The grey winter sun cast its pale light over the decaying rooftops of Geumcheon-gu, a district in the southern fringes of Seoul where even the gods seemed to avert their gaze. Among the maze of run-down buildings, nestled between rusted water tanks and cracked concrete walls, stood a narrow rooftop apartment no larger than a storage closet. The door was barely hinged, and the lone window was perpetually fogged with grime.

Inside, Lee Siujin stirred from a fitful sleep. His mattress was worn thin, and the blanket he clutched was patchworked from discarded fabrics. The room stank of mildew and instant noodles, his only luxury being a small space heater sputtering weak warmth. He sat up slowly, brushing black hair from his gaunt face, his expression blank.

The God System had changed everything ten years ago.

Once a promising student with dreams, he had become one of countless F-rank Awakened — the lowest tier recognized by the gods. His family had been devout followers of Hestia, goddess of hearth and protection. They’d perished in the Holy War that erupted between Olympus and Asgard, consumed by divine fire and storm as the apostles and knight hunters of Zeus and Thor clashed above Seoul. The gods themselves never descended; their power was too great, their pride too immense to sully the mortal plane directly. Instead, they sent champions, apostles, and chosen hunters as pawns in their games.

Since then, Siujin had cursed every divine being, even if it meant hiding his disdain. Faithless, powerless, and forgotten by the gods, he now made his living as a hunter porter — a career boy responsible for carrying equipment for stronger hunters.

---

That morning, Siujin slipped on a tattered thermal shirt and thick coat with duct tape binding one sleeve. He left his rooftop room with a thermos of barley tea, descending four flights of moldy stairs. The landlady ignored him as usual, nose wrinkled in distaste.

Outside, the air was biting. Banners fluttered advertising guild sponsorships for awakened. None had ever called him.

At the designated meeting point near Gwanak Industrial Zone, Siujin found his team already waiting near a shimmering blue rift in space — a Dungeon Gate. It pulsed with ominous energy, its surface etched with divine runes: the spiral of Poseidon, the spear of Ares, the wolf crest of Odin.

"You're late, mutt," barked Kang Woojin, the team leader, a burly C-rank who followed Ares. His face was marked by a jagged scar, and his breath reeked of soju.

"Sorry, Woojin-hyung," Siujin murmured.

"Carry the gear. We clear this fast, maybe the gods toss us a blessing."

The rest of the team barely acknowledged him:

Cho Minseok, a Hermes follower, checked his twin daggers.

Yoo Haejin, ever adorned in Ra’s golden charms, polished his shield.

Han Jiwon, silent archer of Artemis, checked her quiver but didn’t speak.

Jung Myungho, a sleepy-looking Awakening Association officer, scanned their IDs and cleared them for entry. "Standard C-rank parameters. Don’t damage the gate."

They stepped through. The world blinked.

---

Inside the dungeon, light dimmed as if filtered through storm clouds. Trees twisted unnaturally, and the air stank of iron and decay. Siujin struggled with the heavy bag, trailing behind as the team advanced.

Monsters emerged: goblins with mottled skin and crude spears.

"Let me handle them," said Haejin, smashing one with his shield. Minseok danced around another, slicing its throat.

As the team worked, Siujin knelt beside a fallen goblin.

Inside its chest, pulsing faintly, was a red mana stone — low-grade.

"Hurry up, mutt. Collect the stones and tag the parts. We’ll sell the hides."

Siujin silently obeyed, placing the stone in a pouch. He knew the market well. Red stones were common and barely paid for a meal. Blue or violet stones, however, could fund entire raids. Monster bones, hides, and fluids were harvested and sold to alchemists and blacksmiths.

They moved deeper, unaware they were being watched.

Far above, in divine space, gods observed through the God System. Their system interfaces shimmered like holographic glass, tracking each hunter’s status and emotions. Ares, Hermes, Artemis, and Ra peered into the rift, wagering blessings based on performance — but they never stepped into mortal realms themselves. Their will was carried out by their apostles and knight hunters.

---

After two hours of smooth progress, the team reached a wide chamber with stone pillars and ominous runes.

The air shifted.

A D+ rank Orc Chieftain emerged, nearly three meters tall, with greenish-gray skin and an axe as wide as Siujin’s body. Its eyes glowed faintly with divine magic — likely a creature blessed by Ares' favor through some forgotten ritual.

"What the hell is that doing here? This was supposed to be mid-tier!" Jiwon hissed.

"Shut it! We kill it fast, get that mana stone! That thing could be blue!" Woojin shouted.

They attacked.

Arrows flew. Minseok dashed in, blades flashing. Haejin swung his mace. But the orc was fast. It slammed the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked them off their feet.

Haejin screamed as he was flung against a pillar.

"It’s too strong!" Minseok shouted, blood on his mouth.

"We need a distraction!"

All eyes turned to Siujin.

"Throw him! Let him draw aggro!"

"W-what?!" Siujin froze.

Woojin grabbed him by the collar. "You're F-rank trash. Die doing something useful!"

The next moment, Siujin was hurled toward the beast.

Time slowed. The orc’s gaze locked onto him.

Terror and rage filled Siujin's chest. This was it. Used. Betrayed. Forgotten.

As the orc raised its axe, Siujin thought of his family’s smiling faces, the warmth of home, and the gods who had torn it all away.

"Damn you," he whispered.

The axe fell.