Han Jaeheon woke up to the sound of ringing steel.
For a split second, panic tore through him. His eyes darted around wildly—expecting assassins, expecting blood, expecting the black flames of the S-tier intruder's blade. But instead…
Silence.
The morning light streamed through cracked shutters. Birds chirped like they didn't care he almost died yesterday. His room smelled faintly of burnt wood and smoke from the fight.
He sat up with a groan, pressing his temples. "So I didn't die. Cool. Love that for me."
[System Notice: Congratulations, Host. Survival Achieved.]
[Bonus Reward: Status Screen Unlocked.]
A glowing, translucent panel appeared in front of him, its edges shimmering with neon blue light like something ripped straight from an RPG menu. Han Jaeheon's jaw dropped.
---
[Status Screen]
Name: Han Jaeheon
Tier: F (the trashiest of trash)
Level: 1
Strength: 3
Agility: 4
Endurance: 2
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 1 (ouch)
Luck: 0 (double ouch)
Skills:
Combat Analysis (Lv.1)
Precision Strike (Lv.1)
Quests Available:
Survive 1 Week (Progress: Day 2)
Beginner Hunt (Unaccepted)
---
Jaeheon stared at it. Then he stared harder. Then he leaned so close his nose almost touched the screen.
"…Strength THREE? Agility FOUR? Endurance TWO? Bro, I've seen kindergarteners with better stats. And why is my charm ONE?!"
[System Comment: Accurate reflection of Host's physical and social capabilities.]
Jaeheon's eyebrow twitched. "Wow. Thanks for the ego boost, system. Truly inspirational."
[System Comment: You're welcome. Would you like a participation trophy too?]
"…I swear I'm going to uninstall you."
A frantic knock rattled his door. "M-Master Han! Are you… are you alive?"
It was the same servant girl from yesterday. Her voice cracked with nerves, like she expected to find his corpse on the floor. Jaeheon coughed, straightened his posture, and opened the door with the gravitas of someone who did not look like a half-dead potato sack.
She blinked, stunned. "You're… standing? And not… covered in blood?"
Jaeheon smirked. "Disappointed?"
She stuttered, shaking her head so hard her braid whipped around. "N-no! It's just… they said you wouldn't last the night! That the assassins—"
"Yeah, about that," Jaeheon interrupted, puffing his chest dramatically. "Turns out I'm hard to kill. Like mold. Or tax collectors."
She sweatdropped anime-style, her jaw practically hitting the floor.
As Jaeheon scarfed down a surprisingly fancy noble breakfast (fluffy bread, steaming stew, smoked meat—10/10 would recommend), the servant nervously explained what had gone down after last night's attack.
The estate was partially wrecked, but most intruders had mysteriously retreated.
Rumors spread that Han Jaeheon, the Baron's "useless heir," had somehow survived against impossible odds.
The local noble circle was already buzzing. Some thought he cheated death. Others thought he awakened hidden potential. Most thought he got lucky.
Jaeheon grinned between bites. Perfect. Let them gossip. The more they underestimate me, the more satisfying it'll be when I flex later.
[System Notice: Quest "Beginner Hunt" Recommended. Accept Y/N?]
Jaeheon paused mid-chew. "Beginner Hunt? Like… tutorial dungeon vibes?"
[System Comment: Correct. Survival probability: 38%. Which is higher than usual for you. Congratulations.]
"…you're enjoying this, aren't you?"
[System Comment: Immensely.]
The glowing panel expanded, displaying new quest details:
[Beginner Hunt Quest]
Objective: Hunt and kill 1 Lesser Demon Beast.
Location: Graywood Forest (low-level zone).
Reward: 1 Skill Point, 50 EXP.
Penalty for Failure: Death.
Jaeheon spat out his bread. "PENALTY FOR FAILURE IS DEATH?! Who wrote this quest log, Dark Souls?"
Still, his heart thumped with excitement. This was it—the first real step into becoming more than an F-tier noble failure.
Fine. I'll take it he smirks
Han Jaeheon stood in the courtyard of Baron Seon's estate, staring at the horse saddled before him.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The beast snorted, its black mane whipping as if insulted by his mere presence. Jaeheon, meanwhile, was wobbling like a city kid who'd never touched a bicycle. Which was technically accurate.
"Master Han," the servant whispered, wringing her hands. "You mustn't look so… so… terrified. Hunters will laugh if they see."
Jaeheon pointed dramatically at the horse. "This thing wants to kill me. Look at its eyes! That's murder. Pure, unfiltered murder."
The horse blinked.
[System Comment: Survival Tip – mount the horse, don't psychoanalyze it.]
"Shut up, system. You're not the one about to break your neck."
After five minutes of flailing, slipping, and one undignified tumble onto the dirt, Jaeheon finally managed to get on. Barely. His legs trembled like jelly, his posture crooked. The servant winced.
And of course—that was when the other hunters arrived.
A group of armored figures swaggered into the courtyard. Unlike Jaeheon's haphazard attempt at gear (half-noble attire, half-loaned leather armor), they looked like walking arsenals—polished weapons, glowing talismans, even familiars perched on their shoulders.
Leading them was a tall young man with slick blond hair, sharp eyes, and a smirk that screamed I'm pompous "
"Ah, the Baron's useless heir," he drawled, voice dripping with mockery. "I heard you survived an assassin attack. Impressive… for a cockroach."
The hunters behind him chuckled. One even muttered, "Didn't know nobles could crawl out of graves."
Jaeheon's eye twitched. Oh, so this is my rival character introduction. Great. Just what I needed.
"Wow," Jaeheon said loudly. "You must practice those insults in the mirror. Do you do the dramatic eyebrow raise too, or is that natural?"
The blond noble's smirk faltered. Then returned, sharper. "Careful, Jaeheon. You'll need that wit when you're screaming in Graywood."
The blondie minjae said "F-tier trash like you shouldn't even step foot outside the estate. The beasts will tear you apart."
Jaeheon: [throws his arms up theatrically] "Oh nooo, not beasts! If only I had a system menu telling me how to dodge and stab things—oh wait, I do."
System: [System Comment: Your sarcasm is noted. Probability of survival still <40%.]
Jaeheon: "…you're supposed to be on my side."
The other hunters broke into laughter—some mocking, some surprised. Jaeheon caught a few servants in the background whispering. Whispers spread like wildfire.
Good. Let them talk. The more ridiculous I look now, the sweeter the turnaround later.
By the time the party reached the forest, the sun had dipped low, casting long shadows across the twisted trees. The air reeked of damp earth and faint sulfur.
Hunters dismounted, readying weapons. The blond rival spun his sword dramatically, aura flaring like golden fire. His followers oohed and aahed.
Jaeheon, meanwhile, was busy almost tripping over a tree root.
"Stay close," the rival sneered. "Wouldn't want the beasts to eat you before we even start."
[System Alert: Quest Objective Detected. Lesser Demon Beast in proximity.]
Jaeheon's heart raced. He gripped the hilt of his borrowed sword, palms sweaty. Okay, first fight. Tutorial level.
The bushes rustled.
A low growl echoed.
From the shadows, a creature crawled into view—doglike but twisted, with glowing red eyes, matted fur, and fangs dripping black venom. Its claws left burning marks in the earth.
The hunters tensed. The rival smirked. "Lesser Demon Beast. Barely worth killing."
He glanced at Jaeheon. "Why don't you take the first swing, Baron's brat? Let's see if you can even lift that sword."
The other nobles snickered. Even the spear girl frowned, as if expecting disaster.
Jaeheon swallowed hard, stepping forward. His sword wobbled in his grip. The beast snarled, aura flaring.
[System Alert: Survival Probability: 19%.]
[System Tip: Environmental Advantage Available. Tree roots unstable. Rock trajectory path predicted.]
Jaeheon's lips curved into a grin.
He scooped one up and hurled it—not at the beast, but at a low-hanging branch. It snapped, crashing down onto the demon beast's head.
The nobles gasped. The beast staggered.
And Jaeheon raised his sword.
"Time for an F-tier flex."
He lunged—Precision Strike active. The blade pierced the beast's glowing eye, sparks flying as it shrieked and collapsed.
Silence.
The nobles stared, jaws unhinged. The spear girl's eyes widened. The rival's smirk shattered.
[System Notice: Quest Progress – Beginner Hunt (1/1 Complete).]
[Reward: 50 EXP. Level Up Achieved.]
Jaeheon panted, sword trembling. Then he straightened, pointed dramatically at the rival, and shouted:
"Write this down, pretty boy. F-tier doesn't mean dead-tier!"
The rival twitched. The nobles erupted in chaos. The spear girl… smiled.
And Jaeheon grinned, bloodied but alive, as the system chimed in.
[System Comment: Congratulations. You are still a statistical miracle.]
"Yeah," Jaeheon whispered. "And I'm just getting started."