How did things end up like this?
Woojin—no, the man who was now Kim Minwoo—let out a weary sigh.
〈Tip: Stage 6 is "reality." Never forget that you only have one life.〉
The opening message had sent a chill down his spine.
[Your consciousness is beginning to merge with Kim Minwoo's body!]
[Your mental traits will undergo significant changes!]
The messages had appeared before him.
And just like that, it had already been three days since he found himself trapped in this damned world.
A series of notes filled the memo app on his phone.
— All twenty-three years of Kim Minwoo's memories have been implanted into me. This technology is insane! Were those rumors about the game company torturing aliens actually true?
— The senses feel unbelievably real. Boosting sensory immersion beyond fifty percent should definitely be illegal.
— Something's wrong. I can't log out. The livestream has been dead for hours.
— I'm starting to lose track of whether this is a game or reality.
— Don't tell me I've actually been kidnapped into the game?
— My last stream had 300,000 viewers! And they kidnapped me? Has the company gone insane?
— I can't leave the room. The bodyguards keep blocking me.
— Apparently, I still have two days left on the disciplinary confinement ordered by the chairman. At least they bring me food...
— No dehydration warnings. No nutritional deficiency warnings. No alerts about bodily functions. No forced logout after extended play sessions.
— It's as if... my real body isn't inside the capsule at all.
— Kim Minwoo's confinement ends tomorrow.
— If my body were really inside the capsule, a rescue team should've arrived by now. I've supposedly been playing continuously for seventy-two hours!
— It looks like things are unfolding according to the worst-case scenario I imagined.
— Hunt the Outer Gods within seven years. If I fail... I may never leave this place.
No rescue team is coming.
He had waited long enough.
And now that his confinement had ended, it was time to move.
This wasn't Stage 5.
It was Stage 6.
One wrong step, and the price would be death.
"...At least it isn't the absolute worst-case scenario."
He had devoted half his life to Gate Hunter.
There was no one who understood this world better than he did.
His advantage in information was overwhelming.
And they did say my mental traits changed significantly.
He thought back on the last three days.
He hadn't become lazy. He wasn't a coward, arrogant, or prone to panic.
Sure, he still dreamed of finding easy exploits—but that was only natural for a gamer.
His mind definitely felt sharper.
Though it seems this horrifying lack of talent is still intact...
Still, improved mental capabilities were better than nothing.
And that wasn't his only advantage.
Status window.
[Name: Kim Minwoo (23)]
[Class: Unawakened]
Kim Minwoo was still unawakened.
At least I'm not stuck as that infuriating swordsman anymore.
Kim Minwoo's physical abilities were abysmal.
Setting aside the fact that he had barely trained—
He simply had no talent whatsoever.
An almost horrifying lack of aptitude.
He had consumed countless elixirs and endured grueling training regimens.
And yet, he had peaked at the level of a mid-tier awakened.
He had turned to artifacts to compensate, but even those had their limits.
Even with the greatest virtual reality player controlling him during the battle against the Dragon Lord—
We only managed to take half its health.
And now his target was the Outer Gods.
They would undoubtedly be far stronger than the Dragon Lord.
The conclusion was simple.
There was no future in melee classes.
Did that mean ranged classes were the answer?
Not really.
Kim Minwoo's lack of talent didn't care about distance.
But he did have one advantage.
A titanium spoon.
Ilseong Group.
Ranked number one among Korea's conglomerates.
Top twenty in the world.
Within the Korea of Gate Hunter, no chaebol family could rival Ilseong.
If he could restore his standing within the family—currently buried deeper than bedrock—
It would be simple.
Show me the money.
He'd be able to spend cash like it was a cheat code.
In other words, he'd have access to limitless equipment.
So what class could make the best use of that advantage?
A summoner class.
Tamers. Spirit masters. Summoners. Elementalists.
Summoning classes were Kim Minwoo's true calling.
After all, summons could use equipment too.
"Among them, Necromancers are the best."
Skeletons. Dullahans. Liches. Death Knights.
Most undead summons were humanoid.
The awakened market had nearly a billion participants.
That made equipment for summons incredibly easy to obtain.
Perfect for throwing money around.
And that wasn't all.
Undead were immune to fear.
Meaning he could equip them with even more aggressive gear.
"And I won't have to worry about getting stabbed in the back."
Necromancers were remarkably easy to manage.
Their summons didn't need food.
They didn't need bathrooms.
And they certainly didn't crave praise.
Tell them to charge into a sea of flames, and they'd do it without hesitation.
Absolute loyalty.
Combined with overwhelming numbers.
Those were the strengths of a Necromancer.
"Maybe it's finally my turn to coast for once."
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-two days.
For nearly six years, he had swung a sword through blood, sweat, and tears.
Surely he deserved this much.
He opened the door.
Several intimidating bodyguards stood outside.
"I'm heading out. That's okay, right?"
"Of course, young master. We'll accompany you. If you'd just tell us where you're going..."
"I'm going to Geomhaegak. Please inform them in advance."
"...Geomhaegak?"
The bodyguards exchanged puzzled glances.
It was an understandable reaction.
Geomhaegak.
The residence of the Sword Saint—an S-rank awakened and Korea's number one awakened.
They couldn't imagine why Kim Minwoo would want to go there.
With a grin, he replied,
"Yeah. I've got something to take care of there."
Everything started with awakening.
Five vehicles carrying bodyguards glided smoothly down the road.
Seated in the back, Minwoo organized his thoughts.
In Gate Hunter, anyone can become an awakened.
Provided they discover their awakening condition.
And those conditions differed from person to person.
Some awakened through simple actions like drinking water, eating meals, or breathing.
Others had to perform endless tasks:
Swing a sword ten thousand times a day for an entire year.
Imagine casting magic ten thousand times every day for a year.
Some conditions were even more extreme.
Meditate in the rain for over thirty hours.
Survive being struck by lightning.
Everyone had an equal opportunity to awaken.
Whether a billionaire or a homeless person, anyone could awaken if they discovered the right condition.
But the results?
Those weren't equal at all.
This is where the difference begins.
Once awakened, an Awakening Achievement Rank was assigned based on the process itself.
From F-rank to S-rank.
And what could you do with that achievement?
Simple.
Create your class skill book.
Not just an F-rank awakened—
An F-rank swordsman.
An F-rank mage.
An F-rank priest.
The first skill that would become the foundation of your lifelong class.
Many people fulfilled easy conditions.
That was why low-tier awakened were so common.
The real problem comes afterward.
Easy conditions usually resulted in poor achievement grades.
Which meant low-quality skill books.
And that's how the snowball starts rolling.
As time passed, the gap only widened.
Take Park Siwoo, the swordsmanship prodigy from the first playthrough.
[You have overcome an extreme challenge and achieved an S-rank Awakening Achievement!]
[Creating your first swordsman skill book!]
Effect 1: Increases all swordsmanship damage by 30%.
Effect 2: If you strike the same area three times or more, it becomes the target's weak point.
Effect 3: Every tenth sword strike is guaranteed to land as a critical hit.
The moment he earned an S-rank achievement, he received a monstrous first skill like that.
Meanwhile, what about the countless F-rank swordsmen who made up over half of the awakened population?
Effect 1: Slash attacks deal 10% more damage.
Effect 1: Thrust attacks deal 10% more damage.
That was the reality.
The gap started from the very first skill.
And for most people, it could never be overcome.
That's why it mattered.
What your awakening condition was.
And how you achieved an S-rank result.
"Kim Minwoo's awakening condition was... getting beaten up by an awakened."
The eldest son of Ilseong Group.
A man born with a diamond spoon—or rather, a titanium one.
Even S-rank awakened would hesitate to lay a finger on him.
Crossing Kim Minwoo meant inviting Ilseong's wrath.
The person who ultimately beat him?
His own father.
Chairman Kim Kangcheol.
— I can overlook almost anything you do. But drugs? You dared touch drugs? Director Im, bring it over.
The fury of Kim Kangcheol, a C-rank awakened and chairman of the group.
That day, Kim Minwoo had been beaten nearly to death with a golf club.
Unable to offer any meaningful resistance, he ended up with a pathetic result.
Achievement Rank: E.
In other words, completely hopeless.
To make matters worse, after watching a legal drama that year and deciding swordsmen looked cool, he chose the swordsman class.
Effect 1: Deals 120% damage to up to two enemies.
...Damn it. The more I think about it, the angrier I get.
Thanks to that, he still vividly remembered spending 1,832 days spamming Whirlwind Slash.
But now things were different.
Kim Minwoo hadn't awakened yet.
This was his one and only chance to correct every mistake.
Thankfully, the awakening condition isn't bad.
Unlike something unchangeable like breathing.
The achievement rank would vary depending on who beat him, where it happened, and how he endured it.
First, I need someone strong.
But simply getting beaten senseless wouldn't be enough.
He had to struggle.
Only then would he earn a high achievement rank.
And for that purpose, the Sword Saint was perfect.
There was no stronger awakened in Korea.
And besides—
For the last six years, he had swung a sword relentlessly.
The sensations remained vivid in his mind.
Compared to other classes, a swordsman would be easier to face.
An S-rank... it's possible.
"Young master, we've arrived at Geomhaegak."
The bodyguards stepped out first and surveyed the surroundings before opening the rear door.
Before him stood a majestic wooden structure straight out of a martial arts novel.
At that moment, a middle-aged man standing at the gate approached.
"...I am Instructor Kim Woon of Geomhaegak. I heard you wished to tour the premises?"
His tone was polite.
His eyes were cold.
Which was understandable.
Kim Minwoo's public reputation was abysmal.
A playboy.
A chaebol delinquent.
A troublemaker responsible for countless scandals.
The only reason they hadn't rejected his visit outright was because of Ilseong Group's influence.
After all, they had been the largest donor during Geomhaegak's construction.
"I'd appreciate it."
"...Very well. I'll guide you. However, the disciples are currently training, so I'd ask that you remain quiet."
In other words:
Don't cause trouble.
"Understood."
Minwoo nodded and entered with the bodyguards.
"This is the training hall used by the Third-Line disciples. Recently, even foreign swordsmen have begun studying at Geomhaegak."
Perhaps it was the sight of all the suits.
The disciples, drenched in sweat from training, stole glances at the group of bodyguards.
"Isn't that... Kim Minwoo?"
"Looks like it. Why's that lunatic here...?"
Whispers spread through the hall.
Seeing this, Kim Woon frowned.
"You don't have enough focus for your swords as it is! Where exactly are your eyes wandering?!"
His shout snapped the disciples back to attention.
Clapping his hands, Minwoo smiled.
"As expected of Geomhaegak! Even the Third-Line disciples have incredible presence."
"...Ahem. They still have a long way to go."
Nobody disliked compliments.
Though Kim Woon answered curtly, pride gleamed unmistakably in his eyes.
They toured the Second-Line training hall.
Then even the First-Line training hall, which was rarely shown to outsiders.
By the time they reached the heart of Geomhaegak—
"Did you enjoy the tour?"
Kim Woon stopped walking.
This was as far as visitors were allowed.
"Can't we go any further?"
"I'm afraid not. Outsiders are prohibited beyond this point."
"That's a shame. I was hoping to meet the Sword Saint."
"The Sword Saint is currently in secluded training. And even if he weren't..."
Kim Woon looked at Minwoo with thinly veiled disdain.
The unspoken message was obvious.
Someone like you doesn't get to summon him.
Minwoo nodded.
He already knew the Sword Saint was in seclusion.
That's why he had gotten as close as possible.
He took a deep breath.
Now came the important part.
"Sword Saint! I, Kim Minwoo, challenge you to a duel!"
There wasn't a trace of mana behind his voice.
But the shout of a grown man at full volume was impossible to ignore.
His voice thundered through the halls.
Kim Woon's eyes widened.
"W-What are you doing?!"
Ignoring the panicked instructor, Minwoo continued.
"I'll stake ten billion won on this duel! Win or lose, I'll donate every last won to Geomhaegak!"
It wasn't only Kim Woon who was stunned.
Even the bodyguards stared at Minwoo in disbelief.
"I'm pretty good with a sword! I guarantee it'll be an entertaining match! What, are you not coming out because you're scared?"
"S-Stop this at once! Have you lost your mind?!"
Kim Woon grabbed Minwoo's shoulder in panic.
What in the world was this lunatic trying to do?
Then—
"Haha."
A laugh echoed throughout Geomhaegak.
Along with it came a terrifying pressure.
An old man with a towering physique appeared before Kim Minwoo.
His pitch-black eyes looked as though they could swallow everything whole.
"So, you're looking for me?"
"Yes."
Minwoo met his gaze without flinching.
"I am."
"Let's have a match."
"Man to man."