I was nobody.
Han Jihoon, 20 years old.
College dropout, manga enthusiast, and self-described apprentice of the "One Punch Routine."
Every morning at dawn:
100 push-ups.
100 sit-ups.
100 pull-ups.
10 kilometers.
No particular reason. No coach. Me, imitating the hero I grew up respecting from a panel of a manga.
It did not make me strong.
It just made me different.
And perhaps. that's why the world decided to change.
It began in Seoul.
Straight above Namsan Tower, the sky tore like paper ripped into two.
A gate—the very first.
Monsters emerged from it.
And then. chaos.
Structures collapsed. People wept. Alarms pierced.
Then humans started to awaken—struck by light, surrounded by mystical power.
Stats. Skills. Classes.
They were also called Awakeners.
I thought nothing was going to happen to me.
I wasn't special. I wasn't chosen.
But as I pulled a crying child out from under a broken wall, my vision became blurry—then lit up.
A blue window appeared in front of my eyes.
[ Awakening Successful. ]
[ Name: Han Jihoon ]
[ Level: 1 ]
[ Class: ??? ]
[ Traits: ??? ]
[ Skills: Insight (Lv.1) ]
[ Mana: ??? ]
I gazed, mouth slowly agape.
"No way…"
"This is it. This is my Sung Jinwoo moment."
I attempted to understand the screen.
It vanished in a flash.
"Okay—less cool than anticipated."
Before I could think another second, the ground under me trembled.
A red glow flashed from a second gate—a small gate, in a nearby alley.
But this one didn't spew forth monsters.
It sucked me in.
No chance to shriek. No chance to struggle.
The universe warped.
Darkness engulfed me.
When I opened my eyes, I was not in Seoul anymore.
A blood-red horizon extended infinitely overhead.
Floating islands sailed across the skies.
Tattered mountain peaks jut out through clouds, supported by burning chains of mana.
I was in the center of a gigantic round stone platform, which had been inscribed with ancient glyphs.
The air seared—each breath was like breathing embers.
"What is this place…"
I should have been frightened.
But all I could do was think—
"This is like Arcane Gate Chronicles… but improved!"
Then I heard it.
SKRRRRRAHHHHH—!
Two massive shadows tore through the sky, wings slicing through clouds like blades.
Dragons.
One red. One obsidian-black.
They circled me once, then dived towards me.
I stood my ground.
But they didn't crash.
They shifted in midair—their monstrous shapes contorting, re-shaping into human form.
The red dragon changed into a red-haired, blue-eyed man with a molten gold earring.
The obsidian one—silver-haired, dressed in black armor, frost emanating from his gauntleted fingers.
They strike the ground like thunder.
They were looking at me.
"That's human," the red-haired one sneered.
"Svädilo," answered the silver-haired warrior. "No man may pass through the Dragon Gate."
"No aura. No power signature. Just… weak," said the red one.
But something flashed in the black-armored one's eyes.
"Insight," I gasped, barely able to hold myself back.
A chime resonated within my mind.
[ Skill: Insight triggered. ]
Two luminescent panels materialized in front of me, hovering in mid-air like transparent HUDs.
Trim. Sleek. Black. Light blue text.
Straight out of Solo Leveling.
[ Name: Ignar ]
[ Race: Gate Guardian Drakeling ]
[ Class: Flame Warden ]
[ Level: 12 ]
[ HP: 2,400 ] [ MP: 1,050 ] [ Title: Red Watcher of the Trial Gate ]
[ Traits: Fire Affinity, Minor Flight, Aggressive Instinct ]
[ Skills: Ember Swipe (Lv.3), Molten Roar (Lv.2), Scale Harden (Lv.2) ]
[ Name: Kaelrith ]
[Race: Drakeling – Gate Guardian ]
[ Class: Icebound Sentinel ]
[ Level: 14 ]
[ HP: 2,700 ] [ MP: 1,200 ]
[ Title: Frost Watcher of the Trial Gate ]
[ Traits: Ice Affinity, Cold Resistance, Measured Focus ]
[ Skills: Ice Lance (Lv.3), Glacial Guard (Lv.2), Mana Suppress (Lv.1) ]
I almost laughed.
This was crazy.
This was all I'd ever dreamed.
But the atmosphere changed.
They were not pleased that I could see their statistics.
They were annoyed.
I was the punch line of some divine joke.
"Did a low-level summoner accidentally open the gate?" Ignar scoffed.
"Or perhaps this is a joke on the part of the nobles," said Kaelrith, his voice as icy as his armor.
They advanced.
I held firm.
"I did not want to be here," I said. "I just—"
"SILENCE," Kaelrith brusquely ordered. "You do not speak unless ordered."
I made fists.
They stopped a few meters off, mana vibrating in the air like electricity before the storm.
"He passed through the altar," Ignar explained to us.
"Exactly why we shouldn't let him live."
Their intent to kill intensified—was as heavy as gravity.
I stepped back one step. Ignar went off to his gauntlet.
Kaelrith drew his hand to the hilt of his sword.
I had no strength. No weapons. No plan. But I wasn't afraid.
I was in my own manga now.
And whatever followed thereafter— I was going to make it through alive.
Even if it had killed me.
[ To be continued. ]