Jinwoo's eyes snapped open. The ceiling above was not his familiar, dusty apartment ceiling. Instead, it was an ornate canopy, draped with velvet in deep crimson and gold embroidery. The smell of polished wood and faint incense filled his nostrils. Okay…definitely not my room.
He tried to roll over and instinctively reach for his laptop, but the hands—no, the hands—were wrong. Pale, slender, aristocratic-looking, and shockingly soft. Not the callused gamer hands he was used to. A faint tremor ran through him.
Sitting up, he swung his legs over the bed. The floor was cold, smooth stone. The furniture, heavy and gilded, bore the weight of centuries of old money—or what used to be old money. He was clearly in some baronial estate, but it felt…decayed. The kind of place trying to hold onto respectability while slowly rotting from within.
Jinwoo's stomach sank. Great. I've transmigrated into some loser noble's body. Fantastic.
His reflection in a polished mirror caught his attention. A young man, sharp features, high cheekbones, yet there was a faint look of frailty—a "this guy will die if he trips over his own shoelaces" kind of vibe. Jinwoo frowned. Yeah…that tracks. Of course this body is supposed to die. Why would the universe let me transmigrate into anyone useful?
A voice sounded in his head—mechanical, clear, almost…cheerful.
[System Activation Complete. Host Identified: Han Jaeheon.]
Jinwoo groaned. "Of course it's a system. Because nothing says 'welcome to your new body' like a voice telling you you're about to die."
[System Name: World-Class Hunter]
[Host Potential: Latent. Body originally destined for death.]
[Initial Tier: F]
[Immediate Objective: Survive your first week in this body.]
"F-tier," Jinwoo muttered. Wow, lowest of the low. Nice. This body is basically the universe saying, 'Good luck, buddy. You're trash.'
[System Notice: Host has three options to begin leveling path:]
1. Passive growth via survival and observation.
2. Active hunting missions (high risk, high reward).
3. Secret quests (unknown danger, unknown reward).
"Secret quests," Jinwoo whispered to himself. "Of course. Because why survive normally when you can sign up for mysterious death traps?"
---
The servant girl poked her head in. She looked nervous—hands wringing a small cloth.
"Master Han…your breakfast…" she began, voice trembling. "Um…Baron Seon…he…he is…suspicious of…"
"Wait," Jinwoo interrupted internally. Let me guess. The baron? Dead or about to die? Check. Political intrigue? Check. Yeah, perfect. I'm supposed to die here. Great start.
[System Alert: Life Expectancy – Low. Danger: Extreme. Survival Probability: 3%.]
Jinwoo groaned. Yep, 3% chance of survival. Lovely. This is going to be fun…ish.
---
Suddenly, a loud crash erupted from the estate courtyard. Smoke billowed upward. Guards shouted and clanged their weapons, moving in chaos. A group of figures, clad in armor that shimmered faintly in unnatural light, stormed the gates. They weren't ordinary thieves—their auras radiated power.
Jinwoo's stomach dropped. Monsters? Hunters? Assassins? I literally don't know, and I don't like it.
[System Detection: Host Level – F-tier. Threat Level – High. Probability of Fatal Encounter – 87%.]
"Ohhh…so this is how I die," he muttered, ducking behind a table.
Options flashed in his vision:
Run: low chance of success.
Fight: almost guaranteed death.
Use system mechanics: probability unknown.
He focused. A faint shimmer appeared before his eyes. The system had activated a skill:
[Skill Unlock: Combat Analysis – Scan enemy weaknesses. Level: 1.]
Red outlines highlighted each intruder. Weak points, movement patterns, and potential attack sequences appeared like a cheat sheet. Jinwoo's body might be F-tier, but his brain—modern Jinwoo + system—was lethal.
He grabbed a decorative sword from a stand. Lightweight, useless by normal standards, but enough to give him a chance if he played smart.
The intruders advanced. Jinwoo's heart pounded.
[System Tip: Survival requires cunning. F-tier hunters must outthink, outmaneuver.]
A shadow moved across his peripheral vision. The leader of the intruders paused mid-step. His aura…was different. Strong. Very strong.
[Warning: Current Host F-tier. Opponent S-tier. Survival probability: 12%.]
Jinwoo smiled faintly. Perfect. Let's see what happens when a nobody starts making his own rules.
Jinwoo crouched behind the ornate dining table, every muscle tensed. The intruders' armored boots clanged against the polished floor, and a faint aura shimmered off them—clearly enhanced by magic or some hunter-class ability. He had no time to process all of it; survival was immediate.
Okay, think. F-tier body, system guidance, and a decorative sword that weighs like a feather. He scanned the room. Chandeliers hung overhead, tapestries lined the walls, and a marble pillar offered partial cover. Perfect. Not great—but usable.
[System Notice: Environmental Interaction Available. Tactical Advantage: +15% if utilized.]
He whispered under his breath: "Time to get creative…"
Jinwoo grabbed a vase from the sideboard and hurled it at the nearest intruder. It shattered on the floor, loud enough to startle, but more importantly, drew attention. The red outlines flickered, revealing that one enemy's balance was disrupted—weak leg stance.
Nice, first move and I'm not dead yet.
He pivoted and dashed toward the pillar. His legs moved faster than expected; something latent in Han Jaeheon's body had kicked in. Not full strength, but reflexes enough to evade the intruders' retaliatory swing.
[System Alert: Skill Progression Available – Combat Analysis: Level Up]
[New Skill Points Available: 1]
Jinwoo activated the skill point immediately. A soft chime echoed in his head.
[Skill Acquired: Precision Strike – Allows targeting weak points for +30% damage. F-tier compatible.]
He nodded to himself. Okay, now we're talking.
The intruder leader moved forward, a shadowy figure with a dark, jagged sword, aura flaring like black flames licking the air. Even F-tier Han Jaeheon could see this guy was a level above. The other two intruders were easier—strong, yes, but predictable.
"Let's start small," Jinwoo muttered, dashing from pillar to pillar, striking opportunistically. A leg sweep here, a shove there—each attack calculated from system guidance. He could feel his adrenaline surge, not fear, but sharp, hyper-focused awareness
Intruder 1: Armored brute, slower attacks. Jinwoo used environmental advantage, slipping behind a table and striking weak joints. System highlighted target joints, allowing him to disable movement temporarily.
Intruder 2: Agile, lightly armored. Jinwoo exploited overextension patterns, dodged attacks, and kicked debris into their path to cause tripping.
Leader: S-tier, moves faster than expected. Jinwoo barely dodged a swipe, rolling under chandelier support beams, narrowly avoiding sparks.
[System Tip: Survival = outthink, outmaneuver, outlast.]
[Host Stress Level: Elevated. Endurance Check Required.]
He felt sweat trickle down his back. F-tier body or not, his endurance was finite. But the system provided hints. A glowing aura around a nearby tapestry suggested a weak wall section. He tugged at it, revealing a secret alcove.
Perfect—maybe I can funnel them here…or escape.
The intruder leader snarled. "There's nowhere to hide, boy!" His voice carried power, like he could crush this room with sheer will. Jinwoo ducked under a table again, nearly catching his breath.
[System Update: Survival Probability Adjusted: 27%]
Progress, at least…if I survive this, I might actually make it through the week.
As the fight raged, Jinwoo's eyes scanned the room for more than survival tactics. Ornate furniture, gilded frames, and a family crest: a phoenix entwined with a black dragon. Baron Seon's family was small but ancient, possibly a minor noble house, struggling to maintain influence. That explained why the estate felt…decayed.
And of course, Jinwoo mused, my host's family is the kind of noble that throws F-tier kids into political meat-grinders. Fun.
He could hear footsteps above—guards, maybe allies? Or more threats? The estate was a battlefield waiting to happen. Each corridor, each hallway, each hidden trap might be either salvation or death.
[System Tip: Knowledge is Power. Scouting Increases Survival Probability.]
[Hidden Mechanics Discovered: Estate layout partially revealed.]
The system fed him a mini-map: hallways, secret doors, guard stations, and weak walls. Jinwoo grinned. Okay, the world is giving me a cheat sheet. Let's not waste it.
Suddenly, the leader of the intruders hurled a black dagger. It cut the air with unnatural speed, leaving a faint trail. Jinwoo barely rolled to the side. The dagger embedded itself in the floor where he had just been.
Yep…this is officially death-adjacent.
The intruders weren't just skilled—they were enhanced by something. Magic? Monster essence? Hunter-class augmentation? Jinwoo didn't know. But he did know this: F-tier bodies aren't meant to dodge superhuman attacks. And yet, here he was, alive, relying entirely on the system, his brain, and sheer improvisation.
[System Alert: Potential Detected. Latent Abilities Unlocking.]
Jinwoo felt a surge in his limbs—strength he hadn't yet accessed. Quick, sharp, precise. Enough to shove a table into one intruder, creating a temporary barrier, then land a Precision Strike on the leader's exposed wrist. Sparks flew as sword met armor.
He grimaced. Not enough to kill, but enough to stagger. Progress!
Every time he dodged or struck, the system gave subtle hints: weak spots, environmental cues, predicted enemy movement. Jinwoo mentally high-fived himself
By now, the first wave of intruders was either staggered or forced to retreat through the secret passages Han Jaeheon had discovered. Smoke lingered, damage to furniture and walls obvious. Guards were shouting, the estate was in chaos, and Jinwoo—F-tier body, modern mind—was breathing heavily but alive.
He realized something crucial: this was just the first test. He had survived the immediate threat, gained a taste of system-assisted combat, and glimpsed the latent power of his host body.
And he knew, deep in his gut, this was only the beginning.