A famous brand café in the downtown area.
“Customer number 26. Your ordered americano is ready.”
“Thank you.”
I placed the coffee I had received on the table and took out my iPad from my bag.
It was to look up information about the upcoming Academy entrance exam.
At the next table, two female students in school uniforms were chatting.
“Did you see that?”
“Which one?”
“You know, the one I posted on my Instagram~”
“Oh, you mean the ‘Dark Knight’ video?”
I bowed my head in embarrassment.
It was about me, of all people.
It all began with a certain video that spread across the internet.
Early in the morning.
A murky alley far away with flickering neon signs.
A mysterious figure in a black robe was stabbing someone collapsed on the ground with a dagger.
Inside his robe, there was nothing but deep, pitch-black darkness.
The screen was oddly distorted; it was impossible to tell the figure’s height, gender, or build.
“Sa, save me!”
A bald, muscular man lay face down, trembling violently.
Trying to rise, but his body wouldn’t obey.
The cloaked figure reached out toward the man.
A blue flame erupted from his hands.
The fire spread like wildfire, engulfing the man and leaving behind only a pile of ashes in moments.
The figure took a Post-it note from his cloak, writing “Robbery” on it, and carefully placed it atop the ashes.
He turned toward the camera, putting a finger to his lips as a sign to stay silent.
The presumed owner of the camera nodded vigorously, causing the screen to shake.
“I will never tell!”
The figure nodded and then disappeared into a darker and deeper alley.
This is how the video ended.
It was secretly filmed by the office worker I had saved. He uploaded it online, and it quickly spread.
‘They told me not to talk. And yet they don’t know gratitude…’
The thought annoyed me.
Because of the widespread of this video, my past hunting activities were reevaluated, and people started calling me either “Unknown” or “Dark Knight.”
“Unknown” probably came from my robe, while “Dark Knight” seemed inspired by a certain movie due to my role in punishing criminals.
I understand.
It’s cringy.
But that’s just the norm.
People don’t find the cringeworthy nicknames given to heroes and villains strange at all.
Because this is a different world.
A game world where gates, monsters, heroes, and villains exist: “Hero Name: ZEUS.”
I entered this world from that game.
Explaining how this happened would take too long.
When I had played the game “Hero Name: ZEUS” without realizing the passage of time, I managed to fully clear all branches of the game.
At that time, a message appeared on the monitor.
———-<Special Reward for First Clear>———-
Congratulations on achieving 100% completion.
As a reward, you will get the chance to explore the world of “Hero Name: ZEUS” alongside real actors.
A wish-granting wish coupon will be given, allowing you to make any wish upon completing the clearance.
(Warning: Save and Load are not possible. You have only one life.)
Would you like to accept?
——————————————-
Thinking it was just an extra story, I pressed accept. Little did I know, it was the beginning of my ordeal.
As soon as I pressed the button, a bright light burst from the monitor.
When I opened my eyes, I was in the world of the game.
My name here is Shinnoda.
I am 15 years old.
I am around 180 cm tall with sharp features.
This was the body I received in this world.
After a brief moment of disbelief, I accepted this as reality and decided to check the most important thing.
‘What if I get some kind of OP skill?’
“Status window.”
————<Status Window>————
◈ Name
Shinnoda
◈ Abilities
[Strength 085 D]
[Agility 114 E]
[Intelligence 448 F]
[Luck 003 E]
[Overall: E Grade]
◈ Skills
[Telekinesis 097 F]
————————————
Trash.
I’m not even a hero but merely an E-ranked Awakened One who can only carry baggage into dungeons.
These ability points are influenced by one’s pre-awakening capabilities, so while I may be stronger than an average person, I am far from being the protagonist fighting against evil.
Surely, the message indicated that I needed to clear the main storyline for the wish.
By the later stages, the world becomes too dangerous even to venture outside.
Regardless of interfering with the story, I need the strength to protect myself.
‘There’s only one way.’
A method only I, who’ve mastered “Hero Name: Zeus,” could employ.
Securing legendary opportunities.
Leather of the Sage.
Yongcheonhwa’s abilities.
While there are other minor ones, these two are incomparable, and later, in the main plot, there are far better options.
I skipped school the very next day and went to the Guanak Mountain.
The legendary opportunity that the original protagonist’s heroine, ‘Yongcheonhwa,’ receives after her descent into darkness is hidden in a cave on this mountain.
Since Yongcheonhwa eventually joins the villain’s side, gets abandoned by the protagonist, betrayed by the villains, and ends in a tragic death, I feel no guilt taking her legacy.
‘Maybe doing this is better for her too.’
The process by which she obtained the legacy was fully described in the game, with no additional conditions.
You just go to a certain cave on Guanak Mountain, find a red gemstone there, and press it against your chest.
It wasn’t easy finding the cave, but after three days of systematic searching from a rented place at the foot of the mountain, I finally located it.
The red gemstone.
A crystal faintly emitting a crimson mist.
I pressed it against my chest, and it slowly merged into my body.
With a cheerful sound effect, a message popped up.
<<Skill Acquired>>
————-<Skill>————-
◈ Name
Succession
◈ Rank
000 A
◈ Description
Execute enemies in their dying moments and permanently absorb 1% of their stats.
(The target eligible for execution is marked by a red gem.)
———————————–
————-<Skill>————-
◈ Name
Dragon Heart
◈ Rank
— A
◈ Description
The Dragon Heart, which harbors near-infinite magical power, has been embedded in your body.
———————————–
“I’ve gotten it! Haha!”
Not just one, but two.
Both of them A-Rank.
Skills that were rare enough that only the protagonist and his circle typically possessed them.
Whether it’s abilities or skills, when the numbers in front of the rank reach 1000, the rank improves and so does its effectiveness.
However, the ‘Dragon Heart’ seemed to be ungradable since it lacked numbers.
The ‘Succession’ skill was incredible.
I’d thought it strange how Yongcheonhwa, who had been insignificant, became so powerful in no time, but with the game being from the protagonist’s perspective, her skills weren’t detailed, so I was unaware of this one.
‘This is a cheat skill…! It’s worth trying.’
I momentarily indulged in optimistic thoughts but quickly recalled the looming issue.
The final boss, the Demon King.
A cheat monster with impenetrable defense, where no damage dealt actually lands.
That’s why the protagonist’s role in the Demon King raid is crucial.
It’s due to his prime skill, ‘Guardian of the Species.’
————-<Skill>————-
◈ Name
Guardian of the Species
◈ Rank
000 B
◈ Description
A 50% reduction in damage taken and a 50% increase in damage dealt to other species.
———————————–
A skill overtly designed for monster-slaying.
And it can grow stronger.
At S-Rank, the increase becomes up to 150%.
Thanks to this skill, only the protagonist can deliver meaningful damage.
Ultimately, it depends on the protagonist’s level of growth.
An unsettling factor is that the protagonist now moves of his own free will.
He’s a 16-year-old boy, not a heartless puppet controlled by a player.
‘Hero Name: ZEUS’ is well-known for its hardcore difficulty.
The most notorious aspect is undoubtedly the protagonist’s cultivation.
Every ability and skill matters.
You can’t waste time unnecessarily.
If you spend time courting the numerous women surrounding the protagonist, you could die struggling in the next episode.
And yet, ignoring the characters’ affections means you can’t include them on your team.
In short, it’s a game you have to “play well.”
‘Can any regular boy do this without the “me” as a controller?’
Without the “me” as his controller, the protagonist might form a harem at the Academy and slack off.
Or he could train in useless skills and become an NPC with a tragic future.
The conclusion was clear:
I needed to support the protagonist from the side and ensure he grows correctly.
Only then could we defeat the final boss, clear the main storyline, and make the ‘wish.’
Of course, I’d have to strengthen myself for my own survival too.
‘I should go to the Academy next year. Given we’re the same age, we’ll likely enter in the same batch.’
At that moment, a voice with an antique tone resounded in my head.
[Heir. What is your name?]
“What, what is this?”
I looked around and realized I was alone.
Being familiar with this kind of genre in novels and games, I got the sense.
The gem I had absorbed must contain an ego of some sort.
Moreover, I had anticipated it since there was a scene in the game where Yongcheonhwa had a private conversation with someone.
“Who are you?”
[I am Dragon Lord Laurakis. The sole surviving dragon. In my long history as a dragon…]
“Wait a moment. That sounds like it’ll take forever. Can you summarize it in three lines?”
[You impudent creature. My journey through time cannot be encapsulated in mere three lines.]
“I’m not going to listen then. Just tell me what you want from me right now.”
There seemed to be a sound of something breaking nearby.
A more powerful voice came through then.
[In summary, you must toughen the body of a dragon offspring and breathe my soul into it. To do this, we must raise your standing so that you can withstand the backlash of the high-tier magic I will enact to transfer my soul through your body.]
I don’t really believe him.
In the game, this dragon Laurakis waited until Yongcheonhwa was in a mentally vulnerable state after being reprimanded by the protagonist, then took control of her mind and wreaked havoc.
‘I’ll pretend to trust him for now since he’s stuck with me through the Dragon Heart. I’ll be vigilant, though, so he doesn’t steal my body.’
Anyway, at this point, there’s nothing better than this legacy for an E-Rank Awakened One.
It’s my chosen destiny.
I’ll have to brute-force through somehow.
[This worm! I can hear everything you’re thinking! And who said I’ll ever take your measly human flesh? Especially one as weak as yours!]
Laurakis’s voice was brimming with anger.
It seems he doesn’t know I’m from another world—apparently, he can’t overhear my thoughts unless I think too loudly.
“Being particularly weak? This is still at least the top 10% on Earth.”
An Awakened One is a one-in-five-thousand existence among the population.
Remove those with E and F ranks who can’t properly engage in combat, and the numbers dwindle considerably.
“Anyway, let’s give it our best shot, Lord Laurakis. Your name is hard to say, so I’ll just call you Lady Laura.”
[The insolence! I might take back the power I granted to you. You insolent fool!]
“Sorry. Then should I call you ‘Kiss Lord’?”
[No, wait… Sigh, just call me Lady Laura.]
Anyway, this guy can’t possibly let me go.
Who knows when someone might come to this deserted cave? Waiting endlessly would be pointless.
[This worm! I can hear everything you’re thinking! And who said I’ll ever take your measly human flesh? Especially one as weak as yours!]
Laurakis’s voice was brimming with anger.
It seems he doesn’t know I’m from another world—apparently, he can’t overhear my thoughts unless I think too loudly.
“Being particularly weak? This is still at least the top 10% on Earth.”
An Awakened One is a one-in-five-thousand existence among the population.
Remove those with E and F ranks who can’t properly engage in combat, and the numbers dwindle considerably.
“Anyway, let’s give it our best shot, Lord Laurakis. Your name is hard to say, so I’ll just call you Lady Laura.”
[The insolence! I might take back the power I granted to you. You insolent fool!]
“Sorry. Then should I call you ‘Kiss Lord’?”
[No, wait… Sigh, just call me Lady Laura.]
