"Huff... huff..."
My breath came in ragged gasps. My legs trembled—I could barely stand. But it wasn't just exhaustion. It was fear.
"This is impossible... Why is he here? This is supposed to be a low-level dungeon... That thing is clearly a C-rank monster!"
Standing before me was a mutant hobgoblin, gripping a massive axe in one hand.
He towered over me—easily three meters tall, his dark green skin stretched over bulging muscles.
His crimson eyes gleamed in the dim light, burning with murderous intent.
With a low growl, he raised his axe and pointed it directly at me.
I understood.
He was telling me one thing—I'm going to kill you.
I collapsed to my knees—my legs had given up. My whole body shook as I locked eyes with the monster.
"W-Why… why…?" My voice broke as tears streamed down my face. "Why did I come here…?"
Ding Dong.
⟪ Quest Pending: ⟫
[ Kill the Mutant Hobgoblin. ]
[ Reward: ??? ]
[ Penalty: ??? ]
The glowing text hovered in front of me, mocking my despair.
The system. It appeared a week ago, but what use was it now? I was going to die.
I let out a bitter sigh. My system was useless—I didn't even know how to activate my skills, let alone fight a monster.
The notification kept flashing, ringing in my head like an annoying alarm.
⟪ Kill the monster. ⟫
⟪ Kill the monster. ⟫
⟪ Kill the monster. ⟫
⟪ Kill the monster. ⟫
⟪ Kill the monster. ⟫
Kill it? How?!
A C-rank monster. I didn't stand a chance.
The hobgoblin growled, its muscles tensing. Then—it lunged.
Its massive axe cleaved through the air, coming straight for me.
"This is how it ends." I closed my eyes, accepting my fate.
Then—
Darkness.
Beep… Beep… Beep…
I gasped; my breath shaky. My head felt light, my body cold.
I looked around. The dim dungeon was gone.
Instead, I was inside… a hospital?
I was sitting upright on a hospital bed, the scent of antiseptic filling my nose.
"W-What… happened…?"
My pulse quickened as I frantically glanced around the sterile white room.
The room was spotless, the faint beeping of machines filling the silence. A dim light cast soft shadows across the walls. I glanced around and noticed the window curtains were drawn shut.
The walls were a stark, clinical white, matching the sterile bedsheets. A cold chill lingered in the air, seeping into my skin.
Then—
Panic surged through me as my eyes fell on my legs.
"No… N-No… Nooooo!" My hands hovered over them, trembling.
I couldn't feel my legs.
Suddenly,
The door creaked open.
A young nurse stepped in; her blonde hair neatly tied into a bun. She held a clipboard in one hand, her soft blue eyes widening the moment she saw me.
"Oh, you're awake!" she said, her voice light yet professional.
I barely heard her. My breathing turned shallow as I stared at my unmoving legs.
"No… this can't be happening…" My voice trembled. I tried moving my toes. Nothing. My fingers dug into the thin hospital blanket, desperation clawing at my chest.
The nurse's expression shifted to concern. She hurried over, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Please, calm down—"
"Calm down?" I snapped, my head whipping toward her. "I can't feel my damn legs!"
The words came out harsher than I intended, but I didn't care. I was fine just moments ago. I was fighting for my life. And now…
Now, I was crippled.
The nurse hesitated, then let out a quiet sigh.
"I understand this must be a shock, but you need to breathe, okay?" She reached for something on the bedside table—a small remote—then pressed a button. "I'll call the doctor."
I barely heard her. My mind was spinning, replaying the last thing I remembered.
The dungeon.
The monster.
That axe swinging toward me—
I should be dead.
Then how the hell was I here?
The nurse looked at me again, her lips pressing into a thin line. "You've been unconscious for two days. You were found collapsed near an abandoned construction site. The doctors believe you suffered spinal trauma."
Spinal trauma.
My hands clenched.
No. No, this doesn't make sense.
What about the system? The quest? The mutant hobgoblin?
I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper.
"…Who found me?"
The nurse paused, as if considering her words.
"A man," she said finally. "But… he left before anyone could ask for his name."
"You're lucky."
The nurse's voice was calm, but there was something in her gaze—an unease. She looked directly at me.
"I don't know what happened in that dungeon," she continued, "but you're lucky you made it out alive."
Her words barely registered. My mind was elsewhere—on my legs.
They were still there, yet I couldn't feel a thing.
I swallowed hard; my throat dry. Spinal trauma. The words echoed in my head like a cruel reminder.
Then—
The door opened, and a young doctor with short black hair stepped inside, holding a report in his hand.
He glanced at me first, then handed the report to the nurse before speaking.
"Mr. Ren, we cross-checked your information." His tone was neutral, professional. "You're an F-rank hunter, correct?"
I gave a slow nod, not bothering to look at him. Desperation clawed at my chest.
"Was this your first hunt?"
Another nod.
The doctor fell silent for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. Then, he exhaled.
"You're really lucky, Mr. Ren," he said. "The team you went in with… all four of them are dead."
A dull ringing filled my ears.
I didn't respond. I didn't need to. I already knew.
I had watched them die—cut down by that hobgoblin like they were nothing.
The doctor studied me for a moment before glancing at the nurse. Then, looking back at me, he spoke again.
"For now, you should rest."
He glanced at me again, as if wanting to say something, but hesitated before turning and leaving.
The nurse lingered for a second, her lips pressing together as if she wanted to say something. But in the end, she only sighed and followed the doctor out, closing the door behind her.
Silence.
I sat there; my gaze locked onto my useless legs. My fingers trembled as I gripped the hospital blanket.
Then—a single tear rolled down my cheek.
The doctor didn't tell me everything. I could feel it. There was something he left out.
But I was too tired to care.
I let out a shuddering breath, lying back down and throwing an arm over my eyes.
"Why…?" My voice cracked. Sob. "I can't… support my sister's education now…"
The thought hit me like a blade to the chest.
Tears streamed down my face. No matter how hard I tried to stop them… they wouldn't stop.
Then –
Ding Dong.
The system chimed inside my head.
⟪ Quest Failed: ⟫
[ Penalty: Since the quest has failed, a penalty will be applied according to your condition. ]
A blue – glowing notification hovered in front of my eyes, confirming my failure.
I ignored it.
I didn't care about the penalty—not when I was in this state.
Ding Dong.
Another notification appeared.
[As per your condition, your penalty is a reduction in strength.]
With that, the system message vanished.
I exhaled slowly.
I hadn't expected this. Was it because this was my first quest?
I closed my eyes.
"Why…? Why did I accept the system?"
Tears streamed down my face again.
"I was so excited to become a hunter… but… but everything failed."
The thoughts wouldn't leave my head. The grief was suffocating.
I sobbed uncontrollably, my face swelling from the endless crying.
After what felt like an eternity, I forced myself to stop. Taking a shaky breath, I slowly sat up. My gaze drifted to the bedside table, where a jug of water sat.
I reached for it, my hands trembling as I poured myself a glass. I took a sip, the cold liquid easing the dryness in my throat.
"Everything started a week ago…" I whispered. My chest tightened. "My sister… how will I support her now?"
[One Week Ago – Flashback]
I lay curled up on the floor, writhing in pain.
"You useless wretch… I told you to clean the dishes properly."
A fat, grumpy man loomed over me, his face twisted in disgust.
Before I could react, scalding hot water splashed onto my skin.
I screamed. My body convulsed as the burning pain spread across my arms and chest.
But he wasn't done.
His foot slammed into my ribs, sending me crashing against the wall with a sickening thud.
"I-I'm sorry, sir… I-I—" My voice trembled as I clutched my side.
"Shut up, you worthless shit."
Another kick—this time to my stomach.
"Your salary is getting deducted."
My eyes widened in horror.
"No… no, sir! Please!" I begged, crawling toward him. "Please don't deduct my salary… I-I'm the only one earning for my family! If… if you do that, I won't be able to pay for my sister's education…"
Tears blurred my vision as I clung to his leg, desperation seeping into my voice.
"Please… please…"
A sharp kick landed directly on my face. My head snapped back, and I collapsed onto the cold floor. Pain exploded across my cheek as I clutched it, sobbing.
"You should've realized that earlier," he sneered. "Now get back to work."
His voice thundered through the room. I flinched and scrambled to my feet, still shaking.
Without another word, I staggered toward the basin and started washing the towering pile of dishes.
The fat man smirked in satisfaction before walking away.
Tears slipped down my face, falling into the soapy water as I silently continued my work.