The world didn't slow down.
Jin Hwan had barely slept in the last two days—not because of nightmares, but because his golden system wouldn't stop pestering him with tutorials, stat optimization guides, and messages like:
[User, your bed posture has a 47% risk of lower back strain. Would you like to initiate Auto-Sleep Positioning System™?]
"...System, shut up."
[Understood. Activating Silent Mode. Rude.]
❖ Location: Korea's Eastern Wilderness – Gate 342-B Perimeter
Three days later, Jin Hwan stood in front of the glowing, swirling void of Gate 342-B.
It pulsed with strange energy—bluish-black, like a storm trapped behind glass.
Drones hovered nearby, recording everything. Elite hunters monitored the surroundings, all ready to respond if the gate turned unstable.
A supervisor approached, clipboard in hand.
"Team Four. Step forward!"
Jin Hwan blinked. "That's us?"
A tall figure clapped him on the back—hard enough to knock the wind out of him.
"Yup, bunny-boy. Hope you're not afraid of blood."
He turned to face the voice and instantly winced.
Name: Kang Dae-Jung
Rank: B-Rank Hunter
Class: Weapon Master (Axe)
Age: 20
Status: Musclehead. Friendly menace. Loud.
He had the build of a tank and the grin of a misbehaving high schooler.
Beside him stood a refined-looking girl in a traditional blue hanbok-style hunter uniform.
Name: Cho Hana
Rank: B-Rank
Class: Ice Elementalist
Age: 18
Status: Elegant. Cold. Probably hates fun.
She gave Jin Hwan a glance. Then, with zero hesitation, said, "You're the rabbit?"
"Um… yes?"
She turned away. "Expected fluffier."
Jin Hwan's ears drooped slightly.
"Geez," he muttered. "Hard crowd."
The last team member skipped into view, literally.
Name: Min Joo-Yeon
Rank: C-Rank
Class: Tamer
Age: 17
Status: Walking chaos. Dangerous smile. Too cute for her own good.
She had two baby monsters perched on her shoulders—a flame fox and a slime rabbit. She squealed when she saw him.
"Bunny! A real one! You're so cute, I could die~!"
Before he could dodge, she was hugging him tightly, pressing her cheek against his.
"Araaaaghhh! Soft ears!! I'm in heaven!!"
[System Alert: Danger to user's dignity detected.]
[Activating Escape Protocol… just kidding.]
"HELP!" Jin Hwan flailed.
Dae-Jung roared with laughter. "We've got a lively team, huh?!"
Hana sighed. "We're doomed."
❖ Mission Start: Gate 342-B
Objective: Investigate disappearance of patrol squad. Clear the dungeon.
Instability: Medium (43%)
Gate Type: Forest Ruins
The world changed the moment they stepped inside.
A scent of moss and ancient stone filled the air. Massive trees towered above them, their branches like skeletal fingers. Broken ruins lay scattered across the forest floor, covered in glowing mushrooms and tangled vines.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
"Everyone stay alert," Hana said, her voice calm but clipped. "Standard formation. Rabbit in the middle."
"Name's Jin Hwan," he muttered.
"Middle."
He sighed.
❖ Two Hours In
The first encounter came suddenly—a three-eyed boar beast charged from the undergrowth, thick tusks gleaming with slime.
"Contact!" shouted Dae-Jung, swinging his giant axe with a roar.
The weapon cleaved through the beast with a loud crunch, splattering ichor everywhere.
"HAHA! First blood!"
Hana followed up by freezing another lunging beast with a precise ice spear, then shattered it with a flick of her hand.
Meanwhile, Jin Hwan was doing his best to dodge a smaller beast—using his new Wind Step skill to weave through trees and leap over roots with supernatural agility.
[Skill Upgraded: Wind Step Lv. 2 → Lv. 3]
[New Trait Unlocked: Aerial Drift]
He flipped midair and landed behind the beast, barely managing a kick.
It stumbled.
"…Cool," he muttered.
A glowing rabbit symbol formed briefly on his hand.
[New Skill Acquired: Rabbit's Mark – Applies 'Lag' debuff to enemy movement. Scales with Luck.]
He grinned.
"Now we're talking."
❖ Deeper Within the Ruins
As the team rested near a half-broken shrine, Joo-Yeon sat beside Jin Hwan, still clinging to him like a backpack.
"You're surprisingly useful~" she chirped. "I thought you'd cry."
"I almost did," he admitted.
"Cute~!"
She poked his cheek.
Dae-Jung passed them roasted beast meat. "Eat up, bunny. You earned it."
Jin Hwan bit into it cautiously. "Tastes… okay."
Hana stood watch by a mossy statue, staring into the forest.
Then she turned.
"We're being watched."
Everyone froze.
Jin Hwan's system chimed.
[Passive Triggered: Wind Sensory Boost – Detection Alert]
[Presence Detected: Unknown Entity. Hostile Intent Confirmed.]
Before anyone could react, a shadow lunged from the trees.
A humanoid monster—lean and tall with a deer skull for a head and black, clawed limbs—rushed toward them in a blur.
[Name: Forest Revenant]
[Class: C+ Grade Boss – Stealth Type]
[Danger Level: High]
Jin Hwan didn't think.
He jumped forward, instinct guiding him.
Wind surged around him, and time seemed to slow.
[Active Skill: Rabbit's Mark – Applied.]
[Wind Step – Activated.]
[Counter Initiated.]
He slid under the creature's swipe, tagged it with glowing energy, and kicked off a tree branch to redirect its lunge.
Joo-Yeon's flame fox spat a fireball.
Dae-Jung slammed his axe into the monster's back.
Hana froze its limbs.
And Jin Hwan—spinning midair—landed the final kick, sending the creature crashing into a ruined wall.
[Boss Defeated.]
[Experience Gained: +1,320]
[Skill Proficiency Increased.]
[You Leveled Up! Lv. 4 → Lv. 6]
He landed, panting, wind swirling around him.
His system glowed gold.
[Trait Unlocked: Graceful Hare]
[Title Gained: 'Whirlwind Dancer']
Everyone stared.
"...You saw that, right?" Jin Hwan wheezed.
Hana stared for a long moment.
Then turned away, cheeks faintly pink. "...Lucky kick."
Joo-Yeon giggled. "Maybe I'll keep you as my bunny pet forever~!"
Dae-Jung tossed him a thumbs up. "Kid, you're weird. I like it."
Jin Hwan blinked, then smiled slowly.
Maybe he wasn't just a background character anymore.