Chapter 1: The Weakest Hunter
"Jin, you good back there?"
Jin Ryu nodded quickly, keeping his head low as he jogged to catch up with the group. The strap of his worn leather pack dug into his shoulder, full of nothing but potions and emergency gear. His dagger, still untouched, bounced at his side.
"I'm fine," he said. His voice came out quieter than he wanted.
"Yeah?" Taesik grinned over his shoulder. "You look like you're about to throw up. Again."
The others laughed—mostly low-ranked Hunters just like him, but still stronger. Faster. Worth more. Jin just forced a smile.
"Guess the cold air's getting to me," he said.
They stood in front of a glowing blue gate that shimmered like water suspended in midair. The D-Rank raid wasn't supposed to be difficult. Just another day, another paycheck. Enough to buy his mother's meds for the week.
"Alright, group up!" the leader, Hyun, called out. "We go in, clear fast, and don't get cocky. Got it?"
"Got it!"
Hyun turned to Jin last. "Same job as always. Emergency duty. Hang back, stay alive. Pull anyone who gets dropped."
Jin nodded. "Understood."
He stepped through the gate with the others, breath catching as the world shifted.
In an instant, they were inside—a dim stone cavern with a flickering ceiling of mana crystals. Cold. Still. Echoes of monsters ahead.
The usual.
The group moved quickly, and the first few fights went smooth. Goblins. Skeletons. Nothing they couldn't handle. Jin watched from the back, kneeling by the entrance, hand resting on a healing potion.
He was used to it by now. Staying behind. Being the weak one. Human luggage.
"Honestly," Taesik whispered between fights, "I don't know why we even bring him."
Jin heard it. Of course he did. But he just adjusted his grip on his dagger and looked away.
That's when the ground rumbled.
Everyone froze.
"What the hell?" Hyun muttered.
A chunk of the far wall broke away, revealing a second chamber behind it—unmarked on the raid map. Dark. Silent.
"No way that's part of the dungeon," someone said.
"Could be a hidden loot room," Taesik offered.
"Or a trap," Yura muttered, voice tense.
Hyun chewed his lip. "We check it. Carefully."
Jin followed last. The moment they crossed the threshold, the stone door slammed shut behind them.
Bang.
"Hyun?!"
"I didn't touch anything!"
Torches lit themselves along the walls. The chamber was massive—like a temple buried underground. Statues of robed warriors stood in a circle, weapons aimed toward the center.
On a raised platform, glowing letters formed in midair:
"Prove your worth to Time."
A low hum filled the air.
Then the statues moved.
"What the hell?!"
Cracks formed as ancient stone bodies stepped down from their pedestals—massive, armored giants wielding rusted blades still sharp enough to cleave a man in half.
"Run! Back to the door!"
"It's sealed!"
Panic broke out. Fire spells flew. Arrows thudded into stone.
Nothing worked.
Jin stumbled backward, heart hammering. Everyone was moving—but not right. Time seemed to twist around him. Sound blurred. Vision warped.
And then—
Everything stopped.
Mid-scream, mid-motion, mid-battle—frozen like a paused video.
Only Jin moved.
His breath echoed too loud in his ears.
"What is this…?"
Then the screen appeared.
> [You are eligible to inherit the Chrono System.]
[Do you accept the Contract of Time?]
[Yes] / [No]
"What the hell is this?"
> [Warning: Declining will result in death in 7 seconds.]
His hand hovered in the air.
"I'm hallucinating. I have to be—"
> [6 seconds.]
"No—wait—!"
> [5 seconds.]
"I don't—"
> [4.]
He gritted his teeth.
Sick mother. Empty fridge. Mocking teammates. Powerless life.
"…Fine."
He tapped [Yes].
The moment he did, everything changed.
A searing pulse spread through his body, like fire and lightning tangled together. His breath caught. He collapsed to one knee.
Another screen flashed.
> [Chrono System Activated.]
[Title Gained: The One Who Escaped Time.]
[Skill Unlocked: Time Slow (Passive).]
[Beginner Quest Generated.]
Jin gasped. The world flickered—and then snapped back to motion.
"—JIN, MOVE!"
A massive blade came down—too fast to dodge.
But he saw it. Every detail. Every drop of sweat on the statue's cracked fist.
Instinct took over.
He stepped to the side.
Just stepped.
And the blade hit nothing but stone.
The statue stumbled past him.
"What—?"
"Did Jin just dodge that?!"
"No way—how?!"
Jin didn't answer. He stared down at his own hands. They didn't shake. His heart didn't race.
Everything had slowed.
Everyone else moved like they were in thick water.
He could see everything.
Another screen flickered.
> [Time Points: +1]
[Skill Progress: Time Slow Lv.1 – 28%]
Jin stood up straight.
The others were still fighting. Still panicking.
But for the first time, Jin wasn't afraid.
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End of Chapter 1