Chapter 4

The night sky over Seoul looked dark, only lit by the flickering city lights in the distance.

Hajin sat in his chair, his eyes still locked on the system window floating in the air.

He had finished creating the Skill [Shadow Step], but his mind was still haunted by one question that had been bothering him since he first got this power.

Why the hell do dungeons and monsters exist in this world?

Ever since he was a kid, he'd heard countless theories about the appearance of dungeons. Some said monsters came from another dimension. Others believed it was just some natural phenomenon that happened for no reason.

But no one ever knew the truth.

Until now.

As he dug deeper into the system window, he found something that shouldn't have been there.

A crack.

The system window, which was supposed to only display stats and skills, actually had a hidden layer that no other hunter had ever seen.

When he accidentally accessed the system's code further, something popped up in front of his eyes.

[Administrator Log – Hidden Entry]

[Log #10428]

"Day 12 since this experiment started. The human world is way more entertaining than we thought."

[Log #16294]

"We've set the awakening system to be completely random. So far, the human responses have been fun. Some cry in happiness, some get pissed off because they got a shitty class. Fascinating."

[Log #23057]

"The first monster has been released. The human world is starting to feel fear. We're betting on who'll last the longest. Hahaha!"

[Log #27845]

"Some humans are starting to realize they have no control over the power they've received. They're trying to fight against the system. So fucking funny. They don't know that every death is entertainment for us."

[Log #30594]

"The first Dungeon Break happened in Seoul. Death count: 12,394. Pretty interesting. Some of us are betting whether the next incident can surpass 15,000."

[Log #32109]

"Some guy begged us not to kill his family. He cried and screamed. But we can't just stop the system. If there's no tragedy, how can this be called entertainment?"

[Log #35478]

"We created a new monster with a more unique combination. Humans call it 'Chimera.' We love their reactions. Some vomit, some faint, and some try to fight even though they know they're gonna die. Interesting."

[Log #39024]

"One of the new gods wanted to join the fun. He created an impossible dungeon. Of course, no one who enters ever comes out. But that's fine. There are plenty more humans to throw into the next dungeon."

[Log #40298]

"We tweaked some stat and skill systems. We wanted to see their reactions if a hunter suddenly lost their abilities. Turns out, most of them just off themselves. Hahaha! Fucking hilarious!"

[Log #45010]

"Looks like the system is running perfectly. But I'm starting to get bored. I want something more… unpredictable."

Hajin's eyes widened.

His heart pounded faster, not from shock, but from sheer rage.

They… they've been toying with humans like this?

The first Dungeon Break in Seoul... That was...

That was the day his parents died.

Hajin felt his throat go dry. His breathing turned rough as he reread the logs.

These gods…

They weren't just creating monsters. They weren't just making dungeons.

They were creating suffering, tragedies, and death just for their own entertainment.

They enjoyed watching humans suffer.

How many families had been torn apart just because of their whims?

How many kids lost their parents just because these bastards were bored?

How many lives were nothing more than numbers in their sick bets?

Hajin clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.

They even manipulated hunters' stats and skills just to see how humans would react?

"So… no one's ever truly free in this system?"

All of this… every single person…

They were just fucking puppets in a game controlled by these gods.

Hajin gritted his teeth. His eyes turned ice-cold, filled with a hatred he had never felt before.

But he took a deep breath.

Being pissed wouldn't change the fact that these beings were far more powerful. If they could create this system, that meant they could also control it.

But now he knew something that no one else did.

This system had a crack.

And if there was a crack… then there was a chance to break it.

If these gods could play with human lives, then what would happen if a human started playing with their system?

Hajin stared at the system window with a cold expression.

"Alright… If this is just a game to them, I'll fucking play."

Hajin closed the system window in front of him. His hands were still slightly trembling, but not from fear from the storm of emotions raging inside him.

He walked to the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and grabbed a glass of water. The sound of water pouring filled the silent room.

As he took a sip, he heard light footsteps behind him.

"I heard your door open. You're still awake, Oppa?"

Kang Araa, his little sister, stood at the doorway, looking half-asleep. Her long hair was a mess, and she wore her favorite bunny-print pajamas.

Hajin sighed, trying to calm his mind.

"I just finished some work."

Araa let out a small yawn.

"You stay up way too much. It's not good for you."

Hajin gave a small smile.

"You too, don't stay up too late."

Araa walked in and sat at the dining table, resting her chin on the surface.

"School was a pain today. A lot of people were talking about the new dungeon that showed up in the next district. Some classmates even want to become hunters."

Hajin's expression hardened for a moment.

"Never even think about becoming a hunter, Araa."

Araa frowned. "I know. You've said that a million times."

"But still, I wanna help… I could get a part-time job to take some weight off your shoulders."

"No need." Hajin drank the rest of his water and set the glass down. "I make enough money."

Araa let out a long sigh before changing the topic.

"Anyway, how's your job at the office? You're not planning on quitting, right?"

"Not anytime soon." Hajin smirked.

Araa eyed him suspiciously.

"Why do I feel like you're hiding something from me?"

Hajin just ruffled his hair before standing up.

"I'm going to sleep. Don't stay up too late."

Araa sighed before finally getting up and heading back to her room.

Hajin closed his door and sat back down in front of his computer.

His mind was still occupied with that hidden log entry.

Damn it… I can't let them keep playing with human lives like this.

But to fight against the gods, he had to get stronger.

Not just in terms of stats, but also in understanding the system itself.

"I need a new skill."

He reopened the system window and started programming a skill that could help him face stronger enemies.

[Code Creation - Skill Editor]

Accessing…

Authorization granted…

Edit Mode Activated

Hajin began typing in his mind, writing lines of commands to create a skill that would drastically boost his abilities.

"If the gods can create this system, then I can create something even stronger."

New Skill Created!

[Reality Override]

Type: Passive

Effect: Allows the user to override a small portion of the world's system rules within a certain limit. The higher the user's level, the greater the influence.

Hajin narrowed his eyes.

This skill might be limited for now, but if he kept leveling it up…

Not even the gods would be able to control him.

Just wait. I'll flip this whole damn game upside down.

The next day, Hajin stood in front of the Korean Hunter Association, carrying a bag filled with his new gear. After selling the loot from his last dungeon run, he was now more prepared to take on tougher challenges.

But this time, he wasn't just looking to hunt regular monsters.

"I need a dungeon tough enough to test my abilities."

As he walked up to the dungeon registration counter, a staff member greeted him politely.

"Welcome to the Korean Hunter Association. Which dungeon would you like to register for?"

Hajin glanced at the list displayed on the hologram. There were dungeons ranging from Rank E to Rank B.

But then, one particular dungeon caught his attention.

[Ruins of the Forgotten - Dungeon Rank B]

Status: Not Recommended for Solo Hunters

Dungeon Status: Abnormal Activity Detected

Hajin raised an eyebrow.

"Abnormal activity?"

The staff let out a sigh.

"That dungeon has been acting up lately. The last Rank B team that went in reported that the monsters inside were way more aggressive than usual. Some of them barely made it out alive."

"How many died?"

The staff stiffened.

"Two. The rest were badly injured."

Hajin paused for a moment. For regular hunters, that might sound like a warning. But for him?

This is the perfect chance to test the new skill I created.

"I'm going in."

The staff looked shocked.

"Wait… You're a solo hunter? We really don't recommend..."

Hajin pulled out his hunter license and handed it over without hesitation.

"I'm going in."

The staff let out a long sigh before processing his registration.

"Alright… but if something happens, the Association won't be responsible."

"Not a problem," Hajin replied.

A few minutes later, Hajin stood in front of the dungeon gate. A swirling blue portal emitted an intense magical pressure, far stronger than his previous dungeons.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.

DUNGEON ENTERED.

The moment his foot touched the ground inside, a distant rumble echoed through the dungeon.

This place was completely different from the ones before. The walls were covered in ancient carvings, and the air was cold, reeking of blood.

But before he could analyze anything....

SREEAAK!!

A dragging sound came from the distance.

Hajin immediately turned around and saw a hunter, drenched in blood, staggering toward him.

The hunter's eyes were filled with terror.

"…Run…" he croaked.

Before Hajin could react, a massive shadow loomed behind the hunter.

A towering knight clad in rusted armor stood there, gripping a blood-drenched greatsword.

Boss monster?

The knight raised its sword, ready to cut down the wounded hunter.

Hajin moved instantly.

Blood would be spilled in this dungeon.