I Just Subscribed and It’s the Best Hunter of All Time - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 1.
A late night.
Before clocking out, as I was cleaning the store, a message materialized before my eyes.
[You have been chosen by The Tower.]
“…What is this?”
I blinked, wondering if I was seeing things, but the message remained, unwavering.
‘The Tower?’
It wasn’t entirely unfamiliar.
More precisely, the moment I read those words, something surfaced in my mind.
Awakening.
Being chosen by The Tower meant I had become an Awakened One.
I knew this intellectually well enough.
The Tower and Awakened Ones had appeared ten years ago. Now The Tower had become commonplace, and Awakened Ones had settled firmly within society’s framework.
They were objects of admiration and longing—more coveted than most celebrities or athletes.
‘Though in reality, only a tiny fraction of Awakened Ones actually prosper to that degree.’
I furrowed my brow.
‘Awakening.’
Media outlets show only the bright side of Awakened Ones, but people no longer take it at face value.
The Tower is dangerous.
It’s filled with treacherous traps and perilous monsters.
Most climbers give up after a few attempts or are forced into early retirement due to severe injuries.
But…the compensation for surviving is equally staggering.
You can earn money impossible through ordinary work.
In short, it’s an extreme high-risk, high-reward proposition.
‘Even combining all three or four part-time jobs I’m juggling now, I wouldn’t match a single ordinary Hunter’s earnings, would I?’
I knew it was insane, yet I felt myself tempted.
But then.
“Jung Han-sung. Why are you standing around daydreaming instead of cleaning like you’re told?”
Someone spoke to me in a condescending tone.
I turned to see a familiar face—broad and spiteful, with narrow, piercing eyes.
The Store Manager and the owner’s son.
I answered curtly.
“I was cleaning.”
“Cleaning my ass. There’s still dust everywhere. Dust piles. And the grease is still all over the place!”
He shouted, pointing at various spots.
The Store Manager’s job was to oversee the part-timers, so that much I understood.
The problem was the other part-timers slacking off in the back.
Cleaning was supposed to be a shared responsibility, yet he singled out only me—the one actually working diligently—rather than the others. The reason was simple.
‘I don’t fit in with them.’
I didn’t socialize with them, didn’t participate in their gatherings and outings—my daily schedule was simply too grueling for that.
So because I’d barely participated before, at some point the Store Manager started openly finding fault with me.
The other part-timers subtly dumped their work onto my shoulders.
“Do you want to get fired? Huh? You know there’s no place around here that pays better than this, right?”
The reason I didn’t quit despite that situation was simple—the hourly wage here really was exceptionally high.
It annoyed me that the others kept pushing their tasks onto me, but even accounting for that, the work wasn’t particularly grueling.
So I’d endured it all this time.
“Did you go mute? Why aren’t you answering? Huh?”
I watched the Store Manager poke my chest with his finger and let out a hollow laugh.
The Store Manager saw that and made an exasperated expression, then said something.
“You’re laughing?”
Looking at him, a thought crossed my mind.
Do I really have to put up with this?
Even without an awakening, it’s not like I can’t find work somewhere else.
Having made my decision, I unhesitatingly hurled the mop I was holding straight at the Store Manager.
“If it’s so dirty, you do it.”
The Store Manager was startled and frantically caught it, then bellowed.
“You crazy bastard! Are you insane?”
“I’m quitting. That settles it, right? I’m genuinely sick of this.”
I then roughly pulled off my apron and threw it on the ground.
The part-timers who’d been slacking off in the back suddenly looked over with shocked expressions.
“Put my full salary in without deducting a single penny, unless you want to see this crazy bastard again.”
I glared at the stammering Store Manager once, then walked straight out of the store.
“Wow, he’s lost it.”
“What just happened?”
The remaining part-timers whispered among themselves about what had just occurred.
The Store Manager trembled with rage, then shouted.
“Hey! Stop slacking and get outside to salt the walkway!”
* * *
I exhaled with a sigh.
“Damn. I really did it.”
Having endured so much, my chest felt lighter. But it would be a lie to say I had no regrets.
This job had decent pay and a great location.
It was only five minutes from my place. Plus, the hours fit perfectly between my other jobs, so I hadn’t wanted to quit if I could help it.
If things had been normal, I might have somehow let the Store Manager’s verbal abuse slide.
In other words, it was an impulsive decision.
But it wasn’t entirely without reason.
‘That thing I saw earlier wasn’t an illusion, was it?’
I recalled the message I’d seen. The message that The Tower had chosen me.
‘Did I really awaken…?’
The method to confirm whether I’d truly awakened was simple.
I quickened my pace and entered the alley that led to my home. After glancing around my surroundings, I called it up in my mind.
‘Status window.’
And then, immediately after.
[Jung Han-sung]
[Rank: E]
[Points: 0]
[Ability: Subscribe]
[Skills: None]
A translucent window materialized before my eyes.
My mouth fell open slightly, but I quickly regained my composure and began examining it carefully.
Though I’d never seen a status window before, the information displayed felt familiar.
After all, there was plenty of information about Awakened ones scattered across the internet.
That’s right. I’d made a habit of searching for such things in my spare time.
Why wouldn’t I?
Despite the danger, becoming an Awakened one meant getting a chance to turn my life around, didn’t it?
Money. I could make serious money.
Having grown up in the Orphanage and entered the workforce early, I understood this well.
How crucial money truly was.
That nonsense about happiness being priceless? If someone genuinely believed that, they should check whether they simply had enough money. The answer would be no.
That’s why I’d been working multiple part-time jobs, saving ruthlessly.
And now, an opportunity had presented itself.
A chance to grasp far more wealth.
“Haa…”
I took a breath, trying to calm my excitement, and thought it through.
‘Rank is evaluated based on multiple complex factors, if I remember correctly.’
Everyone starts at E-rank before entering The Tower, and afterward it changes based on how far you’ve climbed, how quickly you’ve climbed, and various other considerations.
There were also rumors that conveniences within The Tower varied depending on your rank.
The ‘Points’ below that was a more complex concept.
They increased when you defeated monsters in The Tower or accumulated noteworthy achievements. With them, you could enhance your body or purchase items.
But the most important thing was your ability.
“Oh.”
While examining the status window, I’d somehow arrived at my home.
I opened the front door, stepped inside, closed it behind me, and only then examined the status window again.
‘In the end, what matters most is what ability you gain.’
The unique ability you obtain upon your first Awakening—in my case, it was ‘Subscribe’.
“What exactly is Subscribe?”
The problem was that I had no idea what it meant. I couldn’t even figure out how to use it.
But right after that thought, another message appeared before my eyes.
[Activating Subscribe Page.]
And before I could do anything, a window several times larger than the status window materialized.
“What the….”
I blinked my eyes.
The window that materialized before me had an oddly familiar design to it.
It resembled a fusion of the world’s largest video platform—MiTube and the streaming site WebFlix combined into one.
My eyes swept across the topmost section.
[Currently Trending Transcendents]
[Swordmaster Arthur’s Sword Techniques from the Basics]
[Archmage Merlin’s Meteor Summoning Magic]
[Superhuman Wrestler Muscle’s Muscle Destruction Technique….]
And beneath that lay countless other channels and videos arranged in neat rows.
“What on earth is this?”
My reaction upon seeing it could only be described as utter bewilderment.
Typically, abilities I’d seen on broadcasts or the internet—like pyrokinesis or telekinesis—were intuitive in nature.
But this subscription window before me gave no clear indication of what I was supposed to do with it.
Then, another message appeared.
[Spectacular Event for New Users! Free Gold Ticket with Your First Subscription! Choose Any Channel You Wish!]
[However, for any additional subscriptions thereafter, you will need subscription tickets.]
It wasn’t particularly kind, and it felt like the sort of advertisement copy you’d commonly see online, but I understood to some degree.
‘So the first subscription is free. After that, I’ll need to obtain those subscription tickets somehow?’
I scanned the list again with tense eyes.
‘I can’t just pick anything at random.’
If this was a first-time bonus, my choice now might feel wasteful later on.
‘Which one would suit me best?’
Before I knew it, I’d forgotten my initial shock and began focusing intently on examining the abilities.
[Swordmaster Arthur’s Sword Techniques from the Basics]
After deliberating for quite some time, the channel I ultimately chose was the very first one that had caught my eye.
While several other channels had drawn my attention, none of them felt as intuitive as the ‘sword.’
“Let’s see what we have here.”
I reached my hand toward the channel I’d decided on. No separate instructions were provided on how to operate it, but surely I could figure it out through trial and error.
The moment my fingertips touched the window.
[Would you like to subscribe to this channel?]
Another message appeared.
Since I’d already made my decision, I nodded without hesitation.
“Yes.”
The massive window that had filled my vision flickered and vanished.
And once more, a message appeared.
[Proceeding with subscription. Transferring to The Tower.]
“What? Wait….”
Before I could even finish speaking.
A brilliant light flashed before my eyes, and I felt my body being pulled into somewhere.
When my vision cleared from its white haze, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.
There was no need to wonder where I was.
[Transfer to The Tower has been completed.]
The message kindly provided the answer once again. I quickly straightened my posture and surveyed my surroundings.
The first thing that caught my eye was the drab gray floor and walls.
‘The Tower.’
It certainly seemed I had been transferred to The Tower.
However, there was no terrifying monster rushing at me the moment I arrived.
Instead, an unfamiliar voice resonated in my ears.
―You have entered the waiting room of Tower 7.
―In 10 minutes, you will be transferred to Floor 1 of The Tower.
―Prepare yourself.
My expression hardened at that voice, and I clenched my fists.
Ten minutes. Something would happen in just ten minutes.
Yet since entering The Tower, the message window had remained silent.
Hadn’t they said I was being transferred to The Tower to progress with my subscription?
If the transfer was complete, something should begin. The quiet status window made me increasingly anxious.
But then.
A flash of light—
Suddenly, a brilliant light flashed before my eyes, and someone materialized.
Full-body armor. A helmet that completely concealed the face. And a sword held rigidly forward.
I recognized who he was at a glance.
‘Arthur.’
The owner of the channel I had chosen. The reason I could recognize him immediately was simple.
He looked almost identical to the figure shown in the channel’s thumbnail.
The only difference was that his form was semi-transparent, as if a hologram had been projected.
Arthur gazed at the empty space around me with sharp eyes, then spoke in a measured voice.
―I am the sword of the Kaleha Empire. The Empire’s sole Sword Master. I am Arthur.
My expression became peculiar.
The words coming from Arthur’s mouth were a language I had never heard before. Yet strangely, I understood their meaning immediately.
In any case, Arthur continued without pause.
―What you have subscribed to is basic swordsmanship, but it is simultaneously the foundation of all sword techniques.
―I hope you gain much from this.
After finishing his words, Arthur walked a few steps toward me, then thrust the sword he was holding into the ground with a sharp sound and dissolved into particles of light, vanishing.
[Pick up the sword and begin your subscription.]
The message reappeared immediately after.
I stared at the sword still embedded in the ground and clenched my fists tightly.
I didn’t know exactly how this situation worked, but only a few minutes remained before I had to begin climbing The Tower.
I had no intention of wasting time hesitating.
The moment I reached out and grasped the sword’s hilt.
[You have subscribed to Swordmaster Arthur’s Basic Sword Techniques using a Gold Ticket.]
[This subscription is valid for a total of one week.]
“Ugh.”
A splitting headache accompanied by intense vertigo washed over me.
It felt as though someone had cracked open my skull and was etching knowledge directly into my brain, letter by letter.
Overwhelmed by the agony, I remained frozen in my sword-wielding stance, my consciousness slipping away for what felt like an eternity.
―The waiting period has ended.
―You are being transferred to Floor 1 of The Tower.
I found myself transported to yet another location.
Unlike the barren space before, this new chamber was already occupied.
“Kerrrk.”
“Keruk, keruk!”
Creatures roughly waist-high, their skin a sickly green—goblins, the common monsters that infested the lower floors of The Tower.
Though their physical prowess was unremarkable and they were often dismissed as mere trash mobs, such dismissal only applied to veteran Awakened ones.
And despite being called trash mobs, their numbers exceeded twenty. In the early days, countless newly Awakened had perished without even clearing the first floor.
Now that information about The Tower had spread, parties of five—the maximum allowed entry—would fill their ranks completely before entering.
A freshly Awakened individual could never hope to dispatch twenty goblins alone.
Perhaps that was why.
The goblins, spotting me standing alone, let out grotesque cackles and displayed unmistakable excitement.
As if they had discovered easy prey.
Meanwhile, a message materialized before my eyes.
[Objective: Eliminate 20 Goblins]
[Time Limit: Two Hours]
[Select your basic weapon.]
I slowly raised my head, regarding the translucent message hovering before me, and muttered aloud.
“A sword.”
An unremarkable iron blade materialized from thin air. I seized it and fixed my gaze upon the green creatures before me.
“Kerrrrk!”
The sight of twenty goblins seething with excitement was enough to make even the bravest’s knees buckle.
Yet the emotion that surfaced in my eyes was neither fear nor tension.
With a distant gaze, I whispered to myself.
“Keep your feet light. Strike like the wind.”
In the next instant, my feet pushed off the ground.
The goblins, seeing me charge toward them, raised their weapons in excitement.
Confident they would drive their blades deep into my defenseless human flesh.
But their confidence was short-lived.
Slice!
As the distance closed, my blade swept across the nearest goblin’s neck, severing it cleanly in one motion.
It did not end there.
I continued my relentless assault, and the goblins surrounding me fell without raising their weapons even once, their necks cleaved from their bodies.
“Kyieeeek!”
“Keruk!”
The goblins, seeing this spectacle, grew even more frenzied and charged forward. And every last one of them lost their heads in perfect harmony.
After this pattern repeated several times, the remaining goblins finally trembled with fear.
“The angle of the blade swing. Breathing. Force. When everything is controlled with absolute precision….”
And Jung Han-sung pursued even those cowering goblins, severing every neck without exception.
“…I can achieve maximum efficiency with minimum effort.”
The time it took to dispatch all twenty goblins was merely a few dozen seconds.
Not even a full minute had elapsed. And then messages began cascading across his vision.
[Floor 1 objective completed.]
[You receive a lowest-grade magic stone as a reward.]
[Floor 1 objective completed in record time!]
[You overwhelmingly subjugated the enemies.]
[You have achieved a Clear Rank of ‘SSS’.]
[You obtain a Gold Box as an additional reward.]
Even after the messages appeared, Jung Han-sung stared blankly into empty space, muttering to himself for a long moment before finally snapping back to awareness and looking ahead.
Immediately, astonishment spread across his face.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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