01. First Skill, The Undying One
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“You did well. Oh, Suho.”
“Yes?”
“Take this.”
“Oh, boss. You really don’t have to give me anything like that.”
The owner of the barbecue restaurant where Kim Suho worked part-time would occasionally gift him some meat.
At first, Suho accepted it with a thankful heart. But when the once-a-month gift became twice, then three times this month, guilt began to outweigh gratitude.
“Just shut up and take it already. My arm’s about to fall off.”
“Okay. I’ll enjoy it with my siblings.”
“Good. I’ll drop by this Sunday.”
Kim Suho had been working part-time jobs since he was very young. Among the bosses he had worked for, there were stingy ones who cut his already meager pay and petty ones who rejected him just by looking at his application.
Of course, not all his employers were bad. Some showed him consideration after hearing his circumstances, and some even began doing volunteer work after meeting him.
Overwhelmed with both gratitude and guilt, Suho bowed at a ninety-degree angle to express his thanks once more before leaving the restaurant.
“Hoo…”
In the mornings, he worked at a convenience store.
In the afternoons, he went home to take care of his younger siblings.
In the evenings, he worked at the barbecue restaurant.
This was the daily routine of 20-year-old Kim Suho.
“Should I get another part-time job?”
The year was 2030.
Gates and monsters.
A world where gates, monsters, mana, and awakened ones existed.
When the first gate appeared and the world began to change, Earth couldn’t adapt fast enough. The gate went out of control and summoned monsters into Earth.
Fortunately, Earth created a self-defense system—a support system for awakened ones to protect humanity.
“The best-paying jobs are cleaners and porters.”
Cleaners retrieve monster corpses and collect gate materials from soon-to-disappear gates.
Porters support hunters from the rear during gate raids.
Both jobs are extremely dangerous. But with danger comes big money.
“Money…”
Though the government operated orphanages for children who lost their parents, funding was always tight. No one could be blamed—there were simply too many orphans caused by the gates.
The support payments had stopped two years ago when Suho turned 18, but he still couldn’t leave the orphanage. He knew that if he did, the siblings he saw as his own family would have an even harder time.
—“The Golden Lion Guild, just back from clearing an A-class gate, is exiting now!”
—“As expected from one of Korea’s top guilds, the Golden Lion!”
On his way home.
Suho stopped and looked up at the giant screen installed on the department store’s outer wall. Even before the reporter finished, dozens of hunters streamed out of the gate.
“Hunters…”
Some of his siblings used to say it. That they would awaken one day and become hunters, and give their mom, older brothers and sisters a good life.
“Do they even know what ‘a good life’ means?”
Thinking of his young siblings waiting at home, Suho let out a small laugh and started walking again.
Or he was about to.
[You have successfully Awakened.]
A translucent hologram window appeared before his eyes.
Fwaaah.
And a beam of light from the sky began to seep into his body.
“Oh my, look at that, sis! What is that guy?!”
“Huh? Is he… awakening?”
“Mom, look! That man’s glowing!”
“He really is awakening!”
Ta-da-da-da.
“Haa…”
No one can predict when, where, or who will awaken.
What is known is only this:
Everyone is given the chance to awaken, but due to differences in talent, the timing varies wildly.
Voices grew louder. Even though seeing awakened ones wasn’t rare anymore, some people still pulled out their phones to record.
Suho, finally regaining his senses, broke into a sprint. Only after dashing into a deserted alleyway did he finally escape the eyes and attention of the crowd.
He muttered to himself in disbelief.
“This is insane…”
He had wished to awaken.
It wasn’t like he’d never dreamed of it. But as he got older, survival became more important than uncertain dreams, so he buried that desire.
Even Kim Suho had once wanted to become an awakened— a hunter.
“I had forgotten all about it.”
Still dazed by the surreal turn of events, Suho looked back at the message window.
[Permission granted to use the Support System for the Awakened One, Kim Suho, who will help protect Earth.]
[Support System: You may now use Appraisal.]
[Support System: You may now use the Skill Window.]
[Support System: You may now use the Status Window.]
[Support System: You may now use Party Function.]
“Hahh. S-Status Window.”
Name: Kim Suho Level: 1 Skill: The Undying One (F)
What stood out most was the skill.
The Undying One.
“…Huh?”
Undying One?
“C-Crazy.”
One who cannot die.
Staring blankly at his first skill, Suho quickly opened the skill window.
Name: The Undying One Grade: F Description: Allows you to summon an Undying One.
“…Allows me to summon an Undying One?”
Among hunters, there are summoners who call forth spirits. There are necromancers who control the undead.
Realizing that his ability was also that of a summoner—one who summons beings useful in battle—Suho swallowed hard.
“Since it summons something that doesn’t die… am I a necromancer?”
He glanced around. It was late at night. After sprinting away from people to this quiet alley, no one else was around.
Making up his mind, Suho nodded and activated the skill.
“Summon Undying One.”
Vwooom.
A magic circle appeared on the ground. Eyes wide at the mysterious sight, Suho soon had to shut them from the blinding flash.
“…Huuu.”
He was nervous.
An undying being.
A skeleton? A ghost?
Suho took a deep breath and opened his eyes to confirm his summon.
On the ground where the magic circle vanished…
There stood the Undying One.
“…Huh?”
“Meow!”
“…Huh?”
“Meow!”
Orphanage, Sky’s Home.
“Wow! A cat!”
“Whoa! It’s so cute!”
The children’s eyes sparkled as they looked at the cat nestled in Suho’s arms. A small, fluffy red-furred feline with irresistible charm.
“Meowwww.”
“Kyaa!”
“Even its meow is super cute!”
“Hyung, I want to hold it too!”
Suho handed the cat over to a child who held out their arms.
“I-I want to pet it too!”
“Meow!”
Despite all the children’s touches and shouts, the cat twitched its ears and happily accepted the attention.
‘Undying One’s Status Window.’
Name: Unnamed Race: Undying One Skills: Flame Control (F), Cheer (F)
‘Undying One’s Skill Window.’
Name: Flame Control Grade: F Description: Can freely manipulate flames.
Name: Cheer Grade: F Description: Through mana-infused contact, can dispel mental magic and supernatural effects.
“So the Undying One is literally… not someone who can’t die, but like, a fire lion?”
If he hadn’t seen the status window, he never would’ve guessed this was a combat summon. It looked way too cute.
“Suho oppa.”
“…Yeah?”
“What’s the kitty’s name?”
“Kitty? Oh, the Undying One?”
“Its name is Undying One?”
“No. That’s its species.”
“Species?”
“Like… Persian, Russian Blue. That kind of thing.”
“That’s weird…”
She tilted her head, but then smiled again at the adorable creature.
“So what’s its name then?”
“A name, huh…”
Its species was Undying One. But the status window said it didn’t have a name yet.
‘Undying One…’
It looked like a cute fire-cat, but if the race field said Undying One, then so be it.
“A name… what would be good?”
“Strawberry?”
“Grrr…”
The Undying One let out a growl of disapproval.
“Ooh, that one sounded a little lion-ish.”
“Aww…”
The girl slumped her shoulders, realizing her suggestion was rejected. Suho looked curiously at the growling creature.
“What kind of name is Strawberry anyway!”
“Meow!”
The cat nodded in agreement with the boy’s outburst.
“Fine! Then you try naming it!”
“U-uh…”
Panicking, the boy mumbled softly after glancing at the cat.
“H-Hotdog?”
“GRRRR!”
The Undying One glared daggers at the boy, while Suho burst into laughter at the scene.
“He’s not a dog, you know. He’s a cat—no, not even a cat… What is he, really?”
Realizing this creature had high intelligence and wasn’t just cute, Suho started thinking seriously about a name again.
“Let’s see… Fire… Lion… Oh!”
The children turned their eyes to Suho.
“How about ‘Bulbaek’? Short for ‘flaming king of beasts.’”
“RAWR!”
The Undying One jumped up and bit Suho’s finger.
“Oh my. How adorable.”
At Sky’s Home, the orphanage director and mother figure Kim Jung-sook watched the Undying One flop lazily into her lap as she stroked him.
“So.”
With a gentle smile, she looked up at Suho.
“Are you going to keep him?”
“Yes. I think I have to.”
“Alright, the kids love him anyway. But honestly, who would abandon such a cute little guy?”
“Oh, he wasn’t abandoned.”
“Hm? Not abandoned?”
Suho nodded, taking a sip of the canned coffee from donations.
“Nope.”
“Then who gave him to you?”
“No one.”
“…Huh? Then?”
“He came from my awakening skill.”
“…What?”
“Awakening.”
“Oh my goodness.”
Eyes widening, Jung-sook lifted the Undying One and looked into its eyes.
“Meow~!”
The creature fluttered its ears and smiled, making her face soften again.
“So cute…”
She buried her face in his fluffy fur and rubbed foreheads with him. After about 30 minutes, she finally called Suho again.
“Suho.”
“Yes?”
“You’re going to be a hunter?”
“Yes.”
“You know this cute thing can actually fight?”
“Apparently, yes.”
“Oh my. So it’s not just cute, it’s talented too—my sweet little Love.”
“Love?”
“Yeah. Love.”
“Meow~!”
For the first time, the Undying One let out a bright, cheerful meow instead of a low growl.
[The Undying One has been named.]
[The Undying One’s name is ‘Love’.]
“Tsk…”
Suho clicked his tongue.
Better than Strawberry, but still a bit feminine. But hey, if the cat—no, Love—liked it, there was no choice.
“Still think Bulbaek would’ve been better…”
“Grrr…”
Love growled again, and Suho raised his hands.
“Alright, alright. Love it is. Happy now?”
“Meow~!”
Thanks to Love’s cuteness and affection, the mood shifted again. But once everyone got used to his charm, Jung-sook asked another question.
“When will you start hunter work?”
“I plan to visit the association this afternoon. I’ll try using my afternoons for hunting.”
“You’ll keep doing part-time jobs?”
“Yes. For now.”
He didn’t yet know how strong Love was. He planned to start with low-level gates, raise his skills and level, and if Love turned out weak, he’d quit hunting and use that time to find another job.
If it wasn’t going to work, he’d rather quit early.
Having faced hardship since childhood, Suho had learned to think that way.
“You’ll stick to gates appropriate for your level?”
“Yes. Nothing’s more important than staying alive.”
“Exactly.”
Money?
Important. But not more than his life.
Originally, Suho didn’t have a personal space. But since he stayed at the orphanage to support it and his siblings, Jung-sook remodeled a storage room into “Suho’s Room.”
His own room.
“Hmmm.”
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Suho stared at Love, who was busy grooming himself.
“Hey.”
“Meow.”
“I can feel mana inside me, you know? But even with you summoned, it’s not decreasing. So your summoning doesn’t use up mana?”
Love nodded.
“You understand everything I’m saying?”
This time, instead of nodding, Love began purring and kneading the bed.
‘Not a lion. Definitely a cat.’
Everything it did was more cat than lion. Suho gave a half-laugh and asked again.
“Then using your skills does use mana?”
“Meow.”
“Hm. Try using a skill.”
“Meow?”
Fwoosh!
“Whoa—no, not that one!”
Suho waved his hands, startled by the sudden appearance of a fireball in the air.
“Cheer! Try your cheer skill!”
“Meow.”
Love got up, walked slowly over, and pressed his paw onto Suho’s thigh.
“…You’re kneading?”
“Meow.”
His mana decreased, and he suddenly felt mentally refreshed—so yeah, that was definitely a cheer skill.
“A fire attack and a mind-healing spell, huh.”
Love climbed onto his lap and started kneading like baking bread.
As Suho stroked him, he couldn't help but think, “What a talented little guy.”
Another 30 minutes passed.
“…Wait a second. A fire attack and mental healing skill?”
Just like Jung-sook and the kids, Suho had zoned out stroking Love for half an hour—until a sudden thought hit him. He reached for his phone by the bedside.
A gate filled with goblins or animal-type monsters with no skills.
That’s usually where beginner hunters start—low-risk, few surprises.
But he had Love, with a flame skill and a mind-purifying skill.
[Gate: Ghost Town]
“Found it. Ghost Town.”
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