Prologue
Swoosh!
A young man clad in iron armor leaped over a towering creature, channeling lightning downward. Fluctuating white lights gleamed over the giant creature with a rocky body frame, towering at about fifteen feet.
BHARRGH!
"Ahhhh!" The humanoid colossus cried out in agony.
The attacker, a skinny young man in ash armor, landed a few meters away from the creature that was hit by his lightning. He wore a cap and a face mask, concealing his identity.
"Phew."
The white light remained transparent within the colossus' body, and after a couple of seconds, a burst manifested from its core, creating a heavy wind.
Whew! Whew!
The young man raised his left palm before his face, glancing at what was before him. The giant colossus burst into pieces, its entire body dispersing into blue lightning. Instinctively, he leaped to the other side of the cavern to avoid being hit by the debris.
"Another A-rank down," he thought, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. "I need to get stronger."
Ding...ding....
He opened a messaging app on his phone and sent a message to someone called Summoner.
"1 down at A-rank dungeon."
---
Years ago, thunder-endowed passages called portals emerged all over the city, unleashing monsters into the world. Hunters arose to tackle these creatures, driving many of them back into the portals. These portals anchored themselves within various buildings, transforming them into monster-infested territories known as Dungeons. Hunters, ranked from the weakest F-rank to the legendary S-rank, battled these threats to reclaim their world. The S-rank Hunters, often referred to as Legendary Lords, stood as the strongest defenders against these monstrous incursions.
---
In another part of the world, in a dark cave-like passage, five weather-beaten creatures leaped into the air towards a target in their direction. A small rectangular screen was positioned over their heads, displaying the names LEVEL 1 GOBLIN-BERSERKER.
In front of them was a calmly reacting man in armor, his identity concealed. He didn't move from his position even though the green-bodied creatures were charging towards him.
With a dashing demonstration, he stretched his hand to his side, clutching a dagger.
Assuming an imposing stance, he prepared to make his own attack.
Whoosh!
His body dashed into the midst of the goblins. Blue lights flashed within them, and whenever that happened, a particular goblin became a bloody mess on the floor.
Swish!
The man separated the last goblin's head from its body. He took out his smartphone and sent a message too.
---
The sun shone brightly in the sky. Warm air from the sea whistled around, and the soft melody of seabirds created a relaxing atmosphere for anyone fortunate enough to be at the beach at that moment.
An elegant-looking young man reclined on a lounge chair under the shade at a beach. His hair was deep black and oily, hinting at his carefree nature.
Ding.....ding.....ding....
His phone vibrated with messages. Lifting himself from the chair, he removed his sunglasses and picked up his phone. His eyes were fixed on the screen for a long time. Eventually, the corners of his lips curled into a wide grin.
He casually nodded, "Number 1 and Number 2 have done pretty good work there. With this kind of raid, they will help me make a lot of money."
He stood up and stretched his arms. Yawn.....
"Agrhh. I should get to work now too. The two guys will have to join me this time — I've got a small amount of energy."
He hopped into a jacket hung on the chair's arm and walked down the beach.
---
"Have you ever imagined someone making money for you? Fighting for you? Working out for you? Playing bets for you?"
"That's the kind of life I have. My name is Lee Seung, and I have an ability that I can boast about. Before becoming awakened, I used to have a lot of work on my plate each day. I needed to study, go to my part-time job, play games, and, of course, write my novel."
"However, all this became easy in the end. Because....."
In an apartment, a young man stood in the middle of the living room, his teeth gritted. His eyebrows furrowed, and he swallowed his saliva.
"I have never tried this. Yeah, I can be nervous. But at least, I must give it a go. I have been told what I summon could be the other version of me or an evil spirit, but... I can jump out the window and shout for help, right? Maybe Mr. Song can offer doughnuts to the evil spirit to... appease it? That'll do, won't it?"
He swallowed his saliva again. Mustering all his courage, he shouted...
"Emerge!"
Thud.
His eyes were closed, and his hands shook profusely. He curled his body while standing, as if a crybaby.
He cried, "Please don't hurt—"
"I am here, master! Forever here to serve you!"
His mouth opened wide, and gently, he opened his eyes.
"Oh my god!"
"This... is... me!"
---
"However, all this became easy in the end. Because... my skill is cloning!"
"I create replications of myself, and collectively, my clones and I get stronger! I level up with my clones!"