonight.’

That was all it was, at most.