Chapter 1: I obtained the Stealth Skill
Ever since I was young, I lacked a presence.
“Alright, everyone, let’s get into groups of three.”
Back in my school days, there were times when teachers would say that. For some reason, whenever that happened, one person always ended up being left out. It’s not like the number of students in a class could always be a multiple of three. The problem was that the person left out was always me.
“Oh, were you here, Yeongha? Yeongha, you can be on a team with me.”
“……”
It wasn’t that I was being bullied. I simply lacked a presence. I didn't mind it, though. In fact, there were quite a few benefits to it.
For example, I was never approached by those cult groups on the street asking if I "knew the Way." Naturally, I never had to deal with unnecessary touting or aggressive street marketing. Even when I walked into a clothing store...
Ting.
The employees never approached me with those burdensome lines like, “Would you like to see this item?” or “Oh my, that looks so good on you.” I could browse for as long as I wanted without feeling watched.
‘It’s quite a convenient ability in its own way.’
I didn't have to get tangled up with people unnecessarily. For an introvert like me, it was the optimal talent. That’s not to say I was always alone; when I needed to, I just had to reveal my presence. The method was simple: I just had to speak first and approach people.
“Oh, Yeongha, you’re here? I didn’t even see you come in. Hurry up and sit down.”
“We’re drinking until we die today!”
“No leaving early, okay?”
If there was one place where this ability truly shone, it was the military.
“You two, follow me for work detail. The rest of you, standby.”
“Yes, sir!”
“……”
Even as a private, I was rarely called away for useless tasks. It was especially great toward the end of my service. When I hid somewhere, the officers couldn't find me at all.
“Wow, where the hell did Sergeant Baek go?”
“He’s a ghost, I swear.”
“I keep forgetting he’s even here.”
Even after being discharged, my ability continued to help me.
“Hmm, did we hire this fellow? Well, he’s here, so there must be a reason for it. Right?”
Thanks to my weak presence, I even managed to land an internship at a major corporation—something that wasn't exactly in my cards. Now, I’ve finished that internship and was awaiting a full-time offer. Secretly, I was hoping to transition into a permanent position naturally, just as I had always done, but…
“Is this for real? Wow.”
I stared blankly at the translucent hologram window floating before my eyes.
I had Awakened. And in an era where Awakening is considered hitting the lottery.
‘Crazy, this is crazy…’
The Tower appeared in the World a few years ago. At one time, it was seen as an omen of doom, but now it is a vital location where resources not found on Earth can be obtained. Only a few chosen individuals can climb this Tower.
They are the Awakened.
By climbing the Tower, hunting Monsters, and collecting their byproducts, the Awakened can earn massive annual salaries.
‘It’s basically a life reversal.’
That wasn't all. If you became famous, you could rake in money by filming countless commercials. The fact that "Awakened" is the No. 1 dream job for teenagers said it all.
‘To think I’d become an Awakened.’
A full-time job at a major corporation? I didn't care about that anymore. Sure, big companies are great. But there’s a reason they pay so much. It means they work you to the bone. Isn't corporate life all about walking on eggshells around the boss, suffering under the pressure of performance, and never knowing when you’ll be replaced like a broken part, no matter how hard you work?
In that sense, being an Awakened was the dream job. Four days a week, three days a week—you could even work just one day a week if you wanted. You set your own hours. Whenever you felt like it, you could enter and Clear the Tower, making more than a regular salaryman’s monthly pay in a single trip. Since the Ability of an Awakened cannot be taken away, it was effectively a job for life.
‘So an opportunity like this finally comes to me…’
The smile on my face wouldn't go away.
‘Let’s see.’
Of course, not everyone hits it big just because they Awaken. The treatment of an Awakened depends on their Class.
‘The Class is what matters.’
If you got a Class in the so-called "Royal Class" positions—like a Healer, Mage, or Archer—your life was truly made. Since the demand for them is endless, people would be scrambling to recruit you.
Inside my One-room apartment, I cautiously called out.
“……Status Window.”
Ding—!
A bluish hologram window appeared before me. I slowly opened my eyes, which had been tightly shut. What entered my vision was:
“……”
It was the Rogue Class.
Sigh. It was quite disappointing. Of course, compared to minor occupations like Porter or Dissector, it was a decent Class.
‘It’s not like there aren't famous Rogues out there.’
Even if I wasn't going to live a life of total luxury, I could at least expect a bright future, right? While I was at it, I checked the Skill I obtained upon Awakening.
It was, quite literally, a plain Stealth Skill. Since it was a normal skill given at the moment of Awakening, the effect probably wasn't anything spectacular.
‘Hides the body based on Aptitude, huh?’
Generally, the performance of a Skill varies depending on the Player’s Aptitude. Take a Mage, for example. When they cast the general skill [Fireball], the size of the fireball might be massive or the explosive power might be stronger based on their talent.
‘In the case of Stealth…’
It would likely mean the Stealth lasts longer or makes me harder to detect. Actually, there was a way to find out more in detail. Just as I had called for the status window, I spoke into the air.
“Community.”
Ding—!
Oh, it works. The Community that only those who have Awakened the system can use. I had heard it was convenient because it contained various tips and Information for the Awakened. I should be able to get detailed information about my skill here. Since I had already opened it, I checked the [Tips] board first.
“……”
Is the Rogue really that bad? I had a vague idea from browsing the internet, but seeing the number of likes on that comment made it feel real. Just in case, I looked at another post.
The comment about earning a living was a small comfort. "Earning a living" here would still be incomparable to a regular office worker.
“……”
I didn't close the Community immediately. I still had to check the performance of Stealth, which was my original goal.
Damn it.
Searching for details only caused me more pain. There was a reason why the Rogue Class was rated so poorly. In particular, the Stealth Skill was treated as absolute Trash within the Community.
‘Stealth only activates if you hide, but even if you hide, the effect isn't that great.’
Furthermore, people said that in the time it takes to do that, a Mage could have thrown a Fireball and a Warrior could have slashed a Monster twice.
There were posts like this too, but since it was an anonymous board, there was no way to tell if it was true. I changed my mindset.
‘I should be grateful I Awakened at all.’
Hoping for a top-tier Class on top of that might be greedy. It’s a well-known fact that a Class is related to an individual’s Aptitude.
‘My talent is…’
Looking back at my life, it became even clearer.
‘There’s no denying it; Rogue definitely suits me.’
An extremely thin presence. It was a talent that fit a Rogue perfectly in many ways.
“Instead of sitting around, maybe I should try a Clear.”
There was no need to stay depressed just because my Class was subpar. I browsed the Community a bit more and then stood up. In reality, the Class doesn't matter much when it comes to clearing Floor 1.
There is only one Goblin that appears on Tower Floor 1 on EASY difficulty. It was a difficulty that any adult male in Korea who had finished military service could sufficiently Clear.
‘I’ve memorized the Floor 1 Clear guides from the Community, so it should be fine.’
I grabbed a baseball bat I had at home and put on my shoes at the entrance. Taking a deep breath, I called up the system window.
The system window asking for the difficulty appeared. If this were a game, I would have chosen a high difficulty without hesitation, but…