I woke up with a stiff body from sleeping on the cold bench. My stomach growled—I hadn’t eaten properly since entering the dungeon.

I went to the cafeteria, grabbed a can of food and a bottle of water, and sat down. The bland smell reached me as I opened the can.

“Ugh, this tastes awful…”

“Why can’t I have a proper meal like everyone else?”

As I ate, Kim Seungwoo approached, his face as tense as ever.

“Hello.”

“Sergeant Kim Seungwoo. Finished your report?”

He gave me a wry smile.

“Yeah… but I got demoted. I was about to visit my daughter at the hospital.”

I could see the exhaustion in his eyes and something else—unease. Something was off.

“Why do the soldiers seem so on edge? Did something happen?”

“A monster wave is coming. It’s a serious threat. You should leave now.”

“Damn it…”

A monster wave? Fighting an army of monsters wasn’t something even trained soldiers could handle, let alone me.

"I'll leave as soon as I can."

I said goodbye to Kim Seungwoo and went to the clinic. Baek Seolhwa was packing up.

“Ah… hello.”

“Why are you back? Did you forget something? Or... were you looking for me?”

"I just came to say goodbye."

Her smile faltered but quickly returned, though her lips pouted a little.

"You’re truly kind, Han-ssi. I’ve treated many patients, but you’re the first to actually care about me. Guess we won’t see each other again, huh?"

I nodded.

"I see..."

"I know it's strange to feel attached after just one meeting, but there’s something I want to say. Will you listen?"

I stayed quiet, watching her with a faint smile.

"I have a little brother about your age. He wasn’t perfect, but he was all I had..."

"He was stubborn yet kind. He always visited me at the hospital, taking care of his useless sister. I was proud of him..."

She paused, blankly staring into the empty space. Her voice trembled with guilt.

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"But my brother, Baek Jiwon, died because of me. He was killed by a monster—brutally. His last words were for me to run."

"He sacrificed himself for me, but I froze in fear. By the time I realized, it was too late. I killed him with my own hands. I ran away... not even looking back."

Her voice cracked, and tears spilled out. Her body trembled with the weight of her guilt.

Without saying anything, I pulled her into a hug. She paused for a moment, then relaxed.

She buried her face in my chest, her sobs muffled as she clung to me.

“Seolhwa-ssi?”

“Just a little longer,” she murmured. “I want to enjoy this moment…”

After a few moments, she let go, her cheeks flushed red. She stepped back, avoiding my gaze, her hands fidgeting.

“What… What did I just do?” she mumbled. “I hugged someone I barely know… and it felt good?”

She bit her lip, conflicted, but I just smiled warmly.

Seolhwa took a deep breath, her expression serious as she looked me in the eyes.

“Han-ssi, I’ve decided. I’ll follow you.”

“I might be a burden right now, but I’m a doctor. I can take care of your health, and I can treat your injuries... I’ll prove my worth.”

“I appreciate it, Seolhwa-ssi. But I refuse.”

“Eh? Why not?” she asked, voice shaky. “I’m a doctor. I can help with your health, treat your injuries... Isn’t that enough?”

I sighed and shook my head.

“Seolhwa-ssi, unless you’re awakened like me, the outside world is too dangerous.”

Her shoulders slumped, but she clenched her fists.

“I know it’s dangerous. But staying here, doing nothing, feels worse. I want to do something... something I’ll never regret.”

I knew she was serious, but the outside world was more dangerous than she realized. Still, having a doctor with me was tempting. Maybe a cleric class could be an option later.

“Well... if you insist, I won’t refuse you, Seolhwa-ssi.”

Seolhwa smiled brightly.

“You won’t regret this decision.”

While I thought it over, a hologram screen appeared in front of me.

Ding!

[System Notification: The party system is now unlocked. You can now add members to your party.]

[Would you like to invite Baek Seolhwa? Y/N]

“Huh?”

I forgot about the party system in the game. It was used by players to add people to their friend list and invite them. I’d been too focused on fighting to notice it.

I selected yes and added Baek Seolhwa.

She was surprised. A notification appeared for her.

Ding!

[You’ve been invited to join the party by Lee Han. Do you accept? Y/N]

“Kyaaaaa~”

She tilted her head, looking at me.

"Han-ssi, who exactly are you?”

I chuckled. She was too cute. I shook my head and shrugged.

"Didn’t I tell you the world is dangerous, and only awakened humans can survive?"

"Hmm. Now that you mentioned it, I remember you saying that. I was too emotional earlier, so I didn’t really listen."

I quickly equipped the sword from my inventory.

Swoooosh~

"So amazing~ Is that magic? How did you do it, Han-ssi?"

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the sword in my right hand.

"This sword is my weapon. I obtained it when I picked my class. If you want to help me, then pick a class that suits you and accept my invitation to join my party."

Without hesitation, Baek Seolhwa accepted the invitation immediately with a smile.

Ding!

[You've accepted the invitation.]

Hmmm. A blue arrow? I noticed the blue arrow above her head, along with her name and level.

Was it because I accepted her as my party member, or was it because I’m a player with a system?

“Han-ssi?”

“Ah… It’s nothing. Let’s get out of here immediately.”

The monster wave was approaching, and there was no time to waste.

After helping Baek Seolhwa pack her things and placing them in my inventory, we quickly left Gangnam Station.

But as we moved further, a chill ran down my spine.

Thousands of undead monsters were marching in our direction, led by a figure clad in pitch-black armor.

It was a Death Knight.

Out of curiosity, I used my status check ability.

Death Knight

Lv. ???

(???)

HP: ???

“What…?” My voice trembled. The difference between us was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even read its stats.

The Death Knight suddenly turned its head and stared directly at me.

A shiver ran down my spine, and my blood ran cold. It felt as though a blade was pressed against my neck.

“Huff… Huff…”

"Impossible! It noticed me from this distance?"

"Han-ssi, are you okay?"

Baek Seolhwa’s worried voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She stared at me, noticing my pale face and trembling hands.

But even though fear gripped me, a strange smile formed on my lips.

Three days had passed since then, and I was training my swordsmanship by hunting monsters in the wilderness.

I still remembered the day I met the Death Knight.

Baek Seolhwa had been checking on me regularly, asking if I was feeling okay. As a doctor, it was natural for her to be concerned.

At first, she was terrified when she saw a bloodhound. Her trauma resurfaced, leaving her unable to move. She trembled uncontrollably.

"Kyaaaah!"

"Somebody help me! I don’t want to die… Please save me, Han-ssi!"

She crawled on the ground, reaching out to me, begging for my help.

“Baek Seolhwa! If you don’t stand up right now, I will leave you here.”

I knew I was being harsh, but if she didn’t overcome her trauma, she wouldn’t survive in the wilderness. She’d be the first to die.

"Wh-What do I do? I'm weak. I'm not strong like you. I'm afraid... Whenever I see a monster, I remember the day my little brother died... I can't..."

"Seolhwa-ssi, I understand what you're feeling. My family died in a car accident ten years ago.

“I know how it feels to lose someone you love and care about. But will you let the sacrifice of your brother be in vain?”

“Will you stand up now, overcome your trauma, and fight with me? Or will you live like a coward for the rest of your life and face your brother in shame?"

After hearing my voice, Baek Seolhwa stopped trembling and glared at the bloodhound in front of her.

She grabbed the bow I had given her, knowing she needed a weapon to survive. With a quick step back, she distanced herself from the bloodhound and aimed. Without hesitation, she fired. The arrow hit its head, killing it instantly.

Thwack!

"Wh-What?"

I was surprised. No matter how skilled she was with a bow, it was unheard of to land such a perfect shot.

The bloodhound had let its guard down for a brief moment, thinking it had easy prey, but for her to kill it with one shot… she was a genius.

"Promise me one thing, Han-ssi. Please don’t abandon me."