The night air in Seoul still felt biting, even though spring had just begun. Streetlights flickered, cars rushed by, and people were busy with their own affairs. But I, Kang Hyun-Woo, an S-Rank Hunter whom many called the Overlord of Blades, walked home with sluggish steps.
It wasn't because I was tired. My physique was already far beyond normal human limits. Even after slaying an A-class dragon in a dungeon this afternoon, I could still run a marathon without breaking a sweat. The only thing that truly made me feel exhausted was one thing...
'I want to go home quickly. I want to finish that last route tonight.'
Yes, I might be the strongest Hunter in Korea, perhaps even the world. But who cared? Beneath all that, I was just an otaku maniac of otome games.
I opened my apartment door, placed my glowing blue longsword on the rack as if it were a cheap umbrella, and headed straight for the gaming room. The ultra-wide monitor on my desk was already lit, showing the main screen of my favorite game.
Crown of Thorns: Eternal Symphony
The soundtrack played softly and serenely, filled with a classic European aristocratic aura. The image of the beautiful, flowing blonde-haired heroine stared at me, as if tempting me to return.
"Fuhh…" I let out a long sigh and sat down in my gaming chair. My hand automatically reached for the mouse.
'It has to be finished today. No other excuses. Otherwise, I can't sleep soundly.'
Click. Click. Click.
The final session began. I, as the heroine, had rejected three princes, rejected rich nobles, rejected knights... all for one secret route. The hardest, most hidden route, and the one I'd been aiming for since the beginning.
"Catherine van Arclend…" I murmured softly, looking at the tsundere character in the red gown. "You are... totally my type."
I knew this was strange. The majority of otome players chased after the handsome princes or the gallant knights. But me? I was obsessed with the female character who was stubborn, elegant, yet fragile when alone.
'Even as a man... I want to kiss her.'
I carefully noted every dialogue, every choice. My hand was nimble on the mouse, my eyes sharp like when reading a monster's movements in a dungeon. For me, this was far more nerve-wracking than facing a fire dragon.
Ding!
The in-game notification sounded. The final choice appeared. I chose carefully, a faint smile spreading across my face.
And finally...
The beautiful cutscene began to roll. Catherine, with a flushed face, accepted the heroine's love. Orchestral music swelled dramatically. The screen was adorned with falling roses.
I leaned back in my chair with a look of satisfaction.
"Yeah... finally finished. I've finally completed all the routes…"
But, as the screen displayed the text "Thank you for playing!", something suddenly felt wrong.
The screen shook.
BZZZZZZT!
The sound was jarring to my ears. The text on the screen suddenly became scrambled, turning into strange symbols.
[ERROR]
[ERROR]
[ERROR DETECTED]
I was wide-eyed.
"Huh? What is this? A bug?"
The text multiplied, covering the entire screen.
[System Detected]
[Hunter Compatibility: 100%]
[User: Kang Hyun-Woo]
[Error… Error…]
My heart pounded rapidly.
'Hey, hey, hey… don't joke around. What is all this!'
BRRRZZZZZTTT!
A blinding white light suddenly exploded from the screen.
"Wha....?!" I instinctively closed my eyes. My chair vibrated, and hot air enveloped the room.
SWOOOOSH!
It felt like being sucked into a whirlwind. My body was floating uncontrollably.
'Damn it! What the hell is this?! Did I die from a monitor explosion?! Don't be ridiculous!'
The light grew brighter and brighter, until I couldn't feel my body anymore.
Then... everything vanished. Total darkness.
Tiiiiiing…
A final notification sound echoed in my head.
[New Quest Available]
[Target: Dimension Transfer - Process Initiated]
My body felt like it was crashing down from a great height.
DUUUGHH!
I hit something hard a stone floor made of marble. I gasped for breath, my head throbbing. Slowly, I opened my eyes; a soft light penetrated my eyelids.
"Ugh... what the hell? Am I still alive?"
When my eyes fully opened, I found myself in a strange room. A high ceiling with golden carvings, walls adorned with paintings of noble families, and thick curtains draped over large windows. The scent of old wood mixed with candle fragrance filled the air.
'This... is not my apartment.'
I got up with difficulty, but... my body felt light.
I looked at my hands... small, skinny, like those of a young boy. Panicked, I touched my face, my hair.
"What...?!"
The reflection in the bronze mirror in the corner of the room made me gasp.
A young face with messy brown hair, melancholy gray eyes, and the body of a teenager around fifteen years old stared back at me.
'Damn... this isn't my body. Who am I?!'
A creaking sound was heard.
CREAAK…
The wooden door opened. A woman entered, wearing a simple dress that tried to look luxurious. Her face was pretty, but the line of her mouth was sharp.
"Reinhardt! What are you doing? Slacking off again?!"
I froze.
'Reinhardt? Who?'
The woman walked closer, her hands on her hips.
"You are truly an embarrassment as the son of the van Astrea family! Even your younger sibling is more useful than you!"
My heart pounded fast. That name... van Astrea.
'Oh my god... don't tell me…'
I quickly turned toward the window. The view outside made my throat tighten.
Not skyscrapers. Not streets with cars and lights.
What I saw was a magnificent castle, horse-drawn carriages, and people in classic European era clothing.
'No way… This... is the otome game world?!'
I swallowed. My memory spun rapidly. Crown of Thorns: Eternal Symphony. The name of the low-ranking noble family van Astrea.
That... that was the name of an extra character's family!
"I... became Reinhardt van Astrea?!"
My inner voice almost burst out, but I held it back.
The woman was still looking at me with a condescending gaze.
"Hah... it's useless to hope for you. You're just a waste of food in this family."
SLAM!
She closed the door hard, leaving me alone.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, my head full of confusion.
'Damn it... damn it! Why did I become him?! Of all the characters, why Reinhardt?!'
In the game, Reinhardt van Astrea was just an extra, the son of a poor baron on the outskirts of the kingdom. Not handsome, not talented, and had no significant role other than being mocked by the elite nobles.
'What the heck is this... I'm an S-Rank Hunter, my future was bright, and now I'm... a low-class extra?!'
I buried my face in my hands.
'Okay... take a breath. Take a breath. This can't be a dream. Everything feels real—the smell, the touch, the pain in my head earlier. This is isekai. Yes, just like in novels and manga. I'm trapped in the otome game world I just finished.'
Haaaah…
I let out a long sigh.
'If this is really the otome world, it means I know the storyline. The heroine, Elise, will enter the academy, meet Prince Frederik and his harem, and then fight Maribel. But me? I'm a nobody. If I only rely on Reinhardt's body... I'll die a ridiculous death before the main story even begins.'
Suddenly, a faint voice echoed in my ears.
DING!
[System Loading…]
[Error Stabilized]
[Hunter System Synchronized]
My eyes widened.
'The System?!'
A transparent blue screen appeared right in front of my face. The familiar text of a typical hunter notification was flashing.
[Welcome, Kang Hyun-Woo]
[New Identity: Reinhardt van Astrea]
[Status: Synchronization 43%]
I was stunned.
'No mistake... this is my System! Exactly the same as when I was an S-Rank Hunter!'
A faint, wry smile slowly formed on my face.
'Heh... so I'm not completely starting from scratch in this world. If this System came with me... maybe I can survive.'
But before I could check further, the screen shook and vanished instantly.
BZZZT!
[Error… Error…]
[Quest Will Be Announced After Synchronization 100%]
Tiiing…
The last light faded.
I stared at the empty space, then let out a long breath.
"Well... good. So I have the System. But why did it have to be Reinhardt? Hahaha…"
My laugh sounded bitter.
'If this really is the otome world... then I have to be careful. Because everything that looked beautiful in the game... might be dangerous in the real world.'
I lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling painted with angels.
'Alright. Whether this is an otome world or not, I still have the System. And I was an S-Rank Hunter, so I won't die a ridiculous death.'
My eyes slowly closed, even though my head was full of chaotic thoughts.
That night, I fell asleep as Reinhardt van Astrea.
Morning came with the sound of a rooster.
Kukurruyuuukkk!
I woke up with a heavy head. For a moment, I forgot where I was.
'Ah yes... I'm not in Korea anymore. I'm Reinhardt van Astrea now…'
I got up, putting on the simple clothes prepared on the chair. Rough fabric trousers, a worn-out shirt, and old leather shoes.
"No wonder this family is poor…" I muttered while checking the folds of the clothing.
When I went down to the dining room, I was immediately greeted by a sight that made my stomach churn.
A long wooden table, its paint peeling. At the end of the table, a plump man with a thin beard sat lazily chewing on bread. That was Lambert van Astrea, my father, or rather, Reinhardt's father.
Next to him sat a woman in a shabby dress with imitation jewelry, Gertrude van Astrea, my mother. Her face was pretty, but her gaze was sharp like a dagger.
On the other side of the table were two younger children. One was a boy with an arrogant face, Otto van Astrea, my older brother. The other was a young girl with pale blonde hair, Ilse van Astrea, the youngest sibling in the family.
"Reinhardt," my mother's voice immediately screeched as I sat down. "You finally woke up? You lazy bum! Not like your brother, Otto, who has been helping his father since morning."
Otto snorted, grinning at me.
"Hahaha, exactly, Mother. Reinhardt is just a burden. If it weren't for him, our family could be more respected."
I looked at him flatly.
'Good lord... this is exactly like the game. They are all equally annoying.'
Meanwhile, Ilse only glanced briefly and then returned to focusing on her bread. She didn't care.
My father, Lambert, finally spoke. His voice was heavy.
"Enough with the commotion. Reinhardt, if you want to be useful, go to the market later. Buy groceries. The money... might be in the drawer."
"What money?!" Gertrude immediately snapped. "We're almost bankrupt, and you're still telling that boy to go shopping as he pleases?!"
Lambert merely shrugged, not caring.
I rubbed my temples.
'Oh God... what kind of family is this? An unauthoritative father, a nagging and status-hungry mother, an irritating older brother, an selfish younger sister. No wonder the original Reinhardt ended up as a loser in the story.'
I lowered my head, pretending to eat. This hard bread almost made my teeth crack.
But behind my resigned face, I was thinking hard.
'Okay... if I'm really trapped in this otome world, I need two things: power and strategy. This pathetic family won't help me. If I survive as the original Reinhardt... I'll be finished before the main story even starts.'
Ding!
I was startled. That notification sound appeared again.
The transparent blue screen lit up in front of my eyes; only I could see it.
[Hunter System – Synchronization 100%]
[Status Window Activated]
The text flashed, then changed into a data table:
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Reinhardt van Astrea (Kang Hyun-Woo)
Level: 1
Class: None
HP: 100/100
MP: 20/20
Strength: 10
Agility: 9
Stamina: 11
Mana: 5
Luck: 3
Skill: -
Inventory: Empty
I was wide-eyed.
'Damn it... all my stats are severely dropped! From an S-Rank Hunter, to a weak Level 1 like this?!'
My hands trembled.
'No... wait. If this really is the System, it means I can level up again. I can farm EXP, get skills, items... I can become S-Rank again, even better.'
Ding!
A new notification appeared.
[Main Quest Active]
Title: Survival in This World
Objective:
Protect your existence from environmental threats.
Use the Hunter System to grow.
Reward: Full Activation of Hunter System Features.
Penalty: Loss of Existence (Permanent Death).
I was silent. My breath caught in my throat.
'Just... to survive? The reward is full activation?'
I gritted my teeth.
'Alright... this is no longer a game. If I fail, I die. If I succeed, I have a chance to rise from this extra status.'
I raised my face, looking at the pathetic family still arguing. They weren't even aware that I was receiving a life-or-death quest.
I clenched my fist under the table, a thin smile blossoming on my lips.
'Listen closely, otome world. You might consider me just an extra. But I... Reinhardt van Astrea... or rather Kang Hyun-Woo... am going to mess this world up.'
Ding!
[Quest Started]