CHAPTER 1
Chapter 1: A New Life?
"Last time I ever randomly pick a soul for this..."
The lone woman in the room stretched in her bed as she lazily scrolled through a crystal ball, an irritated look on her face.
"The past five souls I pulled from the Void all ended up being the prude goody two-shoes type. Which is fine every now and then, but jeez, can't a Goddess get some variety?"
Her flawless face contorted into a scowl, remembering her last host.
"Seriously... The idiot died in his starter universe playing the hero. He managed to kill the demon king but ended up being stabbed in the back by the priestess." The goddess groaned, "He was too blinded by the pussy to realize her true intentions... What a complete disappointment."
Her pink eyes suddenly sparkled, as if she just came up with a brilliant idea.
"Maybe it's time for me to customize a couple things here. First, a host that is more 'open-minded' to manipulation or getting their hands dirty if it means accomplishing their goals. I'm sick of giving mere mortals the power of Gods, and watching them struggle with their precious little morality."
She smirked, filtering out souls that radiated too much goodness.
"No saints, no saviors, no champions of justice. Those guys are no fun. Although... I'm going to sift out any truly evil and wicked souls as well. They tend to be too much, even for my tastes."
The goddess watched the orb with a bored look on her face, ignoring the shrieks of thousands of souls being banished from her realm.
"I want to find someone sly, one who can identify and acquire power... and do whatever it takes to hold on to it."
The crystal ball began to shake, any spirits not fitting her criteria rejoining the sea of souls, each sent on their own journey through the afterlife.
"Who's left... Nope. Absolutely not. Pathetic..."
Three more souls, three more rejections.
The next soul in line flared in front of her.
"A lively one, aren't you?"
Her eyes narrowed, studying the life this soul lived.
"Hmm. An investment banker. Greedy, willing to do whatever it takes to secure a deal. A good start, but let me see how you died..."
The goddess' plump lips broke into a devilish grin as she watched a memory play out in the reflection of the crystal ball.
"Stabbed to death by your wife. When she found you in bed with the babysitter." She giggled while scrubbing through the soul's life. "And this is while being in hot water for sleeping with your secretary. A shame she killed you immediately, she should have aimed for less lethal, more fun targets..."
With newfound energy, she separated this spirit from the rest, and began to scrub it free from any 'needless' memories.
Holding the soul in her hands, the goddess studied it's features: the soul shone a bright golden orange, yet had a ghastly cold aura around it.
"Reminds me of the planet... Let's have fun... Mars~"
I'm floating in a sea of clouds?
No, it's a void of pure white. As far as I can see, absolutely nothing could hide here.
Terror and confusion sets in; I try to figure out where I am, but there's nothing to see, nothing to find.
This is beyond any logic.
Higher forces must be at play.
It's a frightening feeling, an instinct that something is coming, far beyond my understanding.
Is this the afterlife?
Was I a very religious person? And if I was, I sure hope I chose the right afterlife to believe in...
I try to remember any details from my past life, but nothing registers. The more I try to remember, the more I seem to forget.
The atmosphere suddenly changes as it feels like the void itself is beginning to shrink in itself.
A silhouette of a woman starts to form in front of me. It quickly fills out, the darkening shadow contrasting from the pure white surroundings.
I assume she is not a random shadow, but rather, the absence of the void itself.
She must have created this void, and if I'm looking for any answers, she is clearly the one to ask.
I try to subtly study her features, but it's impossible not to stare, just being in her presence feels addicting.
Even just looking at her silhouette, I can instinctively feel that she is the most beautiful being I'll ever meet.
I feel the primal urge to breed her, despite the fact I can't actually see any of her features, just an outline.
The shadow shifts, right where her head should be.
Was that a laugh?
That means... She can read my mind.
Of course she can.
I try my hardest to vacate my mind, to not think of anything that can be used against me.
The more I resist, the harder the lust-filled thoughts race through my mind. It's simply impossible for me to fight this temptation.
Each thought more explicit than the last, she must be doing this on purpose.
There is no way I can fight something I can't even understand.
As if she could sense me lose my will to oppose her, she finally makes a move, raising her hand.
She snaps her fingers, and immediately, a blue holographic window materializes in front of me.
[Gamer System downloaded. Starter universe has been chosen by ?]
[Character Creation completed by ?]
[? is tired. Gamer will be sent to world in 60 seconds]
Huh?!
Wait! I'm going to need way more than a minute to get all my shit together.
First of all, what the FUCK is going on exactly?
The Gamer System? Starter Universe?
So I'm being sent to some random universe, then what?
[Gamer will be sent in 20 seconds]
No way that was forty seconds! At least answer one of my questions!
[Gamer will be sent in 3 seconds]
Okay now you're just trying to get rid of-
"-me."
With a flash, I find myself in a bustling construction site.
Looking around, seemingly trapped in who knows where, I surprise myself at how calm I am in this situation.
[Gamer's Mind activated]
No reason to panic, after all.
Clearly, I won't be getting any answers from whomever sent me here.
I doubt she would send me here to immediately die.
Right?
Shaking my head of the thought, I need to form some kind of plan.
The facts are I'm in an unknown universe, I'm a host of the Gamer System, and whatever entity sent me here wants me to figure things out all by myself.
I somehow remember what the Gamer System is, but why can't I remember any real details of my past life? What was my name?
My past memories are obviously unreliable. Will I get them back? Or have they been permanently altered and tampered with?
This must be a test then; given limited information, will I survive?
The Gamer System is quite overpowered, if I survive long enough, I'll basically be a god.
Now how exactly do I start?
Well, if I'm a Gamer, let's take Inventory.
A new window pops up, this one much larger than the previous ones, but unfortunately, just as empty.
I only spot two items: Gamer's Phone and a Hunter ID card.
Summoning both of them, I study the phone first.
[Gamer's Phone: A phone only the Gamer can use. Unlimited use and access in any universe. Cannot be hacked or traced. Used to access Gamer's Shop]
Straightforward, yet invaluable. When I get time later, I'll check out the shop.
Time to examine the ID card.
[Korean Hunter's Association License: Mars Valentino, D-rank Tanker]
I'm in Solo Leveling... Not sure if I should feel great or terrible about it.
On the bright side, I should be able to level up very quickly.
Near the bottom is an identification photo, I see a young tan-skinned man, with a blond fade, spiked at the top.
That's me? Don't I look too much like a villain?
Sighing, I try to dig through Mars' memories growing up.
I moved to Seoul, South Korea from Rome, Italy when I was a child, due to my parents relocating there for work. It must have been a huge promotion, because money was never a problem growing up.
That was around 10 years ago, I'm 17 years old now, it seems I dropped out of high school to participate in dungeon raids, after a dungeon break incident killed both of my parents.
That happened a week ago, since I just recently awakened to my magical powers.
There must be another way to check my abilities...
"Status." I call out the first thing that comes to mind.
Another new window emerges.
Name: Mars Valentino
Level: 1
Race: ?-Human Hybrid
Class: Battlemage (? Attribute) lvl. 1
Title: Host of Gamer System
Skills:
Gamer's Mind (Passive) lvl. MAX
- Allows you to calmly and logically think things through. Immune to mental disorder.
Other skills Locked
[Secret Quest Completed: Tutorial]
[Objective: Check Inventory and Status]
[Reward: Common Shield]
…I'm not a full human?
Add that to the pile of questions I have when I finally meet my 'benefactor'.
Battlemage is cool, I still wish I could have customized my own build, but I'll have faith there is a reason for her decisions.
How do I unlock my skills though?
[Quest Received: My First Dungeon]
[Objective: Survive Your First Dungeon]
[Reward: Skills]
How convenient.
"You look lost, do you need help?" A man with orange hair interrupts my thoughts.
Wait... isn't this guy Chae Hae-In's mentor?
He asked me in broken English, I guess I am technically a foreigner; and ignoring the fact Mars only speaks Italian and Korean, it's kind of him to do that.
Luckily for both of us, I speak Korean fluently.
"This is my first raid." I reply back in perfect Korean, surprising him, "I'm just a bit nervous."
"Oh is that so?" He asked me with a smirk on his face. "You have nothing to worry about, this is only a D-rank dungeon. I'm Song Chi-Yul, just stick with me and you'll be fine!"
"I'm Valentino Mars, I'll be counting on you, sir!" I earnestly reply back, with a respectful bow. It doesn't hurt to make a connection with him now, he is definitely stronger than me currently, maybe he's a high C-rank?
"AHH! Jinwoo! You got hurt again!"
My thoughts were cut off again, this time by the screams of a girl nearby.
Jinwoo?
Turning around, I can see the future Shadow Monarch in all of his E-rank glory, being scolded by that orange-haired healer girl.
What was her name again?
If only I had Observe.
This must be the first dungeon raid that ends up being the double dungeon, with the giant god statue.
Guess I'm being thrown into canon right away, I'll be sure to thank my 'Patron' for giving me no time at all to prepare.
Sorry Jinwoo, but I'll be helping myself to the Shadow Monarch's powers.
- Later -
The D-rank monster-type dungeon really wasn't that difficult.
Equipped with only a wooden shield, I did my best as a tank for the rest of the party.
I tried to hover around Jinwoo as much as I could, knowing he would have trouble fighting these simple monsters.
Jinwoo quickly noticed this, sending me a grateful, yet apologetic nod.
Even with me trying to draw the aggro around him, the monsters seemed to focus and aim for Jinwoo even more than our own healers.
Do they sense his weakness?
Only Sung Jinwoo ended up needing healing at the end of the fight. The World's Weakest Hunter title is no joke, after all.
I even gained four levels despite not actually killing any of the beasts. Seems that just participating in the battle will reward me experience points.
Voting to continue the raid, I smirk as I watch Jinwoo flirt with the healer, who I found out to be Lee Joohee.
I briefly introduced myself to them as we walked further down the dungeon.
They look good together.
Maybe they will end up together in this timeline, one where Jinwoo never becomes the Shadow Monarch.
"It's here! The boss room!" A raid member shouted out.
The giant royal doors are quite intimidating. The power radiating from inside indicates a foe far stronger than what should be possible for a D-rank dungeon.
In the end, greed and the fear of missing out on any potential treasure causes the party to ignore any survival instincts begging them to turn back.
As we enter, the torches in the gargantuan room are lit by harrowing blue flames. The god statue in the center of the room is leaking so much mana that it makes the room difficult to breathe in.
I look to the group of hunters trying to make sense of the runic text, unaware of the coming bloodshed.
It's impossible for me to successfully warn and prevent people from dying before the statues make their move.
After all, who would listen to some foreigner brat on their first dungeon raid?
I think it's best for me to stay in the background. I'll make a play near the end, I don't want to mess up my opportunity here.
Still though... How many people are going to die here?
It's a little ruthless, but I'm not nearly as strong enough to take any unneeded risks right now.
When the lead hunter, Song Chi-Yul, finishes reading the runic text, the air in the room suddenly becomes suffocating as the huge doors slam shut with a bang.
This is going to be tough to stomach, but I'll rely on [Gamer's Mind] to carry me through this upcoming massacre.
This is only the beginning.
- Later -
As the surviving party members tried to interpret the various messages, I hid in the background, the chaos proving an easy distraction.
Quietly kneeling down next to a statue with a flute, securing passage through the first two trials.
The situation played out essentially the same, with Jinwoo saving Joohee, losing a leg in the process.
Once the survivors realized the implication of the final altar task, I suppressed a grin. If only they knew the true purpose of this test.
Even if I told everyone here that the last person left in the room will receive the powers of a god, they'll just think I've gone mad.
Well, we all have a role to play.
Once Kim Sangshik fled, it was my time to move.
"MR. KIM!" Jinwoo cried out, his voice filled with despair.
Knowing Jinwoo couldn't leave by himself, and Joohee's legs gave out from fear and mana exhaustion; it was either me or Song Chi-Yul, the lead hunter who has taken responsibility for this dungeon.
The look in his eyes was clear: leave him, and help the others escape.
The statues weren't too far away, and the flames were about to run out.
I can respect him for truly taking responsibility in the end.
However, that's why I am here.
Having prepared a good enough reason to stay back, I start my performance.
"Mr. Song, c-can you please take Jinwoo and Joohee, I can stay." I groan out, feigning exhaustion. "You guys all have family out there waiting for you, right? Well I don't. My parents died in the dungeon break last week... So, really, I'm okay to stay."
"K-kid what are you saying?! It's my fault, I need to atone for my mistakes here!" Song Chi-Yul desperately tried to change my mind.
"Then atone by saving these two! Do you really want to sit here and argue this right now?!" I motion towards the statues marching towards us. "Please."
"..."
After a moment of hesitation, Chi-Yul helped Jinwoo and Joohee up, the remaining three hunters leaning on each other for support.
They all turn back to me with grave, yet grateful expressions on their faces. I nod back at them, closing my eyes with a peaceful look on my face, as if I've accepted my fate. No words needed to be said as they finally withdrew from the dungeon.
As I hear the doors shut, and feel the heat from the flames disappear, I finally crack my eyes open.
The statues had me completely surrounded. The giants kept their weapons holstered, as the ones with instruments began to play a smooth melody. The colossal god statue looked down on me with a twisted smile, it's eyes glowing red.
Right before the laser beam would have disintegrated me, the world around me slowly starts to turn black as the familiar blue window popped up.
[Secret Quest Completed: Courage of the Weak]
[Objective: Complete the Double Dungeon]
[Reward: Dungeon Key, Racial Traits Unlocked]
[Quest Completed: My First Dungeon]
[Objective: Survive Your First Dungeon]
[Reward: Skills]
I woke up with a gasp as I sat up in a hospital bed.
My body is sore and heavy, but I feel stronger, more powerful.
"Have you regained your senses?" A deep voice startles me, coming from right beside me.
I turn towards the source of the voice, and see a familiar face peering back at me. A tired looking man with slicked back hair in a fitted black suit.
Woo Jinchul, the future chairman of the Korean Hunter's Association.
But I shouldn't know that.
"W-who are you?" I quietly ask the man sitting in the chair next to the bed.
"I'm sorry if you're startled." He professionally replies, handing me his business card. "I have a couple questions for you, regarding the double dungeon incident. Can you start with whatever you remember?"
The man takes out a notepad and pen, then stares at me with an expectant expression.
"I imagine you do have some questions, but my answers won't be any different from what the other survivors said." I answer back. "What happened was..."
- Later -
Going through my version of events, ending with me closing my eyes as the statues surrounded me before blacking out.
"Sorry for making you go through this again, especially right after you woke up. But I needed to make sure your story matched with everyone else's." Jinchul paused for a second, "Once we, the surveillance department staff entered the dungeon, along with reinforcements from the White Tiger Guild, we found no statues. Everything had disappeared. The only thing in that room was you lying unconscious on an altar."
"It really happened!" I snapped back.
"It was hard to believe, but there was not a single inconsistency in any of the survivor's stories, plus the body parts of the remaining party members..." He leaned forward, "In my opinion, it would help explain those."
Jinchul pointed to my back, a deadpan look on his face.
"Those?" I raise my arm to check behind me and am shocked to see a huge set of black raven-like wings. "W-wings... I grew wings?!"
"Normally I would use a magic power meter, but upon sensing your growing power and seeing those wings, it's no question that you've reawakened. You and the rest of the survivors mentioned a holy-like atmosphere, filled with a sadistic god and countless evil angelic statues..." He pointed to my new wings one more time. "Don't those look like 'corrupted' angel wings?"
"You're right..." I can only shake my head as I literally ruffle my own feathers. "That explains the sore back. So, what now then?"
"Just focus on recovering, Mars. Once you're fully recovered and released from the hospital, call me and I'll setup a rank re-evaluation. I'm not exactly sure where you rank now, but there is no doubt you've surpassed your old D-rank." He said, standing up and putting his signature sunglasses back on.
I couldn't wait until he left as I impatiently brought up my status window to see all the new changes.
Name: Mars Valentino
Level: 15
Race: Fallen Angel-Human Hybrid
Class: Battlemage (Holy Lightning Attribute) lvl. 15
Title: Host of Gamer System
Skills:
Gamer's Mind (Passive) lvl. MAX
New Skills Added:
Fallen Angel Physiology (Passive) lvl. MAX
- Supernatural Superiority: Superhuman strength, speed, durability, senses, appearance, regeneration.
- Rosetta Stone: Bypass any language barrier.
- Holy Light Attribute: Can use holy power and create spears out of light.
Physical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Increases your durability, reducing physical damage taken.
Magical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Increases your durability, reducing magical damage taken.
Spear Mastery (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Your proficiency when handling spears.
Shield Mastery (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Your proficiency defending (and attacking) with a shield.
Observe (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Observe a target's information.
Flight (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Fly with your fallen wings.
Holy Lightning (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Lightning attack imbued with holy power.
Taunt (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- Taunt nearby enemies, drawing their aggression. Effectiveness depends on level difference.
Hmm. So I gained 4 levels in the dungeon, and I'm assuming unlocking my fallen angel racial traits gave me another 10 levels.
"Inventory" I mutter to myself, checking for any new loot.
Besides the phone, my ID, and the now worn out shield, there was only one new item.
[Dungeon Key: Allows user to enter an Instant Dungeon]
Should I use it now?
I also can't help but notice there is no daily quest. I remember it was used to strengthen Jinwoo's body to properly receive Ashborn's powers.
While Jinwoo was the weakest hunter, I must be different due to my fallen physiology.
Which implies Highschool DxD is a future universe...
If only a certain someone could wake up and help answer a couple of my questions.
Looks like I'll be on my own for a little bit longer.
That only makes me wonder, is the Gamer System itself intelligent?
[Quest Received: Time to Solo Level]
[Objective: Clear the Dungeon]
[Reward: ?]
[Failure: Death]
I'll take that as a yes.
Thanks to the level up, my mana stores feel much deeper, and my reawakening as a fallen has caused my regeneration to go into overdrive.
There's no time to waste, it's time to grind.
I leap off the bed and the first thing I notice is I grew quite a bit.
My ID listed my height at 5'10, but I've got to be at least 6'3 now. Stretching my wings as far as they could, my best estimate at my wingspan is around 12 feet.
It's weird how natural the wings feel on me, as if I've had them since birth.
No matter how hard I will or command them to, my wings don't seem to retract back into me. Like a bird, these wings are just a part of me now, no hiding these. There goes any semblance of living under the radar.
My reawakening can thankfully explain any extreme power growth or any strange abilities.
All the more reason to grind as much as I can now, before people start thinking it's something else.
But before I do that...
I run over to the window and check how high I am. Counting up the stories, I find I am on the eighth floor.
Unlocking and opening it, I stretch my wings one last time before I jump out the window.
How could I not try these out first?
As I jump off, I flap my wings, I am thankful to see the skill [Flight] activate automatically.
It takes no time at all for my muscles to adjust to the foreign, yet familiar action, but soon it's like I've been flying my whole life.
- An Hour Later -
Landing in an unoccupied alley, I summon the dungeon key.
I make the motion of 'inserting' the key into the air in front of me. The key clicks, and the world around me fades to black as I momentarily lose all my senses as a new environment starts to load.
My body is suddenly thrown to the ground as my vision returns. I can't make out any noises, only a high-pitch ringing in my ears. I start to cough my lungs out as there is smoke all around me... I can see a crashed plane directly to my left, the cause of the haze now clear.
I can see the figures of zombies in the distance, slowly making their way over to me, their yellow eyes glowing brightly though the smoke. Their screams and groans become louder, an omen that many more are on their way.
Starting to get my senses back, I instantly recognize where I am.
Nacht Der Untoten. The original zombies map from World at War.
My memories of playing the game come rushing back to me. Quietly cursing this spotty memory, I have bigger problems to deal with at the moment.
The undead are getting close now, the red patch on their arms revealing their fascist origin.
Fucking nazi zombies.
Forming a light spear in my right hand, I count seven zombies, slowly trotting along.
"Observe."
[Nazi Zombie lvl. 1]
I guess I'll need to level up [Observe] before I can see more.
The first couple rounds should be quite easy, as this is basically a tutorial dungeon. Testing out my power, I throw a light spear at the lead mob. With a smooth hiss, the spear sliced right through it's neck and hit the zombie behind it as well, killing both instantly.
No experience or notifications? Maybe it will come at the end, once I've cleared the whole dungeon.
I shouldn't be too surprised at how easily I can cut through these guys. I am essentially forming a lightsaber with each spear, and any undead will be taking extra damage due to my holy light attribute.
Welp. Let's see how many zombies I need to kill to pass this dungeon.
- Later -
As it turns out, I just needed to make it to level 15. The moon itself indicated what round I was on, each bloody red level updating on it's surface.
Feeling the heat from at least a dozen different fires, I now understand to be mindful of my surroundings when aiming my lightning.
The smell of burnt zombie flesh is something I hope to never experience again. All around me countless zombies sliced open from my spears or burnt and shocked to death by my lightning.
Their numbers quickly added up each level, as they became faster, stronger and even smarter as the rounds went on. Rather than run at me brainlessly, they formed ambushes and tried to corner me. If I ever felt overwhelmed, I simply flew into the air, where no zombies could reach me. In the end I just stayed in the air, figuring it would be a good idea to grind levels for [Flight].
Fortunately for me, I felt stronger and faster as I killed more mobs, and my light spears started to shine brighter with each kill. I'm assuming I level up in real time, but the Gamer System won't update until the battle is over.
[Nazi Zombies x 364 defeated]
[3640 Coins earned]
10 coins per zombie? I will have to check the shop when I get back.
[Quest Completed: Time to Solo Level]
[Objective: Clear the Dungeon]
[Reward: Mystery Box Spin, ID Skills]
Mystery box?
As if reading my thoughts, the iconic mystery box ripped straight from the game manifests in front of me. Opening it, the familiar jingle plays as numerous weapons and artifacts spun in rapid succession.
Is it possible to get a Ray gun, maybe a Wunderwaffe... or worse yet a teddy bear? Speaking of Wunderwaffe, could I imbue my spears with my holy lightning? Each spear would be the equivalent of a Wunderwaffe shot. I'll have to spend some time in the dungeon later to workshop my powers.
My thoughts are cut off by a bell ringing, signifying an item has been chosen.
It's a... golden shield?
"Observe."
[Sacred Gear: The Ancile]
Huh? Sacred Gear? I can't help but get the feeling DxD is going to be my next universe.
I'm assuming clearing certain objectives will unlock new worlds. What would it be for Solo Leveling? Do I need to deal with the Monarch - Ruler war? Maybe I need to clear Jeju Island or I just need to hit S-rank? Well, when it happens, it happens.
I grab the shield from the box, admiring its golden trim with silver accents on the edges. It's surprisingly heavy, I don't think any normal human could even hope of picking it up. As I level up and get stronger, I should be able to throw this shield pretty far. It would not be fun getting hit with this. It's large enough for me to cover my whole body if I brace myself in a defensive stance. The edges are quite sharp as well, not only will it work as a blunt force weapon, I can imagine possibilities where I slice off an enemies' arm or nick an artery during battle.
Suddenly, I feel the shield itself call to me. Following my instincts, I infuse the shield in my holy light attribute, completely covering it in my aura.
Unique Sacred Gear Unlocked: The Ancile
Allows you to summon the unbreakable shield, the Ancile. The legendary shield fell from Heaven, giving it special properties
My whole body felt a powerful burst of golden energy transfer from the shield to myself. I can feel the energy flowing through my veins; from my toes all the way to my wings, eventually settling in by wrapping itself around my heart.
I've already got a couple ideas with this, my mind already thinking of the classic shield and spear combo.
One thing is certain: the devils from DxD are going to hate fighting against me.
"Status."
Name: Mars Valentino
Level: 27
Race: Fallen Angel-Human Hybrid
Class: Battlemage (Holy Lightning) lvl. 27
Title: Host of Gamer System
Skills:
Gamer's Mind (Passive) lvl. MAX
Fallen Angel Physiology (Passive) lvl. MAX
Physical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 8 (Novice)
Magical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
Spear Mastery (Passive) lvl. 11 (Novice)
Shield Mastery (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
Observe (Active) lvl. 3 (Novice)
Flight (Active) lvl. 15 (Novice)
Holy Lightning (Active) lvl. 10 (Novice)
Taunt (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
New Skills Added:
ID Create (Active) lvl. MAX
- Used to create Instant Dungeons (scales with level).
ID Escape (Active) lvl. MAX
- Used to get out of an Instant Dungeon immediately.
Sacred Gear: The Ancile (Active) lvl. 1 (Novice)
- The shield absorbs holy-light power.
My current goal is to grind as much as I can before I retest. Comparing my current level to Woo Jinchul, who is high A-rank, I'm probably low B-rank right now. It's a rough estimate, I don't think I can beat him in a fight just yet. If I keep going at this rate, I'll hit A-rank tomorrow maybe low tier S-rank if I get lucky.
"ID Escape." I tiredly mutter.
Darkness consumes my vision once again, as the smell of burnt rotten flesh disappears with it.
The Seoul skyline comes into view, the setting sun giving off a beautiful purple hue. I must have been away for at least 5 hours, hopefully the nurses won't be too mad...
- Later-
After a quick scolding from the nurses for flying out the window without telling anyone, I fiddle with the Gamers phone in the hospital bed. Despite my new strength, the doctors insisted I stay a couple nights, just in case anything happened. Sighing as I feel my regeneration work its magic, I open up the Gamer's Shop.
It's exactly what you would expect, I can buy pretty much anything, ranging from a rusty dagger all the way to artifacts as strong as an infinity stone. There's even an option to convert coins into whatever currency I need. I couldn't find any potions, maybe I'll unlock them later? I'll save my coins for now.
Hearing a knock on the door, I guess I shouldn't be surprised to see Joohee rolling in Jinwoo into the room in a wheelchair, missing his leg. He never got the system to fully heal his injuries. Only S-rank healers can bring back lost limbs, and their cost might as well be an arm or a leg for anyone who isn't completely rich. I'll make a promise now to myself to heal Jinwoo once I gain the ability to, and his mother while I'm at it.
Looking at the two hunters in front of me nervously fidgeting, it's clear neither of them know how to start the conversation. Considering the last time we saw each other was when they were leaving me to my death, I can understand the awkwardness.
They both stared at my wings, then back at me, their words dying in their throats. I'm sure they each have a hundred different questions they want to ask me.
"Mars-" "I don't-"
Both me and Joohee started to speak at the same time, both of us stopping when we heard the other start to talk.
Softly laughing at how awkward the situation is, I start again.
"Just looking at your faces, I can sense the guilt you guys are feeling. You guys don't need to apologize or thank me for anything, really." I say kindly, trying to kill their guilt. "If anything I should be thanking you guys. I reawakened, plus I can fly now!" I joke while flexing my wings.
"Heh, still though. We really are extremely grateful for what you did for all of us." Joohee said with a smile on her face.
"Mars, you really did sacrifice yourself for us. Even though I lost a leg, I still feel I owe you a lot..." Jinwoo softly muttered, a mix of shame and gratitude in his voice.
Both of them then bowed to me, before I asked them to straighten up. It's kind of hard to accept their earnest gratitude considering I was sort of manipulating the events near the end.
"Then thank me by forgetting any guilty thoughts about it. No one could have expected that situation." I reply back, before my mouth twists mischievously. "Actually... if you really want to thank me, I might have an idea."
"Anything. What do you need?" Jinwoo perked up at the idea of settling our 'debt', he really is a good guy isn't he?
"I overheard you two before we entered the double dungeon... Jinwoo why don't you take the lovely Joohee out for dinner?" I suggest with a shit-eating grin on my face, laughing at the sudden blush on their faces.
"W-what?!" Joohee shouted, her mouth wide open in shock.
"Why not? If you guys both feel you owe me something then I'm calling in my favor now. You both like each other, right?" I ask the two of them.
"I...do." Jinwoo admitted, softly staring at the red-haired healer. "Would you like to go out on a date with me, Joohee?"
"I'd love that." Joohee happily accepts, a huge smile on her face.
"Wow you two... did you already forget you're in my room right now?" I tease the budding couple, both of their cheeks flushing a deep red again.
I always thought these two had way better chemistry over Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In. Thinking about it, Jinwoo would probably smell bad to her now, considering he never inherits the Architect's system in this new timeline.
"S-sorry we'll let you rest. We'll talk to you soon, okay?" Joohee promises, giving me a quick hug before I exchange contact info with both of them.
I glance at the clock, I should get up early tomorrow if I want to hit S-rank. I send Jinwoo a knowing grin as they leave. The plan for tomorrow is simple: wake up super early, tell the nurses I'll be leaving to train, and spend the whole day in the dungeon.
- The Next Day -
I quickly make my way through the busy Seoul streets, trying to ignore the blatant stares of anyone who spots me. Unfortunately due to my new appearance, it's every single person I walk by as I quite literally stop traffic with my presence. I will admit it's hard not to notice the tall, shirtless foreigner with black wings roaming the streets like everything is normal.
Due to my giant ass wings, I've basically given up the notion of wearing a top, at least until I can get something custom made. Other than that, I'm just wearing simple blue jeans and black runners. The looks I'm receiving from everyone seem to be thanking the gods that I'm currently walking around without a shirt.
My fallen nature has made me irresistible to normal humans. There seems to be an aura of divinity around me, which leads to humans thinking I've been sent by heaven itself to bless the earth. Until the 'fallen' part of my angel corrupts them, bringing out their true desires. And in my case, it's usually their lust for me or their envy towards me. Other hunters seem to be less affected, but I can sense their occasional glares when they think I'm not looking. I'm assuming as I level up the effects will be even stronger. I have to admit, I was fairly handsome even before I reawakened, but now?
The best way to describe it is like looking at an extremely beautiful painting. It's unnatural how good I look, as if I really was an angel. And I hope to learn very soon just where I got my fallen blood from.
Should I feel bad for others who have to compete with my literal superhuman good looks?
Probably, but I don't.
It's clear to me now, I've obviously changed physically, but I feel like my very personality has changed. I feel much more arrogant, prideful; especially towards humans. This must be what a pure fallen must feel towards me. Now I can understand the conflict with pure-blood devils and reincarnated devils in DxD just a little bit more now...
[Gamer's Mind] activates, preventing me from falling into a weird headspace. I just wish I knew the full extent of changes happening to me. On the bright side, I've been spamming [Observe] on everyone who stopped to stare at me.
I ended up leaving the hospital a bit later than planned, I had spent a bit of time shamelessly flirting with the cute nurse, Choi Yoora. She's the nurse who asked Jinwoo for his number, and then we never see her again. I blame Jinwoo for being clueless, he might have not realized her true intentions, but I can sense her thirst for me, hopefully I can try to meet her when her shift is over.
Finally spotting the deserted alleyway, I cast [ID Create], looking at the new menu that formed in front of me.
[Currently Available ID List: 1. Zombie ID 2. Locked]
Great options.
I'm assuming as I level up, more will unlock.
As the new 'map' loads, I'm surprised to find myself on a poorly lit raised platform, in the middle of a rundown courtyard.
"POWER LEVELS CRITICAL... SHUTting down..." A robotic voice dies out in my ears, before the power completely shuts off, only the moon with a blood red 1 tallied on it, lighting the dilapidated factory.
Der Riese, the best zombies map for sure.
Calling out for the [Ancile], and forming a light spear, I prepare myself for what will likely be a long day. Let's see how far I can get.
- Later -
Just like the original, there is no 'end' to nazi zombies. Now that I have [ID Escape], this becomes an exercise in how long can I last until I'm forced to evacuate. I don't want know how long it's been, but it's been long enough for me to feel the fatigue adding up. The damn clock tower doesn't work even after turning the power on.
Thanks to my wings, they have no real chance at actually defeating me. I spent the first 20 rounds on the ground, using my holy shield and spear combo to great effect, slicing and bashing hundreds of zombies into a fine paste. Once the undead nazis became stronger and much faster, I took the battle to the skies, grouping them into 'trains' of zombie hordes.
A single fully charged holy lightning spear can electrocute an entire horde, it almost feels like cheating, especially since they have no real way of hitting me up here. I guess the Gamer System itself is the biggest cheat I could ask for, so any powers or exploits is a byproduct of the System itself. I wonder how many rounds I can last until I run out of stamina?
…
Maybe I shouldn't have jinxed myself.
Gone were the nazi zombies from Call of Duty, and in came the insane World War Z zombies. Seeing these crazed freaks form a zombie mountain 20 feet high was quite unnerving to say the least.
I lasted until round 32 until I had to reluctantly cast [ID Escape].
[Nazi Zombie x 674 defeated]
[WWZ Zombie x 2111 defeated]
[27 850 Coins earned]
It seems I don't get any additional rewards in the Instant Dungeons. Honestly, coins and experience is more than enough for me. The familiar abandoned alleyway comes back into vision, and judging by the brilliant moon shining, I've been grinding for over 12 hours.
"Status."
Name: Mars Valentino
Level: 51
Race: Fallen Angel-Human Hybrid
Class: Battlemage (Holy Lightning) lvl. 51
Title: Host of the Gamer System
Skills:
Gamer's Mind (Passive) lvl. MAX
Physical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 23 (Apprentice)
Magical Endurance (Passive) lvl. 1 (Novice)
Spear Mastery (Passive) lvl. 30 (Apprentice)
Shield Mastery (Passive) lvl. 19 (Novice)
ID Create (Active) lvl. MAX
ID Escape (Active) lvl. MAX
Observe (Active) lvl. 21 (Apprentice)
Flight (Active) lvl. 35 (Apprentice)
Holy Lightning (Active) lvl. 29 (Apprentice)
The Ancile (Active) lvl. 19 (Novice)
Taunt (Active) lvl. 3 (Novice)
I knew I was going to rise quickly, but this much this fast is quite ridiculous. I even managed to grow a second pair of fallen wings. Level 50 must have been the barrier to S-rank, as I feel even the mana in the air around me rapidly fluctuating due to my presence. I'm warping the mana itself around me. If this is the power of a S-rank, just how strong are the National level hunters?
As I fly towards the hospital, I decide to use this time and the rest of tonight to think of how to use my eventual fame to my advantage. Since it's impossible to lay low now, I should go all in and try to control my public image as much as I can. Soaring much faster through the sky, thanks to my second set of wings, I figure I should try a fallen angel persona.
What's the worst thing that could happen? Maybe I start a new religion... Or maybe I accidentally create a weird sex cult?
A quest window suddenly appears in front of me, stopping me mid-flight. Rather than the usual blue window, this one is pitch black.
[Quest Started: Job Change]
[Objective: Clear the Special Dungeon]
[Reward: Job Change]
[Failure: A Permanent, Painful Death]
Started?
Ignoring why this window is distinctively spookier than the ones I'm used to seeing; the job change quest already? is it because I just hit level 50?
The dark night sky lit by the moon suddenly exploded into a mess of purple and cyan as I am forcefully pushed down two thousand feet face first into a castle that was definitely not there a second ago. Right before I would have certainly died, I find myself upright at the start of a colossal empty hall, lit with torches that seem to extend for miles.
Taking a second to not empty the contents of my stomach, I think to myself there must be a more pleasant way of teleportation. Couldn't a portal have just opened up in front of me?
Stretching my body and mentally thanking my passive regeneration, I take a deep breath. It's clear where I am, and what I need to do here, as dozens of medieval knights in iron armor march towards me in formation.
"Ancile!" I shout out, manifesting the holy shield in my left hand, as I form a light spear in my right hand.
Time to gain the powers of the Shadow Monarch.
- BONUS -
Baek Yoonho (White Tiger Guild)
The large man sat quietly in his office on the top floor of the White Tiger building. No lights were on, he was sitting in complete darkness. Thanks to his bestial features, he can see in the dark just fine.
He was nursing a glass of whiskey, with a thoughtful look itched on his face. The flashbacks of seeing the passed out hunter with black wings clear on his mind. Just what happened in the boss room? Why was the kid spread out on the altar like that?
Seeing the expressions of absolute terror and trauma in the faces of the survivors even gave him chills. He was used to seeing terrible things in dungeons, but this was different.
According to Woo Jinchul, the kid was a D-rank, but it didn't take a genius to sense the raw power he was radiating. Yoonho picked up his phone with urgency, calling his department chief, Ahn Sangmin.
"Sangmin, send a team to the Hunter's Association testing facility." He paused, to finish his drink. "Let me know IMMEDIATELY if there's any sort of commotion there."
"Yes sir, is there a specific hunter you're scouting?" the department chief diligently replied.
"Valentino, Mars Valentino." The S-rank guild master growled then hung up the phone, before pouring himself another drink.
The beast-like man then began to open a file, Mars' photo clipped to the front of it.
- BONUS -
Sung Jinah
The girl sat in the hospital chair with a smirk on her face.
Five minutes earlier, she walked in on her big brother flirting with a pretty orange haired woman.
"Joohee isn't my girlfriend!" Jinwoo repeated for the tenth time to the giggling schoolgirl.
"I finally meet the Joohee you always talk about, and what do I find? Her fussing over you like a loving wife~" She teased Jinwoo.
"Ugh... first Mars teasing me, and now you..." Jinwoo sighed. "Can't I get a break?"
Jinah froze when she heard her brother say his name.
"Mars... Valentino?" Jinah asked.
"Yeah. He's the hunter who saved me, well not just that, Mars was going to sacrifice himself for me and Joohee..." Jinwoo admitted. "I know he's your age but I can't help but respect him..."
Jinah felt her cheeks heat up, her memories of the mysterious boy in class replaying in her mind.
"You know Mars?" Her brother snapped Jinah back to reality.
"I... He was in my class before he suddenly dropped out of school. Our teacher never told us why though, just stating it was a family circumstance." Jinah frowned, remembering the sad look on his face the day he dropped out.
"If you're coming back to visit me tomorrow, I'll ask Mars if he wants to see you as well? I do want to discuss what happened after we left..." Jinwoo suggested.
"Yes!" Jinah blurted out. She blushed at how lame she must looked.
"Hmm?" Jinwoo's eyes lit up suddenly, his older brother instincts letting him know it's perfect time for payback. "Does my little sister have a crush on Mars~"
"Oppa! Don't tease me!" the little sister cried out, mad at Jinwoo for bullying her.