At first, I thought I had been reborn into a parallel world, like the ones I’d only heard about. Like the protagonists in fantasy novels I used to read occasionally to forget the harsh reality.

 

A wealthy environment where I no longer needed to struggle with poverty, kind parents who never resorted to violence, and an astonishingly excellent memory and learning ability.

 

Everything was perfect. Peaceful home, warm comfort, days filled with joyful living. However, the bliss was short-lived. Around the age of ten, the day of great upheaval arrived.

 

Monsters that burst out from the gates took away my beloved parents right before my eyes. Along with my always cheerful little sister.

 

“Sis, we need to get out of here.”

 

The reason I was able to escape, practically dragging my dazed older sister, wasn’t because their deaths weren’t shocking.

 

“W-what on earth is that…?”

 

“Wind Reapers.”

 

It was because the suddenly appearing monsters looked exactly like those from the supplementary illustrations of a novel I had read in my previous life. I knew instinctively. That this world I had been reborn into was the world of the modern fantasy novel “The Chaebol Hunter Who Returned from Hell.” And it was about 10 years before the novel’s introduction.

 

“We need to leave this neighborhood?”

 

“Right now.”

 

“Why? There are monsters outside…”

 

“This place will be quarantined in a few days.”

 

What’s worse, the place we were visiting for a family trip happened to be an area that would be completely sealed off for 5 years. Due to the world’s first S-class monster nesting there, using the abilities of a space-type awakened one.

 

In the end, we failed to escape the area that was closed off at that time, but somehow managed to survive. For someone who didn’t even appear in the original work and couldn’t even be considered an extra, it was quite an achievement.

 

When we finally came out after the quarantine was lifted, the whole world had quickly stabilized thanks to modern weapons and the efforts of those who had awakened superhuman abilities. Institutions had also been established for systematic management.

 

Just when I thought life might finally get better, this time my older sister collapsed. In a situation where we couldn’t even afford living expenses, let alone surgery costs, and couldn’t expect help from the state. It was inevitable that I would end up in debt.

 

“You. You’ve awakened, haven’t you?”

 

Go Young-hoon, an illegal loan shark disguised as a legitimate businessman, scanned Ryu Seo-ha’s body with his eyes while flicking the cigarette between his fingers. When he didn’t answer, Young-hoon’s smirk looked quite threatening.

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

 

Young-hoon stubbed out his cigarette butt on the glass table instead of an ashtray with a hiss, and sneered as he took out a new cigarette. One of the muscular men standing behind the sofa quickly lit it with a lighter.

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking ab– ugh.”

 

As Seo-ha played dumb with an innocent face, a fist immediately flew at him. The fist that struck his abdomen felt like a solid rock. Just a thug with brute strength.

 

“This is why survivors from Chinatown are so interesting.”

 

Go Young-hoon chuckled as he playfully tapped Ryu Seo-ha’s small head, who was deeply bent over from the pain shaking his internal organs.

 

“Anyway, people from there are just so good at lying. Trying to survive despite their situation.”

 

The fact that he didn’t suffer internal rupture despite being hit by the fist of an A-rank hunter, especially a physically awakened one, even if they had controlled their strength, was clear evidence that Ryu Seo-ha had awakened. After all, the physical abilities of all awakened ones are uniformly enhanced.

 

“What, afraid you’ll be worked harder if you have a useful ability?”

 

Ryu Seo-ha, who had been enduring the pain with gritted teeth, slowly straightened his bent waist and stood upright. With an extremely docile expression devoid of anger or hatred. Go Young-hoon clicked his tongue.

 

The personalities of the so-called Chinatown survivors are generally divided into two extreme types. Either excessively frivolous or terribly calm. This characteristic became particularly prominent when they felt threatened.

 

“This is disappointing. Do you know how much I care for you?”

 

A hand like an insect’s slowly caressed Ryu Seo-ha’s handsome face.

 

“Otherwise, I would have sold that pretty body of yours to somewhere that would work you hard for a high price long ago.”

 

When Seo-ha avoided the touch with a calm expression, Young-hoon’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Should I do that now? Seems like you could easily earn hundreds of millions.”

 

As he tapped Seo-ha’s pale cheek with his rough palm while asking, Ryu Seo-ha smiled gently with his eyes. It was the first clear change in expression he showed.

 

“How would you manage without me?”

 

“What?”

 

“The company wouldn’t run for at least a month without me.”

 

Young-hoon let out a hollow laugh at the provocative action of tilting his head as if asking if the profit and loss calculation didn’t add up. It was ridiculous, but true.

 

The fact that a mere 20-year-old kid was the most important cog in keeping a trading company with annual sales of 800 billion won running.

 

Anyone who didn’t know the situation would scoff at this. Even Young-hoon couldn’t have imagined this situation before hiring Ryu Seo-ha as a part-timer five years ago. He didn’t know the company would grow this much either.

 

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going now.”

 

Ryu Seo-ha stood up. As if the conversation had been well concluded. It was such a natural attitude that even Young-hoon, whose temper had quickly cooled, was almost fooled.

 

“Sit down.”

 

“I haven’t received the Conical Rabbit B/L (Bill of Lading) yet. I need to apply for L/G (Letter of Guarantee) at the bank.”

 

“What’s keeping you so busy every day by yourself?”

 

“Someone hasn’t approved additional staff for the business support team for years.”

 

Young-hoon’s lips twisted at the sight of Seo-ha retorting without backing down, as if he had never been compliant. The young man was very skilled at reading the situation and adapting his behavior according to the other person’s emotional state.

 

“Should I double your interest rate right now?”

 

Only then did Ryu Seo-ha sit down again after this threat. Despite being remarkably capable, he was still just a pitiful human trapped in the swamp of private loans.

 

“Hyungbae.”

 

“Yes, boss.”

 

One of the thugs standing behind the sofa stepped forward. His expression suggested he was ready to start a knife fight at a moment’s notice.

 

“When our employee Ryu Seo-ha goes to register as an awakened one, you go with him.”

 

“Yes, boss.”

 

“I told you to stop calling me boss.”

 

“Ah, yes. Director.”

 

In the end, I was found out. As expected, a watchdog would be attached to me. Ryu Seo-ha’s eyes sank heavily. If they found out that he had awakened an extremely rare healing ability, who knows what they might try to do.

 

Name: Ryu Seo-ha

Level: 1

Status: Remaining lifespan 29 days 17 hours 58 minutes

Trait: Sanctification

Stats: Strength 1 / Agility 1 / Vitality 1 / Perception 1 / Magic Power 1

Skill: Light of Healing Lv1

Points: 0

 

He stared blankly at his status window and then closed his eyes tightly.

 

Earlier today, when he suddenly awakened right after arriving at work, he thought that finally, a ray of hope had appeared. It was something he had longed for for a long time. The fact that his unique trait and initial skill were healing-type even filled him with joy. He might be able to cure his comatose older sister directly.

 

Nevertheless, he could have handled it calmly as usual. If only that unheard-of “remaining lifespan” hadn’t caught his eye. He would have secretly contacted an agency under the Disaster Management Office to request protection first.

 

“You’re going to find out anyway, so just spill it. What type are you?”

 

There’s no way he could have accidentally aroused suspicion from the sharp Young-hoon while searching about the “status window” in a daze.

 

“Obviously not physical type. Summoning type? Search type?”

 

Healing-type awakened ones, also known as healers, are very rare and welcomed anywhere in the world. So far, there were only eight healers in the country.

 

The moment Young-hoon finds out that Ryu Seo-ha has awakened as the ninth healer, he will tighten the leash even more. To ensure he can never escape from the pit of debt.

 

That would be fortunate compared to what might happen if he learns that Seo-ha only has a month left to live. He might try to squeeze out as much as possible during the remaining time.

 

He might even sell his older sister, who no longer has value as a hostage, to organ trafficking brokers. And most likely, Ryu Seo-ha as well in the end.

 

“While I’m still asking nicely…”

 

Bang!

 

As Young-hoon was about to intimidate him again, the office door was roughly opened.

 

“What the hell, who is it?”

 

Young-hoon turned his head irritably and paused. A tall figure well over 190cm, with well-defined muscles and a sleek physique, and a naturally imposing presence. He was a handsome man with an extraordinary aura.

 

The man’s gaze, which had coldly swept over the office interior, settled on Ryu Seo-ha sitting on the sofa. Meeting those pitch-black eyes, Seo-ha unconsciously held his breath. Because this man was the ‘protagonist’ of this world.