One day, the world ended.
The streets overflowed with savage monsters that devoured people, and all civilization came to a halt.
First, the means of transportation stopped.
Then, household appliances.
Finally, everything that ran on electricity and oil came to a standstill.
The population began to decline rapidly, and everyone thought the world was truly ending.
Until the Awakened appeared.
An unknown system emerged, and many people gained new professions.
“Oh? I awakened as a warrior!”
Some became warriors who wielded swords.
“I think I’m a mage.”
Some became mages who controlled the elements.
“I’m a healer!”
Some became healers who treated others.
And then, there was someone who became…
Thud.
Garam slammed his head against the wall.
A sharp pain shot through his skull, and tears welled up in his eyes.
But the pain quickly cleared his mind.
“Phew, okay. Good. I’m focused now. Let’s look again.”
He raised his head and looked once more at the glowing window floating in front of him.
[Congratulations! You have changed class to Farmer!]
[You have received a Beginner Hoe.]
[You have received a Beginner Shovel.]
[You have received a Beginner Watering Can.]
[You have received a Beginner Seed Set — Carrot, Potato, Sweet Potato.]
No matter how many times he read it, the message didn’t change.
Why?
Why did everyone else get cool combat classes, and he got Farmer?
How was he supposed to survive in this brutal world with something so useless?
Clutching the newly given hoe and shovel, Garam shouted in frustration.
“At least give me a sickle or something!”
At least that would have a long handle — maybe it could be used as a weapon.
But the system was merciless.
Nothing else appeared beyond the given beginner set.
He wanted to just sit down and cry.
When the system window had first appeared, he’d held onto a faint glimmer of hope.
But to end up as a farmer?
Not only was the job pathetic — where on earth was he even supposed to farm?
‘No, don’t lose hope.’
There was still a chance.
Garam gritted his teeth and gripped the hoe tightly.
Who knew — maybe this could actually work as a weapon.
Not far away, he spotted a lone goblin wandering around.
He’d heard that an average awakened adult could take down two goblins alone.
So maybe, just maybe, he could handle one.
‘I’m starving…’
Since the world changed, Garam — an orphan with barely any connections — hadn’t even made it into a safe zone.
He’d been wandering the ruined world, always running, always hiding.
Too weak to fend for himself, he could barely find one meal a day.
But now that he’d changed class, things might be different.
Defeating monsters earned gold and magic stones.
Those could be used at the system shop to buy food.
Until now, he’d only run from monsters as an ordinary human — but maybe that could change.
No, it had to change.
He had awakened, after all!
Gathering every ounce of courage he had, Garam slowly crept toward the goblin.
Then, with all his might, he swung his hoe down!
The goblin turned around.
Thwack!
“Kieeeek!”
The hoe hit squarely on the goblin’s forehead — and that was it.
“Waaah!”
I’m sorry! I was wrong!
Apparently, a farmer was so weak he couldn’t even beat a goblin.
Garam ran for his life, sweat pouring down his back.
But the goblin didn’t give up.
It clung to him relentlessly.
Worse, an orc appeared from somewhere and started chasing after the goblin — which meant it was chasing him, too.
‘Why, why!’
Why did an orc have to show up now?!
“Graaaah!”
He risked a glance behind him and almost tripped.
The orc was swinging the goblin by one arm as it chased him down.
“Kieeeek!”
It was chaos — and Garam was caught right in the middle of it.
He ran harder, lungs burning, legs trembling.
If he stopped, he’d die.
After who knows how long, his legs gave out.
‘I can’t run anymore…!’
He slowed to a stop, gasping for air.
Breathing hurt.
Ah… so this is how I die.
Born an orphan, he’d never had a single stroke of luck in life.
He’d always been the one helping others.
He tightened his grip on his hoe.
‘If I’m going to die anyway…’
Might as well go down fighting.
He turned to face the oncoming orc.
The creature grinned and lumbered toward him.
‘I won’t go down easy!’
He’d have to aim for the weak spot this time.
Not the head — the groin!
Orc females rarely came outside, so that one was probably male.
Maybe, just maybe, he could survive this.
The two faced off.
And then — a man calmly walked between them.
Just walked.
“…Huh?”
Garam blinked.
Sweat stung his eyes — maybe he was hallucinating.
Why would someone just walk through a fight with an orc?
If he’d gone a little around, he could’ve avoided them easily.
Garam stared in disbelief — and the orc roared, swinging the goblin in its hand.
Apparently, the stranger annoyed it.
“Kieeeek!”
The orc’s roar and the goblin’s scream fused into a hideous noise.
Just as the goblin’s head was about to crash into the stranger — he snapped his fingers.
If Garam saw correctly… that’s what happened.
A sound like a drum being struck rang out, and the orc flew far into the distance.
Garam stared blankly.
The man in black leather looked at him — then at the hoe in his hand.
‘Are you going to fight too?’
That’s exactly what his eyes said.
Garam quickly lowered the hoe.
No, sir. I don’t want to fly like that orc.
He took a careful step back, making himself look as harmless as possible.
The man turned away without a word and began walking again.
‘Wait… was he holding a flower pot just now?’
In this situation? No, probably not.
He must’ve imagined it.
Still, he was alive.
Relieved, Garam let out a shaky sigh — but then the man suddenly turned around and walked back to him.
Garam froze.
“You.”
The man spoke.
He glanced at Garam’s hand.
“That thing. Is it a hoe?”
“Huh? Y-yes?”
“Hoe.”
He spoke curtly, as if annoyed.
“Y-yes! It’s a hoe!”
Garam forced a harmless smile, as if to say, See? Totally not a threat.
“I see.”
The man nodded, then beckoned him with a finger.
Was he going to attack him?
Garam flinched — but nothing happened.
He sighed in relief, thinking the man was leaving.
He should probably thank him for saving his life.
“Thank you!”
The man paused and looked back.
“Follow me.”
“…What?”
When Garam didn’t understand, the man repeated himself.
“I said, follow me.”
Then he started walking away.
‘Why? Why would I follow you?’
Garam hesitated.
The man grew smaller in the distance.
Maybe it didn’t matter to him whether Garam came or not.
He began to quietly back away.
“Follow me, or die.”
The man’s cold gaze pierced through him.
That wasn’t a bluff.
He looked like someone who could kill with his eyes alone.
But Garam couldn’t just trust a stranger because he’d helped once.
That would be suicidal.
“F-fine! I’m coming! Following you!”
He started backing away — louder, to make it seem like he was obeying.
“I’m coming~!”
Then, as soon as there was enough distance, he bolted.
His lungs burned.
His legs ached.
But he kept running.
He finally collapsed to the ground, panting.
“Haah… haah…”
Did he lose him?
Just as he was catching his breath, a shadow fell over him.
He looked up — the man was standing right there.
‘Eek!’
Garam forced a shaky smile.
“You went the wrong way.”
“I-I’m just… bad with directions.”
“This time, follow properly.”
He had no choice now.
Trembling, Garam followed the man.
They walked for a long time.
Every monster that appeared was instantly killed — not even a full second passed.
Watching that, Garam’s fear of the man only grew stronger.
Eventually, the man stopped — in what used to be a city, now overgrown like a jungle.
“From here on, stay close.”
He actually said a full sentence this time.
Then he leapt easily over a massive pile of rubble.
Of course, Garam didn’t have that kind of agility.
He had to climb, scrape, and crawl his way over it.
Even getting down on the other side was hard.
The man waited, but didn’t help.
He only shot sharp looks, as if to say, What’s taking so long?
“Y-yeah, coming, coming…”
His once-polite tone turned more irritable.
He was exhausted from following the man endlessly.
His stomach growled, his mouth was dry — and yet the man showed no sign of slowing down.
‘Where on earth is he taking me…?’