Slurp— I slurped down the hot, chewy noodles. I must have used less water than usual, because the concentrated ramen broth was a savory punch to the tongue. I broke the soft-boiled egg, and the rich yolk coated everything in a perfect, creamy harmony. After finishing the noodles, I poured the last of the broth over a bowl of rice and polished that off, too. “Ah.” My stomach felt like it was about to burst. “Hmm.” Just a little while ago, I’d been on the verge of tears over my parents’ worried words. Now, watching myself devour a meal with such gusto, I felt a pang of self-consciousness. Had I enjoyed that a little too much? With my stomach full, I left the dishes to soak in the sink and returned to the living room window. [The Hearthbound Dweller cannot leave the dwelling space.] Still impossible. I’d checked just in case, but it was exactly as I’d expected. The skill level might have gone up, but I was still a prisoner in my own home. And yet, it wasn't entirely hopeless. There was a possibility. The simple fact that hunting monsters increased my skill level was a glimmer of hope. As the skill leveled up, new abilities with new features were unlocked. Sooner or later, I might gain a skill that lets me go outside. My current goal was clear. Hunt monsters. Level up the skill. There was just one glaring problem with that plan. How am I supposed to hunt monsters if I can’t go outside? To level up, I needed to kill things, and all the things that needed killing were roaming around out there. As someone confined to this apartment, my options were practically nonexistent. I couldn’t rely on a stroke of luck like the one I’d just had. Bringing down that giant bird, the Shardbeak, had been a complete fluke. Stunning it with the Hearthbound Lord's Declaration skill and then seizing the chaos to finish off the attacking goblins—that was a miracle that wouldn’t happen twice. Goblins, though… maybe they were manageable. I didn’t have a brilliant strategy. [The Hearthbound Dweller cannot leave the dwelling space.] As the message confirmed yet again, the moment my hand passed the window frame, it hit an invisible barrier that pushed me back. But the barrier only affected me. I crumpled a used tissue in my hand and tossed it out. It fluttered past the shimmering boundary where my hand had been stopped, drifting down toward the street below. Alright, that works. Fortunately, my apartment was on the 30th floor, the very top. Even better, the remnants of the Shardbeak’s carcass were apparently heavy enough that the swarm of goblins below was still struggling to move it. The corpse was the perfect lure. If I could find a reasonably heavy object, I could use it as a weapon. If I aimed well, I could probably take out a goblin in a single blow. This should be enough. A 3kg dumbbell. It was a gift from my mom. She’d bought it for me herself, nagging me to get some exercise. Of course, I’d only used it a handful of times. To be honest, calling it “used” was a stretch when I’d just picked it up and put it down a few times. Who would have thought it would ever come in handy like this? Thanks, Han Eun-sook. The problem was, I only had one set. Just two of them. Even if I landed both shots perfectly, that was only two goblins. Can I really do this? As I stood there, weighing the dumbbell in my hand, I saw the goblins below finally begin to move the Shardbeak’s corpse. More of them had swarmed it now, clinging to the dead flesh. Grunting and straining, they were slowly dragging it away. Oh, no. They were leaving. I can’t miss this chance. I’d been watching them for days, and I’d never seen so many gathered in one place. It was all thanks to the Shardbeak. “Take this!” Swish! I hurled the dumbbell out the window with all my might. And… Thunk! “Keak!” “Kek!” A gruesome crunch of shattering bone echoed up from below, followed by a spray of dark blood. My stomach dropped. I’d missed. The dumbbell hadn’t hit a goblin’s head. It had slammed right into the Shardbeak’s mangled neck, right where its head used to be. Now I’m down to just one. It felt like despair. Sure, I had other heavy objects. The computer tower, the TV. But throwing them out the window just to kill a few goblins felt like a terrible waste. Rationally, I knew they were just things, useless now. But… How much did this stuff even cost? It was a matter of sentiment. Maybe I wasn’t that desperate yet. Besides, I probably couldn’t even throw the TV or the computer far enough. The best I could do was shove them out the window, and they’d just fall straight down, nowhere near the goblins. The dumbbell had only just missed them. Is there anything else? I frantically searched the apartment, praying another dumbbell might magically appear in some forgotten corner, but of course, there was nothing. Even my mom wouldn't buy a second set for a son who never even used the first. What a waste of money that would have been. Have the goblins left already? I peered out the window, trying to see what was happening below. A pair of beady eyes met mine. Crap! Perched atop the Shardbeak’s corpse, a goblin was holding the dumbbell I’d thrown. It pointed the weight at me, then made a series of crude, mocking gestures with its free hand. “Keck!” “Keaeek!” A chorus of guttural shrieks erupted from below as the other goblins began pointing up at my window. They knew. They knew I was the one who threw it. Abandoning the Shardbeak’s corpse, they started swarming toward the entrance of my apartment building. Are they coming up? The lower floors had already been overrun. The fact that they were trying to drag the Shardbeak inside suggested they’d made a nest down there. “Keaeek! Kyaak!” “Kegegegek!” As if to prove my theory, dozens of goblins poured out of the building’s entrance, their heads tilted back, screaming up at my floor. There were so many more of them now, all clustered right below. Should I throw the TV? I might be able to hit several at once. Once I unlock a new skill… Huh? A thought cut through the panic. A crucial fact I’d forgotten in the chaos of getting the power and gas back on. There was one skill I hadn’t looked at yet. The Hearthbound Dweller’s Shop Level 1. It had unlocked at the same time as the dignity maintenance skill. “Open Shop.” As I spoke the command, a new window materialized in the air before me. 【The Hearthbound Dweller’s Shop】 (Please register items.) ᚠCurrent Balance: 2,203,239 won ▶ Register Item The current balance must be linked to my Hearthbound Dweller’s Wallet skill. Since nothing was registered, the screen was blank. Gripping my last dumbbell, I held it up to the window. “Register item.” [Would you like to register this item?] “Sure.” A soft light emanated from the shop window, scanning the dumbbell from top to bottom. [Registration of Cheol-in Non-Slip Dumbbell 3kg is complete.] Instantly, a familiar product image of the dumbbell appeared in the shop, listed as a new item. 【The Hearthbound Dweller’s Shop】 Cheol-in Non-Slip Dumbbell 3kg (16,990 won) ᚠCurrent Balance: 2,203,239 won ▶ Register Item The price was exactly what I’d paid for it on Saebyeok Delivery. It seemed the market value was still based on the world before the collapse. I bought a set of two from Saebyeok Delivery. That’s what the image showed: two dumbbells crossed over each other. “Purchase Cheol-in Non-Slip Dumbbell.” [Are you sure you want to purchase?] [Yes / No] “Yes.” The moment I confirmed, a soft ching! like jingling coins sounded, and the shop window projected a beam of light onto the living room floor. Zing! Two brand-new dumbbells materialized on the carpet, perfect copies of the one in my hand. Perfect! I carefully set down my original dumbbell and picked up one of the new ones. Good weight. The texture, the heft—it was exactly the same. Great. Without a moment’s hesitation, I hurled it out the window. And… Thunk! [You have hunted a Goblin (Lv. 7).] [You have gained experience.] [3,345 won has been deposited into the Hearthbound Dweller’s Wallet.] “Yes!” With the goblins all crowded together right below, it was an easy shot. “Keaaak!” “Kekkek!” “Kaaaack!” The death of their comrade sent the goblins below into a frenzy. I grabbed another dumbbell and threw it into their chaotic swarm. This time, they saw it coming and scattered wildly. Kwaaaang! The dumbbell slammed into the empty pavement with a deafening crack. “Good.” It was a miss, but I had no reason to be disappointed. “Purchase three sets of Cheol-in Non-Slip Dumbbell.” Ziiiiing! With a ready supply of ammunition, I immediately threw another. Swish! Thud! [Hunted a Goblin (Lv. 6).] [You have gained experience.] [2,512 won has been deposited into the Hearthbound Dweller’s Wallet.] That successful hunt made two kills with my new method. And with it came another notification. [Skill level has increased.] [Learned a new skill.] Nice! I’d been a bit worried about how much experience the low-level goblins would give, but I leveled up faster than I expected. It must be thanks to the massive experience boost from killing the Shardbeak. Its level was a whopping 23. If that kill brought me right to the edge of leveling up, then this made perfect sense. I immediately checked my new skill. The Hearthbound Dweller’s Warehouse Lv. 1 A space where items can be stored. Just reading the name, I couldn’t help but feel a little let down. Another storage skill? The name alone told me everything I needed to know. “Warehouse open.” Ding! A cheerful chime sounded, and a window similar to the shop’s interface appeared. I picked up one of the remaining dumbbells and held it toward the new screen. [Would you like to store this item in the warehouse?] “Yeah.” Ziiiiing! A beam of light, just like the shop’s, shot out and enveloped the dumbbell. The weight in my hand vanished as if it were an illusion. 【The Hearthbound Dweller’s Warehouse】 Cheol-in Non-Slip Dumbbell 3kg (1) Confirming the dumbbell was safely stored, I stared at the empty air where my hand had been. “Summon dumbbell.” Jiiiiing! As if reading my mind, a beam of light shot from the warehouse window to the exact spot I was looking at. In a flash, the dumbbell reappeared. Thump! I snatched it out of the air, a grin spreading across my face. It works. I could summon items from the warehouse to any location I chose. If that’s the case… After storing the dumbbell in the warehouse again, I walked back to the living room window. I reached out, my hand stopping against the invisible wall as the familiar notification popped up. [The Hearthbound Dweller cannot leave the dwelling space.] My eyes scanned the chaotic swarm of goblins below. I found my target. Then, focusing on a point in empty space about three meters past the transparent barrier, I gave the command. “Dumbbell summon.” Jiiiiing! A beam of light shot from the warehouse, pinpointing the exact location I had envisioned. A dumbbell materialized in mid-air. For a split second, it hung there, then gravity took hold. Kwajik! The dumbbell fell, striking a goblin squarely on the head. A cheerful notification chime played as the system messages scrolled into view. [Goblin (Lv. 6) has been hunted.] [You have gained experience.] [2,733 won has been deposited into the Hearthbound Dweller’s wallet.]

Chapter 2: Bound To The Hearth