Oh Junhyeok gazed at me with envy-filled eyes, peppering me with questions. I answered earnestly at first, but gradually grew bored.
Just then, the professor walked in, and the lecture began.
"Today, we'll be discussing B-Class Dungeons," he announced.
I stared at the professor with eyes glazed with boredom. The middle-aged professor continued his lecture calmly.
I glanced around the room. Less than half the students were actually paying attention; most were distracted by their smartphones. After all, Hunters could drop out of university and still live comfortably.
If it weren't for the university's Hunter support policies, the Hunter Department would likely be deserted.
I glanced sideways at a woman sitting a short distance away. She was watching the lecture with her arms crossed and an arrogant gaze.
Silky black hair, porcelain-white skin, and slightly upturned eyes.
Han Harin.
The most beautiful woman in the department. No, her beauty could rival anyone in the entire university. She was also my first love�an unrequited one, of course.
A year ahead of me as a Class of '17 student, she's currently a D-Rank Hunter with Gravity Manipulation as her Ability. She's also famous as the younger sister of Han Ahyeong, an A-Rank Hunter.
Even though she's wearing clothes that hide her figure... my perverted instincts tell me she's at least an E-cup.
Her body is surprisingly voluptuous for her innocent-looking face exactly my type. To be honest, the moment I first saw her, I felt a jolt of electricity, like being struck by lightning.
At the time, I approached her as if possessed, but her response was colder than the bitterest winter wind: "Get lost." Only later did I learn that one of her nicknames was "Ice Queen."
My first love ended that day. What took root within me was a vile lust.
I want to knock her down and fuck her senseless.
I wanted to see her haughty face twisted with pleasure. In my fantasies, she was already my personal sex slave.
But reality was far more wretched than my fantasies. I was a Hunter aspirant who had failed to become a Hunter, while she was a prodigy who had reached D-Rank at a young age.
Wait a minute. I awakened my Ability too.
My Ability is unconventional, but it's immense. I believe it holds limitless potential, depending on how I use it.
A flame blazed in my chest. I had given up on her, convinced we were incompatible. I had turned away, dismissing her as "sour grapes."
But what if there was a chance?
If I become strong enough to stand on equal footing with Han Harin...
I believed the source of Han Harin's arrogance lay in her power. If I could become as strong as her, she wouldn't be able to simply ignore me.
Then Han Harin turned her head toward me. Our eyes met.
She immediately frowned and glared at me. Startled, I quickly looked straight ahead, desperately pretending not to notice.
Just a brief eye contact, yet my heart raced. Whether from excitement or dread, I couldn't tell.
...Fuck it. I'm going to claim her.
After class, I brushed past Han Harin and activated my Erotic Zone Detection Skill. I couldn't resist finding out about her sensitive spots.
[Han Harin's Erotic Zones: Left nipple. Tongue. Armpits.]
...Ha.
Three erotic zones! Whether she was a virgin or not, it was clear she had the potential to become a seductive woman.
But what's the point of knowing her erotic zones if I can't have her?
I suddenly felt dejected.
Rape? This was reality. And Han Harin was a D-Rank Hunter�physically and ability-wise, she far surpassed me.
If we fought, I was confident I'd lose in under ten seconds.
...Should I try hacking her smartphone?
Deciding to at least check if she had a boyfriend, I hacked Han Harin's smartphone at the opportune moment.
[Hacking successful.]
[You can hack Han Harin's smartphone for 10 minutes.]
I rotated the smartphone screen, visible only to me, and meticulously examined every corner of her personal information. Ten minutes was more than enough time for this.
Huh...?
But Han Harin's smartphone revealed nothing particularly noteworthy. I checked her contacts first, and there were hardly any friends, let alone a boyfriend.
Well, with her bitchy personality, she only had two or three female friends in the department anyway.
I felt relieved. Apart from those women's contacts, there were no numbers that seemed to belong to a boyfriend. The messaging apps were the same.
Even her photos are just family pictures and snapshots with friends. Nothing special.
My anxiety grew. If only I could find some clue to exploit her weaknesses. But there was little to go on.
...In times like these, internet history is key. Search records can reveal a lot.
I examined the most frequently repeated searches. There were entries for restaurants and Hunter equipment, but the keywords that caught my attention were different:
- Han Ahyeong
- A-Rank Hunter
- Ability Enhancement
- How to Use Gravity Ability
- Mana Awakening Methods
- How to Get Stronger Quickly
...Is this inferiority complex?
It seemed Han Harin harbored feelings of inferiority toward her older sister, Han Ahyeong. No, it was too early to jump to conclusions. Until recently, I myself had been searching "How to Awaken Hunter Abilities" multiple times a day.
I don't know how to use this yet, but it's important information.
I quietly repeated the information to myself, trying not to forget it.
***
Combat Training Room.
Oh Junhyeok and I faced each other, swords drawn.
Hunter Department students and professors surrounded us, but no one paid us any attention. The combat training room was vast, and we were only using a small corner of it.
"Huh?" Oh Junhyeok tilted his head.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. It's just... you were struggling to even hold a sword until recently. Did you get stronger?"
"I've put on some muscle."
"You little rascal! You looked like you were just goofing off every day, but you were secretly training. You're not going to start using Mana too, are you?"
"Nah, no way."
Mana.
A type of power distinct from Abilities. It's also sometimes referred to as Qi.
If Abilities are innate powers, Mana is an acquired force. Through talent and training, one awakens Mana and wields superhuman strength.
Most high-ranking Hunters, those at C-Rank or above, could manipulate both Abilities and Mana. They claimed that once an Ability reached a certain level, understanding Mana came naturally. To me, that sounded like complete bullshit.
In other words, to reach C-Rank, you needed to master not just your Ability but also Mana.
With a few exceptions, Mana Awakening was a prerequisite for becoming a C-Rank Hunter.
"Let's begin," Oh Junhyeok said, swinging his sword as he approached me. Before, even seeing the blade had been difficult; now, I could not only see it but also raise my own sword to parry.
This was likely due to the influence of my Agility stat.
Clang!
"Oh?"
"I'm not the same as before."
I had spoken boldly, but the situation was rapidly turning against me. Oh Junhyeok, though only F-Rank, was a close-combat Hunter whose Ability allowed him to harden parts of his body into steel. Despite his seemingly unimpressive appearance, he maintained rigorous physical training.
My slightly improved stats weren't enough to suddenly match Oh Junhyeok, who had already been active as a Hunter for some time.
I focused entirely on defense, barely managing to parry his sword strikes. That was all I could do.
"Hah... Fuck. I lost!"
Oh Junhyeok grinned at my words, showing no signs of fatigue. I was once again reminded of the sheer physical prowess of a Hunter.
"Hey, you lasted three minutes this time. Before, you couldn't even manage one. You're improving! It's great to see. Once you awaken your Ability, you'll crush guys like me in no time, right?"
I had already awakened my Ability, but I hadn't told anyone. Even after awakening it, my physical abilities hadn't improved dramatically, which was a bit disappointing.
"That can't be right," I sighed and walked over to a bench. Just then, I saw Han Harin practicing combat training with the Professor in the distance. If it weren't for the Professor, Han Harin wouldn't have even come to the training room.
Han Harin hurled a black, spherical orb at the Professor.
"Gravity Sphere! Excellent! But Miss Haharin, you're too slow. At this rate, I can simply dodge it."
"..."
The Professor was a Professor for a reason. He effortlessly handled Han Harin while providing timely instruction. Han Harin's arrogance worked on the Professor too, but he didn't seem to mind her attitude.
Han Ahyeong is backing Han Harin. The Professor can't say anything.
In the Republic of Korea, there were fewer than ten thousand A-Rank Hunters. Among them, Han Ahyeong was at the very top in terms of skill and belonged to one of the nation's top ten guilds. She possessed celebrity-level recognition. A single word from Han Ahyeong could bury a professor in the Hunter community. It was no wonder she was considered a next-generation S-Rank candidate.
"Hey, still staring at Han Harin? I thought you gave up?" Oh Junhyeok said, handing me a bottle of mineral water. I gulped it down before replying.
"...After thinking about it, I realized it might be too early to give up."
"Too early? Bullshit. We live in different worlds. She's not just a tree you can't climb; she's from another dimension entirely."
"Then I'll just go to that dimension."
"You're insane."
Oh Junhyeok chuckled before continuing, "Want to grab some fried chicken and beer tonight?"
"...No. I'll be busy for a while."
My eyes remained fixed on Han Harin.
Back home, I immediately opened my smartphone and launched the Pleasure World App.
If I gain an ability in the Entertainment World, would I be able to use it in reality too?
That question remained unanswered.
But one thing was certain:
I managed to bring back Sora Rea Aoi's panties. That means I can bring other items from the Entertainment World as well.
What if I could bring a legendary weapon that only exists in fiction into the real world and use it?
Even if it's just gear, I could become powerful quickly.
For the first time, I browsed the game list not for sexual gratification, but to become stronger.
The first world that caught my eye was Absolute Throne. This novel, which had spawned dramas and games, featured magic and items with special powers. However, it was also a dangerously monster-infested world.
I'm worried about whether my abilities will be enough to survive.
The second option was Star Ozz, a space-based sci-fi film where aliens and humans wage fierce battles. I'd enjoyed watching it quite a bit.
I could fully utilize my hacking skills, but... it's too dangerous.
In Star Ozz, human lives are depicted as being as disposable as ants. It's an even more perilous world than Absolute Throne.
And what I wanted wasn't just a powerful weapon. Ideally, I wanted an item that would grant me permanent abilities.
Vampire Detective... this might be the best choice.
The Korean drama Vampire Detective tells the story of a detective who becomes a vampire.
In the later episodes, a Life Orb appears. If a vampire consumes it, they revert to human form. If a human consumes it, they become immortal and their physical abilities become superhuman.
"Since the setting is Modern Seoul, I can use my hacking skills. The vampires in the drama aren't these transcendent monsters either."
I knew the details of Vampire Detective, which had recently concluded. In the Entertainment World, knowing the future was practically like having cheat codes. If I moved cautiously, obtaining the Life Orb shouldn't be too difficult.
"My goal is to get the Life Orb and return to reality immediately. Getting with the actresses from the drama is just a bonus."
And it really was just a bonus.
[You have selected Vampire Detective.]
[Creating avatar.]
[No customizable avatar settings exist for this selection.]
[Kang Yujin]
- 22-year-old genius hacker.
- Known as "Taker" in the underworld.
[There was only one setting available.]
"...Is this all I can choose from?"
It wasn't a bad setting. In fact, it was quite suitable for immersing myself in the original story.
Getting laid is just a bonus, I vowed to myself. But honestly, it was a vow I wasn't particularly confident in keeping.
[Game starting.]
I opened my eyes on a chair in a pitch-black room. Before me were three glowing monitors, and beside them, a large computer tower hummed to life.
I scanned the room: beer cans and instant noodle containers scattered everywhere, and an unmade bed behind me.
This is the room of a shut-in NEET, I thought.
First, I hacked into the computer before me.
I needed to learn more about Kang Yujin, the avatar I had possessed, and the computer before me was a treasure trove of personal information.
[Hacking successful.]
You have three minutes to access Kang Yujin's computer.
"...Oh?"
While browsing through the heavily secured files, something caught my eye: a customer list.
A familiar name was listed there:
Moon Ji-Hyeok.
The protagonist of the drama Vampire Detective.