There was a game called [Deep Dungeon].
It was a hardcore 2D RPG about exploring a labyrinth of unfathomable depth.
It was infamous for its absurd difficulty.
My first mistake had been starting a game like that in the first place.
‘Damn perfectionism….’
Once I started something, I had to see it through to the end.
About a year in, I suddenly realized something.
I could no longer clear the game through intelligence, reflexes, or luck alone.
‘I need to analyze it.’
I approached the game as though I were starting from scratch and began dissecting the labyrinth’s terrain piece by piece.
I tried every possible combination of races and classes to test their Skills.
I hunted down every ‘Hidden Piece’ buried in the game with relentless determination.
And after pouring two years of my life into it, I became the first person to clear the game.
“I beat iiiiiit!!”
The ending credits rolled alongside the background music after I defeated the final boss.
At the same time, the chatroom was exploding with messages from the 132 viewers who had watched the game with me.
[No way. Is this for real? He actually beat it.]
[Where are all the people who said he’d die before clearing it? I told you. I said something big was coming!]
[Guess you’re finally graduating from being a small-time streamer. Goodbye, my own little streamer... ㅠㅠ]
Even the people who did nothing but curse at me day in and day out were different at that moment.
Some of them had been watching me for two whole years, so they must have felt something themselves.
It probably was not quite as overwhelming as the sense of accomplishment surging through me, but it seemed the moment meant something to them too.
[Hyung. Buy yourself something good to eat with this. You earned it today.]
[I’ve seriously never donated to a streamer before, but I’m sending one for the first time!]
[All right, everyone who put money on the challenge. Time to pay up!!]
Donations and tips poured in at amounts and in numbers I had never seen before.
For a moment, I was swept away by an emotion I could not put into words.
Had I always been this sentimental?
“Ah, seriously, thank you, everyone. Honestly, I thought this would take another year... I only managed to keep myself together and make it this far because of you.”
[What’s with the polite speech? Already trying to clean up your image? Just talk like you normally do.]
[Hey, this bastard’s crying lol.]
[As expected of the smart one. Look at him reeling in the donations....]
I meant every word.
Streaming had only ever been a hobby, but it had helped me tremendously.
Occasionally, viewers had even given me advice that was useful for the game.
‘Granted, those were extremely rare.’
I spent some time making a fuss with the viewers.
Then, perhaps once the rush of dopamine that had driven our excitement finally faded, an inexplicable emptiness washed over me.
‘What do I do now?’
[Deep Dungeon] was a game that had pushed my desire for a challenge to its absolute limit.
I would probably never experience this kind of accomplishment from another game.
I remained silent for a moment, unwilling to show how hollow I suddenly felt.
Strangely enough, the chatroom went quiet at the same time.
And before I knew it, the game had returned to its title screen.
“…?”
I was the first to notice the change.
Normally, the word 「START」 was displayed prominently at the top center of the title screen.
But 「START」 had vanished without a trace.
In its place, the words 「GO TO HELL」 were written in clear letters.
[HELL...?]
[What? There’s an even harder difficulty?]
[Wow, it literally sends you straight to hell lol.]
These developers... were they actually insane?
“This is a little... excessive. How are we supposed to clear something even harder than this?”
Yet for some reason, my voice had risen with excitement.
Apparently, everyone else noticed it too.
[I knew that ending felt too easy! The real game starts now!]
[What!? A game with a three-year tutorial!?]
[There’s no way we can leave this alone.]
“Should we... at least give it a try?”
I was asking the viewers for their approval, but my cursor was already moving toward the button on its own.
[Sure, sure. You already decided. We’re just here to say yes.]
[Hyung. We’re staying up all night, right? Should I order chicken?]
“Well, for now... go ahead and order it.”
I should get myself a tangsuyuk-and-jajangmyeon combo for a late-night meal too.
After I gave the game a quick try, at least.
CLICK.
I pressed the start button.
「Entering the deepest labyrinth….」
「The First God ‘El’ is disassembling the soul….」
「The Last God ‘Om’ is reassembling the soul….」
I could hardly wait.
Just how difficult was this new mode going to be?
Would the penalties become harsher?
Would the monsters inside the labyrinth become stronger?
Would new factions appear?
「Would you like to enter?」
Nothing seemed particularly different so far.
CLICK.
Then the next message appeared, and something about it felt strange.
「This may have an adverse effect on reality. Do you agree?」
An adverse effect?
Were they worried I might become a hopeless gaming addict?
Thanks to this game, I already was one.
Naturally, I pressed ‘Yes.’
「You have met the qualifications.」
「Beginning Soul Transplantation.」
‘Transplantation?’
That was an unsettling word.
「Soul Transplantation in progress... 17%….」
The gauge continued to rise.
「Soul Transplantation in progress... 52%….」
For some reason, an unpleasant feeling crept over me.
「Soul Transplantation in progress... 73%….」
“…Give me a moment. I’m going to get some water.”
I stood up, intending to leave my seat for a moment.
As soon as I turned away, I heard a mechanical voice behind me.
「Soul Transplantation complete.」
At that instant, an agonizing pain tore through my heart.
“…!”
All the strength drained from my body.
My vision turned black in an instant.
The only thing I could tell was that my body had collapsed to the floor.
‘What is this…?’
「Difficulty adjustment according to Causality has been applied.」
「You have obtained the Trait ‘Vessel That Beckons Death’.」
A voice sounded from somewhere far away.
My eyelids already felt impossibly heavy.
“Haa... Haa….”
Clutching my chest, I struggled to breathe.
At some point, even the air around me had changed.
When I finally managed to force my eyes open again,
“…Huh?”
I had become the worthless weakling from inside the game.
The proud ruler of the North.
A dominant force among the kingdom’s nobility and the first shield against the Empire.
Those were all titles used to describe the great Kalsburg family.
And at last, the inevitable day had come even for the Kalsburg family.
Today marked the beginning of the succession ceremony that would determine the family’s heir.
It was a major event that would shape their future, and even the knights could barely contain their anticipation.
“What does everyone think? Do you believe Lord Allen has any chance of winning?”
The subject was obvious.
Allen Kalsburg, the eldest son, and Gilbert Kalsburg, the second son.
Which of the two would prevail in the duel?
Most of the knights chose Gilbert.
“Surely not. Lord Gilbert has already awakened a Skill.”
“He has certainly been improving at a remarkable pace. Do you truly think the frail Lord Allen can even swing a sword?”
“True. Even if he is the eldest son... it will be difficult.”
There was hardly anyone in the North who did not already know.
Allen Kalsburg, eldest son of the Kalsburg family.
He was a worthless weakling who could not even wield a sword properly.
“It is almost time. Let’s hurry. We’ll have our answer soon enough.”
The knights who had been waiting at the training grounds began making their way toward the sparring arena one after another.
Not a single one among them doubted the outcome.
I opened my eyes.
Damn it.
What kind of ridiculous dream was this?
Had I played too many games and finally fried my brain?
I was standing in the middle of a sparring arena that looked as though it belonged in the Middle Ages.
A young man who appeared to be my opponent stood across from me.
Knights and nobles surrounded us, watching.
“My lord, we will now begin.”
A knight who appeared to be the referee looked upward as he spoke.
I followed his gaze and saw a middle-aged man with platinum-blond hair standing on a second-floor balcony, looking down at me.
Hmm.
Those eyes were terrifying.
When the head of the family nodded, the referee turned toward us with a warning.
“I will say this once again. The use of mana and Skills is prohibited. Furthermore, should your opponent die, the position of heir will pass to the third son, Lord Geren Kalsburg. Do you understand, Lord Gilbert?”
It seemed I had misunderstood.
The referee had been speaking not to me, but to my opponent, the man called Gilbert.
“You have quite the sense of humor, Sir. Killing one another is only possible when both sides possess comparable skill. Or do you believe I would deliberately kill that worthless weakling?”
Worthless weakling?
Was he talking about me?
“Of course not. I was merely being cautious.”
The referee did not even deny the part about me being a worthless weakling.
It was only a dream anyway, but I still felt strangely offended.
Why was I being treated like this?
“Both contestants, take your positions.”
The referee raised a hand between the man and me.
“Begin.”
The instant he stepped back, the spar began.
The man named Gilbert curled his lips into a smile and drew his sword.
WHOOSH!
The blade swept past my face, severing several strands of hair.
That was the moment I realized this was not a dream.
‘Where am I?’
Only then did all five of my senses fully awaken.
This was undeniably real.
I immediately began listing the information available to me.
‘Knights, Gilbert, Kalsburg, and a worthless weakling.’
WHOOSH!
Before I had time to think, a sword came sweeping in from the left.
I barely avoided it by ducking my head.
Before I knew it, his fist came up from below and slammed into my chin.
THUD!
“Motherf—!”
Gilbert’s expression stiffened at the curse that escaped me from the pain.
Looking at him, I reached a conclusion based on everything I had confirmed so far.
To put it in one sentence, I had entered the game I used to play.
And I had entered the body of the game’s worthless weakling.
Fuck.
‘Why?’
I could not think of any reason.
No, the reason probably was not important right now.
I had become Allen Kalsburg, the eldest son of a ducal family in the Garcia Empire of [Deep Dungeon].
‘Of all people!’
Out of all the countless characters in the game, why did I have to become the weakest one?
And of all possible moments, why did it have to happen in the middle of the succession ceremony?
“You really do have a loose tongue for a damned worthless weakling.”
Gilbert was speaking to me.
We might have different mothers, but he had no respect whatsoever for his older brother.
Judging by the fact that he sheathed his sword and raised his fists instead, at least it did not seem as though he intended to kill me immediately....
If Allen died, the position of heir would pass to the third son, Geren.
For the record, Gilbert was quite ambitious.
‘What is that bastard after?’
Gilbert’s goal was not simply to defeat me.
He probably wanted to humiliate me.
Then what was my goal?
‘My goal, after ending up in the body of this worthless weakling.’
Was that not obvious?
Survive.
I knew exactly how I needed to act.
First, I drew the sword at my waist and threw it behind me.
As long as I remained unarmed, that prideful bastard would probably do the same.
I spat the blood pooling in my mouth onto the ground with a SPIT! and glared up at the second-floor balcony.
“…….”
Theosis Kalsburg, known as the ruler of the North.
The head of the family and the man who, from this moment onward, was apparently going to be my father.
Our eyes met.
He did not look at me as though I were his son.
His gaze was utterly indifferent.
‘Those damned eyes.’
“How dare you look away from me?”
I casually ignored Gilbert.
What was happening right now was the event that determined the successor of the Kalsburg family.
Under normal circumstances, Allen would suffer a crushing defeat at Gilbert’s hands during this event.
After that, for one reason or another, he would end up on a one-way trip to his death.
‘Damn it.’
Could I really turn this situation around?
My only opening was the prohibition against mana and Skills.
Barehanded, the only difference between him and me was the difference in training.
It was essentially a scrawny ordinary man against an ordinary man who had learned swordsmanship.
THUD!
“Agh…!”
The pain of a broken rib forced a cry from my mouth.
Seeing Gilbert’s smiling face made something boil inside me.
I decided I could not take this anymore.
Even if I could not win, I was at least going to make sure I landed one good hit.
THUD!
Damn it.
I could no longer feel the left arm he had just struck.
Come on.
Just come a little closer.
This is not my original body, so I’m still not used to it.
“You’re persistent…!”
My face was already swollen beyond recognition, and my entire body was battered.
Was the fact that I was still standing even in this condition beginning to irritate his pride?
Gilbert bit his lip impatiently.
There were plenty of people watching, so he must have had all sorts of thoughts running through his mind.
His impatience immediately showed in his movements.
WHOOSH!
The arc of his left fist was nearly twice as wide as before.
The blow drew power from his planted feet and the rotation of his waist.
If it connected with my face, my nose would break instantly.
But instead of dodging, I folded my right arm upward as quickly as I could.
I braced it by gripping the back of my neck.
CRACK!
Gilbert’s fist slammed directly into my elbow.
“Aaaaaagh!!”
I had been in roughly ninety-nine fights during my school days.
My win-loss record was a secret, but based on that experience, I was 99.9% certain his hand was broken.
Of course, my elbow also hurt as though it had fractured.
I forced myself to ignore it and drove my fist straight into Gilbert’s flustered face.
THUD!
“Urgh…!”
Hurts when you get hit too, doesn’t it?
Your nose must be stinging like hell.
“Lord Gilbert!!”
Apparently, they had not expected this turn of events.
The knights standing on Gilbert’s side tried to rush forward.
“What do you think you’re doing during the sacred succession duel!”
The referee stopped them from interfering.
The knights could only stamp their feet in frustration, unable to enter the arena.
Since they were watching, I decided to give Gilbert another punch for good measure.
THUD!
Gilbert’s nosebleed smeared across my knuckles.
In moments, his face was drenched in blood.
Of course, mine was just as bloody.
He had fought back and landed a fist squarely on my nose too.
THUD!
But I did not stop punching him.
Not even as the throbbing pain continued to spread through my body.
At this point, it was do or die.
Getting beaten without fighting back did not suit my temperament.
I grabbed him by the neck, hooked my leg inside his, and swept him to the ground.
“You bastard…!”
I did not bother dodging the fist he threw at me.
He was punching from his back.
There was no way he could put much strength behind it.
“Shut your mouth. You’ll lose your teeth.”
I might as well teach him some manners while I was at it.
So he would never dare challenge his older brother again.
THUD!
“You damned…!”
THUD!
“Wait…!”
I drove my fist into his open mouth as he cried out.
THUD!
“Stop….”
THUD!
“St... op….”
How many times had I punched him?
When one of Gilbert’s broken teeth lodged itself in my fist, I finally heard him begging.
I put all my feelings into one final punch and struck his face harder than I had at any point before.
THUD!!
“Phew….”
I exhaled and struggled to my feet.
Ah.
Now I finally felt refreshed.
Perhaps the tension had left me, because pain suddenly flooded every part of my body.
I genuinely felt as though I were about to die, but I ignored it and immediately looked toward the balcony.
“Ho….”
Theosis Kalsburg was looking down at me.
He still was not looking at me like a father looking at his son.
But the indifference in his eyes had changed into interest.
It was the look someone might give a fighting dog that had performed unexpectedly well.
I did not avert my gaze.
“…I judge that Lord Gilbert is no longer capable of continuing the fight. The duel is over! With this, Lord Allen Kalsburg is hereby declared the heir!”
The referee brought the situation to a close.
Low groans and murmurs rose from the surrounding knights.
“Lord Gilbert lost... How could this happen…?”
“Who was it...!? Who said Lord Allen was a weakling!”
Only then did the tension finally drain out of me.
What the hell had I just been forced into without warning?
Bent at the waist, I turned and trudged away.
That was when I heard Gilbert’s voice behind me.
“Wait….”
I turned my head.
He was already standing again.
Gilbert clutched his nose as he glared at me.
His eyes were filled with murderous intent.
“…….”
Without another word, he reached for the sword at his waist.
Gilbert drew it with all his strength.
Then I suddenly felt something strange.
[Gilbert Kalsburg activates the Skill ‘Quick Draw’.]
A blade-shaped shockwave hurtled toward me at tremendous speed.
Its width was roughly three meters.
There was no way to dodge it.
Even though I realized I could not block it either, I thrust out my right hand.
‘Ah, I’m dead.’
At that instant, my consciousness began drifting somewhere else.
Countless scenes unfolded around me like a panorama.
It felt as though I had become an audience member watching a film.
So this was the life flashing before your eyes that people always talked about.
‘…?’
But something was strange.
The scenes flashing past me were not from my life.
Allen Kalsburg.
The eldest son of the Kalsburg family.
It was his life that was passing before my eyes.
‘What?’
I doubted my own eyes.
There were unfamiliar scenes among the memories.
New facts that even I, someone who knew the Kalsburg family’s storyline inside and out, had never known.
The moment I understood what I was seeing, a change began within my body.
Something started boiling up from my heart.
[The mana dormant within the body begins to awaken.]
My decision took only an instant.
Strength flowed into my outstretched right hand.
There was no time for an incantation.
FWOOSH!
A massive flame had already appeared in my right hand.
[The character activates the Inferno spell ‘Fireball(火焰球)’.]
The flames swallowed the shockwave with ease.
The heat was so fierce that even breathing became difficult.
The blaze continued forward, hurtling straight toward Gilbert.
Just before it reduced him to ashes,
WHOOSH!
Someone appeared in front of him.
A man swung his sword at tremendous speed.
The flames were blown away by the pressure of the strike.
‘The referee….’
At the same time, all the strength left my body and I collapsed.
As the cold floor pressed against me, I heard the voices of the others.
“Could that possibly be…?”
“Was that magic? How did he use magic!”
“What in the world is going on? How could someone from the Kalsburg family possibly…!”
Damn it.
That was all I heard.
It was the price of casting magic without an incantation.
The status effect ‘Unconsciousness,’ brought on by Mana Exhaustion.
Just before I lost consciousness, I realized one thing.
‘Worthless weakling, my ass….’
The countless scenes I had witnessed as his life flashed before my eyes.
They had revealed one undeniable truth.
Allen Kalsburg was anything but a worthless weakling.