Chapter 4
I traced every memory, both vivid and faint, as I made my way to the house I lived in during middle school.
The sights around me were nostalgic—shops that had long since disappeared over time.
Oh, Olive Tteokbokki. Their cup tteokbokki was so good.
It’s still here, not gone out of business yet. I should come back to eat some later.
If I remember right, this alley was the shortcut, and if I go this way…
Found it.
“Whoa.”
Seeing my old home brought a wave of emotions.
It was a house near Shinmok Elementary School.
Of course, I lived in the basement room of this villa.
This house used to belong entirely to my family, but after the ‘Ignir Revival’ incident, everyone except me died.
After that, my relatives took over the house under the pretense of being my guardians.
As a minor, there was almost nothing I could do without a guardian, so they were, in a way, necessary.
As a result, I was relegated to the basement room, treated like an invisible nuisance by relatives who’d already taken everything they wanted.
‘…I need to get out.’
The first thing I wanted to resolve upon returning to the past was to cut ties with these miserable relatives.
Thinking about it, there was never any reason for me to stay in this house.
How much humiliation and freeloader treatment had I endured here?
In fact, part of why I was so obsessed with my S-rank talent in the past was because of these relatives. I thought if I could just awaken, I’d escape immediately.
But my talent never awakened, and I ended up living in this moldy basement room until high school.
‘But I don’t need to do that anymore.’
I’ve come back to the past, and my talent has awakened.
There’s no reason for me to stay in this house any longer.
Memories with my family?
It’d be a lie to say there weren’t any. But this house, now tainted by my relatives, is no longer the home I shared with my family.
The good memories have long been overwritten by bad ones.
I have no lingering attachments.
If I can leave, I’ll get out of here as fast as possible.
I carefully descended the stairs to the basement room, gripping the wall.
No matter how many times I come here, these stairs are dangerously steep.
Thinking back, I fell down these a lot as a kid.
‘This place really doesn’t feel right. I need to get out soon…’
Even if I said I had no good memories, fragments kept coming back.
I don’t have any real affection for this basement room, but they say even bad ties can feel like attachment… Is that true?
I pulled the key out of my jacket pocket.
With a click, the basement door opened.
As I stepped inside, the first thing that came out of my mouth was…
“Wow, damn.”
It was pure awe.
As if to prove my obsession with Awakeners back then, the walls were plastered with posters of hunters I admired.
“Park Hun, Heo Sang-hoon, Kim Ji-yeon…”
I ran my hand over their posters, lost in nostalgia.
I used to be so jealous of their talents, idolizing them…
‘Right, my talent.’
I snapped back to reality.
It’s a bit early to get sentimental.
Now that I’ve awakened my own talent, there’s no need to envy those hunters anymore.
More importantly, I’m destined to become a hunter far greater than them.
Right now, my priority is figuring out what ‘Fateful Opportunity’ is.
‘First, the computer…’
I naturally walked over to the computer in the corner. I needed to calmly assess the situation.
Awakening a talent is great, but all I know for sure is that I’m back in my third year of middle school and I’ve got a talent.
I definitely need more information.
Whirrrr…
I pressed the power button, and with a strange noise, the computer flickered to life.
Good, it’s still working.
But if this is my third year of middle school…
‘This thing’s probably going to become a relic soon.’
It’s got more than a few issues that need fixing.
Pop!
The desktop appeared, and I moved the mouse cursor to the internet browser.
As expected, the loading was painfully slow.
After about ten seconds, the screen started filling with news and hot topics from the time.
Then—
– Promising Star, Yong Sang-jae! Declares Intent to Join Polygon!
One headline caught my eye.
‘…Well, duh. With an S-rank talent, of course he’s going to Polygon.’
Having already heard about Polygon from Yong Sang-jae, I wasn’t particularly impressed.
I skimmed through other articles, but as expected for this time period, most of them were about the Polygon entrance exam.
Given that hunter society has become mainstream at this point in time, it’s no surprise that Polygon, with its entrance exam held every three years, is grabbing everyone’s attention.
‘S-rank this, A-rank that…’
It’s kind of funny—on the internet, it’s all about S-ranks and A-ranks.
Those who have talent love to show it off, so it’s only natural. But even knowing that, it’s hard for the heart to accept it so easily.
‘Oh, wait, that’s not what’s important right now.’
I almost forgot.
I turned on the computer to check my status, didn’t I?
If I’m back in my third year of middle school, I definitely would’ve…
‘There it is.’
As expected, I had the website bookmarked.
As soon as I entered the site, the computer groaned with a whirrr, struggling to load. Man, why are there so many pop-ups?
‘…I feel kinda bad.’
I should’ve maintained it better. Oh well, it’s a computer—it’s gotta work.
A few seconds later, I successfully accessed the official hunter website.
I quickly clicked on a video titled “The Strongest Hunter, Your First Step.”
It’s a cheesy title, but back then, I saved it to watch the moment I awakened my talent.
Of course, I ended up watching it anyway because I couldn’t resist.
‘Ahem, well, the process doesn’t matter—the result does.’
Back then, I didn’t know better, but now I’ve definitely awakened my talent.
That means I’m more than qualified to watch this video, right?
At that moment—
Pop!
A pretty girl with black hair appeared on the screen.
Of course, I knew who she was. I’d seen her countless times in the media.
Han Seung-hee, an S-rank ability user around my age who awakened her talent a bit later than Yong Sang-jae.
‘Her skill was super unique and insanely popular.’
In my memory, her talent was definitely ‘Transformation.’
It was so versatile that it appeared in tons of educational and training programs.
She was practically a celebrity with a huge fandom.
– “Hello, aspiring hunters! If you’re watching this video, that means you’ve awakened your talent, just like me, right? If you haven’t awakened your talent yet, please hit the back button!”
Right from the start, she’s telling people without talents to get lost.
Back then, that line used to sting a little, but now that I’ve awakened my talent, I’ve got nothing to fear.
For a moment, Han Seung-hee on the screen stared right at me, and I stared back confidently.
After a few seconds of silence, she clapped her hands.
– “Hehe, great! If you’re still watching, that means you’ve awakened your talent, right? Then let me tell you what you, as a newly awakened talent, need to do first!”
She flashed a bright smile and took two steps to the side, creating an empty space in the center. I felt a twinge of guilt.
I used to watch this even when I hadn’t awakened…
At that moment—
“Whoa.”
With a flash, four empty panels appeared. Probably created by Han Seung-hee’s ‘Transformation’ skill.
Sure, it could be CG, but knowing her ‘Transformation,’ she could pull this off effortlessly.
Anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.
I carefully examined the four panels that appeared:
1) Status
2) Talent Confirmation
3) Inventory
4) Wrap-Up
Then, Han Seung-hee on the screen smiled softly and said:
– “Alright, let’s take a look at the newly awakened you!”
Having it laid out so clearly made it easy to know where to start.
Status, right. The most important thing is understanding myself.
– “Here’s how to open your status…”
Han Seung-hee was eagerly explaining, but I’d already practiced this countless times in my imagination.
I’d been waiting my whole life for my talent to awaken, after all.
```
Name: Baek Kang-hyun
Level: 1
Hunter Rank: TBD (Estimated Rank: Under Adjustment)
Skills:
- Fateful Opportunity (Rank Under Adjustment)
- Observation (Rank Under Adjustment)
- Empty Slot
Stats: Stamina (D), Strength (C), Agility (C), mana (D), Willpower (C)
```
“Whoa.”
It actually opened.
Of course, it makes sense since I awakened my talent, but seeing that window in front of my eyes sent a wave of emotion through me.
I knew it would happen, but seeing it with my own eyes made my lips tremble.
‘But what’s with this ‘Rank Under Adjustment’ thing?’
Even after all this time, my talent’s rank still wasn’t specified.
It’s making me nervous—could it be that this isn’t an S-rank talent?
No matter how much I racked my brain, I’d never heard of “Rank Under Adjustment” before.
And…
‘What’s with the ‘Empty Slot’?’
I’d never heard of an empty slot in a skill window either.
– “Alright, now let’s check your talent. To confirm your talent…”
As I listened to Han Seung-hee, I slowly shifted my focus to ‘Fateful Opportunity.’
Alright, I’m finally going to figure out what this damn skill is.
I’d seen it briefly before, but I was in a rush and couldn’t properly check it.
Honestly, it’s hard to grasp a skill like this in such a short time.
```
Fateful Opportunity [Rank Under Adjustment]
An opportunity to test your human affinity!
Humans are social animals. They cannot survive alone—that’s what makes them human! So, what exactly is a ‘connection’?
You, the owner of ‘Fateful Opportunity,’ are the one to find that answer!
Target: Yong Sang-jae (Stage 1)
No Target: None
```
The cryptic description remained the same. But one thing was distinctly different from the last time I checked ‘Fateful Opportunity.’
“…Why is Yong Sang-jae’s name here?”
A thought struck me.
Could it be because I completed the ‘Fateful Opportunity’ mission with him?
I did hold his hand, and I got a message afterward, so that’s the only explanation that makes sense.
I glanced at Yong Sang-jae’s name.
```
Person
Name: Yong Sang-jae
Fateful Opportunity Stage: Stage 1
- Master of Frost (S)
- Froststep (S)
- Frost Sculpting (S)
- Frostbite (A)
```
“…What the hell is this?”
Seeing Yong Sang-jae’s skill list made my brain freeze.
Is ‘Fateful Opportunity’ a skill that lets me see other people’s skills?
Just to test it, I hovered my hand over ‘Frost Sculpting.’
```
Frost Sculpting (S)
Condenses ice mana to create ice constructs within the allowable limit.
```
A short, barebones description.
But this skill is the core of Frost King Yong Sang-jae’s arsenal.
Creating constructs within the allowable limit means that as long as you have enough mana, you don’t even need to rely on physical weapons.
But why the hell can I see all of this?
```
[You may select one skill per person. Would you like to select this skill? (YES/NO)]
```
“…Select?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
Since I didn’t know what it entailed, I chose ‘YES.’
Instantly, with a ding, the text in my status window, which I had open on the side, changed.
The ‘Empty Slot’ had turned into ‘Frost Sculpting.’
“…No way, is this for real?”
Just to be sure, I looked down at my right hand.
Using a skill is simple—you just focus your consciousness.
As expected, since I awakened my talent, mana must have awakened too, because I felt something flowing through my body, gathering in my right hand.
When I thought of Frost Sculpting, one weapon immediately came to mind.
The ‘Frostblade,’ Yong Sang-jae’s favorite.
“…Whoa.”
With a crackling sound, an ice sword materialized in my right hand.
At the same time, a short gauge indicating ‘Remaining Mana’ appeared on my right. Now I was certain.
The skill ‘Fateful Opportunity’ is about taking other people’s skills.
‘Wait, taking skills?’
A talent that can steal others’ abilities?
That’s a completely unheard-of concept.
But I quickly grew skeptical.
From past experience, I know better than anyone how unhelpful the system’s descriptions are.
The description for ‘Fateful Opportunity’ doesn’t explicitly say anything about “stealing” or “taking.”
‘Is ‘Fateful Opportunity’ about stealing? Or copying?’
The easiest way to find out would be to contact Yong Sang-jae.
But that’s obviously a no-go.
If he’s actually lost a skill, I’d immediately become the prime suspect.
‘…I’ll have to check at school next week.’
If something’s changed with Yong Sang-jae because of ‘Fateful Opportunity,’ I’d notice right away.
After all, I’m probably the one who knows him best in this world.
– “Alright, so now you know all about the inventory, right?”
While I was caught up in ‘Fateful Opportunity,’ Han Seung-hee on the screen had already moved past explaining status and skills and was now wrapping up the inventory section.
‘Right, I should check the inventory too.’
Even though ‘Fateful Opportunity’ is the most important thing right now, I don’t have a way to investigate it further at the moment.
In that case, it’s better to move on to the next step.
I glanced at the panel displayed on the screen.
“The Privilege of an Awakeners: Inventory”
I definitely saw a message saying my inventory was unlocked when I awakened my talent.
In other words, as an Awakener, this is a privilege granted to me.
Opening the inventory is the same as opening the status window.
I opened it as naturally as if I’d always had it.
But then—
“Huh?”
There was something in my inventory, which should’ve been empty.