Standing in a dark alleyway, Ha Gangwoo pressed the !!! button that had been trailing his vision.

Ding-

[Congratulations on becoming a Player!!]

[The guide is now starting.]

‘Amazing.’

The Awakening he’d only ever heard about in words—the System was now live.

[Status Window is now activated.]

(TIP—You can use it simply by focusing your will on the Activation Word.)

The first guide was the Status Window.

The heart of any Player, the most crucial System there was.

Ha Gangwoo crossed his arms and stroked his chin.

“Activation Word, huh. So I just have to think ‘Status Window’?”

The Activation Word was the most vital function within the Gaia System.

From the soon-to-open Inventory to Skills, everything operated through it.

[Open your Status Window and allocate your Stats!!]

[You have acquired 10 unallocated Stat points.]

“Hmm…”

Ha Gangwoo reached back into memories of the past.

Even kindergarten taught the Gaia System. So he had at least a baseline of knowledge.

‘I just hope it’s above average.’

The first Status a person got was pure random. Now that he had the chance, he wanted a solid start.

‘Status window.’

Ding-

[Ha Gangwoo]

Level: 1

HP: 180/210

MP: 9/9

Strength: 11

Agility: 8

Vitality: 21

Mana: 9

Unallocated: 10

‘Oh~!’

Just thinking it to himself and having it appear—that was genuinely fascinating in its own way.

Ha Gangwoo narrowed his eyes, studying the Status window.

“Not bad at all.”

His starting stats had exceeded expectations.

The average total stat sum at Level 1 was 40. Compared to that, his own came in 9 higher.

Each level-up gave 5 points—meaning, by that comparison, he was starting out about 2 levels ahead of the average Player.

‘Now I just need to assign my stats.’

He was sure he remembered hearing about that during a high school class.

[You have to invest your stats based on your Trait and the Job you’ll change into.]

Spend them thoughtlessly and you’ll regret it later, they say. But there was no need to agonize over the starting stats.

[Always invest the stats you receive from the Guide into Vitality.]

The reason was simple—there was a basic manual for it.

“Hmm… Vitality looks plenty high enough, though.”

But Ha Gangwoo stroked his chin and sank into thought.

Right now, Gangwoo’s Vitality stat was 21—a full 11 points higher than other Players.

That meant even without pouring points into Vitality, he had plenty.

Instead, a thought surfaced: wouldn’t another stat be better?

If he raised Strength, it’d come in handy for all sorts of things.

And what about Agility? He’d felt its value during the fight with Park Donggu—the expanded senses, the sharpened instincts. It would definitely boost his odds of survival.

But then Ha Gangwoo shook his head.

“No point in pointless worrying.”

There had to be a reason.

This was a manual built over twenty whole years. If there weren’t good reasons behind it, they wouldn’t have made it the standard.

Ding-

[Stat distribution complete.]

Vitality: 21 → 31 (+10)

A low hum—

A faint light wrapped around his entire body.

‘Hmm…’

But there was no noticeable change.

The Vitality Stat was known to boost a Player’s physical endurance, resistance, and recovery rate.

“Did my skin get tougher or something?”

Players with high Vitality could reportedly grow skin hard enough to deflect bullets.

Yet nothing seemed different.

Ha Gangwoo looked down at his own injured palm.

‘Can’t exactly stab myself to test it.’

To feel the difference of 10 Vitality, he’d have to hurt himself — not exactly an appealing idea.

“…”

A faint smile crossed Ha Gangwoo’s face as he stared at his hand.

‘From raising Vitality?’

Because fresh new flesh was slowly filling in the wound on his injured hand.

“This is a whole new world.”

Without needing to harm himself, he could feel the impact of 10 Vitality clearly enough.

[Starting next guide.]

[Inventory has been activated.]

[Open your Inventory and use the Trait Catalog.]

(TIP—Only items can be placed in the Inventory.)

The distribution was done. The next guide had already begun.

He swallowed.

‘Inventory…’

The next interface to open was the Inventory — a convenience system that also housed his most important possessions.

Ha Gangwoo opened it with practiced ease.

*Ding-*

[Trait Catalog x1][-]

(TIP — To retrieve or store an item, simply reach your hand into the Inventory slot.)

The Inventory had a maximum capacity of just 2 slots.

“Trait Catalog.”

The Trait Catalog was a one-time gift to every Player — an ability that defined their grade and, more than anything else, their power going forward.

It would be no exaggeration to say that his entire future hinged on this single catalog right now.

Gangwoo reached his hand into the first slot, just as the TIP instructed.

Ripples spread across the Inventory window, like plunging his hand into water.

‘This is it.’

He pulled out a single card from within and held it up.

It was small — about a handspan — and glowed with a golden light.

Its surface shimmered in a checkered pattern, and the back bore the inscription: [???]

[Trait Catalog]

Grade: ???

Description: A catalog that grants a Trait. Contains information on a wide range of Traits, from F-Rank to S-Rank.

He swallowed again.

Gangwoo stared at the card, his throat dry.

‘Everything rides on this.’

His heart pounded — a heavy, thudding rhythm that shook his chest.

This moment was too important. The Trait he drew now would dictate every move he made from here on out.

“I hope it’s an elemental type.”

What he wanted most was a combat-related Trait.

‘Hmm…’

Gangwoo recalled a Ranker he’d seen on TV.

Two horns rising from his head, enormous wings sprouting from his back — the image of a demon.

And his power defied imagination. With a single blow, he had incinerated the monsters flooding out of a Gate — a being more monstrous than the monsters themselves.

Thinking of that Ranker, Gangwoo’s grip tightened.

‘I want to be that…’

It was a vague wish. Hoping for a good Trait when you got one was only natural.

But he knew it was a greedy thought.

Just a combat type. Even the most common elemental type would be enough.

Elemental types were versatile.

With an elemental Trait, he could job change into a Mage and become a DPS, or a Tank wrapped in frost, or a sword-wielding damage dealer — hell, even a fire-type Trait could be put to work as a Blacksmith. It was that useful.

If he could just draw an elemental Trait, he could escape this garbage situation and live a decent life as a Player.

“Let’s go!”

Gangwoo gripped the catalog in his hand and activated the item.

*Whirr-*

A faint light burst from the catalog with a soft pop, seeping into Gangwoo’s body.

[You have acquired the Trait: DLC.]

(TIP — Traits are personal Innate Abilities. Learn to understand your own power.)

“DLC??”

Gangwoo’s expression twisted. This Trait seemed a world away from the combat type he’d been hoping for.

He immediately checked the Trait’s details.

[DLC]

Type: Trait

Grade: S

Form: Active

Effect: Enjoy the Gaia System’s DLC!! Various content awaits you!!!

“S-Rank?!!!”

Ha Gangwoo’s eyes went wide.

S-Rank—high enough to look the world Rankers in the eye! But the effect’s wording baffled him.

“Content?”

Content? He had no idea what kind of Trait that implied.

‘Not elemental, but S-Rank…’

It wasn’t the Trait he’d hoped for, but that was fine. S-Rank. It had to be good.

‘Let’s use it.’

Gangwoo activated the skill immediately.

Ding-

[DLC]

-DLC Shop

“A shop-type…”

His Trait was a shop type.

A shop-type Trait—he’d heard of that kind before.

The variety of Traits was staggering; even counting only those discovered so far, there had to be tens of thousands.

‘Wouldn’t have been bad to get this ten years ago.’

Back in the early days, shop-type Traits were considered nobility regardless of grade.

With enough Gold, they were a license to print money off other Players.

Not anymore, though.

Supply had flooded the market. For most items, the stuff sold in Trait shops was pricier than what you could find openly.

“Haa…”

A sigh escaped him. A shop Trait was bad luck enough on its own, but this type came with a crippling drawback.

“I don’t have any Gold…”

Money. That was the problem. How was a starting Player supposed to get Gold?

Gangwoo’s fist clenched tight. His entire net worth was twenty thousand won, and he’d landed a shop Trait. He’d stepped on a landmine.

Frowning, Gangwoo opened the shop window.

Ding-

[DLC Shop]

DLC – Jumping Character — 100,000,000 Gold

DLC – Curse of the Black Plague — 10,000,000 Gold

DLC – Starter Package — 100,000 Gold

(Refresh)

‘…’

The prices were absurd. The cheapest item was a hundred thousand Gold—almost a million won in real money.

“This is crazy.”

Crazy prices. An S-Rank Trait he couldn’t even use. The frustration was thick.

But then a smile crossed Gangwoo’s face.

(TIP- Your first purchase is free. One time only.)

Because there it was: ‘First purchase free.’

A chance to buy a hundred-million-Gold item for nothing!

“Let me check first.”

He already knew which item he’d pick, but he inspected the details anyway.

[DLC – Jumping Character]

Grade: B

Description: Jump~! Jump~! Jump your growth~! Now enjoy the Gaia System easily and quickly!! Jumping Perks are granted!!!

Effect

-Designate the character as a Jumping Character!!

-Gain the Jumping Character Perk effect.

Quantity: 1

Purchase Price: 100,000,000 Gold

“Jumping? Perk??”

He’d never actually seen an item info window like this, but it looked different from what the textbooks had taught.

‘Is it not an item?’

Ordinarily an item was supposed to boost a stat or grant an ability. That was how it worked.

“What the hell…”

But what was this effect? Perk? Designate as character? He couldn’t tell what any of it did.

Ha Gangwoo stroked his chin and checked the next item’s details.

[DLC – Curse of the Black Plague]

Grade: C

Description: Recapture Heigron, destroyed by the Curse of the Black Plague!! A variety of rewards await you!!

Effects

– Grants Warp Ring (Heigron).

– Grants 1 Curse of the Black Plague exclusive item!!

– Grants 1 Curse of the Black Plague exclusive Skill Catalog!!

Quantity: 1

Purchase Price: 10,000,000 Gold

[DLC – Starter Package]

Grade: D

Description: A package for beginners!!

Effects

– Grants 1 Beginner Exclusive Catalog Set Box!!

– Grants 1 Beginner Exclusive Item Set Box!!

– Acquires the Starter Package perk.

Quantity: 1

Purchase Price: 100,000 Gold

Gangwoo rubbed his jaw, staring at the list.

“DLC, huh…”

It read like a list of package deals.

The corner of his mouth pulled up slightly.

“So it’s selling me content.”

And in that moment, he understood his own ability.

Jumping Character. Personal Exclusive Dungeon. Beginner’s Package. Weren’t they just like cash shop items in a game?

“Not bad.”

He reached a verdict. An S-Rank Trait — setting aside the insane prices, it was really damn good.

“The Starter Package wouldn’t be bad either.”

The contents of the 100,000 Gold Starter Package tempted him, but it was too expensive to waste a free purchase opportunity on.

“I’ll buy it.”

It wasn’t like he had a specific item in mind anyway.

Ding-

[You have purchased DLC – Jumping Character.]

Gangwoo bought the 100 million Gold item — [DLC – Jumping Character] — without hesitation.

Whirrr-

The moment he purchased it, light coalesced and formed a single rectangular game pak.

“So this is a DLC.”

Gangwoo picked up the DLC pak with trembling hands.

Using his own ability — his first Trait — for the first time. The feeling was profound.

[DLC – Jumping Character]

Grade: B

Description: Jumping~! Jumping~! Jump your growth~! Now enjoy the Gaia System easily and quickly!! A Jumping Perk is granted!!!

Effects

– Designates a character as a Jumping Character!!

– Gains the Jumping Character Perk effect.

Its appearance was unimpressive, and the description written on it was utterly bare-bones.

But Gangwoo knew all too well what this item meant right now.

‘One of a kind.’

Jumping Character? Starter Package? He’d never heard of them. That meant his Trait was an ability unique in all the world.

And an item like this cost nearly 100 million Gold in the Trait Shop. Even converting Gold straight to won, that was 1 billion won.

If such an item hit the open market, what would it be worth? Probably well over 2 billion won.

Gangwoo stared at the DLC pak, a wistful look on his face.

‘Should I sell it?’

The thought struck him without warning.

If he sold it, everything he’d ever wanted would be neatly resolved.

The grinding poverty. His sister’s repository maintenance fees. The way he’d stand in the convenience store aisle debating whether to spring for the 100-won difference on ramen—all of it, gone.

And maybe, if he tossed Kim Ducheol a few coins, he could cut that tie clean, too.

Just one item. Sell this single item, and everything becomes easy. Simple.

His grip tightened on the DLC-Pack in his hand.

‘Do I really need money…? Is money even enough…?’

The money he’d craved so badly was right there in his grasp, and it brought him no joy at all.

Hadn’t he struggled for it? Hadn’t he wished for it? And yet—nothing. Not a single spark of happiness.

‘What is it I actually want…?’

He thought about what he truly wanted. What he really wanted to do.

Ha Gangwoo’s eyes sharpened. And he made up his mind.

“I’m bringing Jiyeon back.”

Bringing his dead sister back to life. Saving her, then untangling the mess his life had become and returning it to how it was before.

That’s what he wanted.

Ha Gangwoo looked down at the DLC-Pack in his hand.

“I’ll save her.”

A Resurrection skill didn’t exist yet. But there was a facility built on human greed, waiting for the day one would appear.

‘The Hope Repository.’

A place that restored dead bodies using the power of Artifacts. A place that halted decay with Artifact power and preserved empty shells without souls.

That place was the Hope Repository.

Ha Gangwoo’s younger sister, Ha Jiyeon, was there too. So there was still hope.

‘I need power.’

To do that, he needed power.

With power alone, he could cover the Hope Repository’s fees, solve his own poverty—and more than anything, gain real leverage.

That was why he couldn’t sell the item now.

This item he’d just obtained was his Trait itself. He’d even used the free purchase—his one and only chance—to get it, hadn’t he?

Right now, Ha Gangwoo had no other way left to get money.

‘Let’s use it.’

Once his mind was clear, the hesitation vanished.

Ha Gangwoo immediately used the DLC-Jumping Character.

[You have used the DLC-Jumping Character.]

The DLC-Pack in his hand flashed into a halo of light and sank into Ha Gangwoo’s body.

[DLC-Jumping Character is now activating!!]

[Player Ha Gangwoo has been designated as a Jumping Character.]

[You have acquired the DLC-Jumping Character Perk.]

“This is just the beginning.”

His Trait was understood. His mind was settled. All that remained was to charge forward without looking back.

A thin smile touched Ha Gangwoo’s lips as he checked the Perk he’d earned.

“This is insane in its own right.”

The Perk’s contents were beyond anything he’d imagined.