CH 1

[Big People’s Orphanage]

A huge frame hung on the entrance of this orphanage with a peculiar name with the words <Let’s become big people>.

Director Kim Taesung, who gave the orphanage its name and motto, was a middle-aged man with a small body, but in truth, he was similar to a small giant.

He was a father to all the students, especially those who were small but had infinite potential.

Jihoo and many other students grew up well under the warmth of their acting father’s arms and the devoted help of good-willed teachers.

The director also gave the name Yoo Jihoo.

The name means to be someone who makes a mark in the world after being engraved.

He didn’t know stories of Andromeda and how a name could be engraved in this world, so he engraved his name a lot on erasers.

Jihoo has been meticulous and skillful since he was young, and he made a lot of eraser stamps for the students.

Those children were envious.

Adults say that Jihoo would never have to worry about making a living once he grows up.

Jihoo was proud inside.

Though he was frustrated when he found out later on that all the stamp shops these days use automatic machines to make and sell their stamps.

From an early age, people looked down pitifully on the students at the orphanage, especially Jihoo who was unfortunately born with a small and weak body.

However, the director took Jihoo in his arms and reassured him often.

“You’re not weak, Jihoo-ah. You’re not small. Don’t see yourself in the words of other people. You’re gonna be a big man.”

Jihoo didn’t know exactly what he meant, nor if his words were really possible, but he found warmth in the arms of his father.

He had the kind director become his father figure, and he had a big family of numerous brothers and sisters.

Even in an environment where they didn’t always have everything, Jihoo did not feel much pity for himself.

Rather, the real misfortune came when he turned 18 — the age he stopped being under the protection of the orphanage.

Jihoo, who had no family or property, had to start a lonely survival struggle in the cold reality from the time he left the orphanage and had to become self-reliant.

His world would get bigger and though he declared that he’d bravely enter society…

The age of 18 was too young to do everything alone.

The  ₩ 5 million (around $3,780) self-reliance settlement allowance was too small, and it was unclear to him how he’d make a living with ₩ 300,000 ($227) monthly protection allowance.

The children in the orphanage treated each other equally, but it wasn’t the same for the world outside.

When Jihoo eventually had to integrate into society, he had no choice but to acknowledge that everywhere he goes, he would be discriminated against.

He endured all the hostility against him and when he turned twenty, he went to find Yoojin, a dongsaeng two years younger than him who he grew up with at the orphanage.

As expected, Yoojin, who was near the end of her stay at the orphanage, burst into tears, saying she was at a loss for how to live his life.

Yoojin was not yet at the age when she’d be let go by the orphanage, but just hearing the words and the responsibility she would carry made her cry.

And after a long conversation, the two decided to live together.

They grew up together from an early age, enough to regard each other as blood-unrelated siblings, so they were able to decide without worrying about their relationship.

The two, who were more like brothers and sisters than their own blood families, stayed together and endured the cruelty of the world by leaning on each other.

Jihoo adjusted to the tough world one step at a time, compensating for his loneliness and Yooijn’s anxiety.

Jihoo tried his best to be more than just a brother.

His body was weak and he couldn’t even imagine going to college, but Yoojin wanted it.

Yoojin said she didn’t need help, but when she was admitted to a university, Jihoo began to work even harder.

It was never easy to make a living alone without a proper income, but it was meaningful.

Jihoo felt joy and rewarded because it was the first time he felt like he was living with a proper goal since he left the orphanage.

But it’s a lie to say that it wasn’t difficult.

It wasn’t easy to adapt to the financial difficulties that did not go away no matter how hard he worked.

To make matters worse, his weak body ridden by a bone disease wasn’t trained for hard work.

One hope that Jihoo held onto as he lived every day working hard wasn’t winning the lottery or getting some free coins — he hoped to have a ‘hunter awakening’.

With around 0.1% of the population awakening as hunters steadily, a hunter awakening seemed to him a probable way out.

However, until his wait was exhausted and his earnest wish faded, Jihoo was not given the special opportunity.

The awakening didn’t happen until 10 years after the gates were created on Earth, the year when Jihoo was 23 years old.

The following year, in 2032, when Jihoo was at the age of 24 and his hopes were dismissed as immature dreams, the awakening finally happened.

But only the awakening itself was a good thing and the result that followed was completely different from what Jihoo had long dreamed and hoped for.

His ability is Spatial Connection, and his magic ability was F-class.

It was said that he was the first to have abilities related to spatial control, and though the unique spatial ability gained public attention for a while, it quickly disappeared.

The ability to jump through space up to two meters in distance was useless.

People sarcastically said it would be much faster to just take a step forward, and eventually, his ability was ignored by everyone.

He was issued a hunter’s license since he possessed mana, but with his ability, he couldn’t enter any dungeon nor would any attack squad accept him.

F-class magic and a useless ability.

As much as he had high expectations, it only led to great disappointment.

The despair when he realized that what he considered his escape ticket was useless was indescribable.

The will that he had held onto firmly finally gave in, and his mentality collapsed.

“You’re wrong, father. I can’t. I think I tried, but I guess I can’t do what I can’t do. I wonder if this is really it. I feel empty. It doesn’t matter now. A big person… I still don’t know what makes someone a big person. I wish I was taller, but I’m not even 170 cm. I wanted to be good and adapt well to the world so that I could visit you with pride but… I didn’t know it would be this difficult. I miss you a lot. I really miss when I was in the orphanage…”

He thought about leaving a letter like this and ending his life.

However, when Yoojin noticed that something was wrong with Jihoo, she put everything aside and stood by him.

She consoled Jihoo, not leaving him alone for even one moment.

With Yoojin’s extreme devotion, Jihoo found the will to pick himself up again.

He looked at Yoojin, who lived and survived even without a hunter awakening, and looking back on her past — the same past that they shared — she planted her foot firmly on the ground and endured.

And so he tried to think positively.

He strengthened his heart and began to actively investigate things, and as a result, he found that he could work with a ‘dungeon collection team’, a team that accepts people with low-grade magic and minor abilities.

This is because there are many mining and collection operations that can only be done with magic.

Dungeon collection teams are in charge of collecting special minerals produced exclusively in dungeons, as well as plants and corpses of magic beasts.

Even an F-class hunter could enter up to a D-class dungeon if he belongs to a collection team, but collecting by-products of D-class dungeons was guaranteed a fairly salty daily wage.

Though it was disgusting and hard work, there was little danger in entering dungeons where all the bosses and normal magic beasts were subjugated.

There weren’t always collections and there was no fixed income, but Jihoo was satisfied because he could earn as much as ₩ 300,000-400,000 per day.

After working hard to earn money, Jihoo finally started to save up.

It was a small amount, but his savings allowed him to dream.

Once he gets a lot of money, he dreamed to open a cafe.

He’d open a small and pretty cafe with Yoojin.

Just imagining it made him smile.

* * *

“Good work.”

“You’ve done good work so far.”

“Thank you. Please call me again if there’s any more work.”

“Yeah, I’ll call you.”

Jihoo washed up in the simple shower room and changed into casual clothes before leaving the office.

He was waiting for the bus home at the bus stop when his phone rang.

[Today’s daily wage has been deposited — management.]

A smile naturally crept on his lips.

The pain of struggling and breaking a sweat along with the stench of the dungeon all day was rewarded right at that moment.

Before he knew it, he got on the bus which arrived later than usual.

The sun had already set and it was well past dinner time.

He was so thin and weak that his body seemed to melt down.

He sat, looking for an empty spot in the corner, and leaned his head against the window, staring at the passing night’s view.

As the bus turned one corner, he saw the gate of the collection team in the distance, shaking.

It was always a mysterious yet beautiful sight, and the gate was especially cool to see at night.

It looked like a treasure in the distance.

How grateful Jihoo was to be able to work so hard and earn money.

Dungeons and gates were nothing short of a blessing for Jihoo to make a living.

As he was about to fall asleep from the fatigue, he heard his phone ring again.

— Oppa, are you freaking crazy?

“Yeah, how do you know so well?”

— What do you think? You usually finish around the same time.

“What about you? You home?”

— No. I had to go do some group project after my part-time job. I’m just about to head home.

“Really? So you haven’t had dinner either. Let’s have dinner together.”

— Okay! The person who arrives first will cook!

“Yeah… Alright. But I bet you’ll get home first.”

— Tsk… Gosh, oppa. I reserved a car, and all my stuff is almost packed. You just need to pack up yours.

“Ah, I’m almost done packing too. Just a few clothes that I wear every day and I’m done.

—Okay! Let’s pack the dishes together after dinner.

“Alright.”

About two months ago, the current owner of the two-room apartment that they rent monthly asked them to leave, saying that his son was coming home to Seoul.

They had no choice but to look for other two-room apartments as close as possible to Yoojin’s school, but the neighborhood near the university was a little more expensive.

That’s why Jihoo was determined to overdo himself and shed some more blood and tears.

He decided that they should get a better apartment this time, and he eventually found a slightly more spacious place with a similar structure.

The newly contracted house was a two-room with a similar structure as their previous place, but the space was slightly larger and used as a kitchen and living room and an additional small veranda.

He was worried about additional monthly expenditures, but Yoojin expressed liking for the place like a child having ice cream so Jihoo signed the contract.

He had more reasons to work harder now.

He thought about things to take care of after they move with a half-excitement and half-worried demeanor.

Or maybe more on the worried side.

His phone rang again, a message this time.

‘I don’t usually get messages…’

When he checked it, it was from Seungho hyung.

He met another F-class person with considerable physical strength while working with the collection team.

The person can gain as much strength and a quality physique as an experienced bodybuilder with just a little use of magic.

This hyung’s life was full of ups and downs.

When his parents divorced in middle school, he was raised by his uncle but he eventually left home because of his family’s tyranny.

He became independent in his second year of high school.

An unfortunate hunter born in an unfortunate family environment.

Perhaps because they had a lot of things in common, the two quickly became close right when they first met, and they went joined a lot of collection teams together.

[Jihoo-ah, your team worked today, right? Are you home now?]

— [No, I’m just on the way]

[Still?]

— [I finished my overtime late and my house is almost at the last stop]

[You work so hard. Do you wanna work on higher-class dungeons?]

— [High-class dungeon? How much?]

[B-class]

— [B-class? Heol, but who’s gonna let me join?]

[I usually go to collection teams who go to D or E-class dungeons, but there’s a bit of a problem with the number of people. They need two spots for F-class people, and the leader of the collection team got into some trouble so he contacted me.]

— [Oh… Daebak. When’s the start?]

[Tomorrow]

— [Heol, tomorrow?]

[Yeah. That’s what bothered me too. It must’ve been hard for you until today. I hesitated to tell you since your body needs rest, but this opportunity doesn’t come often]

— [Hmm… I got it. Yeah, let’s try]

[Okay. This is another chance. We can just rest afterward. And the daily wage in this is probably different]

— [Ohh, yeah I bet. Thanks hyung]

[Yeah, come to Dobong station tomorrow around 3 PM. The attack should be over by then]

— [Oh, that’s close to my house though? Yeap, see ya!]

A B-class dungeon…

He’s never even been to a C-class dungeon yet!

The mere thought of it made his heart pound, along with the expected reward.

If he earns a lot, he can afford the increased monthly rent for the time being, right? It gave him relief.

On the other hand, he was also worried.

The work in B-class dungeons should be more difficult.

‘I’m not gonna faint while working… am I?’

* * *

On the day he finished work that day’s work with the collection team, he only slept once every two days and his body ached all day. 

Now, he has to prepare for work right away because of yesterday’s offer.

Besides, he wouldn’t be able to sleep well anyway from the nervousness that going into a B-class dungeon for the first time is giving him.

He woke up early in the morning to find his whole body aching.

He tried going back to sleep, but he failed so he ended up preparing to go to work with his eyes wide open.

As expected, Yoojin was extremely worried when he told her about his new job. She repeatedly asked him not to go.

“Oppa… Oppa your body won’t stand it. I know our move is just around the corner, but how can you say you’ll set that aside for now?”

“Yoojin-ah, you can’t imagine how great of an opportunity this is. It’s a B-class dungeon, Yoojian-ah. B-class. The daily wage is gonna be different.”

“Aish. Money is what you’re worried about now? You should worry about your life first. Seungho oppa is being too much too. How can he give that offer to a person filled with almost just air!”

“Yah yah, who are you calling weak? Even if I’m like this, I’ve been going with dungeon collection teams since—”

He hit his chest as he frowned at what Yoojin just said, but the muscles that clumped together stung again.

“Uhhh… Ahaha.”

Looking at himself made him laugh — he really was weak.

“What’s so funny?”

“Aigoo… Anyway, don’t worry too much. I’ll take care of my body.”

“Be careful. And, I’m telling you, be careful. First priority should be your safety, and the second should be your safety again. If you know it’s gonna be dangerous then you should definitely run away. And…”

“There’s no such thing as ‘absolute’ in this world, oppa. Remember that.”

“Yeap, yeap, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jihoo made countless promises to Yujin before he was finally let go.

The dungeon where the collection work would be carried out was much closer than usual.

Taking public transportation to the location was a bit ambiguous, so Jihoo walked but it took him around 20 minutes to get there.

In dungeons, the guild that won the right to attack them gets all the authority.

From items that drop from magic beasts to the beasts’ corpses themselves, as well as minerals and plants inside the dungeon.

If a guild has its own exclusive collection team, it would be in charge of collection, but if none, then outsourcing is given.

So the outsourcing teams developed in various ways.

The collection team signs a contract that they’d get only a certain percentage of what is collected and profits will be split with the guild that earned the right to attack the dungeon.

That’s where Jihoo and Seungho were now.

When he arrived, Jihoo immediately changed into his work clothes, checked his equipment, and waited with Seungho and the other collection team members.

Soon, the gate was flashing and the attack team began to come out.

Less than an hour passed since they waited, and the team was just on time.

“Wow, how can they be so punctual?”

Jihoo asked Seungho curiously.

“Dunno. I heard this guild sets the time like this once in a while depending on the dungeon. I guess they have some secret.”

A dungeon beyond a gate is an unknown world.

It is usually difficult to estimate how long it will take to clear a dungeon, just as it is hard to know whether a dungeon is a closed-type or open-world type (field type), what kind of environment is inside, how wide it is, and how strong the magic beasts inside were.

Moreover, there were no means to contact the outside world once inside a dungeon and the gate is closed.

Therefore, from the moment the attack team leaves the gate, the collection team is contacted and immediately and urgently deployed.

The grace period is about 24 hours after the attack before the dungeon, where the boss beast has to be defeated, disappears.

From the moment the boss is knocked down, the attack team and the collection team are busy.

Because of that, it’s heard that most of the leaders who lead the collection team hold their phones in their hands even when they sleep.

They have to be ready all 24 hours.

In this regard, this guild that notified in advance when they estimated the attack would end was unusual and interesting.

“Oh, they’re coming. Get ready.”

“Hey! Jang-ssi, get together now~ The attack team is coming out.”

“Looks like they’re done. That was quicker than I thought.”

The collection team members who were scattered here and there as they chatted and smoked immediately jumped from their seats and packed their equipment.

Jihoo looked at the B-class dungeon’s target team as if he was possessed. 

It was his first time seeing a high-class dungeon attack team, and they were all armed with fancy equipment.

Luxury was evident from their tools, and he started to wonder how great those equipment’s effects were.

However, apart from the splendidly shining equipment, the faces of the attack team seemed flat.

“Good work, attack leader. Yeah, you’re really right on time. Now the collection team will do its job.”

“Yes, sir. We’re all done clearing the dungeon too…”

The collection team leader felt something odd from the attack leader.

“Is there anything odd that…”

“Yes, I think those who will work inside should be aware of it as well. This dungeon is a little strange. There’s no boss.”

“Eh…? Then it could be hiding…”

“There’s no way. We’ve searched every corner of the dungeon. Most of all, if the boss was still in good condition, the gate wouldn’t open again in the first place.”

“That’s true… That’s very strange.”

“I wonder if the boss beast killed itself… It’s our first time encountering this kind of situation too, so we’ll have to let the association know. For now, I think you guys can start working. We’ve taken care of all the regular beasts. There won’t be a single one alive.”

“Yes, yes~ We don’t have any trouble working as long as there are no beasts inside. Alright, collection team, let’s go inside!”

The collection team, having packed various equipment, carts, and bags, rushed in.

A small forklift and a mini forklift that could barely pass through the gate were also started.

The dungeon was a closed-type, cave-type dungeon that wasn’t very large in size.

The conversation between the attack team leader and the collection team leader quickly spread among the members of the collection team, instilling anxiety.

“Hyung, is it true?”

“Dunno. A dungeon without a boss… Can there even be such a thing? I’ve never heard of it.”

“How did the attack team come out if there was no boss? No, how did they enter the dungeon in the first place?”

“No clue… Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. We just need to collect the items and get paid.”

“That’s right. Especially there seems to be a lot of dungeon rivers inside so the pay should be handsome.”

“Well, the attack team must be disappointed that they didn’t get any item or magic stone from a boss beast.”

About four hours after they started work, they heard someone scream that it was time for snacks.

“One hour break! Everyone, get something to eat!”

“Ohhh, what’s our meal today?”

“Gosh, it’s jjajang again. What about jjamppong?”

“Are there any dumplings?”

“Kid, if you don’t wanna eat, then just sip some cola over there.”

Sitting in twos and trees, people wiped off their sweat as they inhaled the rationed jajjangmyeon.

Jihoo was actually more desperate for a nap.

He’s overdone himself the day before and he couldn’t sleep from nervousness last night.

“Hey, eat up. Want me to get you something?”

“No, hyung… I’m ok. I’m too sleepy. Let me get some sleep.”

“Really? Okay. I’ll wake you up later.”

Jihoo sat back against the corner of the wall where he was digging near the dungeon river, turning his back from the workers who talked and ate loudly.

He took off his safety helmet and put it over his eyes when…

Slide—

He had a foreign feeling that the wall was sucking up his body.

Surprised, he tried to take his back off the wall, but it was too late.

The wall where he leaned on slowly collapsed.

It felt like the wall of sand collapsed and his body was being sucked in.

He was sure that it was a dungeon wall stronger than steel though!

“O-ohhh—!”

Jihoo was sucked into the wall down to a downward passage as steep as a slide, and Jihoo rolled down in the blink of an eye.

“Gahhk!”

He opened his eyes to see how far he rolled down when he discovered himself in a narrow room with convex hemispherical spheres embedded on all sides.

The room was three meters from side to side.

Hundreds of hemispherical spheres the size of fists were embedded in the floor, ceiling, and walls, giving off a subtle glow.

It felt mysterious — like an alien spaceship in a science fiction movie.

He looked around blankly, feeling the spheres around him.

An unusually large sphere began to move in one corner.

Jihoo instinctively sensed that it was the ‘eye’.

A large hemisphere, which is different from the eyes of a living creature but clearly moved like an eyeball, moved and was fixated on Jihoo.

Chills went down his spine, feeling like a giant creature was watching him.

Suddenly, the eye-like sphere began to shine, and at the same time, light shot from all the surrounding spheres at once.

The intense light instantly washed the room and made Jihoo feel dizzy and he began to vomit.

His mind became blurred, and his vision blurry as well.

“Jihoo-ah! Jihoo-ah!”

“Hey, Yoo-ssi! Are you okay?”

“Why is there a hole like this…”

“What are you doing! Hurry up and get the rope! Rope!!”

There was a faint sound of people screaming from above.

Then, he heard something ringing.

‘What the… Am I gonna die here…’

And Jihoo’s consciousness went out.