My workplace was a small event planning company.

Always short-staffed, I found myself doing design work I’d never done before, carrying heavy loads, making recruitment calls, and even handling accounting. I constantly faced situations where I had to do tasks outside my job description.

But working with strangers to complete a project wasn’t so bad. It was hopeful enough to make me think I’d finally found my calling.

That is, until this morning when my boss suddenly told me to quit.

“I’m wrapping up the event planning business and starting something else.”

“How can you tell me to quit so suddenly like this?”

“Yu Bom. You know the economy’s been bad lately. It’s not easy to bring in work.”

“Still, to do this so suddenly…”

“I’ll help you get unemployment benefits.”

“That’s not the issue here.”

The boss sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“You didn’t come into this job thinking that seriously about it either, did you? Isn’t that what you said in the interview?”

The boss brought up the past when I was at a loss for words.

“That you didn’t know what you wanted to do yet and wanted to find out.”

“…”

“Then it doesn’t have to be this, right? Anyway, know that and don’t come to work starting tomorrow.”

With just a few words of conversation, I lost my job like that.

Did my words about wanting to find what I wanted to do not sound sincere to him? I was more desperate than anyone.

I packed my things right away. He said not to come to work starting tomorrow, but what did it matter? I didn’t want to spend even one more minute in this company.

As I trudged out of the company building, a taxi was waiting in front of the sidewalk as if on cue.

“Hello. Please take me to Hapjeong Station.”

“Yes.”

“…No, Yanghwa Bridge please.”

I could have brushed it off as just another crappy thing that happened, but today I just didn’t have the energy.

I felt nothing but doubt about where my life had gone wrong.

Was it because of the company I joined without much thought? Or when I became independent, thinking I could do well on my own?

Or was it my brother’s sudden disappearance? Or when Mom went missing in the dungeon 15 years ago?

The “Gates” appeared, called a “great calamity” for humanity, and ferocious monsters poured out from the “dungeons” created inside them.

They came out through the gates and attacked and threatened humanity.

The weapons soldiers had, like guns and missiles, were ineffective. People despaired, thinking the world was headed for destruction.

But a small number of people began to “awaken.”

They learned this fact from an unknown entity called the “System” and were granted amazing powers that could match the monsters.

Humanity quickly adapted to the changes and built a new civilization.

Those who awakened were called “Hunters,” and they eliminated dungeon monsters with their strong powers.

There was a Hunter who showed the most outstanding skills in this process.

SSS-rank Hunter Jo In Young. Mom became the undisputed number one Hunter as soon as she awakened.

‘Bom, do you want to try this?’

‘What is it?’

She would bring back strange by-products as if they were souvenirs whenever she returned from the dungeon.

Sinsya was a rare fruit that only opened in high-rank dungeons.

‘It’s pretty.’

‘Isn’t it?’

The fruit, about the size of a thumbnail, had a transparent outer layer like glass. Inside, white sap sloshed around.

Since Mom gave it to me, it must be okay to eat.

I, an elementary school student at the time, put it in my mouth without any hesitation.

The outer layer tasted sweet like hardened sugar, and when I crunched it, a sour taste spread that made my nose scrunch up.

‘How is it?’

‘…Do you have any more?’

‘It’s delicious, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Mom will find a lot more next time. There are many other delicious and amazing things in the dungeon.’

‘Really?’

‘Of course. There’s a place called the “Blue Starlight Valley.” It’s known as one of the most beautiful places among dungeons. I brought this fruit from there. I wish Bom could see the beautiful sky there too.’

‘But dungeons are places where scary monsters appear. It’s dangerous.’

‘It’s not dangerous at all. Mom is SSS-rank, you know.’

Mom said the dungeon was a beautiful and fantastic place.

She said that when you look up at the sky, there are so many big stars that it’s like looking into a small universe.

She said it was a place full of new and thrilling things.

Thinking about it now, I think she said that to reassure me so I wouldn’t worry. Because on days when Mom went into the dungeon and came back late, I would stay up waiting for her.

Because Mom had planted a good image of dungeons, my perception gradually changed.

It wasn’t a dangerous place, but a fantastic place full of fairy tale-like magic.

Around the time the reason for waiting for Mom changed from worry to anticipation for the new things she would bring from the dungeon.

Mom suddenly went missing in the dungeon and never returned.

Subsequently, my brother, who entered the dungeon to look for Mom, also went missing.

In response, Dad dedicated himself to work to find the family, rising to the position of Dungeon Research Center Director. With so much to do, he spent less time at home and our relationship grew distant.

It became even harder to see him after I became independent.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Thank you.”

The place I arrived at by taxi was the Han River Bridge. I always came here when I felt down. The cool breeze made me feel like my insides were clearing out.

As soon as I got out, a strong river wind blew, disheveling my hair. As I was about to take a step towards the fence, my pocket vibrated.

[Bom, happy birthday.]

It was Dad. I thought he would have forgotten my birthday because he was busy.

Receiving this birthday message made me feel a little less gloomy.

Messages continued to arrive.

[If you don’t have any plans after work, could you spare some time for Dad? I’d like to have dinner together at least.]

The tone was cautious for a father-daughter message. It’s probably because we haven’t seen each other often lately, but also because we fought a few days ago about Dad entering a dungeon.

Dad was a D-rank Hunter. But he often entered high-rank dungeons related to work, and recently he even went into an S-rank dungeon.

I was extremely averse to Dad entering dungeons. I was afraid that Dad might disappear in a dungeon too, with the whole family already missing.

So even though I knew it wasn’t Dad’s fault and it was his own effort, I ended up expressing my frustration.

In fact, the one I was most angry at was myself, Yu Bom.

Everyone had tried to find the family, but I had only waited, unable to do anything.

Now that I’ve quit my job, shouldn’t I start looking for my family from now on?

‘If I awaken as a high rank, Dad won’t have to enter dungeons anymore.’

If I become a Hunter too, maybe I could do something.

Mom was SSS-rank and my brother was S-rank. So if I awakened as a Hunter, I couldn’t help but have expectations.

There were rumors that awakening comes in moments of crisis. I slightly peeked over the fence to look at the river.

“Shouldn’t we stop that person?”

“They’re probably just looking.”

“No, that person has been like that for a while.”

I heard passersby whispering as they saw me standing precariously on the railing.

“Oh my, how scary…”

But it looked too high just by looking. The endless river water seemed deep and unfathomable, as if it could swallow life at any moment.

“Right, this isn’t it. What if I really die? This would be a stupid way to die, what else could be a stupider way to die… Oh, right!”

Belatedly remembering that I hadn’t replied to Dad, I took out my phone. I had no plans, but I sent a message saying let’s meet tomorrow because I didn’t think I could manage my expression if I saw Dad today.

I didn’t want to cause concern when we were meeting after a long time.

“Whee, whee–!!!”

Just as I was smiling faintly after receiving an immediate reply saying okay, someone came running from far away blowing a whistle.

“Miss! It’s dangerous, get away from the fence right now! No matter how hard it is, you shouldn’t do this!”

A man in police uniform was approaching quickly. As I was about to step back, thinking there had been some misunderstanding.

“Ah!”

My hair got caught in the joint of the fence.

“Ugh, why won’t it come loose.”

As I was struggling for a while, the policeman came very close.

“Come here quickly! I said it’s dangerous!”

“I want to come, but this…”

“Hurry! Why is a young person so stubborn!”

As the policeman pulled my body, my head was lifted and my short hair was pulled along, causing pain as if my scalp was being torn off.

“No, just let go for a moment!”

I pushed the policeman with one hand while desperately clinging to the fence with the other hand trying to free my tangled hair.

“No, wait! I said let go! My hair is caught!”

“Oh, really?”

The policeman suddenly let go during our unintended scuffle. My center of gravity shifted forward in an instant.

“Huh?”

Time seemed to slow down like a tape being stretched. I could vividly feel my body falling over the fence.

The policeman’s eyes widened as he reached out his hand. I also belatedly stretched out my hand, but it didn’t reach.

My body fell slowly. Very slowly, his face grew distant.

Looking down, I saw the rippling river water. It seemed to be gaping wide, as if urging me to enter quickly.

‘Is this how I die?’

It was a futile death. I don’t want to die yet!

Suddenly, I looked around wondering if this moment of crisis might miraculously lead to my awakening.

However, the surrounding scenery only got closer to the river quickly, with no sign of a system message appearing.

‘They say you awaken in moments of crisis, so why not me…!’

With a splash, my body was sucked into the river water. Water rushed into my mouth and nose like a flood. My ears were muffled and I couldn’t hear anything.

‘Why not me! Make me awaken too!’

[System is searching for your potential to awaken.]

‘What?’

The system responded to what I had shouted out of frustration because it was too unfair.

[……(Searching)…… This process may take a considerable amount of time.] [……(Searching)……]

It said it might take a considerable amount of time, but the system remained silent as if it really couldn’t figure it out.

‘At this rate, I’ll die before awakening!’

As the search dragged on, hope faded further. Just as my consciousness was gradually fading, a clear notification sound rang out.

[Suitable class search complete.] [Congratulations on your awakening. You have opened your eyes to a new ability!]

‘Really? For real? What rank is it? Could it be S-rank?’

[Class: Awakened as ‘Campsite Owner’.]

……? What did you say?

[Acquired exclusive skill: Pitching a Tent (F).]

……Campsite? Pitching a tent? Are you kidding me right now?

F-rank is one thing, but Campsite Owner? It was a class name I’d never heard of before.

[Please set the dungeon where you will build your campsite.]

However, I was in no position to be picky right now. Even as this was happening, my body was sinking deeper and deeper.

‘Blue Starlight Valley!’

There was only one dungeon name I knew.

[You will be warped to ‘Blue Starlight Valley’ shortly.]

‘Well, f***…’

I thought I had barely survived at the crossroads of life and death, but another crisis had arrived.

[‘Blue Starlight Valley’ in 5 seconds. 5… 4… 3…]

Blue Starlight Valley was an S-rank dungeon.

[2… 1…] [Warp successful!]

Mom, why did you have to tell me about an S-rank dungeon…