Silence in the System and the Path of a Worthless

Visual: Several weeks have passed. Park Min-Ho sits at his desk, mechanically shuffling papers. Since his return from the dungeon, his life, at first glance, has returned to normal. But something has changed.

— Hey, System, are you there? - Park Min-Ho asks mentally, once again trying to initiate a conversation.

Silence.

— System? - he repeats, already with a slight উদ্বেগ.

Silence. The System, his constant companion, sarcastic and annoying, but still his only confidante, has disappeared. It doesn't answer his mental queries, doesn't comment on his actions, doesn't mock him. It just remains silent.

At first, Park Min-Ho was even relieved. Finally, he was free from the constant buzzing in his head. No more insults, no more humiliation, no more "Hellish Pain." Just peace and quiet.

But gradually, relief gave way to anxiety. What happened to the System? Did it simply shut down? Or... did it break? Or maybe it abandoned him, as it had predicted, finding a more worthy host?

Park Min-Ho didn't know the answers to these questions. And this uncertainty made him uneasy. He had grown accustomed to the System, as strange as it might sound. It was a part of him.

Without the System, Park Min-Ho felt lost. As if he had lost something important, a part of himself. And this emptiness inside him grew with each passing day.

He tried to distract himself by immersing himself in work, but his thoughts constantly returned to the System. And to what happened in the dungeon. To Refrigerator-sama, to Han So-Yoon, to the Hate King...

Park Min-Ho found himself increasingly often looking at the Gates that appeared from time to time in different parts of the city. He was drawn there, to the world of danger and adventure. To the world where, even for a moment, he ceased to be worthless.

— Maybe I should become a Hunter? - he thought one day. — An official Hunter.

The idea seemed insane. He, Park Min-Ho, the weakest and most useless person in the world, wants to become a Hunter? He'd be laughed out of the registration hall!

But, on the other hand, what did he have to lose? His office job was tedious, his life seemed gray and meaningless. And there, beyond the Gates, there was a chance for something more. Even if that chance was infinitesimally small.

And Park Min-Ho made up his mind. For the first time in his life, he made a decision dictated not by fear or laziness, but by something else. Something that had awakened in him there, in the depths of the dungeon.

The next day, he applied to register as a Hunter. The procedure was simple: fill out a form, undergo a medical examination, and pass an aptitude test.

Park Min-Ho filled out the form and passed the medical examination without any problems. But the aptitude test proved to be more challenging.

He was brought to a large hall where several dozen other applicants had already gathered. In the center of the hall stood a large crystal, emitting a faint glow.

— This is the potential meter, — the instructor explained. — It determines your rank and predisposition to a particular class. Approach the crystal one at a time and place your hand on it.

The applicants approached the crystal one by one, placed their hands on it, and the crystal flashed with different colors, determining their rank. Some had high ranks, some had average ones. But even the weakest applicants had a rank no lower than D.

Finally, it was Park Min-Ho's turn. He swallowed the lump in his throat and approached the crystal hesitantly.

— Go ahead, don't be afraid, — the instructor encouraged him. — Just place your hand on the crystal.

Park Min-Ho placed his hand on the cold surface of the crystal. A second passed, then another... The crystal remained silent.

— Is something wrong? — asked Park Min-Ho, looking at the instructor with concern.

— Try again, — said the instructor, frowning.

Park Min-Ho placed his hand on the crystal again. And again, nothing.

Laughter rippled through the hall. The applicants whispered among themselves, pointing at Park Min-Ho.

— It seems we have a problem, — said the instructor, turning to his assistant. — The crystal can't seem to determine his potential.

— Maybe he's not a Hunter at all? — suggested the assistant.

— That can't be, — the instructor shook his head. — He passed the medical examination. He has the aptitude.

— Then what is it? — asked the assistant.

— I don't know, — sighed the instructor. — I've never seen anything like this before.

Park Min-Ho stood before the crystal, feeling a wave of shame and humiliation wash over him. He knew he was weak, but he didn't think he was this weak.

— Well, hero, how does it feel? - a familiar voice suddenly sounded in his head. — It seems you're not just worthless, but worthless squared.

— System? — whispered Park Min-Ho. — You're back?

— What did you expect? - the System chuckled. — I couldn't just abandon you to your fate. Who would I mock then?

— I'm so glad to hear you! — said Park Min-Ho sincerely.

— Don't get too excited, - replied the System. — I didn't come back to help you. I was just bored.

— I'll take what I can get, — sighed Park Min-Ho.

— Alright, enough chitchat, — said the System. — Let's deal with this crystal. Try again, but this time...

The System fell silent, as if listening to something.

— What is it? - asked Park Min-Ho.

— Quiet, - the System hissed. — I think I know what the problem is.

Visual: Park Min-Ho stands before the silent crystal, not knowing what to do next. Whispers and laughter fill the hall. The instructor and his assistant exchange puzzled glances. And only the System, returned from oblivion, knows what is really happening.