Skills. Everyone knows and has them.

Anyone can become a hero with their skill, all it takes is hard work and being good.

That's what everyone believes….

But I don't.

I'm Seong Taeyang, a twenty-one-year-old white-collar worker for a data analytics company. It's been nine year since the towers appeared, and people were granted System, what we call the status window that allowed for people to grow stronger. While most people got blessed with combat skills or skills that enhanced them to become heroes, some of us got a skill that only served a certain niche, or was so useless we were better off just continuing to work as normal people.

The TV went off in the background while I was busy typing away on my keyboard for a report needed at my workplace, always playing news of our representative hero party. It's always been any kid's dream to become a hero, even for some teenagers they wanted to become heroes,

Who wouldn't want to, the fame, the glory, the money, the freedom to be able to do whatever they wanted without repercussion, it's an ideal position for anyone. Not all were responsible though….

"Hero War God-nim, what motivated you to climb the tower and clear it's floors?"

The War God, the title that the press gave to Lee Jun. Blazing red hair, fiery red eyes, a physique that didn't fit for a twenty-two-year old, a guy blessed with a skill that lets him decrease the level and stats of any opponent he deems weak to him… a bully.

"Do I have to keep answering this question every time I come back, damn it people are you all dull in the head."

Lee Jun scoffed before grabbing the microphone and pushing the interviewer back

"Listen up you wastes of space, I clear the damn levels because ya'll so weak! If I could clear it and claim the rewards for myself I would."

His personality's about as foul as his title, always aggressive towards others, not caring for them or what they think of him. He's obnoxious, and arrogant… but people seem to miss one other thing about him, he's controlling.

"I'm the main person carrying all of you through this damn level! Me and my lovely mage for that matter, isn't that right Seo Yeon?"

A girl with white hair stood behind him as she was holding her hands together, wearing a black silk blindfold that covered her eyes. She was dressed in priestess robes as a sign of where she mastered her abilties, Song Seo Yeon, the Doctor of Faith.

"What the War God means to say, is that we do all this for the sake of betterment for ourselves, sorry if he's harsh with words."

"Ah, my priestess is always so caring and thoughtful with her words. Yes, she is better at explaining why I do things." 

He placed his arm in a familiar war as it wrapped it around her waist, pulling Seo Yeon in as she only kept a smile on her face.

"A-Ah yes, I do my best to help us progress through the levels."

People can't see it, but Seo Yeon's hurt… she's hiding it. For as long as I knew her, she's always wanted to help people, even when it hurts her. 

"Alright, that's enough for questions. Now get out of the way so I can leave."

I could only watch as Jun took Seo Yeon away with him, the camera cut, and soon the broadcast came back to the main news station for them to tell the rest of what the news would be for the day.

"Damn it…" I sighed before turning off the TV and turning in my report and ending my shift at work. I said it before, everyone is granted skills to be given the chance to become a hero. However not all skills are the same.

"Display." I opened the blue holographic window on the left side of my vision as it displayed my stats, ranking and skills. This also still had the first beginning quest for me to take that I never did… I was level ten, F-rank, and only one skill. The same skill that I've had since this incident happened when I was 12. The skill is listed as Miscellaneous, Electric Destruction Fist, it sounds like a strong skill but the drawbacks were horrible. Upon use it was use up all my energy and reduce my health down to one point, and as if to throw more shade at me I would be hit with the Exhaustion status that makes me pass out. In other words, I would die upon using the skill and missing, it says that the skill ignores all defense and inflicts True Damage onto the enemy along with multiplying it's own strength, but I don't even know what the multiplication relies on. Normally you're supposed to also get another skill ever 5 levels you level up, yet despite meeting that threshold two times I haven't received any new skills. When I read through the description for Electric Destruction Fist again, it listed at the end that I would be unable to pick up another skill until I met some requirements. Eventually I just gave up on that dream, and made a promise to never use the skill since it would only just put me at risk.

"Fuck this damn skill…" I looked at it, wishing I had gotten any other skill that would atleast make me useful… maybe it would have even let me help keep Seo Yeon with me at our home instead of having to send her off to be part of the hero's party. "If only I got something else… some other skill! Then maybe I could be more useful!" I lashed out, trying to punch the skill window as my hand went through the hologram, causing it to glitch and flicker before it turned back. "If only it weren't so trash! Maybe I could have kept her away from that creep! I wish I WAS STRONGER!" I couldn't contain it all in, this burning anger I had, at myself, at Lee Jun… and at the system for what it gave me.

"Do you wish to grow stronger."

I heard a voice, looking around the office as I was sure I was the only one left when everyone else already left for the night. "Who's there?".

"I heard your call, you wish to be stronger." The voice spoke again as I kept looking around.

"Show yourself."

"I'm in your head." The voice spoke as I opened the Display window and saw that I had something new, on the top right corner there was a hooded figure speaking to me, there was no name present for them, only three question marks.

"Who are you."

"Just someone who thought that you could use some help, you seem angry with your skill-"

"Well yeah obviously I am! It's useless and doesn't have anything good about it! I pass out after using it and my health gets reduced all the way down to one! So yeah angry seems about right!"

"... I see, then I'll let you in on a secret for how to get your second skill."

"Wait, you will."

"It's simple, just clear the current boss, and I will grant you your second skill."

".... You're crazy! I'm only level 12, and I didn't even sort my stats yet!"

"You have a strong skill-"

"A skill that makes me pass out!"

"Then get with a strong party! You have a skill that can potentially overkill an enemy if you use it right! Your own weakness is due to neglecting and never using the skill to learn how to use it!"

I stopped, the person talking to me was speaking truth after all… I never used the skill, not just because of the effects, but… I was scared, if I used it in a fight, I was leaving myself vulnerable and on the path to dying early.

"... That may be true, but what can I do, no one wants to team up with me, the time to do that was years ago, I missed out on that chance."

"Nonsense, floor 11 isn't that bad. I'll even give you valuable info for how to clear it, as well as how to fight the boss of the floor."

"Why… why do you want to help me, is it out of pity?"

"No, it's because you've been using and thinking of that skill in the wrong way the entire time. I just simply want to see you use the skill properly for once."

"Thanks… by, I'm not even properly equipped, nor do I really know how to fight-"

"Leave that to me. I'll give you some quest to help increase your level some more, I recommend you put most of your stats into Agility, Stamina, and Energy."

"What about Strength and Mentality?"

"Those stats don't matter much for you right now, there's no mental attacks, and even if there were, you'll be in a party with a mage to help dispel it. Strength isn't really needed against weeklings."

"Thank you… Um, what should I call you? Do you have a name?" I asked as I saw the new quests start to pop up on my window

The figure seemed to smile under his hood as he waved it off "My name isn't really important right now kid. For now, just call me Suez, I'm a friend."

"... Thank you, Suez."