Chapter 2
I Make My Own Fate
TyranomobSeeker: Ah, so that’s why there aren’t any memes floating around. But seriously, what kind of awakening does that “Notorious Manager” even have? lol
┗ ptsdOm: Dunno ;; Something about realizing the greatness of office workers. The quests keep making subordinates suffer though—they aren’t usually like that.
┗ DungeonSira: Wait… are you my company’s manager? lol
┗ TyranomobSeeker: Haha, fine, I’ll believe it. So… does anyone actually know if they sell monster meat?
PowerHide: Obviously not here. I heard a single steak goes for like 1.5 million won in that old building. lol No wonder it’s doomed from the opening.
┗ JuniorHunterJam: Oh, you know your stuff. And actually, 1.5 million isn’t even that expensive lol
┗ TyranomobSeeker (Original Poster): Wait, seriously?? A single steak costs over 1.5 million? Is there a diamond in it or something?
┗ JuniorHunterJam: Heard it’s hard to get the meat, don’t know the details.
┗ DungeonSira: Wow, that’s such bold pricing. I’d never go there.
A restaurant charging 1.5 million won for a steak… sounds like they have zero intention of actually doing business.
A few days later.
Someone claiming to have awakened as the “Notorious Manager” reappeared on the community forum.
[Title] Sharing My Manager Awakening Story
[Author] ptsdOm
Awakening as the Notorious Manager isn’t something just anyone can do. Last week I nearly died disciplining five people, lol. Being awakened sucks—you can’t even backstep, it’s super annoying.
But you know what’s even more frustrating?
This week, I even have to fire someone. lol
Looks like I’ll go bald.
[15 comments]
TyranomobSeeker: Woah, is that the manager awakener from before? lol And now that I think about it, my friend awakened as a “Slave Developer” too… pulling all-nighters today as well lol. I figured you must be legit too.
┗ ptsdOm: Whoa, that’s crazy. Is survival even possible? ㄷㄷ Luckily, I haven’t had that happen, though I feel like my hair’s falling out. Yup, legit.
┗ DakDulgiKing: I thought this was all made up;; Awakenings sound scary. But how do you even fire someone out of the blue?
ㅇㅅㅇ: Eh, such awakenings don’t exist. You’re just stressed at work and imagining things.
DungeonSira: Lol, this is exactly like my manager. Our manager disciplined five people last week too, almost included me. But that guy’s temper was already awful, and he’s already bald.
┗ ptsdOm: I hear he’s supposed to be nice… though, not everyone disciplines five people all the time, lol.
┗ DungeonSira: Everyone was confused too, lol. It seemed like he deliberately made trouble just to discipline people. The gossip was endless.
┗ ptsdOm: Yeah, that manager really does seem awakened, lol. Disciplining five people isn’t normal. Ah, why won’t the door open, damn it.
┗ DungeonSira: Also, if our manager awakened like the Notorious Manager, it’d literally be his perfect calling, lol. Nobody likes him at work anyway. First place in infamy, for sure.
ptsdOm: Oh, I forgot something. I went back to the office, saw someone working overtime. I definitely didn’t ask them to, it’s not me.
┗ DakDulgiKing: Maybe you asked and forgot? lol
┗ ptsdOm: Absolutely not, lol.
┗ DakDulgiKing: Wow, determined af lol.
┗ DungeonSira: Lol I’m working overtime too; that manager went berserk and messed up work, so I’m cleaning up. Felt like a Kraken; his temper has leveled up over the past month. I hope I meet him in a dream just once and bash his head lol.
┗ ptsdOm: Hey—
“DungeonSira?”
Then, the sound cut off.
No way… could it be him?
SoRi froze, breaking out in cold sweat, unable to look back.
“‘DungeonSira,’ that’s you?”
As expected, Choi, the manager, thundered from behind.
“So I’m already bald, huh?”
She hurriedly closed the window, but it was too late. Seeing that the “DungeonSira” in the chat was the same person, Choi’s face twisted into something even worse than a Kraken.
“B-But… how could the manager… Zig…!”
She dropped her convenience store coffee in shock.
Could the one who awakened as the Notorious Manager really be Choi?
And in the same community?
And why did this happen when she was working alone overtime?
“What, I’ve always had a bad temper? First place in infamy? Kraken…?”
The area around Choi’s eyes glowed red. Looks like the “awakening” might actually be real.
“Th-That’s not it, I was just… relieving stress online…”
SoRi stammered, helpless, hiccupping nervously.
She even started fearing he might attack her like a dungeon monster.
Why hadn’t she noticed someone entering at all? But it was too late for regrets.
“Want to beat me up just once?”
Choi’s face twisted so much she couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying.
“How dare you insult me!”
Choi’s voice nearly vanished; he seemed to be transforming into an enraged monster.
“Manager! It’s not like that!”
SoRi knelt, bowed deeply, and clasped her hands together in desperate plea.
“I’ve committed a grave sin! Please forgive me just once…!”
Hearing this, a triumphant smile formed on Choi’s face.
“Hahaha!”
Thunder cracked outside the window in sync with his laugh. SoRi glanced, puzzled—it had been clear skies just moments ago.
That’s it?
Underestimating an awakened manager, she muttered a silent chant of repentance.
After laughing for a while, Choi spoke again.
“Didn’t expect this week’s quest to be so easy!”
SoRi’s mind clicked—this week’s “quest” involved firing someone.
Choi’s lips puckered as if to pronounce “fire.”
No way!
SoRi shouted first.
“I’ll work only until the end of this month and then quit!”
She stood, grinning confidently.
Well, I guess I can figure out a new job somehow.
Choi’s face contorted like a Kraken once more.
His employee-firing quest ended in failure.
The result? She had won.
Two months after resigning.
After experiencing the Notorious Manager firsthand, SoRi had heard several more stories of awakenings with similar determination.
Previously, all awakenings were directly linked to dungeon-related abilities—mostly combat-focused.
But that tradition had been broken. From some point onward, ordinary awakenings like the Notorious Manager began appearing suddenly.
SoRi started to fear awakenings.
So it’s totally random, huh? What if I get some weird awakening?
Her dream had always been a simple life, earning a steady paycheck, but awakenings like this were unwelcome guests.
And it’s not like I’ll become a billionaire… If I’m going to go through that much trouble, I want to earn as much as Bill Gates.
Still, thinking that Bill Gates might be too extreme, she busied herself wiping tables at the Happy Restaurant.
She still couldn’t believe she had become the legendary protagonist who resigned mid-keyboard session.
And she never imagined she’d end up working part-time at the very restaurant she had sworn she’d never step foot in.
This was the first time the restaurant had posted a job ad.
Though the owner was a generally awakened person related to the restaurant, the ad said ordinary, non-awakened people could also work there.
And—
“The conditions are too good. Where else can you find a part-time job paying 20,000 won an hour?”
The rumors about steaks costing over 1.5 million won were true, and as a result, almost no customers came.
This is the ultimate sweet gig.
She didn’t understand why the pay was so high, but she was curious. Did they really serve monster meat? She still didn’t know—she’d only been serving completed dishes so far.
Anyway, she had taken the part-time job because her job search had failed, though she suspected that the Notorious Manager had schemed to block her career move.
Otherwise, someone as capable as SoRi wouldn’t have failed at finding a new job.
As she paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully while wiping a table, she glanced at the clock.
“When will the owner show up? He’s late today.”
Suddenly, something fell from the unlit fireplace.
“What’s that?”
She approached and saw a piece of paper. Had someone dropped it from above?
Peering into the fireplace, an enormous stack of papers poured out all at once.
Whoaaa—
“Ah! What the—”
SoRi recoiled, shielding her forehead as a paper avalanche hit her.
It sounded like a typewriter clacking, echoing throughout the restaurant.
The papers fell, swirling around, and identical writing was appearing in real time.
Am I seeing things?
SoRi rubbed her eyes, but the papers didn’t stop, completing the message.
To our outstanding part-timer, Kang SoRi:
I have to leave due to business. After much deliberation, I’ve determined that you are the right person. From now on, everything in this restaurant will be yours.
Please run it well.
—Former Owner Baek, Happy Restaurant
“That feels… ominous.”
One sheet of paper landed precisely at her feet.
gulp—
Feeling the gravity of the situation, SoRi swallowed hard.
