The morning sun warmed Daeho's face, but his heart was cold with memory. The dungeon. The massacre. The monster. His own death. And the strange white space where his long-awaited interface finally appeared.
He sat on his bed, eyes fixed on the glowing panel that hovered in front of him.
[Awakened Status Interface – User: Sung Daeho]
Rank: E
Special Ability Rank: EX (Unique – Irreplicable)
*Special Trait: [Singularity] – One of a kind across all existence.
---
Special Abilities:
1. Return by Death (Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)
↳ Upon death, return to the morning of the same day. All memories and statuses are retained.
2. Absorption by Death (Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)
↳ Can absorb one ability from the being that kills you. Ability must be chosen during transition space.
3. ??????? (Locked)
↳ Unlock conditions unknown.
---
Inherited Ability: [Invisibility] (C-Rank – Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)
↳ Can become completely invisible for a short duration. Detection immunity limited by caster's focus and mana control.
---
It was the first time he saw the true classification system.
Awakened abilities had ranks: F, E, D, C, B, A, AA, AAA, S, SS, and SSS. Even SSS-rank powers were rare, with only a handful of known individuals holding them.
But then there was EX—a rank not publicly known, not listed in any database, and never seen in any other awakened.
He wasn't just rare. He was impossible.
Daeho reached out, and as his fingers passed through the interface, another small tab opened beside his abilities:
> [EXP System Activated] ji î
Use abilities in live combat or training to gain experience. Upon leveling up, duration, efficiency, and cooldown improve.
So now, even his abilities had levels. That changed everything.
Daeho stood up and paced across his room, nervous energy bubbling through him. He still had his job as a porter today. Same D-rank dungeon. Same team. Same scenario.
But this time, he had knowledge. He had power. And most importantly—he had a plan.
---
By 9:00 AM, Daeho stood in front of the dungeon gate again. It looked the same. Unassuming. Quiet. But now, he could feel the difference.
He could sense mana, faintly, like static in the air. He had never been able to feel this before.
His party arrived a few minutes later—Kwon Jinsoo and the others.
"Ugh, you again?" Jinsoo spat, looking him up and down. "Still wasting oxygen, huh?"
Daeho gave a small bow, hiding the fire in his eyes. Mock me all you want. Just live long enough to see what I become.
The raid began.
The early monsters were weak again—goblin-types. The hunters made quick work of them, while Daeho did what he always did: carry, clean, store. Except this time, he also practiced.
During a moment of quiet, he crouched behind a stone pillar and focused.
"Activate: Invisibility."
His form shimmered—and vanished.
No sound. No presence.
He held his breath and counted. 1… 2… 3…
After ten seconds, his form flickered back into view. Mana tingled through his limbs. He smiled.
> [Invisibility – EXP Gained: +10]
[Progress: 10/100]
It works. I can train it. I can level it up.
No one noticed. The hunters were too busy laughing and bragging about how easy this dungeon was.
Daeho watched them carefully.
Five hours until the boss room. Five hours until death—unless I stop it.
---
As they neared the boss room, the atmosphere shifted. Mana grew heavier. But no one in the party noticed.
Only Daeho did. Only he knew.
He stepped forward.
"Jinsoo-ssi," he said, calmly. "Something's wrong with this dungeon. I think the boss isn't D-rank."
Jinsoo blinked at him like he'd grown two heads. "You? Sense mana? Get out of here with that crap."
"I'm serious."
"Shut it, porter. You don't talk during raids."
The other members laughed. Daeho lowered his eyes.
He had tried.
---
The doors opened.
Mist pooled along the ground.
It began again.
Screams. Blood. Death.
But this time, Daeho was prepared.
As the chameleon struck, Daeho activated his ability.
"Invisibility."
He vanished, just as the monster lunged for him. Its claws slashed through empty air.
Daeho rolled to the side, heart pounding. He counted the seconds.
1… 2… 3… 4…
He moved through the room, watching the monster closely. It moved like a blur. But now, Daeho wasn't panicking.
He was learning.
It had three abilities:
1. Flame Control – it had used fireballs before killing the flame user.
2. Super Speed – it darted in zig-zag blurs between targets.
3. Invisibility – its default state.
As it moved toward the healer next, Daeho sprinted toward a wall and shouted:
"Hey! Ugly!"
The monster turned.
His invisibility wore off.
It charged him.
Daeho didn't run.
He looked the beast in its glowing eyes as its claws slashed through his chest.
Pain. Darkness. Cold.
Then—
---
White space.
Again.
The panel floated in front of him.
You were killed by [C-Rank Dungeon Boss – Mutated Chameleon].
Choose one ability to inherit:
1. Flame Control
2. Super Speed
3. [Already Acquired: Invisibility]
This time, he picked Super Speed.
[Ability Inherited: Super Speed (B-Rank – Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)]
And then, he opened his interface again.
His abilities had grown.
---
[Current Status – Sung Daeho]
Rank: E
Special Ability Rank: EX
Experience System: Active
Abilities:
Return by Death (Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)
Absorption by Death (Level 1 – 10/100 EXP)
???????? (Locked)
Inherited Abilities:
Invisibility (C-Rank – Level 1 – 20/100 EXP)
Super Speed (B-Rank – Level 1 – 0/100 EXP)
---
Daeho opened his eyes once more in his bed.
Clock: 6:01 AM.
Third loop.
And this time…
He grinned.
He wasn't going to die again.