> You have awakened.
> Your ability is [Compilation].
> For more details on your ability, experiment at your leisure.
I stared at the floating status window in front of my eyes. "Huh."
Well, I didn't expect that to happen.
Let's take a step back in time.
My name is Neol Won. Well, in this life, my name is Neol Won.
I was previously another guy on Earth... well, a different Earth-
Actually, that's confusing, huh?
Let's just say that this isn't my first run around life. But it WAS my first run around life in this world.
I idly sipped my cup of coffee, letting the bustling cafe around me continue while doing my best to not show my surprise at the floating window.
Mm... Where to begin?
Alright. Let's start at the beginning of my life here.
My name is Neol Won. I'm 18 years old and just out of high school in New Seoul. I'm also an orphan.
Right, New Seoul.
You see, on this Earth, there was something called the Skyfall Incident.
TLDR, think Solo Leveling gates and stuff with Hunters and people with awakened powers. If you awakened to an ability, you got government stipends and the ability to become a Hunter to help dive into Gates, clear them out, and farm resources.
Hunters were ranked based on their abilities right off the bat, but you could also rank up based on your merits. Basically, talent versus experience.
Anyway, Hunters were superstars of this world since they were the ones who rebuilt society after the Skyfall Incident.
Most kids wanted to become one, and since abilities awakened when you were a teenager, they prayed to hit the jackpot to get the easy life.
I didn't.
In fact, I had already been expecting to just get by on an ordinary life. I'd already been here 18 years after all and didn't accomplish anything special.
Not to mention that while the average kid might dream of being a Hunter, I knew full well how dangerous and risky that occupation was.
The government made it look glamorous, but that was all propaganda.
After all, Gates were death traps. While there were similar archetypes, expected patterns and the like, there was always a chance of death.
And in this life, I VERY much qualified as a mob character.
So I was satisfied.
I had a nice gig going where I wrote web novels and got sponsored by Hunters, had a cushy apartment, and didn't get bothered by anyone.
Today was just another of those days. I had gone out for lunch on my usual break from writing... and then this happened.
'Should I report this?'
A government stipend WOULD be nice. And I would be lying if some part of me wasn't mildly excited at being a Hunter in a manhwa like setting.
But the rational part of me who'd already died once for something stupid pulled me back.
I sipped on my coffee and idly waved my hand, as if stretching them out from typing so long. Of course, it was really to dismiss the message window, but no one would really know.
'Compilation, huh?'
Not only was the name both abstract and mysterious, but unlike what most Hunters said, my ability didn't come with instructions.
'Experiment at your leisure my ass.'
I would do a hard pass on that.
Hunter abilities were meant to be used in combat. That was a bedrock principle.
That meant this Compilation ability would only show its true form if I hopped into a Gate or fought a monster.
And while I was confident in my general combat abilities due to keeping up with my training in this lifetime from a young age, I was NOT confident in fighting things that broke common sense.
Like monsters.
I finished my coffee and paid my usual tab before heading home.
...Yeah. Let's just pretend nothing happened today.
===
New Seoul was interesting. As in the name, it was NEW Seoul, not old Seoul.
If you're from the same Earth I was from, you'd think of the home of KPop and stuff, right?
Nope. New Seoul here was very much NOT that. You see, with the Skyfall Incident, most of the major cities across the world were wiped out.
However, because the strongest Hunter in the world came from Korea, and because said Hunter cleared the first EX-Ranked gate, most of the world's resources were poured into rebuilding Seoul.
Hence, New Seoul.
Think Seoul, Tokyo, and Los Angeles all kind of mushed together in a metropolitan sprawl.
Anyway.
Current situation.
I was walking along my usual route home from the cafe, strolling along Main Street.
To my left and right, business fronts were open with newbie Hunters buying equipment or selling goods from Gates. There were also high school students peering into the windows.
Weird... Oh, right. Weekend.
It was Friday today. Friday afternoon, April 30th.
Now you might think it would mean they had school since you know, Asia, hardcore studying, etcetera.
But since the current Hunter Association President was the same EX-ranked Hunter who kinda saved the world, and since said Hunter had been traumatized from his high school days, no more school on Fridays and now mandatory dismissal by 4 PM every day.
...It made me wonder just how bad it was for 4 PM dismissal to be GOOD. But either way...
I pulled out my phone to check on my usual analytics.
Stories were doing good. Funds were pouring in. I had commissions from certain Hunters to write one-shot 'If' stories for webcomics to adapt...
Overall, life was good.
And then a siren blared, painting the surroundings a crimson hue from the light... Wait, no. That wasn't from the sirens.
I blinked and looked up from my phone just to see the sky crack open to reveal a blood-red gate.
"...Oh come on." I grumbled and quickly dashed to the side into an alley. "What is this cliche? Awaken to a power only for danger to come? What a trashy development."
Was my ability that crazy? Or was this someone else?
My answer to that came in the form of a young woman crashing from the sky and into the road nearby.
Dark purple hair crackling with violet lightning. An expensive looking armor set of black dragon scale. And a golden Chinese straight sword snapped in half at her side. A jian, I think they were called?
'Don't recognize her... maybe a new talent?'
Her armor had the insignia of Golden Horizon, which was Korea's top rated guild, so she was definitely important.
But before I could sort out exactly who she was, a gravelly male voice boomed across the area.
"Foolish girl."
...Welp. There's the death flag.