Back when I was still in high school:
[You, the first Awakened! You, who are luckier than anyone else! Specially for you, the one who met the first Awakening! We are calculating the most suitable job based on your personality and aptitude, so please wait a moment!]
"?"
Suddenly, a strange screen window and message appeared before my eyes.
[Scan results: You, who know how to tame animals better than anyone else! However, based on the aptitude of someone who pretends to be normal on the outside but has perverted tastes behind the scenes... Congratulations! You have Awakened as a Pig Farm Owner!]
"???"
I had been dozing off during Ethics class, hiding from the teacher's gaze behind the podium, when this transparent screen popped up. Naturally, I thought I was hallucinating from exhaustion and just went back to sleep.
But a few days later...
A massive uproar broke out at school. Word spread that someone had suddenly started breathing fire from their hands during class.
The panicked kid had waved his hands around and set fire to everything, causing the local fire department and police to mobilize to control the scene. It was a complete disaster.
According to him, a message saying "You have Awakened as a Flame Wizard" appeared before his eyes. He waved his hands to try and swat the message away, and fire suddenly erupted.
Of course, no one believed him at the time. He was a troublemaker who smoked behind the teachers' backs, so when the firefighters found a lighter on him, they dismissed it as a minor incident involving a kid playing with fire during class. Case closed!
...Or so I thought.
It turned out this wasn't just a local prank.
All over the world, people started appearing who could shoot fire and lightning with their bare hands or lift H-beams at construction sites with small hands, completely bypassing the need for tools. Just like the fire-starting kid at school, people across Korea, Japan, China, and the rest of the globe began reporting message windows that assigned them RPG-style classes like Warrior or Mage.
Shortly after that, as if waiting for humanity's evolution, monstrous creatures began to emerge worldwide.
Goblins, Orcs—monsters straight out of an RPG—began to appear. Naturally, the world shifted into an "Awakened Society," a Hunter society where people hunted these creatures and harvested resources from them.
In just ten years, the Awakened, calling themselves Hunters, organized into national agencies or private groups. Humanity underwent the most rapid civilizational change since it first started walking on two legs.
...At least, that's what they say.
I, however, watched the Hunters being hailed as heroes and celebrities on TV and thought it had absolutely nothing to do with me.
Admittedly, ten years ago, when the first Awakened mentioned seeing transparent screens, I was thrilled. I wanted to scream with joy. But that feeling didn't last long.
I was quickly seized by disappointment. After all, I was a Pig Farm Owner.
What kind of job was that?
Everyone else was Awakening as one of the "Four Classic RPG Classes," but I was something completely different—and not even a combat class. If I had gone out and bragged about being Awakened, and someone asked me:
'Excuse me, but what is your profession?' 'Oh, I'm a Pig Farm Owner!'
Yeah, no. I decided to just forget about it.
Since nothing special happened after that, the memory naturally faded. After being discharged from the military, I decided to take over my father's pig farm and began learning the ropes from him.
Was it a year? Two? I'm not sure how much time passed, but finally...
Yesterday, my father announced his retirement and told me it was time to stand on my own. Today, I was granted the honor of taking root in the "Holy Land"—the place where my family's hero had worked for 40 years, mixed with his blood, sweat, and grace, to provide for us.
As usual, the smell of pig manure wafted from every direction. Far from being repulsed, it was the familiar scent of my father. Just as I gripped the handle of the pigsty door, realizing I was finally following in his footsteps...
Ta-daaaa!
A fanfare suddenly blared from nowhere.
[Welcome! If you are seeing this screen, I would first like to congratulate you!]
"Ack! What the hell?!"
I cursed out loud, startled by the message window that popped up without warning. My farm's guard dog, Ddong-chi, who had been napping peacefully, jumped like a fish out of water at my sudden shout.
[But you are still a mere apprentice! Surely you aren't under the delusion that just because you learned from your veteran father, you are now a full-fledged farm owner?!]
"Are you watching me or something?"
It had been ten years. What was it talking about? I'd heard that other Awakened never saw anything beyond their initial job assignment. The fact that this thing was rambling on with such petty remarks meant they either hid what they saw, or I was the only one seeing these additional messages.
I looked around, but I didn't feel anyone watching me. The only one looking my way was Ddong-chi, staring at me with wide, bewildered eyes.
I didn't know what was happening, but to find out what this window wanted, I tapped it. The message vanished, only to be replaced by the next one.
[First off, you! Even though you were the very first to Awaken, you're a lazy pig who has spent years wasting food under your father's care, living a warm and full life!]
"Who are you calling a lazy pig?!"
[There is much you must learn to make this farm, built by your grandfather, prosper.]
"Much to learn? I thought I learned everything from my dad."
When to feed them, how to give injections, how to tell if they're sick or not—I thought I had the basics down.
[If you were an ordinary farm owner, that would be true!]
"..."
This thing is definitely listening to me.
I kept my mouth shut, afraid I might say something stupid in my excitement, and the message continued.
[Now, before we proceed, please take a look at this visual aid!]
The screen window stretched out, and a photograph appeared. It looked like a picture of a forest fire I'd seen in a textbook once. As I tilted my head, another message popped up.
[This is the future of this farm if you fail this tutorial!]
"This... this place engulfed in flames... is this our farm?"
[Yes.]
Looking closely, the mountain ridges in the background were identical to the ones here. The burnt pillars of the buildings matched the structure of this farm. It looked legitimate. I didn't know what was going on, but failing the tutorial meant the "Farm Destruction" ending? What kind of shitty game design was this?
[The tutorial was planned based on the adult games you frequently play, after all.]
...It reads my mind, too.
Wait, it knows I play eroge?!
[Naturally, your sexual preferences and fetishes are also included.]
I groaned at the message that seemed to say I know everything about you. But I quickly realized that if this wasn't a joke, I was currently facing a major crisis—and opportunity—that would define my life.
It was hard to feel the gravity of the situation when it just popped up after ten years, but it didn't hurt to stay on guard.
[Your judgment is quite fast. Then, let us continue.]
After a short pause, as if it were clearing its throat, the messages resumed.
[First, the very first Awakened! Despite getting the privilege of a unique job because you were first, what is this! You Awakened as a non-combat class! At this rate, the probability of you surviving the harsh trials to come is 0%! I have prepared this tutorial for you, who hold the title of 'First' but can't even protect your own property!]
It sure talks big for something that just threatened me with total destruction.
[Your job, Pig Farm Owner, literally means the Ruler of all pigs on the farm! It was only natural for you to Awaken as this, given how you admired your father and longed to follow in his footsteps!]
I'd be too embarrassed to ever say that to my dad's face. This message window clearly had no qualms about blabbing my inner thoughts.
[However, unlike the title of 'Ruler,' you possess pathetic combat power and wouldn't be able to protect yourself or your property from the coming storms. As the one who holds the title of 'First,' I do not wish to see you fall so vainly.]
"Storms?"
I thought failure meant the farm would just blow up, but is it something else? It sounded like there were other factors at play... I stayed silent to hear more.
[So, I thought! If the Ruler of Pigs lacks combat ability, why not have the pigs under him do the fighting?!]
"What?!"
What kind of absolute nonsense is that?