Swoosh!

A young man clad in iron armour leaped over a towering creature, channelling lightning downward. Fluctuating white lights danced over the giant's rocky body, its frame towering at about fifteen feet.

BHARRGH!

"Ahhhh!" The humanoid colossus cried out in agony.

The attacker, a skinny young man in ash armor, landed a few meters away, his cap and face mask concealing his identity.

"Phew."

The white light remained transparent within the colossus' body, and after a few seconds, a burst manifested from its core, creating a heavy wind.

Whew! Whew!

The young man raised his left palm before his face, glancing at the now scattered remnants of the giant. The colossus burst into pieces, its body dispersing into blue lightning. Instinctively, he leaped to the other side of the cavern to avoid the debris.

"Another A-rank down," he thought, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders. "I need to get stronger."

Ding...ding....

He opened a messaging app on his phone and sent a message to someone called Summoner.

"1 down at A-rank dungeon."

Years ago, thunder-endowed portals emerged all over the city, unleashing monsters into the world. Hunters arose to tackle these creatures, driving many of them back into the portals. These portals anchored themselves within various buildings, transforming them into monster-infested territories known as dungeons. Hunters, ranked from the weakest F-rank to the legendary S-rank, battled these threats to reclaim their world. The S-rank Hunters, often referred to as Legendary Lords, stood as the strongest defenders against these monstrous incursions.

In another part of the world, in a dark, cave-like passage, five weather-beaten creatures leaped towards a solitary figure. A small rectangular screen hovered above their heads, displaying the names LEVEL 1 GOBLIN-BERSERKER.

In front of them was a man in armor, his identity concealed, standing still as the green-bodied creatures charged. With a fluid motion, he reached to his side, clutching a dagger.

Assuming an imposing stance, he prepared to strike.

Whoosh!

His body dashed into the midst of the goblins. Blue lights flashed within them, and with each flash, a goblin fell, a bloody mess on the floor.

Swish!

The man separated the last goblin's head from its body. He took out his smartphone and sent a message.

The sun shone brightly in the sky. Warm air from the sea whistled around, and the soft melody of seabirds created a relaxing atmosphere for anyone fortunate enough to be at the beach.

An elegant-looking young man reclined on a lounge chair under the shade. His deep black hair, slicked back, hinted at his carefree nature.

Ding...ding...ding...

His phone vibrated with messages. He lifted himself from the chair, removing his sunglasses, his eyes fixed on the screen. After a long pause, the corners of his lips curled into a wide grin.

He nodded casually. "Number 1 and Number 2 have done pretty good work. With this kind of raid, they'll help me make a lot of money."

He stood, stretching his arms. Yawn...

"Agh. I should get to work now too. The two guys will have to join me this time — I've got a small amount of energy."

He slipped on a jacket hung on the chair's arm and walked down the beach.

"Have you ever imagined someone making money for you? Fighting for you? Working out for you? Playing bets for you?"

"That's the kind of life I have. My name is Lee Seung, and I have an ability I can boast about. Before becoming awakened, I had a lot on my plate every day. I needed to study, go to my part-time job, play games, and, of course, write my novel."

"However, all this became easy in the end. Because...."

In an apartment, Lee Seung stood in the middle of the living room, his teeth gritted, eyebrows furrowed, swallowing his saliva.

"I have never tried this. Yeah, I can be nervous. But at least, I must give it a go. I was told what I summon could be the other version of me or an evil spirit, but... I can jump out the window and shout for help, right? Maybe Mr. Song can offer doughnuts to the evil spirit to... appease it? That'll do, won't it?"

He swallowed again, mustering all his courage. He shouted, "Emerge!"

Thud.

His eyes were closed, hands shaking, his body curling as if he were a crybaby.

"Please don't hurt—"

"I am here, master! Forever here to serve you!"

His mouth hung open as he gently opened his eyes.

"Oh my god!"

"This... is... me!"

"However, all this became easy in the end. Because... my skill is cloning!"

"I create replications of myself, and collectively, my clones and I get stronger! I level up with my clones!"