Monday morning came with overcast skies, the kind that made the city look like it hadn't slept in days. Seoul's streets buzzed with students in uniform, food carts steaming on corners, and the low hum of life continuing, as if the Gates and gods didn't exist.
Ha Joonwoo stood outside the gates of Dongguk High School, staring up at the worn banner above the entrance.
One Month to Graduation – Class of the New Era.
He sighed and adjusted the strap on his bag. It still weighed almost nothing. No books. No equipment. Only a few notebooks, his old cracked phone, and his sister's lunchbox, now empty.
No one noticed him as he passed through the gates.
No one had to.
He'd always been forgettable.
The classroom hadn't changed.
The windows still creaked. The heater still broke down at the worst times. The chairs still wobbled, even though they were supposedly new.
Students laughed. Chattered. Showed off their glowing emblems proof of their contracts.
Most had Zodiac tattoos. A few had minor beast marks—a serpent's fang, a scaled palm. One or two had rare spirit contracts, evidenced by the subtle light dancing in their pupils.
But no one had divine marks.
Those belonged to the A-ranks.
Joonwoo took his seat quietly in the back row.
"Yo," a voice said beside him.
He looked over.
It was Kim Daehwan, a classmate. Scorpio-aligned. Not strong, but cocky. "You actually showed up?" he smirked. "Thought the shame would eat you."
Joonwoo didn't reply.
Daehwan leaned closer. "Don't worry. Maybe after graduation, you can sweep dungeons. Y'know, mop up the blood from real hunters."
He snickered and turned back to his friends.
Joonwoo stared down at his desk.
[Daily Quest Available]
[Complete academic tasks: Math, English, and Gate History]
[Reward: +2 INT | +10 EXP | +1 Point]
A tiny smile touched his lips. Even school was a grind now.
After classes ended, he didn't go straight home.
He took a detour into the back streets of Mapo District. Past the cafes, the fashion shops, and the neon-lit capsule arcades.
There, tucked between a closed PC bang and an old laundry sign, sat a tiny barber shop. No customers. No music. Just a faded door and a bell that jingled when he walked in.
The barber looked up a man in his fifties with streaks of silver in his hair.
"Student cut?" he asked, looking Joonwoo up and down.
Joonwoo nodded. "Make it sharp."
The barber raised an eyebrow. "You got someone to impress?"
"Just myself."
Hair fell to the floor in loose clumps.
As the scissors worked, Joonwoo felt something strange. Lighter. Not just his head, but his thoughts. The boy in the mirror was still him, but different.
Sharper jaw. Tired eyes, but clearer. Stronger shoulders when did that happen?
"New start, huh?" the barber asked as he swept up.
Joonwoo met his gaze through the mirror. "Yeah. Something like that."
Back in his room, long after Jina had gone to bed, he opened the System again.
This time, something new blinked at the edge of his vision.
[System Update Installed]
[New Feature Unlocked: Player Store]
He blinked. "Store?"
A menu expanded like a hologram, listing categories:
Potions
Gear
Weapons
Skills
Scrolls
Mystery Box (Locked)
His heart picked up speed.
Each item had a price next to it. Not in money. But in System Points—earned through quests, monster kills, and achievements.
He clicked on Gear.
A long list appeared:
Worn Leather Gloves – 20 SP
Reinforced Hunter Boots – 50 SP
Common Shadow Cloak – 100 SP
Basic Magic Armor (F-Rank) – 120 SP
He checked his balance.
[Current SP: 143]
I can actually buy these...
His finger hovered. He selected the Reinforced Hunter Boots and hit confirm.
A small flash. The System chimed.
[Item Purchased – Delivered to Inventory]
He opened his inventory, a transparent grid in front of him. There it was—solid, real. Black boots with metal lining along the sides.
He put them on.
They fit perfectly.
His body felt... steadier. Each step felt firmer.
He wasn't dreaming.
He checked Skills next.
Most were locked or priced high—hundreds, even thousands of points.
But one caught his eye:
• Dash (F-Rank): 80 SP
Short-distance burst movement. Cooldown: 30 sec.
He hesitated.
Then bought it.
[Skill acquired: Dash]
[Skill equipped to Slot 1]
His screen changed slightly. A tiny box at the bottom left showed:
Skill 1: Dash (Ready)
He grinned.
So this is how it works...
No one had trained him.
No god had guided him.
But he was moving forward.
And now, he had a path.
The next morning, he walked into school with his new haircut, wearing clean clothes and sharper eyes.
Some students stared, confused.
"Is that... Ha Joonwoo?"
"No way. He looks... different."
"Still unawakened though."
They whispered. He ignored them.
He sat down at his desk and waited for the bell to ring.
But this time, when he looked out
the window, he didn't feel small.
He felt ready.
Because somewhere beneath the school, beyond the streets, behind the sky...
The next dungeon waited.
And this time, he was going in prepared.