Chapter Text
One day, an enormous rift formed over the sky. A blue-colored energy flowed down through its cracks and soon filled the entire world. People called it mana. A handful of people naturally had a greater affinity to mana and gained special abilities through the energy of the rift. Those people were called the Awakened. Once the storm of mana had swept past, mana stopped flowing out of the rift. But the crack in the sky still remained. By the time people got used to the Awakened living amongst them, vortices of mana started appearing around the world and distorted space around them to form gates. This was the point of global cataclysm.
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I thought things would change once I became one of the Awakened.
My life used to be as insignificant as a random pebble on the streets.
But I never asked for anyone to admire me.
People used to beat me up and take my things.
But I never wanted to use my powers to bully someone or take things from them.
All I ever wanted...
...was to have someone I could call a teammate and be there for that person.
But I guess I was asking for too much.
I'm just a useless rank-D creator.
People always scoffed at me whenever I told them I was a Hunter.
So I knew I'd end up dead like this one day.
But that doesn't mean I want to die.
I don't want to end up as a pebble that got crushed away into oblivion.
I want to become the strongest support ever.
Then maybe my life could change.
******
Shin Junseo suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the roof of his room.
The same dream. Again.
He closed his eyes and took a breath before he got up. He could still feel the freeze and the pain that he had felt in his dream. Junseo glanced distractedly out the window and tried to cling to reality. His guild was destroyed. His partners died. His first friends died. He almost died. If he hadn’t found the well, he’s sure he would have been dead by now. But that doesn’t matter anymore. Now that he has memories of the future himself and knows that the world will be destroyed, he is determined to save it. And protect everyone he couldn’t before.
Junseo remembers the first (and last) dungeon he made with his guild, the Dowon guild. It started like every normal day, he was late...
- "Hey, there he is.
- Geez, the newbie is the last to arrive ! Back in my day- Duwon Im, the main tank, started.
- Here we go again. You used to be late to every meeting, you know ? Jimin Kim, the DPS, interrupted him.
- I'm so sorry for being late... says Junseo, breathless.
- Don't be a wuss... I'm just messing with you ! You're not even that late, so let's get going! continue Duwon.
- Yeah, we can talk things over on the way in! Hyeonu and Doyun are already inside, says Jimin.
- Oh, okay!
Junseo followed them, and they entered into the gate.
Sigh...I messed up, thinks Junseo. It's been three months since I joined the guild, I finally got my chance to enter a Dungeon, but I arrived late. I have to stay sharp. This is the first mission as support. I'm going to show everyone that I can be useful!
- By the way is this your first dungeon, Junseo? Doyun, the guildmaster and assassin DPS, is asking.
He's B-rank and Junseo was recruited to be his personal support. Junseo is a weapon creator, he can create every type of weapon with his mana. But due to his rank, the weapons he creates are of poor quality.
- Yes, it's my first time clearing a dungeon as a support. But I've been to dungeons as a helper before. answer Junseo, a little nervous.
- Then, you'll need some instructions. Unlike Hunters, supports don't have combat abilities, explain Doyun. So you have to position yourself wisely. If you get too close, you might get swept up in the battle. But we can't protect you if you stay too far.
At this moment, Junseo imagines a big bird picking him up and beating him on the floor.
- So the key is to maintain a good distance. You're a creator so stay away from the battle and throw me a dragger when I give you the signal. Easy, enough right? finish Doyun.
- Uhh... yes! reply Junseo. I-Is that all I need to do? I could make other weapons as well...
- No. I'm the only one who needs spare weapons. This is an easy dungeon, and it's your first mission. So don't push yourself too hard--
- Hold on, interrupted Hyeonu, the mage. I sense mana. There are monsters right up ahead.
- Alright! Everyone, get ready for the battle! Move in formation! Duwon warns.
- Did you notice anything in particular? Doyun asked Hyeonu.
- I see three small lumps and one large bulk of mana. Judging by its size, the boss monster seems to be coming our way.
Doyun frowned at his answer.
That's odd. Boss monsters rarely leave their area.
- Okay, I'll take the boss monster. Handle the rest. Doyun decided before he turned to Junseo. How fast can you craft a dagger?
- Oh. I can make one in 20 seconds, but the dagger will only last you for a minute.
- That's good enough, he smiles, so start crafting one now. We're gonna finish this in 40 seconds.
Just at the moment he finishes his sentence, a group of Cristal lizard appears and charges us.
- I'm gonna go first! Duwon claim.
- Got it! Jimin replies.
He gathered his energy, which he concentrated in his shield that he knocked down on the floor. At the same time, Jimin took a run-up to dash on the Cristal lezard in front of her and cut it off.
The status effect immediately wore off!
- Watch out! Two lizards heading your way! she warned.
- How's the spell coming along? Duwon asked Hyeonu.
The mage made a circle of flames surrounded by runes appear.
- It's ready!
And fireballs were projected onto the enemies. The explosion was a huge blast from which they were protected by Duwon's shield.
- They're toast! Hyeonu exclaimed.
- All right! I'm going over to help!
What a teamwork. Thinks Junseo. So that's how a guild fights together...
- Junseo! Where's the weapon ?! shouts Doyoun.
- Y-Yes! It's ready!!
Junseo hurried to make a dagger.
I'd better stop gawking and focus...!
- Here you go! say Junseo as he launches the dagger at Doyon. He received it and activated his skill "Shadow Weapon". Expends the caster's weapon. The caster's mana and the quality of the weapon may increase the damage dealt by the shadow weapon. The weapon vanishes after a certain amount of time.
Cristal Lizard was left standing on the ground as Doyun slashed his head with a single blow.
- Is everyone is okay? Duwon asked.
- I'm fine, responds Jimin.
As they gathered, Junseo stayed away. He was impressed by his guild. They're much stronger than he thought. Each is individually powerful and the tight teamwork prevents any mistakes in battle. If they keep this up, Junseo was sure that if they keep this up, they'll definitely become a top guild in no time. That made him realize how he was unless. He did nothing but craft a dagger. He wasn't really helpful at all. He looks at his hand and feels so powerless that he wonders if he really belongs here.
- Are you all right? Doyun interrupted his thinking.
- Yes, all thanks to you. But there wasn't much I do to help. Ahaha... admit Junseo a bit embarrassed. Doyoun gave him a confused look.
- What are you talking about ? Doyun denies. You have no idea how much money you're helping us save. You saw how my skill used up that weapon. I can't afford to keep doing that even if I get the cheapest ones around. That's why I needed the help of a creator. he put his hand on Junseo's shoulder. Since the skill works with any weapon that has mana. So let me say that again. Well done on your first dungeon mission. Just keep this up.
The smile that he gave to Junseo with so much kindness was like a sun in the dark of all his fears and anxieties. Junseo felt unable not to give one back to Doyun.
- Of course! Thank you, I'll do my best!
- Now let's get the loot and leave this--
Duwon didn't have the time to finish what he said cause suddenly, a part of the dungeon fell apart, leaving everyone in panic.
- H-Huh?! Is it an earthquake?! supposed Jimin
- Don't tell me the cave is coming down because we killed the boss monster ! Hyeonu rages.
- L-Look over there! The wall is crumbling down!!!
Everyone look in the direction that Junseo shows. Hyeonu uses his magic to turn a light.
- It seems like a passageway, it leads somewhere else. say the mage.
- A passageway...? ask calmly the guildmaster.
- A SECRET PASSAGE ?! A secret passage in a dungeon can only mean one thing! It's gotta be the entrance to the treasure room! All right! Let's head in! Duwon exclaims excitedly.
- I'm all for it! join Jilin with stars in her eyes too.
- Wait! Don't rush into an unknown location...! try to stop them Hyeonu.
- Did you detect anything through your spell? Duyun enquired.
- No, but--
- Then it's fine. The tremor stopped, so the cave should stay intact as well. We can quickly check the place out. decide the guildmaster.
- Yeah! We got the guildmaster's permission! Let's go!
- I guess I have no choice I'll come along. Hyeonu resigns himself.
They enter the passage, these two excited in front with Hyeonu who tries to worry them. Junseo stayed behind with Duyun. And it was the last time he saw them. After that, a monster who should never have been in a Rank-D dungeon attacked them. And killed all the guild members. Junseo was running to try to save his life. Even though he is only a supporter, he didn’t want to die. He was shot by the great golem monster. He felt frightened and sore, but he made a dagger and threw it at the monster. Without any effect. The moment the monster pushed him, the ground collapsed and Junseo fell into the water.
The descent was long, long enough for regrets.
I knew this would happen. I'm a useless rank-D support who can't even cast the simplest heal or buff skills.
Junseo felt like he was flowing endlessly. The water enveloped him and everything became darker as it flowed.
And just when I thought I finally found a guild that needed me, I left them behind, just to get killed as well...How pathetic am I?
The air was escaping from his lungs and the deeper he sank, the more he suffocated, but nothing was more terrible than the fact that he couldn’t do anything to save his friends. Until the end, he would have been nothing but a burden for them. He could not do anything to deserve being called a partner.
If anyone else had been here in my place, I'm sure they could've done more.
The light vanished and everything became darkness.
I should've never become an Awakened. I was too ambitious for my own good.
At the moment Junseo was resigned to die with all his regrets, a strange blue message appeared in front of him. It lets him know that he has found the [well of ???] and has fulfilled the requirement to become a [player]. Without Junseo having the time to understand what it meant, a new message appeared to ask if he wanted to see the [New Reward]. Confused but couldn't breathe and didn't have another choice, he use his last forces for press [Yes].
That's how he inherited the memories and experiences from the past life of [Junseo Shin, The Weapon Creator]. Thanks to the memories and the experience of his future himself, he was able to rise to the surface and defeat the monster that had killed his comrades and friends using a technique he later developed the Grid World skill, to attack from multiple angles at the same time when possible. This skill forms a grid over a certain radius around the caster. It allows all items generated within the grid to be freely manipulated at the caster's will.
Junseo always thought grid world was an auxiliary skill used for quickly delivering created items, he never knew it could be utilized as an offensive skill with enough mastery. At the end of the battle, the system gave him a new passive skill [Absorb Demoniac Energy]. Junseo gained the memories of his past life and really didn't understand exactly what that meant just yet, but they were his memories. To be precise, they were the memories of another Junseo living several years in the future. And by then, the world had come to an end. By the memories, Junseo saw horrors beyond description. But the memories also give him all the knowledge and the experience he had gained by that point. The future he saw probably won't be the future of this universe, because many things have already changed. The evidence is that he is a player now and he wasn't in his past life.
Players are the select few of the Awakened who are chosen. If the timeline is the same as his past life, there shouldn't be any players in the world at this point in time. About two years from now, some of the Awakened will get chosen as players. Only they could see the blue hallucination which later is referred to as the system. That single ridiculous phrase sent by a mysterious being shocked every Awakened in the entire world. The system wasn't the only benefit one got as a player. Each player received different rewards, they gained new abilities beyond their power as an awakened. The system and rewards exponentially boosted the growth of players which helped them rise beyond the other awakened. That's how Dawon guild became one of the top guilds thanks to the guildmaster, who was chosen as a player. That did little for Junseo's growth in itself, but it still gave him the drive to become stronger in his past life. He made tremendous efforts to train himself so he could become a proud member of his growing guild.
When Junseo saw his window skills, he discovered that he gained all the skills and mastery from his past life and his new passive skills [Absorb Demoniac Energy] that he didn't have in the past. It was the first time he saw a player with a skill like this, even with his future memories.
Junseo recovered the bodies of his friends. He didn't cry. This time, at least, he was able to carefully bury their bodies.
After that, Junseo reported the incident to the association. He is pretty sure that the members of the association have doubts about him now. A small guild got wiped out in an unconfirmed dungeon four out of five people died in the incident but the sole survivor happens to be a Rank-D support. It's obviously suspicious. But it's not like someone can imagine what really happened. And now he knows the disaster is coming soon, he has two years to prepare the world to resist.
Sometimes Doyun’s face smiling and congratulating him stayed in his memory long enough to ruin the rest of the day.
But there’s no point in stirring up the past. Better leave it behind.
Junseo looked away from the window.