One day, Gates broke out. Monsters flood from these dimensional breaches as they descend upon the world. People awaken power to take on against them and after the long war did, they restabilize to this new norm.
These awakened individuals are called Hunters who are heroes of this new world order. However, not everyone managed to awaken, thus there are those who are unquestionably left behind by these changes.
Jihoon Hyunwoon isn't even the lowest rank Hunters, he was merely a normal human, both before Gates appeared and after. He had his position in the entertainment industry as a music composer in movies and video games. While he wasn't the prodigy that shakes the world by storm or immortalized in history, he was considered unique and that alone makes him decent life.
When Gates appeared, nearly everything collapsed as suddenly, everyone like him becomes dispensable or acceptable sacrifice. Many of his colleagues weren't fortunate like him to see through the initial storm. And even when entered the restabilization era, the entertainment industry instead shifted its spotlights toward the Hunters and people like him are left within the shadows of those Hunters.
Initially, he didn't give up. He continued trying to compose music but the roar of monsters and the cheers for the Hunters were simply too overwhelming. He once at least had people who enjoyed his music but here, not a single person remembered him. He wonders, if he should have just died if the rest of his life is going to be miserable like this.
The world had changed, not for the better, at least for Jihoon himself. A relic of the past, a remainder of a world that no longer existed. A music composer found himself in a world that has no time for music. Left behind by the world, left behind to die a silence death beneath the shadow of the Hunters.
Jihoon stared toward the ceiling of his dim apartment. His savings are running dry, he changed home for like 5 times this year already because of Gate Breakout in the vicinity. Questioning what exactly he is living for.
He remembered reading about all of these Hunters stuffs in webnovels like years ago before the Gates appeared but to be living in one is too awful for him. The protagonists have their cheats, he has nothing. A nameless mook in the background, that's what he recognized himself as in this kind of story.
Longing for the past that no longer existed, he starts to retrospect upon his entire life. He recalls the reason why he even started to compose music in the first place. It was that one random video on the Internet from like so long that it has two-digit age, using old video editing effects that only early software has. Those were basically musical equivalent of doujin.
But that one music piece captured him instantly on the first note. The pluck of the harp instantly makes him nostalgic of a past that doesn't exist. And it only gets better from there. And guess what, that was only the introduction leitmotif.
Suddenly, he has an urge to recreate it on his computer. His life is terrible, but it simply won't take away his only right left to enjoy music. Booting up his laptop that can only be considered a relic at this point, he opened the music composing program.
'These are legends that have passed down through the ages, and the melodies are long forgotten.
They are the harmonic of the goddess's harp, peaceful and far beyond reach.'
Reminiscing the melody in his mind, recreating every instrument played within. The harp plucking at the beginning, the slow flute that accompanies it, the violin plucks. All to enhance that nostalgic reminiscence.
And as he continues to recreate it, his mind recalls back to the time when he was in the entertainment industry. He did change his workplace many times but composing music was his joy.
"Peaceful, and far beyond reach. How ironic". Jihoon said as he barely held his own tears while recalling. The taste of the past is bitter when you know that it can't ever be retrieved again.
Taking his gaze off the laptop, he noticed that he is in a magic circle which appeared out of nowhere. He thought that he is deluding himself due to loneliness but the sensation he felt doesn't lie to him at all.
"Wait... you can't be serious-". Before Jihoon could utter his entire phrase, he vanished along with the magic circle as it suddenly become so bright that he can no longer discern anything.
...
He opened his eyes again and this time met with only darkness all around him. Then a single light shone down illuminating the dark curtain around him. A graveyard of swords with white rose vines intertwining the blades, knee-deep flood in water.
Then beneath the sole shining spotlight, a girl with a pair of wings on her back is sitting atop the water surface while surrounded by the sword graves. With her hands, she plays the small harp with that nostalgic melody similar to his that he just recreated on his laptop.
Somehow, despite only the harp being played. It felt like an orchestra is following her melody despite only she is alone. The notes within contain mystical power that despite him having no power at all could feel the essence stirring.
Jihoon realized one thing, he just got transported to the moment that he sees her invent the forgotten melody itself.
'They are the harmonic of the goddess's harp, peaceful and far beyond reach.'
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Feeling as if his soul could drift away if he embraced the nostalgic melody, he gathers himself as he tries to converse with the girl who is seemingly too young for her role. He has nothing to lose in his world, this is his only chance to turn his life around.
Summoning all the courage he has, Jihoon approached the little goddess who is playing with her harp. His heart pounded with palpation, his sweat glance released its gate uncontrollably from stress. But with all the determination he has, he made his steps forward.
"Excuse me..." A voice that barely above a whisper that is mustered with all the willpower that he has.
The girl still continues to play but now with her eyes looking at him with inquisitiveness. A deep mystery within her eyes that he couldn't completely describe even if he masters literature. "I... I heard your music. It's... beautiful".
No response from her but she didn't turn him away so he must be doing something right at least.
"I'm... a musician. Or at least... I used to be. Your music is similar to the one that I loved, similar which inspired me to become a musician in the first place. So please, I want to learn from you, the magic of your music!". Jihoon said with all the sincerity that he has left.
A long moment has passed since his Jihoon's heartfelt utter. The little goddess's expression remains unreadable as always. Then, she spoke.
"Very well, I shall impart my wisdom onto you under one condition. Promise to me, that when the time comes, you will come to change the fate of my realm by the power you have obtained with your own efforts". The little goddess said to him before she makes a hand gesture.
Jihoon had an impulse to kneel down in front of her and then, she placed her hands on his head. Suddenly, arcane knowledge transferred into his mind as everything that is incomprehensible to him being inserted.
Before he could withstand another second of it, his consciousness drifted away.
...
He woke up again, this time on his bed. Body entirely drenched in sweat.
"What a fever dream that I had. Must have been all the fatigue and stress that got to me at this point. Perhaps all of this Hunters and Gates bollock is probably just a dream that I conjured and that-". Jihoon said to himself before he turned toward his side and saw a floating holographic panel next to him.
It was a System panel. He couldn't mistake it after reading so many webnovels involving them in the first place. As he tried to reach out to the holographic panel that is floating in the air, he actually touched the thing. Upon realizing that it is real, he quickly tries to analyze it.
The System's text at first was in a language that probably doesn't correlate to anything in this world. But when he focused, the unknown texts start to translate itself into his language in real time. It seems that the little goddess's imparted knowledge did wonder for his subconscious even if he doesn't consciously aware.
"Alright, typical System check." Jihoon said as he fiddles around with the screen. He felt like he just has been promoted from nameless nobody to main character status in no time. Will he suddenly have invisible audiances throwing shade at him, too?
First, there's the typical RPG stat sheet that is similar to a game interface. Strength, agility, dexterity, whatever... All of them are listed at 3 which is the all-around average of a human being. However, beneath all of that numerical standardized stat is another one that is listed differently.
Musical Prowess: Mid-Intermediate
"Uh, System? Explain what exactly does that stat does?" Jihoon tried to converse with the System interface. After waiting for a while, another panel popped up.
Musical Prowess: The ability of the user to write and use Song Magic.
Divided into following ranks: Novice, Intermediate, Expert, Master, Grandmaster.
-Early-Novice: Ability to recognize the differences in notes and tones. Comprehending the seven foundation music tones.
-Mid-Novice: Ability to create a recognizable melody with an instrument and understanding its intricacies.
-Late-Novice: Ability to write a pure music piece using an instrument and understand the melodies structured within it.
Because he was already a music composer for movies and video games, he already has some experiences beneath his belt. But he hasn't yet known what is the divide for the Intermediate rank. And speak of the details and it shows to him immediately.
Intermediate Musician: The minimum qualification to use Song Magic effectively. One can weave magic energy (Mana) into melody itself to evoke the effects that the melody composition has.
-Early-Intermediate: Ability to compose a complete song with multiple instruments, understanding the harmony and rhythm between them. The song can evoke simple emotions in the listeners.
-Mid-Intermediate: Ability to weave magic into the song, creating a Song Magic that can have minor effects on the environment or individuals. The song can evoke complex emotions and thoughts in the listeners.
-Late-Intermediate: Ability to evoke any emotion from any chosen instrument into Song Magic. Enabling greater range of effects.
Jihoon stared at the System's status window, his mind racing. He was already a Mid-Intermediate Musician, which meant he could already create Song Magic. He just needed to understand how to weave magic into his music. And for that, he needed to practice, to experiment, to explore the depths of his newfound ability.
Then, he noticed that the recreated melody is still there in his laptop thus he tries to finish it if he could. He doesn't know the exact method to pour Mana into his song but there was that one thing Musicians always do when making music pieces to make it stand out memorable.
Pouring their heart and soul into it.
The memories of his past resurged as the nostalgic melody played again. His subconscious taking its walk down the memory lanes, while his conscious acts continue to fill in the remaining of the song.
The people he worked with before, those who making the art directions of the work they do. The satisfaction to see their works be enjoyed. The tiredness after a hard day at work. All the good and the bad of his past, although conflicting as they are, it was something he yearned.
And he will never be there again.
Before he realized it, he has already input the ending into the song. And just like that, he named it just like its original title when he first heard it.
'Forgotten Melody'
The System panel popped up as it confirmed the creation of a Song Magic that he just made. And thus recorded within the System itself.
______-----{////\\\\}-----______
Forgotten Melody
Classification: Song Magic
Rank: Intermediate
Effect:
-Immunity to all negative mental status effects
-+50% EXP gain.
'A music piece composed of a nostalgic past that can't ever be returned to. The harmonic of the Goddess's harp bring peace to the tortured souls but since long forgotten for eternity.'
------_____{\\\\////}_____------
Upon seeing the recreation of the 'Forgotten Melody', Jiwoon suddenly got the urges the get his life back together. Upon checking up on his financial status again, he saw that he could only keep up with his living expense for the next 4 months.
Well, if he can still be a lazy ass even with the System, he simply has no right to live. Or even deserving of it in the first place.
"Time to mix tapes, and change life around". Jinwoo said as he gets up with purpose for the first time since very long ago.