Breaking news! The Black Dragon Guild attempts to conquer the 40th floor of the Tower. Didn't they confidently declare that they were going to finally show the might of the greatest guild? Unfortunately, they have returned empty-handed.
The Rank 1 Hunter! The Flame Emperor has single-handedly subjugated a Boss once again!
I envied him.
While blankly staring at the TV, I thought to myself: 'I envy him. I envy him so much—it's driving me crazy.' Hello Flame Emperor-nim!
Ah, right. Hello…
The Flame Emperor furrowed his eyebrows. For some reason, even his scrunched brows looked handsome. You have set a new record once again! You are the only person who can single-handedly subjugate a boss monster. May I ask you to share your impressions? First of all, I would like you to change that shitty title. Excuse me? I'm talking about the Flame Emperor. Call me by my name instead of using that shitty title. Like, what is the Flame Emperor supposed to mean? It's embarrassing. I would rather be called the Plague than the Flame Emperor. [1] Someday, I'll definitely find the bastard who gave me this title and beat the living shit out of here.
U-Uhhh
The surprised reporter stuttered. He could only stammer, unable to respond. Because the formidable man in front of him was widely known as the protagonist of this era. The subject of countless legends being written.
In comparison, I was just an extra who couldn't even take on a minor role.
"Aaah," I mumbled. "I really envy him." How nice would it be to live a life like him? A life where you can say anything in front of a camera. I touched my smartphone and entered a random Internet community bulletin board for Hunters. I wanted to see how others reacted to the interview.
voice, but I didn't care. To wish and to reach for something better was human nature.
In reality, I was the lowest F-Class Hunter. I didn't have such things like making the Internet heated up—in real time—from an interview. Or having people interested in trivial matters of my private life. Or most importantly, succeeding with my own skills… and becoming rich. My life was far from such a successful life. Light-years away, if I was being honest.
But I didn't care about petty semantics right now. What I wanted in this moment wasn't to highlight how unattractive my life was. It was my yearning. "I want to succeed," I said to the walls all around me. "I want to have an S-Rank skill too." I considered the Flame Emperor's bold face and all of the exclamations telling of his prestige. "And it's not about the money," I said. "I just want to succeed. How great would it be if the Flame Emperor's skill was mine!"
If someone saw my current state, they would probably think I was insane. Obsessive. A freak. Annoying. After all, I was talking to myself and being quite explicit about my desires. But I'll say this again. As many times as it takes. This is my single room apartment—my space. And in my room, I will say it out loud as many times as it takes.
"I want to succeed!"
And I'll continue saying this because venting out my frustration in an empty area is my unique stress relieving method. It's really unsightly to see, but who cares? It's better than going outside and disturbing others.
It's not like anyone was listening to me.
"… Huh?"
But it seemed like I was wrong.
As if someone heard me, a golden light flashed in front of me!
"I-Is this…?"
A scene that I've only seen from videos. A scene that I've rewatched hundreds of times—no, thousands of times. A scene that fueled my envy every morning because it's never happened to me.
The light that appeared when a Hunter awakened their skill!
And—"It's a golden light!"
Hovering before me. The light I've been wanting, needing, and coveting over. It was mine! And it was a golden light! A GOLDEN LIGHT.
At least an S-Rank skill! The golden light only appeared if the skill was at least an S-Rank skill!
My heart pounded like crazy, loud in my ears, as if it wanted to leap out of my chest.
The golden light concentrated in one spot and shaped into a card.
| An unsightly envy that is yet to be found in History!
| The Tower, astonished by your unsightly envy, throws you a skill.
Wait… The skill awakening sound was different compared to what I was told.
Normally, you would hear something cool like, "The Tower is moved by your determination," or "The Tower rewards you for your honest efforts," or "The Tower praises you for your achievements."
But it threw me a skill because of my unsightly envy? It's as if the Tower is treating me like a beggar.
'N-Nah. Why should I care about its tone when I just received an S-Rank skill?'
Unease rose in my chest, but I brushed it aside. How long have I been waiting for this moment? It was not the time to be concerned with negative thoughts.
| Creating a skill card.
The light exploded one last time and a golden card waited before me.
With shaking hands, I grasped the card.
I blinked.
For a moment, I thought I misread something.
So, once again, I slowly read the last sentence written on the bottom.
However, you die!
It really said that. Right there, all in red. Exclamation point. As if the system was laughing at me. At my ten years of yearning and wishing.
If I use this S-Rank skill, I'll die.
I blankly stared at the card.
The wind blew from the open window and shook the scraps of paper glued all over the walls. The crinkling of the paper tickled my ears. Time passed.
Then I screamed. Everything in me tore out of my throat. "FUUUCK! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO USE THIS SKILL?!"
On this day, I obtained the greatest ever S-Rank skill. [3]
The greatest ever SHIT skill.
[T/N]
[1] The Plague (염병) is a play on words with the Flame Emperor (염제).
[2] 염병 is an insult that can mean screwing / fucking around or causing trouble.
[3] 역대급 which translates to all time greatest was simplified to the greatest ever.
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