Chapter 0: Prologue

A party of three women and one man, returning to the gate exit after completing a mission.
For some reason, they stop in their tracks, standing in confrontation before the exit.
Divided as men and women.

“Alright, I’ll be honest.”

The party’s leader, a woman named Elsa, purses her lips, lets out a sigh, and slowly begins to speak.

“That mask you’re wearing—it was bearable at first, but the more I see it, the more it creeps me out and disgusts me.”
“I know. I’ve heard that enough times for it to stick.”
“…I’ll admit your skills are impressive. Thanks to you, we’ve racked up a lot of achievements. But that’s separate from how your face is just… physically unbearable. I can handle it with my high mental fortitude, but the other party members can’t…”

Tch.

The man, hearing this, clicks his tongue, cutting her off to say his piece.

“No need to sugarcoat it. You want to break the contract, don’t you?”
“Ahem… I’m sorry.”
“Even if it’s a temporary contract and you’re free to break it, you know you’ll have to pay a penalty, right?”
“I know…”

The man, unfazed by the sudden contract termination and expulsion, starts to walk away.
And why wouldn’t he be? This was his 33rd expulsion.
You get used to being kicked out after a while.

“Fine. As long as the payment goes through, I don’t care. I’ll head out first.”

As he steps toward the gate exit, the man suddenly stops, turns his head, touches his mask, and glares at the women.

“And for fck’s sake, it’s a mask, not my face. Get your words straight, you btches.”

He raises his middle finger.
The other female party members, except Elsa, gag and grimace.

“Ugh.”
“Just leave already. Why turn back and make a scene? Disgusting…”

‘…Fcking btches.’

Swallowing harsher curses, the man silently walks out of the gate.

A week has passed since being expelled from the party.
I drag myself out of bed, my heavy feet leading me to the bathroom.
And then, I face the mirror.

“Ha. F*ck. Even I think it’s disgusting.”

A black mask made of intangible mana.
It covers my face but doesn’t obstruct my vision or interfere with eating or other basic functions.
It’s just… disgustingly repulsive in appearance.

This mask, looking like rotting, melting skin, I’ve been staring at for nine years, and even I can’t get used to it.
If there were a contest for the ugliest, most repulsive face in the world, I’d win the moment I walked in with this mask.

[Curse Mask (A)]

• Effect: Once worn, the mask cannot be removed for life. It cannot be concealed by anything. If the curse can be lifted, good things may happen proportional to the time worn…?

The effect is absolute crap.
Why does an item like this even exist?

How I ended up with this damn mask goes back nine years.

I was an orphan living in a shelter called Dream Light Orphanage.
Living a carefree, happy orphan life, I turned ten that year.

To be blunt, it was entirely my fault.
I happened to see my older sister figure storing loot in a shabby warehouse behind the orphanage, and curiosity got the better of me.
Wondering what kind of items she’d brought, I snuck into the warehouse and rummaged through a few things.
Then I picked up a grotesque mask, thinking, ‘What’s this mask for?’ and brought it close to my face to check its info Anita.

• The Curse Mask is now bound to you.

A voice announced, and just like that, I became one with the damn mask. F*ck.

What followed was predictable.
First, I got scolded for sneaking into the warehouse and messing with the items. Then, thanks to the repulsive mask, I was despised by my childhood friend, and eventually, I was kicked out of the orphanage.
Kicking out a ten-year-old for being disgusting? They’re the real lunatics.

Thankfully, in my… past life? Is that what you’d call it? Anyway, back on Earth, I’d made a name for myself as a hunter, so surviving wasn’t too hard.
In this world, there’s no age limit for hunters, which is unusual.
Of course, you can’t enter B-rank gates or higher without graduating from the Hunter Academy, which only accepts those 20 and older.

Lost in thought, recalling the past nine years.

• Ding-dong!
  “Delivery!”

Finally, it’s here.

“Leave it at the door, please.”
“Got it!”

I quickly finish brushing my teeth and head to the door.

• Creak.

A small box sits in front of me.
I pick it up and head back inside.

Inside is a ‘Spell book’ I ordered with the contract termination compensation and my savings.
Most of the money I earned from gates over the years went toward buying these spell books.
Nine years’ worth.

[Basic Spell book (B)]

• Effect: Increases understanding of spell skills.

I slowly lift the spell book and pull up my status window.

[Minhoo Seol]
Strength (C)
Stamina (B)
Durability (C)
Mana (F)
Agility (SSS)

Overall Rank: A

Skills
[Dagger Mastery (EX)]
[Spell craft (B+)]

A personal status window, usable only by hunters who came from Earth.
My spell craft skill, which I didn’t originally have, is already at B+.

The moment I master this spell book, I’ll reach A-rank.
I’ve consumed nineteen Basic Spell books at B+ rank, so it’s certain.

“Phew…”

This miserable life with the mask is finally nearing its end.