A quiet room. A cold ceiling. A heartbeat not his own.
He awoke to the smell of antiseptic and too-white walls. Every sense calibrated. No dizziness. No pain. Just breath—and silence.
He didn't open his eyes right away. He didn't need to. The men in the corner had been there since the first time his pulse stabilized. A professional. Clean stance. Regulated breath. Civilian shoes, but posture military. Watching. Waiting.
Jinwoo let out a low sigh and slowly opened his eyes.
"Oh." He tilted his head slightly. "You're not a nurse."
"I apologize if we startled you. But we couldn't wait any longer."
Jinwoo blinked at the deep, authoritative voice echoing from the corner of his hospital room.
His voice was calm. Deep. Not hostile—but alert. He wasn't sure what Jinwoo was. Yet.
Two guys in black suits stepped into view like they owned the place. Classic government types—one looked like he ate protein shakes for breakfast, the other wore sunglasses indoors like he was auditioning for a spy movie.
Aaron—no, Jinwoo now—tilted his head lazily.
"Cool entrance."
The guy with the buzzcut didn't even flinch. He walked over and handed him a business card.
Woo Jin-Cheol
Section Chief, Monitoring Division
Korean Hunters Association
Jinwoo raised a brow. "Fancy title. So, what's the Monitoring Division want with a half-dead guy like me?"
Woo Jin Cheol dragged a chair forward, his partner standing behind him like a silent wall. The tension in the room cranked up, but Jinwoo just shifted slightly in his bed, keeping it casual. He'd faced worse pressure… from toddlers with grenades.
"We need to ask you some questions, Mr. Sung Jinwoo. You've been unconscious for four days."
Jinwoo blinked. "Four? Damn, did I miss anything cool?"
"Do you remember what happened in the dungeon?"
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Most of it. Giant statues. Screaming. My legs kinda gave up on me. I passed out before it got fun."
Jinwoo sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders like he hadn't just cheated death and anatomy.
Then Jinwoo smiled.
"You check up on all patients personally?"
Jin-Cheol didn't return the smile. "Only the ones who walk out of an S-rank anomaly on their own two feet."
[Oof. Mr. Sung, that's what we call a 'power stare.' You gonna blink first?]
"I don't blink," he muttered under his breath.
[Not even for state officials? You're so bold. It's hot.]
He ignored her.
"Were there any survivors," Jinwoo asked, now playing his cards with calm precision.
Jin-Cheol's eyes narrowed. "We only found two others breathing. One unconscious healer. One nearly comatose man. Both confirmed you sent them out before you collapsed."
Jinwoo didn't flinch.
So they are safe.
"I see," he said evenly. "That's... something."
Jin-Cheol took a step forward. "So how are you sitting upright? Not a scratch on you. Medical scans came back clean—too clean. As if someone reset your body at a molecular level."
"I don't know. Maybe God likes me."
Jin-Cheol's face remained stone.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Jinwoo leaned back against the pillow, folding his hands behind his head with a faint grin.
"I expect you to believe whatever keeps your job intact."
A silence hung between them. No one moved.
[Ten points for cheek. Negative fifty for subtlety.]
"Shut it," he whispered.
[You love me.]
"You're imagining things."
[You hallucinated me a body. This snark comes with the package.]
Jinwoo suppressed a smirk and refocused on the man in front of him.
"I blacked out," he said, tone now leveled and measured. "Got Johee and Mr. Kang to safety, then the lights went out. I woke up here."
"That's it?"
"That's all I remember."
"You don't recall the statues being destroyed?"
"I said I blacked out. What happened after that...?" Jinwoo shrugged. "Not my memory."
Another long pause.
Jin-Cheol's eyes didn't break from his.
He was good. Jinwoo could tell. No wasted movements. No ego. Just a man built for sifting lies from truth and acting accordingly.
But Aaron—Jinwoo—was better.
Woo Jin-Cheol exhaled as if bracing himself, then leaned forward a little, voice cautious.
"We've asked other Guilds. Checked with Associations abroad. No one's seen anything like what happened in that dungeon."
Sung Jinwoo raised an eyebrow. "Shocking. It's almost like something insane happened down there." He said it flatly, keeping a perfectly unreadable expression.
"That's why," Woo Jin-Cheol said slowly, studying him closely, "we've come up with a theory."
"Oh?" Jin-Woo tilted his head slightly, casual but sharp. "Do enlighten me, Chief Woo."
"There were clearly powerful entities in that chamber. But they were neutralized. Efficiently. And no monsters escaped before the Gate closed. Not even rubble left behind."
He hesitated, then finally dropped the bomb.
"We suspect you may have undergone… a Second Awakening."
Jinwoo blinked once. Then again.
"…Come again?"
"Re-Awakening," Woo Jin-Cheol clarified, voice weighty. "It's rare, but it happens. A Hunter can experience another Awakening after their first. Their rank and power jump significantly. A C-rank could leap to A. A B to S. Maybe even beyond that."
He glanced at Jinwoo like he was trying to peer into his soul.
Jinwoo kept a perfectly cool expression… then slowly smirked.
"A second Awakening, huh…" he said, the corners of his mouth twitching like he was fighting the urge to laugh. Sure. Let's call it that. Definitely not the Garp-flavored beatdown I dished out down there.
Woo Jin-Cheol leaned back slightly, visibly unsure. He had more questions—probably a hundred—but Jinwoo's laid-back, unreadable attitude made it feel like trying to read tea leaves during an earthquake.
Still smirking, Sung Jinwoo folded his arms, his bandaged fingers tapping lightly.
"Well, if I did go through something... Awakening-y," he waved a hand vaguely, "I'll let the Association know."
Eventually.
The room was silent but heavy with tension—well, for everyone else anyway.
Jin-Woo leaned back slightly against the hospital bed, eyes calm, even a bit amused. He already knew what was coming.
"We'll be conducting a mana aptitude test in thirty minutes," he said. "Please comply."
"Happy to. I've always wondered if I got a promotion from E rank."
Jin-Cheol turned without another word and walked to the door. As his hand touched the handle, he paused.
"One more thing," he said, voice low. "Don't try to be clever. The Association doesn't like mysteries."
Jinwoo met his eyes, gaze cool, unshaken.
"Neither do I."
---
The door clicked shut.
A beat passed.
Then:
[Wow.]
"What?"
[You're so good at playing dumb. I almost believed you had brain damage.]
"You're welcome."
He swung his legs off the bed, stretching his arms above his head with a casual sigh. His joints cracked—not from strain, but satisfaction. Kandiaru's Blessing hadn't just healed him—it had reforged him.
He flexed his fingers, watching the skin shift over muscle. Smooth. Responsive. Not even a scar from the dozens of fractures and tears he'd suffered. His bloodstream was clean, his cells humming. Poison couldn't touch him. Debuffs rolled off like mist.
Gods had touched him—and left their mark.
"Status window," he murmured.
Before It slid into his view—neat, minimal, gold-trimmed edges,system chimed in.
[You really want to open it here? With Big Brother Jin-Cheol breathing down your neck?]
"Just needed to confirm something."
His mana was dense. Controlled. Balanced around his core like a perfectly tuned string.
But if they scanned him now…
He grimaced.
"I need a favor."
[Ooooh. Say it sweetly.]
"Suppress my mana output. D-rank level. Steady, natural. No pulsing. No flares."
[Already on it.]
[Current output masked: D-rank range achieved.]
"You're a miracle."
[I'm your miracle.]
He rolled his eyes and reached for the folded hospital uniform at the foot of the bed. Plain grey. Paper-thin. Ugly.
He stared at it for a long beat.
"...We need better clothes."
[Working on it. You want drip or intimidation first?]
"Both."
[Now you're speaking my language.]
---
Hospital Room 301, Late Night
The door slid open without warning, and a sharp voice cut through the sterile hush of the room.
"Oppa!"
Aaron—no, Jinwoo now—lifted his head with a practiced calm, already sensing her presence in the hallway a few seconds ago. He'd caught the quick shuffle of sneakers, the impatient tap of fingers against metal. The moment she stepped in, he let a flash of surprise play across his face.
"Act natural," he thought. "You don't flinch when you've lived your whole life expecting knives behind every smile."
But this… this wasn't a threat. This was a memory that had turned real. A piece of Sung Jinwoo's heart rushing toward him, ponytail bouncing, anger etched across her face, with eyes that glowed not with mana—but something far rarer. Worry.
"You idiot! What were you thinking going into that dungeon? Do you know how scared I was?"
She stomped across the room and slammed her schoolbag on the edge of the bed. Her voice cracked. She tried to cover it with frustration, like a blanket over a burn.
"You could've died !"
Jinwoo didn't answer right away.
He watched her, memorizing every detail. The tremble in her lips as she tried to be strong. The way her fingers gripped the hospital blanket instead of grabbing his wrist like she wanted to. The stubborn fire of someone who'd been holding everything together while the world kept trying to take her family away, one hunter mission at a time.
Aaron had been an orphan. Trained to never flinch. Conditioned to see attachments as chains, liabilities, distractions from the mission. He only ever let one person close.
Lina.
His best friend. His north star. Killed by the same man who had raised him.
The world had shattered once. He'd sworn never again.
But now, staring at Jinah…
Something unfamiliar unfurled in his chest. Familiar from Jinwoo's memories—but foreign to Aaron's soul. A soft ache. A need.
"Family."
He blinked the weight away and offered a crooked smile.
"You got taller."
That was all he said.
Jinah stared at him for a moment, caught off guard. Then her shoulders sagged, relief slipping through her like light under a closed door.
"You jerk…" she muttered, voice watery.
Jinwoo opened his arms. Just once. Just this time.
"Come here."
She didn't hesitate. The backpack hit the floor with a thud, and she crashed into him, arms around his ribs, holding him like she was afraid he might disappear again.
For a split second, his assassin-trained body flinched—reflexes expecting betrayal.
But none came.
No blade.
No pain.
Just warmth.
For a long moment, Jinwoo didn't move.
He held her—arms around her shoulders like a wall rediscovering what it meant to be a home. Her heartbeat, quick and desperate, thudded against his chest.
["She thinks you're her brother. Not some ghost walking around in his skin. Not some killer from another world."]
But the memories…
They weren't just fragments anymore. They were his. Jinwoo's laughter with her. Their ramen nights in winter. Her nagging him to buy new shoes when his soles had worn thin. The quiet promise he'd made to their mother: I'll take care of her.
That vow lived in him now.
And something inside him cracked—not from pain. From softness.
He exhaled.
Slowly, his hand moved, brushing the back of her head. Not out of habit. But choice.
"…Sorry, Jinah."
The words came low, steady. Aaron had apologized only once in his last life—on the day Lina died. This was the second time.
Jinah pulled back, wiping her cheek before he could see the tears.
"You better be sorry. Almost nearly dying twice in one week? I'm gonna have to find a girl just to babysit you now."
He huffed a laugh.
"You think anyone could handle me?"
"Not a chance." She snorted. "But maybe if she's half as stubborn as me and a little bit smarter than you…"
"Oh, so a goddess then."
"Exactly." She smirked. "Though I might have to vet her. Ask her grades, do a background check, run her through a lie detector…" Her voice trailed for a moment, eyes scanning him.
"…But seriously, Oppa."
He met her gaze.
"You've changed." Her tone softened, serious now. "You used to come home like… like you were dragging yourself back. Now you look like you chose to be here."
He didn't respond right away. Just stared at the floor tiles, clean and white and far too quiet.
"Maybe I did."
[ System: Awww. Someone's growing a heart. You want me to install a family simulator too? Maybe throw in some "wholesome soundtrack" while we're at it?]
He rolled his eyes, inwardly.
"Didn't ask, glitch."
[ Offended,Glitch?! Excuse you, I am the Ultimate Gacha System. Capital U.]
[And don't act like you're not loving it. Human attachments detected.]
[ Warning: potential for emotional growth imminent. ]
He smirked faintly to himself.
"Shut up."
[Already did. Just don't mess it up, Jinwoo.]
---
The corridor to the testing room was quieter than it should've been. White walls. Polished floors. Seoul's finest Hunter Association branche Hospitals had that sterile smell of metal and faint antiseptic.
Jinah walked beside him until the hallway forked.
"Looks like this is my stop. Don't faint again, okay?" She jabbed a finger at his chest.
He gave her a lazy salute. "Scout's honor."
She rolled her eyes, turned—but not before her gaze lingered.
"Really though… it's good to see you walking normal. For once."
And with that, she disappeared around the corner.
[SYSTEM; Heart rate stabilizing. Emotional tether: strong.]
[Cute sister alert: terminated.]
[SYSTEM; Recommend pulling a high-rank waifu from the Gacha to fill emotional void.]
He muttered under his breath, "You're not getting me like that."
[SYSTEM; We'll see, Idiot.]
He smirked.
Woo Jin-Cheol stood waiting by the test room's entrance, arms crossed, sharp gaze already peeling apart Jinwoo like he was trying to figure out what kind of weapon he was hiding beneath that hospital gown.
"You ready?" he asked, low and clipped.
Jinwoo gave a half-smile. "After all the checkups ,this feels like a warm-up."
The door hissed open, revealing a reinforced chamber outfitted with mana readers, sensor walls, and one solitary device in the center. A cylindrical pillar with curved plates ready to measure any residual mana trace a hunter could produce.
Jinwoo stepped inside without hesitation.
"Do you remember your mana level from your last measurement?" Woo Jin-Cheol asked from behind the glass partition, voice transmitted through the speaker system.
"Yeah," Jinwoo replied, hands in pockets. "Around 70, E-rank. Nothing special."
The device hummed as its scanners lit up.
Inside, Jinwoo's eyes shifted slightly to the corner of his vision.
"Hide my real mana. Cap it at 190. D-rank peak."
[SYSTEM; Oooh, Mr. Secretive. Hiding your spicy stats from Big Brother, huh?]
[SYSTEM; Done. Illusion field activated. Output spoofed to 190.]
"Thanks, darling."
[SYSTEM; If you ever call me that again, I'll lock your Inventory for a week.]
The meter glowed, beeped three times—and then displayed its result across the interior screen:
Mana Capacity: 190
A satisfied silence followed.
Woo Jin-Cheol narrowed his eyes, arms still folded. "D-rank. Slightly above average… if generous."
Jinwoo shrugged. "Guess surviving dungeons did increase my mana capacity after all."
There was no sign of strain on his body, no broken bones or ruptured mana vessels. In fact, his entire physical condition was pristine—flawlessly so. And that alone made the investigator squint a bit harder.
"You really don't remember anything?" Jin-Cheol asked, voice a touch lower now. "About what happened after Mr. Kang and Ms. Johee were evacuated?"
Jinwoo paused, let out a soft breath, and shook his head.
"I passed out after helping them get through the exit. After that… darkness."
His face betrayed nothing.
"I don't know what happened in there , Even if you ask me 10 more times."
Woo Jin-Cheol studied him, quiet for a moment. Then he clicked the pen in his hand, jotted something down on his tablet, and stepped out of the room without another word.
Jinwoo leaned against the mana meter, exhaling.
[SYSTEM; That was smooth.]
[SYSTEM; Not lying, just… "narrative rearrangement." I respect it.]
"Let's just say I don't want anyone knocking before I'm ready."
[SYSTEM; Awww, you're shy. How cute.]
[SYSTEM; You sure you're not gonna tell Big Bro Jin-Cheol the truth and share your feelings too? Maybe cry on his suit?]
"Try me. I'll uninstall you."
[SYSTEM; Bold of you to assume you could.]
He walked out of the chamber with the gait of someone who had nothing to hide, even though he'd just buried the truth under three layers of deadpan delivery and Gacha-manipulated illusions.
Woo Jin-Cheol stood by the exit, eyes still on him. "We'll contact you once the report's processed."
Jinwoo nodded once. "Looking forward to it."
When the doors shut behind him and the corridor grew still, Jinwoo let himself breathe—not out of exhaustion, but because for once, the pieces were falling exactly where he wanted them to.
---
The soft glow of Seoul's skyline spilled through the hospital window like a calm tide of stars. Jinwoo leaned back against his pillow, fingers laced behind his head. The city pulsed below, unaware that a world-shaking force was watching from above with casual amusement.
"Status," he murmured.
A digital panel flickered into life with a quiet hum.
---
Name: Sung JinwooLevel: 29
Template Fusion: Peak Garp (7%)
Race: HumanTitle(s): Garp's Heir
HP: 57,098
MP: 67,799
Stats:
Strength: 147
Agility: 138
Stamina: 169
Intelligence: 161
Sense: 173
Unspent Stat Points: 174
[Gacha System: Took you long enough, sleepyhead. Thought you'd stare at the ceiling forever.]
Jinwoo smirked. "I like the quiet."
[Gacha System: Aw, how poetic. Next you'll be writing haikus about moonlight and regret. Anyway, welcome to your new addiction. Gacha 101, baby.]
A new window opened — flashy, colorful, clearly enjoying its own design.
[Gacha System: First off, you get one pull a day. Just one. It's like waking up and finding a surprise gift. Except sometimes it's socks. Or a used toothbrush. You know… magic.]
Jinwoo chuckled. "So basically, I should expect trash."
[Gacha System: Trash builds character. And hey, not every day's a disaster. You've got a few guaranteed goodies too, so don't start crying yet.]
[Gacha System: Weekly? Uncommon-rank pull. Decent stuff. Good for not dying in the tutorial zones.]
[Monthly? Magic-rank. That's your training arc starter kit.]
[Three months in? Epic pull. Things get spicy.]
[Six months? Legendary, baby. Try not to let it go to your head.]
[And after one full year? Transcendental pull. That's endgame material. Crown-worthy.]
Jinwoo raised an eyebrow. "And what if I want something… extra?"
[Gacha System: Oh? Greedy already? Fine. Here's your golden ticket.]
[Gacha System: If you do 100 pulls at once — and I mean exactly at once — you have a 2% chance of getting a Mythical or Divine pull. Yeah, those are real. And no, you can't charm your way into better odds. Believe me, people try.]
"2%, huh?" Jinwoo muttered. "Sounds like my kind of gamble."
[Gacha System: You always were the type to bluff with a busted hand. I admire that — stupid as it is.]
A soft chuckle left him. "And you're the type to root for me while insulting me."
[Gacha System: Exactly. I'm your sarcastic cheerleader. Minus the pom-poms and emotional stability.]
Another tab slid into view — sleek gray blocks under the heading Store.
[Gacha System: Alright, this is your Shop. Try not to squeal.]
The grid was completely empty.
[Gacha System: Yeah… it's locked. Big dramatic pause: until level 35. Until then, it's a beautiful reminder that you've got work to do. So get grinding, gamer boy.]
"Tch. Figures."
[Gacha System: Don't pout. You'll get there. You always do.]
Then came the next tab — Quests.
Blank.
Still.
Waiting.
[Gacha System: This is where the real fun begins. Random quests. Some daily, some chaotic, some straight-up death traps. Complete them, and you get rewards. Templates, boosts, maybe even a pair of pants that don't suck.]
"Pants, huh? Sold."
[Gacha System: See? I know how to speak to your soul.]
Silence followed. Not awkward — just reflective.
The city hummed outside the glass. Inside, Jinwoo stared at the dim flicker of the screen, that familiar burn of something new beginning.
[Gacha System: Look… I give you crap, yeah. But you've got potential. More than you even realize. And whether you like it or not, I'm here. Watching. Guiding. Occasionally laughing at your pain. But I've got your back.]
A long pause.
Jinwoo didn't smile. Not fully. But his eyes softened.
"Thanks," he said.
[Gacha System: Don't get all emotional on me now. I might short-circuit. Now go , Shoo. You've got levels to earn and worlds to break.]
Jinwoo turned his head toward the skyline, the faint stars glimmering behind glass.
And in that silence — strange, comforting, electric — he drifted off.
---
Author's Note:
Alright, you magnificent beings—thanks for making it this far! If you're reading this, you've survived another chapter with Jinwoo and his world of chaos. 🍿
Now, before you dive into the next one, I need your help with something:
💬 Comment time!Drop a comment below, and let's see if you can help shape this story a little. I'm dying to know:
1.Jinwoo and the Gacha System:
Do you think this dysfunctional duo is the best thing ever? Or is Jinwoo better off without a sarcastic voice in his head? (Vote below!)
Option A: "Best. Duo. Ever. Let the chaos reign!"
Option B: "Jinwoo's got this on his own. The Gacha System needs to chill."
2.The Second Awakening:
Do you think this power boost is going to be Jinwoo's ticket to glory, or is there a dark twist lurking beneath the surface?
Option A: "Jinwoo's about to be unstoppable. Time to break some dungeons!"
Option B: "There's something off about this power. Watch your back, Jinwoo."
3.Who's Your Favorite Character?
Don't just say Jinwoo (I know, I know, he's amazing)—but who else are you vibing with? Let me know if you're feeling Jinah, Woo Jin-Cheol, or maybe someone else who caught your eye.
Option A: "Jinah's the real MVP. Her energy is everything."
Option B: "Woo Jin-Cheol's got that cool, calculating vibe. He's got potential!"
Option C: "Nah, I'm team Jinwoo all the way. But... the others have potential."
If you're loving this story (and I hope you are!), please throw some Power Stones my way! A little love goes a long way, and if you want to keep up with Jinwoo's journey, add this to your library. It's the best way to stay in the loop, especially with all the plot twists I've got cooking. 🔥
Can't wait to hear your thoughts! And remember, there's always room for more chaos in Jinwoo's world. Thanks for sticking with me! 🖤