Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Awakening as a Hunter
According to scholars researching Rifts and testimonies from Hunters, the Rifts that have appeared all over the world are all connected to a single place.
When one enters, it begins as a dungeon, but after finding the exit and leaving, it connects to a vast plain.
Hunters refer to the dungeon as the first floor and the plain as the second floor.
On average, the Monsters on the plain are stronger than those in the dungeon, which is why they divided them into floors.
Recently, it was said that A-rank and higher Hunters had begun clearing the third floor.
'If I open a restaurant where Hunters gather, wouldn't it be a massive success? From what I have heard, a Hunter party exploring beyond the second floor stays inside a Rift for at least six days and survives on tasteless rations or simple stew.'
If I were to open one, I would inevitably have to charge far higher prices than outside due to the rarity.
'It would not be easy, but I can see the potential.'
Soon, the heat that had been coursing through my body subsided.
[You have successfully completed Awakening.]
I truly had become an Awakened.
[As an achievement reward, a skillbook suited to the Awakened's traits will be randomly granted.]
Becoming an Awakened alone grants physical abilities that surpass those of ordinary humans.
There had once been a Polish superhuman who caused a sensation by uploading a video of himself deadlifting a tank.
However, the disparity based on Stats was significant, and some Awakened with low Strength Stats could exert only as much power as a gym enthusiast in a neighborhood fitness center.
Furthermore, not every Awakened gained a Skill.
'I heard that Hunters who excel in a particular field sometimes gain a Skill upon Awakening.'
I had not become an Awakened through a typical Awakening.
I had been sucked into an undiscovered Rift region and achieved Awakening through an achievement, receiving a Skill as a result. It was an unusual case.
In any event, if it was a Skill suited to my traits, I hoped it would be something helpful for cooking rather than combat.
It was not as though I intended to become a hunting-focused Hunter.
Of course, if I wished to reach the second-floor plain with a party, a certain level of combat ability would still be necessary.
Soon, a book appeared before my eyes.
[You have been granted a random skillbook.]
When I touched the skillbook, golden light enveloped it.
A System window appeared.
[You have acquired the Ancient-grade Skill, Acresia.]
[Acresia: You may open a subspace storage in midair.]
Subspace...?
It appeared to be a subspace storage, just as described.
But what was this Ancient grade?
'I have heard that Hunters rank Skills based on power and utility, but do Skills themselves come with official grades attached?'
I did not know whether this was standard or a special case.
Before testing the Skill, I moved my body first.
It felt light and flexible.
Strength coursed through every part of me.
When I thought about viewing my Status, a Status window appeared before me.
It displayed my Stats and possessed Skills.
Among them, my Stats were:
[STATUS: Strength 17 / Agility 29 / Dexterity 70 / Mana 35 / Vitality 45]
According to a Mutuber who shared information about Hunters, ranks were assigned based on Stats and possessed Skills.
'Are these decent Stats?'
My Strength and Mana were mediocre, but perhaps because I was a chef, my Dexterity was abnormally high.
Moreover, perhaps due to consistent exercise to endure long hours in the kitchen, my Vitality was comparatively high as well.
At the very least, I would not be assigned F-rank... would I?
'Next, the Skill test.'
Awakening was truly mysterious.
The moment one Awakened, knowledge flowed naturally—how to summon the Status window and how to use Skills upon acquiring them.
It felt as though knowledge had been implanted into my mind.
I extended my hand forward.
-Acresia.
As I invoked the Skill, I felt Mana being drawn out of my body, and before me manifested Acresia—a black, shimmering distortion, like a black hole that seemed capable of swallowing everything.
For testing purposes, I picked up a small stone from the ground and tossed it inside.
It was absorbed into Acresia and appeared in the Skill’s storage list.
When I retrieved the stone from the storage list, it appeared in front of Acresia.
But that was not the only advantage.
[TIP. All items stored within Acresia will neither rust nor decay and will remain in the exact condition they were in at the moment of storage.]
In other words, it was no different from a massive refrigerator.
No—it surpassed refrigeration entirely, since ingredients would not deteriorate at all.
'There is no need to freeze anything for long-term storage.'
I had become a Hunter through an Awakening I had never anticipated.
At the same time, I had gained a Skill.
I was completely satisfied with it.
'It could not be better than this.'
If I assumed I would open a restaurant inside a Rift—
In a Rift where one had to travel for days, securing ingredients would be difficult.
Transporting cooking equipment would be no simple task either.
Yet with a single activation of Acresia, that difficulty could be solved effortlessly.
'I obtained the perfect Skill for myself. Is this a divine sign telling me to open a restaurant inside a Rift? If so, then I must do it.'
My heart pounded violently.
It felt as though I had returned to my childhood, when I first dreamed of becoming a chef.
For two years, I had traveled the world in search of purpose.
In this moment, I had found it.
Then a sudden question occurred to me.
'But where exactly is this place?'
It was said to be an undiscovered Rift region.
Moreover, if being the first to discover it granted even an Ancient-grade Skill as an achievement reward, perhaps this was a relatively high floor.
'Could this possibly be somewhere beyond the third floor?'
If so, encountering a Monster would likely mean death.
I had seen news that a European Union expedition team composed entirely of A-rank Hunters entered the third floor and suffered fifty percent casualties within half a day before retreating.
If this truly was beyond the third floor, meeting a Monster would be fatal.
'I panicked in the sudden situation and let my guard down. I should return first.'
Truthfully, I wanted to explore desperately.
But risking my life to satisfy curiosity was too dangerous.
Life was precious.
I stepped back into the cave Rift through which I had entered.
When I emerged, I was once again inside the storage shed of my rural house.
***
Upon becoming an Awakened, there was an immediate procedure to complete—Hunter registration.
An Awakened was a superhuman beyond ordinary humanity.
In other words, even if one did not intend to engage in Hunter activities, it was mandatory to register with the Hunter Association and be placed under the supervision of the government’s Rift Management Bureau.
This was to prevent the misuse of an Awakened’s power for criminal purposes.
'If I use a Skill without registering and get caught, it could become a problem.'
I went straight to Seoul and visited the Hunter Association to complete registration.
On the application form, I checked the circle indicating possession of a Skill, and during evaluation I demonstrated the Skill inside the testing room.
I deliberately adjusted Acresia to a smaller size before activating it.
'It is an unknown Ancient-grade Skill. I should be cautious.'
From what I had researched, Ancient-grade Skills were still largely undocumented.
If I publicly revealed its grade, it would inevitably attract attention.
Even if it was a non-combat Skill.
The Hunter Association employee examined the subspace storage and spoke.
"It truly is a subspace storage Skill. Judging by its size, you can store about the equivalent of three hiking backpacks."
"Yes, that seems about right."
It was a lie.
It could hold not three backpacks, but hundreds—perhaps more.
Even I had not yet confirmed its full capacity.
I had also verified that a few other Hunters possessed subspace storage Skills.
However, their capacity was limited to the equivalent of two or three hiking backpacks, and they lacked any preservation function like Acresia’s.
'That just shows how absurdly overpowered Acresia is.'
Next came Stat measurement.
After completing all tests and waiting, my rank was announced.
"Mr. Ahn Seon-u. You have been assigned E-rank."
"E-rank...?"
I had honestly expected at least D+.
That was the average among Hunters.
E-rank and F-rank Hunters were generally classified as porters.
And I was E-rank...
"Yes. Your total Stats are high, but your combat-related Stats are not particularly strong. Your Skill is support-oriented, and you have no training in martial arts or weapon combat. Therefore, you are closer to a support role, resulting in an E-rank designation."
In other words, my Stats and Skill were optimized for a porter.
"I understand. Thank you."
After receiving my Hunter ID, I proceeded to the Rift Management Bureau to complete official registration.
The next place I headed was a camping supply store.
Ordinarily, I would have gone to an electronics retailer, but inside a Rift, radiation and electromagnetic interference were severe, causing electronic devices to malfunction quickly.
That was also why ordinary civilians could not enter Rifts.
In contrast, research suggested that Awakened individuals gained significant immunity during Awakening and were protected by Mana, rendering them less affected by radiation.
In short, only analog tools could be used inside a Rift.
'It would be nice to use ovens or refrigerators, but it cannot be helped. I can substitute them with analog methods.'
An oven could be replaced with a fire pit, a refrigerator with an icebox, and most importantly, Acresia preserved items perfectly.
There was no real need for electronics.
The only regret was not being able to use a blender for sauces.
Instead, I purchased a manual blender that would thoroughly exhaust my forearms.
For three days, I went around purchasing all the restaurant equipment I had originally intended to buy for my opening.
I also bought fresh ingredients from markets and seafood and livestock markets, storing them in Acresia.
In particular, I purchased seasonal ingredients in bulk.
With Acresia, seasonal fruits and seafood could be stored while preserving their peak flavor.
"This is life."
Back in the countryside, I lay on the wooden floor and stretched.
I was happy.
Having a goal and preparing for it brought joy.
Soon, my eyes drifted toward the storage shed.
"Shall I go back?"
Just in case, I had purchased high-concentration bear repellent spray and analog alarm lines that would ring when tripped.
I even bought binoculars capable of viewing long distances.
I had taken precautions.
***
After entering the Rift, I first climbed the hill above the cave and surveyed the surroundings through high-magnification analog binoculars.
A vast forest stretched before me, and not far away, a blue lake.
"What a view."
The air was pristine, free of fine dust, and the weather was clear.
Through the binoculars, distant areas were visible with clarity.
As I observed—
'There is one Monster over there.'
Quite far away.
A grotesque, large Monster with no neck, carrying its own head in its hand.
According to the Monster compendium I had recently purchased, it appeared to belong to the Dullahan-type.
'If it is a Dullahan, it is estimated to be at least A-rank, was it not? There do not seem to be many Monsters, but they do exist.'
There were no Monsters in my immediate vicinity.
However, since I had not viewed the area from a particularly high vantage point, it was not entirely accurate.
It was too early to deem it safe. I only had one life.
For four days, I moved in and out of the Rift, installing alarm lines and gradually acclimating myself while securing safety.
Fortunately, I had not yet encountered a Monster.
After first spotting one, I discovered three more in the distance through the binoculars.
'Fortunately, the population does not seem large. And they are all far away.'
I judged that a certain level of safety had been secured.
In the clearing before the cave, I opened Acresia and retrieved camping equipment.
A large camping tent, a table, chairs.
And cooking utensils.
"Let us start simple. Salmon steak."
I placed a pan over a burner and heated it, adding a light drizzle of olive oil.
A 150-gram salmon fillet cut to steak size was placed skin-side down and pressed firmly to crisp it.
I seasoned the flesh with salt and pepper.
At the same time, I added asparagus to the pan.
Once the skin was crisp, I flipped it and cooked the flesh to the proper doneness.
When the salmon was moist and cooked through, I transferred it to a plate and prepared the sauce.
'Salmon pairs well with lemon.'
In the same pan, I added a small amount of butter, thinly sliced garlic, and freshly grated lemon zest.
I poured in white wine, a small amount of sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice, then reduced the mixture.
Finally, I added rosemary for aroma.
I poured the sauce beneath the salmon steak and completed the plating.
"I am hungry. Shall I eat?"
I cut a small piece with my knife, speared it with a fork, and brought it toward my mouth.
At that moment—
JINGLE JINGLE!
The bell attached to the alarm line installed within a 50-meter radius around the cave rang loudly.
'A Monster...?'
Damn it. I had just finished cooking, and now it would be stolen by a Monster.
It seemed the strong scent of butter had attracted something hungry.
'I should have simply salted it lightly to avoid too much aroma.'
But I was a chef. That would not do.
In any case, though it was a pity to abandon the dish, it was not worth my life.
I only hoped my carefully set camping equipment would not be destroyed.
I waited near the cave entrance—the exit point of the Rift—and observed.
Soon, the being that had triggered the alarm line revealed itself.
Surprisingly, it was not a Monster.
'...What?'