Chapter 1

Prologue

While watching dramas, there's a scene that often comes up.

A scene where someone collapses to the ground, their legs giving out from overwhelming injustice.

A scene where someone, too overwhelmed by injustice, can only open and close their mouth, unable to speak.

"F-Freaking."

"Wow..."

"Really, what a injustice."

In a space where cracks had appeared, and through a gate, a superpowered individual, a Hunter, enters to exterminate monsters.

Those who fight monsters and awaken criminals are given various benefits.

"S-Siba."

Among these, there's one benefit that any South Korean male would envy.

"Why now!"

Exemption from military service.

"Why!"

At the entrance of Gyeryongdae in Sindwan-myeon, Gyeryong City, Chungcheongnam-do.

A man, whose service period had been extended to three years due to the appearance of monsters, had just received his discharge order.

"Whyyyyy!"

Like a scene from a drama, Han Yul, kneeling, howled as he faced his awakening.

{You have awakened the Dimensional Trade ability.}

001 Dimensional Trade (1)

One day, an inexplicable and bizarre phenomenon occurred worldwide.

Cracks appeared in the sky, as if the glass had shattered.

"Survey teams were dispatched to investigate this phenomenon, which occurred in various places around the world."

Click.

It was an unbelievable phenomenon that one would expect to see in an SF or fantasy movie. The survey team discovered nothing, and by the fourth day of the spatial crack phenomenon,

"Earth has changed."

Click.

Earth underwent a sudden change.

An oval-shaped black space appeared at the locations where the spatial crack phenomenon occurred.

Of course, it would be fortunate if it ended there.

There was no direct damage.

"The problem is 30 days later."

Click.

30 days after the black space appeared, a problem arose. Creatures that one would expect to see in movies or games emerged from the black space and attacked humans.

"Of course, it wasn't just a crisis that arrived."

Click.

The appearance of superpowered individuals.

"Many hypotheses were proposed, but the most trusted hypothesis is that Earth created a protection system."

Earth created superpowered individuals to prevent the invasion of the black space and monsters.

A skill window system, like in a game, where one can check their abilities.

An appraisal system to understand the effects of items.

An explanation window that provides text descriptions to help Hunters understand special situations.

Because the hologram is visible only to Awakened individuals, it was speculated that the phenomena that accompanied the black space and monsters were not external but created by Earth itself.

At a PC cafe in Gyeryong City, Chungcheongnam-do.

Han Yul, who had been moving his mouse around, sighed deeply as he recalled his life.

"Siba..."

The military service period in South Korea, which had been continuously shortened due to the appearance of the black space, known as the Gate, and monsters, was extended to three years for all branches.

But did it only extend the service period?

No. With the appearance of monsters and the Gate, soldiers underwent a 'mental state examination.' If they passed, they trained in a 'reality-like illusion' created by an illusionist and were then deployed in actual combat.

Han Yul suddenly lifted his head, moved his mouse to order ramen and hot bars, and focused back on the monitor.

Awakened individuals, Hunters, must stand at the forefront when the Break phenomenon, also known as the Gate Rampage, occurs and fight the monsters.

That's why the state provides many benefits to Hunters.

"Siba. Exemption from military service..."

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became.

If he awakened during service?

He would be discharged immediately. But he awakened on the day of his discharge.

Honestly, it was incredibly unfair.

"Alright, since it's already happened, let's just accept it. But."

While browsing the Hunter Association's website, Han Yul opened his skill window to check his awakened ability.

Name: Dimensional Trade.

Description: Can trade with other dimensions. (Looking for a trade partner.)

"Is he a merchant?"

If it were a combat ability, he would have felt relieved. With a combat-related superpower, he could earn money by exterminating monsters.

But...

But...

"To awaken on the day of discharge, and the ability is trading."

Sighing, Han Yul moved his mouse again.

Click.

"Ah, Siba?"

The content visible as soon as he entered the announcements.

{Awakened individuals must register with the Hunter Association within a week. Failure to do so may result in imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won.}

"..."

Superpower?

He had awakened.

Yes, he had awakened, but...

"Can I just register like this?"

The world of the Gate is another dimension.

This is just a hypothesis, like the birth of Awakened individuals. If the ability of dimensional trade were to be made public, Gate researchers would swarm like a pack of dogs.

Or, it would be fortunate if it only ended with them swarming like a pack of dogs.

'The worst case is kidnapping.'

Is it an excessive worry?

Although it has long been changed to persuasion, in the past, there were frequent cases of state-sponsored kidnappings of non-combat ability holders.

"Ugh. Hiding it is..."

Hiding the fact that he had awakened?

"It would be difficult."

A soldier in discharge uniform awakened on the day of his discharge, right in front of the military base.

"That's him, isn't it?"

"Really? Wow."

"Wow, really pitiful. How can you awaken on the day of discharge?"

It had already spread. Even though only a few hours had passed, all the customers in the PC cafe knew about his awakening.

'Certainly, someone who came to visit must have taken a picture.'

People envy Hunters. But the people in the PC cafe looked at Han Yul with pity.

Should he go out?

Should he go home?

No. His awakening had already spread widely through the internet. Even if not worldwide, no one in the country would be unaware of his awakening. It would be better to plan and move.

Tap tap.

"Hmm?"

Han Yul, who was checking the Hunter Association's website, turned his head at the sound of someone tapping his shoulder.

"Hello."

The part-time worker, smiling, held a tray with the ordered ramen, hot bars, and...

"Dumplings..."

Dumplings.

There were also many side dishes. A lot of kimchi too.

"Good luck!"

"Ah, yes. Good luck..."

***

{Connecting to trade partner, Rest.}

{Waiting for the other party's acceptance.}

{The language is different. Your voice will be converted into a message and conveyed to the trade partner.}

The explanation window, which had appeared after a long wait, but it arrived at a bad time again.

In front of a bus heading to Daejeon.

"Ah, damn."

Han Yul, muttering a curse under his breath, took a step back.

"Hmm? Aren't you getting on?"

"Ah, yes. I have something to do."

Squeak.

The bus driver, who had tilted his head, closed the bus door and pressed the accelerator again.

Han Yul watched the departing bus blankly, sighed deeply, and looked around. There was no one around, probably because the bus had just left.

Under the blue hologram known as the explanation window, a green hologram.

"Hmm. Hello?"

After a moment's thought, Han Yul decided to greet first.

He didn't know who the other party was, but at least showing courtesy couldn't hurt.

"I am Han Yul, who has awakened the Dimensional Trade ability. Mr. Rest. Would you like to trade with me?"

There was no response.

But soon, a reaction came.

"...I thought you would be very surprised."

"Oh, oh."

The other party seemed rational. The tone of voice conveyed a sense of intelligence.

The Dimensional Trade ability is not a one-sided ability to force a trade.

It is an ability to trade through negotiation.

So Han Yul explained.

The situation on Earth, the sudden crisis, and the awakening of Hunters.

"Yes."

"Good. You've summarized it neatly."

"No, yes, that's right."

The explanation was complete. Now it was up to Rest to decide.

"Yes."

"...Time?"

After understanding the Dimensional Trade ability, will you accept or reject the trade?

I understand.

From Rest's perspective, it's like a merchant suddenly opening a trade route and proposing a one-sided trade.

The problem is...

Han Yul, who had paused the conversation, looked around.

Three years.

The city of Gyeryong, where he had become familiar through outings and overnight stays.

"Ha. Just a moment."

He had planned to do everything in Daejeon.

Han Yul sighed deeply, closed the conversation window, and headed to a motel.

***

{Trade candidate, Rest, accepts the trade.}

After a long conversation, Han Yul, who had been staring at the explanation window that appeared, made a strange expression when Rest's message appeared again.

"Ah, is that so?"

"I don't know what kind of dimension yours is."

He focused on verifying the ability. So, all he knew about each other was their names.

"Tha...t..."

Should he secretly do some business?

While thinking about this, Han Yul checked the message window again.

"Huh?"

"Ah, no, no. Magic? Magic?"

"..."

Magic?

Magic!

"Ex-pec-to something?"

"Winga-rosa something!"

"If not, Magic Missile, Fireball, or something like that!"

"Ah, no. Nothing."

Even though the other party wasn't in front of him, Han Yul shook his head and looked at the message window with sparkling eyes.

Dimensional Trade.

The ability of Dimensional Trade, which he had awakened, was a power that should not be made public.

One must have the strength to protect a treasure to call it a treasure.

Similarly, one must have the strength to protect an ability to call it 'one's ability.'

A treasure that doesn't match one's strength can be a curse.

"Teach me magic!"

It would be converted into a message. Even if he shouted loudly, the other party wouldn't know, but Han Yul asked loudly and clenched his fist as a rectangular hologram named the trade window appeared.

"Come, come, come, come, come."