Chapter 275 – Part 2 – Oh Nam-gi

Ten years ago.

Nam-gi was overjoyed as if he had gained the entire world.

He had awakened as a hunter, one chosen among a thousand people.

‘Finally, I can escape from this damn commoner status!’

No matter how lacking in skill, anyone could become a higher-tier hunter by consistently hunting monsters.

‘I don’t even hope for S-rank or A-rank. Even if I just reach E-rank, I won’t be treated like a commoner anymore.’

That’s why among commoners, becoming a hunter was the only opportunity to rise in social status.

It was like a guarantee of success.

Moreover, if you had a good trait, growth would be even faster.

‘Great! My trait is B-rank, which isn’t bad!’

Now all that remained was to grow, and he was happily exploring the Horn Rabbit dungeon with a joyful heart…

[The dungeon will be sealed in 10 minutes.]

[All awakened individuals in the dungeon will be forcibly returned to the original world.]

Unfortunately, heaven was not on his side.

For some unknown reason, the dungeon was sealed and he was forcibly expelled.

‘What, what happened?’

At first, he was bewildered.

It wasn’t just him – all hunters worldwide had been ejected from dungeons.

‘It’ll open again soon.’

He waited with a positive mindset, but to his dismay.

Even now, ten years later, the dungeon seal had not been lifted.

The supply of monsters had essentially stopped, and hunters’ growth had ceased as well.

‘This, this can’t be happening. I only got to explore the Horn Rabbit dungeon!’

He hadn’t even conquered a dungeon properly.

It had happened while he was just hunting a few horn rabbits.

It was like briefly hanging onto the back of a bus instead of catching the last train, only to fall off.

Thus, his dream of social advancement vanished.

That was why Nam-gi’s combat power wasn’t 0.

It was also why he couldn’t escape F-rank for ten years.

‘Damn it. What good is having 200 combat power? I’m still a commoner.’

He was angry every single day.

If he had never tasted it at all, it might have been different, but this happened just when he was about to enjoy growth.

‘All I got was one health rune.’

Still, thanks to eating one health rune, he was less tired than before awakening.

But that didn’t calm his anger.

“Hey, you damn new bastard.”

Thwack! Thwack!

“Can’t you do work better than that?”

Thwack! Thwack!

That’s when it might have started.

He began taking out his stress on F-rank hunters who came under him.

As a result, Nam-gi became known as the drill sergeant among F-rank hunters.

He was actually assigned to guide new hunters at the Hunter Management Center.

‘But what’s the point? Even after ten years, I’m still managing worthless hunters.’

His salary had increased due to his experience, but it was still barely enough to put food on the table.

‘This is all because I’m a commoner.’

There was no change in being an eternal F-rank, worthless hunter who couldn’t even dream of social advancement.

‘Damn world!’

For that reason, Nam-gi had been beating up a hunter named Seong-min who had recently joined, like catching a dog on a hot day.

Using all sorts of excuses.

“You bastard, why didn’t you do what I told you to do? Huh?”

“Well, I didn’t have time…”

Thwack!

“If you don’t have time, make time, you bastard.”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

Thwack!

“Where did such an idiot come from?”

Seong-min was naturally timid and spoke awkwardly, making him perfect to bully.

He heard his trait was F-rank and his combat power was 0, making him incredibly easy to pick on.

Even though they were both commoners, he felt no sense of solidarity.

Because he believed there were ranks even among commoners.

“You damn bastard. Still haven’t finished work? I told you to finish before I leave work, didn’t I?”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“I’m already in a shit mood from getting yelled at by my boss. You better know you’re going to die today.”

Nam-gi beat Seong-min enthusiastically.

Was it because he had too much accumulated stress?

Just when he thought he was going a bit too far, disaster struck.

Seong-min, who had been getting beaten, finally fell into a coma.

“Ah… I’m screwed. What do I do?”

He felt no guilt whatsoever.

He was just desperate to avoid responsibility.

That’s why he sought help from his workplace superior, who was one class higher in status.

“Manager, what should I do now?”

“Hey, don’t worry. It’s just one commoner falling unconscious.”

It wasn’t something to say in front of Nam-gi, who was also a commoner, but the manager wasn’t the type to care about such things.

“I’ll report to the higher-ups that he fell from a ladder while trying to get something. I’ll also tell the hospital to keep their mouths shut, so don’t worry.”

“Really? Thank you so much.”

“But you’ll have to treat me lavishly at a nice place sometime, right?”

“Of course. How could I refuse?”

It would cost several months’ salary for one entertainment session, but he had no choice.

If he pretended not to know, he’d be tormented for life.

“And while you’re at it, go visit him at the hospital to check on his condition. Even if a fellow employee ended up in that state, you should at least show your face.”

Nam-gi went to visit the hospital as his boss instructed, though his heart wasn’t in it.

That’s when he saw Seong-min’s younger sister, A-yeon.

‘That bastard had such a younger sister? She’s damn pretty.’

Nam-gi, who took a liking to A-yeon, frequently visited her factory to court her.

He didn’t care at all about Seong-min lying in a coma.

Rather, he thought it was fortunate that the obstacle was gone.

‘If things go well, I should introduce her to the manager too.’

Since entertainment was expensive, he planned to use Seong-min’s sister as a substitute.

However, she kept her distance for various reasons, and in the end, he couldn’t have a proper meeting even once in three months.

‘Today I’m definitely going to get that bitch.’

With that determination, he was hitting on A-yeon at the factory as usual when, what do you know?

Seong-min, who should have been in a coma, appeared right there!

‘Damn, what happened? Just this morning he was lying there like he was dead.’

Nam-gi was flustered by his sudden appearance, but what was even more surprising was what the guy said.

“Did I hear wrong? I think I just heard some cursing.”

“Yeah. You heard correctly.”

“What?”

Nam-gi couldn’t help but be dumbfounded by Seong-min’s relaxed response.

“Are you admitting you just cursed at me?”

“That’s right, you moron.”

“What?”

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Seong-min grinning and cursing at him.

‘That timid guy is cursing?’

He couldn’t believe it even with his own eyes.

“Hey. Say that again.”

“Can’t you hear well, you fucking bastard? Should I clean out your ears?”

“You, you crazy bastard! Did you lose your mind after waking up from a coma?”

Nam-gi’s face turned red as he stood in front of Seong-min as if he was about to hit him immediately.

However, unlike before, Seong-min neither cowered nor avoided his gaze.

Seeing this, Nam-gi momentarily felt as if a different person was standing before him.

‘The voice and face are definitely the loser I know, right?’

His eyes, his aura – everything seemed different, but the opponent was still a worthless guy with 0 combat power.

‘I have 200 combat power.’

He was confident if it came to a fight.

After all, this was the guy who had been beaten to the point of falling into a coma.

However, this was only his delusion.

In reality, whether it was 200 or 0 combat power, they were pretty much the same.

1,000,009th place – Oh Nam-gi (30 years old) – Combat Power 200 (F-rank)

Seong-min, who had checked his combat power through the ranking system in advance, smiled confidently.

‘I can easily beat someone with about 200 combat power.’

There was no need to even draw a weapon.

Among low-levels, the first strike was most important.

Knowing this fact, Seong-min threw a punch at a timing Nam-gi couldn’t predict.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Nam-gi staggered after taking the surprise straight punch, then allowed a second punch to his face.

Thwack! Thwack!

Only after taking the third punch did Nam-gi fall backward.

Then Seong-min quickly climbed on top and brought his fist down like a hammer.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The continuous attacks flowed naturally like water, and Nam-gi couldn’t put up any proper resistance.

More precisely, he wasn’t in any state to do so.

He could only helplessly take the beating until his front teeth broke and his nose collapsed.

“Phew.”

Seong-min’s punching, which seemed like it would go on forever, finally stopped.

Because Nam-gi had lost consciousness.

Looking around, quite a crowd of onlookers had gathered.

Most were people getting off work from the factory.

Among them was his sister A-yeon.

“B-brother…”

Seong-min grabbed his sister’s wrist as she looked at him with surprised eyes.

“Let’s go. We’ll talk as we walk.”

The siblings headed home together.

Leaving the trash called Nam-gi on the street.

* * *

“Were you surprised when your brother, who was in a coma, suddenly appeared?”

“What happened?”

Seong-min explained the whole story to A-yeon.

He had woken up from the coma a few hours ago and went to the factory thinking to surprise her, only to witness that scene.

“How could I stand it when I saw him hitting on my sister?”

“But still, he’s your coworker. Wasn’t it too harsh to beat him like that?”

“That bastard did worse things to me.”

Seong-min revealed the truth he had never told anyone to A-yeon.

“You, you fell into a coma because of that person in the first place?”

“Yeah. You heard I fell from a ladder, right? That’s bullshit they made up to cover it up. Well, in a world where no one cares even if one commoner dies.”

“…”

Shocked by the fact she didn’t know, A-yeon stared blankly before quietly muttering.

“…What a bastard.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, no. But why didn’t you tell us until now? That you were being bullied by that person.”

“Telling wouldn’t change anything.”

“But still, we’re family…”

Originally, the owner of this body wasn’t the type to confide in others even when having a hard time.

He probably would never have said a word to his family even if he was bullied for life.

‘Things have to be different now.’

The newly reborn Seong-min smiled at his disappointed sister.

“Sorry. I promise to consult with family when I have worries from now on.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

‘Though I doubt I’ll have any worries.’

Swallowing his latter words, Seong-min promised to show a changed appearance from now on.

To A-yeon’s eyes, he already looked different enough.

‘It feels like a different person is standing before me.’

His previous quiet and timid appearance was nowhere to be found.

His way of speaking exuded confidence and composure.

Plus his clean fighting skills.

‘I didn’t know brother could fight so well.’

It was hard to believe he had been bullied until now.

“But brother. Is it okay to leave that bastard, I mean, that person like that?”

“Don’t worry. No one will care about commoners fighting each other.”

“That’s not what I mean. You work at the same company. Won’t you run into him later?”

“I’ll handle that myself, so you go home first.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I have somewhere to stop by. Go ahead and eat dinner.”

Seong-min walked A-yeon home, then turned around.

‘It would be disappointing to end it like this.’

His steps quickened.

It was in the direction where he had fought with Nam-gi.