In my first life,I was known as [The Hotelier].

I possessed a unique and never before seen S-Grade Class in the 12 years it had been since Gates and Dungeons invaded Earth.

If you’ve ever read even one of the Action Webnovels among the sea of choices on the internet,you would be familiar with the Concept.

When I was 14 years old,the world around me was plunged into utter chaos when mysterious ‘Gates’ appeared around the globe.

Out of these Gates came ferocious monsters ranging from the Scaling Lamias to the wild mutated Beasts that resembled native wildlife.

For a brief time,every country,no matter their initial military strength ,was pushed back.Everybody cowered in fear of losing their lives.

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost,selected individuals had ‘Awakened’.

The Awakened gained access to a peculiar entity known as the [System],which allowed them to gain skills,classes and level up their strength like a video game.

With the help of the Awakened and their cooperation with the Government,humanity was allowed to see another day.

The importance of the [Awakened] had been elevated to the heavens.

The authorities began to actively seek out Awakened individuals and started calling them [Hunters].

“If you have awakened,immediately report to the Hunter Association!”

If you were a hunter,you had to fight.

That was how it was for the first 4 years.

Then Guilds controlled by Hunters started to appear,preaching more freedom and the opportunity to earn significantly more money.

Who would want to be controlled by the Government?

Perhaps even the illusion of Freedom and choice was satisfactory enough,because soon being a Hunter was seen less as becoming a sacrifice and more of a Chance of a Lifetime.

With this sense of ‘Unity’,more advancements were made in the terms of studying the [System].

Even developing a Grading System.With S-Grade being the highest.

I was 18 years old by the time Guilds had overthrown the Government and the Hunter association in terms of Control.

When I’d heard the news,I was leaning against the window sill of my High School Classroom.Bidding goodbye to this room that meant essentially nothing to me.

I looked up from my Cellphone and turned to my right.

A boy who had once been a head shorter than her before the Cataclysm started was resting his elbows on the exact same window sill she was leaning against.

Staring out of the classroom,seemingly into the void at our schoolmates excitedly prancing around the compound.

His green hair dark enough to be mistaken for an off shade of black or grey.I always thought his hair resembled moss,especially when it was messy in the morning.

“Your parents not coming?”

“Probably not.”

Sometimes I felt my only friend was better off as an orphan,like me.

Would having no parents be better than having shitty ones?

“Working?”

“Probably drinking?”

That self deprecating chuckle was a signature of his.He has a handsome but stoic face so he really comes off as charming instead of being an asshole when he does it.

Nobody likes someone wallowing on self-pity.

The silence in the room seemed to be louder than the screams of accomplishment outside.I’ve known Lee Kiyoung since we met in the last year of Middle School.

Spending time together with the number of words spoken between us in the single digits were common.

What good is there discussing Homework or school?

Both of us have no interest in romantic relationships.

We don’t share the same hobbies either.

We sat next to each other in class because we preferred each others company to that of our eager classmates.

“Isn’t it weird having your best friend be a girl?”

While both of us were sitting on the rooftop during Lunchbreak,I had brought up the subject absentmindedly.

There was no doubt I was his best friend and he was mine,because we were each others only friends.

“So what?” Was his answer.

I don’t quite remember how I responded,I can only recall that after that day,Kiyoung gained a free-pass to my house and couch.

“What are you going to do now,Mister S-grade?”

Now that Kiyoung had graduated high school,he was ripe for the picking for the Hunter Association and Guilds to fight for.

“I’m not sure.”

With his money hungry parents,high chance he’ll be sold off to the highest bidder like at an auction.

Looks like my dear friend will be serving Korea whether he wants to or not.

“Do you want to fight?”

Lee Kiyoung was a decent fighter, he could even give off the aura of a seasoned gangster.

“I don’t want to,but the other options aren’t things I want either.”

Unlike me,who had a lofty goal of studying herbology and being locked up with books for the rest of my life,this punk had no passion for anything.

My brothers describe him as ‘Someone who was born to be a protagonist but lives to be a dragged for the ride.’

“Thanks for your service to the country,Lee Kiyoung-nim.”

In response to my light teasing,he could only sigh.

“My house door is always open to you.If you feel like running away,just come slack off on my couch.”

My only wish for Lee Kiyoung is that he doesn’t die before I do.