the neet order.

"What a phenomenal final game! This year's championship was indeed one for the books!"

Iseul stared blankly at the ceiling his old phone lying unattended on his muddy and frankly smelly pillow. His forearm rested around his oily forehead.

"For the third year in a row, Bones will take home the championship!"

Shifting to the other side, his eyes landed on his dark, cramped room. Since when did the trash starts piling up? Was his room always this dark? His eyes roamed around the place and for the first time in what seemed to be an eternity, he felt himself inwardly cringe at the sight. He could barely see any of his things, all he could see were the bag after bag of forgotten trash.

At some point, he knew he had stopped stuffing things inside those black plastic bags as he could see the pile of plastic bottles, bento boxes, and empty cup noodles.

Fuck, what happened to him?

What happened to his life?

"And for the third year in a row—the sound of the crowd screaming and celebrating interrupted the announcer—Nevermore will be taking his MVP trophy!"

Pushing himself to sit down, Iseul grabbed his phone and turned it off. His eyes then landed on his reflection in the mirror. Back in high school people always teased him about how he looked younger than his age all because of the baby fat that made his cheeks puff. And now those fat cheeks were gone.

Well, he was no longer young. It had been seven years since he graduated from high school.

He couldn't help but notice his long, greasy hair and the dark circles underneath his empty eyes. Seven years, he thought as his eyes darted to his hands. His nails were long and he could see how dirty his clothes were and how sweaty his skin was. Closing his fists, he tried to think about when was the last time he had taken a bath. To his horror, he couldn't remember.

Iseul let out an empty laugh. "Fuck, this is disgusting," he bit into his dry and cracked lips.

How can he let himself reach that point? Was it really worth reaching that low just because he failed to launch his esports career?

He buried his face in his palms, his chest vibrated from the hollow laughter that escaped his lips. Iseul can't go on like this. He can't continue to waste in his room that was nothing but a dumpster. After seven years of wasting away, it was like he was slapped back to reality. He refused to continue to rot in that small room of his while the world pass him by.

Standing up from his nasty bed, he dragged himself out of the room and to the bathroom where he turned the shower on. Cold waters cascaded into his body and he barely flinched. Iseul just stood under the running water, watching how murky it became from all the dirt on his skin and clothes. Iseul winced in disgust.

Back when he was in high school he was one of the cleanest guys. There was never a day that he didn't take a shower and even if he was sick he would drag himself to take a bath because he refused to marinate in his own sweat. Girls and the teachers will always praise him for always looking so clean. They would even whisper about how nice he smelled. If they see him now, they would probably run away because he was damn sure that his stench will reach even five miles away.

Iseul began peeling his wet clothes off as he reached for the soap and began his quest to clean every inch of his body. His skin was probably thanking in relief. Reaching for the shampoo, he began washing his hair that has grown in length. Iseul could no longer remember the last time he got a haircut. His hair now covered half of his back.

He spent what seemed to be three hours in the bathroom making sure he cleaned himself thoroughly. While he was at it, he also began cleaning the bathroom and airing it out. Iseul managed to get some clean clothes that he had stashed somewhere as he began cleaning their small house—one of the things that his father left him when he passed away from an accident five years ago.

Iseul refused to dwell on the thought that his father made sure to leave him a lot in case that he died. The thought that his father died while his son waste away in his room, refusing to leave and deal with life made the back of his throat burn so he quickly shook the thoughts away and continued cleaning.

It took him nearly hours and hours to clean everything and throw all the trash away. Iseul also managed to open all the windows and air out the place. It took numerous facemasks and handkerchiefs covering his nose in order for him not to gag at the smell of the rotten food and whatever gross stuff he let sit in their house.

The next day, Iseul went on grocery shopping. He also planned to purchase not just food and supplies but replacing certain furniture and appliances that he deemed no longer worth keeping or were just beyond saving. As he got out of the car which he parked in basement 3 he was surprised that somehow still worked. He was unsure when was the last time he touched the vehicle. He was sure that it wouldn't start anymore but somehow it worked and was able to get him to the nearest shopping mall.

Iseul got into the elevator which has one wall plastered with a huge advertisement that featured Nevermore while holding an energy drink. Iseul mentally noted to never purchase the energy drink ever again.

He got off on the first where the grocery store was. The elevator he rode was empty so he was not expecting a lot of people in the mall but he was surprised to see so many people after a long time. Iseul could feel himself coldly sweat. There was something in him that urge him to turn around, get back in his car, and drive home.

Swallowing down his anxiety, not wanting to give in to his instincts, Iseul darted towards the grocery store. He began reciting the multiplication table in his mind hoping it will provide enough distraction for him.

Reciting the multiplication table somehow worked and he managed to grab a cart and push it inside the store. Pulling out his old phone, he checked on his grocery lists. As he pushed the cart aisle to aisle, he grabbed whatever was on his list. Iseul couldn't help but roll his eyes when he saw a display of the energy drink that Nevermore promotes. They even have a standee of him on the side.

Iseul clicked his tongue, unable to hold back his disdain. "You look so fucking stupid, Ohn Kian." He then grabbed one bottle of energy drink stared at it and began criticizing just about anything on the bottle from the design down to the ingredients and whatever was written on the bottle.

"You hated this kind of junk," Iseul muttered under his breath. "And now you are advertising it." He placed the bottle on the cart. "How hypocrite can you get?" he continued down the aisle and check on his list.

The lights suddenly turned off drawing a surprised yelp from some customers. It flickered immediately back on. Iseul raised an eyebrow, he stopped on his track, glancing at the lights. It flickered on and off several times before a loud crashing sound rang all over the place. It was followed by another loud crashing sound and then the fire alarm began blaring.

Before Iseul knew it people were running. He can hear footsteps and the faint sounds of sirens from the distance. A child then began crying.

"What's going on?!" Someone yelled and another one followed.

The lights flickered on and off again and then the whole place shook. Iseul held tightly on his cart. The quake was strong as bottles and products came crashing down the floor. People began yelling.

"Dear Customers, please remain calm and exit through the fire exit!" The announcement blasted on the speakers. For a second, Iseul thought how dumb it was because clearly with what was happening no one will have the nerve to stay calm.

The shaking stopped as a gush of strong winds began to rush all over. Iseul grabbed tightly on his cart, enforcing his footing. When the winds calmed down, he began to rush to find another exit because he refused to push himself within the crowd. As he saw every exit blocked, he backed away and tried to keep himself calm.

Until he heard a loud roar ripping through the air followed by the deafening shriek of people. Before Iseul could react he watched as a huge monster began grabbing and throwing people like they were nothing but rag dolls. His instinct kicked in as he immediately ran to find a hiding place.

As he crouched down on one of the counters, his heart was pounding loudly crazy against his chest.

"What the fuck was that?" he was breathless. The monster continued to rampage. Iseul took a peek at what was happening. He was shaking. Right before his eyes a monster that he only once knew existed in games was wreaking havoc and taking lives.

Iseul quickly slapped his face thinking that he was dreaming but he felt his cheek throbbing from how hard he hit himself, Iseul was forced to face the fact that there was indeed a monster rampaging a few meters away from him. And if this monster spotted him, he'll be killed in an instant.

A humorless chuckle left his lips. With a shaking hand, Iseul pulled a packet of cigarettes from his oversized leather jacket. Still shaking, he placed a cigarette between his lips and lit it up. He managed to finally light it up after three tries because he was shaking too much.

Taking a drag, Iseul felt like a huge fucking joke. Just when he was just picking up his life after seven years of throwing it away, the world decided to fuck him by throwing him into the most ridiculous situation.

Ah, he blew smoke out in the air. He felt like he was in one of those webcomics he used to read in high school while pretending to listen to his teacher.

"Don't tell me, I'll have some powers?" he thought as he crawled and changed his hiding spot. He ignored the others who were also desperately hiding, trying not to get to attract the monster's attention.

Iseul stopped on spot, slumping on the floor. His shaking hand removed the cigarette from his lips while his brain raced the ways to escape. He may have wasted his life away for seven years but Iseul doesn't plan on dying just yet.

No, he refused to.

His eyes darted to the standee of Nevermore and he couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What are you looking at, bastard?" he mouthed at the innocent standee. "Ugly motherfucker," he muttered under his breath knowing well how it was a lie because aside from he knew that Ohn Kian was handsome, everyone in the country was also aware of his charms as he had been a face of a designer luxury brand and he was in the cover of the country's top magazine.

Iseul felt bitter. He took a long drag from his cigarette, tossing it away once he consumed all of it. He let out a sigh, trying to clear his mind. Suddenly he heard a beeping sound in his ear. His body was consumed by lights and suddenly a translucent glowing window appeared before him.

.

.

[ Congratulations! 🎉]

[ You have awakened as an S+ Hunter ]

[ Check your skills here → ]

.

.

However Iseul didn't have enough time to process the message that popped right before his eyes when he heard a loud ripping sound followed by a loud vacuum sound.

Just like that, a dungeon opened before him on the exact spot as the Nevermore standee.

Iseul can't help but curse, "You are the fucking bane of my existence, Ohn Kian."