《How to Survive Restructuring》 Chapter 1 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 1: The Beginning of Restructuring (1) "I''m sorry, Eunho." Team Leader Lee scratched his balding head. "ording to HR, there''s no quota for converting contract workers to full-time this year. The economy is just too bad¡­." "So, I didn¡¯t get converted, huh." My two-year contract ends next month. In other words, I¡¯ve been let go. Again. "It¡¯s absolutely not because you weren¡¯t good enough. It''s just, well, restructuring. You understand, right?" "You''re saying¡­ it¡¯s ayoff?" Does cutting contract workers even count as restructuring? "Well, something like that. Thepany¡¯s struggling, so they need to reducebor costs. But it¡¯s tough to fire regr employees outright. Instead, they stop hiring new ones." "¡­So that¡¯s why they only hire contract workers. Because they still needbor." "No, that¡¯s not quite it¡­." His uncharacteristic hesitation was strange. He usually had no problem barking orders. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not really one of them anymore. He looked like a job interviewer trying to be kind to someone he¡¯s about to reject. "Yeah. I figured this would happen." I didn¡¯t feel furious or betrayed, just numb. After all, he¡¯s just another sried worker like me. "You''re okay, right? Don¡¯t take it too hard, Eunho." "I have no reason to be upset with you, sir." I said it dryly, but Team Leader Lee seemed relieved that I wasn¡¯t angry or upset. He rxed visibly, even propping his feet on a nearby chair. "Phew, that¡¯s why I like you. You¡¯re tough. Eunho, you¡¯ll do great wherever you go. It might be a bit, well, tough now, but you¡¯ve still got your whole life ahead of you." The gazes of the other team members peeked over the partitions, their pity practically palpable. ¡®Tough but resilient. That¡¯s Eunho.¡¯ "Hey, how about lunch? My treat. How does some blood sausage stew sound?" "Team Leader! The blood sausage stew ce is a ten-minute walk away, and Eunho¡¯s¡­." "Oh¡­ Well, how about the soup ce across the street? What do you think, Eunho?" A ten-minute walk might as well be a marathon for me¡ªa man with a limp. That¡¯s who I am, Lee Eunho. "¡­I already have ns. Enjoy your meal." * * * I didn¡¯t have ns. I just couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of joining them today. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d want to watch him scarf down a bowl of soup in under five minutes. I decided to grab a convenience store lunchbox instead. That is, until I ran into Jieun, who was left alone on the neighboring team, and our eyes met. "Two years went by fast. My contract¡¯s already up." I spoke calmly, sipping my coffee. The bnce of acidity and nuttiness was just right. It tasted good. If nothing else, I¡¯d miss this rooftop caf¨¦. The view of the city skyline from the 25th floor, the garden scattered with trees and flowers, and the freedom of enjoying coffee in the open air¡ªespecially the sense of peace while watching the scenery from above. Up here, I didn¡¯t have to worry about how long it¡¯d take me to get somewhere or whether I¡¯d be slowing someone else down. "Eunho, you sound like it¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem." Jieun gave me a wry smile as she sat across from me. We¡¯d started as secretarial interns a week apart and had been contract colleagues ever since. Not that we were particrly close. ''Do we get performance bonuses too?'' ''Not sure.'' ''Or when¡¯s Director Parking in?'' ''He already left for the day.'' That was about the extent of our conversations. "Well, everyone¡¯s been saying the full-time conversion rate has been zero for thest five years." I had known from the start. A stable future at this bigpany was never in the cards. Evennding a contract position here might have been sheer luck. "Do you have any ns after this?" "I¡¯ve been job hunting, but¡­ as you know, it¡¯s not easy." I said it offhandedly, but Jieun looked down apologetically. "Sorry about that," She murmured. She was unnecessarily polite, as if my limp was somehow her fault. "I¡¯ll try to find something less physically demanding. I doubt I¡¯ll starve to death at twenty-nine." "¡­You¡¯re so optimistic, Eunho." I gave a bitter chuckle. It wasn¡¯t optimism. I just didn¡¯t have expectations anymore. About anything. Wouldn¡¯t anyone feel the same? Once a promising track and field prospect, I lost my leg''s full function in an ident a week before the college entrance exams. After recovery, I scraped by to enroll in a second-rate college as a business major. I graduated with decent grades. Now I drift from one contract job to another in this brutal job market. I had no realints about my life of low expectations. Except for one wish. ¡®To run with everything I¡¯ve got, just once.¡¯ But that was impossible. Not unless I was born again. ¡­Or so I thought, until a disaster announcement proved otherwise. ¡ª Jijijk. "Fifteen minutes left. Shall we head down?" "Already?" Ten steps to the return desk. Sixteen to the elevator. For me, that distance felt endless. Plus, the 25th-floor elevator was always packed with caf¨¦-goers and smokers. I might have to wait several trips. I rose quickly to get a head start. ¡ª Jijijik. "Wow, you¡¯re punctual. Even though it¡¯s yourst few days here." "I just don¡¯t want to get scolded over something dumb." "Ah, let me take your ss." "Thanks." Clutching my right pant leg, I walked toward the return desk. ¡ª Swish, thunk. Swish, thunk. Dragging my stiff right leg forward, stepping with my left. Dragging again, another step. Even a visible destination feels far away when you limp. [Attention, Earth upants. Please¡­] "Huh? Is that an announcement?" "Can¡¯t really hear it¡­." The staticden speaker buzzed repeatedly as I hobbled along. [Once again, we announce¡­] Then, unexpectedly, the crackling became clear. [Following yesterday¡¯s board decision, Earth is ted for sale. As part of this, restructuring willmence.] Restructuring? I frowned instinctively. [Employees will be selected for restructuring through a mission system to ensure fairness.] [Restructuring candidates are fairly selected through missions.] "The Earth they¡¯re talking about on the broadcast isn¡¯t our Earth, right?" "What kind of prank is this? Restructuring, missions, and all that?" Like Jieun and I were bothered by different aspects, everyone on the rooftop gathered in small groups, murmuring. "What¡¯s this all about?" "They say it¡¯s happening on other floors too. Must be a building-wide announcement?" "No, they¡¯re saying this broadcast is being aired nationwide¡­?" Three men in jeans and hoodies huddled together, looking at their smartphones, chatting. Yellow employee badges. Employees from the gamingpany upying floors 6 through 9, perhaps? [The first mission will begin shortly. Please evacuate to a safe zone before the timer runs out.] "Is this some kind of disaster drill? Missions, though? They¡¯re really making drills like games these days." "Right? Maybe they¡¯ll hand out rewards if we clear the mission." As expected from gamingpany employees¡ªalways with a casual lunch hour. But for me¡ª "Are you heading down?" "You know how our team leader is. If I¡¯mte, he¡¯ll flip out." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "But still¡­." 12:49 PM. Ten minutes until lunch break ends. If I¡¯m even a minutete, he¡¯ll line us up and lecture us like schoolkids. Again. ¡°Do you think this could be a real fire drill or something? It just feels off¡­.¡± Around that time, Jieun started biting her nails, visibly uneasy. Then the sound of a ticking clock, which shouldn¡¯t be audible outside, began to echo.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A green circle suddenly appeared on the cement floor, out of nowhere. [A safe zone has been created.] The circle wasrge enough to epass the caf¨¦ tables and most of the rooftop. [You have 10 minutes. Anyone outside the safe zone after the time limit will be subject to restructuring.] "Huh? How¡¯d this just pop up? Was it pre-drawn?" "Maybe it¡¯s projected with lights? Or a hologram?" As expected from the gamingpany employees¡ªdebating the mechanics of the circle¡¯s appearance in the middle of all this. "Looks like we¡¯re supposed to step inside." "Yes. At least everyone¡¯s distracted enough that we won¡¯t miss the elevator." "Uh¡­ but, Eunho, the ticking sound¡­." As I absentmindedly turned towards the elevator, Jieun fidgeted nervously. "Maybe it¡¯sing from a speaker? Anyway, let¡¯s just head dow¡ª" ¡°Jieun? Eunho?¡± "Ah, Manager Choi!" It was Manager Choi, the key figure of Jieun¡¯s domestic sales support team, along with one of his colleagues. As they approached, the stench of cigarette smoke hit me. I remembered Jieun once mentioning how ufortable she felt around him. "What are you still doing up here? Lunch break¡¯s over." I was about to say we were just heading down when Jieun spoke first. "Well, we were about to head down, but the broadcast was talking about restructuring, and¡­." "Restructuring?" "Yes! Didn¡¯t you hear the announcement?" "Well, yeah, I heard it, bute on. That¡¯s nonsense. It¡¯s not even apany-issued broadcast." "Still, just in case¡­ I thought maybe we should wait 10 minutes and see." Jieun gestured at the people sitting inside the circle as if to justify herself. She seemed eager to participate in this ¡°mission,¡± whatever it was. Usually, Jieun had good instincts, but her visible anxiety since earlier felt off. "Don¡¯t you know punctuality is the foundation of work? This isn¡¯t some lifetime employment deal, you know¡­." If I interpreted his grumble as meaning "for a mere contract worker," would that be paranoia? "How about you, Eunho?" "With all due respect, Manager, this doesn¡¯t concern you. If we leave now, we won¡¯t even be a few minuteste." And somehow, the words just spilled out of me. "Wow." Actions and words I wouldn¡¯t normally dare. "A guy with a bum leg should focus on being diligent, at least." "Please head down first, Manager. Eunho, let¡¯s go." As Manager Choi clicked his tongue, Jieun hastily cut the conversation short. "Sorry." "For what, Jieun?" "For insisting we wait¡­." "Don¡¯t worry about it. No need to mind people like him. I¡¯m used to it." With that, we stepped into the ridiculous circle. Me, hobbling as always. "Thank you. You could¡¯ve just gone ahead, though." [10 seconds until the timer expires.] "I just didn¡¯t want to wait for the elevator with them. It¡¯s fine. Like the manager said, it¡¯s not like this is a lifetime job anyway." "¡­That¡¯s not really something tough about. I¡¯m in the same boat." Through the ss doors, Manager Choi and his colleague stood waiting for the elevator, clearly visible. The two of them exaggeratedly swayed their bodies,ughing uproariously. Were they mocking monkeys? [¡­3, 2, 1. Timer expired.] "Uh, Eunho! Please, don¡¯t¡ª" Watching the same scene, Jieun suddenly panicked, trying to divert my gaze. Ah¡­ I get it. They¡¯re mimicking me. My limp. [All individuals outside the safe zone will now be eliminated.] Before I lost my temper and threw a punch, I looked away. "Eunho, don¡¯t mind them!" "¡­." "Manager Choi¡¯s always been like that¡­." And when I looked up again, Manager Choi¡ª Flicker. He was flickering. Like a broken fluorescent light. And then¡ª "¡­?" He vanished. Just like that. Like a light going out. Manager Choi and his colleague. "Jieun! Manager Choi and the other guy¡ªwhere did they go?" [First missionplete. A total of 184 individuals from MS Tower have been restructured. 1,796 survivors remain.] "Um, maybe they got in the elevator?" Nobody was there. By chance or design, the only people left were those who¡¯d stepped into the circle. "The people waiting for the elevator¡­ they¡¯re all gone!" "Maybe they got on? Or stepped away for a moment. I mean, ¡®gone¡¯ is a bit¡­." Panicking, I frantically nced around while Jieun muttered nervously. [Choose your mission reward.] And then, a translucent screen appeared before me, like a hologram. ¡²Lee Eunho¡³ Affiliation: District 13, ROK-SEO-107 Zone, MS Tower Position: Restructuring Candidate Stats: Stamina (12), Strength (11), Intelligence (10), Judgment (15), Agility (1), Endurance (31) Traits: Locked Skills: Locked I could make sense of my name and some of the numbers. But everything else¡ªthis unknown affiliation, these stats¡ªfeltpletely foreign. Most bizarre of all was¡ª "This is¡­." Under ¡²Lee Eunho¡³ was a rotating 3D hologram. It depicted a figure¡ªd in nothing but undergarments¡ªshowcasing its front, side, and back, as if it was something to admire. "¡­Me?" It didn¡¯t capture facial details, but it was unmistakably me. The right leg, where my spine connected, was ckened¡ªlooking unmistakably lifeless. A delusion rendered with impable realism. At least, if I¡¯m going crazy, it¡¯s impressively detailed. [Choose your mission reward.] By chance¡ªor perhaps instinct¡ªI selected the ckened, dead leg. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 2 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 2: The Beginning of Restructuring (2) My life changed ten years ago due to a car ident. I lost my parents, my body, once considered my treasure and future, became my greatest obstacle, and every possibility in my life was blocked. Despair engulfed me from the moment I opened my eyes in the morning and stepped out of bed, to the moment I climbed back into it to end the day. When I went to the bathroom. When I bent down to wash my face. When I changed my pants. When I slung a bag over one shoulder and left the house. When I chose the subway over the bus. When I went up and down the stairs¡­ That''s why I know better than anyone else. How stiff and heavy my right leg feels. How vividly I still feel, even in my dreams, the sensation of it refusing to budge no matter how hard I try. [Mission reward has been granted.] [20% recovery of Limp.] They said the Lump, the limp in my gait, had improved. If someone told an ordinary person, "Your legs have been strengthened by 20%," they probably wouldn''t grasp the significance. But for me¡ª ¡ªSwoosh. ck. I knew instantly. The subtle difference in my leg. Even if it was just a few grams lighter. Clearly, undoubtedly, just a little¡­ It moved. ording to my will. Thud. Thud. Thud. The thought of a miraculous possibility made my heart race. The pleasant stress, something I hadn''t felt in ages, cleared my mind. Time had been frozen for ten years, and now it was beginning to move again. It felt like standing on the track, waiting for the starting signal, both feet ced firmly on the starting blocks. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Did you guys see it too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s asking me to select a mission reward?¡± Gamepany employees around me started examining the space in front of them. Swoosh. They waved their hands once, then again. ¡°It disappears and reappears.¡± Pinching and pulling with their fingers¡ª ¡°You can adjust the size. Anything else?¡± Eyes sparkling, they began shouting random words like, ¡°Status window! Inventory! Skills!¡± ¡°Nope, just the status window shows up.¡± ¡°Is this virtual reality? Is it finally my turn for a big opportunity?¡± ¡°What opportunity? You¡¯ve been reading too many web novels, haven¡¯t you?¡± While some made silly remarks with utmost seriousness, others clung to their smartphones, broadcasting real-time updates from elsewhere. They said a huge circle appeared across the world. That perfectly fine people vanished into thin air. Or that it was all a hoax. My silent smartphone stayed quiet, but notifications and ringtones echoed around me incessantly. So much so that there was no need to check the news online. ¡°It¡¯s clear this mission isn¡¯t exclusive to us.¡± ¡°Uh, Eunho! Can you see¡­ this too?¡± ¡°Yes, I can see it. d I¡¯m not the only one going crazy.¡± ¡°Can you see my screen? Including the illustrations?¡± Was he worried I could see a hologram of him in his underwear? His unnecessary panic made me hastily add, ¡°No, only my screen shows up on my end. Stuff like affiliations and stats.¡± ¡°Phew. But still, what is this? Earth, they said? Who would y such a prank¡­?¡± A prank? I grabbed my right leg, pulling and pushing it back and forth. ¡ªSwoosh. Swoosh. It moved. Barely, but it did. If this was a prank¡ª If it was a miracle of a prank that revived the leg I lost ten years ago¡ª ¡°¡­There must be more missions, right? They said ¡®first mission¡¯ earlier, didn¡¯t they?¡± I was going to give my all to this prank. ¡°You¡­ think so?¡± ¡°Yes. If the broadcast is to be believed, it seems like they¡¯re trying to reduce the number of participants through multiple missions. It would be nice if they told us how many people they n to keep.¡± ¡°Eunho, do you really believe this? Earlier, you said you were just going to leave¡­¡± Jieun bit her lip, ncing nervously at me. Her reluctance to fully trust the broadcast talking about "restructuring" and "elimination" probably stemmed from not witnessing Manager Choi disappear in real-time. Honestly, people vanishing into thin air likeputer files flickering and being deleted is an absurd concept. Even knowing that, her hesitation frustrated me. Perhaps my irritation stemmed from the urgency of my own desperation. ¡°I¡¯m taking the reward.¡± ¡°The reward¡­¡± [The second mission will begin shortly at 1:30 PM. Safe zones will be randomly generated when the mission starts, so please proceed with caution.] I grabbed Jieun, who had started nervously biting her nails again. ¡°Jieun! The first safe zone, where we are now, is the center of the 25th floor, right?¡± ¡°Yes, with the caf¨¦ to the east near the elevators and the smoking room to the west.¡± ¡°Did you see anyone elsee up here after the broadcast?¡± ¡°No, not a single person.¡± Not a single person hade to this safe zone. ¡°Then I think the safe zones must appear on each floor.¡± ¡°Then¡­ should we just stay here and wait?¡± ¡°I doubt it. The first mission was probably simple because it was an introduction.¡± Most likely, it was a tutorial to exin how the missions would work. ¡°If there¡¯s no safe zone nearby¡­¡± ¡°We might not make it in time.¡± That was true, but¡ª ¡°The safe zone might already be full of people who arrived first.¡± ¡°Then¡­ does that mean those who arrivete fail?¡± If you arrivedte and found the safe zone full¡ª Would you just say, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s full? Guess I¡¯ll give up!¡± and walk away? ¡°¡­People might fight over it.¡± I needed to think coldly. Always assume the worst-case scenario. ¡°For now, let¡¯s look for something that could work as a weapon.¡± ¡°A weapon¡­? Are you going to fight?¡± ¡°Not sure if we¡¯ll find anything useful.¡± An ordinary office building wasn¡¯t exactly brimming with potential weapons. Chairs were heavy, and things like box cutters or scissors were too short. Wielding aptop stand or a keyboard in a fight wasn''t practical. ¡°The best we could find might be a mop.¡± ¡°You mean the kind used for cleaning?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s probably too big and heavy to be practical. Especially if we need to take the stairs.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Every floor has a cleaning supply room, so let¡¯s take our time to think.¡± While I was lost in thought, Jieun looked at me with wavering eyes. 01:15 PM. Fifteen minutes until the second mission. There wasn¡¯t much time. ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable, you can go back to the office. I¡¯m not trying to pressure you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ It¡¯s just the sudden talk about fighting and weapons caught me off guard.¡± "If that''s all, save the confusion forter. Let''s focus onpleting the mission first." "...Eunho, something feels different about you." Leaving Jieun, who wore a conflicted expression, behind, I limped around, scanning the area. "Anyway, just in case, grab something useful. Something easy to carry." "D-Do I have to carry one too?" Jieun pointed to herself with a flustered expression, as if she never imagined she¡¯d have to fight anyone. "You''ve got to protect yourself." 1:25 PM. "Five minutes left. Let¡¯s wait here." "Are you taking the stairs?" "If there¡¯s no safe zone on the rooftop, we¡¯ll have toe back down immediately." "Let¡¯s use the elevator, Eunho." "You know what it¡¯s like during rush hour. Hundreds of people will be swarming the three elevators." "But, Eunho, you don¡¯t like stairs¡­" I grinned at her concerned words. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w I hadn¡¯t liked them. My walking was painfully slow, and every step made my whole body ache. But if enduring a little pain could revive my lifeless leg... "I¡¯ll manage." [The mission is starting. Please evacuate to the safe zone before the time limit expires.] "Eunho, look at this!" A new screen appeared in my vision alongside the status window. A white rectangle, about the size of a 27-inch monitor, with roughly 65% transparency. "It looks like a building map!" "At least that¡¯s some relief. I thought we¡¯d have to search every floor." The screen disyed familiar spaces in an unfamiliaryout. MS Tower, a 25-story building. A helpful pin icon blinked on the 25th floor, showing my location, and the safe zones within the building were marked in green. "Floors 19, 11, and 3. What should we do?" "Head for the closest one. Run!" 09:50 I checked the shing clock beside the schematic and opened the fire door leading to the stairs. ¡ª Clunk. "Huff, huff..." "Eunho! Are you okay?" My entire body was drenched in sweat. I felt like I was dying, but I had made it to the 20th floor. Just half a flight more to reach the safe zone on the 19th floor. Let¡¯s go. I told myself it was just like interval training from my athlete days. As if I were alternating between sprinting and jogging in a 1,000-meter drill. "Should we rest for a moment? You look too exhausted, Eunho." Jieun asked with a worried tone, but I shook my head. "I¡¯m fine... Not tired at all." Not tired, no way. The sensation of my right foot touching the ground was electrifying. The feeling of running hard enough to drench myself in sweat¡ªit was so unfamiliar and thrilling, I almost wanted to cry. "If this much is possible with one reward... What if I fully fix it?!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Eunho..." "We¡¯re here. 19th floor." ¡ª Clunk! When I opened the fire door, the sight before me was far busier than the rooftop. People were scattered everywhere¡ªsome sitting, others gathered in groups, and some hurrying somewhere. Despite their differing actions, they all shared one thing inmon. Everyone kept ncing at the elevator lobby in the safe zone. "Hey, Jieun! What¡¯s this chaos all about?" "Ah, Team Leader Park!" "People are talking nonsense about people disappearing or whatever. Shouldn¡¯t we discipline those cking off and creating panic?" "Haha¡­" The middle-aged man called Team Leader Park sighed irritably and turned his puzzled gaze to me. "Why are you so sweaty? Don¡¯t tell me you two were¡ª" "There¡¯s no time... We¡¯ll be going now." "What?" "Good luck, Team Leader!" 2:20 I quickly turned away without waiting to chat, and Jieun followed right behind me. "He¡¯s the head of the General Affairs Team. They use the 19th floor for their department." Jieun added some context, but I wasn¡¯t interested, so I simply replied with an "Ah, okay" before hurrying my steps. "We¡¯ve arrived." Through the ss doors, the elevator lobby was visible. The green-bordered area on the walls marked the safe zone, already packed with dozens of people. "There are so many people here." "Yeah. How many do you think can fit in this space?" The elevator lobby was the same size on every floor of the building. If that¡¯s the case... "If we squeeze in, about 100 people, maybe." "A hundred?! How do you know that, Eunho?" "Here, it¡¯s sixteen steps across and seven steps deep." "What?" Jieun widened her eyes in disbelief. "My stride is about 30 cm, so if one person stands per step, that¡¯s 16 times 7. Hmm... 112? So, roughly a hundred people." "Eunho, do you measure your steps everywhere you go?" "Calcting steps and time for distances has be a habit." "You¡¯re amazing, Eunho!" "Not really. It¡¯s pretty ordinary." "Ordinary? You¡¯ve got great spatial awareness!" Jieun stared at me with her mouth agape. It wasn¡¯t that surprising. It was just a habit I developed during track and field, estimating distance and stamina. It became even more detailed when I started limping. "By the way, there are still people outside. We should stay alert." About 50 seconds remained. The crowd was growing thicker by the second. "Hey, Kang! Did youe for this mission thing?" "Ah¡­ Yeah, I had a bad feeling. What about you, Manager?" "Uh, no. I¡¯ve got a client meeting." In slippers only worn at desks? The man called Kang scanned the manager¡¯s outfit from head to toe, causing thetter to clear his throat awkwardly. As the timer dropped below 30 seconds, the safe zone became so packed there was barely space to step. When it hit ten, people began pushing and shoving to get in. 10 seconds. "Hey! Move inside a bit!" 8 seconds. "Ouch! Don¡¯t step on my foot!" 7 seconds. "¡­Team Leader?" With less than five seconds left... The General Affairs Team Leader staggered toward the ss doors, sses crooked on his nose. But he couldn¡¯t make it through. He was blocked by the crowd already packed inside. "Didn¡¯t he talk about disciplinary action earlier?" "What should we do? He might not make it!" 3 seconds. 2 seconds. "Stop pushing, dammit!" "Wait a second!" 00:00 [Time limit reached.] The second mission ended. "I¡­ I made it in, right? Didn¡¯t I?" The Team Leader¡¯s upper body was barely inside the ss doors. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 3 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 3: The Beginning of Restructuring (3) ¡°Manager Park!¡± Unable to bear it any longer, Jieun reached out her hand, but it hovered in the air, unable to touch him. [Time limit expired.] ¡°I... I got in, right? Didn¡¯t I?¡± Manager Park¡¯s words marked the beginning of a suffocating silence in the safe zone. It was just like a packed subway. People crowded around, desperately trying to reduce any physical contact with each other. Even the man who forced his way in only to get stuck in the door. Blink. ¡°Jieun! I, I... I got in, right? Didn¡¯t I?¡± Manager Park¡¯s words stuttered as if on a phone with poor reception. ¡°Please grab me! Pull me!¡± Thwack! A deathly pale Manager Park clung to Jieun¡¯s wrist as if it were a lifeline. [Personnel outside the safe zone will be eliminated.] Jieun pulled with all her might, as if saving someone drowning in water. ¡ª Thud! Manager Park¡¯s upper body was severed cleanly, leaving Jieun to fall on her bottom, clutching his torso. Just like losing bnce after a hard tug-of-war game abruptly ends. ¡°...!¡± At first, there was silence. Then: ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Wha... what! His body!¡± Manager Park¡¯s waist had been cleanly cut, as if by aser. The stark white of his bones stood out in the middle of tightly packed red muscles. It was a grotesque and surreal sight. So surreal, in fact, that a chilling thought crossed Jieun¡¯s mind: It looks just like a neatly cut piece of meat. Blood gushed from the severed area, and the metallic stench overwhelmed her senses, making her head spin. ¡°Ugh... ahhh...¡± Snap! ¡°Jieun! Are you okay?!¡± ¡°...hic!¡± Jieun, utterly dazed and hupping, was jolted back to reality. I carefullyid down the bleeding torso of Manager Park before turning to her. ¡°Jieun, look at me! Can you pull yourself together?¡± Her arms were still frozen in the position she had grabbed Manager Park, and her entire body was trembling. Following her gaze, I saw that the floor below her knees was soaked in blood. ¡°H-he¡¯s... dead...¡± Grabbing a wad of tissues from the restroom, I started wiping her down. The tissues clung awkwardly to her stockings, but she was too far gone to notice. ¡°Jieun, snap out of it! As harsh as this sounds, we can¡¯t guarantee we won¡¯t end up like him.¡± ¡°If... if I¡¯d pulled faster...¡± ¡°No. Manager Park waste to begin with. As cruel as it sounds, he wasted time messing around with pointless things and got himself killed.¡± Someone had just died before our eyes. In another situation, I would¡¯ve prayed for the dead. If only we had the luxury to do so. But right now, survival came first. On top of that, I had to deal with someone who was losing her mind from the shock. [Missionplete. MS Tower, 1,073 individuals restructured. Survivors: 723.] ¡°Jieun, do you hear that announcement? Over a thousand people are gone. This is no joke!¡± ¡°...¡± [Please select your mission reward.] ¡°Once we collect our rewards, the next mission will start. You need to stay sharp!¡± ¡°...Hic.¡± She tightly shut her eyes and bit her lower lip. Is she naturally this fragile? No, it¡¯s unreasonable to expect a recent college graduate to act like me. She hadn¡¯t undergone any resilience training like an athlete. Nor had she watched her parents die in a car ident while sitting in the back seat. Put any random girl off the street in this situation, and 99 out of 100 would react the same way. If this continues... Should I force her toe along? She might have to witness even worse scenes ahead. She might have tomit even more horrific acts herself. That would require a strong mind to endure... Wait.N?v(el)B\\jnn A thought struck me. ¡°Mission reward.¡± [Would you like to strengthen ¡®Mental Resilience¡¯ as your mission reward?] That¡¯s it! Not wanting to risk a misunderstanding by the system, I quickly shouted, ¡°Hold on!¡± and shook Jieun¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Jieun! You don¡¯t have to pull yourself together, just do as I say.¡± ¡°Eunho...¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t picked your reward yet, right?¡± Her clouded eyes turned toward me as she gave a slow nod. As expected, someone who spent ages deciding on a lunch menu wouldn¡¯t have chosen a reward yet. Which meant... ¡°Repeat after me: ¡®Mission reward.¡¯¡± ¡°...What?¡± "Repeat after me: ''Mission reward!''" "¡­What?" "Mission reward! Repeat after me!" Shaking her shoulders to make eye contact, I enunciated each word clearly. "¡­Mission¡­ reward." "Did a window pop up?" She nodded. "The reward is ''Mental Fortitude'' enhancement." "Mental¡­ Fortitude¡­ enhancement." "One more time!" "¡­Mental Fortitude enhancement." ¡­Did it work? I nced at her nervously. Jieun raised her hand and covered her face. "¡­Jieun?" "¡­" No response. Just a deep, silent sigh. Was it a failure? "How do you feel?" In a situation where it''s hard enough to take care of myself, I can''t afford to carry someone along if they can''t recover. ''If recovery isn''t possible¡­'' As I was about to stand up with a heavy heart, Jieun finally parted her cracked lips. "Um¡­" Her expression was firm. Her eyes were unusually bright¡ªclearer than usual, like those of a model student. "I¡¯ll go take off my stockings." People grew serious. Watching someone get cut down before their eyes¡ªhow could they not? Groups formed in corners, huddling together to whisper. Of course, they weren¡¯t talking about work. "Isn''t stamina the most important thing?" "Wouldn¡¯t strength give you an edge? I¡¯m nning to raise both stamina and strength evenly." "Agility seems like it¡¯s necessary too." So far, we¡¯ve received rewards twice. Most people seem to have raised their stats as disyed on their status screens. Nobody¡¯s used their points to heal a limp or enhance their mental resilience. And, apparently, nobody else is using this time to gather intel like me. "Can we use the rewards to get immunity from elimination?" [Not selectable.] "What about weapons, like guns or swords?" [Not selectable.] This isn¡¯t allowed, and that¡¯s not allowed either. A regr person might have given up after a few questions, but not me. I¡¯m Lee Eunho. I¡¯ve jumped between temp jobs, constantly bowing and scraping to overworked, annoyed admin teams to get answers. I¡¯ve studied every ordinance, every Q&A post across welfare centers, public corporations, and tax offices for disability support benefits. "Then how about irvoyance? Or flying?" [Not selectable in the current elimination stage.] ''¡­!'' "Does that mean there¡¯s a next stage?" [Cannot answer.] "What does it take to move to the next stage? Do we just need to survive here?" [Cannot answer.] Whoever is behind this restructuring, it¡¯s clear just surviving in the designated area isn¡¯t the endgame. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [The mission will begin at 2:00 sharp.] [Mission reward granted.] [Recovery rate for limp: 70%.] The current time: 1:55 PM. I quickly used the mission reward to strengthen my right leg and walked. ¡ª Swish, thump. Swish, thump. The steps of a limping man. But¡­ "Eunho, your leg¡­?" Left foot, right foot. Left foot, right foot. Alternating steps, growing faster. As if I was doing a stationary jog. "Is it fully healed? How is this even possible¡­?" "Not yet." Just one more reward, and I¡¯ll have my body back¡ªjust like it was in my prime. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t stop a smile from creeping across my face. [Data collection for skill unlock in progress.] At that moment, a mysterious message appeared. "Skill¡­ data¡­?" "What?" "Didn¡¯t you get the message?" Jieun looked puzzled, shaking her head. "Skill." "Skill?" Just in case, I muttered "Skill" like I did with "Mission reward," but there was no response. Perhaps it only triggers under specific conditions. "Never mind. Let¡¯s wait by the stairs." Icked information. For now, it seemed wiser to focus onpleting the mission. Jieun, noticing my sense of urgency, spoke calmly. "¡­Eunho, I think I know what kind of reward you want." She must¡¯ve figured it out¡ªmy change was too obvious. "I¡¯m going to survive." I smiled broadly. Jieun silently nodded. "Let¡¯s survive. Together." [Mission start. Safe zones have been created.] The nearest safe zone: 15th floor, Conference Room 2. "It looks small." "Twenty people will fill it to capacity." "It looks small." "It gets packed with just twenty people in there." "What do we do? There are still so many people left..." What else could we do? Smiling, I stepped down the stairs with a slight limp. "We run!" Strengthening Jieun''s mental resilience was an excellent decision. "Uh... is that...?" "What the hell is he doing?! Is that even allowed?!" We arrived at Meeting Room 2 on the 15th floor with about seven minutes to spare. By the time we got there, the meeting room door had already been ripped off, and people inside and outside the room were at a standoff. If you could even call it that. Armed with everything from wooden sticks to cement flowerpots and dumbbells, one man was blocking ess to the safe zone, leaving everyone else stuck. "Jieun, do you see that sharp object? What do you think it is?" "...A hand axe?" The man seemed well-equipped. In his left hand, he held a shiny, pointed weapon, possibly a shard of a ceramic flowerpot. In his right hand, a wooden stick, likely the leg of a chair. Surrounding him were piles of cement flowerpots, seemingly ced there to ensure he was ready for a fight at any time. "That guy... he¡¯s from the Operations Support Team, right?" "Yes. Deputy Manager Gwak Dongseok, 36 this year. He joined as a recement when someone went on leave two years ago. His contract is ending soon¡ªhe wasn¡¯t converted to permanent staff." In other words, he was in the same boat as me. I think I¡¯ve seen him around before. For someone with a big build, he always seemed to shrink into himself, never fitting in with others. He reacted overly sensitively during work-rted issues, which made him seem a bit prickly. "...But I didn¡¯t expect him to be this prickly." Thwack! Smack! "Get the hell out! GET OUT!" With bloodshot eyes, Deputy Manager Gwak struck anyone who dared approach the green safety line. The wooden stick, once a chair leg, was already stained red with blood stters. "You bastard! There¡¯s plenty of space!" "It¡¯s my choice! Don¡¯te near me!" "Why are you so selfish?! Can¡¯t we just survive together?!" "You¡¯re the selfish ones!" Gwak seemed angry, yet also frightened. "Scared of me, huh? Thought you could ignore me...!" But he also seemed to be enjoying it. "Gwak! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?!" It was Oh, the Senior Manager of the Operations Support Team and Gwak¡¯s direct superior. Gwak froze for a moment as Oh shouted. "Senior Manager?" "Drop that immediately!" Oh thundered, cautiously stepping closer to the safety zone. "Uneducated thug! We took you in, and now you¡ª" Thwack! ...He never got to finish that sentence. "You didn¡¯t take me in, you bastard." The back of Senior Manager Oh¡¯s head burst open. The sound of a watermelon splitting, the scent of blood, the sticky sensation of sttered droplets filled the office air. Should I be shocked that Gwak mercilessly struck his superior? Or should I be more surprised by Jieun, who whispered under her breath, "Technically, they didn¡¯t take him in. They exploited him under the guise of making him permanent, then discarded him." "I knew... this day woulde..." His heavy breathing suggested he wasn¡¯t a natural-born fighter. But with that level of preparation... "He''s been thinking about this. How to hurt people in the office." Gwak swung the wooden stick, flinging off faint pinkish remnants as he red disdainfully at the silent crowd, paralyzed with fear. [05:20] Five minutes left. Exhaling a small sigh, I took a step forward. "...Eunho!" Jieun shook her head vehemently, as if to stop me, but there was no other choice. I had my reasons to be desperate too. "Excuse me, Deputy Manager Gwak?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 4 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 4: The Beginning of Restructuring (4) Assistant Manager Gwak''s brows furrowed, but he took a calm step forward. He subtly calcted the distance to ensure the wooden bat wouldn¡¯t reach him. "Why are you digging your own grave?" "What¡­ What are you talking about?" "Some people have already fled to other safe zones. If they survive, everyone will know you killed your colleagues¡ªa murderer." "¡­¡­." "There might be missionster requiring coboration with others. Wouldn''t that put you at a major disadvantage?" Assistant Manager Gwak''s eyes darted nervously, showing his unease. "How... how do you know that?" "That''s how it always is when ites to picking and firing people. I''ve had plenty of experience with restructuring andyoffs..." I decided not to mention that I learned about the ''next stage'' through the system. Instead, I made up a usible excuse. The restructuring I experienced couldn''t be the same as Earth''s version, but my exnation seemed convincing enough, as he didn¡¯t press further. "Think rationally." This was a mission where only a certain number of people could survive. At first nce, it might seem better to go solo, since it¡¯s apetition after all. But... ¡®The initial stages aren¡¯t too strict on the number of people. It''s better to move as a group, survive through the early and mid-stages, andpete within the group in theter stages.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure if Assistant Manager Gwak could think that far ahead. If he refused¡­ "Who do you think you are, stepping in like this? Do you think I¡¯m an easy target?" I¡¯d have no choice but to resort to another method. "You... you bastard. I¡¯ve always hated your guts. You think you¡¯re on the same level as me, huh?" He red at me with murky eyes, seething with contempt. A man who categorizes people into ''levels''¡ªsomeone who harbors murderous rage against those ''above'' him for looking down on him, yet dismisses people like me at the bottom of the food chain as ''beneath'' him. ¡®The ones right above you are always the scariest.¡¯ "I don¡¯t care if we¡¯re on the same level or not." "Shut up! Who are you to lecture me? You piece of trash!" Was he incapable of the most basic reasoning? I figured there was nothing more to say and turned to leave, but a heavy object came hurtling towards me. ¡ª Thud! It was a brown flowerpot, thrown by an agitated Gwak. Thankfully, my body moved faster than my judgment. I stepped back just in time, evading it before I even realized what it was. [Measuring data required to unlock skills.] ¡®Again?¡¯ "Don¡¯t ignore me! Don¡¯t you dare ignore me!" Gwak, now fully unhinged, kept throwing flowerpots, aiming to bash in everyone''s heads. People gathered at the meeting room entrance scattered to avoid the flying pots and shards. ¡®Pathetic. Wasting critical throwable weapons like that.¡¯ "You lunatic!" ¡ª Crash! Those who witnessed his attempted murder and reckless violence began fleeing one by one, their faces pale with fear. "Eunho, should we head down now? Maybe we can make it to the 4th floor if we hurry." "It¡¯s already toote." Even at my pace, it would¡¯ve been cutting it close. The lower floors were likely packed with people by now. Jieun seemed to understand, biting her lip with a troubled expression. "¡­Is this the end for us?" "No. The game hasn¡¯t even started yet." "Then what¡­? Eek!" She stumbled as she bumped into someone trying to escape in the chaos. ¡ª Grab! I caught the man by the wrist before he could flee further. "What... What are you doing?" "If you don¡¯t have a n, join us." He wasn¡¯t particrly tall, but his sturdy build stood out. The physique of someone well-acquainted with physical training. "I do have a n. I was going to try another safe zone." "Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote for that?" When I pointed it out, he averted his eyes, avoiding my gaze. I shook his shoulder and spoke slowly, clearly, just as I had with Jieun earlier. "Three minutes, 180 seconds left. Five seconds to reach the stairs. Based on your stride, it¡¯ll take about 15 seconds per floor to descend. That¡¯s 165 seconds to reach the 4th floor, leaving you with 10 seconds to spare." "Huh? Wha¡ª?" "There are over 700 survivors left in this building. Only two safe zones exist. Everyone fleeing from here must already be cramming into those zones. What do you think you¡¯ll find when you get there?" "The 4th floor safe zone will be... Oh!" "It could be even worse than here." The man finally grasped the dire situation and hung his head. "I understand now. But even so, we can¡¯t just fight them off, can we?" Tanned skin. A body like chiseled stone.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A crew cut. His mannerisms and speech were stiff, but not awkwardly so. "You worked out? Or military?" "I was dischargedst year as a sergeant in the Army. How did you know?" Dragging him by the wrist, I led him out into the disheveled office. "We¡¯ll discuss thatter. For now, find something we can use as a shield." "A shield¡­ Oh! Would a frying pan work?" "¡­We¡¯ve got three minutes. Look around for something bigger." He didn¡¯t inspire much confidence, but there was no time for doubts. ¡°Jieun, head to the women¡¯s restroom. There should be a mop in the cleaning supply closet.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± I quickly rattled off the instructions and headed for the men¡¯s restroom. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t a cleaning supply closet in the men¡¯s room, but Jieun soon emerged holding a mop in both hands. ¡°There¡¯s only one. What do we do?¡± ¡°One is enough. Please give it to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to use it, Eunho?¡± She widened her eyes when I, the least physically fit of the three, volunteered to take it, but then nodded with aposed expression as if she understood. ¡°You must have your reasons.¡± ¡°Yes. You two... you¡¯ll need to push that.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®that¡¯...?¡± I pointed behind Jieun. Sergeant Choi was dragging arge whiteboard toward us. ¡°I found it!¡± 01:45 ¡°When I give the signal, we go in together.¡± A quick nce into the conference room showed it was the same as before. The only difference was that the number of potted nts had decreased, thanks to Assistant Manager Gwak angrily throwing them around earlier. ¡°Watch out for the wooden nks and the flowerpots. He¡¯ll throw them without hesitation if you get close.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°If we use the whiteboard as a shield, we should make it inside. By the way, your name was...?¡± ¡°Choi Jaehyuk!¡± This army sergeant seemed different from the average conscript who finishes his term. He didn¡¯t carry the rxed demeanor of a corporal but instead exuded the intense energy of a rookie trainee. Like... I don¡¯t know... maybe a dependable ck Doberman. ¡°Mr. Jaehyuk, when I signal, push to the right. Jieun, you handle the left. Since you¡¯ll need to move simultaneously, it¡¯ll help to coordinate your steps.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And when you reach the safety zone boundary...¡± As I exined the so-called "Palm Strategy," the two listened intently, nodding seriously. The mop handle was slippery with sweat. 00:15 ¡°Now!¡± A low butmanding shout. ¡ª tter! The wheels of the whiteboard screeched as the three of us rushed forward. It took 5 seconds to use the whiteboard as a shield and reach the conference room entrance. It took 3 seconds to brace ourselves against flying flowerpots and dumbbells crashing into us. It took 2 seconds for Assistant Manager Gwak to strike the whiteboard with his bloodstained wooden nk, breaking it. And when we reached the safety zone boundary... ¡°Flip it!¡± The three of us slid the whiteboard across the floor and flipped it in a single motion,nding inside the safety zone in 1 second. The strategy worked like flipping a hand. ¡°Was it a sess?¡± Just as I thought Jaehyuk, Jieun, and I had all made it safely¡­ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°You bastards...!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Assistant Manager Gwak grabbed a sharp fragment of a broken flowerpot and stabbed Jaehyuk in the side. ¡°Mr. Jaehyuk!¡± ¡ª Whack! I quickly kicked Gwak, forcing him away from Jaehyuk, and swung the mop. The sudden blow bent Gwak¡¯s neck at an unnatural angle. ¡°You... even you dare look down on me?!¡± He charged like an enraged bull, as if I were a red cape. And then. [Time Limit Reached.] ¡ª Thud! I sidestepped, and Gwak, unable to stop his momentum, crashed outside the safety zone. [Initiating structural adjustment.] ¡°Huh? Wha...?¡± The mission was over. ¡°A chance... I barely... had a chance... and because of you...!¡± Gwak flickered like a failing lightbulb. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Eunho¡¯s fault. If you hadn¡¯t attacked first¡ª¡± ¡°Jieun.¡± I shook my head silently. He had threatened his colleagues, killed Executive Director Oh, refused my proposal, attacked us, and stabbed Jaehyuk with a flowerpot shard. If he¡¯d stayed calm, all four of us could have cleared the mission. Everything was Gwak¡¯s doing. There was no need to say anything more. Gwak¡¯s pitiful life was already over. ¡°...He¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jieun and I stood in silence, staring at the now-empty space as if nothing had ever been there. Then, a familiar system notification chimed. A sound that was both familiar and desperately awaited. [Please select your mission reward.] ¡°The first mission gave 20%. The second was 70%. So this time...!¡± ¡°Mission reward.¡± My voice trembled involuntarily. ¡°Leg enhancement.¡± Would it work? It had to work. It must work. In the 0.1 seconds of waiting for the system¡¯s response, my heart sank and then soared. [Mission reward has been granted.] [Limp recovery rate: 100%.] ¡°...!¡± [Recovery Rate of Limpness: 100%.] "¡­¡­!" Tap. I lifted my right foot and took a step. Tap. Tap. Left foot, right foot. Not even the slightest dy. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. It¡¯s light. So light that I feel like I could fly. ''It worked¡­¡­!'' Like a madman, I jumped on the spot. I noticed Jieun staring at me wide-eyed like a startled rabbit, but I didn¡¯t care. The exhration was indescribable. I wanted to keep jumping all night. "Haa¡­¡­." "Eunho! Congrattions!" But I have to survive. For that¡ª ''I¡¯m still not there yet.'' Reviving my dead leg is an invaluable reward. However, I used all three of my rewards to restore my body, so I¡¯m naturally at a disadvantagepared to those who used theirs to enhance their already healthy bodies. It¡¯s like starting three steps behind everyone else. In that case¡ª ''First, that method.'' Catching up to and overtakingpetitors ahead. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve done all my life with the utmost effort¡ªand seeded at. So, I¡¯ll move ahead. I¡¯ll outrun them, and I¡¯ll survive. I have to. "It¡¯s all healed, right? Oh my goodness¡­¡­!" Jieun sped her hands over her mouth, looking genuinely thrilled, as if it were her own aplishment. She really is a kind person. "Thank you. I¡¯ll just step out for a moment¡­¡­." "Haa¡­¡­." Just as I was about to rise, I heard Jaehyuk¡¯sbored breathing. Only then did it ur to me¡ªI had forgotten him, sprawled out on the floor. I propped him up against the wall. "Mr. Jaehyuk! Are you okay?" "Hoo¡­¡­." He was too out of breath to respond. "There¡¯s a shard stuck in you. We¡¯ll need to remove it¡­¡­." A shard of a flower pot was lodged in his side, the shirt around it soaked with blood. If left untreated, the wound could be infected. "¡­¡­It¡¯s going to hurt. Please bear with it." "Hrr, hreeeeeeeeeek!" Jaehyuk screamed. "I haven¡¯t touched it yet." "¡­¡­." Maybe it was from the movement causing his clothes to rub against the wound. I carefully reached out with my fingers¡ª ¡ªPlop. "Huh?" The flower pot shard came out with a small pop. "Looks like this is the end for me¡­¡­." "Excuse me?" "To my mother back home¡­¡­ my final words¡­¡­." ¡­Final words? I unconsciously frowned. "Mr. Jaehyuk?" At the sound of his name, he looked up at me with a wistful gaze. "Say them yourself, your final words." "You¡¯re too¡­¡­ cruel¡­¡­." The corners of his brows dipped, his eyes glistening, lips pressed tightly together. He looked wounded. "You¡¯re not dying. Not from something like this." Three centimeters? No, maybe two? It was just the very tip of the shard with a bit of blood on it. Looking closer, he hadn¡¯t even lost much blood in the first ce. It¡¯s not enough to die, even if he wanted to. ''Why is he so scared?'' I thought I was getting a Doberman as an ally. Turns out he¡¯s just a ck mutt. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 5 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 5: The Beginning of Restructuring (5) ¡°Mr. Jaehyuk, have you received the reward for this mission?¡± ¡°Not yet...¡± Looking down at Jaehyuk sprawled on the floor with his head hanging low, I spoke. ¡°Oh! Then it¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t worry, Jaehyuk!¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Jieun eximed brightly, her expression beaming. Having seen my leg healed as part of a reward, she must have thought Jaehyuk¡¯s injuries could bepletely cured as well. But. ¡°No, that won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Huh? But Eunho, you...¡± ¡°These kinds of wounds can be handled with first aid. It¡¯s a waste to use the reward on this.¡± Jieun tilted her head in confusion, then checked Jaehyuk¡¯s injuries. Only then did she nod in agreement, casting a sharp look at the big crybaby. ¡°If you insist, try asking the mission reward to enhance your recovery ability.¡± ¡°Can that...¡± ¡°It should work. We don¡¯t have much time, so hurry up.¡± Improving his overall recovery ability was more efficient than treating a single visible injury. Based on my past experiences, I was confident that wounds like his would naturally heal if recovery ability was enhanced. ¡°Mission... reward... can you increase my recovery ability?¡± Despite the awkward phrasing, the system understood him. Soon, the stabbed wound disappeared as if erased by an invisible hand. If it weren¡¯t for the torn shirt and the blood that had seeped through, you¡¯d never guess where he had been injured. ¡°Amazing, hyung! How did you think of this?¡± The problem, however, was that I was now stuck being called ¡°hyung¡± because I had supposedly saved his life. ¡®How is this guy only 25?¡¯ Sure, his height over 180 cm was one thing, but his rugged, sunburned skin and intimidating build from all his training outdoors made him look at least in his mid-30s. ¡°Are you really younger...?¡± Jieun squinted at him in disbelief. I probably had the same expression on my face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re a year older than me, noona?¡± As Jaehyuk brought up ¡°noona,¡± Jieun recoiled in horror. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you two, I wouldn¡¯t have passed the mission. You saved my life!¡± ¡°No, no, we wouldn¡¯t have made it without you either, Jaehyuk.¡± Jaehyuk grabbed my shoulder when he heard me call him ¡°Jaehyuk¡± and shook his head vigorously. ¡°Please just call me Jaehyuk, hyung.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jaehyuk¡ªor rather Jaehyukie¡ªstared up at me with bright, puppy-like eyes. Feeling overwhelmed, I avoided his gaze and changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s wait here until the next mission starts.¡± ¡°Sounds good! We¡¯re on the 15th floor, so whether it¡¯s above or below, it won¡¯t be a bad starting point.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll probably be below. And only one safe zone.¡± ¡°Only one?¡± The second mission had three safe zones; thest one had two. That meant all survivors in the building would gather in one space. ¡®Who knows if someone like Assistant Manager Gwak will try to attack us again.¡¯ We needed to be ready. ¡°You two should rest for now.¡± As I got up, Jieun gave me a puzzled look. ¡°What about you, Eunho?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m nning to do some training.¡± ¡°Training?¡± I wanted to test my fully healed leg and experiment with the parameters that triggered notifications audible only to me. ¡®Collecting data necessary for skill activation.¡¯ The notification had already appeared twice. Once when I felt ted after regaining 50% use of my leg. And again when I stepped back to dodge the flowerpot thrown by Assistant Manager Gwak. If the data was gathered only under certain conditions¡ª ¡®I¡¯ll have to replicate them somehow.¡¯ ¡ªTap, tap! I sprinted across the meeting room. Ten steps. Then I backtracked, walking backward to my starting point. Another ten steps. ¡®Not this.¡¯ I tried running faster. Then backtracking. ¡®Still not it.¡¯ I did two full trips forward and back, a bit faster this time. Again, nothing. Was I not fast enough? I pushed myself to go even faster. ¡ªTap-tap-tap-tap! Still no result. Maybe just a bit more¡ª ¡°Eunho! Are you... okay?¡± ¡°H-hyung...? What are you doing right now...?¡± Jieun¡¯s voice was filled with concern, and Jaehyuk¡¯s gaze was full of pity, but I couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to them. ¡®There has to be a pattern.¡¯ After what felt like hundreds ofps back and forth across the small meeting room, a new notification rang in my head. [Due to subject Eunho Lee¡¯s strong determination, data collection speed has increased.] [Collecting data necessary for skill activation... 98%, 99%.] ¡°Hah...¡± ¡°Are you okay, Eunho? You¡¯re sweating so much...¡± 99%. I had an inexplicable but sure feeling that once it hit 100%, I would unlock a skill. I wondered what kind of skill would be unlocked through data ¡°collection.¡± ¡®If this were a game, I¡¯d hope for an attack skill. But now that it¡¯s real, something practical and helpful might be better...¡¯ ¡°...Eunho! Wait a moment!¡± ''If this were a game, I would''ve definitely wanted attack skills. But now that it''s reality, I realize I need something more practical...'' "Ho! Wait a moment!" "Jieun?" "We''re on air." Jieun shook me out of my thoughts. [Announcement to the survivors of MS Tower.] [At exactly 3 PM, the final mission willmence.] "The final...?" "Wow, big bro! Sis! This must be the end!" [To repeat, the final mission will begin at 3 PM. Please prepare yourselves beforehand.] "Is this really the end...?" I furrowed my brow instinctively. It couldn''t possibly be over. The system clearly mentioned a "next stage." "Whoa! They said it''s the final one!" "Finally, it''s over... What a relief!" The three of us¡ªeach harboring joy, relief, and suspicion¡ªprepared to move out. Jieun''s eyes sparkled as she stretched. Jaehyuk let out a sigh of relief, fiddling with his torn shirt. As for me, I tucked a pair of office scissors into my jacket pocket, bracing for any unforeseen dangers. [Mission Start. A safe zone has been created.] "Let''s go!" * * * We ran with all our might and arrived on the 6th floor: a gamepany''s exhibit hall. It was filled with hero figurines the size of grown adults¡ªpresumably game characters¡ªlined up in rows. ¡ªAn MMORPG like no other! ¡ªPre-registration now open. Experience it today! The exhibit''s central space was crowded with people. A dense throng of people gathered under a massive screen looping gamey footage and ads for the new game. From a distance, it might look like a group of eager fans checking out a new game. "What the hell is this...?" Dozens of people were pressed together, swaying as onerge mass. Desperately trying to squeeze into the safe zone, each individual shoved their body into every avable gap. Those stuck outside the cluster resorted to savagely attacking the ones in front of them with improvised weapons. "This is horrifying," Jieun remarked. She was right. Just this morning, those hands might have been typing on keyboards. Now, they gripped weapons of every sort, stabbing and striking their former colleagues¡ªpeople they used to greet with a nod in passing¡ªwithout a moment''s hesitation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w So this is what chaos truly looks like. "What do we do, bro?" "Breaking through head-on seems tough." "Yeah, a frontal assault won¡¯t work." After a brief moment of thought, I spoke up, and both of them turned to look at me. "I¡¯m going to need your help." "Got it, big bro!" "You have a n?" "I¡¯m not certain... but probably." I wouldn¡¯t know for sure until we tried. "See that white partition wall over there?" "Yeah, I see it." "Each of you move toward it, and we¡¯ll regroup on the other side. Be careful not to draw attention." "Understood!" Jaehyuk answered without hesitation, and Jieun nodded calmly. "You¡¯re not going to ask what the n is?" "Oh, was that something we should ask?" "Because we trust you, Eunho." They answered as if it wasn¡¯t even worth questioning. "...I¡¯ll head out first." ¡ªTap-tap! When the three of us regrouped, there were about three minutes left. "Eunho, what are you looking for?" "It should be around here... Ah!" Found it. "Adder?" Two silverdders were tucked away in a corner behind the partition wall. "My previous workce had a simr exhibit space. They always keptdders hidden away like this." The walls were covered in game titles and figurines, and a giant screen loomed over it all. Naturally,dders were essential for maintenance. "So why thedder...?" "We¡¯re climbing." "Climbing where?" "Up there." Jieun followed my pointing finger with her eyes. The back of therge screen loomed above us, supported by long pirs and draped in a tent-like structure. "How are we going to climb the screen?" "Not exactly the screen. We¡¯ll climb thedder and push the screen down." "Wait, what?" "If we topple the screen forward, it¡¯llnd inside the safe zone." It would be a tight fit, but the edge of the screen wouldnd squarely inside. "The people inside might get pinned, but they won¡¯t be seriously hurt. And everyone will clear the mission together." In other words, we could avoid a fight. Not exactly what this cursed system would want. "So, we don¡¯t need to fight at all?" Jaehyuk, as if struck by a revtion, opened his mouth wide before grabbing the twodders with both hands. "Got it! Let¡¯s do this, bro!" ¡ªTap-tap! [01:17] A little over a minute left. Timing was everything. "We go with 30 seconds left." With a determined look, I climbed thedder. Jaehyuk was at the top, and I was right below him. "Understood." Jaehyuk was in charge of toppling the screen. The n was simple: as soon as it fell, he''d jump down first, followed by Jieun and me. 30 seconds to go. I took a deep breath. "Here we go!" ¡ª Flutter! The screen fell. "What the...?!" "Why is it so dark?" The screen copsed, casting a shadow over the crowd.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As it fell, it ttened the tightly packed people below like dominos, knocking them over. ¡ª Thud! Almost simultaneously, Jaehyuk jumped down onto the fallen screen. Jieun followed, and I was thest to jump. My body wobbled from the impact of the fall, but as I steadied myself, I saw... "Secretary Kim!" Jieun was being dragged out of the safe zone by someone. "Jieun!" It was Director Park. Director Park, whom Jieun worked for, was pulling her arm with an almost vicious grip. Realizing she was about to be dragged away, Jieun shouted: "¡­I''m sorry, Director!" Flutter! She slipped out of her jacket and flung it away. Caught off guard by the momentum, Director Park stumbled backward. Thanks to the dense crowd, he didn¡¯t fallpletely, but¡­ "You little...!" "Ahh!" This time, he grabbed her by the hair. His hand tightly gripped her long hair, flowing down to her waist. "D-Director, please...!" 00:05 Sigh. This wasn¡¯t what I had nned, but¡­ With a small sigh, I pulled out a pair of scissors from my jacket pocket. And then... ¡ª Snip. I cut it off. The stranger¡¯s grip on her hair. "You bastard!" "Eu-Eunho¡­!" Director Park let out a strangled yell, and Jieun¡¯s bewildered voice echoed almost simultaneously. [Time¡¯s up. Missionplete.] "Wh-what¡¯s with her hair¡­?" Jaehyuk stared with his mouth agape, pointing at Jieun¡¯s now uneven, stair-stepped haircut. "¡­" "Uh, well, hair grows back, so¡­" As we descended out of the safe zone, I nced at Jieun nervously, wondering if she was upset. But Jieun, wearing an unreadable expression, quietly called my name. "¡­Eunho." "Yes? What is it?" She walked up to me, head lowered, and stopped so close that her nose was nearly touching mine. Then, suddenly, she turned around. "Please." "Excuse me? What?" Confused by her staircase-like hairstyle so close to my face, I asked. Turning her head slightly, she answered: "Cut it shorter. So this doesn¡¯t happen again." "What?" Had she overextended her mental fortitude? To my surprise, she even smiled gently. "It¡¯s fine. I think I¡¯ll look good with short hair anyway." [MS Tower, 16 survivors.] "Sis, bro! We made it! We survived!" Jaehyuk, who had been watching us cautiously, burst between Jieun and me, his face full of relief and joy. As I was about to tell him that he¡¯d worked hard too¡ª [Orientation is nowplete.] [Orientation rewards are being distributed.] [Synchronization rate has slightly increased.] "What?" "Orientation?" "But that was supposed to be the final mission¡­" Of course. There¡¯s no way it would end here. [The administrator¡¯s authority has activated the ¡®Project.¡¯] [Project Name: Selection.] The restructuring had only just begun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 6 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 6: Selection (1) "What the hell, who the hell are these people?" "The mission''s over! Move aside!" The people piled up on the screen began to shout one by one. The three of us hade down as soon as the notification announcing the mission''s end appeared, but the screen was still crowded with people clinging to it. ¡ª Rustle! "Ha, I thought I was gonna suffocate and die!" "Who the hell are you? My back almost broke! Do you have a death wish?!" Three people had followed us up. Two building cleaners and a security guard. "Ah, no, we just followed them! Right, Mr. Kim?" "Yeah! Those young folks went first... Wait, where''d they go?" Just as the curly-haired cleaner pointed in our direction¡ª I quickly pulled Jieun and Jaehyuk into the crowd to hide. There was no benefit in drawing unnecessary attention. More importantly... "We need to observe these people." I whispered quietly, ensuring only the two could hear me. Though the mission had ended, the people near the safe zone still stood on edge, wary of each other. I still didn¡¯t know what this "Project" was about, but we''d need to either cooperate orpete with the people here. "Let¡¯s find someone we can team up with." "Got it!" "Understood." ¡®And figure out who might be our futurepetitors.¡¯ I didn¡¯t feel the need to say everything out loud. It was easier on the two, kind-hearted as they were, to think of potential allies rather than opponents. "By the way, what do you think this ''Project'' is about?" Jieun asked, shaking her neatly cut bob. "''Selection,'' it said. Probably to weed out who will survive from this group." Selection. The act of picking out a select few from the many¡ªthose who excel or meet certain criteria. The system nned to keep only those who fit its preferences. ¡®I need to figure out what kind of people they want.¡¯ Just then¡ª A system message sounded, ¡ª Rumble! The ground shook, And a twin-tailed girl dropped from the sky. [Hmm?] The girl couldn¡¯t have been older than ten.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She wore a white dress trimmed withce, small red shoes, and had the appearance of a perfectly ordinary little girl. ...Except for the fact that she was floating in midair. "Is she flying?!" "Who¡ªwho are you?!" A few people shouted at her in shock. The girl crossed her arms andzily scanned the crowd before spitting out a word that seemed to be her name. [Ha Rona.] She was the "Administrator." No introductions or exnations were needed; it was obvious. [Hmm¡ª] Her gaze wandered until itnded on the screen we had knocked over. Since we had used the screen to extend the safe zone and climbed on top of it, more people had survived than initially intended. [You used your head well. Who did it?] The girl tilted her chin and smiled slyly as she asked. Jaehyuk nced between me and the girl but shook his head. It was best to tread carefully in such an uncertain situation. "Ah, that¡ªactually, I¡­" One of the cleaners who had followed us spoke up, perhaps hoping for some kind of reward. "?!" "Why did you step forward?!" Herpanions hurriedly tried to pull her back, but it was toote. All eyes were on her now. And so was the girl¡¯s, her expression hardening noticeably. Realizing she¡¯d made a mistake, the cleaner mped her mouth shut, but the girl was already floating above her. [Was it you?] "N-no, I mean, actually, it wasn¡¯t¡­" The woman waved her hands frantically, stumbling over her words as the girl stared down at her with a dissatisfied expression. Her tiny finger twitched. [If not, why step forward?] "Well, that¡¯s¡­" The girl tapped her finger against her crossed arm, her cold tone causing the cleaner¡¯s eyes to widen as her lips quivered. [Ah¡ªforget it.] The girl shook her head in irritation, raising her index finger to point at the woman. Then, with a flick of her finger¡ª ¡ª Slice. A glowing line traced the air from the woman¡¯s left arm to her right shoulder. "...!" Her head, severed cleanly, slid diagonally off her body. Thud. Thud. Thud. Her head hit the ground with a heavy thud, followed by her left arm and the now lifeless body. [Anyway, I need to identify the candidates.] Ignoring the terrified crowd, the girl turned back to us, resuming her speech as if nothing had happened. The cleaner¡¯s corpse, split into three parts, flickered briefly before disappearing. [Sixteen, minus one¡­ That¡¯s fifteen now.] ¡®Minus one?¡¯ It was just that insignificant. To her, at least. I bit my lower lip but couldn¡¯t step forward. ¡®Not yet. The gap in power is too wide.¡¯ [Thepany says I should interview each one of you, but I¡¯m a bit busy.] ¡®Company?¡¯ What exactly were they trying to assess? The criteria they used to evaluate us here likely aligned with the traits they valued for survival in the project. I needed to find clues about what the system wanted¡ªfrom this tiny Administrator. [Alright, among you¡ª] ¡®What could it be? Strength? Intelligence? Leadership?¡¯ [Are there any athletes? Hands up.] Athletes? Caught off guard by the unexpected question, people nced around nervously, but no one raised a hand. Even if there were athletes among us, the fear in the room likely kept them silent. [No one? Then, how about entertainers? Singers, actors, whatever¡¯s fine.] The system seemed to be looking for surprisingly ordinary¡ªalbeit irrelevant to me¡ªqualifications. [Alright,st one. Has anyone made a globally significant achievement? Like creating a monumental work of art?] The scale seemed a bitrger this time, but... [Alright,st chance. Someone who left a global mark? Like an artist who created an incredible masterpiece?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It seemed like a bit of a stretch. ¡°Um¡­ does a YouTuber count?¡± [What¡¯s that?] ¡°...Ah, never mind.¡± [If you say one more stupid thing, I¡¯ll tear your mouth open.] The man who had bravely raised his hand quickly mped his mouth shut in terror, covering it with his own hand. When he fell silent, no one else dared to speak up. [I figured there wouldn¡¯t be anyone. Then I¡¯ll just clean this up all at once¡­ Actually, let¡¯s proceed quickly. The floor¡¯s nice and smooth anyway¡­] The floor? The girl muttered something iprehensible, pping her hands together a couple of times as if dusting them off. [Oh, and the orientation rewards will be distributed collectively. Normally, they¡¯d be tailored to each person¡¯s abilities, but¡­ That¡¯s too much trouble, so I¡¯ll just randomize them.] [No questions, right?] Thatst bit was likely just a formality. Before anyone could think to ask a question, she disappeared without a trace. [Project Selection, first mission activated.] [Administrator authority engaged: Arena is now open.] ¡°What the hell¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The announcement of the mission¡¯s activation came with no mention of time limits, maps, or safe zones. The exhibition hall, slightly smaller than an elementary school yground, yielded nothing noteworthy no matter how thoroughly it was searched. There must be something hidden. ss disy cases filled with various figurines, tables, chairs, and benches scattered for people to sit on and rest¡ªall ordinary. Am I missing something? ¡ª Smack! At that moment, a woman in a suit smacked the arm of the man standing next to her. ¡°Why¡¯d you bring up YouTubers?¡± The man who had been the only one to speak earlier. ¡°They¡¯re kind of like celebrities, aren¡¯t they? Thought maybe it¡¯d save us¡­¡± ¡°What? And what about me?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes shed in anger at his answer. He floundered, trying to appease her. It seemed they were a couple. ¡°They¡¯re coworkers from my team, recruitment team and training team.¡± ¡°A workce romance, then?¡± ¡°Yes. They tried to keep it secret, but everyone who mattered already knew.¡± I half-listened to Jieun as I pondered. I need to know what kind of mission this is to prepare properly. Agility might be the best option if it was another speed-focused task involving a bit of physical exertion. But the mention of the Arena being opened weighed on my mind. Maybe I should go with something versatile just in case. It could start without warning. ¡°Mission rewards.¡± [Orientationplete: reward level upgraded.] [You have received 1 mission point and a Random Box for Neers.] ¡°1 point? A random box?¡± The reward system had changed, and now a strange red box had appeared in front of me. ¡ª Pop! Am I supposed to open this? The red box, about the size of my forearm, was tied with a gold ribbon and floated at arm¡¯s length, tilting slightly side to side. As I reached out, the box bobbed eagerly, as if asking to be opened. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A gift box?¡± The sudden pop! of the box quieted the exhibition hall. Even the quarreling couple and the bewildered crowd perked up, their interest palpable. ¡­Wait. Thinking it might be a trap, I hesitated, pulling my hand back. ¡°It¡¯s a mission reward. A random box¡ªmaybe it¡¯s meant to give us something useful¡­¡± Feigning curiosity, I spoke aloud. Before I could finish my sentence, others began moring for their own mission rewards. ¡°Me, me! I want a random box too!¡± ¡°Mission reward!¡± All around, red boxes materialized, and people gulped audibly as they hastily untied their ribbons. As the first reward was revealed, anticipation and tension filled the air. ¡°What the¡ª! Minjung!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This, this, this¡­!¡± The YouTuber called out desperately to his girlfriend, his eyes wide and his jaw practically on the floor. ¡°This is¡­ how much is all this?! Insane¡­¡± The woman¡¯s eyes sparkled as she picked up a bundle of yellow cash. One. Two. Three. Four¡­ Stacks of crisp, yellow bills piled up in her hands until they overflowed. Enough topletely fill the arm-length box. ¡°Oppa! How much is one bundle?¡± ¡°Ny-nine¡­ a hundred! A hundred bills! Five million won!¡± ¡°Insane¡­ There must be a hundred bundles! That¡¯s¡­ five hundred million won?!¡± Five hundred million. Enough to buy an apartment in the provinces, if not in Seoul. ¡­Back when the world was normal. Given the situation outside¡ªwhatever it might be¡ªthere was no guarantee society¡¯s foundation still stood. The value of money might not be what it once was. In fact, there was no certainty that the currency of the old world was even usable. In the worst case, a box full of bread might be more valuable than five hundred million won. At least it¡¯d make good kindling. Next, the box Minjung opened contained luxury bags. I turned away from the two without a second thought. Priority 1: armor. Priority 2: weapons. Armor seemed more efficient than unfamiliar weapons for now. Especially since the pany¡± the administrator belonged to seemed to have individuals who could tear people apart with a flick of their finger. Please, let it be something useful! I was already three rewards behind due to my injured leg. I needed something that could make up for the gap. ¡ª Shrrrrk. I grasped the shimmering gold ribbon with that desperate hope and gave it a tug. The wrapping unfurled with a soft noise. A bright light filled my vision. [You have received a Random Box for Neers.] [Congrattions!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 7 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 7: Selection (2) "¡­A rock?" I blinked, thinking I¡¯d seen it wrong, but what appeared amidst the shimmering light was a dull stone. A single stone, smaller than a golf ball. ¡°Ah! Is this really a sword? What if I cut myself?¡± ¡°Hey, miss! Some chunk of metal just came out, but do you know what it is? It¡¯s heavy as hell!¡± The woman in the fitted business skirt got a gleaming sword, and the security guard¡ªwhose vision wasn¡¯t the best¡ªended up with a riot shield fit for a special forces unit. ¡°Woah! Check this out, hyung!¡± Even Jaehyuk managed to get himself shiny medieval-style armor! "Uh, Eunho? Did you seriously just get a stone?" Jieun¡¯s words drew everyone¡¯s attention to the floating box in front of me. ¡°Young man, is it true? A rock came out?¡± ¡°A stone? Wow, I thought the cape was the worst, but I was wrong.¡± ¡°Well, um¡­ stay strong¡­¡± Everyone else had gotten something useful for survival. Sure, it was random, so there were differences between items like shields and capes. ¡°Hyung! Wanna share my armor? We can take turns wearing it!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll pause in the middle of a fight to swap armor?¡± ¡°Well, I guess¡­¡± ¡°...Sigh. It¡¯s fine. If I throw it well, a rock mighte in handy somehow.¡± Though, a rock is still just a rock. I tried to console myself, but my hand gripping the golden string trembled uncontrobly. ¡®This was supposed to make up for my setback¡­¡¯ The random box was truly random. There¡¯s an old saying: luck is a skill. But no amount of effort could have changed the result this time. Still, my shoulders slumped no matter how much I tried to rationalize it. ¡°¡­What about you, Jieun?¡± ¡°This,¡± Jieun replied, pulling a dagger about the length of her forearm from the box. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, suggesting she liked it. ¡°You seem good with it.¡± ¡°Yeah. It feels oddlyfortable in my hand. I¡¯ve never handled anything sharper than a kitchen knife before.¡± She turned it over in her hand, experimenting with grips, as if it had been tailor-made for her small hands. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m sure it¡¯lle in handy.¡± At least Jieun and Jaehyuk had gotten decent items. The dagger, in particr, would prove useful even outside ofbat. If she got used to it, it could be a great asset. ¡®A rock could be useful if I got used to it too¡­ throwing it¡­ rolling it...¡¯ Resigning myself to the thought, I reached out to the stone. And then¡ª ¡ªsh! [You have absorbed the "Diamond of the Forsaken Hignds."] The stone¡¯s surface, which had felt cool to the touch, suddenly began to liquefy as if melting in intense heat. [The skill "Petrification (Lv.1)" has been unlocked.] [Due to limited absorption, the initial activation range is restricted.] A skill? A ll of a sudden? After all the painstaking data collection, I hadn¡¯t seen even a trace of the skill I¡¯d worked for. Now, one pops out randomly from a box? ¡ªSlick. The once-solid stone flowed up my fingers like molten metal. An intense heat coursed through my skin, muscles, and even the marrow of my bones. Petrification. As I felt my fingertip hardening from the inside, I realized¡ªmy body was changing. [Initial activation range for "Petrification (Lv.1)" for subject "Eunho" is¡­] How far will it go? My legs? My arms? My fists? [The index finger of your right hand.] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± * * * ¡ªThunk! ¡°This is actually pretty amazing!¡± Jieun pped her hands like a seal. ¡°That¡¯s no ordinary rock.¡± "Diamond of the Forsaken Hignds." I had suspected something was unusual about a stone with such a grandiose name. It could punch through concrete walls and marble floors alike. ¡°It¡¯s so cool! I bet it¡¯s great for opening cans too!¡± ¡°Uh, you open cans with your thumb, not your index finger.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I nodded silently, and Jieun shrugged as if to say, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Anyway, I like that it¡¯s a growth-type skill. If you level it up, the range will probably expand.¡± ¡¸Petrification (Lv.1): Hardens the caster''s body for 60 seconds.¡¹ ¡¸Activation range: Index finger of the right hand.¡¹ The strength was impressive, so expanding the range would make it extremely useful. Sure, items like swords and shields were great right out of the box, but upgrading one¡¯s core abilities was always the better long-term choice. "Mission reward." [Choose your mission reward.] ¡°With the remaining point, I¡¯ll upgrade the Petrification skill.¡± [Upgrading "Petrification (Lv.1)" to "Petrification (Lv.2)".] [Select an additional activation range: Right-hand thumb, middle finger, ring finger, pinky finger, left-hand thumb¡­] ¡°Right-hand thumb.¡± I decided without hesitation. The thumb and index finger often work together, making it practical for gripping and applying force. [Skill upgradeplete.] ¡°Eunho, are you nning to open cans now?¡± ¡°¡­Of course not.¡± I nced at Jieun, who tilted her head quizzically, then turned my attention to the others. I needed to see if anyone else had gained a skill like mine. If someone had, they¡¯d likely be a rival. ¡®Aside from Jieun and Jaehyuk, the others have a sword, a shield, a cape, or a bomb...¡¯ The items from the random boxes were all over the ce. But the reactions of those holding them werergely the same: ¡°What the hell am I supposed to do with this?¡± "Hey! How are we supposed to carry all this stuff? It doesn¡¯t fit in my bag.¡± ¡°Wait, Minjung, why are you putting my money in your bag?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s our money. We¡¯re using it to buy a house, remember?¡± In the midst of this chaos, the couple who had gleefully received five hundred million won in cash were still buzzing with excitement. That excitement, however, had spiraled into a lovers¡¯ quarrel. ¡°What house? I said I¡¯m not thinking about marriage!¡± ¡°You said we¡¯d get married once things settled down! This money is enough!¡± ¡°¡­Sigh. Minjung, that¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°Forget it! Get lost.¡± ¡ªThud. The man wore a troubled expression. The sulking woman walked toward the corner. A palm-sized figure from a disy case rolled to my feet when the man followed her. "Hm?" The slippery floor made it roll smoothly. ¡°Come to think of it, the manager did say earlier that the floor was slippery¡­¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡ª Thud. Thud. Roll. Next, it was a tumbler that someone had left after drinking. "Ah, oppa!" "Ahhh! Minjung!" The couple, heading toward a secluded spot away from the crowd, tripped and let out cries of rm. The couple toppled forward. One by one, items began to roll. This was¡­ "¡­The floor is tilting! Everyone, be careful!" My warning was barely out when the exhibition hall floor trembled and tilted sharply to one side. "Aaah!" "What¡¯s going on?!" "H-Hyung! It¡¯s tilting more and more!" The incline grew steeper and steeper. From a gentle slope, to a steep hill, and then to something resembling a rock wall. People started losing their bnce one by one, staggering and falling. Some were seen rolling down the tilted floor. "How far is this going to tilt?!" ¡ª Crash. Thud. tter. Pots and ornaments tumbled and shattered everywhere, whilerge furniture and disy cases mmed down, sliding down the slope with a deafening racket. ¡°Jaehyuk! Grab onto a pir!¡± ¡°Ahhh! What about you, hyung?!¡± Unlike Jaehyuk, who clung desperately to a pir set up in the exhibition hall, there was nothing near me to grab onto. In that case¡ª ¡°Petrification!¡± [Using skill.] ¡ª Thunk! I thrust my thumb and forefinger into the floor. ¡®Will this work?¡¯ There was no time to hesitate. Even as my fingers dug into the ground, others were rolling and falling away. "Kyaaaah!" Thwack! In the chaos, I managed to catch Jieun¡¯s wrist just as she was about to fall. ¡°Are you okay? I must be heavy¡­¡± ¡°I can manage. But¡­ everyone over there! Are you all right?¡± I called out to the people who had fallen into a pile at the corner, but all I got back were cries of, "Ahhh! Kyaa! Ugh!" ¡ª Snap! To make matters worse, sparks started ring up at the feet of a couple who had been pushed to the farthest corner. ¡°What the hell?! What is this?!¡± ¡°F-fire! What do we do?!¡± ¡®Fire? Out of nowhere? Why?!¡¯ mes, which had no apparent ignition point, grewrger and began to ze furiously. ¡°What do we do? Ahhh!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The fire climbed up from the man¡¯s toes, spreading along his legs. Clutched tightly in his arms, bundles of yellow cash became the medium for the fire. ¡°Throw that away! Quickly!¡± ¡°O-Oppa! Drop the money! Waaah!¡± ¡°S-save meeeeeeeeee!¡± Before anyone could act, the mes engulfed the man entirely. A fiery demon consumed him as though conquering its prey, then spread to coil ominously at the side. ¡°Kyaaaaaah!¡± In an instant, two people had turned to ashes. ¡ª Fwoosh! ¡°Hy-hyung!¡± There was no time to think about saving or helping the burning people. ¡ª Crash! Crash! Crash! ¡°Above you!¡± A wooden table, easily over 2 meters, was plummeting straight for my head. ¡®If I let go of my grip, I¡¯ll fall! And then the mes will¡­!¡¯ Below me, the raging fire seemed to open its mouth wide, ready to make us its next target. [Data collection for skill unlocking isplete.] [Searching for a skill suitable for the target.] ¡°...!¡± The skill that had been stuck at 99%. I prayed with desperate resolve. ¡®Anything will do. Just let it be something I can use right now!¡¯ [Congrattions! Based on your unparalleled adaptability, your intense desire to run until your heart bursts, and the memories of surpassing your limits etched into your body, a unique skill has been generated!] [The skill eleration (Lv.1) has been unlocked!] ¡®eleration¡­?¡¯ ¡ª Whoosh! ¡®It just makes me faster, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ In this situation, where I was clinging to the nted floor, struggling to stay on, running wasn¡¯t an option. ¡®Just moving faster isn¡¯t going to help!¡¯ ¡°Hy-hyung! You have to move!¡± Was it death by a crushing blow to the head or death by immtion? There was no other way. I had to try it. ¡°eleration!¡± [Using skill.] I nned to speed up and dodge somehow¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ I didn¡¯t feel any faster. I tilted my head in confusion, and Jieun¡¯s lips began to part. Very, very slowly. ¡°Whhhhaaaaaatttttt thhhheeeee heeeeecckkk!¡± ¡®What?!¡¯ This eleration skill¡­ It wasn¡¯t my speed that increased. Was it? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 8 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 8: Selection (3) "Mr. Eunho. Hey, doesn''t Secretary Kim have a really great voice?" "Really?" "Sounds like some announcer. Looks a bit like one, too. Who was it again?" At that moment, a random, trivial conversation popped into my head. A chat with someone who had a crush on Jieun. "Euuuuuunhoooooo!" But Jieun wasn''t producing the voice of an announcer¡ªor even something you¡¯d expect from a human being. Instead, it was a bizarre, distorted sound, like something from a glitched-out video slowed to a crawl. ''Time around me has slowed.'' While desperately trying to process this realization, I moved. My left hand clung to Jieun, and my right hand gripped the wall-like floor. To move freely, I had to get Jieun to a safe ce. ¡ª Thud. I opened the system box embedded in the floor and climbed on top of it. Quickly, I stepped both feet onto the surface and freed my fingers to grab higher on the wall. ''If it weren¡¯t for the petrification skill, I¡¯d have fallen for sure.'' After just two or three steps, my left arm started cramping. Fortunately, I reached the pir where Jaehyuk was hanging just in time, narrowly avoiding dropping Jieun into the fiery pit below. "Hah¡­ Jieun¡¯s heavier than she looks." I set Jieun down and took a moment to catch my breath. "Therrrrre...! Up there¡ªhuh?" Click. Time''s axis realigned itself. The massive table, which had seemed frozen in slow motion, resumed its regr speed. ¡ª Boom! The heavy impact shook the room, followed by silence. If I¡¯d been hit, my head would¡¯ve exploded for sure. "Why am I... here?" Jieun blinked wide, round eyes, her expression pure bewilderment. Then she said: "Thank you, Mr. Eunho! How did you move so fast?" "I¡¯ll exinter. First, let¡¯s check the skill." [You have one skill avable to check.] [Would you like to check the eleration (Lv.1) skill?] "Yes." ¡¸eleration (Lv.1): Increases the user''s rtive speed. Expands one second into (5) seconds.¡¹ The translucent system window disyed white text, with the number (5) highlighted in blue. It looked like leveling up the skill would further increase the length of that single second. ''One second bes five... So that¡¯s why everything else slowed down.'' To others, it must¡¯ve looked like I was moving five times faster. ''But what if it wasn¡¯t just five seconds? What if it were ten, fifty, or even a hundred seconds?'' That¡¯d be no different than stopping time itself. I could aplish so much in just one second. ''This is incredible.'' I tried shouting "eleration" again, just to see, but a cooldown message appeared. The same was true for the petrification skill. It made sense that a skill this powerful would have penalties. In any case, I had about a minute left where neither petrification nor eleration would work. "Noona, doesn¡¯t the fire seem a little weaker now?" "Huh? Oh, you¡¯re right! And the slope isn¡¯t as steep." "Maybe it¡¯s because we moved up a little!" Jaehyuk had a point. The only thing that had changed was that we¡¯d climbed a few steps, but the fire did seem weaker, and the slope had eased slightly. There must be a pattern. ''If I were the one managing this...'' A scenario designed to reduce the number of participants. Slippery floors. Minimal effort for maximum efficiency. ''Let¡¯s go back to the beginning.'' The floor first tilted when a bickering couple walked to the corner of the exhibition hall. After that, the steep slope sent everyone sliding toward the couple. The slope only eased when the three of us moved away and climbed higher. Could it be¡­? "I think I have an idea. Let¡¯s climb a little further." "You figured something out?" Not definitively, but I think so. "I suspect it¡¯s... like a seesaw." "A seesaw?" "There¡¯s a sharp fulcrum in the center, and we¡¯re all standing on it." As we carefully climbed the slope to avoid slipping, I continued exining. "So when too many people gather on one side, the floor tips downward in that direction. It¡¯s a shift in the weight distribution." "Oh¡­." "And I think the fire is triggered when the angle goes beyond a certain threshold." ''The goal of this mission is likely to group people together and incinerate them all at once.'' "So moving to the other side bnces it out? Is that why we¡¯re climbing?" "Yes. Ideally, we¡¯d calcte everyone¡¯s weight and distribute people evenly, but¡­." Realizing how impractical that would be, I trailed off. Jieun¡¯s eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you want to calcte weights?" "Yes, weights." Not to mention, in this situation, asking people about their weights would probably make me look insane. At least if we climb further, and the slope evens out a little more, the others might start to trust us. Jieun suddenly blurted out, rapid-fire: "No! I mean, we don¡¯t have to do that, do we? It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t want to share my weight or anything! It¡¯s just, uh, over there! Look at all that stuff piled up on that wall from the slope earlier. Doesn¡¯t that count too?" She was pointing at the pile of objects that had rolled to one side due to the incline. ''Maybe the count is based on headcount, not weight?'' She had a point. Thinking it over, I decided to prioritize her suggestion. "All right, we need four people toe up here! I think I¡¯ve found the solution!" "How are we supposed to climb? Didn¡¯t you see people fall just now?" "It¡¯s not as steep now. It should be fine!" Though hesitant, people began to cautiously move. One, two, three, four... Five? "Stop! That¡¯s too many! The man in the hat, stay where you are!" "What¡¯s it to you if Ie over?!" "This mission requires us to bnce the numbers on both sides! If too many cross, this side will tip!" "Oh, so you¡¯re just gonna leave us all here to burn?!" His angry shout sparked unrest. Despite the visibly shallower slope and weaker mes, it seemed no one was thinking clearly anymore. Instead, panic took over. "Move! I¡¯m going up!" "Get out of the way! I¡¯m going first!" ''What do I do? Everyone''s too worked up.'' ¡ª Boom! Thanks to the people running after me, the ground quickly leveled out, but... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ''If we move further, this side will tip over.'' "That''s enough! Don''t move any further!" I shouted toward the people running to escape the mes roaring behind us. A woman and two men. "Damn it, are you telling us to die?!" I could faintly feel the ground tilting again. This time in the opposite direction. I need to stop them... ''Words won¡¯t work!'' ¡ª Step! So I stepped forward. Striding boldly toward the mes that people had barely managed to escape. "Mr. Eunho! Where are you going?!" To the onlookers, it probably seemed like I was running straight into the fire. But I was actually moving closer to avoid it. "What, what''s that guy doing?" "Is he crazy?!" I soon came face-to-face with the people rushing forward. Now then... "eleration." "Get ooooooout of the waaaaay!" Time stopped. A face contorted in panic, gasping breaths, feet pushing off the ground. ''Leave the woman as is.'' ¡ª Grab. I seized the two men by the scruffs of their necks with both hands and leaped. The two men were dragged along the ground, sweeping up dust, but it was far better than dying. ¡ª Tap! ''I need to distribute the people evenly. Make sure the square doesn''t tilt to any one side.'' In my head, I marked thirteen virtual points on a square. Like ying a ser game from a bird''s-eye view, I ced the people in positions. ''One person... here.'' I set the man in the hat in an empty spot like a toy soldier. ''And one here.'' I ced the other in his spot too. Finally, the spot where I needed to be was... ''Of all ces...'' Right in front of the roaring mes. Even with time manipted, I could feel the heat searing from the ze. ''Well, this will definitely grab everyone''s attention.'' As long as they¡¯re focused on me, they won¡¯t abandon their assigned positions. I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking hard as my forehead burned. Tick. Time resumed. "Why don¡¯t you just die alrea¡ªhuh?" "What¡¯s this?!" "Mr. Eunho? Why are you there?! Run!" The raging mes licked at the edge of my nose. I turned back to the people, feeling the heat pressing against my body, and shouted. "Stay still, everyone!" Standing there as if swallowed by the fire, I neither ran nor panicked. Seeing this, the people froze, their eyes darting nervously. "W-What? Why is he there all of a sudden...?" "If you don¡¯t want to die, don¡¯t move! All of you!" ''I didn¡¯t want to show them my skill, but... there¡¯s no time to convince them otherwise.'' The calctions were perfect. It should end soon. If my prediction is correct. ¡ª Fwoosh. "It¡¯s working!" "The fire¡¯s dying out!" The mes, which had reached my height, slowly shrank¡ªdown to my shoulders, my waist, my knees, and finally, to barely brushing my toes before disappearingpletely. [Project "Selection," First Mission Completed.] [The "Arena" is now deactivated.] ¡ª Copse. "It¡¯s over..." Before I knew it, my legs gave out, and I sank to the ground. "Mr. Eunho! What was that just now? Are you okay?" "Why didn¡¯t you take me with you?! Running into the fire alone, seriously!" "Haha..." I opened my mouth to say I was fine, but the tension that had been holding me together vanished, and all I could muster was a weakugh. At least we survived. "Phew... is everyone okay? I thought we were all going to burn to death..." "Tell me about it. Honestly, I think dying in that flickering chaos earlier might¡¯ve been better¡ªoh, no, I didn¡¯t mean that." The people cautiously nced at the spot where the couple had burned to death. A mix of fear from the sudden disaster, anxiety at the deaths piling up, and relief that they had survived hung in the air.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "But really, if it weren¡¯t for that young man, we¡¯d all be dead." "Thanks to him, we¡¯re alive. Thank you!" "Thank you so much. If it weren¡¯t for you taking care of those idiots, I¡¯d be dead." Yejin from ounting gestured toward "those idiots" with her chin as she spoke, prompting the guy in the hat to snap back. "What are you looking at, huh? Damn it!" "What! Did I say something wrong? All you do is swear every time you open your mouth!" This guy had been cursing nonstop since earlier. Wearing jeans and a hoodie in the middle of the day, a cap pulled low, and Adidas slides¡ªhe clearly wasn¡¯t a professional. Probably just a bum who lived nearby and came to the food court underground for a meal. ''People like him ruin the image of hardworking folks...'' "¡­¡­" "What are you mumbling? You look younger than me, yet you¡¯re bossing me around?" "I was scared to death, but I¡¯m damn thankful for saving me! Seriously... uh, sir!" ''...Oh.'' "The fire was freaking chasing us, stuff was falling from above like crazy, and I thought my head was going to split open! Damn it, if it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be either dead or crippled! Uh, sir!" Maybe he just has a foul mouth. As I listened to his confused mix of swearing and gratitude, others started chiming in. Then someone cautiously raised a question. "Um... but how did you move so fast?" The man with sses asked, and all eyes turned to him. A brief silence followed. "The speed you showed... it didn¡¯t seem possible. Oh, not that I¡¯m questioning you or anything..." Everyone had been curious. They saw me as their savior and didn¡¯t dare ask, but now they couldn¡¯t contain their curiosity. ''Should I tell them about the skill...?'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 9 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 9: Selection (4) Click. A man dressed in a sharp ck suit opened the massive door and stepped inside. The room was dim and heavy with silence. Instead of light, the atmosphere was filled with an oppressive weight. Cutting through the stillness, a sharp voice pierced the air like an arrow. "I told you not to disturb me during work, didn¡¯t I?" The man hadn''t even fully stepped in before the upant¡¯s reprimandnded. But he held his ground. Not because his boss¡ªwho sat on a desk and chair too high for her feet to even touch the floor¡ªlooked like a child. Not even because he feared losing his head for treating her as one. "It¡¯s urgent, Ms. Harona." "Urgent?" Atst, Harona''s prickly face emerged from behind a cluster of floating screens obscuring her. "What is it? If it¡¯s nothing, you¡¯re getting smacked." The man flinched slightly but steeled himself. This was definitely something. "Zone 107. The mission has concluded." "Zone 107?" "The extermination arena you activated. It was meant only for¡­ trash. I mean, subjects with no potential." "And?" "Well¡­" "Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy? Spit it out and get lost." Harona was irritated. An extermination arena was exactly what it sounded like¡ªmeant forplete obliteration. What could possibly have gone wrong? "There are survivors¡­ thirteen of them." "What?" Harona couldn¡¯t believe her ears. An extermination arena was absolute. The ground tilts, swallowing everything in an instant. Those gathered are consumed by mes. Unless the number of participants was minuscule, it was impossible for over ten people to somehow maintain bnce and survive. "That¡¯s absurd. Was the mechanism faulty?" She¡¯d been too busy to watch the activation process herself but hadn¡¯t expected any issues. "The mechanism worked perfectly. Two subjects were confirmed consumed by the ¡®mes of Bnce.¡¯" "Then how¡­?" "Didn¡¯t you mention there was a particrly cunning subject in Zone 107?" Now that he mentioned it, there was one. The one who covered the safety zone with cloth, leaving more survivors than anticipated. But¡­ "Even if they figured out the rules, that should¡¯ve been the end of it. How could they possibly achieve bnce in such a short time?" "Maybe they persuaded the others effectively?" "In that short time?" Facing death, it¡¯s hard to imagine anyone blindly following another¡¯s instructions. Observation, judgment, decisiveness, charisma¡ªit would take all that and more. Who was this person? "Their initial stats were all unremarkable, though." "Perhaps they ¡®unlocked¡¯ something after the mission started." "Already?" It happened asionally. Subjects with desires so consuming, they would sacrifice their very soul. But those individuals often had narrow vision and were usually fundamentally broken. "An interesting one has entered the game," Harona muttered to herself, deep in thought. Without realizing it, a smile curled at her lips. "I need to see them myself. Send down the ¡®Eyes.¡¯" "Understood." The man bowed and turned to leave, but Harona called out after him. "Wait. The monsters that wiped out Zones 101 and 102¡ªhow many are left?" The monsters she had sent to toughen up the more intelligent subjects in those zones. The man stiffened, sensing her intentions. "¡­You¡¯re not nning to send them, are you?" "How many?" "All ten are still intact. Each zone had five, but not a single one was defeated." Those zones had been full of elites, individuals supposedly among the top 1% in intelligence and charisma. But they had been wiped out in an instant, scrambling without putting up any real resistance. It was likely they had failed to ovee their physical limitations. "The mobility gap is toorge. They won¡¯t even be able tond a proper hit before being ughtered." When the mission difficulty is too high, it¡¯s impossible to conduct a proper evaluation. Surely Harona knew this. "How about sending just one?" "Send all ten." "Ms. Harona!" The man, uncharacteristically, raised his voice, but Harona had already disappeared back behind her screens. "I¡¯m curious." "About what?" "Whether they¡¯re just a schemer or someone who knows how to fight too." "Ten meters, back and forth, 100 times. No breaks." "What?" The people around me, who had been eagerly waiting for my instructions, frowned and fell silent. Not the answer they¡¯d expected, apparently. An awkward silence hung in the air, like a balloon deting. "You¡¯re joking, right?" "O-Obviously a joke. I mean, it¡¯s not like studying a textbook and getting a perfect score on the college entrance exam or something¡­" A few waved dismissively, convinced it was just a dull joke. "I¡¯m serious." "Th-Then, does that mean we can acquire that skill or whatever it is?" "Well, that¡¯s what happened to me." "Huh... That¡¯s pretty unusual." People began warming up, their faces painted with a mix of curiosity and determination. "Alright then... How about I try running?" "Me too!" "But there¡¯s no guarantee that will apply to all of you¡ªhey, wait!" ¡ª Tap! Tap! Before I could even finish my sentence, the people who had been circling me scattered like the tide retreating from the shore. Soon, they were running wildly back and forth throughout the exhibition hall. "That¡¯s not going to work, though..." [Congrattions! Based on your unparalleled adaptability, your intense desire to run until your heart bursts, and the memories of surpassing your limits etched into your body, a unique skill has been generated!] It was called a "unique skill." That probably meant that each person would be granted a skill tailored to themselves. In other words, even if they ran like that, they wouldn¡¯t gain the same skill I had. "You¡¯re all really good runners." "Indeed. Some of them don¡¯t even look like they exercise regrly." While Jieun, Jaehyuk, and I stood watching, everyone else was running breathlessly. The exhibition hall, originally filled with game-rted disys, had transformed into what looked like a gymnasium preparing for a sports day. "..." The noisy chatter abruptly quieted, as if time itself had been forcibly spliced and sewn together, leaving an eerie dissonance. "Something¡¯s... off." A creeping unease crawled across my skin. Just as someone muttered nervously, a strange sound echoed from beyond the silence. ¡ª Creak! All eyes turned to where the sound came from. "Hy-hyung! The ceiling!" In what seemed like empty space¡ªor what we thought was empty¡ªcracks began forming. With a sharp shatter, like ss breaking, the air itself split open. "The sky is falling!" "Kyahhh! Somebody help!" The security guard bolted for the corner, the ountant clutched her head and trembled, and the foul-mouthed guy... "Shit! Is this my skill?!" ...took off his hat and cheered. [By the administrator''s authority, ''The Eye'' is now open.] And through the cracks, something began to appear. "An eye..." It was a colossal eye, nearly covering the entire ceiling. Its translucent sclera, contrasted with an abyss-ck pupil in the center, created an unnerving, grotesque image. The moment its gaze locked onto mine... "!!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A chilling sensation swept over me, as if my soul had been wrung out. Goosebumps erupted all over my body. Could this be what a mystery circle left by aliens looked like? [Mission begins.] The familiar system notification announced the start of a mission. But everyone was still transfixed by the gigantic "Eye," myself included. Unfortunately, the bizarre reality we were facing wasn¡¯t about to end with just one enormous eye. ¡ª Screeeeech! "Do you hear that?" "Ugh! It¡¯s like nails on a chalkboard!" A piercing scream echoed from afar. Appearing out of thin air, reflecting what might be sunlight or artificial light, were shimmering des. No, it was a beak. "A... bird?" [Eliminate the ¡®Razor Beak Bird.''] The bird stretched about three meters from wingtip to wingtip, with jet-ck feathers, a few horn-like crests, and a beak sharp enough to slice through anything. A de? "Jaehyuk! Hide!" ¡ª Screeeech! The bird dove, its razor-sharp beak slicing just past Jaehyuk¡¯s ear. ¡ª sh! "Ahhhh!" It cleanly severed the edge of a nearby wooden shelf. "What the hell is this!" Jaehyuk scrambled under a disy cab faster than his screams could leave his mouth. ¡ª ng! The bird''s beak struck the stainless-steel disy case instead of Jaehyuk¡¯s head. ¡ª Chirrup? The force should¡¯ve broken its beak, but the bird just pped its wings, rolling its beady eyes as if trying to process the situation. "Hey, you in ck! Are you alright?" "Th-This means it¡¯s over, right?" Some naive folks began to calm their racing hearts and asked. "As if that¡¯s going to happen." ¡ª Screech! Screeeeech! Chirrup! The trapped bird shrieked, making unsettling noises like a victim caught in a cruel trap. And in situations like this... "It calls for backup! Everyone hide!" ¡ª Screeeeeeech! One of the walls distorted, and another sharp beak, head, and body emerged into view. They began exchanging cries, as if signaling each other. "Shit! What are you all doing? Run!" "I-I can¡¯t! The exit¡¯s blocked!" People tried to flee the exhibition hall, but an invisible barrier stopped them. Thuds echoed as foreheads smacked into the unseen walls. People tried to flee from the exhibition hall, but they were blocked by an invisible wall. Thuds echoed here and there, likely from people bumping their heads against the barrier. Thud! This is bad. I scanned the surroundings, but there wasn¡¯t anywhere to hide. The speed was too fast. ¡°Hyung! Don¡¯t worry about me, just run!¡± Jaehyuk shouted something uncharacteristically brave, but it seemed his feet were frozen too. Where could we even run to? We were all trapped in here anyway. Whoosh! Birds sliced through the air as they flew toward us. Toward me, standing near Jaehyuk, who was trembling in fear. And toward the bird that had its beak stuck and couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Eunho! Can¡¯t you do something with your skill?!¡± I ducked quickly to avoid the sharp beaks flying at me and shouted back. ¡°With skills¡­ dodging is the best I can do. We don¡¯t even have weapons¡­¡± Even if I slowed them down, that wouldn¡¯t magically let me take out all the airborne birds. I couldn¡¯t exactly attack them with just two fingers either. ¡°Weapons¡­¡± Jieun bit her lower lip nervously, then approached a woman hiding behind a disy case. ¡°Yeji! Your sword!¡± ¡°What? Huh?¡± It was Lee Yeji from ounting, sitting in her pencil skirt, trembling with her knees hugged to her chest. She looked just like Jieun during the second mission, shaking helplessly under the corpse of the business nning team leader.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Can I borrow it for a bit?¡± ¡°What? But, then what about me?¡± ng! Another bird swooped dangerously close, its beak just barely missing me. Jieun, seeing this, spoke urgently. ¡°You saw Eunho using his skill, right? The only one who can properly use that sword to save us is him. Hurry!¡± ''Asking her to hand over a reward item¡­'' ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t even know how to use it anyway, do you?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use it and give it back, I promise! Thank you so much!¡± ¡®So it¡¯s possible.¡¯ Jieun ¡°borrowed¡± Yeji¡¯s sword¡ªwell, more like took it¡ªand then sprinted toward the security guard. ¡°The shield¡­¡± ¡°The shield! Here it is!¡± Jieun had definitely grown stronger. Whether it was her mental strength, her inherently strong resolve, or both, I wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°Eunho! Here!¡± Swoosh! I gripped the sword tightly, shielding myself with the shield Jieun had passed over. The only experience I had with swords was a couple of months of kendo lessons when I was a kid. ¡°Mission reward.¡± [Choose your mission reward.] ¡°Skill enhancement: eleration.¡± I had time on my side. Time to get used to the sword. [Enhancing the eleration (Lv.1) skill to eleration (Lv.2).] [Activation extends 1 second to 10 seconds.] ¡°Eunho! Be careful!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can afford to be careful¡­¡± I gave Jieun an awkward smile and muttered under my breath. A way to deal with these nine winged monsters, with a 60-second cooldown between uses of my skill. There was only one option. ng! ng! ng! ¡°Hyung! Why are you drawing all the aggro¡­?¡± I had to gather them all in one ce and hit them all at once. Screech? As I raised the gleaming sword, the foolish bird stuck in the ground iled desperately to free its beak. Its sharp talonsshed out endlessly in attack. But it had no way to counter my stab to the back of its neck. Thud! Screech! Screeeeech! The remaining birds, enraged by theirrade¡¯s death, pped wildly and dove in from all directions. Their murderous intent was palpable through the air and sound. One. Two. Three. Four¡­ Eight. Leap! Kicking off the ground, I jumped toward thest remaining bird. And just as all nine birds simultaneously dived with their gleaming beaks aimed at me¡ª ¡°eleration!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 10 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 10: Selection (5) [Target: Lee Eunho. Age: 29. A typical subordinate-ss human. He barely made a living, burdened by a physical disability.] ¡°Did you bring the Investigation Bureau report?¡± ¡°I did, but¡­¡± The man handing over the report had a faint tremor in his hand. Although he followed orders and retrieved the document, he was certain his superior wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with such a flimsy report. [Intelligence: Above Average. Strength: Below Average. Charisma: Average.] ¡ª Rustle. As Harona skimmed through the paper, her eyebrows arched upward. The higher her thin brows rose, the colder the sensation running down the man¡¯s spine. ¡°Overall evaluation: Average, with no special notes?¡± This report waspiled by dispatched agents of the Investigation Bureau before the Administrative Bureau entered District 13. In other words, whether the report was sloppy or not, it wasn¡¯t his responsibility to bear the me. After all, it was created hastily by temporary staff, not regr employees. ¡°Choi Seung! Is this all you¡¯ve got?!¡± However, not all oues align with logic or fairness. When faced with his superior¡¯s yelling, Seung bowed his head in apology, despite not being at fault. ¡°I think the investigation wasn¡¯t thorough enough. There¡¯s just so much poption to cover¡­¡± ¡°Speak sense! Are you seriously telling me his strength is below average?¡± Harona shouted, pointing at someone on the screen. A man surrounded by monstrous creatures twice his size. Overall rating: Average. A perfectly ordinary evaluation for the target, Lee Eunho. ¡ª Screech! ¡ª Shriek! Nine gleaming beaks lunged at Lee Eunho in an instant. Yet, instead of dodging or blocking, he kicked off the ground and muttered a single word. ¡°elerate.¡± ¡ª sh! What seemed like multiple simultaneous attacksnded on the creatures¡¯ wings in the blink of an eye. When the mannded, panting heavily with a sharp, blue sword in hand, the monsters had already fallen from the sky to the ground. ¡ª Shriek! Their screams of agony echoed loudly. ¡°Are you saying the average in District 13 is that high? That¡¯s absurd.¡± It was absurd, of course. Seung wasn¡¯t particrly experienced with restructuring missions, but it was rare to see someone adapt so well on their first day. Sure, there were those who had trained inbat for years, but such cases were typically gged by the Investigation Bureau and reported with multiple highlights. ¡°The Investigation Bureau¡¯s work is as sloppy as ever. Absolutely unreliable.¡± ¡°In District 13, especially in the area where Lee Eunho resides, there may have been no opportunity to disy potential. And that¡­¡± ¡°elerate.¡± For some reason, Lee Eunho evaded clumsily charging monsters for a while before suddenly rushing at them with overwhelming speed. ¡ª Thud! In a sh, his de pierced through dark feathers, spraying crimson blood everywhere. ¡°My suspicions were correct, Harona.¡± ¡°Already unlocked¡­¡± Harona muttered, unable to take her eyes off the screen. ¡°It appears to be speed augmentation.¡± Tap. Tap-tap. Harona absentmindedly tapped her desk, lost in thought. ¡°He used himself as bait to lure the monsters to the ground. Even with skills, taking them down one by one would have been disadvantageous.¡± Seung nodded. If he had fought them one at a time, he might have been overwhelmed by iing birds during skill cooldowns. ¡°In an instant, he assessed their strengths and weaknesses and flipped the board.¡± His capabilities were undeniable. But¡­ ¡°Just yesterday, he was an ordinary human. How is he fighting like this immediately after unlocking his ability?¡± Or was there something the Investigation Bureau had no choice but to overlook? Perhaps, as rumors among staff suggested¡­ ¡°Could his temporal axis have been tampered with?¡± ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Harona sneered at her subordinate¡¯s spectivement. ¡°At first, he was clumsy¡ªwith both gripping and wielding the sword.¡± ¡°Pardon? But how did he¡­¡± ¡°Each step, each strike¡ªhe improved. His learning ability is extraordinary.¡± ¡°So he learned while fighting.¡± Indeed, the same ability can yield vastly different results depending on one¡¯s learning and application. Hand the same sword to two people, and one might merely ughter livestock, while the other might overthrow tyrants and rule the world. ¡°That¡¯s the most fascinating part.¡± Harona licked her lips and snapped her fingers. ¡ª Ding! [Missionplete.] On the screen, Lee Eunho, drenched in sticky, metallic-smelling blood, slumped to the ground. He shook his head, seemingly dazed. [Project Selection: Midpoint evaluation in progress.] [Combining mission performance for a ¡®Midpoint Evaluation¡¯ grade.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Restructuring target Lee Eunho. Calcting evaluation score¡­] [The Midpoint Evaluation grade is¡­] Even contract workers are evaluated. ¡°Why care about evaluations if you¡¯ll leave after a few years?¡± some might ask. But that¡¯s naive. Performance reviews determine bonuses. And while rare, opportunities for permanent positions go to those with high evaluations. So I always did my best and achieved solid results. The problem was that those results often didn¡¯t reflect in my evaluations. Which is to say¡­ [Target Lee Eunho. Evaluation grade: S.] [Congrattions!] ¡®Huh?¡¯ That¡¯s a first for me. S? ¡®Am I being recognized? Here?¡¯ S. An elusive grade, typically given to only one or two people per team. Inpanies that assess purely on merit, it¡¯s achievable. But most don¡¯t. Usually, you have to catch the team leader¡¯s eye and ride the so-called ¡°line¡± just to have a shot. [Mission rewards.] [Mission reward: 1 point awarded.] [Additional incentives calcted based on evaluation grade.] [Grade S: 2 additional points and 1,000 welfare points awarded.] Incentives? Not only did I get 2 extra points, but I also received welfare points of unknown use. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but with the bonus, I now have 3 points. This is enough to¡­¡¯ I could finally execute the n I¡¯d been devising throughout the mission. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Jieun.¡± ¡°Yes, Eunho?¡± ¡°Do you mind if I ask what grade you received?¡± "Oh, I got an A." An A likely means being in the top tier. "What about Jaehyuk?" "I received a B." A B is average¡ªa grade given for doing just enough work and achieving adequate results. Is the evaluation based on contributions? When I remained silent, lost in thought, Jaehyuk nced at me nervously and lowered his head. "To be honest, I think I received a better grade than I deserve. All I did was hide behind you and shout¡­." Jaehyuk muttered with a crestfallen look. It seemed he felt guilty for being too scared to do anything but hide. Should Ifort him? I nced at Jieun, but she didn¡¯t seem to have heard. This is something Jieun would be good at. Unlike Jieun, I¡¯m not kind enough to say, "No, you did great!" while patting him on the shoulder. Instead¡­ "Jaehyuk, could you help me with something?" "Huh? Y-Yes?" I could give him something to do. Something that would make him feel like he was needed in this group. "Here." I pointed to the gruesome remains of bird carcasses. The two of them followed my finger and stared wide-eyed. "W-What are you nning to do with these?" "The beaks are quite sharp. They''re also sturdy. I think they could work as weapons." When we fought earlier, I noticed that the birds'' beaks were sharp and tapered toward the tip. Theck of a proper handle was an issue, but I already had a temporary solution in mind. "You want to use the beaks as weapons?" "Yeah. Can you pull them out?" Jaehyuk¡¯s strength was 16¡ªfar above my own 11. He should be able to manage it with ease. The real concern was whether Jaehyuk, with his seemingly weak stomach, could bring himself to dismantle the carcasses. "It was impossible for us. Probably because weck the strength." "..." "You''re the only one who can do it. Will you help?" After hesitating for a moment with a conflicted expression, Jaehyuk nodded firmly, his resolve set. "Yes, I¡¯ll do it, hyung!" "Just three will be enough." "No, hyung! I¡¯ll pull out all ten!" "Huh? That¡¯s not really necessary¡­" "Use them all, hyung!" It¡¯s a bit much, but¡­ At least one piece of the n wasing together. "Next, we¡¯ll need sticks." "Sticks?" I was about to ask Jieun for help finding the next materials when¡­ [Missionpleted. Synchronization rate slightly increased.] [Low-tier shop, ¡°Portable Stall for New Recruits,¡± unlocked.] "A shop¡­?" ¡ªsh!¡ª As I murmured the words, a semi-transparent stall appeared around everyone. It surrounded me in a circr formation, shaped somewhat like a donut. There¡¯s a lot of stuff here¡­ "What¡¯s going on?" "He just said it¡¯s a shop¡­ Whoa, what? What is this?" ¡ªsh!¡ª While everyone else was eximing "shop" and looking around, I quickly began scanning the items on disy. A chipped sword, a suit of armor made from woven wood, some unidentifiable roots, and¡­ "Potions?" ? Diluted Fatigue Recovery Potion A fatigue recovery potion brewed from herbs. Diluted with water to increase volume. It has a mild effect, enough to relieve everyday fatigue. Welfare Points: 300 "What? A single fatigue recovery potion costs 300 welfare points? What kind of scam is this?" "Welfare points¡­ Oh, that¡¯s what we got after our evaluation grades." Welfare points were awarded after the evaluations were announced, and they could apparently be used as currency in this shop. "What the¡­? I only have 50 points. How am I supposed to buy anything?" "Wait, what are welfare points even for?!" Some people got 50 points, and others none at all. I received 1,000 points, which was probably a lot. The potion is tempting, but what I need right now is¡­ I picked up a long spear that looked like it would snap at any moment and a cracked round shield. When I picked up the spear, a translucent description appeared. ? Worm-Eaten Spear A spear made by an apprentice cksmith as practice. A worm-eaten wooden shaft with a metal tip attached. It¡¯ll likely break after a few uses. Welfare Points: 400 What am I even supposed to do with this? As absurd as the spear was, the shield beside it was even worse. ? Crude Wooden Shield A round shield made by crudely carving wood and edging it with metal. It has poor durability and might shatter if dropped, so handle with care. Welfare Points: 300 Everything was like this. It was hard to tell whether the shop wanted us to buy the items or not. Eventually, even those who initially examined the items with enthusiasm grew bored and left, mutteringints. It doesn¡¯t have to be great¡ªjust something I can make use of. Something that could bebined or modified. As if rummaging through a clearance rack at a bargain store, I kept picking up and putting down items. Before long, Jieun and Jaehyuk, having also given up on the shop, came over to me. "These welfare points are pretty useless. It¡¯s all junk; there¡¯s nothing worth buying. Right, Jaehyuk?" "Uh, y-yes, noona. Actually, I can¡¯t even afford the junk¡­" Jieun¡¯s offhandment made Jaehyuk droop again. From Jieun¡¯s perspective, the grades of A and B probably meant we received simr rewards. "H-Huh? How many points did you get?" "200 points¡­ What about you, noona?" "Um, I got 500¡­" "I see¡­" Scratching his head awkwardly, Jaehyuk added, "All the 200-point items are pretty useless. Like broken swords¡­" "Broken¡­?" "That¡¯s it!" "Huh? Hyung, what¡¯s it?" Ignoring Jaehyuk¡¯s bewildered expression, I continued searching for a few more minutes. And then I found it. Something useful. Or more precisely¡­ Something only I can make use of. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 11 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 11: Performance Pressure (1) ? Broken Iron Sword A sword made of soft, brittle iron forged at low temperatures. Originally more suitable for farming tools than weapons, this simple iron sword has a broken de, making it worthless as a weapon. Welfare Points: 200 "Hyung! What are we supposed to do with this?" "Hmm... Were you thinking of buying several and throwing them?" Jieun pondered for a moment before asking. She drew the short sword at her waist and started to weigh it in her hand. It looked like she was ready to practice throwing it, so I quickly replied. "No, it''s too heavy to throw. And the broken de isn¡¯t very sharp." "Then why are we... buying this?" It was a crude sword. The de was cracked and broken, and the handle looked roughly carved out of animal bone. Even to an amateur''s eye, it looked shoddy. But... "We¡¯ll just use the handle." "What?" The handle¡ªthe part at the base of the de, designed to be held. Even if you got a de from the Razorbeak Bird¡¯s carcass, you couldn¡¯t hold and use the sharp edge as it was. Originally, I was nning to tie the de to a curtain rod or mop handle. That would be the best option if a functional handle could be salvaged. "You mean... Hyung, is that why you asked me earlier¡ª?" "Shh." Realizing my intention, Jaehyuk pped his hands in recognition, but I motioned for him to be quiet. I was already drawing too much attention after taking down the Razorbeak Bird alone. More than I had during the first mission. "What did that guy buy, I wonder?" "He must¡¯ve earned a ton of welfare points, taking it down solo." "Maybe he¡¯s skilled at fighting? Watching him swing that sword earlier¡ªwow, that wasn¡¯t ordinary skill." "When he plunged the sword in, and the damn bird''s blood sprayed out like whoosh! Damn, that was awesome." I could feel the awe¡ªand a bit of fear¡ªon their faces. If I started crafting a weapon now, it would just spark more misunderstanding. I don¡¯t need that kind of attention. "I¡¯ve stashed the Razorbeak Bird over there in the back." Jaehyuk lowered his voice and pointed to a disy case near the entrance. "Good job." "Shall I go grab it?" "Not here... Let¡¯s move somewhere quieter first." "Got it, Hyung." Somewhere with the necessary tools nearby but far enough from prying eyes. Maybe the office? "Um... there¡¯s a ce I¡¯d like to go." Then Jieun raised her hand timidly and spoke cautiously. "Where is that?" "The convenience store on B1." I had no idea. Jieun had been running around all this time in high heels. "Ahhh¡­" "Noona, are you sure just putting on a bandage will fix this?" "It¡¯s fine! It stings a bit... ah! Just a little." Her heels were rubbed raw, skin nearly peeling off. "You could¡¯ve said something if you were in pain." Feeling sorry for her, I added ament, and Jieun smiled in return. "Didn¡¯t you say you were fine too, Eunho?" "When did I¡ª?" "On the stairs. Whileing down." She was talking about when we first descended from the rooftop. Dragging my stiff legs down those stairs had left me drenched in sweat. Now, with this body, it probably wouldn¡¯t be as hard. ¡ª Ding! "Oh, the microwave is done." I pulled out three convenience store lunchboxes. It was the same food as yesterday, yet strangely unfamiliar. Maybe it was the faint metallic tang of blood that lingered, no matter how much I tried to wash it away. "Good thing the electricity¡¯s still on." "Right? Even the phones work asionally." Jieun murmured as she fiddled with her smartphone. Phones, huh? Come to think of it, these two probably have families. I thought about asking but swallowed my words when I saw the worry etched on their faces. If they wanted to open up, they¡¯d tell me themselves. After nibbling her fingernails for the first time in a while, Jieun shook her head and spoke up. "How long do you think we¡¯ll be stuck here?" "Who knows, Noona. Feels like we¡¯re trapped behind some invisible ss wall." Based on what we sawing down, we couldn¡¯t leave MS Tower. Doors and windows opened just fine, but an invisible wall seemed to block us. Just like during the Razorbeak Bird mission when we couldn¡¯t leave the exhibit hall. It¡¯s either one of two things. The mission in this building isn¡¯t over yet. Or the mission in another area we¡¯re supposed to meet hasn¡¯t finished yet. But if I had to guess... [Attention, survivors in MS Tower.] "A broadcast!" [The next mission for Project Selection will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m.] [Please prepare ordingly.] "The next mission is tomorrow." "How unusual. They¡¯re giving us so much downtime." It was now 6 p.m. Fifteen hours until the next mission. The other two seemed to think we had plenty of time, but... "Have you finished eating?" "Yes, we¡¯re done." The night was short, and there was work to do. "If you¡¯re rested, let¡¯s get started." "Wait, we¡¯ve only rested for five minutes..." "Five minutes is plenty." ¡ª sh! I reopened the shop and carefully browsed through the items again.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I simted my n over and over in my head to make sure there wouldn¡¯t be any mistakes. [Would you like to purchase one ¡®Broken Iron Sword¡¯?] "Yes." With a cheerful ding, the semi-transparent shape of the item gradually solidified. A handle long enough to hold with both hands and a short, broken de about the size of a palm. [Purchaseplete. The item can be stored in your inventory at any time.] "Will it work?" "Yes. This sword''s handle... I mean, the grip, was made to hold a de." I ran my fingers over the smooth grip and felt a faint seam. To fit a new de in, I¡¯d have to remove the old one first. "Jaehyuk, can you pull this out?" When I handed him a pair of work gloves I found in the convenience store corner, Jaehyuk nodded energetically. "Yes! I''ll give it a try!" "Sorry for asking you again." "Don''t be sorry! I need to do something useful, at least." What followed was a long series of grunts: "Ugh! Nghhh!" For someone who had answered so confidently, it seemed quite challenging. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w He even poured the remaining mission rewards into increasing his strength. I was about to ask if he needed help when¡ª ng! The snapped de piece fell out of the handle and ttered onto the ground. "Alright, next is..." "Ah! Hyung!" "Hm? What¡¯s wrong?" Just as I bent down to pick up the broken de piece, Jaehyuk urgently called out to stop me. "This, uh, this... the tip won¡¯t fit into the handle!" The hole in the handle, where the broken de had been, was only about the size of two finger joints. Trying to insert the de tip as it was would obviously be impossible. "I¡¯ll carve the de down, like a candle wick." "Wait, what? How?" Jaehyuk¡¯s eyes widened, and Jieun tilted her head in confusion while looking around the convenience store. "Do we have any tools for sharpening des?" Tools? Well, technically, yes. "Mission rewards." [Select your mission reward.] "Enhancing the Petrification Skill to Level 5 with 3 skill points." The problem was that the tool in question was¡­ my fingers. [Enhancing the Petrification skill (Lv. 2) to (Lv. 5).] [Choose additional activation range: Right-hand middle finger, ring finger, pinky, left-hand thumb, index finger¡­] "Right-hand middle finger, ring finger, pinky." I enhanced all the fingers on my right hand. That should be sufficient. [Skill enhancementplete.] "Uh, Eunho, you''re not seriously nning to do this barehanded, are you?" "I am, actually." "Is that even possible?" "These fingers can punch through walls. Carving a de tip should be doable." Strictly speaking, they weren¡¯t even bare hands anymore¡ªmore like stone. "It¡¯ll take some time, though. In the meantime, you two should go out and collect supplies." The basement level where we were had not only the convenience store but also several other shops. Most of them were restaurants, but with some searching, we could find useful items. "Are we looking for food?" "Food and water are the most important, but let¡¯s start with finding a bag¡ªsomething as big as possible." "Oh, I think I saw a backpack on the way here!" "I¡¯ll grab some emergency medicine. There¡¯s a pharmacy just around the corner." If this were a game, this building would probably be the starting zone for beginners. The basement was full of convenience stores and restaurants, and the cafeteria on the roof had various bakeries. But the missions wouldn¡¯t stay confined to this building forever. We had to prepare. "Eunho, are you sure you¡¯ll be okay alone?" "I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve got skills." "Still, if anything happens, yell for help." After Jieun¡¯s concerned words, I immediately activated the skill. "Petrification." [Skill activated.] The sensation of stiffness spread from my fingertips, like sinking them into drying cement. It was difficult to move my joints flexibly, but on the flip side¡ª Scrape. When I grabbed the de tip and rubbed it, fine powder fell away with a sound like sharpening a pencil. ''Abandoned Mountain Diamond.'' I didn¡¯t know where the Abandoned Mountain was or what kind of diamond it had, but one thing was clear: this wasn¡¯t some ordinary roadside rock. ''Next, let¡¯s use the eleration skill...'' The n was to carve the de using Petrification and increase efficiency by extending a second into ten seconds with the eleration skill. "eleration." Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape. "We¡¯re off! Take breaks if you need to!" "Hyung! Here¡¯s a drink to keep you going!" Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape. "Eunho! We¡¯re back!" "Wait, Hyung, are you still¡ª?" Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape. Honestly¡­ Huff¡­ I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this exhausting. "Eunho, you¡¯re sweating¡­" "Uh, Hyung! Should I get you an ice cream or something?!" My arms¡ªespecially my shoulders¡ªburned as if they were on fire. And if I eased up, the de wouldn¡¯t carve properly. "Eunho, you look like you¡¯re really struggling¡­" "I¡¯ll help! Let me put on gloves and give it a try!" "No¡­ it¡¯s fine¡­" As I repeatedly alternated between Petrification and eleration after every cooldown, grinding away at the de, a system notification popped up. [Congrattions!] [You¡¯ve achieved the unique milestone, Sharpening a Weapon with Bare Hands!] [Title Human Whetstone has been awarded.] Huh? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 12 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 12: Performance Pressure (2) "Achievements? Human whetstone?" I muttered to myself, wondering what that meant, and the system kindly responded. [When you achieve remarkable results or perform extraordinary feats, they are recognized as ''Achievements,'' granting you an appropriate ''Title.''] Remarkable results or extraordinary feats, huh. Sharpening weapons barehanded must fall under thetter. [Would you like to check the effect of the ''Human Whetstone'' title?] "Yes." [When sharpening weapons barehanded, the speed increases significantly.] [Your understanding of the sharpened weapon improves.] A whetstone¡ªa stone used for sharpening des. "Does this mean I can sharpen faster than before?" Skeptical, I moved my hands quickly. ¡ª Scrape. Scrape-scrape-scrape-scrape-scrape... "Whoa, Eunho! Did you use the eleration skill again?" "No, the eleration skill is still on cooldown." "What? But your hands are moving super fast...?" This was real. The de was being sharpened at a speed iparable to before. "Hyung! I think that''s enough sharpening! The de fits perfectly into the hilt now!" Jaehyuk checked the handle groove against the de tip as he spoke. But based on my ''understanding''... "No, the tip needs to be longer¡ªlong enough to pierce through the handle." "What?!" "Pass me the adhesive." ¡ª Tap. Tap. Tap. I evenly applied adhesive to the thin de and inserted it into the handle, letting the tip pierce through the end. Then: "Jaehyuk, can you bend the tip protruding through the handle? Be careful not to hurt yourself." "I can do it, but why go this far...?" "If you only rely on adhesive, the de mighte loose when you swing it. If we bend the tip like this, it¡¯ll hold securely." "Ohhh! That makes sense!" Perhaps it was the effect of the title. I instinctively ''understood'' that just adhesive wouldn¡¯t suffice to properly secure the de I had sharpened. "But, Eunho, this makes the de touch the handle. Isn¡¯t that dangerous?" After struggling for a while, Jaehyuk handed me the fully assembled sword. Jieun inspected the handle andmented. "Ah! Then, how about wrapping it with duct tape?" Convenient, but it wouldn¡¯tst. Instead... "Wasn''t there a leather sofa in the lobby?" "Eunho, you¡¯re not suggesting using the leather from the sofa, are you...?" Our team leader once boasted the sofa that asional visitors sat on was made of expensive leather. ''Soft yet durable. Just what we need.'' I cut strips of dark brown leather, wrapped them tightly around the handle, and secured them. The sword wasplete. ¡ª Ding! [You have crafted the ''de-Tipped Sword!''] ? de-Tipped Sword A unique sword made by embedding a bird-like de tip into a hilt carved from animal bone. Though the joint is somewhat crude, the de has been meticulously sharpened with an exceptional whetstone, granting unmatched sharpness. -Non-tradable item. ''Did I do a good job?'' The de certainly looked sharper than the borrowed sword I used earlier. To test it... ¡ª Swish. I lightly shed at the chair cushion I had just been sitting on. It cut through like butter. The gleaming de reflected light, its edge so sharp that I felt confident it could draw blood with the slightest touch. This would be enough. "It¡¯s finished." A monster like the de-tipped bird would surely be no match for this. ''Maybe even a person...'' "Hyung! Amazing! Is there anything you can¡¯t do?" "Seriously, Eunho, who knew you had such talent!" "It turned out better than expected. You two, why don¡¯t you bring me your broken swords as well?" After admiring the weapon for a while, the two handed over their broken des. I quickly crafted two more swords at a faster speed than before. It felt like I was getting used to this. "Did you find any supplies outside?" "Yes, we managed to fill three backpacks. If we add canned food, we couldst about a week." "Let¡¯s pack them quickly." We picked items that werepact, lightweight, and high in calories. Dried goods like jerky were all packed in. "It might feel heavy, but it¡¯s better to carry as much as we can. We won¡¯t need to move much, and we¡¯ll eat as we go." "But how do we carry these swords? They¡¯re quite heavy." "In games, people carry them on their backs." "Don¡¯t worry about that." [Purchaseplete. Items can be stored in your inventory at any time.] The same message had appeared when I bought the broken swords earlier. Since the de-Tipped Sword triggered the system, it must also be considered an ''item.'' "Store." The sword in my hand turned translucent and disappeared. "Looks like some kind of inventory system. You two try it too." "Wow, that¡¯s convenient!" "I¡¯m a bit disappointed, though. I wanted to try carrying it on my back and drawing it out during a fight." When Jaehyuk grumbled over such a trivial matter, Jieun gently coaxed him, pointing out the reality. "If you tried that, you¡¯d end up hurting everyone nearby." "I could be careful when drawing it!" "Yeah, but how would you sheath it again? You can¡¯t see it. What if you identally stab your own back?" "That... uh..." Jieun, logical as ever, reminded me of her thoughtful nature. Back when she was just someone from the finance team, I only thought of her as kind. "Just store it in the inventory. Got it?" "Y-yeah..." Finally convinced, Jaehyuk stored his sword in his inventory and started packing his bag. Watching Jieun smile at Jaehyuk¡¯s retreating figure, I made a casualment. "You¡¯re good with Jaehyuk." "Maybe it¡¯s because I have a younger brother. He feels like family." "How old is your brother again?" "Just a year younger¡ªhe¡¯s 25." That made him the same age as Jaehyuk. As if thinking about her brother brought fresh worries, Jieun fiddled with her phone. "Jieun, if your brother is anything like you, he¡¯s probably very smart." "He is! He¡¯s been clever since he was little, alwaysing up with tricks. He¡¯s still studying now." "Then he¡¯ll be fine. But for you to see him again, you need to survive first." Hearing that, the shadow of worry briefly clouding her face lifted, and a smile returned. "Thank you, Eunho. I think I''ve survived until now thanks to you. And on top of that, you even made me this sword." "It''s nothing. This is just the beginning." It was only just the beginning. Jieun must have known too¡ªit was far too early to express gratitude for being saved. "I hope I won¡¯t have to use this sword¡­"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Jieun muttered as she looked down at the de, which glowed a cold, blue light. A de so sharp it seemed it would slice through soft flesh with just a graze. "That¡¯s unlikely, isn¡¯t it?" "¡­Let¡¯s rest for now." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * AM 8:30. There were still 30 minutes left before the mission started, but I came down to the first-floor lobby early. Normally, the lobby would be packed with people heading to work, but not now. The vast lobby, as well as the streets visible through the ss doors, werepletely empty. The only ones alive and moving were the three of us. "We don¡¯t know where the next mission will take ce. Let¡¯s wait here." "But why the lobby, Hyung? If we stay in the middle floors, we can respond faster no matter where in the building the mission starts." Jieun nodded in agreement with Jaehyuk¡¯s reasoning. He was right. That is, assuming the next mission would also take ce inside this building. "We might need to leave the building." "Leave¡­ the building?" There were thirteen people left in this building. If the mission was to fight each other, there would have been no need for a long gap between missions. Since we¡¯re all gathered already, they could¡¯ve just moved straight into the next round. "If we get cornered inside, we can take the elevator. No one¡¯s going to fight over it anymore." Because they¡¯ve all been "deleted." The two seemed to understand, nodding their heads. "You youngsters! Did you sleep well?" "Yes. You¡¯re out early." "For me,ing out early is just part of the job." Perhaps they had simr thoughts or it was just coincidence, but a few of the other survivors, led by the security guard, gathered in the lobby as well. AM 8:50. Ten minutes before the mission started. As expected, the announcement yed over the speakers. [Attention, MS Tower survivors.] [The next mission will begin at 9:00. Please move to your designated safe zones.] [Area movement restrictions will now be lifted.] Bzzzzzzzz- A vibration echoed through the space, and the ss walls of the building blurred momentarily as if washed by rain, then became clear again. The barrier that had surrounded the building since the start of the missions had finally been lifted. "We¡¯re finally heading out." "Yes, but¡­ where is that?" A map appeared, filling my vision. Compared to yesterday, the area was noticeablyrger. A sprawling road too wide to count thenes, an even broader railway, and an elegant building situated between them. "Seoul Station." More precisely, the za in front of Seoul Station. "We can make it in 10 minutes." By myself, it would only take about 5 minutes. Since this was my dailymute, I was almost certain of the timing. Normally, the wide road would make it time-consuming to cross at the pedestrian signal, but now there were no signals to stop for. ¡ª ck! Pushing open therge ss door, I began to run. Reaching the road, I saw cars strewn haphazardly, ignoringnes. "It looks like a mission took ce here too!" The scene bore traces of hurried panic caused by the sudden mission. Cars abandoned as their drivers fled. Vehicles crashing into nearby stores, their drivers possibly "deleted." And bodies crushed by those vehicles, pinned against walls. "¡­" Unlike the "deleted," whose remains had disappeared entirely, the intact corpses and pools of blood remained visible everywhere. As I got closer to the main road, the chaos intensified¡ªbuses collided with fences, cars crushed by impacts, leaving behind a haunting sight. When I finally reached the road in front of the station, the scene was beyond belief. "This is¡­ what the hell¡­" Buses lined up along the tenne road, some burned to the point of emitting faint smoke, and tire tracks scorched into the asphalt. "It must have been a ''safe zone''¡­" In the center of it all, there was a circle. Where a green circle once signaled safety, a grotesque blend of human flesh and blood now formed its recement, made by those who couldn¡¯t enter in time. A fragmented tableau of chaos. "Urgh¡­" Dragging Jaehyuk, who was nearly retching, I forced us to cross the road. 03:47. The circle marking our destination at the za in front of Seoul Station came into view. Sitting in the middle of it was a middle-aged man, nonchnt amidst the carnage. ''A homeless man?'' Could he be a survivor of the Seoul Station mission? With long hair and a beard matted with dried blood, he looked more like a beast than a person. ''But why is he alone?'' Seoul Station should¡¯ve had plenty of people. A bad feeling crept in as I scrutinized him. Soon, more people began to arrive. "Haah¡­ I barely made it." "Waah! I¡¯m scared!" "It¡¯s okay, Yura. Don¡¯t cry. Daddy¡¯s here." A homeless man, three schoolgirls in uniforms, a father and his young daughter, a man in uniform. And the thirteen of us from MS Tower. ''Twenty in total.'' Their ages, genders, and appearances were diverse, but they all shared one thing inmon. A mixture of fear and determination in their faces, awaiting the next mission. [Attention survivors in the Seoul Station area.] AM 9:00. The mission began. [Project Selection: The next mission is a TF (Task Force) mission where participants must form teams andplete objectives together.] "TF?" TF¡ªTask Force. A temporary team assembled from various departments to tackle a specific task. In simpler terms, this mission was a team battle. "Who you team up with will be crucial." I muttered to the two standing next to me, but suddenly, the people from MS Tower started ncing in my direction. [The mission will consist of three rounds. Teams failing to meet their objectives in any round will be fully ''restructured.''] [Defeat the enemies and achieve results.] "Fully ''restructured'' means¡­" "Objectives? What objectives?!" "And who are the enemies? There¡¯s nothing here!" Failing to meet the objectives meantplete elimination. Literal death for poor performance. The atmosphere turned icy cold, tension palpable between the people. [At the start of the mission, the four closest people will automatically form a TF team.] As the final announcement ended¡ª "The closest¡­?" Twelve pairs of eyes all turned to me. [Mission start.] And then, they all lunged. "Hey, kid!" "Team up with me!" "You bastard, you''re teaming with me!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 13 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 13: Performance Pressure (3) [Team Formation Complete.] ¡ª sh! As the announcement ended, a pure white light spread across the ground, connecting people. Exactly four people in five teams. The light extending from beneath my feet split into three paths, linking me to Jieun, Jaehyuk, and a man wearing a hat. "Yes!!!" "Could you... move aside, please?" I instinctively backed away to avoid the man in the hat, who had rushed forward, eager to be on my team. Judging by how the light followed my movements, it seemed unlikely anyone would get confused about team arrangements during the mission. "This system is really intuitive." "Yeah, I was wondering how we¡¯d identify our teammates." At the center of the beam connecting the four of us, the number ¡°1¡± was engraved. So, we were Team 1. Looking around, I noticed five light beams in total, each linking four people. "There are five teams in total." "The problem is, what¡¯s our objective? And what exactly counts as performance¡­?" I scanned the area but saw nothing out of the ordinary¡ªjust twenty humans iling about with white lines at their feet, like prey caught in a spider''s web. "Ack! We¡¯re doomed!" "Miss, what¡¯s all this ¡®doom¡¯ talk? We haven¡¯t even started yet!" "Youngdy, you¡¯ve got a sharp sword in hand, so don¡¯t worry! Just let us know if there¡¯s anything you need!" Beneath the feet of Lee Yeji from the ounting team, who was clutching her head and moaning about being doomed, the number ¡°2¡± glimmered. Beside her stood a security guard, a cleaningdy, and a man nervously scratching his head. "Isn¡¯t there any way to switch teams?" A bespectacled man with the number ¡°4¡± at his feet pointed urgently at a child nestled in her father¡¯s arms, crying. "This is unfair! Kids shouldn¡¯t count as part of the headcount!" "Waaahhh!" "Stop shouting! Can¡¯t you see you¡¯re scaring the kid?!" "But we¡¯re all going to die! We¡¯re only three people, so shouldn¡¯t our scores be adjusted? Hello?!" He shouted at the system, but it remained indifferent. To this system, it seemed, a young child not yet in elementary school and a fully grown adult held equal value. If we couldn¡¯t meet our performance targets, we were all equally subject to deletion. [Progress towards team objectives will be updated in real time.] [A total of 500 points are avable. You will earn 5 points for each enemy defeated.] [Please refer to ¡®Performance Status.¡¯] Whether people were shouting or not, the system calmly projected a translucent screen into the air. ? Round 1 Performance Status Team 1: 0 / 100 points Team 2: 0 / 100 points Team 3: 0 / 100 points Team 4: 0 / 100 points Team 5: 0 / 100 points "So we¡¯re Team 5?" "Is this... a report card?" "It feels like school rankings, and I don¡¯t like it." A group of female students in id school skirts and gray vests murmured among themselves. Now that I thought about it, the rankings screen did resemble those schoolwide leaderboards we used to see, or maybe the performance dashboards often used in sales departments. "Yujin, I¡¯m so scared¡­" "It¡¯s fine. Just do what we practiced yesterday." "But still¡­" The schoolgirls kept whispering to each other while ncing nervously at the bloodstained man in their team. In their hands were a mop and a few small des. "We should get ready too." "Yes, sir!" Jieun and Jaehyuk nodded, spreading their hands as if rehearsing the summoning technique they¡¯d practiced the day before. "Summon." [Summoning ¡®de Tipped Sword.¡¯] On their palms, sleek, sharp swords gradually materialized. Rounded hilts, des gleaming with an icy brilliance. The translucent handles slowly gained weight as they gripped them. Just as our preparations wrapped up¡ª ¡ª Creak! An instant of silence, an eerie sensation of something amiss, and an unpleasant feeling of being pierced through. The sky opened its eyes once more. [By the administrator¡¯s authority, ¡®The Eye¡¯ has been opened.] [Eliminate as many enemies as possible within the time limit!] "It¡¯s the Eye!" "Get ready. Stay focused, alright?" ¡¸54:59¡¹ High above Seoul Station, the Eye appeared like a signal re, marking the start of the countdown. "Mr. Eunho! Where are the enemies supposed to be?" "Good question! I don¡¯t see anyone but us here¡­" "Surely, we¡¯re not supposed to fight each other?" Jieun¡¯s hands trembled as she gripped her de Tipped Sword. The other teams looked equally bewildered. "Just in case, let¡¯s stay away from the others¡­ Wait." ¡ª Step. Step. While we were busy keeping an eye on the other teams, footsteps echoed from behind,ing up the stairs of Seoul Station. And then¡ª "Assistant Manager Yoon?!" Jieun gasped in recognition as a woman climbed the stairs. She was an assistant manager Jieun had been friendly with, from the overseas sales team, if memory served. Always impably dressed in tailored pantsuits, she¡¯d seemed so cool, handling overseas clients in fluent English¡­ "You¡¯re alive! Tha¡ªahhh!" The neatly pressed dress pants had turned into shorts. "Assistant Manager...?" And below her knees¡ªnothing. They were gone, as if they¡¯d been blown away along with her pants. Yet she¡¯d somehow made it this far. With every step, the shredded stumps of her knees left crimson stamps on the ground. Bloody footprints... no, knee prints. "Urghhh..." As if that weren¡¯t horrifying enough, she started making monstrous, guttural noises that no human should make. ¡ª Step. Step. She began striding toward us. "Jieun!" "Noona!" Jieun, seemingly dizzy, staggered back just as the others finally noticed Assistant Manager Yoon and began to scream. "Kyaaah!" "What the hell?! What is that?!" Even Jieun, who had managed to keep her wits about her, struggled to withstand the sight of a close friend advancing in such a gruesome state. Still, she steadied herself with great effort and said, "I... I''m fine." Dozens, no, hundreds of people began to climb the stairs in simrly grotesque forms. And among them, Yoon wasn¡¯t the only familiar face. "Team Leader Lee...?" "Wait, Sir¡ªdo you know him?" Of course I do. I reported to him as my team leader for two years until he told me I wasid off due to restructuring. But now... "What the hell, man! How are you alive?!" The Lee I knew was an ordinary middle-aged man who took pride in the few strands of hair he had left, alwaysbing them neatly even when his shirt was stained with soup or his tie was askew. "Sir! Look at his head!" It was gone¡ªpart of it, at least. A quarter of his skull, including the area around his left eye, had been smashed or ripped away. Had he been hit by a car? Or beaten with an iron rod? Even as he limped toward us, something wet and viscous kept dripping from the gaping hole, evoking both pity and revulsion. "He... he was just going to have some soondae soup..." "..." And yet, more and more figures kept climbing the stairs¡ªbeings that had long since crossed the boundary between life and death. People missing limbs. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Others with their internal organs spilling out. Some with bones grotesquely twisted out of shape. But the worst part? Despite their horrific injuries, they approached us as if possessed, as if something was driving them forward. How else could I describe this? "This is..." The same word lingered on everyone''s lips, hanging in the air like a curse. "Zombies." As everyone stood there, frozen in shock at the wave of zombies closing in, one man acted. He didn¡¯t hesitate. "That guy..." The lone survivor of a packed Seoul Station. ¡ª Thud! He crushed the remaining leg of a one-legged zombie, then drove a broken soju bottle into the chest of a two-legged one. His attacks were so fierce and unrelenting that even the mindless corpses seemed taken aback. ¡ª Squelch! "Urghhh..." When another zombie charged straight into the bottle embedded in its chest, the man yanked out his now blood-soaked arm and tore its head off with his bare hands. "What kind of strength is that...?" Jaehyuk stood next to me, jaw agape. But this wasn¡¯t just about strength. ''He doesn¡¯t hesitate.'' Even in this situation, most people would struggle to kill an animal. And these still had human faces. What kind of life had this man lived to be able to rip apart human-like bodies without a second thought? "Stay vignt. It¡¯s dangerous." "Y-yes, sir." This was no time to be distracted. Even though dozens of zombies had already been taken down, the horde below the stairs only grewrger. In fact, their numbers seemed to be increasing. ''Focus.'' In this hellish world, you have to be a predator like him. If you don¡¯t want to be devoured, you have to devour first. "Ms. Yoon! Please, don¡¯te any closer!" "Urghhh..." ¡ª sh! In one swift motion, I sliced through Assistant Manager Yoon¡¯s back. Jieun, too hesitant to draw her de, had left herself open. I stepped in. "Draw your weapon! If you don¡¯t want to end up like them!" "Urghhh..." A zombie iled its arms wildly like it was sshing water, charging at me. I ducked. Aim for the thigh. If you disable their legs, you stand a chance. ¡ª sh! I cut through the thigh of the zombieing from the left, then kicked the one on the right, sending it tumbling into the crowd behind it. Yet they got back up, as if nothing had happened, and charged again. "Are you kidding me?! How do you kill these things?!" "There are too many of them!" ¡¸19:10¡¹ It had already been 30 minutes since we began fighting. But... ? Round 1 Performance Status Team 1: 0 / 100p Team 2: 0 / 100p Team 3: 0 / 100p Team 4: 0 / 100p Team 5: 0 / 100p "The score hasn¡¯t changed at all." "No matter how much we hit them, the score doesn¡¯t go up!" "Damn it! Isn¡¯t it because these zombie bastards won¡¯t die?!" What are we missing? How do we kill them? Could it be that killing zombies isn¡¯t the mission? "Hah¡­ could it be that the enemies the system mentioned¡­ aren¡¯t the zombies?" Jieun, panting heavily, asked, but I was just as clueless. "There must be a rule." Every mission so far has had hidden rules. They just weren¡¯t obvious. "But this time, I really don¡¯t know." No matter how much I looked around, all I could see were zombies, every single one of them damaged beyond repair. "Damaged¡­" "What?" Spark. "¡­!" Among the moving zombies, something sparkled briefly. No, to be precise, it was glimmering among the strands of hair. "Jieun!" "Yes?!" "The body fragments of the corpses we passed on the way! Why don¡¯t they move?" "Um, well¡­ because their bodies aren¡¯t intact¡­?" When I asked urgently, Jieun answered in a flustered voice. But the zombies weren¡¯t intact either. "They can still move as long as they have legs, right? There were plenty of corpses with intact lower bodies!" "What? Th-then¡­ because they don¡¯t have heads¡­?" "That¡¯s it!" Only the zombies with heads attached were attacking us. And the suspicious silver thread glimmering among the strands of hair... It wasn¡¯t easy to spot because of how it constantly moved, but¡­ "Petrification!" If it was deliberately hiding among the strands of hair¡­ ¡ª Swoosh! I grabbed the shimmering silver thread near the neck of a male zombie. And then¡ª "Eek! What is that?!" Wriggle. "I-isn¡¯t that a bug?!" "This is the core!" ¡ª Scrape! After mming it to the ground, I shed it with my sword, producing the sound of metal grinding. The bug, split in two, twitched momentarily before¡ª "It¡¯s dead¡­ wait!" ¡ª Swoosh! The two halves turned into two bugs and darted toward me at lightning speed. ¡®They¡¯re fast, but¡­¡¯ "eleration!" ¡ª Whoosh! ¡®I¡¯m pretty fast too.¡¯ Grabbing the two bugs flying straight toward my neck like arrows, I mmed them to the ground again. I pinned one with my sword and crushed the other under my foot. Their bodies were surprisingly tough, but after stomping several times with my full weight, I finally heard the sound of its insides bursting. ¡ª Squish! [You have defeated a ''Split Needle Beetle''!] This was it. The true form of the "zombies," controlling their hosts from within. ? Round 1 Performance Status Team 1: 3 / 100p "Wha-whaaat?!" "The score went up!" For the first time, the score increased. A corpse, now lifeless,y sprawled, and a crushed bug twitched under my foot. The look in everyone¡¯s eyes changed. "That¡¯s it!" "The bugs! Catch the bugs!" "Hurry!" Ten minutes before the first performance tally¡ªthe first "restructuring" team was about to be determined. Only now did Round 1 truly begin. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 14 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapte 14: Performance Pressure (4) ¡ª Thud! When I pulled the insect out of the back of my neck, the charging zombie crumpled to the ground like a machine that had lost its power source. Dealing with the Split Needle Beetle, which burrows into the host''s body and issuesmands¡ª This was the strategy to handle the zombies that neither died nor ran away. "We''ve hit the target!" At Jieun¡¯s words, I lifted my head to check the performance status. Unlike before, the scoreboard now disyed a dense array of numbers for each team. ? Performance Results for Round 1 Team 1: 101 / 100p Team 2: 60 / 100p Team 3: 50 / 100p Team 4: 15 / 100pn/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Team 5: 85 / 100p As the scoreboard numbers increased, the zombies visibly decreased. Roughly the same number as the people desperately fighting them with various tools in hand. "The zombies have really thinned out." "Only thirty-eight left. If we split them among the task forces, we can handle them." Both our team and Team 5, with the homeless man, hadfortably reached their targets. Even the other teams, though clumsy at first, had started extracting and destroying the Split Needle Beetle after watching me. The only problem was... [3 minutes remaining in Round 1.] There wasn¡¯t much time left. "What do we do? Time¡¯s almost up!" "Just one more!" As the system began its countdown, the desperate movements of those sensing "restructuring" grew increasingly frantic. "Ugh,e on! Mister! That one! Hurry!" Team 2, which included ountant Lee Yeji and the security guard, was managing decently thanks to the sword and shield they got from the random box. "If you''re done, lend me that shield!" Team 3, with the bespectacled man, was just two zombies short of their target. They blinded a charging zombie by covering its head with a cloak from the random box before extracting its Split Needle Beetle. "Just die already¡­ please!" Those who were horrified by the zombies¡¯ grotesque appearances were gone. Now, people were desperately throwing themselves at the zombies, hitting, throwing, and destroying them. Some tore off zombie limbs and used them to bash their heads. No one cared about dignity or humanity anymore. Survival was all that mattered. Amidst all this, however, Team 4... "Fuck! Isn¡¯t someone gonna give us a break?! It¡¯s all because of that kid!" "Y-Yeah! There were only three of us, not four!" They were fighting. Not just the zombies, but each other, and even pointing fingers at a young child who looked about six years old. ming others, even with death looming¡ªit was pitiful. ¡®It¡¯s not just because of the kid, though.¡¯ Team 4¡¯s performance was only 15 points. Not even half of the team ranked just above them. Clearly, the adults in the group, aside from the child, hadn¡¯t been doing their part either. Still... "Daddy! Waaahhh!" "Y-Yura! Don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s okay!" It wasn¡¯t iprehensible. ¡®The teamposition is awful.¡¯ A child, so small they should still be learning how to hold chopsticks, iling their little hands to fight monsters and getting hurt. A man, frantically trying to protect his daughter while fighting zombies and hunting worms. And two others who had either given up or were so overwhelmed by resentment and rage that they¡¯d lost all rationality. "Did they¡­ give up?" Jieun asked nervously, ncing back and forth between the crying child and the ticking timer. "I don¡¯t think so," I replied, pointing to the man who, despite gasping for air, refused to put the child down. Even while fleeing from zombies, his eyes never left the silver Split Needle Beetle. "We¡¯re going to see Mom, right¡­?" "¡­No, Yura. Daddy won¡¯t let them erase us. Not ever." He was a father. A man who couldn¡¯t fight zombies or worms properly with his bare hands. But still, a father. Even as tears streamed down his own face, he held his crying, pleading daughter tightly and kept fighting. [01:00] 1 minute left in Round 1. Jieun gently tugged at my sleeve. "Eunho, I¡­." Her hesitant tone belied the fact that her feet were already pointing toward the father and daughter. She wanted to help. But... "Jieun, you won¡¯t be much help." Fifteen zombies left to kill in one minute. Jieun wasn¡¯t the answer. "I know, but¡­." "Go to Team 3. I¡¯ll handle them." Startled, Jieun¡¯s eyes widened. "What?!" Was my response that unexpected? "Is it really that surprising?" "No, it¡¯s just¡­ no, not really!" Of course, it wasn¡¯t because I was altruistic, or moved by the plight of a child, or inspired by some forgotten fatherly instinct. It wasn¡¯t anything noble like that. "Why, then?" "¡­Because it¡¯s disgusting." This disgusting system, this disgusting restructuring. Even now, I could feel the people above us watching and evaluating. The thought of so many lives being yed with in their hands made my blood boil. "I n to pay them back in kind." I wouldn¡¯t y into their hands. If they wanted us topete and kill¡­ I¡¯d do the opposite. I¡¯d save. I refused to be a pawn in this absurd game. "I¡¯ll make them beg for it to stop." "Do you think¡­ that¡¯s possible?" "I¡¯ll make it possible." I would exploit this disgusting system to its very core. And I would use it to leap beyond those watching us from above. "Jaehyuk, Team 2! Move quickly!" "Yes!" Jieun shed a relieved smile and dashed off. Now alone, the loudmouth from earlier grabbed my sleeve. "And what about me?!" "You take care of the kid." "What? What kid¡ª" "elerate!" "Waaahhh?!?" In the stopped time, I darted between the zombies. One. Two. Three. Four. Five¡­. Carefully extracting them, mindful not to identally trigger an explosion, they flung them at the feet of the child¡¯s father. Amidst the despair, the father and daughter gazed into each other¡¯s eyes, as if trying to imprint the image of their faces onest time. elerating even further, with superhuman speed, the delivery of the creatures waspleted. "Da...d...don¡¯t cry..." Tears fell from the round eyes of the child, dropping onto the ground. The child blinked, noticing the sudden appearance of someone new. "Yura, right?" "...?" "Don¡¯t cry. Go over to the man in the hat over there. Cover your ears if he says anything." "What are you... No, this¡ª?!" The father, initially trying to question him, froze with his mouth agape. It was hard not to be shocked. One moment he blinked, and an unfamiliar man appeared. The stranger seemed to be trying to send his daughter somewhere. And at his feet, a pile of monstersy, despite his own struggles over the past hour to barely handle a few. "Your feet will work better than your hands. Step on them and crush them." "This... this is...!" "There¡¯s no time to exin. They¡¯ll attack again soon after just fainting." "!!" The man alternated nces between the stranger¡¯s face and the resultsid before him. Finally, he hung his head deeply. When he looked up again, gone was the bewilderment¡ªreced by hope and determination. Thud! Thud! Thud! What he crushed beneath his feet were not just bugs but also the helpless despair he had felt at the brink of giving up. "They... can¡¯t take my daughter from me...!" [Mission will end in 10 seconds.] Ten seconds before the first round ended. Except for Team 4, all other teams had met their targets. While searching for the remaining zombies, some female students joined in to help the father and daughter. "We¡¯ll lure them in!" "I¡¯ll go first¡ªahhhh!" And then¡ª Suddenly, a homeless man, his eyes wide and menacing, grabbed one of the students by the wrist. "What do you think you¡¯re doing?" "Ahhh!" Was he upset about them helping another team? The girl¡¯s thin wrist was caught, and she screamed in pain. ''Should I help her?'' But time was running out. Five seconds. Four seconds. Three... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Using the momentum of his returning speed skill, the stranger handed thest remaining zombie to the father. "Thank you! Thank you so much, sir! I¡¯ll never forget this!" Leaving behind the father bowing endlessly in gratitude, the stranger turned toward the students. "What on earth are you doing, mister?!" A nearby student picked up an empty can rolling on the ground and threw it. ng! Using his hand to block the can, the homeless man momentarily let go, allowing the student¡¯s friend to escape. "Piece of..." A few leftover drops from the discarded can sshed onto the man¡¯s clothes. "Ah!" "Hey! Just run!" ¡ª Tap, tap! Like herbivores fleeing from a predator, the students quickly retreated, leaving the man opening and closing his fist silently. "Arrogant brats..." At that moment, the announcement broke the tense atmosphere. [Round 1plete. Results are being tallied.] [Targets for restructuring are...] Whether moving or too exhausted to stand, everyone turned their eyes to the sky in unison. A small hope emerged amid the heavy silence, broken only by the sound of gulping. "Please..." As if responding to their wish, the system spoke. [None.] "Ahhh!" "We¡¯re alive! We survived!" "Thank you, Eunho! And Mr. Kim!" Cheers erupted from the people Eunho had helped, starting with Team 3. Relief swept over the square, densely packed with the corpses of the 109 fallen creatures, along with the realization that they might make it through the remaining rounds. "Yura! We¡¯re alive!" "Dad... are you okay?" Wobbling, the father braced his trembling knees, and the child peeked her head up cautiously. Then came a tearful hug of relief. Watching the scene, Jaehyuk clenched his fists in an emotional grip. "You saved them, hyung!" "It was a team effort." "If not for you, hyung, I would¡¯ve..." As the overwhelmed Jaehyuk continued, the stranger tried to calm him down. Suddenly¡ªZap! From a distance, his eyes locked with the homeless man¡¯s. A chilling gaze, the kind one would expect from a butcher holding a knife. ''What an intense stare.'' When the stranger didn¡¯t look away, the man grabbed a nearby zombie corpse. ¡ª Crack! He twisted its neck. The gesture was clear¡ªa posthumous execution, a sign of protest against the system¡¯s sparing of lives. "...What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" "Pardon? Did you say something, hyung?" "No. I just don¡¯t think this will be easy." [Round 2 begins.] [Defeat the enemies and achieve the target within the time limit!] With the scoreboard reset, the second round began. ¡ª Thud, thud, thud! This time, zombies came rushing in at a pace far beyondparison to before. "Ahhh!" "What the hell?! Why are they so fast?!" ¡ª Leap! "Jaehyuk! Cover the rear!" ¡ª Wham! Kicking the side of a zombie that spilled crimson insides. Dodging the teeth of another that mistook his left arm for a chicken leg. shing the calf of one lunging for Jieun¡¯s back. "Thank you!" It was a grueling fight but one with an end and a strategy. Everyone seemed to feel the same, repeating their own cycles ofbat and survival. As the second round neared its end... ? Round 2 Scoreboard Team 1: 100 / 100 points Team 3: 65 / 100p Team 4: 85 / 100p Team 5: 80 / 100p "At this pace, everyone seems to be doing just fine!" "This is all thanks to you... uh, wait, what?" The people, who had been naively reassured, suddenly felt a burning sensation on the back of their necks. It wasn¡¯t just the heat from the excited crowd. It was closer to a sudden sh of mes, like oil igniting in an instant, rather than the gradual warmth of a summer day. "F-fire!" Following Jieun''s horrified gaze, everyone whipped their heads around, only to see mes where there shouldn¡¯t have been any. mes were flickering in the middle of an ordinary za, devoid of any fuel or high temperatures to ignite them. ¡ª Whoosh! On the palm of a homeless man... "T-this is... F-Fuhuhu...!" Bright red and yellow mes were dancing on his bare, empty palm. The sound he made was ambiguous, unclear whether he wasughing or crying. "Could it be...?" "A skill?!" Fwoosh! The man began attacking wildly, his face lit with exhration. The ecstatic expression and the newly unlocked ability were thrilling him to no end. He wasn¡¯t driven by a goal or a mission; he was captivated by the power itself. ¡®This is bad. He¡¯spletely lost it!¡¯ The mes, short-ranged and brief as they were, turned destructive whenbined with the man¡¯s brute strength. He grabbed at the necks of oing zombies one by one, and before he could crush them, the mes burned them to ashes. Zombies and insects alike. "W-what¡¯s going on? Stop killing them!" "What are you doing right now?!" People who hadn¡¯t yet reached their goals began shouting in protest, one after another. Yet the man, clearly neither deaf nor foreign, ignored them and stared at the mes pouring from his hands, as though hypnotized. Truly entranced. "Eunho, could that be a unique skill?" Jieun recalled a conversation about my own unique skill, eleration, which had unlocked itself by analyzing data and adapting to me. If the man¡¯s mes were simrly unlocked through intense desire or memories etched into his body... ¡®He¡¯s more dangerous than any zombie. Far more dangerous.¡¯ [10 seconds until the end of Round 2.] The notification of the time limit acted like a trigger. 9 seconds. The man nced at the leaderboard and then at my face before striding toward a nearby female student. 8 seconds. He grabbed her by the neck. "Ka-hek...! W-why are you doing this?" "You brat! So arrogant...!" "What are you doing?! Let go of her right now!" The student¡¯s friends screamed at him, their faces contorted in rage, ready to tear him apart. "Soyoung!!!" "You bastard...! What are you doing?!" Crack! As the students rushed at the man, they were stopped in their tracks by a horde of zombies, unable to move and wailing in despair. One of them was even bleeding from their leg. Did they get bitten on the ankle? "Let go of her, you insane jerk!" "You think I¡¯m stupid? Youughed at me earlier, didn¡¯t you? Don¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t notice!" ¡ª Crack! With the sound of something hard breaking, the female student¡¯s body went limp. mes spread from her neck and shoulders, engulfing her entirely. "Ughhhh...!" He tossed her body down the stairs, where zombies were gathered below. ¡ª Fwoosh! "Two birds with one stone! Hehehe..." The man cackled, ncing between the mes spreading among the zombies and the steadily increasing numbers on the leaderboard. [...3, 2, 1. Round 2 ends.] "My god..." "T-that bastard... Sir, I can¡¯t take this anymore!" "Fuck...!" Amid the extreme shock and fury of the others, a chilling malice spread across the group. "W-what should we do...?" A student copsed to the ground, crying helplessly. Another, with their zombie-bitten ankle bleeding, hobbled down the stairs. "This can¡¯t be real, right? Answer me, Kim Soyoung! Tell me it¡¯s not true!" A female student sobbed, clutching the remains of her burned friend. ¡®Was it for the leaderboard? Or just because he wanted to kill?¡¯ Either way, he¡¯s unbearably dangerous. He can¡¯t be allowed to grow any stronger. ¡ª p! "Eunho? Why are you suddenly grabbing your bag...?" "Everyone, gather around. We need to get ready." "Ready for what?" ¡ª Zzzt. "To catch that bastard." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 15 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 15: Performance Pressure (5) A student without form. A swarm of burning zombies. Friends screaming, their spirits broken. Even the members of Team 3, who were on the brink of being erased, paused momentarily amidst the ruthless ughter. And then¡­ [Performance tallypleted.] [The team selected for the 2nd round of restructuring is Team 3. Proceeding with restructuring.] ¡°There were no zombies! None left, I swear!¡± ¡°It¡¯s us? No way, right?!¡± ¡°No, no, please! Don¡¯t!¡± They could feel the flicker of death creeping over their bodies. ¡°That murderer¡­!¡± ¡°A curse¡­!¡± The broken curses of those disappearing poured onto the homeless man. Of course, he didn¡¯t care, and neither did the system, it seemed. [To all survivors in the Seoul Station area, here is an additional notice.] [A special reward will be given to the top-performing team.] The emotionless voice of the system discussing "outstanding performance" sent shivers down people¡¯s spines, steeped in the horrors of performance-oriented cruelty. ¡°This is insane¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about special rewards now? That wasn¡¯t mentioned before!¡± Some people trembled in fear, while others voicedints about the sudden added incentives. Among them were a few, including Yeji Lee from the ounting Team. [The 2nd-round special reward is 2 points, and for the 3rd round, it will be 3 points.] It¡¯s worthining about. Giving extra rewards to already high-performing teams only widens the gap between Task Forces. ¡®And the top team this round is¡­¡¯ For some reason, a sensation of heat rose within my body. Whether it was due to the tension or the terrifying ze burning in the distance, I couldn¡¯t tell. What was certain was that I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling this intense heat here. Everyone¡¯s fearful gazes turned toward a single point. [The top team for the 2nd round is¡­] ¡°Heuh-heuh-heuh¡­¡± [Team 5.] [Eliminate enemies and prove your outstanding performance!] * * * ¡°Sk-skill enhancement!¡± mes ignited in the man¡¯s palm as soon as those words were spoken. Red and yellow mes, with a blue hue flickering at their center. ¡°That fire¡­ its temperature has risen.¡± ¡°And its size seems bigger too.¡± Once wavering in his palm, the me grew to the size of a person¡¯s head. Therger the me, the easier it bes to ignite things without direct contact. ¡°This is definitely an attack-focused ability.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. If we stick to the n, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jieun, who had been nervously fiddling with her fingers, looked up. ¡°I¡¯m worried because of Eunho¡¯s n.¡± ¡°...¡± [Round 3 begins.] ¡®Sorry, Jieun.¡¯ I felt a bit sorry for her concern, but there was no other choice. This was the most efficient method. ¡°Everyone, back to your positions!¡± ¡°H-Hyung! Are you sure this is the only way?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Please!¡± The only way for everyone to survive. And¡­ ¡®The way to take that guy down.¡¯ [Eliminate the enemy and achieve your objective within the time limit!] ¡°Ugh¡­¡± As soon as the mission started, the sluggish zombies charged en masse. Starting with two of them¡ªjust to test the waters. So, though it might feel a bit sorry to do this¡­ ¡°Eeek!¡± Instead of dodging or attacking, I pulled Jaehyuk into their path. ng! The sound of zombies crashing into Jaehyuk¡¯s armor echoed loudly. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I extracted two silver bugs from the zombies that had collided with him and threw them to Jieun. Then one more, two more, three more¡­ I sped up, extracting more bugs instead of wasting time killing them. ¡°Jieun! Here!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ng! ng! ng! ng! Jieun¡¯s dagger moved quickly, slicing the iing bugs into halves, quarters, and smaller pieces before passing them to the foul-mouthed guy. ¡°All done slicing!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Whoosh! Armed with a spray-type insecticide in his left hand and a lighter in his right, the foul-mouthed guy sprayed fire with gusto. ¡°Die, you filthy bugs!¡± Each person performed their assigned tasks mechanically and swiftly, maximizing output through a meticulous division ofbor. If this were a real Task Force in apany, the office walls might disy a slogan like ¡°Division of Labor is the Way to Survival!¡±¡ªa strategy driven purely by efficiency. But the core of this strategy was¡­ [¡®Split Needle Beetle defeated!] ¡°It worked! Our performance really went up!¡± ? Performance Status: Round 3 Team 1: 2 / 100p The n was to "cut up" the Split Needle Beetle to kill it. Killing a whole Split Needle Beetle earned 5 points. If you halved it, you got 3 points. If you quartered it, you earned 2 additional points. "Quartering it gives 8 points instead of 5. Cutting it up is way more efficient." "It won¡¯t split any further! This is the limit!" "Good. Then let¡¯s finish this in one go!" ¡ª Bang! "Jieun!" "Yes! Here, burn it!" ¡ª Fsssss! [You have defeated a quartered Split Needle Beetle!] [You have defeated a quartered Split Needle Beetle!] [You have defeated a quartered Split Needle Beetle!] [You have defeated a quartered Split Needle Beetle!] ... The constant notification sounds were almost dizzying, and as the performance tracker started to stutter, the frenzy of activity slowed. Plenty of time. The goal was already achieved. Now, all that remained was¡­ "Kid! Come here with your dad!" Extending a hand, I motioned toward a father and his child running over. Instead of going to them myself, I called them over for a reason. "Jaehyuk, Jieun, keep it up a little longer." This was to keep the system of division ofbor running smoothly. Jaehyuk would block, I would extract, Jieun would cut, and the kid¡¯s dad would burn. In other words, we just needed to rotate the task of the loud-mouthed one. "And as for you..." "Fine, I¡¯ll just watch the kid, damn it." "¡­Could you kindly shut your mouth?" * * * "Young man! You saved us!" "Thank you so much, sir... truly, thank you..." "Thank you very much!" They were calling me ¡°sir¡± now. The kid¡¯s dad bowed deeply and repeatedly, pouring out gratitude. His child, Yura, also gave a formal bow. "It¡¯s all thanks to everyone doing their part." Once the overwhelming atmosphere settled, the loudmouth rubbed his face and muttered. "But damn, are you a genius or what? Or are you in cahoots with the system?" "What are you talking about?" "I get that bringing insecticide was just good preparation, but how¡¯d you figure out cutting the bugs would earn more points?" Jieun answered for me. "You clearly don¡¯t know, but Eunho is a genius." "What?" The emphasis of her response was slightly off, but it stillnded. "Seriously though, how did you figure it out?" "Oh, the Round 1 results looked weird." "Round 1 results?" Jaehyuk tilted his head, ncing at Jieun, who shrugged as if she had no clue. "We were the only team that ended up with 101 points." "Oh! So it was because you halved them at the start?" "Yeah. So I tried cutting them further, to find the sweet spot for maximum efficiency." At my exnation, Jaehyuk smacked his knee, and the others nodded in understanding. [You have defeated a halved Split Needle Beetle!] Had I not been the one to first experiment with cutting them in half¡­ Had someone else found and killed a whole bug first, I never would¡¯ve figured it out. "Guess I got lucky." "You call that luck?" "That¡¯s what being a genius means, Eunho," Jieun said, and Jaehyuk nodded along. "Lucky or genius, whatever." We got first ce, earned our rewards, and now it was time to move on. The prickling... no, burning sensation on the back of my neck didn¡¯t help. "It¡¯s dangerous. Please stay here and wait." "Hyung! Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?" Even if I wasn¡¯t, what choice did I have? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The guy was already closing the distance, clenching and unclenching his fists as he approached. "Jieun, Jaehyuk. If I neutralize him first..." ¡ª Crack! Before I could finish exining the n, a small figure lunged forward. Long hair mostly covered by a gray vest. "You bastard! I¡¯ll kill you!" "Yoon S!!!" ¡ª Thud! The high school girl who had rushed down the stairs earlier to save her friend. Had she sent her friend off already? Now, she returned, face hard with fury. But¡ª "Stop!!!" It was her remaining friend who stopped her, blocking her path as she charged with a small de. "You can¡¯t! Please...!" "Why not?! Aren¡¯t you angry? That bastard burned Soyoung to death!" "I know! I know, but if you go, you¡¯ll..." So this was revenge for their dead friend. But no matter how enraged she was, the size difference was just too great. "Both of you... die." As expected. A man suddenly appeared, mping his hands over two people¡¯s mouths and gripping them tightly. "Why don¡¯t you burn together¡­ Hah-hah-hah." ¡°Mmph! Mmmph¡­!¡± Huff. I took a short breath. And then¡ª "re¡ª" "elerate!" There was a scenario nned. The one that gave me the best chance of victory. But I dashed forward without thinking when I saw the kids struggling in the man¡¯s grasp. ¡®ns can be remade.¡¯ ¡ª Tap-tap! I sprinted like it was a short-distance race, stopping right in front of the man and prying his fingers off the kids. The smaller student was freed, and next was the one with long hair¡ª ¡°Yaaaaaaaargh¡ª!¡± ¡ª Fwoosh! The moment I saved the two and turned away¡ª mes burst from the man¡¯s palm, catching my elbow and spreading. ¡°Argh¡­!¡± The scorching heat made it feel like every cell was melting, forcing a scream out of me that I quickly swallowed back down. Clenching my teeth tightly, I barely managed to run and put the students down. Tick-tock. Time returned to its normal flow. ¡°Aaaah! Eunho!¡± ¡ª Smack! Smack! Smack! Jieun quickly took off her jacket and smothered the mes on my arm. ¡°Hyuuung! Your arm!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It felt less like my skin was burning and more like the bone itself was melting away. ¡°That bastard¡­ hurt our hyung¡­!¡± ¡°Eunho! Do you have any mission rewards left? Use them to heal, quickly!¡± ¡°Move aside!¡± Jieun¡¯s frantic words were interrupted by the long-haired girl, who approached us. Rubbing her chin, likely sore from being grabbed by the man earlier, she ignored Jieunpletely and stared at me intently.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Her gaze was pure, unfiltered rage. It sent a chill down my spine. ¡°I¡¯ll heal you, so kill that bastard.¡± ¡°Heal me?¡± Wait. Now that I think about it, this girl¡­ when she rushed in to save her burning friend earlier¡­ ¡®She got bitten on the ankle by a zombie, didn¡¯t she?¡¯ I quickly looked down to see herpletely unscathed ankle. Now that I think about it, even when she charged at the homeless guy, she wasn¡¯t limping. ¡°Your ankle¡­ it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You can kill him, right?¡± Her determined eyes left no room for doubt. She meant it. ¡°Please.¡± The girl nodded silently and knelt beside me. She ced her hand over my charred, crumbling arm and whispered softly. ¡°Heal.¡± [You are being healed by the influence of the Healer ¡®Yoon S.¡¯] [Burn recovery rate: 90%.] ¡°Hyung! Your wound¡­!¡± My skin, once darkened and copsing, regenerated from within. Before long, it looked no different than the surrounding areas, save for a faint reddish hue and lingering warmth. ¡°It should¡¯ve been 100%¡­¡± The girl bit her lip as she spoke. Was she upset that she couldn¡¯t fully heal me, despite her bold words? Or was she worried I wouldn¡¯t fulfill her request? ¡°My skill level is still too low¡­¡± ¡°This is plenty.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have you finish itter. You can, right?¡± She nodded, and as she did, I pushed myself up, ignoring the shocked stares around me. As soon as I stood, my eyes met those of the man who had attacked us. Step. Step. Step. I approached him, maintaining eye contact. The man with disheveled hair parted his dry lips to speak. ¡°You¡­ have a skill too¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re left-handed, right?¡± Flinch. While he¡¯d used both hands to snap the necks of zombies and people alike, I¡¯d noticed the fire only came from his left hand. A show-off like him wouldn¡¯t have hidden his powers if he¡¯d had them from the start. His eyebrows rose in irritation through the mess of tangled hair and beard. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Your skill¡ªyou only use your left hand.¡± ¡°So what if I do¡ª¡± ¡°Petrification.¡± ¡ª Crack! The n was simple. The mission reward points I earned during the third loop? I¡¯d poured all three into enhancing my right hand. ¡®Whether it¡¯s fire or water, it¡¯s still just a human hand.¡¯ And this hand of mine? It could punch through walls. ¡ª Crunch! ¡°re¡ª¡± ¡°elerate.¡± ¡°Yaaaaaaaargh!¡± Tap-tap. The man¡¯s face twisted noticeably as he frantically tried to activate his me skill, but he was toote. My petrified right hand already had his ming fist tightly gripped, the fire only heating the surface. ¡°If it hurts this much, you¡¯re not gonna like what¡¯sing.¡± Beyond the man¡¯s shoulder, the long-haired girl was staring daggers at me, her eyes almost shootingsers. ¡°Our client is watching.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 16 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 16: One-on-One (1) Mr. Kim always thought to himself: ''Fucking bastards. I wish they¡¯d all just drop dead.¡¯ So, he set everything aze. Screaaam¡ª! His father, who beat him every day, saying he looked like the mother who had run away. ¡°Aaaaaah¡ª!¡± The woman who slept with another man in his house. ¡°Sp-spare me! Aaaahhh!¡± And the factory manager who threw him out after three years of work without paying a dime. It was the most satisfying sight to watch them all go up in mes. Crackle! Crackle! After serving ten years in prison for arson, he was released and lived quietly, burning only recybles in secret. But then¡­ One day, he received a "revtion." [Mission has started.] [Congrattions! Based on the deep-seated rage etched into your very bones, and your countless memories of fire and ashes, a skill has been unlocked!] [me (Lv.1) skill has been activated!] ¡°Th-this is¡­!¡± A surge of heat erupted from deep within his chest, coursing through his shoulders and arms, flowing like moltenva instead of blood. The heat, searing enough to burst through his skin, bubbled and churned like magma from an active volcano. Soon, his hand could no longer contain it. It ripped through an invisible barrier and burst forth. Crackle. Crackle. Crackle. Whoosh! It was a sign from the heavens. The world was already a wreck, so it must be divine will to burn it all down quickly. And so, he diligently, passionately killed. But why¡­ Crunch! Why was he being defeated by this pathetic, flimsy-looking guy? Even with hisva-fueled fists... ¡°Ughhhhhh¡­¡± ¡®It hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. Hurts. I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ Kim curled his body up like a shrimp, unable to even scream through the pain in his shattered fists. ¡®Th-the skill¡­!¡¯ His fingers were all broken, and he truly felt like he might die. But if he could just unleash his power, he could burn this guy to ashes. He just needed to say one word! ¡°...me!¡± Whoosh! As he spat out the sybles, a fierce gust of wind swept through. The world seemed to stop and restart in a bizarre way. ¡°What now? Looks like you can¡¯t use your skill anymore.¡± It happened in an instant. The damned man smirked, vanished before his eyes, and reappeared¡ª Thwack! ¡ªand mmed his fist into Kim¡¯s gut, which had already taken a beating. ¡®Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!¡¯ The punch felt strong enough to pierce through his stomach, leaving his abdomen caved in and his organs shaken to their core. At the same time, Kim¡¯s pupils dted infinitely. ¡°Ughhh¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a bit.¡± Before he could even process where this all-consuming pain wasing from, another one-sided barrage followed. Right jaw. Abdomen. His already-broken hands. Then back to the right jaw. Abdomen. Hands¡­ ¡°P-please¡­! Stop¡­ugh¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not done yet.¡± ¡°Please, stop! Have mercy¡­!¡± His pathetic body told him clearly. If this continued, he¡¯d really die. Moving his misshapen jaw with difficulty, Kim begged. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll give you women¡­ Just¡­please¡­!¡± Whoosh! The man disappeared again, carried by a gust of wind, only to reappear and inflict even greater pain. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± This time, he had been careful with his skill management. Apparently, the man¡¯s actions had riled him up more than expected. ¡°me¡ª¡± ¡°elerate.¡± Force equals mass times velocity, they say. And so, by throwing a punch ten times faster, the impact naturally grew stronger.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Treating the man¡¯s abdomen like a punching bag, he pounded away while counting the seconds. Three, two, one. Now! ¡°¡ªEnd!¡± Thwack! He timed the strike perfectly as the skill expired, driving his stone-like fist into the target. He wanted him to feel every ounce of pain. Just like how a boxer delivers maximum impact by hitting the perfect spot. Tingling¡ª! The overwhelming sensation of the blow made his own body tremble slightly. ¡°What now? Looks like you can¡¯t use your skill anymore.¡± ¡°Ughhh¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a bit.¡± ¡ª Thud! Thud! Thwack! Once. Twice. Three times. Four... Even after the skill had ended, the assault didn¡¯t stop. First, the crushed fist of the man. When he twisted in pain to evade, the abdomen. As he coughed up his breath and lowered his head, the jaw. Then again, the hands, the legs, the abdomen, and the jaw. I mustn¡¯t give him any room to fight back. That was the reason for targeting the same weakened areas relentlessly. It wasn¡¯t just about breaking him with pain. More importantly, it was to conceal the fact that the petrification skill had ended. He must also be aware of the cooldown period. eleration and petrification were indeed powerful skills, but the opponent had enough firepower to turn the tide. "P-Please stop...! I beg you, urgh..." The man copsed, letting out a sound akin to a pig being ughtered. He looked down at his broken joints, twisted in pain and dismay. "I-I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll give you the girls...!" At that moment, the man¡¯s pitiful words pierced through my thoughts. "Please..." "eleration." Whoosh! Once again, I rushed at him with fierce winds trailing behind, striking his abdomen and then his legs. This time, I used petrification again. "Aaaaaaaagh! Gaaah!" "What are you saying?" "......!" The man¡¯s limp limbs trembled, and pitiful groans escaped from his mouth. "Grrr... P-Please... spare me..." "You¡¯re going to give them to me?" It was so absurd I had to ask again. Yet, he seemed to take my question as agreement and desperately nodded, his face contorted in panic. But. "I¡¯m thinking of giving you to them. What about that?" "......?" Bewilderment filled his clouded eyes, but my part ended there. Taking a step back, I called out. "Student!" The person who would decide how this ends. "How should we finish this?" "!!" Tap. Tap. Tap. Before my words fully left my lips, a long-haired schoolgirl walked over, her steps deliberate. Her piercing gaze burned with a chilling resolve. "Spare... spare me...! Aaaaaah!" "......" "Aaaahhhhhh!" The sound that echoed in the office was neither entirely human nor beastlike. Screech. Seung, who had been staring nkly at the screen, rubbed his sweaty palms on his suit trousers. It seemed he had clenched them too tightly without realizing it. [We¡¯re still in the early stages, but this is brutal...] ¡ª Bang! Flinch. The loud noise, reverberating through the massive desk, the room, and even his boss''s body, interrupted his musings. Seung quickly closed his mouth and nced nervously at his superior. ¡ª Tap. Tap. Tap. The rapid tapping of fingers on the desk. The asional sound of a tongue clicking. Furrowed brows drawn tight. [Harona?] Harona red at the screen silently. To make matters worse, her twin pigtails twitched and bounced erratically. Ah! Could it be? [Is it because of Subject Kim Deokgu? That¡¯s unfortunate. He unlocked a useful skill, after all.] me skills are powerful early-game abilities for achieving "results." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w From a manager¡¯s perspective, losing him must sting. [Another with the same unlock will emerge. It¡¯s not a rare ability, so if we look¡ª] [What nonsense are you spouting?] [Isn¡¯t it Subject Kim Deokgu you¡¯rementing over?] [Hah?] At her subordinate¡¯s clueless words, Harona let out a deted sound. [Not that!] She pointed her finger at the screen, directing his attention to "that"¡ªthe charred remains of Kim Deokgu. So then, what shemented was... [Subject Lee Eunho! I wanted to see more of his fight!] [...That¡¯s what you¡¯rementing?] What else could it be? Harona shrugged, as if to say it was obvious. [He¡¯s a master at exploiting weaknesses. Did you see the way he timed his moves earlier?] Harona''srge eyes sparkled as she chattered excitedly. How ruthless and clever Subject Lee Eunho was. And. [What cunning.] Seung interpreted it as cunning. Being called cunning¡ª The highest praise in a pany" where predation and survival were the norms. [eleration and petrification. I thought they werecking as offensive skills... I was wrong.] He used them more aggressively than actual attack skills. All Seung could do was nod in agreement. And just as he opened his mouth to add ament¡ª ¡¾An anonymous observer is highly satisfied with Subject "Lee Eunho''s" performance.¡¿ ¡¾A gift has arrived!¡¿ Ding! [A Gift Has Arrived!] Ding! A cheerful sound rang out¡ªan impossible notification sound¡ªemanating from the screen where acrid smoke was rising, recing the dying mes. [A gift?!] [Could it be a sponsorship item?] Both turned their heads sharply at the same time. Support provided by spectators to their chosen participant. It¡¯s notmon, but it¡¯s certainly possible. The restructuring process is streamed live through the ¡°Eye,¡± and anyone with proper authorization can freely ess and observe. Toward the end of the restructuring process,rge-scale betting on who will survive often urs. Spectators sometimes shower their chosen participant with sponsorship. [We need to send it back, Harona.] [Hmmm.] But that¡¯s a far-off scenario. District 13 has just begun its restructuring phase. Sponsorship for a participant not yet officially selected? That¡¯s against the rules. Hoping it was sent by mistake, they double-checked, but the recipient¡¯s name, ¡°Eunho Lee,¡± was boldly disyed, leaving no room for doubt. [The manual clearly states that sponsorship cannot be sent to unselected participants¡­] [Wait a second. But this is a gift, not sponsorship, isn¡¯t it?] [¡­Excuse me?] What difference does it make whether it¡¯s sponsorship or a gift? Points are for sending sponsorship funds¡ªessentially sponsorship¡ªwhile items are for sending gifts. [Harona! What if you get another warning for this?] [Oh, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. This is nothing serious. Besides, they probably can¡¯t even use it properly.] [That may be true, but still¡­] Seung shouted in protest, but Harona waved him off dismissively with her pale hand. Then, rubbing her hands together, her eyes gleamed with a colorful light. [Let¡¯s start the next mission right away.] [This is supposed to be thest mission for today¡­] [No, start it immediately.] Seung couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, but his boss was no longer listening. She simply beamed with a wide, knowing smile. [It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had such an interesting observer join us. Let¡¯s give them a good show. Make them open their wallets wide.] Wallets? It seemed his boss was nning something on arger scale. [Hmm¡ªwhat would be good?] * * * ¡°Ugh¡­ It hurts.¡± Even though I focused on hitting with my stone-hardened right hand, maybe I overdid it. Are my fingers broken? Clutching my throbbing arm, I copsed to the ground. A long-haired girl, Yoon S, approached. After sobbing uncontrobly with her friend, she finally calmed down, her face still red. ¡°...Here.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Yoon S, her eyes puffy, extended a hand toward me, her small palm contrasting with her tall stature. ¡®What¡¯s with the hand¡­ Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°Finish healing meter. You can do that, right?¡± She remembered what I had said back then. ¡°Please.¡± Yoon S¡¯s gaze as she examined my injured arm was deep¡ªwatchful, yet warm. Nothing like the fierce look she¡¯d had earlier. ¡®Of course, she didn¡¯t get a healing ability for no reason.¡¯ ¡ªShine! A radiant glow emanated from her slender fingers. It wasn¡¯t purely white or blue¡ªan indescribable, ethereal light seeped into my skin. The sensation enveloped my arm like stepping into a cool, dry room on a scorching summer day. [Due to the influence of Healer Yoon S, your injuries are being healed.] [Burn recovery rate: 100%.] [Fracture recovery rate: 100%.] The bones in my fingers realigned, and the scorched, ckened skin reversed itself as new flesh emerged. Just like in those pharmaceuticalpany ads with CGI effects. ¡®Completely healed.¡¯ An incredible ability. With this, I wouldn¡¯t need to waste precious rewards to heal injuries. Not just for herself¡ªthis is the best ability for her allies too. ¡®I need to stay on her good side.¡¯ ¡°Ahhh! Thank goodness, hyung!¡± ¡°You¡¯re healed, Eunho!¡± Jaehyuk, who¡¯d been nervously pacing while watching me sprawled out, shouted in relief. Likewise, Jieun, who had been anxiously biting her lip. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. By the way¡­¡± Gratitude aside, Yoon S¡¯s side-nces from earlier were suspicious. She looked like she had something to say. ¡°Thanks for healing me.¡± ¡°¡­I kept my promise.¡± Wanting to stay on her good side, I broke the silence first as she fidgeted, lips moving soundlessly. Finally, she spoke. ¡°And¡­ thank y¡ª¡± Just as S, fumbling with her words and nervously fiddling with her fingers, started to speak. ¡ªDing! That cheerful sound from earlier echoed in my mind, just like when I first received the random box. And a translucent message window appeared before me. [You have received a gift from an anonymous observer!] [Would you like to check it?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 17 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 17: One-on-One (2) "A ''gift'' from an ''anonymous observer.''" Every word seemed suspicious, but for now, the focus was on the object. [You have 1 gift avable to im.] "im." As soon as the word left my lips, a small cluster of light floated up before me. The faint, whitish glow began to grow, gradually taking on a defined, angr shape. sh! The light solidified into a white box, the size of a palm, with an envelope perched on top like a hat. "Whoa! Hyung! What''s that?" "Looks like a random box." The foul-mouthed man reached out to touch it, but his hand passed through the box, sinking into thin air. "Tsk, no luck," He clicked his tongue and withdrew his hand, sheepishly ncing around. "But why is it just for you¡­?" Before I could answer his timidint, Jieun replied on my behalf. "Because this mission was all Eunho''s doing. He strategized, lured out the bugs, and even fought that guy earlier." "Come on! I was part of the mission too!" The man beat his chest in indignation, but Jieun merely shrugged, unimpressed. "Sure, you were. All you did was stand there spraying stuff, though." "What? And all you did was sit and slice bugs!" "Which is why I''m not sulking like someone else here." "Dammit! Who''s sulking?!" Despite his gruffnguage, he sulked, lips pouting. Jieun couldn''t hide her amusement, a smirk tugging at her lips as she teased him further. "Not sulking? Really?" "Just¡­ envious! That¡¯s all!" Isn¡¯t that the same thing? His face flushed under the attention as he pulled his hat down low and muttered, "Just saying¡­ If he keeps getting stronger, what''s next? Blowing up buildings? ying giant monsters with one hit? Anyone else think that?" His wild imagination made me click my tongue. But why were they all nodding in agreement? "True, Eunho could probably¡­." "Absolutely! If it''s Hyung, he could totally pull it off!" Good grief. These people¡­. "Sorry to disappoint, but that''s not happening." Though the foul-mouthed man didn¡¯t argue further, he lingered nearby, obviously curious about what was inside the box. "They said this is a gift, not a mission reward." "A gift?" "Who''s it from? And man, this system has everything, Hyung!" My thoughts exactly. I was growing increasingly curious about this mysterious system. If only I had some free time to investigate. "No idea who sent it. Just says it''s from an anonymous observer." "What''s an observer, Hyung?" "Someone watching us from up there, probably." As I gestured upwards, everyone simultaneously tilted their heads back. Instead of a familiar sky, a giant eye loomed over us. Facing that massive eye felt like being stark naked, parading down a crowded street. It was unsettling enough to make me wonder if we should start watching what we say. "Well, open it, Hyung!" Like a dog waiting for its treat, the envelope and box floated before me, quivering in anticipation. Curious, I touched the envelope first. It unfolded like an instructional video, unfurling in all directions to reveal its contents. My name, written neatly inside. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ Recipient: Lee Eunho Sender: Unknown Message: None ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ "Not much to go on." Well, it was from an ''anonymous observer,'' after all. Figuring out who sent it could wait. For now, the priority was what was inside. Cautiously, I reached for the lid of the box. "Ow!" "Eunho! What happened?!" A sharp jolt coursed through my fingertips, making me reflexively withdraw my hand. "Just static electricity. I''m fine." Jieun looked more startled than I was. I reassured her with a smile before opening the box again. Inside, the first thing that caught my eye was¡ª Snap! Crackle! Sizzle! Sparks leapt about like they were trying to escape the small box. And inside was¡­ "A vial?" A bottle, about 10 cm tall, shaped like a plump fruit. "Hyung, is that some kind of fatigue recovery potion?" "Looks simr to the one from the store." The store¡¯s watered-down fatigue recovery potion wasn¡¯t very effective but cost a hefty 300 welfare points. But this one¡­ Zzt! Crackle! Even getting close to the box made my fingertips tingle with tiny shocks. Clenching my teeth, I reached in and picked up the bottle. As I did, a translucent screen appeared with a chime. ? Lightning Oil Oil distilled from a lightning-struck tree. Apply to weapons to unleash high-voltage currents upon striking an enemy. Warning: Contact alone may cause electric shocks. Handle with care. Uses remaining: 10 "High-voltage currents, huh¡­." Inside the transparent bottle, a viscous liquid sloshed. Its hue was somewhere between yellow and blue, glimmering as though it didn¡¯t need light to shine. It fizzed and crackled with static energy, almost alive. "What the heck? This looks way more intense than anything in the shop." "Hyung, this is an incredible item!" "Could it be¡­ magic or something?" I looked up to see everyone¡¯s eyes glued to me, or rather, to the strange, sparkling vial in my hand. "Wow! Let¡¯s open it and try it out!" "Well, I¡¯d have to open it to apply it to a weapon¡­." Even amid the excitement, Jieun remained the only one with a concerned expression. "By the way, Eunho, this isn¡¯t dangerous, right? It feels like electricity is running through it." "Ugh! You¡¯re right, hyung! Isn¡¯t it hurting you?" "Ah¡­ it does seem dangerous. Just touching it could conduct current." "What? Then how are we supposed to apply it?" Jieun''s wide, rabbit-like eyes turned toward me. I shrugged and slipped out of the group. I would¡¯ve preferred to head somewhere more secluded, but who knows when the next mission might begin. ¡°Summon.¡± The familiar weight of the sword hilt settled in my hand. I could feel Jieun and Jaehyuk¡¯s worried gazes as well. "Eunho! What if you get electrocuted?" "I just need to stop the electricity from flowing." "Ah! Should I go look for some rubber gloves?" Rubber gloves. Not a bad idea, but if the current is strong, they wouldn¡¯t hold up. Besides, there¡¯s something better nearby. ¡°Petrification.¡± An instor that doesn¡¯t conduct electricity or heat. "!!" "Oh! So stone doesn¡¯t conduct electricity!" Pop! The bottle opened, releasing a fresh, cool scent. The liquid, a vivid yellow and blue electric oil, sparked incessantly. Snap! Crackle! Sizzle! I thrust my petrified, reinforced hand into the sparking container.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om And then¡­ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Got it!¡¯ The thick liquid obediently followed. I spread it evenly over the ckened de I had ced on the ground. A cheerful notification chimed in my ears. ¡ª Ding! [The ''de Tipped Sword'' has been upgraded to the ''Electric de Tipped Sword''!] [Temporary skill ''Electric Discharge'' has been created!] [1 use has been charged.] [1 use has been charged.] [1 use has been charged.] ¡­ Sizzle! The sword had evolved. "I can¡¯t wait to see it, hyung!" "I¡¯m so excited! When you stab something, sparks will fly everywhere, right?" "Wow! Now it¡¯s not just a taser; it¡¯s an electric shock sword, sis!" The two of them were more excited than I was, chatting animatedly. I thought I should calm them down and opened my mouth. "Don¡¯t get too excited. It only works ten times, and without petrification, it¡¯ll¡­" [Attention, survivors in the Seoul Station area.] An announcement echoed across the station, overriding everything else. More important than anything. [The next mission will begin shortly, at 1 PM.] ¡°What?!¡± ¡°How much time has even passed since thest one?¡± A man in a uniform, just lighting a cigarette, grimaced and dropped it. Another man, rushing toward the station holding his daughter who had been pestering to use the bathroom, hurriedly scooped her up. "If it¡¯s 1 PM¡­" "Shit! That¡¯s now!" PM 12:59. The ¡°shortly¡± in the announcement was a lie. The mission start notice immediately followed. [Mission Start.] [Safe zones have been generated.] ¡ª sh! The map filled my vision, revealing a long, rectangr shape made of several connected pieces. A train. Which meant that was¡­ "The tform! Everyone, run!" [You have 5 minutes. Survivors outside the safe zone will be eliminated.] "Five minutes?!" "That¡¯s too tight!" Unlike previous missions, this one started abruptly. Despite the grumbling about the impossibly short time limit, the system had never cared about our struggles. "Lessining, more running! If you don¡¯t want to die!" "Yes, hyung!" ¡ª Thud! Fourteen people sprinted across Seoul Station za, racing into the station. To an outsider, it might look like they were rushing to catch a train, but¡­ "Fuck! Four minutes left!" "Aaaaah!" "Daaaad! I need the bathroom!" "Sorry, Yura! If we stop, we¡¯ll both die!" It was a race for survival. Every stride carried a grim determination to avoid being erased. Some slipped in their haste, but no one looked back. Thud-! "E-Eunho, thank y¡ª" "Save the thanks forter." The others who had been running for their lives were already out of sight. I pulled Lee Yeji to her feet and scanned the map. ''Where is it? Which way is fastest?'' "Hyung! We need to go down!" "Three, four¡­ Here! Everyone, this way!" I led Yeji, Jaehyuk, and Jieun toward the tform. We passed the endlessly long esctor, finally arriving at the open KTX doors. "This train! Thest car on the right!" Of the train¡¯s 18 cars, the map indicated car 18, shing green as the safe zone. There was just over a minute left. While I had an eleration skill, it was clear the others wouldn¡¯t make it in time unless I hurried. I was about to rush toward the train when¡­ "E-Eunho?! That¡¯s the wrong way!" Jieun frantically looked around, shouting. "What? The wrong way?" "If you look at the map, it seems we need to go left¡­" "Thest car on the right, car 18, is correct!" Jieun¡¯s strange remarks and Jaehyuk¡¯s puzzled expression only added to the confusion. ¡¸00:57¡¹ "One minute left!" Jieun, with her odd observations. Jaehyuk and Lee Yeji, tilting their heads in doubt. My map, which clearly indicated the right. That could only mean one thing. "Jieun, your safe zone¡ªis it thest car on the left?" "Yes? The very first car, car 1!" Everyone had different safe zones. In other words, this mission was a free-for-all. Realizing the same thing, everyone looked up simultaneously and said: "Be careful!" "You too, Eunho!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 18 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 18: One-on-One (3) "Hoo¡­" I entered thest car alone after parting ways with the others. Car 18, drawn as my own private safe zone, resembled the interior of an ordinary KTX train. [Mission begins in 10 seconds.] That was the story, at least until the announcement signaled the start. ''This is¡­'' As the announcement heralding the mission echoed like a starting gun¡­ sh¡ª! Even the faint sources of light lost their power all at once. And with the sound of something heavy splitting apart as if chopping down a massive tree with an axe... Thud! A chilling gaze appeared. This time, not in the sky but filling the entire ceiling of the train. [Mission begins.] [You have three chances in total. Eliminate the demon!] The pitch-ck pupil in the center of the ''eye'' momentarily blurred, and the space before it rippled. Like a viscous liquid boiling over in an instant. And emerging through that distorted space was¡­ Boom! "A goblin?" It vaguely resembled a human but had grotesquely long limbs and a hooked nose protruding from the front of its face rather than the top. It was as tall as my chest and held a spiked mace bristling with sharp objects in its hand. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! The demon, upon spotting me, swung its long arms almost to the ground, moving them back and forth. Its mace struck the train floor so hard it left dents. The way it rotated its shoulder energetically resembled the warm-up routine before a shot-put throw. ''If that hits me, my head''s going to split open.'' It looked quite dangerous, but¡­ I decided to test the waters first. ¡°Petrification, Summon!¡± ["Summoning the Lightning de."] ["Electric Discharge" ability activated, remaining uses: 10.] Bright light illuminated the dark space in an instant. Crackle¡ª! Gripping the spark-emitting dark brown hilt tightly with my stiffening hands, I noticed the lightning wrapping around the ck de. A thin, glossy film covered the de, with blue mes dancing unpredictably atop it. Screech! Screeeech! The demon, rmed by the weapon brimming with bursting energy, let out a wail. It hurriedly opened and closed its mouth, its lips pping. ''I¡¯ll add eleration to be safe.'' Eliminating the danger was the best course of action. Its wrinkled, leathery skin looked pretty thick, and the Electric Discharge effect might not be as strong as I hoped. ...Just as I was about to execute my n. ¡ª %$!?$¡ù$?-! The demon¡¯s torn eyes focused on me. Its jagged teeth were exposed, and a bizarre sound, like nails scratching metal, seeped not into my ears but straight into my mouth. Gasp! It felt like inhaling dense smoke condensed into a bead. Even as I coughed and choked on the foreign sensation filling my throat, I shouted. ''elerate!'' "...!" ''Huh? One more time¡­'' "...!" ''elerate! elerate! eleraaaate!'' I repeated "elerate!" in my mind, but only weak, airy sounds escaped. No skills, not even my voice, wereing out. ''It¡¯s blocking my speech to prevent skill usage!'' Could this be the demon¡¯s ability? It was fortunate I had summoned the de immediately after it appeared. Otherwise, I¡¯d be fighting without a weapon. ''Still, I¡¯m lucky.'' It was disappointing not to have eleration, but Electric Discharge wasn¡¯t a bad substitute. The weapon discharged high-voltage electricity when used against enemies. ''So... it activates automatically when I attack, right?'' Leap! I raised the Lightning de and jumped forward. The demon nced at the crackling de, seemingly uneasy, but soon swung its mace, thinking it was fine since my skills were blocked. But. Whoosh¡ª! I dodged the mace aimed at my head. Quickly circling behind the demon, I exited its line of sight. As it struggled to pull its mace from a seat it had embedded into, I thrust my de deep into its shriveled neck. Stab! ["Electric Discharge activated!"] Crackzzzzz¡ª! A massive sh exploded, momentarily blinding me. Squinting, I forced my eyes open and saw¡­ The demon writhing in agony, enveloped in brilliant yellow and deep blue lightning streaks. Screeeech¡ª! Screeeech¡ª! Its mouth gaped as if gasping for air, emitting weak metallic sounds. From its crown to its feet, its entire body trembled violently, like a tree in a storm. The scorched skin around the de turned ck, smoke rising from the charred remains. ["Electric Discharge," remaining uses: 9.] Boom! The demon copsed, its form like a lightning-struck dead tree. ¡®This is¡­¡¯ The sheer power was overwhelming. Even through the petrified hand that had turned to stone from within, the tingling sensation was unmistakable. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ To think a single attack could cause such destruction. I couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished at its unexpected might. ¡®Though, it does have the drawback of being unusable without petrification.¡¯ Still, the effect was worth far more than its downside. Crackle! Crackle! As I stared nkly at the flickering bolts of electricity, still unsatisfied after taking down the demon¡¯s limp body and another beast¡ª [You have defeated a demon!] [Cleared Car 18.] The announcement signaling the mission¡¯spletion echoed in the air. Soon, the demon''s corpse, which had been sprawled across the floor, vanished as if melting away. Was it over? ¡®Did everyone else make it?¡¯ I managed to handle it rtively easily thanks to the temporary skill, but for others, it must have been a struggle. [Mission failed.] Especially the child who had been left alone¡­ Wait. Failed? [Penalty will be imposed due to mission failure.] Why?! * * * [¡­Harona?] Struggling to suppress his anger, Seung opened his mouth in a low voice, addressing his superior who had clearly caused a huge mess. [Didn¡¯t you say the support item wasn¡¯t a big deal?] [Hmm¡­ Did I?] [Yes. You specifically said it wouldn¡¯t be of much use.] The support item sent by an anonymous observer: "Lightning Oil." It wasn¡¯t a bad item, to be fair. However, since the high-voltage electricity affected not just the target but also the user, most dismissed it as a shy but impractical tool. Especially in the early stages when physical attributes weren¡¯t fully developed. And yet, the designated user, Lee Eunho, had¡­ [Seriously, isn¡¯t this the kind of item you save until you get stronger? Like, ¡®I need to be stronger to use this!¡¯ That sort of thing?] [¡­] [He¡¯s the weird one, not me!] Harona sighed heavily, looking at her subordinate¡¯s frosty expression, a poor excuse of an exnation spilling out of her mouth. She had figured they might as well let the unusually generous observer donate the item without interference for once. Who could have guessed he would use it immediately? [What¡¯s the point of saving it if he¡¯s already using it this effectively?] [Sigh. This is exactly why I was worried.] She wasn¡¯t lying. The demon, which rendered skills useless, was a natural enemy for those overly reliant on them. Lee Eunho, in particr, heavily depended on skills while his ownbat ability was negligible. So in that sense, it had been a fair trade-off. [But¡­ We¡¯ll see. There are only nine Electric Discharges left.] [He¡¯s the type to turn grass into a weapon. We underestimated him, Harona.] [What did you just say?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡­Even so, her irritation red. Harona¡¯s eyebrow twitched, clearly displeased by Seung¡¯s brazen attitude. Then¡ª [Enough, enough!] ¡ªBang! Her small fist mmed onto the desk. Flinch. The tremor from her strike carried through to Seung, who stood with his hands sped behind his back. [The mission has already started!] Seung, mid-sentence, froze with his mouth agape. [If you¡¯re not going to watch, then leave.] [¡­I apologize.] Seung unsped his hands, straightened his posture, and shifted his focus. On the screen, an announcement yed. ¡®All personnel outside the safe zone will be eliminated.¡¯ ¡®Restructuringplete.¡¯ After the first round ended, the safe zone was reactivated and fulfilled its role. The second round had begun. ¡®As a penalty for mission failure, the demon has evolved into a greater demon.¡¯ ¡®Defeat the greater demon.¡¯ The greater demon loomed over Lee Eunho, its size now overwhelming. The mace that had once been the size of his head was now double that. And yet¡ª [I¡¯m not too worried,] Said Seung in a calm tone, almost detached. Harona nodded in agreement. [What about the other cars?] [As expected, they¡¯re panicking. Some have already been taken out.] The screens filled with scenes of Lee Eunho¡¯spanions. "Ahhhh!" "Shit! What do we do?!" "Somebody save me!!!" ¡­People screaming helplessly as demons silenced their cries. A child crouched in a corner, hands over their mouth. A woman who¡¯d survived by sheer luck, having fled the entire mission. A man crushed to death the moment the first round began. Compared to them, Lee Eunho was¡­ "elerate!" As soon as the Great Ogre revealed itself, the shout for eleration came as if waiting for it. Speed so fast that an ordinary human wouldn¡¯t even recognize it¡ªa light-like velocity. In less than a fraction of a second, he dashed from one end of the train to the other, leapt onto the seats, andunched himself. [Lightning speed.] ¡ª Zzzzt! Lee Eunho''s sword pierced between the Great Ogre''s face and torso. Then came an electric current striking like lightning. On top of that, his bodyweight and the sharp energy of his de added to the blow. Boom! The Great Ogre¡¯s head rolled cleanly to the ground. ¡®Great Ogre has been in!¡¯ ¡®Car 18 cleared.¡¯ Huff. Seung let out a deep sigh, as if the ground might cave in under his breath. [The difference in skill between him and the others is too vast.] [It really is, isn¡¯t it?] [Not just his strength but his intelligence is extraordinary.] You could call his intuition almost frighteningly sharp. It even seemed he figured out the mission¡¯s rules on his own. ¡®Car 18¡­ cleared?¡¯ Muttering as he furrowed his brows, he seemed to realize something. Then, quickly dashing forward, he crossed into the next car. [He seems to have caught on.] The condition to sessfullyplete this mission. That was¡ª [The entire train must be cleared all at once.] The individual safe zones were nothing but bait. Becausemunication and cooperation among the subjects were impossible, the mission required every participant to pull their own weight to seed. For the Seoul Station survivors, who relied heavily on Lee Eunho, this was the worst possible scenario. ¡­The problem was that Lee Eunho was pulling not just one person¡¯s weight, but five, even ten. [Harona, if this incident bes known to the higher-ups, we¡¯ll...] [It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. How would they find out?] Even amidst the chaos, Harona responded nonchntly, her twin braids bouncing as she wore an expression full of excitement. Her eyes remained fixed on the screen. But Seung couldn¡¯t shake his unease. [There¡¯s bound to be controversy about fairness among the observers.] [Is that so?] Harona nced at the nervous subordinate and smirked. [I don¡¯t think so.] [What do you mean by that¡ª?] Then came the cheerful notification sound. Ding! ¡¾"Raven of the Administration Bureau" is impressed by Subject Lee Eunho''s item utilization skills.¡¿ ¡¾"Prince of the Investigation Bureau" wonders how such a person existed in District 13.¡¿ ¡¾A few observers begin closely monitoring Subject Lee Eunho.¡¿ Ding! Ding! Ding! [W-What¡¯s with this reaction¡­?] Instead of controversy, the reaction had taken apletely different, enthusiastic turn. Even new observers were flocking in, seemingly having heard of it from somewhere. ¡¾The capacity of "The Eye" monitoring Subject Lee Eunho has been exceeded!¡¿ ¡¾Would you like to upgrade "The Eye"?¡¿ ¡¾If you do not consent, three random observers will be forcibly removed.¡¿ While Seung was dumbfounded by the situation veering away from his expectations, scanning through the observers¡¯ reactions¡ª Harona smacked her lips. [Hmm. An upgrade, huh.] [H-Harona! You¡¯re not seriously thinking of spending points already, are you¡­?]N?v(el)B\\jnn [Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m nning to do.] [Unbelievable! How could you waste precious points like that so soon?] Seung cried out, caught somewhere between panic and disbelief. No sane manager would squander points on upgrading an Eye for a mere preliminary candidate. After all, such candidates were almost always doomed to fail. [Hmmm.] [Besides, that subject can barely hope to clear this mission!] From Seung¡¯s perspective, Lee Eunho was in a precarious situation. [He has to defeat every ogre across all the train cars alone! You understand that, right?] On top of that, the time limit was only ten minutes. Clearing from Car 18 to Car 1 and making it back before the safe zones activated seemed an utterly impossible task. Even the most capable person only has one body, after all. [So, you¡¯re saying he¡¯s going to fail?] [Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­] But Seung couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it definitively. He wanted to dere it absolutely impossible, but somehow, there was this feeling¡ªthat if it were this person¡ª That he might just pull it off. [You have to row while the tide is high.] ¡ª sh! ¡¾Points sessfully allocated!¡¿ ¡¾Subject Lee Eunho¡¯s Eye has been upgraded to Level 2.¡¿ [But¡­!] [Shh.] Harona silenced the still-worried Seung with a sly grin. [We¡¯ve got to get our investment back. No matter what it takes.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 19 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 19: One-on-One (4) ¡ª Boom! A massive mace hurled by the ogre in Car 17 grazed past my ear and mmed into the wall. Crash! The train wall crumpled and shattered instantly, sending dust-like debris flying everywhere. [You have defeated the Ogre!] [Car 17 cleared.] That was close. To think it would still throw its mace even as it was dying. ¡®At least that''s one more down.¡¯ I thought, letting out a sigh of relief. The ogre, with its left arm and leg severed and its bnce lost, fell backward. Thud! Carefully, I walked, making sure to avoid stepping in the thick, dark-red blood and the strange fluids pooling on the floor. And just as I was about to open the door and move on¡ª Grip. ¡°?!¡± Something small tugged at the edge of my shirt. ¡°You... How did you...?¡± It was Yura, the little girl left alone without her father. Her ck patent leather shoes and white socks were soaked and stained with the ogre''s blood. ¡°I... I was hiding.¡± ¡°Hiding? Really?¡± Was that even possible? Even for someone as small as her, this cramped train car didn¡¯t offer any real hiding spots. It didn¡¯t make sense, but there was no time to question it. ¡°Let¡¯s get moving for now.¡± * * * I hid Yura in the hallway between Cars 17 and 16 and then took care of the ogre in Car 16 as well. Think, think, think. I needed a n. A way to clear all the sections within 10 minutes. ¡°What are you doing out there?¡± ¡°Well... I realized as long as I return before the time limit, it¡¯s fine, right?¡± ¡°So you just decided to hang outside the train instead of fighting?¡± ¡­Correction. A way to clear all the sections within 10 minutes alone. Sigh. Looking at the cowardly foul mouthed guy crouched near the restroom, too scared to fight, made me exhale in frustration. ¡°You must¡¯ve been really scared.¡± ¡°Well, yeah...¡± His cap had rolled onto the floor, and he hadn¡¯t even noticed. ¡°Just buy any weapon from the shop and use it. You¡¯re not taking those points with you to the grave. And¡­¡± He looked bewildered, probably unable to follow half the things I was saying. ¡°When we get to the third round, clear your car quickly and help out Car 14. I¡¯m going ahead.¡± ¡°I almost died without taking down even one of them, and you want me to...¡± ¡°eleration.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± ¡ª ng! I opened the door, forcing my brain to work overtime. Beyond the ss door, the ogre in Car 14 was in the middle of swinging its mace. And near it was... A petite figure with long hair wearing a tight pencil skirt. It was Lee Yeji from the ounting team. From the look of the deep-blue de lodged in the ogre¡¯s abdomen, it seemed like she had managed to muster some courage. Though her attack had no real effect, it was admirable that she hadn¡¯t just frozen in fear. Still, there was one ring problem. ¡®Why are your eyes closed?¡¯ Even while thrusting the sword, Yeji had her eyes shut tight in fear. Like that, she¡¯d only get herself killed. ¡ª Thud! Quickly, I yanked out the sword she¡¯d barely embedded in the ogre and plunged it into its heart. The de was stiffer than mine but went in without much trouble. And a momentter¡ª Tick! ¡°¡ªAaaaaaarghhh!¡± [You have defeated the Ogre!] [Car 14 cleared.] As the notification sound chimed, Yeji let out a final shriek of terror. ¡°Hnnngh!¡± Her face scrunched up so tightly that all her facial features seemed to merge into one. Watching her, I couldn¡¯t help but think, You¡¯re going to give yourself wrinkles. ¡°Alright, you can open your eyes now.¡± ¡°H-huh?!¡± Yeji opened her eyes slightly and met mine. ¡°Eunho? Where did you suddenlye from?!¡± ¡°You have to aim for the heart if you want to kill them. Keep your eyes open next time.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± 06:35 Roughly six minutes remained. From Car 18 to Car 14, I¡¯d cleared five sections, taking about 40 seconds per car. If I kept this pace... At best, I could reach Car 4. ¡®The third round is the key. For the second round, I¡¯ll focus on spreading the word to as many people as possible.¡¯ But I only had five charges left for Electric Discharge to speed things up. What to do? My head was heating up from all the thinking as I prepared to leave Car 14 when Yeji called out behind me. ¡°Eunho! Did I seed in my mission?¡± Her voice trembled with desperation. I wanted to tell her yes, that we¡¯d all seeded, and we¡¯d all survive. But... ¡°Probably not.¡± ¡°What? But we killed the monster! Well, you killed it, but still...¡± ¡°This mission seems to require clearing all the train cars.¡± ¡°No way...¡± Thud. Yeji sank to the floor, her face filled with despair. I felt bad but didn¡¯t have the time to console her. I turned silently to leave, but then¡ª ¡®Hmm? Wait a second.¡¯ An idea struck me, and I paused mid-step. If this round was a throwaway anyway... ¡°Hey, Yeji.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re grateful, right? You¡¯d be dead if it weren¡¯t for me.¡± ¡°G-grateful? Of course, I am!¡± ¡°Then...¡± No point wasting my precious skills. ¡°Lend me your sword.¡± Due to the high voltage current, it was impossible to use the debeak Sword without a petrification skill. Besides, using the skill meant for the third round now would be a waste. Of course, you can¡¯t just take someone else¡¯s weapon by force, so I politely asked for cooperation¡ªjust like Jieun did. "Uh... then I..." "You¡¯ll lend it to me, right? I helped you up earlier when you fell, and I just saved you." "Uh, but, um..." "We¡¯re all trying to survive here, aren¡¯t we?" Politely, very politely. "...Here." * * * Thud! Instead of the debeak Sword I had kept so carefully, I wielded Yeji Lee''s sword. The deep blue de drove straight into the ogre''s crown. Screeeeeeech! [You have defeated the Ogre!] [Train Car 13 Cleared.] "Cleared..." Yoon S muttered as she copsed onto the floor of Car 13. Her legs, bloodied from a ncing blow by a mace, shimmered faintly with blue light. "But the mission¡­ it¡¯s not a sess." She froze. The bluish glow descending to envelop her legs suddenly faded. It reminded me of a humidifier running dry. ¡°To seed, probably¡­¡± ¡°You have to clear the entire train.¡± ¡°!!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came.¡± Despair shed across Yoon S''s face as she panted for breath. Her expression made it obvious she thought we were doomed. She¡¯s young, so her emotions are easy to read. ¡°Do you have any way to contact other people? Like your friends?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried calling, texting, using social media¡­ nothing works.¡± I asked on the off chance, but Yoon S just shook her head, frustrated at being unable to help, biting her lip in resentment. ¡°If someone could clear even just the cars up front, it¡¯d help a lot.¡± ¡°Then the mission will seed?¡± ¡°Yeah. Based on the calctions, if someone clears up to Car 4, it¡¯s doable.¡± Up front¡ªJieun, who should be in Car 1. But... ¡°The problem is we have no way to let them know.¡± ¡°No way to let them know¡­¡± Yoon S furrowed her brow, lost in thought. ¡°I feel like telling each person in each car to pass along a message would work.¡± ¡°Like a ry race?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone should clear their car quickly and help the surrounding cars.¡± ¡°That could work, but¡­¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yoon S trailed off, lowering her eyes hesitantly. ¡°Most people won¡¯t be able to defeat that monster alone. If you weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d already be¡­¡± It would¡¯ve been an endless cycle of running, getting hurt, healing, and running again. ¡°A horrible fate.¡± Yoon S shuddered, imagining something terrible, and even started tugging at her long hair. Seeing someone so young tormented by the threat of life and death was heartbreaking. I was about to reassure her when¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ll figure something out¡­¡± Ding! A clear chime rang through the air. [Congrattions!] [The target ''Lee Eunho''s Eyes'' have been upgraded to Level 2.] With an unexpected congrattory message. ¡°Eyes?¡± Ssssssssssshhht¡ª The enormous eye that had been filling the ceiling slowly closed. At the same time, all the lights in the train flickered out. ¡°!!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Hey! I can¡¯t see anything!¡± [Upgradeplete.] [Limitedmunication with observers is now possible.] [The synchronization rate of target ''Lee Eunho'' has greatly increased.] sh! The lights returned, illuminating the train as if nothing had happened. The massive eye opened again, and a palm-sized eye emerged from it with a soft pop! It floated midair, round and white, with a pitch-ck pupil in the center. ¡®Did the eye have a kid or something?¡¯ Or maybe it shrank itself to follow me more discreetly. ¡°What was that?! Was it a ckout?¡± ¡°Huh? You can¡¯t see this?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I pointed at the floating eyeball, but Yoon S looked at me in utter confusion. Is this visible only to me? As I wondered whether I was losing my mind¡ª ¡¾An anonymous observer is curious how you¡¯ll ovee this situation.¡¿ A strange voice echoed in my head. Apanied by unfamiliar text appearing at the edge of my vision. ¡°What the hell is this now?¡± ¡¾An anonymous observer greets you warmly.¡¿ ¡¾¡®Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ folds his arms, saying this won¡¯t be an easy challenge.¡¿ ¡¾¡®Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ments over this raw talent, wondering if this is as far as it goes.¡¿ ¡°This is crazy.¡± ¡®What is this, a livestream?¡¯ And what¡¯s with these names¡ª¡°Bureau¡± and ¡°Administration¡±? I let out a hollowugh at the absurd development, making Yoon S frown. ¡°Did you hit your head or something¡­?¡± ¡°...Forget it. For now, there¡¯s no time to waste.¡± ¡¸01:45¡¹ To summarize¡ª ¡°What we need now is a way to contact everyone.¡± Especially Jieun in the lead car. As I said this, Yoon S fiddled with her long hair, muttering to herself. ¡°Yeah. Like in a movie, putting a note in a jelly bar or something¡­¡± ¡°A jelly bar¡­ a note¡­ Hmm?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡®Ah!¡¯ I got it. That might just work! Bang! That''s it...! * * * ¡ª Bang! A massive mace narrowly missed Jieun''s head, grazing her ear as it swept past. While the giant ogre struggled to pull its weapon out of the floor it struck instead of Jieun''s head, she quickly dashed to the other side. The brief relief was swiftly reced by a sharp, burning sensation. ¡®Ouch...!¡¯ Blood flowed from her torn earlobe, seeping into her ear with a hot, sticky warmth. The stinging pain and muffled sensation made her want to run away, but¡ª This was nothing. ¡®If I let this pain get to me, I''m done for. Eunho fought on even with burns.¡¯ Jieun clenched her lips, once again repeating the resolve she''d told herself over and over for the past two days. Get a grip, Kim Jieun. Defeat this monster and clear the mission. ¡®But... how do I clear it?¡¯ Not long ago, Jieun had indeed taken down one of the ogres. A lucky throw with her dagger had struck the heart of the slow-moving ogre. But the mission had still failed. ¡®Eunho would have figured out the rules, no doubt¡­¡¯ No matter the situation, Eunho always found the optimal solution. She was certain he¡¯d know exactly what to do even now. The problem was that she couldn''t ask him, with the distance separating them. Thud. Thud. Thud. While Jieun was lost in thought, the ogre, now free of its mace, began staggering toward her again. ¡®What would Eunho do in this situation?¡¯ He was someone who always gave his all, who acted decisively. If it were him¡­ ¡®Let¡¯s panicter. First, let¡¯s solve the mission.¡¯ He would¡¯ve dealt with this monster right in front of him first. Of course. ¡ª Kieeek! Kiiiiieeek! In that moment, Jieun''s eyes changed as she stared down the charging ogre. A determined, unwavering gaze. In what felt like a long second stretched to an eternity, she studied the ogre¡¯s movements and raised her dagger. And then¡ª ¡ª Whizz! The dagger tore through the air, piercing the ogre¡¯s chest. Calcting its staggered movements, swaying right and left, Jieun had unleashed a calm, precise attack. Her second miracle in this second attempt. ¡ª Kieeek! "Hah... Got it..." As the tension drained from her, Jieun slumped onto a nearby seat with a deep sigh. Scared and trembling, but she had managed to take it down. However¡ª [Mission failed.] [A penalty will be imposed for mission failure.] The dreaded announcement echoed once again. "Please...!" At this rate, even a third attempt would end the same way. The monster would evolve again, and even if she barely managed to defeat it, failure was certain. Feeling hopeless, she sat frozen, as though sinking deep into the ground. There was no solution. Even if there was one, she couldn''t find it. "Eunho... What am I supposed to do?" Who would have thought she''d call out so desperately for someone she¡¯d thought of for two years as just a diligent colleague from another team? Caught between astonishment and desperation, calling out her coworker¡¯s name felt more like a prayer than anything else. [You¡¯ve received a gift!] [Would you like to check it?] "!!" An answer from above¡ªor rather, from Eunho¡ªhad arrived. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?Recipient: Kim Jieun ?Sender: Lee Eunho ?Safe zones during missions are not fixed. Clear the entire train. Assistance iing. Reply with a junk item gift. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®What is this...?¡¯ Along with a moldy piece of bread. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 20 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 20: One-on-One (5) "Lee Eunho, why don¡¯t you have much stuff? Are you, like, a minimalist or something?" I¡¯ve never been one to buy a lot of things. Not because I¡¯m some lofty minimalist or anything. I¡¯ve switched jobs as often as rental contracts expire, and I¡¯ve moved frequently. It just felt wrong to keep umting new stuff. I also didn¡¯t like the idea of paying expensive rent just to store clutter. So, I developed a habit of buying only what I truly needed. And yet¡ª ¡®This is my first time buying something like this.¡¯ I never imagined it. That I would one day buy moldy bread to use as a gift. But¡ª [A gift has been received from the recipient ''Choi Jaehyuk''!] At least the biggest problem was solved. Spreading the rules and strategies of this mission to the others. [The ''Raven of the Administration Bureau'' marvels at your unique use of the gift system.] [An anonymous observer smiles contentedly, taking credit for your ingenuity.] ¡­Although it introduced a new problem, the mission came first. ¡°Confirm.¡± Feeling a smug satisfaction as I suppressed the upward tug of my lips, I inspected the letter and box forming before my eyes. aash! As I touched the angr envelope, it seemed to sprout like a seedling and unfolded its limbs outward. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ To: Lee Eunho From: Choi Jaehyuk Subject: Bro, are you okay? I seriously thought I was done for. Some weird monster fell straight from the sky, and no matter how many times I¡ª ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡°No matter how many times I¡± ¡ª and it trailed off like the title of a forgotten song. It wasn¡¯t an attempt to create suspense, nor was it some sort of artistic ellipsis. There must¡¯ve been a character limit. Good thing I hadpressed my message as much as possible. Otherwise, I might¡¯ve left out something crucial. "I hope Jieun received hers as well." With mixed relief and concern, I opened the box Jaehyuk had sent. Scraaape. The box, which felt like ss but opened smoothly, revealed its contents. "Ugh¡­" Sour milk. So old that the white fermentation had coagted into lumpy, unidentifiable solids. ¡¾''The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' shakes his head at the mysterious culinary preferences of District 13.¡¿ ¡¾''The ''Raven of the Administration Bureau'' urges you to drink it quickly.¡¿ ¡°Store!¡± I didn¡¯t even want to touch it, so I tossed it into my inventory before shaking my head. At that moment, the mission announcement red. [The final mission will begin in 10 seconds.] This is thest chance. I need to finish quickly and rescue the child. Though I couldn¡¯t see them, I felt certain that Jieun and Jaehyuk, who had also received my gifts, were thinking the same. [Mission failure penalty: Greater Demon evolves into Titan Demon.] I was equally certain they were as worried about the penalty. Titan Demon¡­ Would it just be bigger? Even the Greater Demon in the second loop had beenrger than me. [Final mission starting.] [Defeat the Titan Demon!] Sigh. Letting out a brief breath, I bent my knees, widening my stance to lower my center of gravity. Standing beneath the distorted space, ¡ª Ssssssss! A dark energy, somewhere between liquid and gas, filled the ceiling before vomiting out a massive form. The Titan Demon fell straight toward my head. Ordinarily, I¡¯d dodge¡ªbut¡ª ¡°Petrification! Summon!¡± With my petrified hands, I gripped the electricity-charged de and raised it high above my head. In a split second¡ªor rather, a fraction of one. ¡®I have to finish this in one go.¡¯ ¡ªThud! Crackle! ZZZZTTTTTT! [Activating ''Electric Discharge''!] [Remaining uses: 4.] As the Titan Demon descended, I thrust the sword up into its groin. GAAAAAAAHHHH! Reeling from unfathomable pain, the Titan Demon released its grip on the massive mace it held. CRAAAASH! Its thick hide desperately tried to shield its life, but¡ª The electrified de, now zing, sank deeper into the monster¡¯s body. ¡ªSpurt! Stter. The giant corpse twitched, split in half. Crimson blood poured like a waterfall, but I had neither the time nor the inclination to admire it. [You have defeated the Titan Demon!] [Train No. 18 cleared.] 09:45 Next up, Train No. 17. This time, I¡¯ll elerate. * * * Switching between Petrification and eleration, I managed to endure their cooldown times. Petrification. elerate. Petrification. elerate. Petrification. "Faster than the second loop!"N?v(el)B\\jnn Without eleration, I was slow; without Petrification, I couldn¡¯t wield the electrified sword. During the second loop, I had nearly wasted time waiting for cooldowns. ¡°Summon the Blue Iron Sword!¡± When Petrification was active, I used the de-tipped sword. When it wasn¡¯t, I used Lee Yeji¡¯s sword. ¡¾Anonymous observer is satisfied with the subject ''Lee Eunho''s'' monopoly on weapons.¡¿ ¡®Bringing that sword was a godsend.¡¯ Thanks to Lee Yeji¡¯s sword, I saved a significant amount of time. Moreover, instructing the civilians to hide outside the train, as the foul-mouthed old man had suggested, paid off¡ªthey obediently stayed put, preventing any casualties. When I finally dealt with the Titan Demon in Train No. 13, where Yoon S was¡ª Tick. The foolish demon, oblivious to its imminent death, dropped its mace mid-swing. [A gift has been received from the recipient ''Kim Jieun''!] [Would you like to check it?] Jieun had replied. With what used to be a pair of dingy socks. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ To: Lee Eunho From: Kim Jieun Subject: Cleared Cars 1-3. Helping up to Car 6, then heading back. Stay safe! ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡®Jieun, you¡¯re safe.¡¯ Relief washed over me. Her senses may not be the fastest, but she could have caught on somehow. After all, Jieun was second only to me in the TF for taking down zombies. She had a surprising knack forbat, too. ¡¸08:20¡¹ We were moving faster than nned, leaving over eight minutes to spare. Even ounting for her return, Jieun helping clear up to Car 6 made me feel more at ease. So this is what it¡¯s like to have a reliable teammate. ¡ª tter! ¡°This pace is good. I can do this.¡± Confidence and relief grew with the increasing speed. That is, until I reached Car 12 and stood before the door of Car 11, which I hadn¡¯t reached in my second run. ¡°!!¡± A pungent smell of blood overwhelmed me as soon as I opened the door. After the smell came the sight: the hallway was smeared with flesh and blood. A barely recognizable ck uniform hinted at the identity of the corpse. It was the grumbling man who¡¯d been paired with the father and daughter in a previous mission. He seemed to have been crushed under a monster falling from the ceiling, unable to escape in time. ¡ª KREEEAAAH! ¡°¡­elerate.¡± Forcing my mouth to move, I dealt with the lunging demon and pressed on to Car 10. Before I could fully process the bitter feeling, I encountered another body. ¡°¡­.¡± In Car 10, therey broken sses. In Car 9, an ID card poked out of a pool of blood, identifying the victim whose face had been smashed by a mace. ¡¾''¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ clicks their tongue at the weak.¡¿ ¡¾''¡®The Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ argues that this is normal.¡¿ ¡°¡­Shut up.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop the curse from slipping out. The crushed corpse, mangled under a demon, seemed to represent all of us¡ªlives built with effort, crushed in a day by this system. And the observers above,ughing at the carnage, fueled my anger. ¡¾An anonymous observer warns that your statement is dangerous.¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ is outraged by your insolence.¡¿ Angry reactions poured in, but¡­ ¡°Fuck you.¡± I had no intention of ying along anymore. ¡ª Tap! My legs hesitated amidst the horrifying scene, but I opened the door anyway. I had to move forward. I had to survive. And¡­ I had to save the others still alive. ¡ª sh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w I rushed toward the demon baring its jagged mouth and struck with my sword. I shed and shed again. The sword bit into its tough hide until it exposed its ck and white bones. Clearing my mind, I let momentum guide me forward. Before I knew it, Car 7 came into view. Soon, I¡¯d reach Car 6, where Jieun had said she¡¯d assist. If I met her, it would mean the entire train was cleared. Killing the demon in Car 7, I prepared to advance onest time. ¡ª tter! ¡°Huh?¡± The demon in Car 7 was already dead. A broken seat, a bloodied armrest. The monster¡¯s leg was severed, and its head was crushed by what seemed to be a blunt weapon. A weapon capable of such damage¡­ ¡°Jaehyuk!¡± ¡ª Tap! The first person besides me to take down a demon. It felt like finding another survivor on a deserted ocean. I hurriedly opened the door to Car 6 and rushed in. And then¡ª ¡ª ng! The demon¡¯s mace shed against Jaehyuk¡¯s armor, ringing out a metallic sound. The sword that should have been in his handy far from him on the ground. ¡°You must survive! You have to see your daughter again!¡± ¡°Ugh, but it¡¯s because of me that you¡¯re in this danger¡­¡± ¡ª ng! ng! ng! Jaehyuk, unarmed except for his armor, dodged the blows while protecting the man behind him. He had been a shield earlier when we were fighting zombies, and now he was bravely blocking the attacks again. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Oh, you saved us earlier¡­¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The other man seemed on the verge of tears, making Jaehyuk¡¯s resolve look even more determined. Before it could turn tragic, I jumped in. nting my feet firmly, I drove my sword deep into the demon¡¯s back. ¡ª ZZZZZT! [¡®Electric Discharge¡¯ activated!] [Remaining uses depleted.] [Demon defeated!] ¡°Hyung!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The two looked at me like I was a lifeline dropped from the heavens. ¡°Hyuuuuung!¡± ¡°Jaehyuk. Did you see Jieun?¡± ¡°Jieun-noona?¡± Jaehyuk¡¯s wide eyes and shaking head told me he hadn¡¯t. Strange. Jieun had said she¡¯d clear up to Car 6 and then return. ¡®Did something go wrong?¡¯ A chill ran down my spine as unease crept in. Just then¡ª ¡°Aaaaahhhh!¡± A piercing scream rang out from beyond the ss door. * * * Opening the door to Car 5, I saw a demon perched atop broken seats. In its hand was the nape of a schoolgirl, suspended in midair. ¡°Oh my! She¡¯s been caught!¡± ¡°Stay calm! I¡¯ll save her!¡± Jieun¡¯s voice trembled with none of the calm she demanded, her feet shuffling in ce beside a panicked cleaningdy. ¡°P-please¡­ save me¡­¡± With a face that was anything but calm, Jieun was telling everyone to stay calm, while the cleaningdy was anxiously pacing back and forth. "Pl-please save me..." In her hands, she was holding onto the trembling friend of Yoon S, a short student who was pale and shivering. She wanted to scream, but seemed to be holding her mouth shut, worried that it might provoke the demon. Thud. "Her shoe..." "Shh, quiet!" In the meantime, one of the girl''s shoes, suspended in mid-air, fell onto the demon''s foot. Heeek¡ª! It seemed like the demon had hurt his neck, as he slowly lowered his head, making only a sound like wind whistling. In the tense atmosphere, where even his hair seemed to stand on end: "Heeek..." The student, her face filled with fear, silently shed tears. "Ha, student! What should we do?!" "Mr. Song! Shh!" Heeek¡ª! The distance from the demon was less than three meters. If I used my eleration skill, I could rush in and grab her... "eleration!" [Cooldown: 43 seconds, 42 seconds, 41 seconds...] "Damn it!" "I''ll go...!" "No, not you, Jaehyuk!" It was too dangerous. I stopped Jaehyuk, who was pulling out his sword. "If you swing thatrge sword, you might identally cut the student!" The demon must be aware of that, which is why he¡¯s holding her like a shield. "H-hyung! What should we do?!" "39, 38, 37 seconds... We need to wait for the cooldown." I gripped my sword tightly, intending to wait until the cooldown was over and then take action. ¡ª Tap! Jieun, who had been keeping her lips tightly shut, stepped forward. She held a sword with a sharp de in her left hand, and in her right hand, a dagger. "Lower your head!" Is she nning to throw it? ''This is dangerous!'' "Jieun! If you miss, the student will be in danger!" I yelled urgently, but by then, Jieun''s dagger was already cutting through the air, heading straight for the demon. ¡ª Swoosh! It flew in a straight line, unwavering, its trajectory ending exactly at the demon¡¯s heart. However... ¡ª Swiik. It seemed the demon had thought ahead, as he moved the girl to his chest, as if using her as a shield. "Kyaaahh!" "No!!!" The student''s scream as she saw the de heading straight for her head. Jieun''s cry of horror. This was bad. Taat! I sprinted, ignoring the eleration, but the dagger, as fast as an arrow, barely missed my fingertips. "Kyaaaahhh!" And then... ¡ª Pook! It struck precisely in the demon¡¯s forehead. The entire length of the dagger, as long as an arm, embedded deeply into his skull. "Kyaaaahhh! Someone, please save me! Kyaaahh... huh?" ¡ª Squeak! A thick stream of blood poured from where the dagger had struck, and the demon¡¯s forehead split open. "Did that just..." "Did it curve?" The dagger, which had been aimed at the student¡¯s head, changed direction mid-flight. So... the dagger, which had long since left Jieun¡¯s hand, had changed course on its own. "Did... I survive...?" Thud! The student, who had fallen from the demon¡¯s grip, knelt down in relief, as if to give thanks. "What is this...?" Jieun, with a stunned face, alternated between looking at the student, who was crying andughing, and her own hands, muttering two familiar words. "Skill... Data?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 21 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 21: One-on-One (6) "Skill¡­ data?" Thwack! I firmly grabbed Jieun''s wrist as she muttered in confusion. "Remember!" "Huh? Wh-what?" Jieun''s eyes widened like a startled rabbit, clearly shocked by my sudden appearance. Stay calm. Just like how someone suddenly awakened from a dream struggles to remember it, being too startled could make her forget everything¡ªand that would be a disaster. "Listen carefully to what I¡¯m saying. You need to remember this feeling." "This¡­ feeling?" "How you threw that sword, what you were thinking when you threw it. Etch it into your mind." I spoke as calmly and clearly as possible. Seeing my serious expression, Jieun also became serious and nodded, then closed her eyes tightly. "Earlier, I think it was like this¡­" She mimicked throwing something with her empty hand, as if simting the act in her head. It was good that she was following my words well, but¡­ "Not now, though." ¡¸03:35¡¹ The mission wasn¡¯t over yet. A buoyant atmosphere filled the train, as if everyone thought all the monsters had been defeated. I raised my voice toward the group, who had gathered in celebration. "Three minutes and thirty seconds left! Everyone, return to your safe zones!" "Oh, right! I almost forgot. We just go back to our original spots, right?" "Yes! That¡¯s correct!" My voice echoed throughout the train, snapping the prematurely jubnt people back to their senses. At that moment, people began running to their designated positions from the front and back of Car 5. N?v(el)B\\jnn Amidst themotion, a man emerged and hurriedly called out to me. "W-wait, sir!" It was as if his daughter were clinging to my cor. I nced at him while stepping out of the train door. His hesitant, nervous expression was in to see. "Could it be¡­?" "Yura is safe. She was in the car next to mine." "Ah¡­!" The man sped his hands together as if in prayer, closing his eyes tightly. Hot tears streamed down his furrowed face and trembling lips. "T-thank you, sir! Thank you so much!" "It¡¯s not really something to thank me for¡­" "I mean it, truly!" ¡­there wasn¡¯t much to thank me for. After all, that kid had pretty much survived on her own. "I¡¯m Kim Hanul. I swear on my name, I¡¯ll repay the kindness you¡¯ve shown in saving her." "Let¡¯s focus on surviving for now." Leaving behind Hanul, who clenched his fists and spoke resolutely, I ran toward Car 18. Finally, after running and running, I reached Car 17, where his daughter was supposed to be. And then, a strong sense of doubt crossed my mind. "Come to think of it¡­ how did she manage to hide without being discovered?" ¡ª Click! I turned the long handle to the right and opened the door to Car 17. Inside, apart from Ogre''s lifeless corpse, there was no sign of anyone else. Yura, who was supposed to be here, wasn¡¯t either. Thinking she might be hiding in a bathroom out of fear, I started toward the opposite side. Clutch. At the same time, I felt a slight vibration and the weight of something tugging at my shirt cor. It wasn¡¯t enough to pull me back¡ªjust enough to stretch the fabric taut. "Mister!" "Oh¡­ Yura." The little girl had appeared out of nowhere and stopped me once again. In this silent space, she had clearly walked over step by step. Yet she moved so quietly, I hadn¡¯t noticed at all. "Did you stay calm and not cry?" She nodded slightly. With herrge, blinking eyes, she asked, "Um¡­ did you see my dad?" "Yeah, he¡¯s over there¡ªway up front." Hearing this, Yura exhaled a breath she had been holding in. Her small gesture was somendable that I patted her head and continued speaking. "So wait here until the mission ends, okay? Your dad wille get you." Yura nodded again, and I watched her with satisfaction before heading back to Car 18. To the safe zone where I needed to be. ¡ª Click! Finally, stepping inside the green safety line, I leaned back against the KTX seat. [Mission Sess.] A wee announcement came through the speakers. [Congrattions! Project Selection has beenpleted.] [Sync rate has slightly increased.] Project Selection. The first project that began at MS Tower had finallye to an end. ¡®...I¡¯ve been selected, right?¡¯ [Currently, due to exceptional results, the evaluation grading process has been dyed.] [Shortly, the final evaluation grade will be assigned based on the umted performance of each mission.] Exceptional results? No way... ¡°Is it talking about me?¡± [Congrattions!] [You have defeated 19 Demons not native to thisnd.] [You have acquired the title of ¡®Demon yer.¡¯] ¡°Demon yer?¡± A title? It seems the system considers my performance in this mission remarkable. [Would you like to check the effects of the ¡®Demon yer¡¯ title?] ¡°Check.¡± [Abilities of lower-ranked demons do not work against you.] [Attack power increases by 20% in battles against mid-ranked demons.] [You will not cower before high-ranked demons.] ¡®Lower demons, mid demons, and high demons must correspond to minor, middle, and superior demons, respectively.¡¯ This mission was rtively easy because it was designed for facing one enemy at a time. I would¡¯ve been in serious trouble if it had been a one-against-many scenario. ¡®If that situation ever arises.¡¯ I¡¯ll have to use the title¡¯s effects effectively. Prepare and prepare again. That¡¯s my philosophy. As I was intently analyzing the meanings of the notification sounds that kepting in session¡ª ¡ª Zizik. A familiar sound pierced into my ears. It was faint, which made it even more attention-grabbing. ¡°This sound...¡± It was the same sound that yed at the beginning of the restructuring process. ¡ª Zizik Zizik. Like the sound from a poorly connected radio signal. Even though it brought back traumatic memories, I focused all my attention. The announcement that followed became faint, the volume decreasing, and was intermittently cut off. [Seoul Station area ...users... guidance¡­provided¡­] [Due to the pletion... changes will be made...] It sounded like the final words of someone flickering on and off under the control of the system. And shortly after¡ª Thud! A noise akin to that of a broken speaker, followed byplete silence. ¡ª Creak! The ceiling, the sky, the space itself twisted and distorted, enveloping a set of eyes that had suddenly appeared. And just as abruptly as they had appeared, the eyes vanished. What was that? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * ¡°What do you think that announcement earlier was about?¡± ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s never been cut off mid-sentence like that before.¡± As Jieun tilted her head, Jaehyuk, who was deftly adjusting the grill¡¯s temperature, nodded in agreement. The broadcast, which was patchy as if the signal had weakened¡ª What were they trying to announce? Had we missed some important message...? Such thoughts crossed my mind, but I didn¡¯t voice them. Because¡ª ¡°...You¡¯re eating well, Eunho.¡± I was too busy eating. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± I spread a piece of lettuce in my palm, ced three freshly grilled hot pieces of meat on it, and topped it with garlic, ssamjang, and green onion sd that someone had found from somewhere. One good thing about the world ending: ¡®You can eat as much as you want without paying.¡¯ ¡°Seriously, even with the world ending, meat is still delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s Korean beef.¡± ¡°Exactly, bro! And this is premium-grade, two-plus sirloin, isn¡¯t it?¡± The kind of premium meat that you¡¯d only get to see at a high-end barbecue joint, maybe during an end-of-yearpany dinner. ¡°This really feels like apany dinner.¡± ¡°Yeah, it does.¡± A security guard, a cleaningdy, Yeji from ounting, and the hot-headed guy at one table. Jieun, Jaehyuk, two students, and I at another table. Next to us, Yura and her father at a two-seater table. ¡°Hey! You over there, grill some meat too!¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, missy! Let the skilled ones handle it!¡± ¡°Damn it! Why am I always the one stuck with this?¡± Add to that some people who had somehow found alcohol and were getting tipsy. It was just like a department dinner. I wondered what mission awaited us tomorrow as these people drank, but... I couldn¡¯t bring myself to stop them. They probably wanted to forget what they had been through over the past two days. Hiss¡ª! As I silently kept eating, a short student hesitantly spoke up. ¡°Uh... Ma¡¯am, sir!¡± Jieun was the ¡°ma¡¯am,¡± and I was the ¡°sir,¡± huh? Curious, I looked at the student while chewing my meat. As our eyes met, the student suddenly bowed deeply in gratitude, almost burying their face into their te. ¡°Thank you for saving me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We were all just trying to survive.¡± "Still, it''s true that you saved me!" Though I thought it wasn''t something to be thanked for, the girl shook her head firmly. Jieun smiled awkwardly and lowered her head like someone who felt guilty. "Only thank Eunho. I actually put you in more danger." "Oh, no! If it weren''t for you two, we''d have been in real trouble! Right, S?" At her friend''s words, even Yoon S, who always carried herself with a stiff posture, lowered her head slightly. Not much, but enough to notice. Watching Jieun wave her hands in denial and the students with sparkling eyes, Jaehyuk swung his tongs as he interjected. "This is heartwarming! By the way, have you all introduced yourselves yet?" Ah. Now that he mentioned it, I realized I didn¡¯t even know the short student¡¯s name. As I looked at her, Jieun spoke first. "I''m Kim Jieun. Nice to meet you." "I''m Min Yeojin. Please take care of me!" "Yoon S." The short student, Min Yeojin, spoke cheerfully, while the reserved Yoon S was curt. Min Yeojin and Jieun seemed to hit it off quickly, already looking quite close. Feeling relieved, I nodded and focused on eating the meat. That¡¯s when the guy grilling meat for the three girls stared straight at me. "And you, sir?" "Ah¡­ I¡¯m Lee Eunho. You¡¯re students from Bogun High, right?" "?! What?!" "How did you know?!" Yoon S¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, while Min Yeojin tilted her head and asked curiously. Such big reactions¡ªthey really are high school girls. "It¡¯s the only girls'' high school around here. Plus¡­ your healing skill gave it away." It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out, but their reactions said otherwise. "Wow! You¡¯re like a detective, mister!" Anyway, enough of these trivial conversations. Since we¡¯d mostly finished eating¡­ "Jieun." "Yes?" I turned to Jieun, who was smiling warmly as she watched me and Yoon S bickering. "If you''re done, shall we get going?" She must¡¯ve finished eating by now, seeing as she¡¯d only been sipping water for a while without touching the meat. "Huh?" "Not done yet?" Or is she still hungry? Jieun looked visibly flustered and nced around as if nervous, though no one else seemed to notice. "Uh¡­ just the two of us?" "Yes, just us." At my response, Jieun blushed, stood up abruptly, and Jaehyuk tilted his head in confusion. The high school girls exchanged meaningful nces with a soft "Hmm¡ª" as if they¡¯d misunderstood something. Not that it mattered, but just in case Jaehyuk felt left out, I added ament. "We¡¯re just going for some self-improvement." "Self-improvement? Oh! You mean that thing from earlier?" "Yes, that thing." "Ahh¡­" Jieun muttered, "I see," and pouted slightly. "Let¡¯s go." Hmm¡­ Was there a hint of dissatisfaction in her voice? Maybe I¡¯m imagining things. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 22 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 22: Self-Development (1) [Come in.] The massive doors swung open, revealing a secretary in a crisp suit. The secretary, whose face betrayed not a shred of emotion¡ªlike their meticulously styled hair¡ªgranted them entry with a nk expression. The air was thick with an oppressive tension that clung to their skin. Seung swallowed nervously, following quietly behind Harona. [Manager Harona presents herself before the Director.] A towering ceiling, tightly packed bookshelves, and a cavernous office that stretched like a corridor. At the far end, he sat. The one who was like the heavens to Seung, Harona, and countless other managers. Harona gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied slightly toward the head of the Administration Bureau. And then¡ª [Very well.] A heavy voice reverberated through the space. [I hear you authorized support for an unselected individual.] The tone was anything but friendly, even at a passing nce. [It was merely a trifling gift, Director.] [On top of that, you independently carried out a mission in vition ofpany policy.] Harona, who was always poised, found herself in an exception this time. Her body trembled slightly, and her voice wavered just as much. Seung found a faint sense of sce in not having to bear this tremendous pressure alone. [This individual is unique. They use even their modest skills aggressively and possess both intellect and physical prowess¡ª] [How dare you.] Harona gestured and exined fervently, but it was no use. The Director, cutting off her words mid-sentence, appended his own. [Do you intend to break the rules for the sake of a mere subject?] The moment Harona noticed thetent anger in the Director¡¯s level, even tone¡ª the floor beneath them, unnoticed until now, began to consume their bodies. ¡ª Ssssssshh! [!!] The ground crumbled like a sandy beach, and a vortex erupted simultaneously. It was as if they were sinking into quicksand¡ªfirst their feet, then their shins, knees, and thighs, were slowly engulfed. Below, a rough sandstorm pulled them downward; above, an unseen force pressed them down. [H-Harona¡­!] Struggling to breathe in the sand that had risen to his chest, Seung barely managed to open his mouth, but after uttering a single word, it mped shut again. The sand filled his mouth faster than his words could escape. Still, his single utterance was not entirely in vain. The proud Harona quickly added a hasty, almost desperate rification. [He is¡­ extraordinary!] [And which fool of a manager would call someone with a mid-tier rating "extraordinary"?] [If you were to see him yourself, Director¡­] However¡ª [Mission 17.] [!!] [That should be fair enough.] [But that¡¯s¡­!] Mission 17. A task that incited deadlypetition among subjects. It was immensely popr among spectators seeking sensational content, given the ceaseless chain of eating and being eaten. But that was only when there were few participants left. If it were implemented in the current situation¡­ [All the surviving subjects will gang up on him. That would hardly be fair¡ª] [Still ruled by emotion, are you?] [It¡¯s not that, Director¡­] It was excessive. That was what Harona wanted to say. [Foolish child. Will you repeat the same mistakes?] Yet she bit her lips hard and endured. She understood that the Director¡¯s preemptive measures were intended to prevent such "same mistakes" from recurring. [¡­Understood.] Whoosh! The ground that had been swallowing Harona and Seung spat them out. Seung desperately wanted to spit out the clumps of sand in his mouth immediately, but now was not the time. With a flick of the Director¡¯s hand, their bodies were flung out of the office. ¡ª Creeeeak¡ª! Boom! The massive doors closed. Only after they had walked some distance and neared Harona¡¯s office did Seung finally spit out the sand. [Ptooey!] Wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, Seung called out to Harona, who was walking ahead of him. [He¡¯s going to die.] Harona stopped abruptly. [In that case, the points lost will be massive. What should we do, Harona?] It was clear that this mission was doomed. And Harona had already invested in the candidate. Seung couldn¡¯t bear the thought of dealing with his mentor¡¯s inevitable hysterics if their investment went unrecovered. [Besides, his strength lies in intelligence, notbat. He doesn¡¯t stand a chance.] So, he tried to dissuade her somehow. [Well, in that case¡­] [What?] [A protagonist standing alone against the world. Doesn''t it paint a picture?] [A picture, you say? Surely not...] Harona smiled brightly, like a child who had juste up with an amusing idea. And what she said next was, [If we push them to the brink of death, we might get more donations.] Was she suggesting deliberately putting someone in danger to provoke sympathy from viewers and encourage donations? It was exactly the kind of n Harona woulde up with. [But... it''s too dangerous. Every human being in sight will be his enemy. You know that, don''t you?] [It''s something he''ll face eventually. If this is the limit of his ability, then there''s no helping it.] She shrugged her shoulders with a calm expression. Seung furrowed his brow deeply at her words, but Harona only smiled faintly in response. [You never know. He¡¯s the kind of person who might find an unexpected opening and turn the game around, even in ways I didn''t foresee. He might survive on their own.] [Well, that''s true so far, but still...] [Enough retorts. Send your eyes back down.] Swish. The twin tails of Harona''s hair, which had been drooping all day like wet seaweed, suddenly bounced lightly for the first time. * * * "Did the skill data increase?" "Sigh... It didn¡¯t go up..." Jieun, sitting heavily on the train floor, answered in a gloomy voice. Her arms were sore from throwing a heavy dagger hundreds of times, and she rotated them as if to ease the ache. "Why isn¡¯t the data increasing? I did the exact same thing as before." "Hmm... That must mean something wasn¡¯t exactly the same." "I don¡¯t know..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Let¡¯s go over it again. What exactly were the conditions earlier? What are we missing right now? ''Inside a KTX train. Jieun. A dagger. Throwing power and angle. We replicated everything.'' But Jieun hadn¡¯t heard any alert notifications this time. Which left only one possibility... "Do you want to try throwing it at me?" "Excuse me?" The target. "Earlier, you didn¡¯t throw it at a chair¡ªyou threw it at Ogre. Let¡¯s do the same and try it on me." "What? Are you seriously asking me to throw a dagger at you? That¡¯s ridiculous!" "That¡¯s the only condition left. Don¡¯t you want to unlock your skill?" At my suggestion, Jieun frantically waved her hands, horrified, as if I¡¯d just asked her to kill me. "No, no way! I¡¯d rather¡ª! You¡¯re far more important than some skill!" "Did you forget about my ability?" Raising her voice uncharacteristically, Jieun suddenly froze, her face showing she¡¯d just realized something important. If she just kept her focus, there wouldn¡¯t be any real danger. After all, I could dodge with eleration. "Jieun, if you unlock your skill, it¡¯ll make things easier for me too. Fighting alone is hard." "...!" "Let¡¯s try it once. If it doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll stop." Honestly, it wasn¡¯t as hard as I made it sound¡ªI was just saying it to push Jieun, who had a strong sense of responsibility. Though reluctant, Jieun hesitated and eventually picked up the dagger. Even then, she kept lifting and lowering it, her expression troubled. "I¡¯ll throw it... But you have to dodge!" "Don¡¯t worry." Despite her anxious expression, her eyes and posture were steady as she threw the dagger. ¡ª Swoosh! Every time, I can¡¯t help but admire it. Those eyes. Pure eyes that focus entirely on their target. Though, ¡°pure¡± might be the wrong word when considering the sharp edge of the dagger hurtling toward me. "eleration." Slide. I moved my feet, avoiding the dagger that was heading straight for me. Unlike before, I had ten whole seconds to spare. Tick. The clock sound only I could hear ticked as the frozen world resumed its motion. "!!" "It worked, right?" "It really was this..." [Calcting the data required to unlock the skill.] Jieun must have heard the same message I did. Now that we knew how, it was time to take action. "Let¡¯s go again." * * * 8:00 PM. Leaving Seoul Station and walking toward the lodging. Jieun, who had been quietly walking alongside me, suddenly asked, "Uh, Eunho." "Yes?" "The skill data... Why isn¡¯t it going beyond 99%?" Just as I expected. Jieun had quickly trained her skill data up to 99% through repetition, but it wouldn¡¯t rise any higher. ¡®It was the same when I unlocked my eleration ability.¡¯ It stayed stuck at 99%, only to suddenly unlock when I was on the verge of dying in a fire.N?v(el)B\\jnn Clearly... ''It seems the final breakthrough requires some kind of trigger.''" "A trigger..." Jieun''s side profile looked serious as she sank into thought. As we silently walked beneath the darkening sky and through the deserted city, a clear announcement echoed through the air. [Attention survivors in the Seoul Station area.] [The next mission is scheduled to begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.] "Tomorrow¡¯s mission starts at 9 again." "It¡¯s starting to feel like going to work. Strictly on time." Iughed at Jieun¡¯s half-jokingment, despite myself. If this was work, it would be the worstpany imaginable¡ªone with work shifts but no clock-out time. [Project evaluation grading has beenpleted.] Apany that throws people into life-threatening situations and grades them like products. "Evaluation grades, huh." I had received an S grade during the mid-term evaluation. This time... [Reorganization candidate ''Lee Eunho,'' evaluation grade S+. Congrattions!] "S+?" I tried to figure out what S+ could mean. S was already high, so what was this "plus" about? But the cryptic announcement didn¡¯t stop there. [Candidate ''Lee Eunho,'' due to project selectionpletion, your rank has been updated.] [Please check your status window!] Rank? Did such a thing even exist? Curious, I opened my status window. A hologram disying my figure appeared, along with text filling my vision. ¡²Lee Eunho¡³ Affiliation: District 13, ROK-SEO-106 Rank: Reorganization Candidate ¡ú Preliminary Selector (S+) Stats: Health (12), Strength (11), Intelligence (10), Judgement (15), Agility (15), Endurance (31) Traits: Unlocked Skills: [eleration (Lv.2)], [Petrification (Lv.8)] "The only changes are my affiliation and rank... huh?" Agility at 15? I was certain it had been 1 before. There was no mistake¡ªI had bitterly stared at my pathetic 1 agility stat, recalling how my physical disability had likely reduced it. Had the stat naturally recovered, or was it thanks to the rewards I¡¯d used, even if unintentionally? ¡®I made good use of the rewards. Not that I meant to.¡¯ This system clearly had many exploitable features for those who understood it. Even things like sending messages through gifts. There had to be more. ¡®If I dig further, I can squeeze even more out of this system.¡¯ [You have earned 1 point as a mission reward.] [Incentives based on your evaluation grade have been added.] [Evaluation grade S+: You have received 2 additional points and 1,500 welfare points.] I vowed to extract everything I could from it. I¡¯d need to, to stand a chance against those up above. And once I became strong enough to confront them, I would surely... ¡®I¡¯ll pay it all back in kind.¡¯ The system continued its announcements, indifferent to the way my clenched fists dug into my palms. [Choose your special incentive!] Whoosh! A brilliant light erupted like a re, filling my vision. Startled, I reflexively closed my eyes, but the sheer intensity of the brightness was still overwhelming. As a faint ringing buzzed in my ears, I shook my head to regain focus. Swishhhhh! Two paths began forming from my feet, steadily extending toward two strange "doors" in the distance. [Choose your path.] The paths were narrow, just wide enough for one person, yet each had a sign marking its destination. "What does it say...?" ¡û Path of Training''s Beginning ©¦ Path of Training''s Completion ¡ú "The beginning and thepletion of training?" Would stepping through one of the doors lead to a different ce? Since it was a rare reward, I had to choose carefully. [Choose your path.] "I have no way of knowing what either will bring." If I had to guess, perhaps one was a "growth-type" reward and the other a pletion-type." In that case, I... Step. I moved forward without hesitation. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 23 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 23: Self-Development (2) A trail of bright white light stretched out like a red carpet over the dull asphalt. And at the end of it, two doors stood. ¡û Beginning of Training ©¦ Completion of Training ¡ú There was a tinge of impatience, wanting toplete it all at once. But this ursed restructuring... ''It''s only just beginning.'' [You have chosen "Beginning of Training"!] [Open the door to proceed.] Proceed, huh. Standing still or walking, all I could see were the two doors before me. Behind them, there was nothing¡ªjust empty air. In other words, I had no idea where I¡¯d be "transported." So, "Summon." Determined to stay sharp, I summoned my sword. The weight of the sturdy sword was palpable, even brushing against my clothes. "Eunho!" Jieun grabbed the hem of my shirt with her long fingers, stopping me. "Where are you going? Our lodging is this way..." Her eyes blinked rapidly in confusion. Understandable, given that the man walking beside her on a quiet night suddenly drew a sharp, glimmering sword. "Go in ahead." "Huh? What about you, Mr. Eunho?" "It¡¯s my turn this time." I stopped in front of the door, just wide enough for one person to enter. Swoosh. Gripping the doorknob, I felt its cold touch. "What do you mean, your turn? For what..." "Self-development." Click! The door opened to reveal a dense fog. "Stone Skin." I strengthened my right hand and waved it through the odorless haze. No sign of toxicity. "Go and rest. Don¡¯t worry about me." I offered Jieun a reassuring smile, even as she looked bewildered. Then I stepped onto the ground hidden beyond the fog. [Subject ''Eunho Lee,'' transporting to the Training Center.] Training Center. The name sounded as harmless as the odorless haze. Of course, I couldn¡¯t afford to let my guard down... "I¡¯ll be back soon." It should be fine. After all, this was part of my "reward." * * * Blink. Though my eyes were wide open, the world briefly closed and reopened. It was as if I had be embedded in the pupil of a giant, my entire view veiled and unveiled by a massive eyelid. [Subject ''Eunho Lee,'' transportation to the Training Centerplete.] Before mey an entirely white room. A steel door faced a wall-sized screen on the other side. ''This feels more like a ssroom than a corporate training center.'' Tack. As I approached the screen, a voice yed over an inte. [Select your course!] [Courses avable are limited by your minimum rank.] A small window, roughly the size of half an A4 sheet, popped up on the screen.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Like a college sybus, it listed courses and their outlines. The problem was... ''What are these courses?'' Maybe it was because of my "Candidate Selector" rank, which sounded low no matter how you sliced it. The screen was filled with bizarre course options, awaiting my choice. For example: ? Charismatic Leadership In an era of chaos, who will lead the lost masses? Take the first step toward mastering the art of leadership, tailored for aspiring rulers of this age! Completion Reward: Unlock Leadership (Lv. 1) skill A shy tagline that could have been crafted by the best¡ªor worst¡ªmarketer in history. ? Omnivorous Cooking Lesson Miss delicious meals? Need fresh ingredients? Look no further! Create a feast of vors with the corpses of magical beasts! Completion Reward: Unlock Omnivorous Cooking (Lv. 1) skill Even a course offering such a bizarre skill as "omnivorous cooking." "What is this nonsense?" Sure, given the world we lived in, such skills mighte in handy someday. But what endangered my life right now were missions and monsters¡ªnot ambition or appetite. After a brief moment of contemtion, I chose: ? Basic Swordsmanship Curious about the fundamentals of weapon techniques? Know yourself and your sword, and you¡¯ll never lose a battle! Completion Reward: Unlock Basic Swordsmanship (Lv. 1) skill The only weapon I had, needed proper utilization. During thest mission, I¡¯d realized just how vulnerable I was when both eleration and Stone Skin were on cooldown. ''I need to solidify my basics.'' [Selectionplete.] [Enter the lecture hall!] * * * Opening another door, I was greeted by a narrow corridor. So narrow that it seemed designed for just one person to squeeze through. The corridor led to an empty space. ''Is this a safe zone?'' On the floory a white circle that could easily be mistaken for a safe zone. [Subject ''Eunho Lee,'' has entered the lecture hall.] Beyond the circle, there was only darkness. Was it because all the lighting was focused on me, like I was the lead actor on a stage? There was nothing but pure darkness besides the corridor I had just passed through and the circle beneath me. [For the course "Basic Swordsmanship," only one weapon may be carried.] [Would you like to select "de-Tipped Sword"?] "Yes." Dooong! Before I could even finish my short answer, a loud drumbeat echoed nearby. As I looked around for the source, the air around me seemed to thicken and press against my skin. Then¡ª Stagger. ¡®What the¡­?¡¯ An invisible hand pulled my body downward. It felt like¡­ almost like a vacuum cleaner. [Due to the Lecture Hall effect, your swordsmanship proficiency rapidly increases.] Pop! The weight surrounding my body vanished in an instant. Though there was still a faint, nagging sensation left behind. And then, shortly after¡ª Shhh¡ª The darkness slid aside, parting as though opening a path, and from within the gap, a figure stepped forward. A white shirt, ck cks, and a pitch-ck longsword over a meter in length. That¡¯s¡­ ¡®Me?!¡¯ Appearance. Outfit. Build. No matter how I looked at it, the figure standing before me, as if preparing for a spar, was identical to me. Even more so, it raised a familiar sword, assuming an attack stance. ¡°A doppelg?nger¡­ or something like that?¡± The other ¡°Eunho¡± said nothing. It simply stared, as if waiting for something. -Know yourself and your sword, and you¡¯ll win every battle. The words from the lecture summary finally made sense. What an impressively intuitive system. ¡®It¡¯s teaching me so clearly.¡¯ If I spar with myself, I¡¯ll understand best¡ª my weaknesses, my strengths. [The ¡°Basic Swordsmanship¡± lesson will begin shortly.] [Please check the lesson objectives.] Click! With a sound like a switch being flipped, bright light poured down from the ceiling, sweeping away the thick darkness that had been filling the lecture hall. Squinting against the sudden light, I blinked and saw a semi-transparent window appear on the wall above. ¡²Lesson Objectives¡³ Understand blocking. (0/100) Understand thrusting. (0/100) Understand shing. (0/100) Blocking, thrusting, shing, huh? Pretty straightforward. At that moment, the doppelg?nger, who had been motionless, began to move. Step. ¡®Blocking, thrusting, shing¡ªgot it.¡¯ Thinking I should simply mimic its posture, I mirrored it exactly... [3, 2, 1¡­ The lesson begins!] Swish! Swoosh! Before I had time to prepare, the figure¡¯s de shed, slicing toward me with a deadly arc, as if intent on cutting me in half. Step! ng! Step! Dodging just barely, I retreated from the trajectory of its strikes, unable to even attempt a counterattack. What is with this guy? ¡®It¡¯s trying to kill me!¡¯ de after de flew at me, relentless and unending. The very sword I had painstakingly sharpened by hand now aimed for my throat, wielded by no one else but my copy. Just as fast as I am. If that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°elerate!¡± ¡°elerate!¡± ¡®!!¡¯ The moment I shouted¡­ no, the very instant I opened my mouth, the doppelg?nger did the same. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Even the skills are the same?!¡¯ ng! Both of us simultaneously leapt forward, aiming for each other¡¯s vital points. I swung my de down toward its shoulder, believing I had the upper hand. ¡ª ng! Grind! ¡­Or so I thought. In a sh, it raised its sword, blocking my strike, and twisted its de to deflect my attack. Swoosh! Its de sliced diagonally downward, grazing the tips of my hair. Once. Twice. Thrice. It came at me ruthlessly, without a trace of emotion, aiming to sever my neck and limbs. Skills were useless. Its swordsmanship was clearly superior to mine. It was an obviously disadvantageous fight. But¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t lose to a fake.¡¯ Especially not to a second-rate copy of me. If that¡¯s the case¡ª ¡°Mission reward.¡± How about this? [Select your mission reward.] A twitch! For the first time, a flicker of emotion crossed the doppelg?nger¡¯s otherwise stoic face. ¡°1 point to elerate, 2 points to Petrification for strengthening my right arm!¡± As I thought. If it¡¯s a copy of me, then there must be a point when it was created. What if I grow stronger after it was copied? [Upgrading elerate (Lv.2) to elerate (Lv.3).] [Duration increased from 1 second to 15 seconds.] [Upgrading Petrification (Lv.8) to Petrification (Lv.10).] [Skill effect extended to the entire right arm.] ¡°Well, go ahead¡ªtry copying this too.¡± If it can, that is. Seeing the faint grimace on its face, I couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°elerate, Petrification!¡± ¡°elerate, Petrification!¡± The same words were spoken. But no longer the same speed, no longer the same petrification. ¡°If you¡¯re going to copy me, do it properly.¡± 10 seconds. ng! The sh of swords echoed like a metallic scream tearing through the space. [You have understood ¡°Blocking¡±! (1/100)] [Collecting data required to unlock new skills.] ¡°!!¡± 8 seconds. Its frenzied sword surged forward. As if it were about to slit my throat at any moment. 7 seconds. Head. Shoulder. Thigh. Head. He pretended to sh at my left leg but deftly changed direction. Aiming for my now exposed upper right side. 5 seconds. But I raised my right arm to block it. ng! The heavy sound of metal striking stone echoed. "Pretty decent stone shield, isn''t it?" 3 seconds. ng! ng! ng! A back-and-forth exchange, neither side gaining the upper hand. His face twisted with frustration. 1 second. Loosening my grip slightly on the de I blocked. I ducked down, crouching just enough to evade. Tick. His time was up. Meanwhile, I¡­ 5 seconds again. Rising from my crouch, I observed the opponent, now sluggish. And then. ¡®An opening!¡¯ I lunged, thrusting my sword into the exposed side. A strange sensation of my sword, hand, and feet moving as one. So far, so good, but... [You have understood ''Thrust''! (1/100)] [Collecting data needed to unlock the skill.] I have to do this... a hundred times? "Haah..." I did it. A hundred times. Perfectly. [7 hours into the lesson!] [All lesson objectives achieved.] [Check the status board!] ¡²Lesson Objectives¡³ Understand Blocking (100/100) Understand Thrusting (100/100) Understand shing (100/100) The neatly filled status board looks like a report card. A report card earned after pouring in half a day of effort. ¡ª Ding! [Data collection for skill unlockplete.] [Congrattions! You have unlocked the Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1) skill!] The first skill earned entirely by my own choices. Suppressing the grin creeping up my face, I called up the system. "Check Basic Swordsmanship." [Would you like to view the details of the Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1) skill?] "Yes." ¡¸Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1): Increases attack power by 10 when wielding any longsword.¡¹ ¡¸Proficiency: 0%.¡¹ There¡¯s one key differencepared to eleration or petrification skills. This skill doesn¡¯t require activation. [Unlocking ''Basic Swordsmanship'' has opened the Swordsmanship skill tree.] And a second difference. Instead of allocating points to level up the skill, you increase proficiency. The method for that is probably... [You havepleted the ''Basic Swordsmanship'' course.] [Reward distributionplete.] [Return through the door.] ¡ª sh! The entrance I hade through began glowing softly. ¡®An attack boost and the swordsmanship skill tree unlocked, huh.¡¯ I¡¯ll have to experiment to see how much a 10-point increase really is. For most people, this would be a good stopping point. But I¡­ ¡ª Dash! Rushed forward, sword drawn, aiming at the neck of the other me¡ªmy doppelg?nger. Using the brief moment it stood motionless after the lesson ended. Swoosh! Swish! I lunged through the space, and the doppelg?nger hastily evaded. Its previously nk, expressionless eyes now slightly puzzled. Of course, it¡¯s not because I was drunk on the fight or desperate to kill it. I just¡­ Wanted to squeeze out everyst bit of benefit. [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1) skill proficiency has increased!] [ssroom effects applied.] [+1%.] ¡®Got it!¡¯ As I expected. Unlocking the skill wasn¡¯t the end. "Swordsmanship skill proficiency increases, huh." [ssroom effects allow skill proficiency to increase rapidly.] As long as I remain in the ssroom, skill proficiency increases regardless of whether the lesson is ongoing. If I use this effectively... "I''ll need a bit more of your time for lessons." [¡­¡­] For a moment, it felt like the doppelg?nger sighed. Must¡¯ve been my imagination. [You havepleted all objectives for the ''Basic Swordsmanship'' course. Return through the door.] The system repeatedly broadcasted for me to leave. But I... "Not leaving until you kick me out." [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1) skill proficiency has increased!] [ssroom effects applied.] [+1%.] Why would I walk out on my own? A free buff without any cost? I¡¯ll squeeze it dry. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 24 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 24: Self-Development (3) [The level of the skill "Basic Swordsmanship" has increased. (Lv.1 ¡ú Lv.2)] [You have reached the maximum skill level achievable in the Basic Swordsmanship Lesson!] [The effect of the Basic Swordsmanship ssroom has disappeared.] Fwoosh! Creak! I managed to block the iing strike, but no further notifications came. No "Blocked!" or "Proficiency increased!" messages. It seemed I''d gained all there was to gain here. If that''s the case... "Let¡¯s stop here." Tap! I stepped back to dodge the opponent and lowered my sword. No point in continuing when there''s nothing more to gain. But just onest thing... Swish! I raised my sword again, pointing it at the other Eunho¡¯s neck. The doppelg?nger stood there, emotionless and unmoving, staring straight ahead. It might be a foolish thought, but just in case, maybe, what if... "You¡¯re not a doppelg?nger, are you?" If my suspicion was correct¡ª Fwoosh! A bead of blood formed on the de of the sword I pressed against his neck. It felt unpleasant, almost as if I was cutting my own throat. "An instructor? A trainer? Or something like that?" It felt strange to speak to what seemed like a lifeless doll. But maybe I was wrong¡ª [How did you know?] ¡ªor maybe not. The other Eunho raised an eyebrow, his expression otherwise unchanged. I knew it. "That odd feeling when I stepped into the circle earlier... Did you copy me then?" So that¡¯s their ability. "Your right leg¡ªyou''re using it too well." [Right leg?] "I can¡¯t use it that naturally." The other Eunho furrowed his brow, as if confused by what I was saying. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t understand. Thanks to the system¡¯s fixes, my leg was physically fine now. "I limped on it for ten years. Even though it¡¯s fine now, I guess I still subconsciously favor my left leg when I move." I¡¯d treated my right leg like dead weight for so long, it became a habit. Even knowing it was perfectly functional now, I couldn¡¯t help but lean on my left leg slightly when I moved. It was something only I noticed¡ªnobody else cared. "But you moved it so fluidly. I learned something from watching that." The other Eunho swept his hand through his hair, giving a small, surprisedugh and blinking slowly. ¡®So he has emotions, after all.¡¯ [You¡¯re the first person to notice this.] "I¡¯m pretty observant." [Observant... is that so.] He repeated the word "observant" in a slow drawl, which was oddly unsettling. I cut to the chase¡ªI wasn¡¯t here to chat with a fake doppelg?nger. "I want to level up my swordsmanship skill further." [Still not enough for you? You¡¯re quite greedy.]N?v(el)B\\jnn "You have to be if you want to survive." Especially in a world like this. He stared at me as if peering into my very soul. [Are you serious?] "Yes." He let out a chuckle, shook his head in disbelief, and furrowed his brow. The look on his face said, You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. [You¡¯ve already reached the maximum level in the basics.] Maximum level, huh? If what he meant by "maximum level" was Basic Swordsmanship Level 2... I couldn¡¯t ept that. "If there¡¯s a basic course, then there must be an advanced one. Let¡¯s not drag this out¡ªjust move me up." I shrugged my shoulders and spoke confidently. He smirked, half his face betraying surprise and exasperation. [An advanced course, you say.] He scratched his chin, a sly grin forming on his lips. Don¡¯t make that face with my face, I thought. [It¡¯ll be tough.] "I¡¯ll decide that for myself." He twirled the sword in his hand thoughtfully before finally speaking. [Fine. I¡¯ll give you a glimpse. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had fun, after all.] He snapped his fingers with a click! [I''ll open the Beginner Course for you.] Rustle... Whoosh! A new "door" materialized on the once-empty wall. It was a massive stone gate with no handle ortch. Creak... I pushed against it with my weight. Whirrrr... In the distance, the sound of a generator echoed. The air grew warm and stuffy, filling my lungs. Carved stone walls and ceilings, and a dimly lit interior... This is... "A cave?" The area opened up into a small cave, with an entrance about twice my height leading further in. A sweet, enticing scent wafted from beyond. Creak... As I moved to investigate, the stone gate began to close behind me. Thinking I might be trapped, I gave it a push. The gate opened again easily. ¡®So I can go back whenever I want.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no need to hesitate. If it gets dangerous, I can just run away. Step. Step. Step. Having made up my mind, I walked outside the cave and found myself in a forest. Tall, lush green trees surrounded me, their canopies so dense they blocked out most of the sky. ¡®The trees are green.¡¯ Apart from that, nothing seemed particrly unusual. The trees were so massive I couldn¡¯t wrap my arms around them, and they grew so tall they almost seemed to pierce the heavens. The sunlight filtered through in sparse patches, dappling the forest floor. [Beginner Swordsmanship Trial Lesson hasmenced.] A trial lesson, huh? So... does it have that too? "Check lesson objectives." [Check the objectives of your lesson!] ¡²Lesson objectives¡³ Eliminate rooted enemies (0/100) Eliminate moving enemies (0/50) Eliminate winged enemies (0/10) There it is, the objectives. Which means there''s also apletion reward. "Completion rewards." [Uponpleting ''Beginner Swordsmanship,'' you''ll unlock a unique skill in the swordsmanship category and receive the title ''Swordsman.''] [However, in the trial lesson, you can return without fulfilling the objectives, butpletion rewards will not be granted.] No risk, no reward, huh? Which means this ce is dangerous for someone like me right now. But. ''Shouldn''t I at least try?'' It might be reckless. Enemies so powerful they¡¯re out of my league could be lurking everywhere. But. ''If I don''t grow stronger, I''ll die anyway.'' Whether it''s by the missions. Or the administrators. Or... by people. Clenching my fist tightly, my vision suddenly dimmed. And then, I felt a massive shadow envelop me. ¡ª WHAM! The tree next to me¡­ lunged and struck me with its trunk. A massive old tree moved with the flexibility of tentacles. "Ugh!" The sudden impact sent me tumbling forward, and before I could recover, green vines wrapped tightly around my body. And began to constrict, leaving me barely able to breathe. It was a tree¡­ right? ¡ª SPLAT! My vision flipped in an instant. It was as if I was forced into a handstand, mming my face into the ground before being hoisted upright again. SWOOSH-! The massive green tendrils lifted me higher and higher, until I saw¡ª ''This is...!'' An utterly shocking sight. A world where the food chain waspletely overturned. ''It wasn''t a tree¡ªit was a flower?!'' What I thought were towering trees reaching the sky were merely small flowers and des of grass. And the "cave" leading to the academy? Just a tiny pebble. ¡­In this ce, I was nothing more than an aphid. SSSSSS-! The enormous vine that grew like a branch coiled tightly around my body. Its leaf-like end twitched and wavered. This was bad. A carnivorous nt? CRACK! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The massive pir squeezed me so tightly it felt like my organs were being crushed. [To end the trial, return to the academy!] "Forget the trial¡ª" SSSSSS-! The green vine bound me tightly and dragged me toward the maw of the flower disguised as a bloom. Its petal-like tongue,rger than me, flicked eagerly. Between the crimson petals, something licked hungrily. "This is a ridiculous size difference!" They say to understand your enemy first if you want to win. This grotesquely huge carnivorous nt seemed to lure prey with its resemnce to real flowers and its sweet fragrance. Its main targets were insects drawn to its nectar and crawling ground bugs. SCREEEECH! CRUNCH! An enormous insect, with a body the size of a truck carrying logs, was caught in its grip. That should be enough to fill it up, right? "Do you really have to eat me too?" SSSSSSS-! The crimson petals pped like festival tents, almost as if they understood my words. At its center, hundreds of human-sized stamens writhed, secreting sticky liquid. Between the unknown clear substance oozing out, dark scales were faintly visible. ''A flower pretending to be one, luring insects to dissolve with digestive fluids.'' A typical carnivorous nt mechanism. The problem was that it caught me instead of insects. "Summon!" I focused my senses on my left hand, barely peeking out from the vine, and summoned the de Tipped Sword. And then¡ª "elerate!" [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv. 2) grants an adjustment to your attack stance.] The hand holding the sword and the arm supporting it moved slightly, almost as if an invisible force was refining my posture. ''Stance adjustment, huh.'' I raised the sword to its maximum height and drove it down. The sword sank smoothly, as though cutting through jelly. "This is¡­" Strange. It had felt as hard as an ancient tree when I touched it earlier. ''Could this be the effect of the attack boost?'' SQUISH-! STAB! SLASH! I stabbed the vine holding me in several ces and tore through the gaps with my sword. ¡ª SLICK! It worked. Once I widened the gap with my sword, I could pry it apart and¡ª ''Huh?'' Instead of just creating a gap, the massive vine split in two, revealing its slick inner flesh. It was still a nt¡ªits cross-section was packed with round tubes, like a dense greenttice. Chop, chop, chop¡ªeach severed segment released water from its pipe-like interiors. SPLASH! The water sprayed my face, chest, and legs with incredible force. But I had to endure it. Three seconds left until eleration ended. Two seconds... ''If I jump now, I¡¯ll die.'' It was at least the height of a three or four-story building. The quickest way down, other than jumping, was¡ª ¡ª STAB! I plunged the de Tipped Sword into the center of the vine. Clinging to it like I was rock climbing, I pressed both feet against the vine and¡ª SWISH! aash! Sliding down as if riding a slope. Cutting straight down along a giant trunk. Two seconds. The twisting and bending trunk writhed beneath me. Even with time slowed down to one-fifteenth, the movement is palpable. One second. Just as the ground rushed up to meet me¡ª ¡°Store!¡± The sword that had supported my weight was stored into my inventory. Then, using both feet, I kicked off the trunk and leapt into the air. It was a trick to save time, avoiding the effort of yanking the sword free. But¡­ Click¡ª! As time resumed its normal flow, the chase for its escaped prey began anew. BOOM! RUMBLE RUMBLE! CRASH¡ª! Even though I had split it in half, massive branches came surging back. ¡°!!¡± Damn it. There were three tentacle-like branches with leaves. Aside from the one I had barely dealt with, there were still two more. And on top of that¡­ Ssssssssshhh¡ª! The severed segments I had just hacked apart began to regenerate in an instant. An incredible regenerative ability. In the meantime¡ª WHOOSH! THUD! KA-BOOM! Three enormous branches charged like tailed missiles. Standing there idly would mean death. Before being dissolved by digestive fluids, I''d be crushed to a pulp by the branches. Leap! I flung himself to the side, narrowly dodging the iing pirs, while rapidly strategizing. A head-on battle was impossible. The size difference was too overwhelming. And with three branches, even ambushes were futile. ¡®Unless I cut all of them at once, I can¡¯t win.¡¯ The problem was that even if I miraculously did manage to cut them, they¡¯d just grow back. ¡®No openings!¡¯ No matter how I analyzed it, there was no gap to exploit. In that case¡­! Sliiiide¡ª! ¡®If there¡¯s no opening, I¡¯ll make one.¡¯ The air reeked of something pungent near a crack in the giant rock. The discarded shell of a truck-sized insect he had been battling earlier. sh¡ª! I carefully sliced it into three pieces and wrapped them tightly around three stones¡ªa kind of ¡°rocks¡± in this world. Then, with all my might, I hurled them into the air. One. Two. Three! WHOOSH! The three branches took the bait. I waited until the tendrils wrapped tightly around the rocks and brought them to their gaping maws. ¡°elerate!¡± I gripped my sword low and charged forward. Sliceeeeee¡ª! shing the base of the three branches as they split apart. ¡®Five seconds, four seconds, three seconds¡­¡¯ As I finished cutting through the branches, I kicked them hard to topple them over. RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE! The massive pirs fell, raising a storm of dust and dirt. ¡°Cough!¡± The air was so thick it turned dark, like someone had dumped an entire sack of dirt on my head. Dust clung to my body, my eyes watering so much they blurred my vision, and my nose and throat burned. But for the finishing blow, I raised my fist and¡ª ¡°Petrification!¡± WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! I meticulously crushed the severed ends of the branches to prevent them from regenerating. Splurt! Sticky fluids and sap sprayed up, sshing over my fists and arms. But thanks to prior reinforcements, only my shirt dissolved in patches. After pummeling for what felt like ages¡ª [You have defeated the fragile predator of the jungle, ¡®Drosera¡¯!] ¡®Got it!¡¯ A notification chimed. [Congrattions!] [You are the first in District 13 to ovee the limits of the vegetation zone and defeat its enemy.] [As a reward for the first kill and ssroom bonus, Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has increased significantly.] +10% And with the most wee news¡ª [Check your loot!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 25 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 25: Self-Development (4) Pop! All my attention was drawn to the gift box that appeared before me. A semi-transparent box, about the size of a forearm, simr to the random boxes or gifts I''d received with messages before. This time, however, it had a faint red aura. Was it because it was "loot" obtained from defeating an enemy? ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve gotten something for defeating a monster.¡± Swish. I cautiously opened the box lid. Inside was something heavy and coarse, filling the box entirely. This is... ? Drosera''s Seed -When nted in soil, it seems it will sprout. Grows only in hot, humid conditions with very high oxygen levels. Handle with care. As it grows, it mimics the appearance of nearby life forms. -If boiled together with a specific life form¡¯s part and consumed, it allows you to transform into that life form. Note: Only the appearance is replicated, and the transformationsts for a maximum of 1 hour. ¡®Transform into a life form?¡¯ Raise it or use it for transformation. One of the two. A hollowugh escaped me. Not because of the fantastical nature of ¡°mimicking the appearance of life forms,¡± but because I was already considering how to use it. ¡®It¡¯ll be useful in emergencies. Like when I¡¯m being chased¡­¡¯ Not that such a thing would ever happen. Deciding to think about itter, I stored it in my inventory for now. ¡®Check lesson objectives.¡¯ ¡²Lesson Objectives¡³ Defeat rooted enemies (1/100) Defeat moving enemies (0/50) Defeat winged enemies (0/10) I unfolded the lesson objectives that still seemed a long way off. ¡®Rooted enemies must be those carnivorous nts.¡¯ The ones given the rather fancy name of Drosera. And moving enemies¡­ ¡®Those.¡¯ Crunch! Ssssssshhhhh¡ª! Those massive bugs being eaten by the Drosera. Simultaneously, they were also natural enemies that chewed on the Drosera''s roots and stems. Those disgusting, oversized creatures must be the "moving enemies." They were the only moving beings around here. ¡®The problem is the winged enemies¡­¡¯ My chest tightened as I looked at the (0/10) next to the winged enemies. Not because I didn¡¯t know what they were. There was only one winged creature of substantial size in the vicinity. ¡ª Buzz-buzz-buzz! The deafening hum that had been echoing since I entered the cave. It wasn¡¯t from a generator... but from the wings of those creatures. ¡®How am I supposed to deal with a swarm like that?¡¯ Even touching one would turn my entire body into a beehive. Quite literally. ¡ª Buzz-buzz-buzz! Not far away was a colossal hive hosting hundreds, if not thousands, of giant bees. The hive was built into a rock crevice¡ªmore like a fortress of hexagonal walls than a regr beehive. Guarding their honey, the bees patrolled, their wings so thin they were almost translucent but generating gusts strong enough to cause turbulence. Buzz-buzz-buzz! Insects endlessly appeared, attracted by the fragrant smell wafting from the honey, only to meet their doom. St! ¡°Why are they using their antennae like horns?¡± I thought bees stung and then died after stinging. As a kid watching documentaries, I¡¯d felt pity for these suicide attackers¡­ But the bees here were something else. They stabbed, impaled, and tore apart their prey with antennae as sharp as steel spears. Even individually, they were incredibly formidable, but in swarms, they were on a whole other level. Just watching from a distance was horrifying. Still¡­ ¡®Why do they keep charging in when death is certain?¡¯ Even for insects, risking their lives for a piece of honey? Piles of insect corpses were already stacked like mountains in front of the hive. ¡®Is it because of that honey?¡¯ Hmm. Its rainbow-colored glimmer, even without light, was undeniably alluring. So, what now? [Uponpleting ''Basic Swordsmanship,'' you will unlock a unique swordsmanship skill and receive the title ''Swordsman.''] [However, in this trial ss, you may return withoutpleting the objectives, though no rewards will be granted.] The system presented me with two options: First, leave now without extra rewards. Second, risk my life to achieve the lesson objectives and im the system¡¯s rewards. My choice? ¡®Third option: grab what I can and bolt.¡¯ After all, who says I have to take only what the system offers? Shhh¡ª I picked up the corpse of a worker bee covered in yellow and ck fur. I¡¯d found it while searching for insect shells to fool the carnivorous nts. The body wasn¡¯t in perfect shape, having been gnawed at, but it didn¡¯t matter. It was enough to disguise myself. ¡ª Buzz-buzz-buzz! My gaze followed the noisy buzzing and sweet aroma,nding on the hive. And flowing with milk and honey... No, a hive dripping with every kind of fluid and golden nectar. * * * An empty ssroom, devoid of students. The assistant instructor stood motionless in the pitch-dark space, staring at a screen visible only to him. ¡²Subject: Lee Eunho (Evaluation: Not Yet Entered)¡³ - Strength: ( ) - Intelligence: ( ) - Charisma: ( ) He was stuck¡ªuncharacteristically so¡ªright from the first field. Sure, if it was just about swordsmanship, his strength would be nothing special. A middling, mediocre score would be fitting. But. [This is tricky.] During his countless years spent here, he had evaluated many subjects. Among them, 70% were warriors who had devoted their lives to the sword. Another 20% were instinctive predators-in-the-making, deriving joy from stepping on others to rise higher. The rest were hapless individuals who had wandered in, clueless about what awaited them. And then there was Lee Eunho. ¡°Why? Why don¡¯t you just copy this, too?¡± A rare individual with an unmatched knack for utilizing the system. ¡°Your swordsmanship skill proficiency just went up.¡± Someone who never missed even a grain of information, armed with sharp judgment and relentless determination to improve. ¡°You use your legs well. I learned a thing or two thanks to that.¡± And yet, he wasn¡¯t rigid¡ªhis mindset remained flexible. [An exceptional person. With just ten years of training, he could even make it to the beginner ss.] So, it was merely for the fun of watching that the instructor had sent him out. With his current physical state, just surviving amidst the massive creatures should have kept him busy. But he wanted him to see it. That his future opponents wouldn¡¯t just be frail humans. [He should be back around now.] The dy in his return was mildly concerning, but nothing to worry about too much. The Drosera must have kept him from leaving the vicinity of the cave. Given his sharp instincts and stubborn resolve, he¡¯d likely dodged and evaded well enough to avoid dying. Tack-tack! As the assistant instructor input the evaluation results, ¡ªClick-click-click! Lee Eunho pushed open the stone door and stumbled inside. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± [You¡¯rete.] His body was riddled with countless scratches. Covered in dirt and dust, his face was a mess¡ªbarely distinguishable. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w He looked like someone who had been rolling in the battlefield trenches for years. And his entire body glistened, as if coated with insect saliva. [You¡¯ve been through a lot. Just observing must have been hard enough with your current physique.] ¡°What?¡± At the consoling words, Lee Eunho furrowed his brow. ¡°Who said I was just observing?¡± The confident retort made the instructor realize something was amiss. [Don¡¯t tell me¡­!] Tack-tack! Hurriedly opening the status screen¡­ ¡²ss Objectives (Lee Eunho)¡³ Defeat rooted enemies: 1/100 Defeat moving enemies: 0/50 Defeat winged enemies: 0/10 [¡­¡­Unbelievable.] A short phrase, but one that contained a world of shock. The greatest astonishment a man could express. [You actually took down a Drosera.] ¡°Just one, though.¡± Just one, he said. A Drosera was a monster that required at least three or four full-time employees to subdue. And this rookie, who had barely taken the basic swordsmanship ss, had killed it? ¡°I didn¡¯t even catch any of the bees.¡± Hah. The instructor couldn¡¯t believe his ears. [The giant bees are monsters thepany hunts in team units. You were nning to go after those?] ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t exactly nning to catch them, but¡­ I had something in mind.¡± Did this kid even understand the weight of the wordsing out of his mouth? [Even the teams dedicated to subduing them spend weeks, full-time, on the task. What could you possibly do?] ¡°Oh, so¡­ thepany takes them down as a team?¡± [Of course. Tackling them solo is outright suicide.] Unless you had a death wish, such as being skewered by thousands of stingers. [If individual hunts were feasible, the honey from those giant bees wouldn¡¯t be so rare.] ¡°Wait. So¡­ that honey is that valuable?¡± [It is. Just one chunk of it is enough to tip the scales of corporate restructuring.] At that, Lee Eunho smirked mischievously and gave a small nod before dering, ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to go back soon.¡± Like he was just heading out to his front yard. Without a care. [And who gave you permission?] ¡°Just tell me how to get there again.¡± The assistant instructor furrowed his brow, but Lee Eunho carried on unfazed. ¡°If there¡¯s a course satisfaction survey or something, I¡¯ll give you full marks.¡± [Hah.] A dryugh escaped. Arrogant. So arrogant. This was the first time meeting someone so brazen and persistent. However¡­ some things are simply not allowed. The trial lesson itself had been against the rules from the start. And if it became known that he captured a Drosera and received a reward for it, it would certainly lead to disciplinary action.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om So, clearly, the only proper response was to refuse outright. [...I¡¯ll grant you a training voucher.] ¡°A training voucher?¡± Not thest voucher he had kept aside on a whim, but¡ª [Issuing a ¡®Basic Swordsmanship¡¯ training voucher to subject Lee Eunho.] Curiosity. Yes, curiosity. A faint expectation that he might show me something unexpected. At that, Lee Eunho curled his lips in satisfaction and opened his mouth. He thought he might offer a word of thanks for granting his wish. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± [My name?] He suddenly asked an oundish question. It wasn¡¯t much, yet¡­ it was a question he could never answer. [...] Did he understand the meaning of my silence? After waiting a moment for his response, Lee Eunho spoke again first. ¡°About that carnivorous nt earlier.¡± [The Drosera, you mean?] ¡°They say if you nt it in soil, it grows to resemble the living things around it, right?¡± [That¡¯s true.] With clear, unwavering eyes, Lee Eunho asked: The kind of eyes only someone with their own principles, who avoided harming others, could have. ¡°That¡¯s not something it chooses to resemble, is it?¡± [Well¡­] ¡°Just like you.¡± He flinched. His words pierced the facade of the instructor and drilled straight to the core of his being. It sent a shiver through him. Him¡ªsomeone who had lived countless ages¡ªshaken by an upstart candidate who couldn¡¯t have lived more than a few decades. ¡°You should at least have a name.¡± The feeling of his throat tightening as if words would nevere out. He instinctively opened my mouth to say something, anything, but¡ª ¡ª WOOOOOOOM! An all-too-familiar roar mmed into my ears from afar. That must be it. The reason my body began trembling without me realizing it. [The door¡­ must not have closed properly.] With an excuse, I hurried toward the door. ¡°!!¡± Finally noticing the noise, the subject flinched in rm. Startled, he spun around and sprinted off without looking back. ¡°Then I¡¯m off! elerate!¡± Swoosh! [Hm?] The subject was already gone when I snapped out of it. He must have dashed out of the ssroom, down the hallway, and through the door in an instant, even using a skill to aid him. The way he bolted was strange, almostical. ¡ª ck! Perhaps encountering an overwhelming foe had left him traumatized. That would make sense. Even if he¡¯d been lucky enough to catch the Drosera, standing before the majesty of the giant wasps must have made him realize just how insignificant he truly was. At any rate¡ª [District 13, huh¡­ What an interesting fellow I¡¯ve stumbled upon.] As a faint sense of amusement flickered within the rare sensation of anticipation¡ª BOOM! Crashhhhhh! The stone door he had personally closed crumbled away. Like a sand levee before a massive wave. Then came the deafening roar, like being thrown into an industrial thresher. WOOOOOOOM! [What on earth¡­!] A swarm of giant wasps poured out from the copsing stone wall. And these were not just any wasps. These were the ones who, under no circumstances, should ever have been here. [Why are the hive guards, who should be defending their nest, out here?!] Wait. Giant wasps. The hive. Honey¡­? ¡°Wait a minute. So¡­ is that why the honey is so valuable?¡± [Exactly. Just a single piece could disrupt the entire structural bnce of power.] Lee Eunho¡¯s shabby appearance shed through his mind. The way he looked earlier¡ªlike something sticky had clung to him, gleaming faintly. WOOOOOOOM! Rumble! RUMBLE RUMBLE! The enraged wasps began to charge. Not toward Lee Eunho, the thief who had stolen the precious hive¡ª But toward him, the one who now bore his likeness. This bastard¡­ [You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 26 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 26: Sacrifice (1) [Subject: Lee Eunho. Returnplete.]N?v(el)B\\jnn [You have acquired an Admission Ticket. Check your inventory!] Phew. A sigh of relief escaped me as I felt the relief of escaping unscathed. Who would have thought the swarm of bees would chase me all the way from the cave to the lecture room? ¡®I wonder if that guy''s okay.¡¯ It would be a lie to say I wasn''t worried about him, left alone in the dark. ¡®He¡¯ll be fine, surely.¡¯ He created the "door" himself, so he should be able to close it too. ...Although it might give him a bit of trouble. For now, I figured I should focus on handling my own situation and spoke out loud. "Summon." ? ¡®Basic Swordsmanship¡¯ Training Voucher - Activating this summons a "door" leading to the Basic Swordsmanship lecture room. Only the holder of the ticket can use it. - Usage limit: None A small green card appeared in the palm of my hand. A special ticket that lets me move whenever I want. Even at a nce, it was clear how useful it could be. ¡®What time is it now...¡¯ I nced at the time disyed in the semi-transparent system window. PM 08:55. Only about ten minutes had passed since I¡¯d opened the door and entered the academy. ¡®Time barely moves here.¡¯ Just as I suspected. The slow-moving clock and theck of hunger, even after a long while, had made it obvious. I didn¡¯t know the exact ratio, but... ¡®About one minute for every hour, I¡¯d guess.¡¯ Only around ten minutes had passed outside after spending over ten hours in there. Details would have to wait for a proper test when I had time to spare. For now, I had other priorities. ¡ª Tap, tap! ¡°Jieun!¡± ¡°!!¡± Thank goodness. I managed to call out just as a familiar figure was about to round the corner. ¡°Eunho!¡± Jieun turned around at my call, her short, bobbed hair swaying on her shoulders. Her face lit up with surprise, joy, and relief, her lips breaking into a wide smile. ¡°I came back quickly, right?¡± At my question, she cheerfully responded, ¡°Yes!¡± She seemed so delighted, even though it must¡¯ve felt like only ten minutes had passed since we parted. She¡¯d always been someone who genuinely enjoyed connecting with people. ¡°But, Eunho¡­ what happened to you?!¡± ¡°To me?¡± ¡°Yes, you look like someone who¡¯s been buried underground for days.¡± Jieun pointed to my tattered clothes, her eyes wide with concern. Not knowing how to exin, I gave a sheepishugh. ¡ª Pop! Right then, a gift box appeared before Jieun, topped with a familiar envelope like a hat. ¡°Wha-!¡± Jieun gasped, one hand covering her mouth while the other tapped the envelope. Her expression was one of awe, like a girl receiving a long-awaited reply to a fan letter. Then, slowly... Slide! The envelope unfolded. ¡°They¡¯re alive¡­¡± Tears welled up in Jieun¡¯s tightly closed eyes. I hesitated mid-step as I approached, unsure whether to leave her alone. But then, she wiped her tears and raised her head. ¡°Thanks to you, Eunho¡­ I got word.¡± If it was news that made Jieun this overjoyed, there could only be one person. ¡°So your brother¡¯s okay?¡± She nodded. With a look of overwhelming gratitude, Jieun stepped closer to me. ¡°He¡¯s in Noryangjin. Seems like he¡¯s with some friends.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a relief.¡± ¡°Staying alive¡­ was worth it. All thanks to you, Eunho.¡± Her sparkling eyes made it seem like I¡¯d personally saved her brother¡¯s life. I shook my head. PM 9:00. As I nced at the clock pointing precisely to nine, I casually spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me for¡ª¡± [Synchronization rate has slightly increased.] [Your exclusive "Eye" has been unlocked.] At the sound of a system notification audible only to me, the air above my head blurred. Ssssssss! The transparent air began to gather like droplets of water, forming a mass. It grewrger, then smaller, stretched out, sharpened, and finally shaped into a smooth sphere. ¡ª Ding! ¡¾New observers have connected.¡¿ A familiar ¡°Eye¡± activated. ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau awkwardly clears their throat, insisting they¡¯re not curious about this at all.¡¿ ¡¾Prince of the Investigation Bureau crosses their arms, saying they''ll keep an eye on the insolent subject to see how long they survive.¡¿ A chat dripping with obvious tension. They must be really angry. Was it because of the curse I spat out in frustration? "Fuck you." Whatever the reason, the biggest issue is... ¡®Why is this happening now?¡¯ The mission wasn''t supposed to start for a while. Could it be...? A dreadful sense of foreboding runs down my spine. [We are providing an urgent announcement to survivors in the ''Yongsan-gu'' area.] Unexpectedly, a broadcast begins to y. "What is this?" "They said the mission would start tomorrow morning...!" [The number of survivors in the designated area has exceeded the limit.] [To ensure smooth mission progress, an emergency poption reduction will be implemented.] "Emergency poption reduction?!" "!!" [There are currently 1,070 survivors in the ''Yongsan-gu'' area.] [The limit for the next mission is 500 people.] "Five hundred out of a thousand?!" Exactly half. It means one out of every two must die. Grinding my teeth unconsciously, I turn to Jieun, whose startled eyes meet mine. [The ''Arena'' will be opened in advance under the administrator''s authority.] [The ''Arena'' will remain open until the poption in the area reaches the appropriate number.] [If the excess poption is not reduced before the next mission begins, random individuals will be ''eliminated.'' Please take note.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "The Arena...?" "It opened during the ''de Beak'' mission!" The memory of tilting ground and rising mes remained vivid. For a moment, I felt as if the stable air around me was suffused with a sweltering heat. [Brace for impact!] ¡ª BOOOOM! A heavy tremor from deep below shook the ground violently, making it feel like it was swaying beneath our feet. "!!" "It''s an earthquake! Be careful!" The magnitude was on apletely different level from any earthquake I''ve experienced before. The ground felt less like solid earth and more like a rolling wave. CRASH! BOOM! KABOOM! Buildings, utility poles, and various structures copsed one after another... [''Yongsan-gu'' area survivors: 1,033.] [1,019.] [1,007.] ¡­¡­ The number of survivors is rapidly decreasing. "We need to get out of here!" This is bad. Jieun and I are in the middle of a dense urban area filled with office buildings. If even one building copses, it will turn into a chaotic disaster. Like a domino effect. Although, truthfully, where in Seoul wouldn''t be the same...? "Jieun! To the main road!" Tap-tap-tap! Just as I tried to leave the narrow alley, thinking it¡¯s too dangerous¡ª "Eunho! Up ahead!" A four-storymercial building copsed. Right in the path between Jieun and me, with only an abandoned car standing in the way. "elerate!" "Caaaaaarefulllll...!" A shard of ss stopped just above my head. "Damn. That was close..." I could¡¯ve ended up like a pincushion. Carefully, I use my stone-strengthened right arm to brush away the ss pieces, then escape from beneath a building leaning like the Tower of Pisa. Tick-tock. "...Are you okayyyyyy!" I try to wave reassuringly at the frantic Jieun¡ª BOOOOOM! A terrifying roar deafened me. "!!" The ground shook so violently that I can barely keep my bnce. "elerate!!" A gaping ck hole begins to open... [Cooldown in progress. 38 seconds, 37 seconds, 36 seconds...] The ground beneath me copsed. So conveniently, almost maliciously. Swallowing an entire building, the car, and me. "No!!" Jieun¡¯s scream fades into the distance. Up above. * * * "Secretary Kim! Are youing to the third round? I''ve got a great spot in mind." "Wh-what? Oh, um..." It was probably on the firstpany dinner. First job, first step into society, firstpany dinner. Perhaps it was the alcohol coursing through her system after downing ss after ss. Jieun felt uneasy about the thick hand of her team leader resting on her shoulder amidst the chaos of relocating to another spot. "I''ll treat you to some expensive liquor. You probably never had it while in school, right?" The team leader''s suggestion was ufortable but hard to refuse. That''s when she first met him. Lee Eunho, the contract worker from the neighboring team she had only heard about. "Team Leader! The senior executive is asking for a designated driver. What should we do?" "Hmm? Shouldn''t there be a corporate-designated driver?" "He can''t find the number. He seems too drunk..." "Tsk, I''ll go check." She had heard a few whispers about him being too harsh, likely due to his physical condition. But for someone supposedly harsh... "You''re Kim, the secretary, right? Quickly, slip inside." "Sorry? But earlier, the team leader said..." "It''s fine. If he askster, just say you don''t remember how you got in because he was too drunk." Maybe it started from then. That inexplicable curiosity, the way her attention was drawn to him. Canceling ns just to join him when he seemed to be eating alone. And then, as the world fell apart, leaning on him like a lifelongrade who had her back. Which is why... "Kyaaaaaah!" As Eunho disappeared below the copsing ground, as if he were sinking, "No!!" Jieun''s tenuously heldposure snapped. And then. [Data collection for skill activation isplete.] Please! Please, let it be something¡ªanything...! [Congrattions!] [Through extraordinary mental resilience, intense empathy for a cherished individual, and exceptionalpassion engraved throughout your life, a unique skill has been created!] [Telekinesis (Lv. 1) skill unlocked.] "Telekinesis!" The words burst out of her mouth without passing through her brain. Wham¡ª! At the same time, all her energy surged to her eyes, lips, and fingertips. It felt like all the blood in her body was rushing to its extremities. And as she concentrated with everyst bit of her being, to the point where her face flushed crimson, Crack-crackle¡ª! First, small fragments. Then, shards of broken asphalt began to rise into the air. "Please!" And a momentter¡ª "Wh-what?!" The familiar face of Eunho surfaced, rising against the pull of gravity from the abyss below. "Jieun! Did you... do some... thing...?!" He seemed to be saying something, but she had no capacity to process his words. She was pouring every ounce of her being into supporting Eunho. "Get... up... there!" Her eyes and ears were shut to the world. Though her eyes were open, she saw nothing but Eunho hovering precariously above the massive crater. Though her ears were open, no sound reached her. Thus¡ª ''Just a little more...!'' She failed to notice. The very moment she managed to haul Eunho to solid ground and felt herself let go of the tension, "Jieun!! Get out of there!!" Eunho¡¯s desperate screams pierced through the air as he floated, suspended. "Please..." She hadn¡¯t realized the building that should have stood still was copsing above her head. "Uh, Eunho...?" Thud¡ª! The connection with Eunho broke just as she turned her gaze upward. As soon as she hit the ground, Eunho scrambled, rolled, and ran towards her. "elerate! elerate! elerate!!" Desperate, life-or-death sprinting. But¡ª "Fuck!!" "Swearing... doesn''t suit... you..." ¡ªBoom! The race, doomed from the start, fell short. [Number of survivors in ''Yongsan District'': 1,000.] ¡ªRUMBLE...!! The massive concrete wall of the building came crashing down onto Jieun. [999.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 27 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 27: Sacrifice (2) "elerate!!" Swish! I had never been so relieved to feel the heavy air stilled by suspension. Practically flying to where Jieuny buried, I tore away the concrete bs covering her. What was revealed made my heart sink. ¡®This can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯ A crushed ipital bone. From her small head, an rming amount of red, translucent liquid was flowing. A lifeless body, limp and devoid of strength. It was a scene of utter despair to anyone who looked. But¡ª Thump©¤©¤©¤. Amid the slowed flow of time, a faint heartbeat was still detectable. ...It wasn¡¯t toote yet. ¡°Summon!¡± A sticky lump gradually took form on my palm. Though I had only managed to scrape together a small fragment, it wasrge and thick enough to cover both my hands. Layer uponyer of golden pastry-like textures glistened with yellow honey that dripped between the cracks. ? Stone Honey of the Giant Bumblebee - High-quality honey collected by giant bumblebees between trees and stones. Consuming it permanently increases stamina and strength by 1. Whether stamina or strength mattered didn¡¯t concern me now. What mattered was this: - When applied to damaged areas, it restores them to perfect condition. However, it cannot be used if the heart has stopped. The effect of the stone honey: "restores to perfect condition." Thump©¤©¤©¤. Her heart, though on the verge of ceasing, hadn¡¯t fully stopped thanks to the suspended eleration. ¡®With this!¡¯ Swipe¡ª I brought the stone honey to her caved-in ipital bone and pressed it firmly, theyered honeb gradually melting. This must be what it looks like when liquid gold flows down. ¡®Please, please, please, please, please¡­!¡¯ I added fervent prayers to the precious golden nectar, worth far more than its radiant hue. Slither¡­ The fully melted honey spread out, enveloping the hollow area in a smooth, rounded motion. Momentster, a radiant burst of light shed brilliantly. ¡ªWhoosh! From within the golden membrane, pristine white bone and the gray matter it enclosed began to reconstruct. The wax that formed the honeb¡¯s foundation melted, bing scalp tissue. Over that, transparent skin formed, gradually covering the area. Tick. As if something had been set back into ce¡ª ¡°Haaah¡­!¡± Jieun¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°!!¡± [Survivors in the ''Yongsan-gu'' area: 1,000.] ¡°¡­Eunho?¡± ¡¾''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' is shocked, asking where the giant bumblebee¡¯s stone honey came from.¡¿ ¡¾''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' exims that not even stone honey can revive the dead, mouth agape.¡¿ ¡¾An anonymous observer wonders about the secret of revival.¡¿ The number of survivors had risen back from 999 to 1,000. And the observers were in an uproar. But none of that mattered to me. ¡®It worked¡­¡¯ Looking at Jieun, blinking in confusion, I finally exhaled the breath I had been holding. Thud! Relief overwhelmed me, and my legs gave out beneath me. As I sank onto the debris of the wrecked building, which now looked like it had been hit by a bomb¡ª [The data needed to unlock a trait has been collected.] A sudden influx of information hit me like a hammer¡ª [Congrattions!] [The spirit of resistance defying even the flow of life and death, unorthodox strategies that overturn the board instead of yielding to authority, and the natural disposition of a revolutionary have unlocked a unique trait!] [The trait ''Rebel'' has been bestowed upon the subject, Lee Eunho.] ¡ªAnd messages of mysterious origin. ¡°A trait?!¡± ¡¾''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' stumbles backward in shock at Lee Eunho''s outburst.¡¿ ¡¾An anonymous observer licks their lips with gleaming eyes.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers are curious about Lee Eunho¡¯s trait.¡¿ As the observers gasped in astonishment¡ª [Check your trait effects!] There was much to examine, but for now, the most urgent thing was¡ª ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Jieun. The woman who nearly died¡ªno, who actually died¡ªsaving me. ¡°Ah, uh¡­¡± Phew. I let out a deep sigh from the depths of my chest as Jieun struggled to sit up. Thank goodness. She was alive. "Just now, I definitely¡­¡± Thank you. For keeping your heart beating. For holding on. But¡ª ¡°Jieun, you just came back from the dead.¡± It had been pure luck. If I hadn¡¯t greedily stolen the stone honey¡ª If I had been even a little slower¡ª If I hadn¡¯t suspended time to keep her heart from stopping¡ª Jieun would now¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ My head was definitely injured¡­¡± ¡°What were you thinking? You should¡¯ve protected yourself first.¡± My voice, inadvertently usatory, spilled out from the shock. ¡°There was no reason¡­¡± But Jieun, staring quietly at me as I scolded her, spoke calmly. ¡°When someone¡¯s falling, how could I just stand by? Especially when it¡¯s not just anyone¡­¡± Jieun took a shallow breath, carefully selecting her words. ¡°I was certain, Eunho. You would¡¯ve done the same.¡± Her unwavering gaze, regaining its rity, locked onto mine. ¡°I just¡­¡± Does she believe everyone shares the same pure intentions as she does? I was at a loss for words, struck by a mix of pity and envy for her unsullied benevolence. But¡ª ¡°Promise me. Next time, protect yourself first.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Jieun pressed her lips together tightly, her round eyes blinking in silence. Was she surprisingly stubborn? "Ah... Suddenly, my head..." While we were locked in what felt like a staring contest, Jieun dramatically raised her hand and clutched her forehead. ...Did I push her too hard? "For now..." Sigh. Letting out a short breath. "¡­Thank you." She bowed her head deeply. Gratitude is gratitude, after all. She had saved me when I was about to fall into the dark abyss and meet my end. "Me too." Her clear eyes were so pure they made me feel ashamed to look at her. When our eyes met, Jieun beamed with a bright smile. "Thank you for saving me, Eunho." * * * [Would you like to check the effects of the "Rebel" trait?] "Check." [A unique stat, "Resistance," has been created.]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [The "Resistance" stat increases when you achieve results contrary to the greater cause and cannot be allocated manually.] ¡®Resistance stat?¡¯ Was it even possible to gain stats this way? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w A result contrary to the greater cause... What does the greater cause even mean? And how am I supposed to achieve results? One thing''s clear, though. [Traits are bound to their first activator and cannot be shared with others.] [Special skills exclusive to the trait have been unlocked.] Regardless of what the trait or "Resistance" may be... It definitely isn''t useless. ¡² Exclusive Skills for the Rebel Trait ¡³ Counter (Lv.1) Uses the Resistance stat to reflect part of the damage received back to the attacker. Reflection amount = (Resistance points consumed)%. ?? (Lv.?) ?? (Lv.?) Reflecting damage based on consumed Resistance points. For example, consuming 10 Resistance points reflects 10% of the damage received. Currently, the Resistance stat is just 1. No way to test it yet, which is frustrating... ¡®For now, survivales first.¡¯ In the middle of a ruined city. The view is hazy all around. The dark fog smothering the moonlight makes it look like something out of an apocalyptic movie. The only good news is¡ª "The earthquake seems to have stopped." "It does!" The quake had ceased, and Jieun seemed full of energy. "Let''s hurry, Eunho!" A few minutes ago, I had received a message from Jaehyuk. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?Recipient: Lee Eunho ?Sender: Choi Jaehyuk ?Where are you, hyung? I''m in front of the Sheraton Hotel, but I can''t get through to noona, and the delivery failed. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ After replying for him to wait a bit, I started heading toward the Sheraton Hotel. Passing through the ruins of Seoul Station and climbing the hill at a brisk pace¡ª "Hyyuuunnggg! Noooonaaaaa!" Jaehyuk came running toward us, panting heavily. Judging by the luggage slung over both shoulders, he must''ve grabbed the backpack I left behind. What a thoughtful guy. "Noona! Are you okay? I was worried because the delivery failed!" "I''m fine. But why are you alone? Where is everyone else?" "Th-they got separated..." "Separated?" Jaehyuk looked as though he was recalling something horrifying as he continued. "Y-yes! The apartment suddenly copsed, and then those things appeared..." Those things? Before I could ask for rification, Jaehyuk''s face turned pale, and he pointed somewhere with trembling hands. ¡ª Grrrrrrrrr... A beastly growl that had no ce in the heart of Seoul echoed from the direction he was pointing. "T-there!" "Holy...!" Jieun and I turned to follow his gaze and were met with a massive shadow that could easily cover both of us. A creature the size of a house was drooling excessively. Thud. Thud. Its column-like legs moved slowly as it approached. On its back were crimson bat-like wings, and its mouth was lined with sharp fangs. Every guttural growl dripped with dark, viscous saliva sliding down its fangs. "That thing''s saliva is toxic!" [Eliminate the ''Venomous Sky Tiger''!] ¡ª ROOOOOAAARRRR! The beast let out a bone-shaking roar that felt like it could shatter the very air... And charged. "Summon de Tipped Sword!" ng! I raised the sword to block its gaping maw lined with gleaming fangs. The weight and pressure of its colossal body bore down on me. ¡ª Hah! I kicked its jaw to create some distance. Then I drove the de deep into its dark body. Schhhk! The de slid in smoothly. Odd. Its ck hide looked tough, and its muscles and bones should''ve offered more resistance, yet they didn¡¯t. ¡¾An anonymous observer is astonished at your sudden change.¡¿ ¡¾"Prince of the Investigation Bureau" asks if you''ve been hiding your swordsmanship skills.¡¿ ¡¾"Raven of the Administration Bureau" knew you weren''t just an ordinary person and nods in approval.¡¿ ¡®It''s thanks to the swordsmanship skill.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure back when I took down the man-eating nt, but now I¡¯m certain. ¡¸Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2): Increases attack power by 15 when using any longsword.¡¹ A t 15 attack power increase. That¡¯s why I could carve through the monster¡¯s hide and bones like butter. Which means¡ª ¡®I can fight without relying on eleration!¡¯ [You have eliminated the ''Venomous Sky Tiger''!] [An additional reward has been granted for defeating an out-of-specification target.] [You have gained 50 Welfare Points.] "Eunho?! What was that just now¡­?" "Hyung, why have you suddenly changed like this?!" "I''ll exinter! To the right!" "Eeeek!" ¡ªBang! It wasn¡¯t just one. Another tiger that charged hastily tried to sink its fangs into Jaehyuk''s armor but failed and backed off. One, two, three, four... Counting the ones sneaking closer from behind, there were seven in total. I could fight them alone if necessary, but... "Can you do it?" "I-I''ll try! Summon!" Swish¡ª! ROAAARRR¡ª! While slicing through another charging tiger, Jaehyuk prepared for battle. [You have defeated a ¡®Venomous Sky Tiger¡¯!] [You have earned 50 Welfare Points!] Perhaps encouraged by seeing me slice through them with ease, he exhaled a deep breath with a determined expression, alternately ncing at me and the tigers, and charged forward. "Here I gooo¡ª!" This time, as if mocking him, the tiger bared its fangs not at steel but aimed straight for Jaehyuk¡¯s neck. Trembling legs. A face filled with the kind of resolve you¡¯d only see in a shonen manga. A loud, dramatic cry of "Uaaaargh¡ª!" And with that, Jaehyuk thrust his sword... ng¡ª! "¡­?!" ...only to have it bounce off. It was stopped cold against the tiger¡¯s hide. "Huh¡­?" Jaehyuk stumbled back, looking back and forth between his now-empty hand and the tiger. It¡¯s okay to be inexperienced. Even for me, without my swordsmanship skills, it would¡¯ve been tough. But... "Jaehyuk! I¡¯ll help!" If it¡¯s Jieun''s skill¡­! "N-Noona!" Jaehyuk, flustered, stepped aside as Jieun confidently stepped forward. [You have defeated a ¡®Venomous Sky Tiger¡¯!] [You have earned 50 Welfare Points!] Even as I dealt with another tiger charging at me, I couldn¡¯t help but nce over. Teleknesis... that¡¯s what she called it. How will she fight? By lifting the tiger and mming it down? Or shooting a weapon at it? ¡°Haaat!¡± Jieun fixed her intense gaze at the ground near the tiger¡¯s feet, as if her eyes could pierce through asphalt. ¡®Ah! She¡¯s going to smash it with a concrete b!¡¯ Just like how she had been attacked earlier. Her resourcefulness was impressive. With immense anticipation, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her even as I kept slicing through monsters¡¯ fangs and necks. And then, momentster... Crackle! Rising shards of concrete. Crackle crackle! More shards. Crackle crackle crackle! ¡­A whole lot of shards. ¡®Huh?¡¯ It was as if she was preparing for a feast, collecting countless tiny fragments into the air. Was this intentional¡­? ¡°Ah¡­ this isn¡¯t what I meant¡­¡± ...Guess not. ¡ªROAAARRRR! After hesitating briefly, the tiger, realizing there wasn¡¯t much threat, charged again. Sigh. [You have defeated a ¡®Venomous Sky Tiger¡¯!] [You have earned 50 Welfare Points!] ¡¾An anonymous observer is highly pleased with the exclusive point gains of target ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯!¡¿ ¡®I wanted to share the welfare points, but¡­¡¯ I guess the time hasn¡¯te yet. "eleration!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 28 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 28: Sacrifice (3) Crack! Crack! Whoosh¡ª! Gathering the broken furniture, I lit a fire using a lighter I found in the backpack Jaehyuk had brought. "Thank goodness there''s a rtively intact building here." A sigh of relief escaped my lips. If we¡¯d had to spend the night amidst those corpses, I might have lost my sanity. "Noona, how did hyung handle all that on his own?" "Eunho... doesn¡¯t seem entirely human, does he?" "Sigh¡­ I think my armor would be better used by hyung. It would benefit all of us." "True. My skill would also be far more effective in his hands if he unlocked it." The two of them stared despondently at the pile of monster corpses visible through the shattered window. They threw nces my way, a mix of admiration and shame in their eyes. Seeing their demeanor, I felt they might dig themselves into the ground if I didn¡¯t say something quickly. "You don¡¯t need to feel so discouraged." After all, it was thanks to the skills I¡¯d acquired that we survived. It wasn¡¯t that the two of them werecking inparison to others. At least, that¡¯s what I believed, even though I hadn¡¯t met enough people to be sure. For now, what we could do was clear. "Jaehyuk, I¡¯m not an expert, but why don¡¯t you try copying my movements?" "Yes, I¡¯ll do my best¡­" With the benefits of my swordsmanship skill, my form was decent. Simply mimicking it would likely help him improve. The problem, however, was Jieun. "Your skill seems to require some level of control, so let¡¯s take it slow and practice." "Okay¡­" Jieun mumbled in a barely audible voice, her eyes downcast, embarrassed about her earlier boasting when she hadn¡¯t managed to kill a single monster. She asionally nced at the campfire, visibly deted. "Did you receive a message when unlocking your skill?" "Ah! Yes, I did." "Can you share it? There might be some hints." "Well¡­ let me think¡­" Jieun hesitated, mumbling as she started counting on her fingers. "It said something about mental strength to control objects, empathy, and a close bond with¡­ oh!" "With?" She abruptly trailed off, waving her hands in the air. "Oh, it¡¯s nothing! I¡¯ll figure it out myself!" Her face flushed red as she started fanning herself with her hands. Was the fire too hot? "Even a small clue might help. We can brainstorm together." "No! Really, it¡¯s fine! I actually prefer solving things on my own!" "Uh¡­ okay." Just as I was about to press her further for an exnation¡ª [A gift from ''Kim Hanul'' has arrived! Would you like to check it?] ¡ªA message appeared. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ Recipient: Lee Eunho Sender: Kim Hanul We¡¯re safe. We¡¯ve reached Namsan Tower, and there hasn¡¯t been any seismic activity. If you and the others are okay, we¡­ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ They¡¯re safe. What a relief. "Was that Yura¡¯s father? What did he say?" "Hmm¡­ The end of the message is cut off, but it sounds like he¡¯s suggesting we meet at Namsan Tower." "Namsan Tower?" Right, Namsan Tower... Crackle! I stepped outside the building and looked around. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, then nced up. "!!" Above, there was a tall structure surrounded by a faint dome-like glow, its neon lights still blinking¡ªan anomaly amid the chaos. "How is it still intact?" "Exactly, noona! Everything else copsed¡­" Considering the earthquake was strong enough to level most of the city, it was bizarre that not even a single tree around the tower had fallen. And that faint protective dome encasing the tower¡­ Something¡¯s there. It wasn¡¯t just a gut feeling¡ªit was obvious. That must be why Hanul had gone there, taking little Yura along. Pop! Just then, a gift box appeared in front of Jieun. "S and Yeojin are safe too!" In that case¡ª "Let them know to head to Namsan." "!!" Let¡¯s go confirm it ourselves. * * * 08:00 AM. Dawn had broken¡ªor rather, it had been a while since the first light. By now, the three of us were drenched in blood from endless battles. In the ruins of the city where skyscrapers once stood tall, crimson-winged creatures¡ªSky Tigers¡ªdescended upon their fallen kin without hesitation. They showed no camaraderie, rushing forward without pause. "The number of monsters seems to be increasing!" The closer we got to Namsan, the more monsters we encountered, as if they were forming a barricade to protect something. Though we¡¯d dealt with most of them¡ª "Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even make it this far!" "True. Yura¡¯s father must have passed through before the monsters began gathering." St! I yanked my sword out of the tiger¡¯s body and nodded at Jieun¡¯s observation. "I¡¯m worried about the others." "Yeah. These creatures are quite strong." With S and Yeojin unarmed, and the rest of the MS Tower group unounted for, we couldn¡¯t help but worry. Throughout the trek, Jaehyuk and Jieun diligently scouted the surroundings while I fought off the monsters. "There¡¯s no one here!" Grumbling, Jaehyuk¡ªour designated scout with 20/20 vision¡ªreported. "I wish we¡¯d at least learned their names." Who would have thought we¡¯d end up relying on random gifts to check their survival status? "Still no reply from Yeji?" "Not yet. I hope everyone¡¯s safe¡­" "Jieun, behind you!" sh! [''Venomous Sky Tiger'' has been defeated!] And then, one more. "Noona!" "I''ll handle it!" ¡ª Whoosh! The dagger Jieun threw in a straight line curved in mid-air and instantly shredded the Sky Tiger''s wing. ''She got the hang of it quickly.'' If those grotesque creatures ever gave us a gift, it was this: [''Venomous Sky Tiger'' has been defeated!] [50 Welfare Points earned!] The umtion of Welfare Points seemed to reflect our growingbat experience. "Check Welfare Points." [Checking Welfare Points status for subject ''Lee Eunho.''] [Current Points: 5,020, Total umted Points: 5,550.] 5,020 points. After ying monsters non-stop, it had piled up quite a bit. "Is something wrong, hyung?" As I pondered, Jaehyuk cautiously asked. Jaehyuk had 1,350 points, and Jieun had 1,900. "You¡¯re all too rxed." "Sorry?" "The most expensive item in the shop costs only 500 points. Isn''t that too cheap?" "Uh? But isn''t that a good thing? We won''t have to worry about not affording anything." I suppose that''s true. "Also, why do they even bother showing us the total umted points?" "Um, that... I''m not sure either¡­." ¡¾An anonymous observer is greatly pleased with subject ''Lee Eunho'' monopolizing the points!¡¿ And then there¡¯s the observers¡¯ reactions, which somehow feel unsettling. As I was lost in thought, Jieun spoke with a serious expression. "There¡¯s more to this, isn¡¯t there?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Probably." I had my suspicions. Not enough evidence to confirm, though. "There¡¯s going to be a need for it. Just keep saving for now." "Got it!" "Yes, sir!" We hadn''t been on the move again for more than a few minutes when: [The number of survivors in the ''Yongsan District'' is now 531.] [528.] Three more people lost their lives somewhere out of sight. "Aaaaahhhh!" "!!" A desperate scream pierced the air. Thud-! Following the harrowing sound, we found a woman impaled by a Sky Tiger''s fang, her life snuffed out. And beside her¡­ "!!" "Corpses¡­." More than a dozen bodies were strewn about. But only two dead Sky Tigers in contrast. ¡ª Roaaaaar! The grim scene seemed to herald the end of humanity''s reign. Smack-! I grabbed Jaehyuk, who was about to rush in blind with rage.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The people¡­!" "It''s already toote." Would we have made it in time if we¡¯d been faster? Jaehyuk clenched his fists in frustration, his eyes zing with fury. "¡­I¡¯ll handle it." He looked at me with burning determination, as if seeking permission. Just one enemy. It seemed manageable, so I nodded. With a resolute expression, Jaehyuk shouted and charged forward. "Noona! Cover me!" "Got it!" He looked dependable. His im of having served in the military finally felt believable. ¡ªng! Jaehyukunched himself at the Sky Tiger¡¯s fangs like a cannonball. And as we¡¯d practiced, he drove his de in straight and true. Shluk-! Crunch! It wasn¡¯t so much a smooth insertion as a forceful stab, but it made the monster writhe in agony. And then. The beast roared in desperation, thrashing with all its might. Roooooaaaar! Rooooaaaaaaaaar¡ª! As it twisted and turned to shake off the de and the pesky human clinging to it: "Huh?! Whoa, whoa!" Jaehyuk was dragged along, unable to retrieve his embedded sword, swinging wildly as the beast thrashed. Jieun stepped forward. "Hang on, Jaehyuk! Telekinesis!" Whoosh! St¡ª! With precision, her dagger soared and split the Sky Tiger¡¯s head wide open. Thud! A monster that had imed over a dozen lives was taken down by just two people. ¡¾¡¯Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ nods in satisfaction, saying great men achieve great things with great people.¡¿ ¡¾¡¯Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' approves, noting they could be useful assets if raised properly.¡¿ Would they just shut up already? Their responses, turning this desperate struggle for survival into some kind of shounen manga or Three Kingdoms drama, made my skin crawl. The mangled bodies, pierced with holes and missing limbs and heads. It was obvious they had been eaten alive. No dignity remained in this tragic scene. Yet we had no time to mourn. [Attention to all survivors in the ''Yongsan District.''] [The next mission will begin promptly at 9 AM.] AM 8:50. The next mission, set to start in ten minutes: [A new project has been activated by the administrator''s authority.] [Project Name: ''Hunt.''] "Hunt?" [Eliminate the marked prey on the map to earn rewards.] [All survivors must submit their daily wages by the deadline. Failure to do so will result in immediate deletion.] "So we have to hunt prey and gather the wages, right?" "Yes, ma¡¯am! Like those bugs hidden in the zombies; it seems simr!" If it¡¯s just hunting monsters like that, it¡¯s doable. Both I, Jaehyuk, and Jieun had grown stronger since the Seoul Station mission. [Daily wage required: 5,000 points.] [Deadline: Today, 6 PM.] I wasn¡¯t sure how much 5,000 points represented. Anyway, the only choices given to us are... "To get home safely or be deleted. One or the other." Swish! A map that shows targets in real-time was unfurled. A 3D map densely filled with colored circles, centered around Namsan. 50, 100, 200¡­ Tiny circles the size of thumbnails each had different numbers written on them. Looks like that''s the bounty for taking down a target. "Most of them are worth 50 points!" "50 points, huh..." That¡¯s the same welfare points we got for catching the Venomous Sky Tiger. "Look, the color gets darker as the numbers increase. Most of them are white." "Here are some green and yellow ones too. 500 points, 720 points, 900 points¡­ They go up!" Swish! Everyone who was busy examining their maps suddenly stopped at the same spot. "Here!" "A red circle!" A red circle that instantly drew all our attention among the countless circles. "Over 5,000 points?!" An overwhelmingly high numberpared to the surrounding monsters. "This must be the boss mob!" "Maybe we can wrap it all up at once!" This is it. It¡¯ll probably be tougher than the others, but we can earn our full quota in one go. "Do you know where it is? It seems to be nearby." "The circle''s too big to pinpoint the exact location." "Wait a second. It¡¯s not just one! Select the circle!" As Jieun suggested, selecting the red circle revealed the bounties of several nearby targets. ''So they were ovepping because they were close.'' [Submit your earnings and go home safely!] But wait a minute. 5,020, 1,900, 1,350. These numbers seem oddly familiar... "Uh, this location..." "Huh?" "This is¡­ here, hyung." ...What? Hold on. No way. "¡­Jieun, your welfare points were 1,900, right?" "That¡¯s right! But why are you asking about welfare points?" "And Jaehyuk¡¯s were 1,350?" "Yes, that¡¯s correct!" Ah... great. "This¡­ the targets aren¡¯t monsters." "Huh?" "What do you mean¡­ Wait! Don¡¯t tell me!" With a throbbing headache, I silently held my forehead. Jieun, quick on the uptake, realized it and let out a scream. "Wh-what¡¯s going on?" "¡­It¡¯s me." "Sorry? What do you mean?" Jaehyuk was still clueless, so I kindly exined. "The 5,000-point boss mob." This project, the main target¡­ is me. Damn it. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 29 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 29: Hunting (1) Sigh. A bounty of 5,000 points. That¡¯s the equivalent of catching 100 Venomous Sky Tigers, each worth 50 points. "So, all they need to do is take me down to hit the jackpot, huh?" ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau suggests wiping out all challengers while they''re at it.¡¿ ¡¾Prince of the Investigation Bureau clicks his tongue, saying even the best yers can''t handle 500 enemies.¡¿ ¡¾An anonymous observer wonders how this situation will be resolved.v This is bad. I''ve be a tempting prize, the kind you can''t resist going after. A sort of¡­ lottery ticket. ¡°What should we do, hyung?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to avoid people.¡± Jieun and Jaehyuk exchanged anxious nces, apparently thinking the same. I wanted to believe there weren¡¯t many out there who¡¯dmit murder just to gather points. But, of course¡­ ¡°Hey, you guys!¡± A group appeared, led by a burly man nked by two scruffypanions. One was worth 1,500 points, while the others were worth 800 each. The burly one looked like he worked out a lot, while the two weaker-looking guys seemed like they were along for the ride. ¡°You¡¯re pretty skilled, huh? And thisdy here too.¡± It seemed like they¡¯d been watching us fight earlier. And as soon as the mission was announced, they made their approach. ¡­How predictable. ¡°Hmph.¡± The burly one scanned the three of us, particrly Jaehyuk and Jieun, from head to toe. His intentions were clearly not good. Sensing this, Jieun¡¯s voice turned uncharacteristically sharp as she asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯re just passing by and thought we¡¯d say hi. Why so defensive?¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± The burly guy took a step toward Jieun, and I quickly stepped in front of him. It wasn¡¯t just his leering grin that irritated me¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re just passing by, then keep moving. We¡¯re busy.¡± We really were busy. ¡°Jaehyuk, grab your bag. Jieun, you too.¡± ¡°Yes, hyung!¡± ¡°Already packed. Let¡¯s go.¡± We needed to get out of here before we became easy targets. There was no time to waste dealing with thugs like this. ¡°And who are you to butt in and¡ª¡± Just as they started to mouth off¡ª [Project ''Hunt.'' The first mission begins.] [You have 10 minutes. Please evacuate to a safe zone!] [Those outside the safe zones will be eliminated.] The merciless mission announcement echoed, as if mocking us. ¡°!!¡± ¡°Safe zones?!¡± Damn it. The rules were designed to force people together. Whether you were the prey or the hunter, you had no choice but to gather and fight. ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau says it¡¯s advantageous to wipe out groups of enemies all at once.] ¡¾Prince of the Investigation Bureau nods, saying it¡¯s possible to defeat 500 enemies if they¡¯re divided into smaller groups.] [Safe zones have been created.] ¡°What do we do? There are multiple safe zones!¡± ¡°Most of them are near Samgakji and Itaewon. Let¡¯s head for Namsan.¡± We were at the base of Namsan. The closest safe zone was a clearing halfway up the mountain. Judging by the location and size, it was likely a bus stop. ¡¸09:10¡¹ Plenty of time, a conveniently close safe zone, and enough stamina despite the morning skirmish. From a mission standpoint, things seemed manageable. But the real problem was¡­ ¡°¡­Should we¡­ go after¡­?¡± ¡°Then¡­ maybe?¡± The three men following a few steps behind us, whispering nonstop. ¡°¡­The dark one¡­ the red mark¡­ the girl?¡± The dark one. The red mark. The girl? Ah. ¡®They think either Jaehyuk or Jieun is the one with the red mark worth 5,000 points.¡¯ The four of us were within a 100-meter radius. But they weren¡¯t sure which of us was the high-value target. ¡®They probably assume it¡¯s one of the two since they saw them fighting earlier.¡¯ The burly man gestured with his chin at the two of them in turn, while hisckeys hesitated, whispering among themselves. I could almost hear their brains creaking as they tried to figure it out. So¡­ ¡®What happens once they decide who it is?¡¯ What then? ¡°Huff¡­ we made it!¡± ¡¸02:27¡¹ We stepped into the green safe zone with two minutes to spare. Me, Jieun, Jaehyuk, and the three men. And then¡­ ¡°Kyaaah! What do we do? They¡¯re still chasing us!¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Just keep running!¡± ¡°Huff¡­ I feel like my heart¡¯s about to burst!¡± ¡°If it does, I¡¯ll fix it, so just run faster!¡± Down below, familiar faces in checkered school uniforms were sprinting toward us. S and Yeojin. ¡°!!¡± ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s that?!¡± ¡­With a massive shadow right behind them. ¡°Huff¡­ we¡¯re sorry¡­! It kept chasing us¡­!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Just as the two, pale with fear, sighed in relief upon seeing us¡ª A massive figure loomed over them. ¡ªGrrrrrrr¡­ A giant beast with snarling teeth appeared. Thick, stubby legs. A hulking, dark-brown, furry body like a moving mountain. A bear?! ¡°What the hell did they bring here?!¡± ¡°It¡¯sing this way!!¡± Roarrrr¡ª! A heavy, resonant growl echoed through the space, tinged with a metallic screech as the pitch rose. The cry of a ravenous beast, having found tender prey. ¡¸00:57¡¹ "One minute left!" "Quickly, over here!" "Yes!" S and Yeojin hurriedly moved their trembling feet, fear gripping them. tter! Suddenly, three men, who had been watching disapprovingly, stepped forward and blocked their path. "Summon!" "!!" They thrust sharp spears at them, as if ready to impale. Those guys... could it be...? "W-What is this?!" "Move out of the way!" "Hey, those things are chasing you, aren''t they?" "That''s..." Yeojin bit her lip as her eyes darted between the sharp spear pointed at her and the safe zone ahead. "If you drew them here, then take them and get lost! Don''t cause us trouble!" "W-What did you just say?!" "Move it, you crazy bastards!" S shouted in frustration, her voice cracking. Spears in front, a monster closing in from behind. ¡¸00:30¡¹ And there were only 30 seconds left. If they didn¡¯t make it into the safe zone, the two of them would be "deleted" right there. "Will we still get paid if they die?" "Probably not? We didn''t kill them ourselves, right?" "Then should we just finish them off? They''re going to be deleted anyway." ¡¾¡®Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ asks if the hunt is about to begin.¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ suggests catching those two first, eyes glinting with anticipation.¡¿ Sigh. What to do with these guys? "Are you going to deal with this, or should I...?" "S, enough." There was no time for words. Stepping forward to calm S, I shouted immediately: "Jieun, draw the monster''s attention!" "Got it!" Whoosh¡ª Swish! Jieun''s blue dagger rose, emitting a resonant hum. Her pale face twisted into a grimace. The weapon sliced through the air. The dagger shot unerringly towards the bear''s forehead. Roarrr¡ª! Thud! Thud! Boom! Although the dagger was no more than a gnat to the massive bear, it was enough to catch its attention. As the dagger struck repeatedly, the beast shook its head and swiped its paws in annoyance. "Whew! That short-haired girl''s ability is top-notch!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Whoa, that''s insane no matter how many times I see it!" Meanwhile, on this side¡ª "Do you want to join us...?" ¡ªSlice! I pointed my sword at the men. Three spears gleamed sharply as they reflected the light. Though the spearheads were deadly and the wooden shafts looked sturdy¡ª ¡ªsh! ¡ªthey were effortlessly cut down. "Arghhh!" "W-What the hell?!" [10 seconds until the time limit expires.] The spearheads, meant to pierce into prey,y pitifully on the ground. And then¡ª "You son of a bitch!" "Why the hell are you interfering, you¡ª Gah!" "Move." ¡ªThud! A stone-hardened fist struck the men hard. They ended up just as pitifully sprawled on the ground as their broken weapons. [Time limit ending shortly.] [5, 4, 3...] "Hurry, get inside!" "Yes, sir!" S and Yeojin dashed into the green zone. Thump! In the process, Yoon S didn¡¯t forget to step on the sprawled-out men. "Ugh... That b¡ª!" [Missionplete.] [Choose your mission reward.] * * * "Fuck...!" Park Chuljung and his gang stared in despair at their broken spears. They had painstakingly scavenged those spears¡ªstarting with a wrench, moving on to rusty des and rotten shafts, and finally acquiring decent ones. "How the hell...?" How many people had they threatened or killed to get those spears? They had dominated Huam Market and made it this far with them. But now... "Fuck, what kind of weapon cuts through spears with a single gesture?!" Those spears had stabbed and killed countless victims. Not that there hadn¡¯t been those who resisted. Even the son of a rice cake shop owner, known for his strength, couldn¡¯t break them. ¡­But they¡¯d been sliced like tofu. "Chuljung! What do we do now?" "That guy''s no ordinary man! He''s not someone we can take on!" The two men looked between Park Chuljung and the broken spears, trembling. They nced asionally at the 5,000-point man, who was still confronting the bear as though they didn¡¯t exist. "Men, scared of this...?" Getting this far only to cower now. Park Chuljung thought bitterly as he fumbled for his lighter. But¡ª Click! Click! Click! "Damn it, why won''t it work?!" The lighter clicked uselessly. His trembling hands refused to cooperate. "Fuck!" He threw it to the ground in frustration. The damn lighter wasn¡¯t cooperating, and it felt like his insides were on fire. That guy... If he had wanted to, he could¡¯ve cut off their arms. The thought alone sent a chill down his spine. ¡°Anyone got a light?!¡± ¡°Oh! H-here!¡± Fwoo¡ª His throat felt dry, so he took a drag from the cigarette. The acrid smoke filled his lungs, then escaped as he exhaled, finally calming his nerves a bit. ¡°That guy¡¯s a lost cause.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om He was too strong. Unlike all the fools he¡¯d dealt with so far, this opponent was on another level entirely. If he got involved recklessly, he¡¯d just end up being preyed upon in a single strike. ¡°Y-yeah! That¡¯s the smart move, Chuljung!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here! Once that guy¡¯s done with the bear, he¡¯s bound toe after us¡­¡± ¡°Instead.¡± Chuljung stubbed his cigarette out against a nearby tree and said, ¡°We¡¯ll just take down those girls and leave.¡± ¡°What, what?!¡± Those insolent high school girls. He hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at them earlier, but one was worth 2,000 points, and the other 1,200¡ªa decent haul. Who knows what skills they had to rack up those points? ¡°They¡¯re too busy dealing with the bear to notice us. Let¡¯s go now.¡± There was no way he could just walk away. Not when such a tempting prize was right in front of him. * * * ROAAARRR! With my sword raised high, I stood before the raging bear. Thwack! Thud! CRASH! The bear, now enraged thanks to Jieun¡¯s interference, was swinging its massive paws, smashing trees and objects in its path. Its destructive power was overwhelming, almost like a natural disaster. Still, it wasn¡¯t too intimidating. ¡°Hyung! Let me help!¡± ¡°No need. I can handle this on my own.¡± It was just big. It wasn¡¯t as precise as a doppelg?nger or as fast as a carnivorous nt. An opponent like this wasn¡¯t too difficult. But the real problem was¡ª ¡°Kyahhh!¡± ¡°S-S! Yeojin!¡± ¡°You bastards! Let them go, now!¡± ¡ªthe group of thugs I thought would run away. They were holding broken spearheads against S and Yeojin. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± I dodged the enraged bear¡¯s ws and asked. The thug sneered as he replied, ¡°It¡¯s hunting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°You hunt monsters, and I hunt these girls. Same thing, right?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re shameless.¡± ¡°Shameless or not, it doesn¡¯t matter if¡ªugh!¡± S had plunged a scalpel into the thug¡¯s thigh. He staggered. It was a solid attack, but the de barely pierced his muscle, thanks to his enhanced strength. SNAP! ¡°You little bitch¡­!¡± ¡°Cough! H-hunting people? Are you even human?!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter! The weak get preyed on, whether it¡¯s me or someone else! You¡¯d have been dead already if it wasn¡¯t for us!¡± Sigh. That was the one thing I hated hearing the most. The three thugs, holding the high school girls hostage, slowly started backing away. They were nning to deal with the girls and escape while I was upied with the monster. But the thing is¡ª ¡¾¡®Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ sighs,menting the poor strategy.¡¿ ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ res, muttering thatmon sense seems to becking.¡¿ ¡°I was nning to deal with you anyway.¡± They¡¯d just been lower on the priority list. But now, well¡ª ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± FWOOSH! A streak of blood sttered from S¡¯s pale neck. With that move, they sealed their fate. ¡°elerate.¡± ¡°Aaaaaahhhhhh!¡± TAK! TAK! Leaping off a nearby bench, O soared high. Onto the bear¡¯s massive, furry body. And then¡ª SLASH! [You have defeated the ¡®Starved me Bear¡¯!] [You have earned 100 Welfare Points!] A single, clean strike. Nothing more, nothing less. THUD! The bear, as massive as a car, toppled over, its head severed cleanly from its body. And with that¡ª [You have upgraded the skill elerate (Lv.3) to elerate (Lv.4).] [Duration increased: 1 second = 20 seconds.] Twenty seconds. Short, if you thought about it, but absurdly long when you stood still and counted it out. Which meant¡­ ¡°¡­Oh, fuck.¡± ¡°Petrification.¡± Plenty of time to turn three scumbags into statues. THUD! I twisted the wrist of one holding a spear, breaking it. CRACK¡ª Carefully, I moved the girls to safety. Sliiide¡ª And gripped my sword tightly. ¡°Weak people get preyed on, huh?¡± Fine, then. ¡°Let¡¯s see how it feels, you bastards.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 30 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 30: Hunting (2) The first target. I stood face-to-face with the big guy. In his twisted wrist, he still held the spearhead that had threatened Yoon S''s neck. ¡ª Swish! The sword I raised came slicing down. The right arm of the man in front of me was cleanly severed. And then. Tick! "¡­P-please¡­ h-help me! H-huh?" "Why are we even here¡­" The severed arm fell to the ground with a thud! ¡ª Splurt! Blood gushed out from the now-empty shoulder joint. "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" He screamed, copsing to the ground as his severed arm rolled by his feet. "Chuljung! Are you okay?!" "You¡­ you bastard! Do you even know what you''ve done?!" The other two, wide-eyed and trembling, yelled in shock, taking fearful steps backward. "Shiiiiiit! It hurts! It HURTS!" The big guy shrieked in pain, iling his legs wildly, his face a picture of desperation. "Guess it does hurt, huh?" "You think?! You psycho bastard!!" "But stabbing the necks of innocent people is fine?" "¡­¡­!" He froze. "Why? Isn¡¯t this what you call hunting?" His pupils trembled. It seemed he was finally realizing¡ª The hunter could just as easily be the hunted. Toote. Step. "Don¡¯te closer! Stay away!!" "Because you''re weak, you''re being preyed upon." These were the types who would crush anyone weaker than themselves without hesitation. The ones who willingly embraced this damned restructuring process, gleefully taking the lives of others. ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ nods, agreeing this description is fitting.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers want the first prey utterly trampled underfoot.¡¿ ¡®You''re no different from the ones sitting up there.¡¯ Step. A bitter rage simmered within me as I approached. The big guy, bleeding profusely from his arm, scuttled backward on his rear, trying to retreat. Despite the pain, he still mustered the energy to scream at the top of his lungs. "Kill that bastard! Kill him now!!" But no one listened. "If you want to live, get on your knees and beg them for forgiveness." If, by some miracle, he sought Yoon S¡¯s forgiveness, he might be healed. Though he didn¡¯t know it, the girl he thought was prey was his only lifeline now. But. "Screw you! Just kill him already!!" That lifeline¡ªthis fool had no intention of grabbing it. To make matters worse. "W-wait a minute! We didn¡¯t do anything wrong!" "Yeah! It was all his idea! We¡¯re victims too!" Unlike the enraged big guy barking orders, the other two were clearly trying to distance themselves. Each of them scrambling to save themselves. Pathetic. "Victims, my ass! You¡¯ve been leeching off the scraps this whole time, and now what?!" A rtionship built on fists, no doubt. A bond that would shatter the moment a stronger fist appeared. "Scraps? You didn¡¯t even share anything good with us!" "Yeah! You hogged all the benefits for yourself!" "Dammit, we followed you around yingckeys, and all we got was grunt work¡­ pfft!" The spit from one of his former friendsnded near the big guy¡¯s face, lying sprawled on the ground. A look of disbelief, fury, and humiliation contorted his expression. And then. "You son of a bitch!!" "!!" "W-wait, why are you doing this? Stop, don¡¯te near me!" The furious big guy, blinded by rage, lunged forward, swinging his one remaining arm. The moment hisckey opened his mouth in horror¡ª "Summon!" A steel sword materialized in his hand. ¡ª Thunk! The sword plunged deep into the body of his chargingrade. "Gghhk¡­!" "S-Sweet Jesus! I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen¡­!" "You, you bastard..." Thud! The brute raised his bloodied hand and grabbed the throat of the friend who had just stabbed him. His eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth opening and closing without a sound. "Well, that¡¯s what happens when you charge at me..." "Da-damn it..." Thump! The man copsed. Blood gushed relentlessly from his empty shoulder and punctured abdomen, draining the life from him in an instant. And shortly after¡ª [You have eliminated the target, ''Park Chuljung.''] [You have earned 750 Welfare Points!] The bonus rolled in. Half the amount of a man worth 1,500 points. "..." The man, now covered in his friend¡¯s blood, heard the alert as well. His eyes darted around nervously before meeting mine. Suddenly, he spoke in a hurry. Was he about to me me and attack? "You¡ªyou got the bonus, right? Let¡¯s call it even with that!" "What?" "There¡¯s no point in fighting anymore! We¡¯re not worth much anyway!" "Y-yeah! You¡¯ve already hit your daily quota even without us!" ...Unnecessary worries. They didn¡¯t even think to retrieve their friend¡¯s corpse or the sword embedded in it. All they could do was flee in a panic. Tap-tap! Terrified that I mighte after them, they stumbled backward down the forest path, fear etched on their faces. And then... "Are you sure you want to run that way?" "Y-yeah! Just let us live! You¡¯ll never see us again!" From deep within the forest path ahead, ck energy began to seep outward. Sssssssss... ¡¾The Ferryman of the Administration Bureau shakes his head at the doomed targets.¡¿ "That doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea." "Screw you! So what, you¡¯re saying we should just die by your hands?! Forget it, just let us go!" The ck energy spread across the ground, and as soon as the fleeing men stepped into it¡ª ¡®They¡¯re gone?¡¯ The ominous mist disappeared as if it had never existed. ¡ªGrowwl...! [A ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯ has appeared! Eliminate the target.] In its ce, a massive bear, as big as a house, emerged¡ªan uncanny likeness to the man who had just met his end by my hand. Drawn by the scent of blood like a shark to prey, the beast lumbered forward, wasting no time before swiping its massive paw. "Aaaaaaahhh!" Smash! Smash! In an instant, two heads exploded like watermelons. [You have eliminated the target, ''Kim Ildong.''] [You have earned 775 Welfare Points!] [You have eliminated the target, ''Park Joonpyo.''] [You have earned 400 Welfare Points!] And there it was¡ªa horrifying disy that made it clear why the word ¡°Starving¡± preceded ¡°Fire Bear.¡± Crunch! Chomp! "Aaaaahhh!" "...Urgh!" I quickly shielded Sora¡¯s and Yeojin¡¯s eyes from the grisly scene. It wasn¡¯t soon enough, but it would have to do. "Hmph..." The children trembled in terror, their faces pale. Jieun and Jaehyuk, unable to bear the sight, shut their eyes tightly. "Pull yourselves together, everyone." Not even an hour had passed since the project began, yet the densely packed dots on the map had already thinned considerably. It wasn¡¯t just because of the safe zones... ''The survivors¡¯ bonuses have increased significantly.'' Many had died, and someone else had imed their points. "This is just the beginning." A hunt where it¡¯s kill or be killed. In this situation, the only thing we could do was¡ª "You two, take care of that bear." I grabbed Jieun and Jaehyuk by the shoulders. I¡¯d already hit my daily quota, but they hadn¡¯t. The monster had devoured two people and racked up over a thousand points. Splitting the kill between them would be a great help. "Y-yes...!" "Understood, hyung..." Their faces, pale as ghosts, nodded in reluctant agreement. And. "And Sora, Yeojin, grab those guys¡¯ weapons." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "What?" "What do you mean... grab?" "Those." The iron sword stuck in the hulking corpse, and the worn-out spear dropped by those fleeing from the monsters. Yeojin, clearly uneasy, tugged at the hem of S''s jacket and asked. "Why... those?" "Because more of them are going to keep showing up. So..." "To not be underestimated, right?" S, who had been biting her lower lip nervously, opened her tightly shut eyes and spoke. She held her friend¡¯s hand, the same friend who clung to her jacket. "Yeah. We need to show them we''re not easy prey." Yeojin nced between S and me, swallowing nervously. "Make it so they don¡¯t even think about attacking us in the first ce." Their gaze turned to the hulking corpse and the iron sword lodged in it. A cruel world for high school girls who once dreamed of saving lives as healthcare professionals. Jieun, ever soft-hearted, stepped forward. "S, I can do it for you..." "It''s okay." Srring- S stepped up and drew the sword first. She crouched down in front of the corpse, biting her lower lip so hard it bled. "Min Yeojin,e here." "I... I can''t..." "Don''t whine. I don''t want to lose you too." At just 19 years old, she seemed to have realized the harsh truth. To protect those dear to her, she had to be ready to harm someone else. * * * 9:50 AM Eight hours left until the end of my shift. We finally arrived at Namsan Tower. "The red zone!" "Crazy, it''s over 7,000 points?!" "Shit, 7,000 points could kill you in one hit..." Hunters wielding various weapons loitered everywhere. "The vibe here is intense, noona!" "Right? Feels like everyone¡¯s staring at us." And then... "Teacher!" "Uncle!" Familiar, weing faces awaited us. "Yura! Were you good while we were gone?" "Yes!" A littledy dashed over with tiny steps, her round eyes folding into crescent moons as she smiled¡ªa sight too adorable for words. But... Shhh! Though I wanted to y with her for a moment, there wasn¡¯t time. "I¡¯ll give you a hugter." "Huh? Why?" I lifted Yura into her father¡¯s arms. I didn¡¯t have the luxury to linger. ¡®Nine? Ten?¡¯ The prickling stares I had felt earlier. Now a group surrounded us, busy signaling to each other while gripping their weapons. "Teacher, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re safe..." "Save the pleasantries forter. Could you cover Yura¡¯s eyes for me?" "What? Why¡ª" Hanul tilted his head butplied, shielding Yura¡¯s eyes just in time. tter! "!!" A dozen swords pointed at me and my group. A man, seemingly their leader, shouted as if giving a signal, "Haah!" He charged at me, Jieun, and Jaehyuk, followed by the others. And then¡ª "You''re ours! Seven thousand¡ª" "eleration." I drew the sword I had already summoned and shed at waist height. Tat-tat! A quick spin, carving a circle among them. Jeans, sweatpants, hiking gear, more jeans... Srrrk! Belts, buckles, and fastenings gave way, and pants sagged to the ground. Tick! "Whaaaaaat... the hell?!" "Shit! How did that happen in an instant?!" Panicking, they fumbled to grab their falling trousers. Some tripped over their pants and tumbled to the ground. "Kyaaaah! Pull up your underwear!" "What the hell are you maniacs doing?!" ...And for some, even their underwear was exposed. This was my mistake. I thought I had adjusted it, but I must have gone too deep. "Shit! How did this happen?!" "I don''t know! I couldn¡¯t even see it!" Distressed screams echoed from all directions. Thwack! Taking advantage of the chaos, I thrust my sword at the throat of the man who had been shouting earlier. "Who are you after?" "T-that''s..." I need to subdue him as overwhelmingly as possible. They must realize they might be the hunted instead. "There''s no one here who could win against me with that level of skill." "Ugh..." I''m holding back because I don¡¯t want to y into the system¡¯s intentions. But if I show too much leniency, they¡¯ll keeping back¡ªagain and again, gathering more people to try again. So... "Be careful." "Ah, I get it, please..." "Next time, I''ll cut through whatever¡¯s inside as well." "!!" ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' ps their hands, saying, "Just cut them down now."¡¿ ¡¾''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' frowns, insisting he never wants to see this.¡¿ The man trembled at my words. Whether it was the de sword at his throat or the breeze on his bare lower half, I couldn''t tell. "Get lost." Tap-tap! Before I could even withdraw the sword fully, the man twisted away and fled. ''That should deter any stray dogs or fools from trying again.'' Being defeated in such a humiliating way would serve as an excellent deterrent. Indeed, everyone else scattered, panicked, each looking to save themselves. "Wow... Teacher, you¡¯ve improved even more!" "Hey, mister, you¡¯re a magician, right? I told you there¡¯d be a magician!" ...Except for my overly enthusiasticpanions, of course. Shortly after, a broadcast announcement rang out. [The next safe zone will be created at 3 o''clock sharp.] [Hunt your targets diligently and ensure you make it back alive!] 10:00 AM. Five hours of free timey before us. "Um... Eunho!" As I was pondering how to make the most efficient use of this time, Jieun cautiously approached me. "What do you think about heading somewhere without people? We¡¯ve already met up with Yura¡¯s group." Her worried eyes hinted at her reasoning. "Safe zones are more likely to appear near people. We still haven¡¯t figured out much about the walls surrounding Namsan." "But... I¡¯m worried someone else might attack you again."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She seemed afraid of a repeat of what had just happened. However. "Why do you think those guys tried to hurt us?" "Excuse me?" Caught off guard by my sudden question, Jieun faltered. ''Because they¡¯re evil.'' ...That¡¯s one possible answer. "It¡¯s probably because humans are easier targets to reach their quotas than monsters." "That... makes sense. Monsters don¡¯t give many points, and they¡¯re hard to kill." "And there aren¡¯t that many of them either, right?" A moralistic answer about good and evil wouldn¡¯t solve anything. You can¡¯t magically make bad people turn good. In that case, the only option is... "We need to offer an alternative." "An alternative?" A way for them to survive without resorting to killing. It still needs more research, but... "Jieun, will you help me?" This must be stopped. Because I have a way. Before this ce turns into an even deeper hell. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 31 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 31: Hunting (3) ¡ª Boom! Crash! The bear copsed, crashing into a nearby tree. The impact caused the massive tree to sway and shed its leaves. Flinch! Yura, standing next to her father Hanul, jumped and clung to Hanul''s leg in fright. [You have defeated the ''Starving Fire Bear''!] [You have gained 33 Welfare Points!] "Yura! The points went up, right?" "Yes!" "How about you, Hanul?" "Thanks to you, they''re climbing steadily." Hanul grinned as he pulled his sword out of the bear''s nape and casually loaded a stone into the slingshot he had bought from the shop. "Do you think the other team is doing well?" "Yes, the teambination is solid." Jieun draws the monsters'' attention with telekinesis, Jaehyuk attacks, and if anyone gets hurt, S heals them. "If things were dangerous, they would have contacted us, but there''s been no word." "No news is good news." Hanul was right. The numbers on the map showing Jieun''s team''s progress were steadily increasing. But the real problem was... "Hanul, what''s Yura''s current point total?" "900 points." "It was 500 when we first came out to hunt, right?" That means they''ve only taken down about ten monsters in the past hour and a half. "The situation doesn''t look good." "It''s too slow, isn''t it? We¡¯re not helping at all..." "No, that''s not it. I can handle the hunting alone." The real issue is... "There are just not enough targets." Other targets, meaning... It¡¯s almost as if the game had been deliberately set up to make survivors kill each other instead of monsters. ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' says to save the child, you must kill the others.¡¿ ¡¾''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' urges you to make a choice since you can''t have it all.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers are eagerly awaiting a bloody massacre!¡¿ As a result, the observers had been in an uproar for some time now. ¡®Fight, kill, wipe them out!¡¯ Messages shed constantly, a sign of their frustration with theck of action. "What should we do, sir?" "We can''t go on like this. We need a strategy." "A strategy... You don''t mean..." Swoosh. Hanul raised a finger and made a slicing motion across his neck. His face turned pale. "...Not that." I quickly dismissed it, worried that Yura might see. No matter how desperate we are, I refuse to y into their hands. Instead, there¡¯s another option. ''The only way left is...'' I anxiously looked at the sky beyond the leaves and stared at the air before me, hoping. Ding! Finally, the awaited sound rang in my ears. "I found it." It was Jieun''s message of salvation. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?To: Eunho Lee ?From: Kim Jieun ?Found it. 800 meters at 2 o''clock from the tower. 2175. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ Thest method we had been searching for. Rustle! An envelope, its four edges fluttering like wings, appeared as if beckoning us to follow. "Let¡¯s go." "Where?" Hanul stopped and looked at me, puzzled. I wasn''t sure how to exin. "To do somebor work." "...What?" * * * "Eunho!" From a distance, Jieun waved her hand among the trees. She looked tired but wore an energetic smile. "Hyung! Have you been well?" "It¡¯s only been a few hours. You''re okay, right?" "No! I got hurt, rolled around... It was a mess!" "Mm... S looks worse off than you do, though." While Jaehyuk exaggerated how he almost died, S, looking half-dead from overusing her skills, remained silent. "So 2175 means..." "Yes, Jieun. 2,175 points." Before we split up for the hunt, I had asked Jieun to look for a ce where monsters respawn endlessly. I had wondered if her telekinesis skill might lift her body, allowing her to search from above. The view would have stretched far beyond the forest. But... "Jieun, did you use your skill to find it?" "Uh... I couldn¡¯t do that much yet. I just found it while walking." It seems that was still a bit too much for her. Regardless, the result was the same, so I left it for now. "That¡¯s lucky." "Just like you said, the area is covered in ck smoke." "It was just a hunch, but I¡¯m d I was right." Ssshhhh-! The ck energy I¡¯d seen back when we fought the hulking monsters on the mountainside was nothingpared to this. The area Jieun had found was filled with thick, dark smoke that nketed the forest, far stronger and denser than before. "It¡¯s definitely creepy. There¡¯s something strange about it, right?" I nodded in agreement. Normally, ck absorbs sunlight and feels warm, but this mysterious energy¡ªor was it liquid?¡ªinstead cooled the body, as if draining heat away. It carried a chilling, damp eeriness, like an ancient basement. "Dad, I¡¯m cold!" Yura whined, clinging to Hanul, who nervously looked around. "I wish Yura could wait outside, but there¡¯s no other way." "No, no! You¡¯re already helping us enough." I didn¡¯t want to bring a five-year-old to a bloody battlefield, but there was no choice. Points only counted if you hit the target yourself¡ªwhether with a slingshot or bare fists. And if you waited too long, even those points wouldn¡¯t count. "Jieun! You mean this smoke doesn¡¯t disappear even when you defeat the monsters?" "Yes! I checked earlier." "And it reappears if someone enters?" "That¡¯s right. I couldn¡¯t stay long because it¡¯s dangerous, but..." A ce that continuously spawns monsters like bears and tigers. Is this the source of the mountain¡¯s disturbance? The reason we brought everyone all the way here was... ''Until now, it¡¯s probably been generating them one at a time at a leisurely pace.'' But we¡¯re in a bit of a bind. Step. I stepped into the ominous aura. The ground rippled like ck water. ¡ª Sssssss! The moment I touched the dark smoke, a chill ran through me. It felt like the kind of cold thates from a freezer, crawling up my legs, waist, and body. "Everyone, be careful." Gulp. Someone swallowed nervously. And before they could even finish swallowing... "Who knows where something might pop ou¡ª" ¡ª KWA-AAAAAH! It popped out. [Defeat the Venomous Sky Tiger!] Right next to little Yura¡¯s head, there was the Sky Tiger. "Yu...!" "elerate! Summon!" I blocked the beast¡¯s drooling jaws. And then... sh! I cut it down with a sword I was growing increasingly familiar with. [You have defeated the Venomous Sky Tiger!] [50 Welfare Points acquired!] [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has increased!] [+1%] After a series of notifications, time seemed to resume its normal flow. Tick! "...Wooooah!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I picked up the bewildered Yura and ced him in a high spot among the nearby wisteria vines, carefully choosing a hidden area dense with foliage. "It¡¯s dangerous, so stay up here and just throw rocks, okay?" "Mm! Okay...!" Meanwhile, the rest of the group turned to face me, each gripping their weapons tightly with tense expressions. "Everyone, get ready!" "Y-Yes!" "Understood!" [Defeat the Starving Fire Bear!] And so, the battle began. [Defeat the Starving Fire Bear!] [Defeat the Starving Fire Bear!] [Defeat the Starving Fire Bear!] ... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w sh! I cut one. Swish! I cut another. KWA-AAAAH! And another. Amidst the growing pile of corpses, my senses had long since dulled. I¡¯d seen so much blood that red afterimages lingered in my vision. ¡¾An anonymous observer smiles contentedly at your steady progress.¡¿ Cutting, shing, slicing. The sword in my hand began to feel like an extension of my body, as if I¡¯d been born with it. ¡¾The ''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' wiggles excitedly at the thrilling action.¡¿ ''Is it because of the swordsmanship skill? Or the "Human Whetstone" title?'' Whatever the case... In the surreal flow of battle, only the asional interruptions from spectators and system notifications reminded me of reality. [33 Welfare Points acquired!] [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has increased!] [25 Welfare Points acquired!] [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has increased!] [20 Welfare Points acquired!] [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has increased!] ... And when even those messages had grown so repetitive they barely registered... ¡ª Ding! The system tried to shake things up. [Congrattions!] [Participant ''Lee Eunho'' has fulfilled the upgrade conditions for the first time in District 13.] [Would you like to upgrade the ''Rookie Participant¡¯s Portable Kiosk''?] ''Huh?'' [If you ept, you will receive a special reward for the first upgrade!] [The first upgrade reward is...] A translucent window appeared before my eyes. ...This is tempting. "Upgrade." Of course. The so-called ''shop'' was so full of useless junk that I suspected hidden features. However... [Spend 10,000 Welfare Points to upgrade the shop...] I didn¡¯t know it cost money. "Cancel! Cancel!" [The shop upgrade has been canceled.] ''What? 10,000 points?!'' No way, absolutely not. If I want to get out of here alive in three hours, I need to submit at least 5,000 points as my daily wage. Unless 5,000 points suddenly fell out of the sky, it¡¯s impossible to afford this self-sufficient lifestyle. There¡¯s not enough time. "Has everyone earned their wages yet?" "I¡¯ve almost got mine!" "We should be good by 6 o¡¯clock, big bro!" PM 2:50. Three hours before quitting time. [A ''Safe Zone'' will appear in 10 minutes.] So... Just when I thought things were going too smoothly... "Let¡¯s start heading bac¡ª" "Daddy! Waaaaaaah!" Yura''s tearful scream echoed. And as I looked up in shock toward the tree¡ª ¡ª Kwarrrgh! "!!" "Y-Yura!" Instead of Yura, who was supposed to be waiting quietly, all I could see was a massive pair of pping, crimson wings. [Defeat the ''Venomous Sky Tiger''!] "elerate!" [Skill on cooldown. 14 seconds, 13 seconds, 12 seconds¡­] ''Damn it¡­!'' Thud! Thud-thud-thud! The pouch that had been clutched in Yura''s tiny hands fell, spilling a cascade of stones. "Hanul! Go up!" Hanul and I raced up the tree. At that moment, a horrific image shed in my mind like a photograph. A woman impaled through the abdomen by the Sky Tiger, dead before the project even began. And the pile of corpses stacked next to her. ¡ª Tap! Tatak! I never want to see that. The moment a small child''s life is snuffed out. The cheerful kid running toward me, now cold and lifeless. "Yura, please¡­ Daddy¡¯s¡­!" Hanul scrambled up the tree, shouting like a madman, clutching at branches with bare hands. And in his line of sight¡ª "What do we do?! It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s flying away!" The beast spread its wings, preparing to take off. "No!!!" ''7 seconds, 6 seconds, 5 seconds¡­ Please!'' 3 seconds. The beast pped its wings, leaping into the air. 2 seconds. Hanul suddenly grabbed its tail, throwing it off bnce. 1 second. The beast crashed into the dense branches, smashing its head. And then¡­ now! "Got y¡ª" Huh? ¡ª Kwarrrgh! The Sky Tiger roared. Its maw wide open. ws outstretched. "Yura is¡­" "¡­gone?" No one was there. Only the Sky Tiger, ring at me like I was a fool who dared to challenge it. "Wh-what? Where¡¯s Yura¡­?" "Hanul! Behind you!" ¡ª Kwarrrgh! At that moment, the Sky Tiger lunged at Hanul from behind, its jaws stretched open. And then¡­ Just as the beast''s massive mouth opened wide¡ª Whoosh! ''Huh?'' Hanul vanished. ''He¡­ disappeared?'' It wasn¡¯t smoke. It wasn¡¯t dust. He vanished as if deleted by the system. ¡ª Grrrr¡­? The Sky Tiger tilted its head at me, looking confused. As if asking what had just happened. This was like¡ª "¡­The Bermuda Triangle?" Still bewildered, I readied myself to deal with the beast before me. But then¡ª Clench! A tiny, soft hand grasped mine tightly. And then. [You are now within the ''Hide and Seek'' zone of target ''Kim Yura.''] [The skill effect will deactivate the moment you leave the caster¡¯s side.] "Hide and Seek?!" "What is this¡­?" "Uncle! Dad! Shh!" ¡ª Grrrrr¡­ The Sky Tiger, with us right under its nose, nced around nkly, unable to detect our presence. ''It can¡¯t sense us!'' Meanwhile, Yura casually held my hand and his dad''s, swinging her arms yfully. As if this wasn¡¯t her first time. ''Ah! On the train, too¡­'' "You were hiding?" "Hiding?" In the narrow train car, when he avoided the Ghosts, Yura had said she was hiding. I¡¯d thought it was strange. But was it because of this skill? It finally felt like the pieces were clicking into ce. ''If this works, then¡­'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 32 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 32: Hunting (4) ¡°Huuh¡­!¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Hang in there a little longer!¡± Pushing through the dense bushes, I sprinted towards the safe zone. In the distance, a crowd of people came into view. A green circle drawn in the middle of the forest path was packed tightly with men and women of all ages. ¡°There are so many people.¡± ¡°It looks like there are more than fifty, noona!¡± The tense atmosphere seeping through the branches made my hair stand on end. ¡¸01:14¡¹ Thankfully, there was still time. Which meant¡­ ¡°Shall we start catching them?¡± I extended my right hand to Jieun, standing beside them. My left hand had long been held firmly by Yura. ¡°Do¡­ we really have to catch them?¡± ¡°Yes. Hurry.¡± But Jieun hesitated, awkwardly fumbling instead of taking my hand. It was unlike her to hesitate, especially when everyone was waiting. Was there a reason she was unwilling¡­? ¡ª Swish. So there was. ¡°Jieun.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ( whispered her name, cautious not to be overheard. Jieun flinched as if startled by thunder. ¡°Schisandra tea is good.¡± ¡°What? All of a sudden¡­?¡± ¡°For hyperhidrosis.¡± Her noticeably mmy palm seemed out of ce for the mild weather. It appeared to be an unspoken insecurity of hers. I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Well, I never had a reason to hold the hand of a colleague from another team, so there was no way to know. ¡°If we scavenge the remains of a convenience store or mart, we might find schisandra tea. Let¡¯s look for it when we search for supplies.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I meant it as a thoughtfulment, but Jieun remained silent, her head lowered. Did that¡­ upset her? ¡°I apologize if I overstepped. It¡¯s not a life-threatening condition, so if you don¡¯t want¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! Let¡¯s just go quickly!¡± Jieun raised her face, now as red as a ripe apple, and hurried her steps forward. I wondered if I shouldfort her, but there wasn¡¯t enough time. ¡°Yura, could you use your skill?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Paaah¡ª! The moment Yura nodded, a system message echoed in their mind. [You have entered the ¡®Hide and Seek¡¯ zone of target ¡®Kim Yura.¡¯] [The skill effect will dissipate the moment you let go of the caster.] We all held hands as we moved forward, though the arrangement was awkward and ufortable. As we trudged along, Yeojin asked, ¡°Why do we have to sneak in like this?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ll see when we get closer.¡± I held back the full exnation. I didn¡¯t want to tell the high school girl that humans were not to be trusted. And besides¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be long before the scene revealed itself. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Is there an enemy or something¡ª?¡± ng! ng! Crash! Screeeech! The sound of metal shing and shattering announced the fierce battlefield ahead. The safe zone, now fully visible, was a chaotic war zone. ¡°!!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°Why are they fighting each other?!¡± Dozens of survivors swung weapons at one another. Small groups huddled together, backs pressed against each other, casting wary nces in all directions. ¡°Die!!¡± ¡°Arghhhh!¡± People wielded spears, swords, even kitchen knives, desperately shing at one another. It was an unrestrained brawl among ordinary individuals, leaving everyone stunned. ¡°Why are they fighting?! There¡¯s enough space in the safe zone for everyone!¡± Jieun shouted in disbelief. ¡°Because they need to catch it first.¡± ¡°Catch what? Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± When I neither confirmed nor denied her suspicion, Jieun bit her lower lip hard. ¡°¡­¡± Men killed women, and young adults stabbed and shed middle-aged people. The ughter unfolding before us was unbearably horrific. Although I had vaguely expected something like this might happen¡­ ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think it would escte into a fight this massive.¡± Most of the survivors in the safe zone were caught up in the chaos. Perhaps their rationality was paralyzed by the terror of ¡°kill or be killed.¡± ¡®I have to stop this.¡¯ If this continued, everyone would really die. ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t let go of each other¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Holding Yura and Jieun¡¯s small hands tightly, I added: ¡°Yura, hold onto your sister¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Eunho!¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Four wide, round eyes stared at them from both sides, trembling with unease. Seeing their pupils shake with anxiety, I answered with a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m just going to get some fresh air.¡± * * * [Time limit reached.] [All individuals outside the safe zone will be eliminated.] For the first time, I realized¡­ ¡°Arghhhhh!¡± ¡°You murderer!!¡± ¡­that for so many people, ¡°killing¡± felt more real than ¡°deletion.¡± ¡°P-Please spare me! I beg you¡­!¡± ¡°If I can just gather 400 more points¡­!¡± Whether they were hikers, students, or tourists, anyone could turn into a demon with a de at their throat. ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ins that this is not how you¡¯re supposed to fight.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers are urging participants to join the blood-soaked brawl!¡¿ ¡¾An anonymous observer is curious about target ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯s choice.¡¿ ¡ª Phew! To make matters worse, arrows began flying from somewhere. Arrows, at andmark in Seoul? ¡®People hiding might get hurt.¡¯ I had to find a solution quickly. ¡®A way to grab everyone¡¯s attention.¡¯ The chaos was filled with desperate screams. Yelling wouldn''t work¡ªit was clear. ¡­Looks like there''s no other choice. "Upgrade the shop." [Congrattions!] [The lower-level shop, Mobile Kiosk for New Recruits, has been upgraded to the mid-level shop, The Golden Carriage That Is Everywhere and Nowhere!] ¡ªFwoosh! The kiosk that had surrounded me vanished in an instant. In its ce appeared a giant wheel. Atop it sat a rectangr space. Huge and semi-transparent, yet showing off a golden body... "A carriage?" [10,000 welfare points have been deducted.] I hesitated, cing my hand on the opening door of the carriage, then pulled it back. ¡®I¡¯m curious... but if I waste time inspecting a shop in a battlefield, I might die.¡¯ This left me with only 533 points. I¡¯d just given up a daily payout worth 5,000 points. ¡®Though I¡¯m confident I can earn them back.¡¯ The reason I took what seemed to others like a reckless gamble was... [Congrattions!] [You have opened the first mid-level shop in District 13.] [Choose your first upgrade perk!] This. ¡¸Wind st (Lv.1): Releases a concentrated gust of wind from the user¡¯s hand. Can push up to 0.1 tons, but its power decreases with distance.¡¹ ¡¸Use is limited, and it recharges once every 10 minutes. Be cautious.¡¹ ¡¸Usable charges: 3/3¡¹ The protective shield that blocks one attack under 30 damage or the lightening effect reducing a target''s weight by 10% weren¡¯t bad, but... For now, this seemed the most practical. And urgently needed. "Selectionplete." [Skill Wind st has been unlocked!] A skill that could attract attention, attack distant enemies, and handle multiple opponents. ¡®I¡¯ll knock them all down with Wind st.¡¯ It would not only grab attention, but also separate people who were desperately attacking each other. "Wi..." [Due to the Swordsmanship Skill Tree, Wind st has evolved into Sword Wind!] [Skill power and range have been increased.] Huh? Wait a second. ¡®Skill tree? Sword Wind?¡¯ I had no idea there was such a thing¡ªoh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [The Swordsmanship skill tree has been unlocked with the acquisition of Basic Swordsmanship.] A message I saw when I first learned swordsmanship skills at the academy. ¡®I thought it was meaningless at the time¡­¡¯ Who would have guessed it would bring unexpected benefits? [Checking the skill Sword Wind.] ¡¸Sword Wind (Lv.1): Releases a powerful gust of wind along the trajectory of a swung sword. Use is limited, and it recharges once every 10 minutes. Be cautious.¡¹ ¡¸Usable charges: 3/3¡¹ I raised my sword high toward a nearby tree and swung it down. ¡ªSwoooosh! "!!" The tree split cleanly in two, top to bottom. Thud! It toppled over. Both the man next to it and the one threatening him with a spear... Even the woman trying to smash the back of his head with a rock. "Arghhh!" "What the hell?!" "Did you just hit me?!" The woman screamed, seemingly having dropped the rock on her own hand as she fell. "Wha...?" Whoosh! This time, I swung toward a much bigger, older tree nearby. I swung harder, just in case. ¡ªSwoooosh! The ck sword carved a crescent arc, sending a gust of wind like a crescent moon. Crack! A tall, sturdy tree broke like a rotting log. Thud! Thud! Thud! People locked in a standoff near the trajectory had to defend themselves against the invisible de. This was... "Cut? Cut! Arghhh!" "Damn it! When did that attack happen?!" Stronger than I thought. "No, wait! Over there...!" "Wasn¡¯t it that guy earlier?!" "...?!" One by one, people started noticing something strange about the sudden gusts of wind. Attention was turning toward me. ¡®Good. Now, for thest one.¡¯ Even amidst the chaos, people still ran at each other, desperate to kill. With one final swing... ¡ªSwoooosh! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Boom! "Ahhh! What is this?!" "Was that wind just now?!" "Who the hell is that guy?!" ¡¸Usable charges: 0/3¡¹ The forest, now resembling an open clearing, was filled with toppled and fallen people and broken trees. ¡®This should do it.¡¯ I climbed up the neatly severed tree stump, revealing myself. Then I spoke. "Let¡¯s stop this." Though I¡¯d just attacked with a fearsome ability... I tried to make my voice sound as non-threatening as possible. Yet firm enough to convey my intent. I was prepared to bebeled an evil force and mobbed by them. The crowd¡¯s attention was elsewhere. "5-5500 points?!" "I swear I saw it go up to 10,000 points earlier!" "Where did all of it go?!" Even with a person standing right in front of them, the crowd was fixated on the numbers on the map. Sigh. "Whether I have 10,000 points or 500 points¡­" If it were me, I¡¯d first figure out what kind of expression the person in front of me has, what abilities they possess, and what they want. "That¡¯s not the important part." "Then what is it?" "Y-you¡¯re not nning to kill us all to hit the quota, are you?" Their faces turned pale, as if they understood what might happen next. A few quick-witted ones stood up, armed themselves, and began ring. "5,000 points is more than enough. I don¡¯t need to kill anyone." "What?" "How can we believe that?" Suspicious faces everywhere. Everyone bristled like hedgehogs, their whole demeanor oozing caution. "You¡¯re not nning to drag us somewhere and kill us? We saw you attack earlier!" "Yeah! You think we don¡¯t know you¡¯re nning to deal with us all at once in some corner?" ''So these are the ones I dealt with earlier.'' It¡¯s understandable that they wouldn¡¯t believe me. But still¡­ "If I wanted to kill you, I¡¯d have done it a long time ago. You know that better than anyone, don¡¯t you?" "Ugh¡­" ¡­The problem was that I didn¡¯t have time to persuade every single one of them. 3:05 PM. Three hours left until my shift ended. This was the best I could do. ¡®If they don¡¯t follow, there¡¯s no helping it.¡¯ "Three hours from now. Assuming we take an hour to prepare¡­ two hours should be plenty of time." "W-what are you preparing?" Thud! I stepped down from the tree stump and calmly answered. A young woman with big eyes asked the question. She wore a skirt and had a youthful face. High schooler? At most, a college freshman. ¡®Not sure if you¡¯ll understand this.¡¯ "Auto-hunting." "Excuse me?" The crowd started murmuring. Some frowned, trying to make sense of what I said. Regardless. "Alright, then¡­" Half were still wary, their eyes filled with suspicion. The other half glimmered with faint anticipation. "Anyone ready to dig?" * * * "Sergeant Choi! Have all the trenches dug within the hour!" "Yes, sir!" Memories I¡¯d nearly forgotten came rushing back. That day during winter training, we dug trenches over a meter deep. Scraping away at that painfully hard ground like moles. "Not done yet?! Do you want to leave here withoutpleting the drill?!" "N-no, sir!" Sweat streamed down Jaehyuk¡¯s back like a river. His gray T-shirt was long soaked, its color darkened by patches of sweat. "Hah¡­ I¡¯m going to die¡­" "How much longer do we have to keep doing this?" The two men following himined endlessly, but Jaehyuk was still going strong. Was it because he was with his long-admired superior? Or perhaps because he¡¯d finally earned his superior¡¯s recognition? ¡ª Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! He didn¡¯t feel tired or exhausted. There was just ground to dig and a shovel in his hand. "Are you some kind of ghost obsessed with shoveling?" "Seriously. We can¡¯t even keep up, but you¡¯ve already hit your quota." Jaehyuk slowed down a bit to match the others¡¯ pace, and not long after, Eunho approached him. "Jaehyuk! How¡¯s iting along?" "Almost done, sir!" The ground they¡¯d worked so hard to dig surrounded the boundary of the ck smoke. Their very own trench. "Thanks, Jaehyuk. You know this is the key to our strategy, right?" "Of course! This is where the monsters will fall and die automatically, right?" "Yep. Then we¡¯ll build barricades to keep the Fire Bear from escaping the perimeter." "Wow, that¡¯s brilliant!" As Jaehyuk wiped his sweat and admired the n, Eunho chuckled and added, "Good job. Time for a shift change." "I¡¯m fine, sir! Thanks to you, I¡¯ve already hit my quota!" "You¡¯re not tired?" "Not at all!" Though Eunho looked puzzled, he didn¡¯t press further. Instead, he gave Jaehyuk¡¯s shoulder a firm pat and issued instructions to the others. "The rest of you, switch out. Buy spears from the shop and coat them with poison." "Poison? Where are we supposed to get that?" "From the shop?" Eunho gestured with his chin toward a group of people gathered around. The corpse of a Venoumous Sky Tiger, its belly split open and guts exposed,y there. Carefully, the group dipped their spear tips into the ck liquid, coating them evenly. "Get in line over there. Hurry." "Ah¡­ Thank you!" The men, awe-struck, straightened their backs. They discarded their shovels like they couldn¡¯t stand the sight of them anymore. "Once the poison is applied, stake the spears into the ground. Maintain proper spacing." After giving his instructions, Eunho picked up his sword again and rushed to face another monster. ¡ª Grrrrrrr! The monster was swiftly taken down with a single strike. No matter how many times they saw it, they never got used to the sight. And that went for the neers as well. "Wow¡­" The fresh workers let out a mix of awe and disbelief. "Who is that guy? Is he, like, a national fencing champion or something?" "No way! With brains like that, he¡¯s clearly not just an athlete." "Ha¡­ True. How does hee up with ns like this so quickly?" Jaehyuk felt proud even though the praise wasn¡¯t directed at him.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om His shoulders seemed to straighten a little more as he kept digging. ¡®Eunho¡¯s the best!¡¯ Maybe that¡¯s why he was even more enthusiastic. ¡ª Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! More tirelessly than when he first started building the trench. He dug and dug, over and over again. ¡ª Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack¡­ "Jaehyuk, take a break!" "I¡¯m fine, ma¡¯am! I¡¯m still good to go!" "You¡¯ve been shoveling for over an hour now¡­ Aren¡¯t you exhausted?" "It¡¯s been that long already?" He hadn¡¯t noticed the passage of time because he didn¡¯t feel tired. He could only guess based on the amount of ground he¡¯d dug. "It feels like I just started. How strange." ¡ª Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud¡­ And even after that, he kept digging for a while longer. As he reached the point where the ground felt like it was swaying, where he couldn¡¯t tell whether the shovel was him or he was the shovel¡­ [Congrattions!] An odd sound echoed in his ears. [With your formidable resilience, the memory ofbor etched into your triceps to calves, and an extreme resistance to injury, a unique skill has been created!] [Subject ''Choi Jaehyuk'' has unlocked the ability ''Super Regeneration''!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 33 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 33: Hunting (5) "Hyung! What should I do next?" "¡­Huh?" Jaehyuk slung an old shovel over his shoulder and spoke up. His T-shirt was long discarded, and his pants were rolled up high enough to reveal his calf muscles. He looked every bit like a seasoned construction worker. ¡®Well, this ce isn¡¯t much different from a construction site anyway.¡¯ We had dug trenches to create waterless ditches and piled up the excavated dirt to form barricades. All this, done by just a few men, in a mere hour. "Are you nning to keep going¡­?" "I''m still good to go!" ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ nods approvingly, impressed by his subordinate¡¯s tenacity.¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Ferryman of the Administration Bureau¡¯ marvels at the foresight of Eunho, who unlocked the target¡¯s potential.¡¿ It seems like a tireless worker¡ªor rather, an industrial warrior¡ªhas been born. "Super regeneration, right?" "Yes! I finally have an ability now!" Jaehyuk said, grinning proudly. ¡®It¡¯s definitely a great ability.¡¯ To heal from injuries almost instantly? Plus¡­ "Congrattions." "It¡¯s all thanks to you, Hyung! You told me to focus on improving my recovery!" Even his stamina recovers. Already robust, he¡¯s basically be a stamina monster now. Following Jaehyuk¡¯s cheerful response, the group showered him with congrattions. "Congrats, Jaehyuk!" "Thank you, noona!" "Congrats, mister!" Everyone except S, who stood with her arms crossed, looking displeased. "¡­I could heal you¡­" "Hm? What did you say?" "¡­Nothing." S pouted as her eyes wandered to the hunting ground behind her. In its center, atop a wisteria vine, a single pebble rolled down and fell. Thud-thud-thud¡­ For anyone unfamiliar with the situation, it might seem eerie, as if a ghost were present. But in times like these¡­ "It seems Yura is ying hide-and-seek with her dad." It¡¯s better to imagine that the littledy is just earnestly ying a game of ¡°hide-and-seek.¡± "Yura¡¯s ability is truly amazing," Jieun muttered, staring at the seemingly unupied wisteria vine. "It¡¯s the key to this n." "And the fact that you, Eunho, came up with this n is even more amazing." "Haha¡­" This project operates on a few principles. First, monsters appear periodically in areas shrouded in ck mist¡ªconveniently called "hunting grounds." ording to Jieun, who first observed this phenomenon, a monster emerges roughly every ten minutes. Second, monsters appear regardless of the time interval if someone enters the hunting ground. Finally, third, even after a monster is defeated, if any survivors remain, a new monster will appear. Now, adding Yura¡¯s ability into the equation¡­ ¡®We can generate monsters without being attacked.¡¯ In other words, to maximize hunting efficiency¡­ ¡®Kill the monsters as soon as they¡¯re created.¡¯ Even if we immediately eliminate the spawned monsters, more will appear thanks to Yura. "We¡¯re ready!" "They¡¯re thest ones." The artificially created hunting ground, now littered with stumps instead of bushes, was nketed in dark, smoky mist. The clearing was packed with traps and hundreds, if not thousands, of poison-coated spearheads embedded in the ground. And just in case, the area was surrounded by trenches and barricades built with dirt and sweat. With this¡­ ¡®The hunting ground isplete.¡¯ The final duo to ce their spears quickly retreated beyond the barricades, carefully avoiding the densely packed traps. "Uh¡­ what should we do now?" "Should we try shooting arrows?" The pair, fiddling with flimsy-looking bows likely bought from a store, approached nervously, seeming uneasy about merely watching. They nced between me and the air, as if checking a map or remaining time. I felt tempted to assign them something, but¡­ "There¡¯s nothing more to do." "Huh? But¡­" This is, after all, an "automated hunt." "Look over there." I shrugged and pointed to the hunting ground. The duo turned around sharply. ¡ª ROAR! [Eliminate the ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯!] A monster slowly emerged from the dark smoke. Its faint, ghostly appearance gradually gained color and form¡ªa massive me bear. And then, immediately¡­ ¡ª Thunk! It stepped on a poison-coated spearhead the moment it appeared.N?v(el)B\\jnn ROAR! The bear howled, iled its front paws, and shook its head wildly in a frenzy, but¡­ no matter how much it struggled, it only managed to drive more traps into its feet. ¡ª Thunk! The ground was filled with so many poison-tipped traps that even arge monster like this couldn¡¯t avoid them. [You have eliminated the ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯!] [Welfare Points: +20] ¡®Oh.¡¯ It seemed one of the spears the bear had trampled or brushed against belonged to me. The two people next to me, noticing the same thing, widened their eyes in astonishment before pping their hands. "20 points! We really got it!" "Wow, this actually works!" [Eliminate the ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯!] And another monster appeared as soon as the announcement of earned points ended. ¡ª ROAR! Thunk! Thunk-thunk! ¡­Only to die immediately, again. [You have eliminated the ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯!] [Welfare Points: +33] [Eliminate the ¡®Venomous Sky Tiger¡¯!] [You have eliminated the ¡®Venomous Sky Tiger¡¯!] [Welfare Points: +10] [Eliminate the ¡®Starving Fire Bear¡¯!] [You have defeated the ¡®Starving Fire Bear''!] ¡­¡­ ¡¾Numerous observers marvel at the ingenuity of ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ "It''s done! I''ve collected everything!" "Now, I just need 300 more points to finish!" Joyful cries echoed from every direction, as persistent as the flood of messages. It was hard to believe these were the same people who, moments ago, had been hell-bent on taking each other''s lives. Anyway, for me, too¡­ ''200 points to go.'' Just 200 more points, and I''d be able to leave this ce safely. "Th-thank you! Honestly, I didn¡¯t think it would work¡­." "Thanks to you, I¡¯m still alive!" I gave a half-hearted nod to the flurry of gratitude and was about to check the map. ¡¾An anonymous observer wishes for ''Lee Eunho''s bold actions to continue!¡¿ ¡¾Sponsored 1,000 Welfare Points!¡¿ ''Sponsorship?'' Another anonymous observer. Could it be the same one who gifted the ''Lightning Oil'' during the Seoul Station mission? "Thanks. This is the second time you''ve given me something." ¡¾The anonymous observerughs, saying it¡¯s no big deal.¡¿ ''It¡¯s them, alright.'' Then the next question is¡­ What exactly are those beings watching us from beyond the veil of this ce? Are they even human? If not, what purpose do they have in observing us? Sigh. Chewing over these unanswerable questions caused my brow to furrow. [500 points have been deposited after deducting administrative fees.] ...Perhaps it¡¯s the outrageous fee that¡¯s upsetting me. ''Fifty percent? That¡¯s outright robbery.'' In any case. ''That makes it 5,050 points.'' Collected again. Most people had to run themselves ragged to gather 5,000 points. Yet I¡¯ve spent 10,000 points upgrading the store and managed to gather another 5,000. "Uncle! You¡¯vepleted it, right?" "Yeah, and you¡¯re done too, right?" "We finished ages ago, thanks to you." Leaving behind the confident remarks of S and Yeojin, I turned back to the map. Among the dozens of markers, there wasn¡¯t a single one under 5,000 points. [Defeat the ''Starving Fire Bear''!] None. Then perhaps it''s time to¡­ Hmm? ''Thatst announcement sounded strange¡­'' I tried to brush it off as a mistake, but¡ª [Defe- ¡­ -it¡­] "What are they saying?" "The system''s acting weird." Too many people began ncing around at each other with wide eyes. And then came the ominous noise. Beep-! [Error detected!] [Excessive entities generated within the zone!] Beeeeeeeeep-! A horrifying sound, amplified like the loudspeakers on election campaign trucks, filled the air. Stagger! The once steady ground beneath me suddenly shifted. "Did the ground just¡­?" "It¡¯s shaking!" Rumble! The earth, along with everyone standing on it, swayed like branches in the wind. "Aaaahhh!" "Grab onto something!" A bted announcement echoed through the chaos. [Brace for impact!] The hunting ground had devolved intoplete disarray. ''¡­Yura is in danger!'' "Yura! Drop your skill!" Whoosh! A small figure and a silhouette descended from the tree. As soon as I confirmed theirnding, I swung my sword. ¡ª Swish! The strong gust of wind sliced through, sending spears flying like falling leaves. ¡¸Usage Remaining: 2/3¡¹ "Hanul! Carry Yura on your back!" "Got it!" Rumble! A massive hole formed in the middle of the hunting ground, shrouded in thick ck smoke. A chilling sensation crawled up my spine. The sticky, oppressive ground beneath my feet urged me to move faster, slicing through another obstacle in my path. ¡¸Usage Remaining: 1/3¡¹ Even so, the ck smoke below thickened, turning viscous, and¡ª ¡ª Squish! The ground beneath my shoes began sticking like gum. ¡ª Squelch! Every step I took felt like my shoes were about to be pulled off. ¡ª Glurp! Eventually, the surface began swallowing my feet like a shallow swamp. Stagger! Hanul, carrying Yura, lost his bnce. "Eunho! Over here!" Jieun waved desperately from a safe zone where she stood firm. ''Is escaping this error zone the solution?'' If so¡­ "Jieun! Lift Hanul!" "Got it!" With a short, resolute answer, Jieun closed her eyes and opened them again, her gaze radiating determination. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Whoosh! Hanul¡¯s body rose with a flurry of crushed leaves. ''That takes care of them.'' "This is thest one." I poured all my strength, energy, and resolve into the sword in my hands and swung. It felt as though I were slicing through space itself. ¡ª Swish! The dense, tar-like smoke parted and receded like an ebbing tide. But as I leapt forward¡ª Zing! My hair stood on end. "W-what?!" Suddenly, I was being pulled backward. It felt like gravity itself had shifted to drag me from behind. "Uncle!!" "Hyung!!" S and Jaehyuk extended their hands in desperation. ''Too far!'' The distance was insurmountable. And the force pulling me was only growing stronger. It was dangerous, but¡­ ¡ª Thunk! I stabbed my sword deep into the viscous ground to anchor myself and leapt. Tap! Like a pole-vaulter, Iunched myself into the air. Then¡ª "Store!" Just before letting go of the sword, I shouted. p! I grabbed S and Jaehyuk¡¯s wrists tightly. "Sir! Pull it!" "Arghhhhh!" Thud! The two of us were flung back, unable to ovee the recoil, and copsed onto the ordinary dirt ground as we barelyid ourselves down. [This is a message for survivors in the Yongsan-gu area.] An announcement rang out. [A daily wage will be collected shortly. Please prepare.] [10 seconds left until the end of work: 10, 9, 8...] "It''s already time...!" "Finally, it''s over!" For those who were prepared, the end of work was the most joyous moment of all. It was 6 p.m. [Target: Lee Eunho. Submitting daily wage of 5,000 points.] Clink-! The sound of coins dropping echoed cheerfully in my ears. And then. [Project ''Hunting.'' Completed.] [Upon projectpletion, 3 mission points and 1,000 welfare points have been awarded.] [Please check your mission rewards!] It was over. Considering all the hardships endured up to this point, it ended so quickly and simply that it felt almost too light. "That''s it?" "We made it! We''re alive!!" [''The Eye'' is closing.] As soon as it hit quitting time, ''The Eye'' shut tight, right on cue. And amidst the cheers of those relieved to have narrowly escaped death. Just as I was about to copse from exhaustion. [Attention, target Lee Eunho.] "Huh?" A message meant exclusively for me was delivered. Well¡­ it was delivered, but¡­ [The number of survivors has significantly increasedpared to the simtion.] [A special reward for the ''Rebel'' trait has been added.] A special reward for the Rebel trait¡­? [Resistance stat increased (+52)] ''...?!'' Suddenly? [A unique stat, ''Resistance,'' has been created.] [The ''Resistance'' stat increases when achievements opposing the ''greater good'' are made. Points cannot be allocated to this stat.] So¡­ I achieved something that ''opposes'' the ''greater good'' in this project? ''When did I do that?'' And why 52? Not 50 or 60¡ª52, specifically. What''s that about? "Fifty-two..." As I frowned and muttered to myself, Jieun chuckled and spoke to me. "Eunho, you''re quick with numbers, as always." "Huh?" "Aren''t you counting how many people are left?" "How many people are left¡­ Oh!" I quickly lifted my head and counted the figures one by one. One, two, three... ''51, 52, 53!'' The total number of survivors scattered around was 53. If you exclude me, that leaves 52. The number of people who survived the project, or rather¡­ ''The number of people I saved.'' Okay, let¡¯s organize this. If the ''achievement opposing the greater good'' refers to the number of people I saved... ''The system''s ''greater good'' must mean ''elimination''¡ªreducing the number of people.'' Oh, my god. Realizing the essence of the Rebel trait and the Resistance stat made my head spin, and I shook my head in disbelief. At that moment, I overheard unfamiliar voices murmuring nearby. [Excessive entity generation. Why is that?] [Strange. A separate report is needed.] [We¡¯re going to get scolded. Let¡¯s assess first.] ''Who¡¯s that?'' Unfamiliar tones, peculiar speech patterns. The conversation seemed deeply connected to the ''error'' the system mentioned earlier. And most puzzling of all¡­ "Phew, it¡¯s finally over." "Do you think we¡¯re done for today? They did say it¡¯s quitting time!" The others reactedpletely nonchntly, as if they hadn¡¯t heard a thing. "Jieun! Can¡¯t you hear these voices?" "Huh? What voices?" Jieun tilted her head, looking puzzled. And a momentter. Tap, tap! Footsteps approached, and then appeared¡­ "...Kids?" Two young boys, about Yura¡¯s age. Maybe five or six years old. Identical faces. Bowl cuts. Neat white outfits. ''Twins?'' "Huh? Kids?" "You don¡¯t see them?" "Yura is right there with his dad. Eunho, is something wrong?" Oh, there is. Something very, very wrong. ¡ª Bang! The twins leapt up¡ªboing, boing, boing!¡ªand soared to the height of a second-story building in a single bound. It was like they had jet engines attached to their shoes. So, what you¡¯re telling me is¡­ "You¡¯re saying you can¡¯t see those flying kids?" "Huh? Flying kids? What are you even talking about?" "You too, Jaehyuk?" "Yes, hyung. All I see in the sky are clouds!" So only I can see them, and only I can hear them? If that¡¯s the case¡­ "Jaehyuk. Do you think I¡¯ve lost it?" "Wh-what? Of course not!" "Then... follow me for a bit." Rebel trait or whatever¡ªit¡¯s probably because of this ability I alone possess. Which means¡­ [Excessive entity generation. Why is that?] [Strange. A separate report is needed.] [We¡¯re going to get scolded. Let¡¯s assess first.] I¡¯m the only one who can find out who they are, and what kind of superior they¡¯re ''reporting'' to. ''This is my chance.'' A chance to uncover the knowledge those guys up there have and we down here don¡¯t¡ªabout this world. In other words¡­ An opportunity to learn the truth about this cursed restructuring process! "Wait! Where are you going¡­?" "Jieun, take care of the others." "Huh? Oh, okay!" "Hyung! Hyuuuuung!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 34 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 34: Temporary Employees (1) ¡ª Taat! Chasing down those who fly while I remain on the ground. It''s difficult but not impossible. At least, not for me. "elerate!" Increasing my speed with eleration, I cleared the obstacles blocking my way using petrification and de winds as I pursued them. Finally, I arrived at my destination. ''The Namsan Tower?'' I was back again. Not for a mission or a safe zone this time, but because of those bowl-cut twins. And then. ''They disappeared!'' I looked around, thinking they might have gone inside the tower. ¡ª Thud! They suddenly dropped right in front of me. [Can you see us?] "!!" The abrupt appearance of the bowl-cut twins filled my vision. My startled reaction answered their question for them. Thud! When the two of them stomped their feet simultaneously¡ª Crash! A massive coldness surged up from the ground. My entire body froze in an instant. ''I... must... stay conscious...'' My vision darkened. * * * ''Ugh...'' My teeth chattered from the cold, and my head throbbed. My whole body felt soaked, as if I had been drenched in rain. ''How much time has passed?'' I tried moving my limbs, but they wouldn¡¯t budge. Upon closer inspection, I noticed I was tied up with rope. I could guess whose handiwork this was. [...Zone.] [Summary... Ordinary.] [Suspicious...] [Needs investigation.] I could hear their voices faintly from a distance. Those carefree little ones didn¡¯t seem to think I¡¯d woken up¡ªor could even wake up at all. By the way, where am I? ''An office?'' High ceilings. Bookshelves lined up like dividers. A variety of books, all differing in thickness and height, packed densely together. Yet, what made me think this was an office rather than a library was¡ª [District 13. Where''s the investigation report?] [Over there.] Each desk was piled high with various file folders. A space that seemed unnatural for two small kids, barely tall enough to reach the desk, to be using. ''Hmm? Wait a second.'' One of the kids was rummaging through desks and drawers as if searching for something. They moved against the backdrop of sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows that stretched to the ceiling. ''Windows...'' Beyond the windows, I could see a panoramic view of Seoul. Tourist stickers adorned the ss. A souvenir disy stand was shoved into a corner, half-hidden by the bookshelves. This ce... ''An observatory?'' It seemed these kids had set up an office inside one of Seoul¡¯sndmarks. So that¡¯s why the tower was encased in a dome-like structure. ''The important thing is figuring out who they are, what they¡¯re doing here, and why they attacked me.'' I could roughly guess who they were. [Excessive creature generation. Why?] Due to my auto-hunting n, monsters had been generated in greater numbers than expected, and they were here to find out why. [Strange. Needs a separate report.] [We¡¯ll get scolded. Let¡¯s identify it first.] They didn¡¯t seem to be the ones in charge, though. They were trying to understand the situation and report it to someone. By the way, ''District 13 investigation report''... [Found it.] ''I¡¯d like to take a look at that, too.'' [Target: Lee Eunho. Ordinary human.] [Ordinary? But how can they see us?] [I don¡¯t know.] The bowl-cut twins chattered back and forth, oblivious to the fact that the "ordinary human" they were discussing could hear every word. ''Is that the report?'' A ck file folder holding dozens of A4 sheets. The two of them leaned their heads together as they flipped through the pages. Rustle! After a while, when they couldn¡¯t find what they were looking for, they alternated flipping forward and backward through the report. Eventually, they smacked their foreheads and spoke simultaneously. [There¡¯s nothing special.] [Why?] [How?] Hmm. They seemed quite flustered about not being able to figure out my identity. [This is a first.] [What do we do?] [What should we do?] They looked so helpless, like innocent kids stomping their feet in frustration. However. ''Even the manager, who had the appearance of a child, once split someone in half with just a finger.'' I knew from experience that just because they looked like children didn¡¯t mean they were innocent. Even so, for some reason, they didn¡¯t seem all that threatening. Maybe it was because... ''Their presence feels weak.'' [We can¡¯t even identify the anomaly.] [The report. We can¡¯t finish it.] [But the target. They even noticed us.] [Concealment failed.] [Sigh...] Or perhaps they genuinely seemed more like timid kids. [The investigator will be mad.] [We¡¯re going to get scolded.] [We¡¯re doomed.] ''Investigator?'' [Sigh...] I followed the gaze of the kid who sighed at the unfamiliar yet oddly familiar term. Arge panoramic window stretched along the curved wall. In front of it, two bowl-cut kids were sighing. "Hm?" ...Wait a second. [First, that suspicious guy.] [Investigate him. Take care of him.] These guys¡­ Why aren¡¯t they reflected in the window? "No way¡­" I widened my eyes and observed them closely, but the only reflection in the ss was mine. No matter how hard I looked, I couldn¡¯t spot the bowl-cut kids in white clothing. [This is bad.] [?] ¡®Those guys¡­ they don¡¯t even cast shadows.¡¯ My head throbbed, and I closed my eyes. Then, a momentter, I heard voices from a little closer. [He¡¯s awake?] Haah. This damn system¡­ ¡®Ghosts? Really, now?¡¯ * * * Right. Now I remember. [You have defeated 19 demons that do not belong to thisnd.] [You have earned the title of ¡®Demon yer.¡¯] The title I earned afterpleting that mission. Demon yer. The abilities of that title were clear: [Immune to the abilities of low-tier demons.] [20% attack increase when fighting mid-tier demons.] [Resist intimidation from high-tier demons.] Immune to low-tier demons abilities. Demons. Ghosts. So¡­ ¡®Demon-ghosts like these kids.¡¯ [He¡¯s already awake.] [By himself? How?] Now it made sense. It seemed their ability was to hide themselves and freeze their target, but thanks to the Demon yer title, it didn¡¯t work on me. Even earlier, when I was frozen, it wasn¡¯t because they directly froze me¡ªit was because the cold transmitted through the ground got me. In that case¡­ ¡®If I¡¯d been directly hit, I¡¯d be in real trouble.¡¯ [He¡¯s suspicious.] [Let¡¯s just kill him.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The two bowl-cut ghosts put down the documents they were holding and approached me. They grabbed a wooden mallet that had been leaning nearby. "¡­You¡¯re nning to hit me?" A nod. At the same time, the bowl-cut twins nodded and approached, their shiny bowl cuts swaying. ¡®Should I fight? Or persuade them?¡¯ If I used up all the remaining mission rewards, I could recover from the injuries I¡¯d taken earlier. But if I managed to get out of here safely, S could heal me instead. Hmm¡­ In that case. "Wait, stop." [?] [?] I straightened my posture and spoke boldly. Though I was tied up and lying on the floor, I tried my best to appear as confident as possible. "Attacking someone right off the bat? Who taught you such manners?" Flinch! As I said this in a low, scolding tone, the twins flinched and stopped in their tracks. They rolled their eyes, clearly caught off guard. "Haah." I let out a sharp, exaggerated sigh to prevent them from making eye contact with each other. "Bring your boss out here." [?] [?] I shouted it out. Something I¡¯d heard countless times during my various part-time jobs. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d use this on ghosts.¡¯ It felt absurd, but as it turned out, ghost neighborhoods weren¡¯t so different from human ones. The response was immediate. [The boss?] [Why?] The twins frowned deeply at each other, nervously fiddling with the hems of their robes. ¡®Did it work?¡¯ Since they¡¯d been talking about getting scolded or killed earlier, I decided to try pushing my luck. "Go call your boss already!" Fully channeling the demeanor of an angry customer. Gulp. I secretly swallowed my nerves but kept my head held high and stiff. Then¡­ One of the bowl-cut twins, who¡¯d been fumbling around, finally spoke. [The investigator? Do you know him?] Gotcha. "You don¡¯t need to know that. Just hurry and bring them here. I¡¯m going to file aint about how poorly you¡¯re being managed." Flinch! The twins shivered again.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then, suddenly, they waved their hands toward empty space and began whispering to each other. [¡®Setani¡¯ has activated ¡®Silence.¡¯] [Due to the title ¡®Demon yer,¡¯ you are unaffected by the skill.] Oh-ho. So they want to talk in secret? [The investigator? Is he a friend?] [If it¡¯s a lie?] [We¡¯ll get in trouble.] [Scary.] In that case¡­ "Petrification." I whispered almost silently and fumbled with the ropes tying my hands. And then¡­ ¡ªSnap. I cautiously nced up to make sure they didn¡¯t notice. Luckily, they were too absorbed in their heated discussion. [What if we erase his memory?] [He won¡¯t notice.] [We won¡¯t get scolded.] I managed to cut the ropes without a hitch, then slowly worked on freeing my ankles. By the time I was done, they seemed to have reached an agreement and began approaching me. [Erase his memory.] ¡®Erase my memory?¡¯ Sorry, but that¡¯s probably¡­ "Not gonna work, either." [?] Ta-at-! I sprang to my feet, shoved them aside, and bolted out of the room. The wide-eyed, dumbfounded faces of the kids began to twist with shock and fury when¡ª Smack! I swiftly ran over and snatched up the report they¡¯d been reviewing. [!!] [That¡¯s!] [No way!] ¡ºDistrict 13 Investigation Report and Restructuring Efficiency (Draft)¡» I barely managed to read the title amidst their screams before stuffing it into my inventory. Fearing they might try something reckless, I turned to flee, but a chilling killing intent froze me in my tracks. And then¡ª Boom¡ª! Craaack! They stomped the ground with all their might. From beneath their feet, the floor began to freeze in two streaks. And at the end of the lightning-fast ice path¡ª Crack-crack-crack-crunch! A wall of ice sealed the exitpletely. So, this was their power. [Right now!!] [Hand it over!!] Blocking my escape, the two spirits lunged at me like cannonballs. Swoosh! [He dodged!!!] [You¡¯re dead!!!] With their arms glued to their sides, they fueled their rage into propulsion, hurtling toward me at a terrifying speed. I barely dodged by rolling on the ground, causing their heads to smash into the wall instead of me. Boom! Thud-thud! The sound was like a cannon hitting the ground. The walls, ceiling, and floor all trembled. [You little rat!] [You¡¯re not getting out!] [You¡¯ll die here!] The exit was frozen solid, emanating a biting cold. What now? I could try eleration or petrification, but no way would they sit idly by while I attempted it. Smack! Before I realized it, I was already far from the exit, my back pressed against the cold ss of a window. [Hand over the report. Then die!] [Or die and hand it over!] Thinking they¡¯d won, the two bowl-cut cannonballs gleefullyunched themselves at me. Apparently, their charge attack had no cooldown. Unlike my eleration skill. ¡®If I face them head-on, I¡¯m at a disadvantage.¡¯ In that case¡ª Swoosh! They wereing. One aimed for my head, the other for my stomach. Like missiles. I wanted to dodge immediately, but¡ª ¡®Wait for it¡­¡¯ Now! "eleration!" I waited until I locked eyes with them, reflected in their pupils, before activating my skill. Then I quickly slipped away¡ª Tick-tock¡ª! I could hear the ticking of a clock near my ear. Boom! Crash¡ª! Their thick skulls smashed into the ss window behind me instead of hitting me. Crack! The impact sent fine cracks spidering out from their rounded heads. Cra-crack-crack-crunch¡ª! The entire pane shattered. So did their heads. [Arghhh!!] [Ahhhh!!] Drip! [Blood, blood?!] [You...!!!] [You¡¯re dead!!!] Enraged, they charged at me again. But they¡¯d used their heads¡ªliterally¡ªto create a brand-new exit. "Later. Petrification!" Leaving was the logical next step. Ta-at¡ª! I cleared the broken ss and leapt out. From the Namsan Tower observatory. [He¡¯s... suicide?!] [The worst!!!] The two bowl-cuts were aghast. But honestly¡ª "Suicide?" ¡ªWhooosh! "Like I¡¯d ever do that." [?!] [Idiot?!] [How many floors is this?!] [I don¡¯t know!] No idea how high or how many meters, but falling from here would definitely crush my skull in one blow. If I fell, that is. ¡ªFwaaah! Certain death. Absolutely. In that case... "Then I just won¡¯t fall!" "Summon!" A small green card appeared in my palm. "Activate!" A faint shiver ran through me as energy drained from my fingertips. Maybe it was the fierce wind or the card in my hand, but regardless¡ª Click¡ª! A cold doorknob suddenly appeared in midair. Defying gravity, I grabbed onto it. Then the metallic door clicked open. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll be seeing that bastard again.¡¯ Back to the academy already. Who would¡¯ve thought? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 35 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 35: Temporary Employees (2) A dimly lit room. In the empty, silent ssroom, the assistant instructor heard an announcement echoing in his ears. [Student ''Lee Eunho'' has entered.] [Beginner Swordsmanship student: 1 person.] He¡¯s back. That arrogant candidate. sh! Simultaneously, the assistant instructor lit up the room and revealed himself. A crisp white shirt, neat pants, and a glimmering ck de. He looked exactly like the lone student before him. [You¡¯ve finallye.] Finally. A wry smile curled on the assistant instructor¡¯s lips. [I was prepared to wait years.] It had been two months since the candidate had left. One hour in the training center equaled one minute for him, so from Lee Eunho¡¯s perspective, it had only been a full day since his departure. [So fearless.] He had stolen a precious honey stone and fled, forcing the assistant instructor to endure angry swarms of bees chasing him relentlessly. The stings on his forearm still throbbed. After coaxing the bees and sending them back, he had to fix the copsed stone wall, which was another ordeal. [Granting the candidate ''Lee Eunho'' a ''Beginner Swordsmanship'' course ticket.] He had, as if possessed, handed him the ticket. He had expected Eunho to return eventually¡ªbut not this quickly. [At least my preparations weren¡¯t in vain.] To prepare for his arrogant return, the instructor had taken measures. Huge vines dangled from the ceiling of the cave, bait for the nearby super millworms that couldn¡¯t resist such a delicacy. Attracted by the scent, they had likely swarmed into the cave, starving as they stared at their unattainable feast. [He might catch one or two if he¡¯s lucky, but¡­] The rest would descend on him like demons. The instructor suddenly grew curious. The moment the ¡®door¡¯ opened, what expression would the candidate Lee Eunho make? Imagine stepping into what seemed to be a safe cave, only to see dozens of giant creatures baring their fangs. [He won¡¯t escape so easily this time.] Starving super millworms were savage enough to devour one another. Their hard shells were nearly imprable, even by other giant creatures. Only the Drosera, a predator with corrosive digestive fluids, could threaten them. Such creatures now infested the cave. [Perhaps¡­] Maybe the sight would terrify Eunho so much he wouldn¡¯t even dare set foot inside. Or worse, he might be torn apart by the ravenous monsters, never to rise again. Or perhaps. He might never return to the training center. ¡­Was this going too far? Step. The usually immobile assistant instructor began walking. Not because he was anxious or worried. Rather¡­ [He might deeply reflect and beg for forgiveness.] He didn¡¯t want the precious course ticket to go to waste. Yes, that was the reason. A satisfied smile appeared as he walked lightly toward the cave. And then¡ª Click! Inside the cave, where the candidate should have been struggling against the giant creatures... ...and perhaps deeply repenting or begging for his life on his knees¡­ The instructor imagined this as he entered, only for familiar sensations to flood his senses. sh! Buzz¡ª! The muggy air. The drone of bees¡¯ wings as if part of a background melody. The foul stench wafting from the corpses of super millworms. [So he pulled a clever stunt¡­] ¡­Wait. The corpses of super millworms? [?!] The cave was littered with the bodies of dead super millworms. Green ooze seeped from their ruptured bodies, forming pools on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Sitting casually in a corner, avoiding the ooze, was Lee Eunho, whozily waved at him. [No way¡­ Did he kill all of these?!] ¡°What do you think?¡± [Impossible!] The assistant instructor¡¯s hands trembled. The monsters, which should have been tearing Eunho apart, were now the ones with their insides exposed. And yet, Eunho, having aplished the impossible, sat there as if it was nothing, even waving. Somehow, the instructor felt like his insides were flipping as well. [It should¡¯ve been beyond your skills.] ¡°Really? Well, it might¡¯ve been hard if I fought them head-on.¡± [¡­What did I miss?] Come to think of it, the corpses were peculiar. Two bore clear cuts and shes. The rest had their stomachs split open, green foam spilling from their mouths. [Two killed with shes. Excellent swordsmanship.] His movements surpassed what he had been taught. Eunho had skillfully aimed for the soft joints between their tough shells, slicing them cleanly. A chillingly precise control. He likely slowed time to attack with precision. [But the others¡­] Dozens of creatures had their stomachs split open. Perhaps the first two blocked the path, and the rest were killed as they tried to climb over. ¡°Oh.¡± ncing at the shocked instructor, Eunho shrugged as if it were nothing. Still seated, he lowered his head slightly and spoke. ¡°They were poisoned spear tips.¡± [What?] ¡°I had some left over, so I used them well.¡± Now that the instructor looked closer, strange stakes were embedded in the creatures'' bodies. They were suspicious at first nce. ¡°I built a wall with the first two corpses and stuck the poisoned tips between the gaps in their shells.¡± Any approaching monster would have to climb over the corpses, impaling themselves on the stakes. [¡­¡­.] Anticipating the enemy¡¯s movements and preparing ordingly. Some might say it was the basic principle ofbat. But most fail at this basic principle, which is why strategy books exist and why battles always have losers. Furthermore¡­ [You set a trap? In this short amount of time?] From the moment the "door" appeared, Eunho entered, and the instructor arrived¡ª Only about ten minutes had passed here. And yet, everything was already resolved. Even with a "eleration" skill... "I was just lucky." That can''t be true. ¡®Both I know it, he knows it, and likely even the "Company" knows it.¡¯ [What are you, really?] ¡®I felt it during thest lesson, but this guy is different.¡¯ The confidence thates from cold, precise judgment. Not just skill in one-on-onebat, but the ability to change the entire game. If it''s this guy... Maybe...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Fwoosh! In the pitch-ck darkness, a faint light appeared. The instructor stared at him with sunken eyes, as though trying to determine whether the light was real or imagined. Then¡ª Wave. The light beckoned. To the nameless instructor... "If you¡¯ve got nothing to do, lend me a hand." ...offering him a task. [Hmm?] A bundle of dark green was suddenly handed to him. [What... Giant vines? Why do I need this?] It was the special bait he''d personally set on the cave ceiling to lure the Super Millworms. Now, it had been cut into neat strips, stacked beside Eunho. "Just hold this for a second." [What?] ¡ªSsssk! Eunho''s hands moved swiftly, tying two of the severed strands together. Skilled hands, like those of a seasoned worker¡ªdelicate yet fast. ¡ªSsssk, ssssk, ssssk, ssssk, ssssk... [What... are you doing?] "Making a rope." [A rope?] "A symbol of salvation descending from the heavens. You know it?" A warrior who could take down dozens of giant creatures, now quietly performing such handiwork. For some reason, the instructor''s grip ckened, as if he wanted to drop the vines. "You¡¯ve got nothing better to do anyway. I mean, there aren¡¯t any other students, right?" [Well, that¡¯s tru¡ª...] He stopped. That strangely confident tone bothered him. [Why are you so sure?] This guy was just a preliminary candidate. He shouldn¡¯t know anything about the training center or the enrollment policies. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Suddenly uneasy, the instructor probed further. "Because self-development training is only avable to candidates who pass the recruitment test, right?" The vague unease crystallized into outright anxiety. [How do you know that...?] This was confidential information during the current restructuring phase. Had there been a leak? From where? "Huh¡ªso it¡¯s true." When the instructor asked with an unintentionally hardened expression, Eunho smiled in satisfaction. p, p! Then, as though his work were finished, he dusted off his hands and stood up. [How did you know that?] "Just... read it somewhere." [Where exactly?] Step. Instead of answering, Eunho only let out a faintugh as he gathered up the long bundle of vines he''d tied together. He climbed onto the nearby corpse of a Super Millworm and¡ª Ssssk! Sssk! ¡ªstarted tying the long vines securely around it. Once, twice, three times. "Good thing these things are heavy." [?!] "Wouldn¡¯t want it falling off..." After testing the rope''s tension for a moment, he tied the other end securely around his waist. [What are you doing?] "Lower me down, slowly. Got it?" [What do you mean by¡ª?] Before he could grasp what was happening, the events unfolded rapidly. When the instructor finally came to his senses, Eunho had tied the green vines around his waist and was¡ª Click! ¡ªopening the door. Then, as if remembering something, he spoke up. "Oh, right. Thanks for the gift." [A gift? What are you even¡ª] "I¡¯ll put it to good use." Tap! Tap! He patted his chest. [...Wait.] The sound wasn''t flesh¡ªit was something solid. A faint yellow gleam could be seen through the white shirt. [What¡¯s that under your shirt?] An all-too-familiar scenario. The memory ofst time shed through his mind, sending a chill down his spine. [Don¡¯t tell me you smuggled honey-stone in here again...!] The instructor asked with a distorted expression, but Eunho just waved dismissively. "Of course not. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m totally drained from fighting these things?" [Then what is it...?] "Anyway, next time, bring something stronger." [What?] "Preferably ones that drop good items. Got it?" Before the instructor could respond¡ª ¡ªThud! Eunho stepped¡ªno, jumped¡ªthrough the doorway. Like he was bungee jumping. "Lower me down slowly!" [What do you¡ª!] [Student ''Eunho'' has exited.] [Beginner Swordsmanship Students: 0] * * * ¡ªWhoooosh! The sudden gust of wind nearly knocked me off bnce. The reversal of gravity was startling but brief. The vines unfurled like thread from a spool, finally pulling taut. "Haaah...!" Hanging onto a single vine, the ground suddenly rushed up toward me in an instant. Even though I''d prepared himself for it countless times, my heart still dropped like a stone. Still¡ª "I survived¡­" The height had to be at least 200 meters. Just thinking about falling from a height so dizzying that it was hard to even look up left me light-headed. ''That was a bit short.'' Any longer, and I would¡¯ve smashed my head on the ground. The thought sent a chill through me, and I shook my head to clear it. About 3 meters to the ground now, maybe? That height would strain my ankles, but it was manageable enough to jump. "Petrification." Swish! With my left hand gripping the upper part of the vine, I used my strengthened right hand to cut through the section just below. The massive vine severed easily. Then, I let go with my left hand. ¡ªThud! Inded heavily, almost falling to the ground, but at that moment, a notification rang out. [''Shell Breastte'' absorbs all impact damage!] Hmm? The Shell Breastte... [You have defeated "Super Millworm," the reversed jungle predator!] [You have received a First Kill Reward.] [Obtained Super Millworm''s Shell Breastte!] Right, the reward he¡¯d gotten from taking down that massive bug earlier. ? Super Millworm''s Shell Breastte A breastte woven from the tough shell of the massive Super Millworm. Increases defense by 10 when equipped. Non-tradable item I¡¯d been frustrated not knowing exactly what "+10 Defense" meant earlier, but apparently, it was enough to absorb the impact of a 3-meter fall. ''Worth the trouble of catching it.'' Simply equipping it was enough to block some unexpected attacks. That was far better than fighting bare-handed. And now¡ª [Hey, look!!!] [He''s not dead!] [That door. What is it?!] [Could it be¡­ an entry ticket?] If I was going to face off against those ghostly twins who headbutted like cannonballs, this level of preparation was essential. Whoosh! The twins, their faces twisted with shock and rage, dove toward me like birds of prey. In that brief moment, I hurriedly¡ª ''One more thing to prepare.'' "Summon!" Spreading both hands wide, I conjured up two items. One was the familiar de-Tipped Sword. The other was¡­ Something I¡¯d purchased for the first time at the upgraded intermediate shop. Slick! Something small, cold, and slippery began to take shape above my palm slowly. And then¡ª Pop! As soon as the "thing" fully materialized, I shoved it into my mouth. [You have consumed an Ice Shard!] [Temporary Skill Ice Resistance (Lv.1) has been unlocked.] [Duration: 3 minutes] From my tongue to the insides of my mouth, the cold spread in a chilling wave that circled my head before flowing down my throat and gradually spreading throughout my body. Whoosh! A refreshing, icy sensation flooded every inch of me. And just in time, the twins reached me. [Got him!] [You little¡­!] Did they think they¡¯d finally caught me after all my running? With smug expressions, they lifted their feet in perfect sync. If they stomped now, two trails of ice would spread toward me, just like before. But this time¡­ ''I came prepared.'' [The report! Hand it over!] [We¡¯ll kill you!] Yeah, yeah. "I get it." "Come at me, brats." Let¡¯s finish this in 3 minutes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 36 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 36: Temporary Employees (3) ¡ª Thud! The twins stomped their feet in unison. Then, two icy paths shot forward like lightning, piercing through the gaps in the asphalt. The sharp chill crawled up my body like a snake, starting from beneath my feet. Twitch. Before I knew it, my legs were frozen, fused with the ground. When I tried to wriggle my immobilized feet, the twins tilted their chins up triumphantly, assuming it was over. ¡®I let you have your fun once¡­¡¯ [Detected: ''Ice Bind''] [Effect of ''Ice Shard'' activates Ice Resistance (Lv.1).] [Remaining duration: 2 minutes 41 seconds¡­ 40 seconds¡­ 39 seconds¡­] "Twice would be asking too much." As I watched them rx and approach, I moved my legs again. Crack! The thickyer of ice encasing my body shattered like armor. [!!] [!!] Step. As I took a step with my now-liberated, lighter legs¡­ [The freezing! It doesn¡¯t work?!] Shatter! The ice shards clinging to me scattered into the air and vanished. Along with them, the twins¡¯ confidence also crumbled. [How is this happening all of a sudden?!] "Ah, well. I came prepared." [You¡­ You monster!] "And aren¡¯t you the monsters?" Otherwise¡­ ¡®There¡¯s no way you¡¯d have something like that attached to your legs.¡¯ Grind. The twins clenched their teeth, their bowl-cut hair fluttering as they charged at me simultaneously. "elerate!" I twisted the flow of time, deciding it was time to finish this quickly, and sprinted forward. Even though they moved like balloons floating in slow motion, their aggression didn¡¯t wane. Level 4 eleration Skill. The remaining time: ¡®20 seconds.¡¯ I raised my de, the de Tipped Sword, andunched off the ground. The twins came into range in an instant. I dodged their trajectories and prepared to sh downward when¡­ [Dieeeeeee!] "!!" One of the bowl-cut twins twisted his head toward me. In time slowed to one-twentieth, he dove at me like a bullet, aiming straight for my sr plexus. Thud! I twisted my body just in time, and the attack merely grazed my side. The force was unnervingly strong, as if it wasn¡¯t from a human head. Still¡­ [''Shell Breastte'' absorbs part of the impact!] I didn¡¯t have time to feel the full brunt of the blow. The shell armor encasing my body acted as both a solid and supple cushion. Crunch! As one twin¡¯s body mmed into mine, the othertched onto my head, encasing himself in ice. [''Setani'' activates ''Ice Bind.''] [Due to the ''Demon yer¡¯ title, you are unaffected by the skill.] They must know their direct powers don¡¯t work on me. Were they trying to block my vision or sap my body heat instead? ¡®Even under eleration, they can move this much.¡¯ Impressive, but¡­ [Effect of ''Ice Shard'' activates Ice Resistance (Lv.1).] [Remaining duration: 2 minutes 27 seconds¡­ 26 seconds¡­] ¡®I told you¡ªit doesn¡¯t work on me.¡¯ Thud! I mmed the one clinging to my head into the ground. sh! I swung at the other twin, targeting the icicle-like exhaust pipe attached to his calf rather than his body. sh! ¡®This is¡­¡¯ As I cut through the long, blue-white icicle, it began to lose its glow, turning dull gray. And then¡­ Psssssht! The icicle, which resembled an exhaust pipe, spat out a few chunks of ice before shattering into pieces upon hitting the ground. [Aaaaargh!] Simultaneously, the twin howled in pain as if part of his body had been torn off. Part of their body, yes. The icicle must have been like an arm or leg to them. ¡®It seems to be the source of their freezing power.¡¯ It had struck me as strange how they always stomped the same foot when using their powers. Now for the other twin. Swish! sh! I cut through his icicle with precision, taking care not to harm his body. With that, their abilities were neutralized. As I carefully wielded my longsword like a sculptor¡¯s chisel, a notification chimed. [Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.2) proficiency has reached its maximum!] [Skill level of ''Basic Swordsmanship'' increases. (Lv.2 ¡ú Lv.3)] "!!" My Basic Swordsmanship skill leveled up. It had barely increased even after ying countless monsters, but the training at the academy must have paid off. Those stinky bugs¡­ All that shing was worth it. [Would you like to review the effects of Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.3)?] "No." I was curious, but these two came first. [Aaaaaaaaargh!] Their dted pupils expanded slowly. Their small bodies let out bone-chilling roars. They were ghosts, after all. I wondered if they were casting some kind of curse. [May you rot in agonyyyyy!] Even so, I didn¡¯t kill them outright. Instead, I severed their abilities alone for a reason. ¡ª Swish! Using the vines I had cut earlier, I quickly tied their hands and feet before my eleration skill expired. Using the rope they had tied me up with instead. [??????] [!!!!!!!!] The twins struggled with slow but deliberate movements, but it was useless. Soon, theyy sprawled on thin ice, hands and feet bound. [Saahhhhhh... let me gooooo...] Tick-tock¡ª! [...Please!!!] Their howling cries drowned out the ticking of the clock¡¯s second hand. [Please!!!] [It hurts so much!] [Stop hitting me!] Eventually, even with their hands and feet tied, they twisted their robed bodies and knelt on the ground. These guys are mentally weaker than I thought. Well, considering that most of their conversations were about being "afraid of getting scolded," I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. It¡¯s such a predictable reaction. [We won¡¯t take the report!] [Spare us!] Hmm. This is going easier than I thought? "Then shall we do that?" [Yes!] [Let¡¯s do that!] Their eyes widened as they nodded furiously, their bowl-cut hair bouncing wildly. If their hands hadn¡¯t been tied behind their backs, they probably would¡¯ve been groveling. ¡®Yep, total weaklings.¡¯ The kind who cause more trouble for their superiors than take responsibility themselves. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w In that case... "But there¡¯s a condition." [A condition!] [Name it!] Weaklings are meant to be used ordingly. I¡¯ve been through this enough to know. "That report from earlier." ¡ºInvestigation Report on Zone 13 and Restructuring Efficiency (Draft)¡» The one covered with terms like "confidential" and "do not disclose" all over it. That report. ¡¸...Among East Asians, particrly Koreans, due to their familiarity with a highlypetitive environment, they tend to exhibit strong mental resilience but are notably weaker in physical activities. Additionally, simtion results show that the likelihood of unlocking unique abilities is the lowest among them. This is attributed to a societal atmosphere that discourages individuality...¡¹ It analyzed everything about this ce¡ªthe vegetation of Earth, poption distribution, national characteristics, ss structures... Aplete breakdown of this world from a purely "business" perspective. ¡¸...Therefore, the key to effective restructuring lies in efficiently selecting individuals who align with thepany¡¯s ideal employee profile.¡¹ "Honestly, it was useful to study." ¡¸Thus, the meticulous design of the ''entry exam'' is paramount, and...¡¹ "But it didn¡¯t include the most important detail." Gulp. The twins looked up at me, half anxious, half nervous. [The most important detail?] [What is it?] They asked in trembling voices, perhaps instinctively guessing what I was about to say. So instead of dragging it out, I got straight to the point. "I want to know the missions for the entry exam in advance." [!!] [!!] Their jaws dropped in shock. "You¡¯ve got it, don¡¯t you? The data." [No, no way!] [We don¡¯t have anything like that!] Flustered, they shook their heads vigorously, denying it. ¡¸...The detailed mission structure and progression are discussed further in ¡ºProposal for Entry Exam Project by Zone: Zone 13 Restructuring Efficiency (Draft)¡».¡¹ I already know it exists. So, what I¡¯m saying is... "Bring me the proposal." [!!] [!!] If I could know what missions are waiting and prepare for them... [No!] [That¡¯s cheating!] Cheating or not, I need to do it. If it means surviving¡ªnot just me, but others too. "Why? You don¡¯t want to?" [We¡¯ll get caught!] [Our heads will roll!] "You guys are just temps. Even if you get caught, your heads won¡¯t roll." And I already confirmed that they¡¯re just as much disposable "tools" of thepany as I am. ¡¸To reduce personnel costs, mobile ''Setani'' are dispatched for preliminary investigations, with official investigators sent only for exceptional cases.¡¹ ...Basically, not much different from my own position. [If we get caught.] [We¡¯ll die...] That¡¯s why I¡¯ll persuade them. "I¡¯ll say I snuck in and stole it." [But...] [...Still...] Even with an escape route prepared, they¡¯re reluctant. As expected, these guys aren¡¯t the carrot type. In that case... "Or should I report you? Say you took a bribe from me to show me the report?" The stick it is. [Wh-what?!] [That¡¯s a lie!] [No way!] [You stole it!] The twins shouted, clearly agitated, faces flushed red to the point of contrasting with their stark white bowl cuts. "Why, you don¡¯t like that?" [Of course not!] [No way!] [Absolutely not!] "Then bring me the proposal."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [Ugh...] [Urgh...] At a loss for words, they just rolled their eyes nervously. Hmm¡ªlooks like they¡¯re almost convinced. So, for the final push... "One mistake or two, the punishment is the same, right?" So. "Are you going to shut me up, or not?" Finishing with a stick disguised as a carrot. When I asked with a sly grin, their faces twisted, their eyes squeezing shut before finally opening again. [Ah, fine!] [I''ll get it!] Reluctantly, they nodded. Well then... "Go fetch the proposal." Run along, you naive little kids. * * * "Hyu-...!" Freeze! Jaehyuk, who had been running, stopped in his tracks, words caught in his throat. ¡®I must be seeing things, right?¡¯ Yeah, that''s gotta be it. No way Eunho would suddenly jump off the top of Namsan Tower out of the blue. "Eeek! That¡¯s dangerous... Wait, what?!" And there¡¯s no way he¡¯d disappear into thin air while I was rubbing my eyes. And momentster, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d reappear wrapped in some weird green vines. And most of all¡ª ¡ªThud! There¡¯s no way he¡¯d be muttering to himself in an empty clearing. "Is this it? The proposal?" Eunho asked, speaking to the empty air. "Such good little kids." Then, he nodded to himself, smiling in satisfaction. Swoosh, swoosh. Jaehyuk rubbed his eyes again, but no matter how many times he did, only Eunho stood there. What in the world is going on? And looking closer... "Yikes!" The green vines wrapping around Eunho¡¯s body were floating midair. As if they were binding something invisible. Was there something that only Eunho could see, but not Jaehyuk? And as Eunho released the green vines, he casually muttered: "So, when did you all die?" ''D-die?!'' What kind of conversation is this...? "Eh, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, fine." Jaehyuk felt like screaming. ''This... this has to be... ghosts!'' Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine. At that moment, Eunho noticed Jaehyuk and started walking toward him with determined strides. "Jaehyuk!" "Eeeeek! Hy-hyung...!" He squeezed his eyes shut. Then he opened them again. Closing them was scarier. "Why are you trembling? And what¡¯s with the sweat?" "Th-that¡¯s..." Gulp. Swallowing dryly, he shouted: "I didn¡¯t see anything! Nothing at all! I just got here! Just now!" "Huh?" Eunho tilted his head, puzzled at Jaehyuk¡¯s frantic outburst. But soon enough, as if deciding it wasn¡¯t worth dwelling on, he continued speaking. "Come with me somewhere." "Huh? W-where to?" It sounded like a casual suggestion for a stroll. But Jaehyuk¡¯s heart was anything but calm. After all, just a few steps awayy the pitch-dark forest with not a single light in sight. "The mission¡¯s done for today, and the sun¡¯s already set..." The forest grew pitch-ck the moment the sun dipped below the horizon. Just thinking about walking through that darkness made his heart sink and sweat drip endlessly down his back. Especially after seeing... that just now! Drip, drip, drip! But whether Eunho knew how he felt or not, he simply grinned and said: "We¡¯re going to use a cheat code." "Huh?" A cheat code, out of nowhere? What¡¯s he even talking about? "Can¡¯t we go when the sun¡¯s up? It seems dangerous at night, and, you know, I¡¯ll be tired tomorrow if I don¡¯t get proper sleep..." "You¡¯ve got Super Regeneration, don¡¯t you? You¡¯ll recover in no time." "Hyung-niiiim..." That¡¯s not the issue here. ''It¡¯s scary... because of the ghosts...'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 37 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 37: Aptitude Test (1) Cheating, stealing, and smoking. Three things I never did during my school days. Cheating didn¡¯t matter much since I was on the sports team, and grades weren¡¯t a priority. As for stealing or smoking out of curiosity, they just didn¡¯t appeal to me. I think I liked the feeling of sticking to my own small set of rules. It was like the satisfaction of crossing a crosswalk without stepping off the white lines. A bit of a strange analogy, I know... Anyway, it¡¯s nothing grand, but I¡¯ve always carried a certain sense of pride in living that way. ¡ª Flutter! "Hyung! What are you looking at?" "Cheat sheets." "Ah, cheat... wait, what?" That is, until my life was on the line. ¡¸¡­Therefore, we propose the following mission tailored to the geographical characteristics of the above zone.¡¹ ¡ª Flutter! ¡¸Shadow Path Overview: Navigate to a designated safe zone with limited visibility. This tests innate survival instincts, reflexes, and individualbat abilities. Difficulty: Upper-intermediate to high, depending on defensive configurations.¡¹ The proposal document stolen from a low-ranking ghost was a treasure trove of information. Knowing the contents and objectives of the entrance exam in advance? This was practically... "Not cheating, more like leaking the test itself." "Sorry?" "Ah, nothing." Hearing my muttering, Jaehyuk stopped moving and looked up. But I shook my head, signaling it was nothing, and grabbed my shovel again. ¡ª Thud, thud, thud... In the pitch-ck night, the only sound that echoed atop the deserted Namsan peak was the rhythmic digging of shovels. "Tiring, isn¡¯t it? Seems like we¡¯re digging a lot tonight." "I¡¯m fine, Hyung!" Technically, we weren¡¯t digging dirt but breaking through piles of rubble. "So, are you sure we¡¯ll actually find an item if we dig here?" "Well¡­ ording to the rumors." "Rumors, you say?" Jaehyuk, puzzled by something he¡¯d never heard of, continued to dig. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t know. The rumors I was talking about circted not in our world, but within the "Company." ¡¸¡­Artifacts with special abilities often apany relics of such long-standing history. For instance, the signal fire station restored at the peak of Zone ROK-105 is rumored to house an artifact capable of manipting fire beneath it.¡¹ In ancient times, fires were lit here to send signals whenever something happened in the region. This ce, Namsan, was apparently the final destination of all such signals. But more importantly than that... There might be a fire-manipting artifact buried underground. ¡ª Thud, thud, thud... "Hyung, the two of us digging like this makes us look like grave robbers!" As Jaehyuk cheerfully joked while smashing through the restored signal fire and stone flooring, I couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity. Grave robbing. First cheating, now stealing¡ªit felt surreal to realize how far I¡¯de. But just as a ridiculous smile was about to spread across my face... ¡ª Thunk! The shovel struck something. "!!" Hoping it wasn¡¯t just a tree root, I anxiously brushed away the dirt. [You have acquired ¡®The Torch of Gyeongbongso.¡¯] A wooden torch, longer than an arm and angr, appeared. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Despite being buried for ages, it showed no signs of decay or damage. "Found it." The artifact of Namsan. ? The Torch of Gyeongbongso -A torch buried for 500 years beneath the central signal fire station. Can ignite either fire or smoke and sustain for up to one hour. -Caution: To use over a wide area, ensure ample fuel is avable. Fire or smoke... Apparently, the torch¡¯s dual ability was born out of its use for signaling¡ªfire by night and smoke by day. ¡®I rushed to get this for tomorrow¡¯s mission.¡¯ But it seemed useful beyond that. Even for something as simple as cooking, fire is indispensable. "Hyung, is this the item you were looking for?" "Yeah, it¡¯s a torch. It lets you ignite either fire or smoke at will." Curious to test it, I gripped the torch tightly. The system asked: [Activate ¡®The Torch of Gyeongbongso¡¯?] [Choose between Signal Fire and Signal Smoke.] It was asking me to pick between fire or smoke. "Let¡¯s go with smoke... Signal Smoke?" The moment I spoke, faint wisps of smoke began to rise from the straw-bound head of the torch. Fssshhh! A long body, no mes, just smoke. It reminded me of something I¡¯d seen before. "This looks just like..." "A wooden cigarette, Hyung!" Sigh. For some reason, it felt like I¡¯d done something wrong. Suppressing a deep sigh, I sent the torch to my inventory. Jaehyuk, now looking visibly relieved, asked with a smile: "So, is our work here done, Hyung? Shall we head back now?" "Yeah, we¡¯re done." Surveying the eerie, deserted mountain, I added casually, "Done for now." "Right? Phew, that¡¯s a relief! When you said you¡¯d join me, I thought we¡¯d end up wandering through the forest or something!" Exhaling a sigh of relief, Jaehyuk burst intoughter. Well... "That would be ridiculous, wouldn¡¯t it? Venturing into the woods in the dead of night?" "We have to go. Into the forest." "...Excuse me?" There¡¯s one more thing we need. "Apparently, it requires fuel." "What? Fuel? Where are we supposed to get that...?" "There¡¯s plenty¡ªover there." The forest was full of it. "You¡¯re not suggesting we head into the woods at this hour... right, Hyung?" "..." "Hyungggg...?" As Jaehyuk¡¯s pupils trembled, I avoided his gaze out of guilt. Tap, tap. I patted his shoulder and started walking. "Let¡¯s go. We need firewood." Thud! Jaehyuk''s shovel fell to the ground. * * * AM 08:40. "Eunho, you look tired... Are you okay?" "I''m fine. Did everyone sleep well?" Last night, I only brought Jaehyuk along to keep it discreet. Though physically exhausting, unnecessary attention was best avoided. "Yes!" "We slept well too." People had spread out in the theater and dining areas within the tower to catch some sleep. Wherever they had spent the night, one by one, they were gathering at the pavilion in front of Namsan Tower. Almost as if it had been prearranged. Perhaps it was because... "Everyone¡¯s here now." "Looks like it." ...of the arrow that appeared before everyone''s eyes. It sparkled like the signs stuck all over the ground during university festivals, pointing the way here. "Today feels a little different, doesn¡¯t it?" "Yeah, it¡¯s unsettling." As Yeojin spoke, S furrowed her brow slightly and grumbled. The clock pointed to 8:50 AM. At this moment, when the usual announcement should have yed... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [Long time no see, huh?] An annoyingly cheerful voice rang out. An upbeat tone, like twin ponytails bouncing up and down. "!!" The manager had returned. [The kids around here always have such bright faces. I wonder why?] [Probably because the survival rate is high.] The mysterious man dressed in a pitch-ck suit from head to toe stood beside her. "Mr. Eunho! Who¡¯s that man standing next to her?" Ms. Jieun whispered, but Eunho had no clue either. He could only guess that the man might be an employee of the "Administration Bureau," which oversees missions and manages individuals marked for restructuring. [Hmm¡ª the survival rate is unusually high.] Huh? [Thanks to someone smart.] She seemed to be looking right this way as she spoke. It left an unsettling feeling. [Anyway! We¡¯re short on time, so I¡¯ll keep it brief. Listen carefully.] Gulp. Though 53 people were gathered, the only sounds were breaths and the gulping of someone swallowing. Countless threads of tension converged on the twin-ponytailed girl. [We¡¯ll soon start the entrance exam.] "An exam?" Yeojin murmured softly, while S frowned in discontent. Being high school seniors, they had instinctively reacted. ''It¡¯ll be different from school exams.'' Far more dangerous, intense, and desperate. At least in school, failing a test wouldn¡¯t cost you your life. But it wasn¡¯t just the high schoolers who were appalled by the mention of an entrance exam. "An entrance exam, seriously!" "How many more people are they nning to cut down?" Two men who looked like typical office workers spoke cautiously. They were the ones who had helped Jaehyuk during the "hunting" mission by working diligently with their shovels. [Hmm? You don¡¯t like it?] The manager tilted her head cutely. Perhaps encouraged by her seemingly harmless demeanor, the men raised their voices slightly. "Of course, we don¡¯t like it!" "Isn¡¯t what we¡¯ve done so far enough?" [Then I¡¯ll exclude you.] "!!" "Really?!" "Th-thank you!" Those guys must have been sheltered like flowers in a greenhouse. Otherwise, how could they be so naive? [I¡¯ll just delete you instead.] "Exactly! Deletion will solve... Wait, what?!" The manager raised her slender finger in front of the flustered men. Swish. I knew what would happen next. Not because of a report or instinct. I had seen it before. [Who¡¯s the smart one?] When we first encountered the manager at MS Tower. [But why intervene? Don¡¯t intervene.] "Uh, well..." A cleaningdy¡¯s head had been sliced off at an angle for talking back to the manager. At the time, I couldn¡¯t step forward. [Ms. Harona.] [Enough. With so many people, it was annoying anyway.] But now, the situation was different. "Wait." Step. Step. Step. I stepped forward, feigning calmness. Blocking the clueless men as I did so. Then... "It¡¯s already 9 o¡¯clock." I spoke deliberately in aposed manner, like exchanging a simple good morning greeting. And then. [Candidate Lee Eunho?] The manager paused mid-gesture of pointing her finger, turning her gaze toward me. While she tilted her small head, I quickly spoke before her finger could point at my neck. "You two over there. You¡¯ll be taking the exam, right?" To the trembling men. "Y-yes!" "We will! Absolutely!" Apparently not entirely clueless, they instinctively realized I was their only lifeline. Nodding vigorously even before I finished my question. With the candidates'' consent obtained. [Huh?] The manager, Harona, stared at me as if trying to figure out my game. But there was no need to plead or exin in detail. Because. "It¡¯s 10 seconds past 9." What the pany" values most. Be it reports or proposals, it¡¯s always emphasized. ¡®Punctuality.¡¯ If you don¡¯t start now, you¡¯ll bete. "Pleasemence the exam." [Target: ''Lee Eunho.'' You are truly...] Harona opened her mouth to say something. [Ms. Harona, it''s time.] The man beside her cut her off, closing her lips. AM 9:00. The clock struck the start of working hours. [New project, ''Aptitude Test,'' ismencing!] [With the administrator''s authority, ''Eyes'' are now open.] It began. The ''Aptitude Test'' that the report so strongly emphasized as crucial. [Time limit: 10 minutes.] [Survivors, please gather in your designated areas.] So, in short... "Where is it?!" "Over there..." "It''s Namsan Tunnel!" The ''Aptitude Test'' we had scoped out in advance thanks to those twin ghosts. "Hyung! It really is the tunnel..." "Shh. Let''s go, Jaehyuk." "Ah! Yes!" ¡ª Tap! Tap! The sound of 53 people running downhill together echoed through the mountain trail. Though some were ahead and others behind, no one grabbed anyone else''s neck to get ahead. Not because a surge of humanity had blossomed overnight... "It''s way too much time left, isn¡¯t it?" "This''ll be easy!" ...but simply because there was enough time. That''s all. "Dad! Put me down, I want to walk." "No, Yura. See that road over there? I''ll let you down when we get there. We''re almost there." A wide road littered with clear signs of countless traffic idents. Despite the road being filled with crashed vehicles, there were no traces of the culprits or victims. A bizarre sight. "There it is!" "That tunnel! Right?" The Namsan Tunnel No. 3, connecting Itaewon and Sogong-dong. Its upper and lower entrances, marked with brightly lit ident caution signs, came into view. And in the tunnel''s depths, a faintly glowing green circle. "Everyone, enter the tunnel!" "Yes, hyung!" ¡ª Tap! The moment we stepped into the tunnel, the soundscape shifted. Our footsteps echoed, returning like whispers in the empty space. ¡ª Tap! Tap! Tap! The sound grew louder as more people joined. ¡ª Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! So dense were the footsteps, it became impossible to distinguish my own from others''. And then... "Huff, huff..." "If you''re tired already, what''ll you doter?" Thest woman trailing behind the crowd finally stepped into the tunnel, gasping for breath. At that moment, when all 53 people had entered the tunnel... [All survivors in the ''Namsan'' area have entered.] [A safe zone has been created.] "W-what?" "Safe zone? Not here?" "I thought it was over?" Above the murmurs of the crowd, a broadcast announcement flowed. [With the administrator''s authority, the arena has been activated.] A broadcast that signaled the true start of the mission. And then... sh! Every light in the tunnel suddenly went out. "!!" As if there had never been a glimmer of light to begin with, the tunnel was plunged intoplete darkness. [Time limit: 10 minutes.] [The ''Dark Path'' mission is now starting.] Now it begins. The real aptitude test. Our ''Dark Path.'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 38 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 38: Aptitude Test (2) A group of participants entered the tunnel hurriedly, while a man and a woman leisurely observed them from a distance. [Seung.] The girl called out to the man, who was twice her size. [That guy, doesn¡¯t he seem strange?] [Who¡­ oh, I see.] Seung started to ask whom she was referring to but stopped and nodded instead. There was only one person here who could catch the attention of his superior. A participant with above-average intelligence, below-average physical strength, and average charm. Overall evaluation: Average ¨C Lee Eunho. [It¡¯s my first time seeing him in person, but¡­ he''s a cocky one. How dare he block a manager?] And his opponent was none other than Harona. A big name, mentioned as a candidate for the next team leader. If not for her disciplinary history, she would¡¯ve been promoted long ago. She was a core asset. And yet, this insolent guy dared to¡­ The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. Just as he resolved to give the guy a proper lesson¡ª [I¡¯ll go teach him a¡ª] [The atmosphere has changed.] Harona muttered as she fiddled with her pigtails. [What?] [Why is he so confident?] "It¡¯s 10 seconds past 9." Despite knowing her overwhelming power, Lee Eunho had boldly stepped forward. As Seung pondered the scene, he nodded slightly. [Now that I think about it, something does seem off.] The guy they had been observing until now was not reckless. He avoided taking risks unless his safety was guaranteed. And yet, here he was, stepping forward himself. "Pleasemence the exam." With an unspoken pressure, as if to say¡ª [He acts like he knows we don¡¯t have time to waste.] [That¡¯s¡­] Punctuality. An unspoken, absolute rule within the "Company." ¡®Perform the mission at the registered time.¡¯ While additional missions could be registered during unupied time, failure to start a registered mission on time was not an option. It disrupted the entire schedule. But¡ª [It must be a coincidence. There¡¯s no way a preliminary candidate could know the Company¡¯s system.] Seung denied it outright. And rightly so¡ªit was an impossibility. [That¡¯s true, but¡­ something feels off.] A minor change. A ridiculous worry, but her meticulous superior couldn''t shake the feeling and started nitpicking. [Besides, that guy, Lee Eunho. He¡¯s not the type to step up just to save others, is he?] [Could it be a heroplex? I heard Zone 13 values self-sacrifice highly.] It was a reasonable hypothesis, but Harona didn¡¯t seem to agree. [Hmm¡ªhe doesn¡¯t strike me as that kind of person.] Judging by how she twisted her hair while deep in thought. [Maybe there¡¯s some benefit in it for him?] [But there¡¯s no gain in saving others, is there?] [Ugh, it¡¯s just unsettling. This sted system, I can never figure out what it¡¯s thinking!] Harona sighed in frustration. But what could they do? Not even the ancestors of the managers could gain control of the system. [It¡¯s a shame. If we could just view the participants¡¯ status windows, this wouldn¡¯t be so frustrating.] Harona nodded at Seung¡¯sment but then waved her hand dismissively. [Well, whatever. No matter what tricks he¡¯s gained, this mission won¡¯t be easy.] [You made sure of that, after all.] [Hah, only because the higher-ups were so insistent.] The petite girl let out an irritated sigh. And added, almost like a cough¡ª [Besides, if we don¡¯t manage it, they¡¯ll hand it over to the ''Center.''] The reason they had taken time out of their busy schedules to personallye down. It was because Project "Hunting" wasn¡¯t working as nned. Not a single deletion¡ªa situation unprecedented in history. Thanks to that, they had been bombarded with scoldings about "creating crises but saving everyone." If they didn¡¯t take responsibility and handle it, the task would be handed to another department. [By the way, why is the ''Center'' so interested?] [How would I know? Anyway, I don¡¯t like how they rush at anything promising¡­ it¡¯s annoying.] Harona clicked her tongue in irritation. Seung, worried she might cause another stir, kept an eye on her, but thankfully, she didn¡¯t seem angry enough to act out. [Orders are orders.] If they were told to raise the difficulty, they raised it. If told to reduce the number of participants, they reduced it. Whatever the higher-upsmanded. That¡¯s what Harona thought. All this trouble for one annoying participant. [Hmm¡ª] But why? [¡­You seem quite excited, Harona.] Why did it feel a little exciting, even in the midst of all this? Why did she find herself licking her lips unconsciously? [I¡¯m not excited! Not at all~!] * * * "What, what¡¯s going on? I can¡¯t see anything!" "I think it¡¯s a ckout! Do something!" "Turn on a shlight or something¡­ huh?" For some reason, all the lights¡ªwhether the tunnel¡¯s built-in lighting or the participants¡¯ shlights¡ªhad gone out. Pitch-ck darkness surrounded them. "Why is it so dark? Don¡¯t tell me the entrance is blocked too?" "Ah! Who stepped on my foot?!" Confused murmurs echoed through the tunnel as panic began to spread. With visionpletely blocked, the other senses seemed to grow sharper. Rustle! Every annoyed remark and rustle of fabric sounded louder. Swoosh. The brush of someone¡¯s hand against mine transmitted warmth. Shuffle! The faint scent of shampoo lingered on a tugged shirt hem. "Uh, Eunho! Are you there?!" "Yes. You¡¯re stepping on my foot right now, Jieun." "Eek! I¡¯m so sorry!" Jieun¡¯s startled reaction was palpable. Though she didn¡¯t let go of the shirt hem she was gripping. Was she afraid of the dark? It made me think she might even be biting her nails. At that moment¡ª Snap! The expected sound confirmed it. [The defensive formation has been established.] [Safely traverse the ¡®Dark Path¡¯!] A voice-guided marker echoed through the air. ¡°A defensive formation... does that mean there are traps?¡± ¡°Go ahead, oppa!¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m scared too¡­¡± The murmurs of people were filled with confusion and fear. Amidst the noise, Jaehyuk, who was nearby, timed his question. ¡°Hyung! Is it time now?¡± He was asking if it was time to use the ¡®fire.¡¯ But. ¡°Not yet.¡± We had to wait until ¡®they¡¯ revealed themselves. If we lit the fire too soon, it would only expose our location. For now, the focus was to calm the frightened crowd to avoid panic. ¡°Everyone, you can see the map, right?¡± In the pitch darkness, I opened the map, and a faint green light flickered in a circr shape. Like a lighthouse in a vast ocean, the green light was a beacon. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was too faint to be considered ¡®light¡¯ under normal circumstances, but now it was a sufficient glimmer of hope. ¡°I-I can see the map!¡± ¡°It¡¯s real! I can see it too!¡± ¡°The safe zone must be at the end of the tunnel!¡± The ¡®safe zone¡¯ indicated on the map was at the far end of the tunnel. This meant we had to pass through the ¡®Dark Path,¡¯ or the tunnel, to reach it. Completely blind. Realizing the situation, the crowd began to murmur. ¡°How the hell are we supposed to walk all the way there when we can¡¯t even see our feet?¡± ¡°Damn, it¡¯s so far!¡± The fear masked as anger was palpable. ¡¸9:40¡¹ 9 minutes and 40 seconds remained. While I was gathering my thoughts, the sharp-minded Sora suddenly eximed, ¡°Ah!¡± as if she had an idea. ¡°Ahjussi! The sign earlier said this tunnel was 1.3 km long. We can make it in 9 minutes, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, if we run, we can.¡± Of course. ¡°¡­Assuming there are no obstacles.¡± ¡°Huh? Obstacles?¡± Obstacles, meaning¡­ Difficulty: Medium-high to Ultra-high. Varies depending on the defensive formation. Somewhere in the tunnel, a ¡®defensive formation¡¯ awaited us. The archives described them as nocturnal monsters capable of distinguishing objects in total darkness. Lethal to survivors who had their sightpromised. But. You can choose between fire and smoke, eachsting up to one hour. Critical handicaps can be dealt with. ¡°We¡¯re moving! Watch your steps to avoid bumping into each other!¡± ¡°Yes, Eunho!¡± ¡°Understood, hyung!¡± We could handle the obstacles. After running for a few minutes¡ª Thud. ¡°Did¡­ did you hear something?¡± ¡°What sound?¡± Thud. Thud. In the absolute darkness, a faint crunching noise tickled our ears. It wasing from deep within the tunnel. ¡°!!¡± It was them. The ones blocking the tunnel with pitch-ck darkness, moving freely within it, and slicing survivors apart¡­ This mission¡¯s ¡®defensive formation.¡¯ ¡°Everyone, ready your weapons!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why, ahjussi?!¡± There was no time to exin. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud¡­ They were already close enough to hear clearly. This was it. ¡°Jaehyuk! Now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Boom! Jaehyuk dropped the load he¡¯d been struggling to carry all this time onto the ground. The movement was vivid even just by sound. Then¡ª tter! tter! tter! While he emptied his backpack, spilling out the firewood we had painstakingly gathered the night before¡ª ¡°Ahhhh!¡± ¡°Who is it? What¡¯s happening?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see a thing!¡± Screams of those attacked by invisible enemies echoed through the tunnel. ¡®What kind of creatures are they?¡¯ sh! Shring! ¡®Horns? ws? No, this sound is¡­¡¯ ¡°Shit! Those bastards can see us, can¡¯t they?!¡± ¡°Damn it¡­ How are we supposed to fight in this situation? It¡¯s so unfair!¡± One side could see; the other could not. Apletely one-sided advantage. But. ¡°Hyung! It¡¯s ready! Over here!¡± ¡°Well done. Summon it!¡± There was no way we¡¯d just sit and take it. [Activate the ¡®Torch of Gyeongbongso¡¯?] [Choose between Beacon Fire and Beacon Smoke.] ¡°Beacon Fire!¡± I felt the solid weight of the torch in my hand and shouted. Instantly, mes burst to life. ¡ª Whooosh! ¡®Perfect!¡¯ A smokeless fire. It was unbelievable, but I was grateful nheless. Holding the dried torch head over the rough firewood¡ªN?v(el)B\\jnn Crackle! Whooosh! In the imprable darkness, a small but vivid red me ignited at my feet. Fwoooosh! The mes quickly consumed the firewood, casting bright light across the tunnel and illuminating our surroundings. ¡°Focus and arm yourselves! Quickly!¡± ¡°!!¡± The roaring mes reached the tunnel ceiling, painting everything in a reddish hue. Shadows lined the floor and walls¡ªdozens of them. As if signaling this was as far as we could go, an opaque wall blocked the entire tunnel like a valve. "Is that the defensive line?" The wall shimmered like a red veil, perhaps due to the mes. In front of it, dozens of enemies stood blocking the way. ¡®Twenty? Twenty-one?¡¯ People were startled by the intense heat that made sweat drip, while even those charging at us flinched and stepped back. I quickly shouted, "We have to break through them and get past that wall! We don''t have time!" I illuminated their sight. Now it was time to cut down the enemies before us. Let¡¯s carve out a path to survive together. "A¡ªa monster?!" "Ugh! I can see it!" "Everyone, grab your weapons!" Gradually, people snapped out of their panic and raised their weapons. As visibility improved, they focused on the enemies before them. But still. -Difficulty: Mid-high to very high, depending on the structure of the defensive line. So, the defensive line¡­ were these enemies humanoid monsters? The proposal had clearly described them as "nocturnal beasts ustomed to darkness." And yet. ¡®Armor and helmets too?¡¯ Instead of bat-like monsters, soldiers fully d in armor and helmets had appeared. Well... no matter. "Our numbers are double theirs! Pair up!" We can do this. Although we were at a disadvantage due to the ambush and their equipment, we outnumbered them significantly. Once we adjust, we should be able to deal with them easily. After all, we¡¯ve driven away the "darkness," the key element of the "Path of Darkness" strategy. Swish¡ª! I drew my sword and charged at the armored figure in front of me. And then, the monster before me¡­ "Kyahhh!" Let out a piercing scream and copsed on the spot. "¡­?!" It went so far as to cover its head with its arms and tremble violently. ¡®¡­A person?¡¯ Although I couldn¡¯t see the face due to the helmet covering their entire head, I could tell. This one. No¡­ this woman. "Lee Eunho?!" Especially with that habit¡ªit was unmistakably her. She¡¯s the woman I know. "¡­Huh?" As a stunned Jieun hesitated beside me, I approached and removed the helmet. Srrrk! The helmet came off. Long wavy hair spilled out from underneath. Tightly shut eyes, as if terrified. "¡­Huh? Huh?!" Ah¡­ So. The enemies we had to defeat to advance were¡­ "¡­Lee Yeji?" Yeji from the ounting team? "Lee Eunho¡­!" Yeji, who had drawn a sword from a random loot box by sheer luck but was trembling so much she couldn¡¯t even swing it? The same Yeji who, even after stabbing a ghost on the KTX, had been so scared she kept her eyes shut? Sigh. "I told you not to close your eyes in front of the enemy." What am I supposed to do with this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 39 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 39: Aptitude Test (3) Bang! Bang! ng¡ª! Lee Yeji¡¯s helmet fell to the tunnel floor and rolled away. The sound of metal hitting asphalt echoed, drawing everyone''s attention one by one. "Hyung! Are you alright... Eh?!" "Yeji?! Yeji, what are you doing here...?!" Jaehyuk, who had been approaching with concern, dropped the sword he was holding in shock. Jieun widened her eyes in disbelief, covering her mouth. "What¡¯s this? Who is it?" "It''s not a monster... it''s a person?!" Pause. Everyone froze, caught off guard by the sudden shift in atmosphere. Those who were trying to push through and those who were blocking them alike. The sh of weapons was reced by the murmur of confusion spreading like dust in the air. And then¡ª Shing! I quietly lowered my sword. "Long time no see." "¡­Eunho." Lee Yeji was trembling, unable to meet my gaze directly. Was she afraid I would attack her? Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe. There¡¯s no need to tremble... But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say the words I should when facing a frightened teammate, shivering in fear of her life. Because their purpose, d in shining armor and wielding spears, was all too obvious. To stop us. Jieun, kind as ever, seemed more concerned about their safety than their intentions, asking with worry in her voice: "Are you okay, Yeji? We were so worried. You disappeared so suddenly..." Yeji replied in a quiet, almost inaudible voice that she was fine. Perhaps it was because of the current mission, or maybe she''d been through rough times while we were apart, but her sharp personality seemed to have dulled significantly. The same Yeji who used to bicker endlessly with that foul-mouthed guy. Wait... speaking of which... "Where are the others?" When we returned from the training center, there was a sudden earthquake¡ªsomething about an emergency downsizing. It scattered our group, leaving only the people here reunited: Jieun, Jaehyuk, Yura and her father, S, and Yeojin. But we still hadn¡¯t found¡ª "Don¡¯t tell me... are the others...?" "A-are they here?!" Jieun began the question, and Jaehyuk finished it, his voice urgent. Yeji nodded silently. And then¡ª Thud. Three people emerged, panting, from beyond the blood-red veil. "Shit! What¡¯s going on here?!" "Oh my! You¡¯re all here!" "Hey, kid! I knew you were still alive!" A familiar voice cursed, apanied by an over-the-top gesture. As the man confidently lifted his helmet, I was met with a familiar face. "Damn it! Finally, we meet again. Where the hell have you been?"N?v(el)B\\jnn It was the foul-mouthed guy, but instead of his usual Nike hoodie and cap, he was dressed in armor and a helmet. And beside him¡ª "Goodness, are you alright, miss? You must¡¯ve been so scared!" The cleaningdy fussed over trembling Yeji. "And now we¡¯re saved!" The security guard let out a cry of relief. Sigh. What even is this? "How did this happen? And what¡¯s with the armor?" "Well, uh... that¡¯s..." Jaehyuk, overwhelmed by the unexpected reunion, hurriedly asked, but the three nced nervously into the darkness. As if someone was watching them. ¡®There must be someone behind them.¡¯ ck! Instead of waiting for an answer, I took the helmet from the foul-mouthed guy¡¯s hands. I examined it for a moment and then ced it on my head. "...!" The tunnel¡¯s interior came into sharp focus, illuminated even in the darkest corners. Colors vanished like a ck-and-white filter, reced by what looked like a high-quality infrared camera feed. "I can¡¯t quite see faces clearly." "Exactly! Without those mes, it would¡¯ve been a disaster. If we¡¯d fought without knowing, we could¡¯ve all lost our heads!" "Oh my goodness!" The foul-mouthed guy shuddered at the thought, and the cleaningdy nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, the security guard pointed to the zing mes and asked: "You lit that fire, right, kid?" I nodded silently, and he let out an impressed exmation, as if he¡¯d expected it all along. "I knew it! You always think ahead!" "Well... yeah. Anyway." More than twenty people. Rare equipment you couldn¡¯t even find in a mid-level shop. Yeji¡¯s desperate expression, avoiding my gaze and biting her lip. "You¡¯re the defense team, aren¡¯t you? Your role is to stop us from crossing that wall." "...!!" "What exactly is your mission?" "That¡¯s... uh..." The security guard hesitated, looking both awkward and remorseful. So I turned to Yeji. "Yeji." "Y-yes?" "Is it true that for each person who crosses, someone is erased?" Flinch! Honest as ever, Yeji¡¯s shoulders shook. I knew it. "What?! Hyung, what are you talking about?" "So, if we seed in our mission, does that mean they fail?" "That can¡¯t be...!" [The Defense Line has been established.] [Sessfully pass through the ¡®Path of Darkness¡¯!] If our mission was to cross the ¡®Path of Darkness,¡¯ then their mission was to defend it. The penalty was undoubtedly ¡®erasure.¡¯ "To be precise, [Hold the Defense Line. Each time an enemy crosses, one of you will be erased randomly]." Yeji pointed toward a faint, translucent wall behind them. So that¡¯s what they were referring to as the ¡°barrier.¡± If we live, they die. If they live, we die. In that case¡ª ¡®We¡¯ll go with n B.¡¯ n A, the straightforward approach to break through the defensive lines and reach the finish line, was abandoned. It was a good thing I''d prepared a backup n in case the monsters we faced were too powerful. ¡°Young man! What do we do now?¡± The foul-mouthed man spoke up, his face set with determination. At that moment¡ª ¡°Damn it, so what I¡¯m saying is¡­ ugh!¡± Thud! A fully armored figure strode over and kicked him square in the back. The impact sent the foul-mouthed man sprawling forward like a book snapping shut. ¡°What the hell?!¡± He whipped around, seemingly ready to flip a table, then froze. ¡°¡­Big brother.¡± The moment he recognized the man standing behind him, he grit his teeth but took a step back. Big brother? I had expected a torrent of curses, but this situation was taking an unexpected turn. ¡°You little punk, can¡¯t you shut your damn mouth?¡± The man who¡¯d just delivered the kick sneered. It didn¡¯t make any sense, yet the foul-mouthed man simply lowered his head and stayed silent¡ªjust like everyone else around us. ¡°¡­¡± This guy was a head taller than the rest, his build overpowering, his demeanor oppressive. And the wicked club he swung idly in one hand only added to the menace. Had he subdued everyone here with brute strength and violence? ¡°¡­What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± I let my displeasure drip from every syble as I spoke. In response, he spat on the ground and bellowed. ¡°If even one of you tries to escape, you¡¯re dead!¡± Ridiculous. I clenched my fists involuntarily at the absurdity of it all. ¡°Damn it, after everything I¡¯ve done to survive, you¡¯re telling me to die in your ce?!¡± A younger man, unable to contain his fury, shouted as he broke into a sprint. ¡°I¡¯m leaving! No way you¡¯re stopping me!¡± In a blur of speed, he vaulted toward the pale gray wall in the distance. The agility stat on that guy must¡¯ve been something else. Before anyone could react, he was already halfway over the barrier. In that brief moment of breathless silence¡ª ¡°You little bastard!¡± The so-called ¡°big brother¡± swung his club with a roar. Wham! The weapon smashed into the young man¡¯s head just as he disappeared over the wall. Wham! Wham! St! Blood sprayed outward in a radial burst. ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡± The poor man¡¯s dying scream faded, and the survivors¡¯ horrified cries filled the air. ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± ¡°Did he just kill him?!¡± ¡°You maniac! What the hell are you doing?!¡± The other survivors from the Nam Mountain area, who hade here with me, were too shocked to hide their fear. Unlike us, the armored people simply averted their eyes. They¡¯re not surprised. Not shock, but terror had taken hold of them. They¡¯d seen this kind of thing too many times before¡ªpeople killing people. Meanwhile, the ¡°big brother,¡± who had just crushed another human¡¯s skull like tofu, calmly muttered¡ª ¡°Little rats.¡± ¡°Hi-hic!¡± ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to kill them all or break their legs. That¡¯ll stop anyone else from running, won¡¯t it?¡± He casually wiped the blood off his face with the sleeve of a woman standing nearby. The nonchnt look on his face made me sick to my stomach. ¡°Right? Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ right.¡± I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I stepped forward. ¡°And who the hell are you?¡± Gripping the hilt of my sword, I savored the weight in my hand. And then¡ª ¡°Hey! You, guard! This guy¡¯s your friend, huh?¡± Step. ¡°Guess you¡¯re just as stupid as them, huh? You think you won¡¯t get the same treatment?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Stupid,¡¯ huh? This idiot clearly had no idea who he was dealing with. Time to teach him a lesson. ¡°Six minutes, twenty seconds.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Two minutes to find the way, four to get through the tunnel, twenty seconds left.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spouting?¡± Just enough time to beat you down. ¡°Th-that guy¡­!¡± The foul-mouthed man stammered, unable to hide his growing anxiety. ¡°That bastard¡¯s way more dangerous than you think¡­!¡± But whether or not his concern reached me, I simply raised my sword in silence. ¡°Twenty seconds.¡± And with a brief whisper¡ª ¡°The hell is he saying? This guy¡¯s out of his mind¡ªGAH!¡± Swoosh! The de shed through the bastard¡¯s thigh, cutting into the exposed flesh between the armor. ¡°AAAAARGH! Who the hell are you?! How is this even working?!¡± ¡°Why? It shouldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Do you know how much I¡¯ve invested in my defense stats?!¡± His panic was understandable. After all, everyone here had seen him take w attacks from monsters ande out with nothing more than scratches. He had boasted endlessly at the start of this mission that he didn¡¯t even need armor. But I¡ª ¡°Oh, yeah. I figured something felt off. Thought my sword was dull from killing that millworm earlier.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªGAHHH!¡± With a calm expression, I swung my de again. It was like slicing through a frozen hunk of meat that had been left in a freezer for too long. St! Blood gushed from the man¡¯s meaty thigh in vivid streams of red. ¡°!!¡± The foul-mouthed man¡¯s jaw dropped in shock. ¡°That easily?!¡± The so-called ¡°big brother¡± who ruled over this group like a king, iming he was the only one who could defeat monsters¡ª ¡°After all that bluster, he¡¯s getting beat like a dog¡­¡± "Guards, janitors... where do these pathetic bastards even crawl out from?" "Urk¡­! I-I was wrong! Please stop¡­!" "Your tone¡¯s too short." "I-I was wrong! Please forgive me¡­!" But what¡¯s with that pathetic sight? He boasted so much about pouring everything into his defense and building a body like a rock. Yet here he was, wobbling as he clutched his bleeding leg. ¡®Damn it all!¡¯ The foul-mouthed man practically screamed in triumph. * * * sh! This time, Lee Eunho moved behind the staggering man and shed horizontally at his calf. Earlier, when the bastard charged at Lee Eunho with a cudgel the size of a baby¡¯s head, the tension had been enough to make hands sweat. Swoosh! Bang! But by lightly sidestepping, Lee Eunho avoided the blow entirely, causing the man to m his head into the tunnel wall with the cudgel still in hand. Watching the concrete wall cave in like that, something inside me felt like it had burst wide open, like a blockage suddenly cleared. "Graaaah! You rat bastard!" ¡®Hah¡­!¡¯ No matter how strong this guy was or how destructive his weapon might be, it didn¡¯t matter to Lee Eunho. As long as he didn¡¯t get hit, that was enough. ¡®He¡¯s not even a match for him!¡¯ And it seemed the bastard finally realized it too. His eyes rolled back as he prepared one final strike. ¡°You¡¯re dead meat, you bastard¡­!!¡± The reason this jerk had been able to take down monsters in the first ce. It came down to his ¡°special move,¡± born from a rare item he had stumbled across by chance. ¡°This thing¡¯s lethal when I swing it, but it¡¯s even deadlier when ites back around. It¡¯s a damn miracle weapon, I tell you.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, you punk. So if you¡¯re nning to run, think twice. I¡¯ll crush the back of your skull.¡± Vroooom¡­ The cudgel embedded in the tunnel wall began to hum ominously, as if signaling that it was ready. That thing¡­! The cudgel shot like lightning toward Lee Eunho¡¯s back. "Look out! Behind you¡ª!" Confronted with the horrifying sight, Lee Eunho muttered quietly. ¡°elerate.¡± And then¡ª Swish! A gust of wind blew through, revealing a surprising sight. ¡°A¡­ door?!¡± A steel door had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, standing firmly between Lee Eunho and the oing cudgel. The bastard, sprawled on the ground with his hand still outstretched toward the cudgel. And Lee Eunho, who had somehow thrust a longsword into the bastard¡¯s armpit. ¡°Graaaaaaah!¡± The entire tunnel echoed with the bastard¡¯s agonized screams before he foamed at the mouth and passed out. ¡°There were still 10 seconds left.¡± Lee Eunho clicked his tongue, almost as if he were disappointed. ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ The bastard who had ruled like a king had been taken down in an instant. In just 10 seconds. ¡°Well then. For now¡­¡± Without even sparing a nce at the fallen man, Lee Eunho moved forward. Step. He walked toward the ¡°door¡± that had appeared out of nowhere, with the cudgel still embedded in it. Then, grabbing hold of the cudgel, he spoke. ¡°Store.¡± ¡°!!¡± sh! ¡°Oh, it works now.¡± Was it the audacity of casually confiscating the cudgel, or the fact that this wasn¡¯t his first time trying it? Either way, it left everyone stunned. In any case¡ª ¡¸06:05¡¹ The fight was over, and the leader of the defensive line had fallen. Even his most crucial weapon had been stolen. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± The survivors behind the wall all let out despairing sighs. Everyone realized it. This mission was a failure. Their armor wouldn¡¯t protect them from him, and all of them would soon break through the wall and leave. ¡°Is¡­ is it done?!¡± ¡°So now all we have to do is run¡­¡± But just as the survivors of Namsan began preparing to dash through the wall one by one, Lee Eunho spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Instead of leading them forward, he stepped out and blocked their path. Step. ¡°There¡¯s a way for all of us to survive.¡± ¡°!!¡± Standing beside the still-burning mes, the light cast him in sharp relief, like a spotlight on a raised stage. ¡°Young man! What do you mean?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to break through the wall to get to the safe zone.¡± ¡°What?!¡± A wall that stretched from the floor to the ceiling,pletely blocking the tunnel. Getting past it without going through it sounded absurd. ¡°What? Are you messing with us?¡± ¡°What nonsense is this?!¡± But even so¡­ ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s a way, right?¡± The foul-mouthed man couldn¡¯t help but blurt out a question. If it were him¡­ The guy who had done the impossible time and again¡­ ¡°There is. We can get through. And it doesn¡¯t have to be this way.¡± They could trust him. ¡°I believe in you, Eunho!¡± ¡°Me too! That young man¡¯s never steered us wrong before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Our leader is incredible!¡± Listening to their unwavering trust, Lee Eunho nodded calmly and walked toward the tunnel wall. Step, step. ¡°Let¡¯s take the side tunnel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a side passage here.¡± Rustle. Leaving only cryptic words behind, Lee Eunho turned toward the tunnel wall. ¡°A side passage? There¡¯s nothing there!¡± ¡°Yeah! Not even a sign! What are you talking about?¡± The concrete wall, dented from the earlier battle where the bastard¡¯s cudgel had struck, still bore the impact marks. Lee Eunho, holding the cudgel, said one word. ¡°Summon.¡± And then¡ª Thud! He started smashing the wall. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re not trying to break through that wall? Do you know how thick it is¡­?!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud¡­ Ignoring the outcry, Lee Eunho gripped the cudgel with both hands and kept pounding the wall. Once, twice, three times, four times¡­ Each time the metal weapon struck the wall, dust rose and fragments of concrete scattered. And then¡ª ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a hollow inside?!¡± Behind the thick wall, a hollow cavity began to reveal itself. ¡°It¡¯s a real passage! What the heck?!¡± ¡°A hidden evacuation tunnel? Why was this blocked off?¡± ¡°Wait¡­ how did you even know this was here¡­?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Stunned by the unexpected revtion of the hidden path, people stammered in disbelief. But Lee Eunho simply swung the cudgel nonchntly and said what he needed to say. ¡°Youing, or not?¡± ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ He¡¯s so damn cool! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 40 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 40: Aptitude Test (4) Crash! Rumble¡ª The wall that had been artificially blocking the emergency passage copsed. As it fell, several quick-footed people rushed forward, each throwing out theirments. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ there¡¯s really a passage here!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to break through the defensive line?!¡± Amid the murmuring crowd, hope began to spread. Like a me burning brightly at the center of the tunnel. Step. As I took my first step into the passage, Jaehyuk, who had hurriedly caught up, whispered to me. ¡°Hyung! When did you even find this passage?¡± ¡°The discovery¡­ just now?¡± ¡°What?¡± -Note: Ensure that all side paths are blocked to prevent deviation from the ''Dark Path.'' That was the annotation at the end of the proposal stolen from the ghost. Thanks to that, I already knew of the existence of these side paths. And I also suspected that they were most likely emergency evacuation routes connecting tunnels. The only issue was¡­ ¡°How, though? There weren¡¯t any signs or markers!¡± ¡­that I had no way of pinpointing my location. The tunnel walls were in and devoid of any signs or markers, perhaps because they had been removed beforehand. But¡­ ¡°I memorized the map.¡± ¡°The map?¡± ¡°The structural map for Namsan Tunnel 1, 2, and 3.¡± I did the math. ¡°The evacuation passage for Tunnel 3 is located 600 meters from the entrance. Earlier, I made sure to maintain a speed of 15 seconds per 100 meters.¡± Gulp. The sound of Jaehyuk swallowing his breath came with the widening of his eyes. ¡°So, based on the time and number of steps¡­.¡± I pointed quietly at the ground beneath us as I finished my sentence. ¡°It¡¯s around here.¡± ¡°Wow! Incredible¡­!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I silenced Jaehyuk, who looked at me in awe, and a quiet exmation of amazement escaped his lips. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Hyung! To calcte all of that in such a situation!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Calcting speed was something I¡¯d always done during my athletic days. Jaehyuk continued to silently shower me with admiration. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect it to be this thoroughly blocked.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± When I read the proposal¡¯s directive to block the side paths, I assumed it meant locking the doors leading to evacuation passages. But this¡­ ¡°To be honest, I was shocked earlier when I saw you breaking through what looked like a perfectly fine wall!¡± The artificial wall was made of material so simr to the surrounding concrete that it was nearly indistinguishable. If I hadn¡¯t lit a fire to brighten the area and carefully examined the seams, I might¡¯ve walked right past it. Such painstaking attention to detail. ¡°Did you find it while fighting that guy?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°In such a short time? You can fool ghosts, but no one can fool you, Hyung!¡± It was true that I found it thanks to that guy. And thanks to him, I even gained an unexpected weapon. ¡°Though it¡¯s a shame it¡¯s only half-functional.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing.¡± As I secretlymented my situation, we reached the opposite door. Jaehyuk looked back at me for permission, and I gave him a nod. With a creak, the rusty iron door slowly swung open. Creeeak¡ª! A new path revealed itself. ¡°This way leads to the safe zone!¡± A side path that would take us to safety. ¡°It really opens! Incredible!¡± ¡°Look! I can even see the exit!¡± Unlike the uphill path, this one had intact lighting, and sunlight streaming in from the distant entrance brightened the way ahead. People¡¯s faces lit up visibly. Even Jieun enthusiastically stretched her limbs as she spoke. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s run the rest of the way!¡± ¡°Wait. Before we do, there¡¯s something I need to take care of.¡± I asked for a moment¡¯s indulgence and approached S. ¡°Huh? Are you warming up?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­.¡± Before running the remaining distance, there was something I needed to prepare for. And that was¡ª ¡®Fixing this broken body.¡¯ [Warning!] [You do not meet the minimum stat requirements for the ''nged Mace''!] [Overuse of muscles has caused the status condition: ''Muscle Fatigue.''] [Remaining time: 59 minutes.] I¡¯d never known before. That there were items with stat requirements. Or that forcing yourself to use an unsuitable weapon could result in status conditions like "Muscle Fatigue." ¡®But that guy was tossing this thing around with one hand.¡¯ Did he have some other kind of skill? Despite the Strength 20 requirement, he wielded it effortlessly, even with its considerable weight. ? nged Mace -A mace with metal des attached to its head to maximize destructive power. Returns quickly to the user after being thrown. -Increases striking power but demands high Strength due to increased weight. -Note: Use caution, as it requires high Strength stats. Defense pration: +10 -Stat Requirement: Strength 20 or higher. The mace required a Strength stat of 20. My Strength, including the 3 points I recently earned as a mission reward, was only 14. Fortunately, falling short of the stat requirement didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t use the weapon at all. [Item power reduced due to unmet stat requirements.] [100% ¡ú 40%] But the weapon¡¯s power was diminished. [Rapid fatigue caused by exceeding physical limits due to high weight.] And I tired out quickly. ¡­What a petty and overly realistic system. ¡°S.¡± I called out to her quietly, stepping aside. While preparing to exin the situation in detail, S cut me off with an unexpected remark. ¡°You¡¯re hurt, aren¡¯t you?¡± Huh? ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, it¡¯s just¡­ muscle fatigue. How did you know?¡± ¡°You seem heavier than usual.¡± Of course, as expected of the prodigy from the health school. As I nodded deeply, S extended her hand silently without a word. ¡ª sh! Our precious healer. [Thanks to the influence of Healer Yoon S, status ailments are being cured.] The blue light emanating from S''s hands touched the back of my arm, where I had rolled up my shirt sleeve. And then¡ª Swoosh! A peculiar sensation, cool yet warm, spread over me. The energy seeped into my body, blending in naturally, as if it had always been part of me. [Muscle pain recovery rate: 100%.] [Status ailments have been removed.] My body felt noticeably lighter. My legs, arms, and entire body were as refreshed as if I had just woken from a deep sleep. Now then, the preparations wereplete. All that was left was¡ª ¡®Run like your heart¡¯s about to burst.¡¯ ¡¸05:30¡¹ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going, Eunho!¡± ¡ª Tap tap! ¡°Yura! Get on Daddy¡¯s back!¡± ¡°Min Yeojin! Keep your head straight and run, got it?¡± And so we ran, and kept running. Toward the faint glimmer of light in the distance. Fifty-two survivors, each at their own pace. Some alone, others holding the hand of someone they needed to protect. ¡ª Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap¡­. A silent sprint through the darkness. ¡¸04:00¡¹ ¡°Hey! Hoo¡­ Wait a second¡­!¡± As time ticked down, some people started showing visible signs of exhaustion. ¡¸03:00¡¹ ¡°Huff¡­.¡± Panting and iling their arms and legs, some struggled, but¡ª ¡¸02:00¡¹ ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­.¡± ¡°Two minutes left! Just a little further!¡± ¡°Hoo¡­ Alright¡­!¡± No one gave up. Even as their legs trembled uncontrobly, they gritted their teeth and kept running. And finally¡ª ¡¸00:28¡¹ ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m out! The tunnel¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the safe zone?!¡± With barely 30 seconds to spare, we emerged safely from the tunnel. ¡ª Woosh! Sudden sunlight poured down, dazzling those still catching their breath. I shouted at them from behind. ¡°Turn right! Into the tunnel!¡± Direct them to the one we first entered, where Lee Yeji and the armored ones were nervously waiting. And then¡ª ¡°There it is!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the safe zone!¡± Thud! People dashed toward the green circle and copsed as soon as they reached it. [Mission ends in 10 seconds.] ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Run, S and Yeojin!¡± ¡°Mister!¡± ¡°I¡­ I think I¡¯m going to die!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t die from this. Just a bit more!¡± I pushed the backs of thest stragglers, helping them cross the green line. It felt like stepping from the brink of death into the realm of life. And momentster¡ª [¡­3, 2, 1. Missionplete.] [Anyone outside the safe zone will be deleted.] The announcement marking the end echoed in the ears of the panting survivors. ¡°Hoo¡­ We made it¡­.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sunlight streaming into the tunnel entrance. The bright rays illuminated the people like the lights signaling the end of a long movie. ¡ª Ding! And as if to genuinely celebrate, a notification sound rang out. [Congrattions!] A message window appeared before me, visible only to me. [You have achieved a new milestone: ¡®Clearing the Unbeaten Path¡¯!] [You have obtained the title ¡®Pathfinder¡¯!] * * * [What? What?!] Buried under a precariously tall stack of files the size of a bed, the girl gaped with her mouth wide open. Pointing at the shocking scene filling her screen. [Th-th-those people!] [!!] While returning to the office, she had left a ¡°monitor¡± running in their ce. What it captured was Lee Eunho and the rest of the survivors just exiting the tunnel. Which meant¡ª [Why are theying out from there?!] Not through the ¡°Path of Darkness¡± they had arranged, but from some random, unintended route next to it. [Choi Seung! What¡¯s going on?!] Flinch! The sharp reprimand sliced through the air like ice. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Choi Seung, trembling more from bewilderment than intimidation, stammered. [Th-there¡¯s no way! The side path was definitely blocked¡­!] [Blocked, you say? You¡¯re going to keep working like this?] [It¡¯s true! In total darkness, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to see anything. How¡­?!] It had been meticulously designed for a brutal fight in pitch-ck conditions, leaving only those who survived the chaos to exit the tunnel. But what was this situation? And that group¡­ [They all survived again?!] [It seems that way¡­!] Instead of fierce battles, not even a single trace of conflict remained among the survivors. This was far beyond just deviating from the n, leaving Choi Seung utterly dumbfounded. [Argh!] Harona mmed the desk with a bang. [I set the stage so they¡¯d tear each other apart! Why do they keep dragging along even the vermin?!] [Well¡­] As Choi Seung fumbled for some half-baked excuse, a cold and precise system notification intervened. ¡¾Manager Harona. The registered schedule has been canceled.¡¿ ¡¾A temporary manager has been appointed.¡¿ The system crisply delivered its message. The scheduled mission was canceled. So they were telling her to sit this one out. [Wow, that was fast.] [Looks like the Center pulled some strings.] The way they swiftly revoked the temporary authority almost seemed like they¡¯d been waiting for it. Their efficiency in handling this was so remarkable it was almost unnerving. Harona chuckled dryly. [Not the Center, probably that guy. The genius researcher.] The genius researcher at the Future Research Center. His reputation preceded him to the point that even Harona, who had little interest in others'' business, had heard of him. [Did you look into him? Find out what he¡¯s about?] [Uh, I did, but¡­] [But what?] At Harona¡¯s question, Seung trailed off hesitantly. [He is a genius, but¡­ I hear he¡¯s not all there mentally.] [What? Like, crazy?] Seung hesitated, debating whether to ry the rumors as he¡¯d heard them. [Apparently, he dissects the subjects into pieces, submerges them in some bizarre fluid, and conducts unspeakable experiments on them.] [¡­What kind of experiments?] [He supposedly attaches and detaches parts of them, pulls things out, and puts them back in while they''re still alive¡­] [¡­¡­] Harona turned away with a grimace, resisting the urge to ask, Attaches and detaches what? Pulls out and puts back what? [Anyway, it seems like the knowledge he¡¯s gained through those methods is quite significant. He¡¯s probably using it to secure his position in the missions.] [Hmm. So that¡¯s why he keeps coveting the selection authority.] Haronapsed into thought, tapping her fingers lightly on the desk as she spoke. [If our manpower is significantly reduced because of their missions, it¡¯ll make us look ridiculous.] [They might even be aiming to take over our mission management authority entirely.] Seung''s words hit the mark. The situation could escte to the point where the Management Bureau loses its exclusive domain. That unsettling thought made Harona unconsciously fidget with her hair. Creak¡ª! Suddenly, the heavy door swung open without warning. Screech¡ªthud. Screech¡ªthud. A man shuffled in, dragging his feet in slippers. [What the hell?] Ab coat covered in strange red and yellow stains. Ash-gray hair sticking out in every direction. [Ah, finally found you!] The only person who¡¯de to Harona¡¯s office¡ªsomeone known for having no interactions with other employees¡ªat this exact timing was¡­ [You¡¯re¡­] None other than the infamous genius researcher. [Iro?] [Oh! I¡¯m famous?] The man widened his eyes in surprise. Though his eyes were sunken, likely from sleepless nights, they shone with an unsettling rity¡ªso sharp it was almost eerie. [Harona?] [It¡¯s Harona ¡®Nim¡¯!] The uninvited guest pointed at Harona, but the one who responded was Seung, not her. [Oh¡ªuh, sure, sure.] While researchers had a different hierarchy from regr staff, this man was still a neer. Yet here he was, speaking informally to Harona, the prospective leader-in-waiting. When Seung pointed this out, Iro merely smirked faintly, brushing it off as inconsequential, before continuing. [You¡¯re smaller than I expected. Your arms and legs are so thin.] [¡­What?] [What are you, 130 centimeters tall? Maybe?] [Excuse me?] Harona couldn''t believe her ears. The audacity of his remarks was something no one who knew her would dare utter. And his eyes. That leering gaze, scanning her from head to toe, made her doubt her own vision as well. Tap, tap. ¡®Should I punch him? Could I? Would it be better if I did?¡¯ Her index finger tapped the desk, the motion reflecting her momentary deliberation. Then¡ª [Oh! That finger!] [My finger? What about it?] Iro¡¯s eyes gleamed manically as he eximed. [Can I have just one?] Like a child begging for a bite of someone¡¯s ice cream. [¡­What are you talking about, you lunatic?] [No? Then lend it to me. I¡¯ll take a sample and give it back.] [¡­¡­] Though the words Why a sample? rose to her throat, she swallowed them down. Instead, she responded with a curt dismissal, her expression thoroughly unimpressed. [Forget it. Why are you here? I¡¯m busy, so if you don¡¯t have a reason, get lost.] [Oh, well¡­] As much as she wanted to punch him, she refrained. Doing so now would undoubtedly spark rumors within thepany. Everyone would be gossiping: She hit the temporary manager as revenge for losing her authority. Half reason, half determination to avoid further entanglement with this obnoxious man, she crossed her arms. [There¡¯s an interesting subject I came across.] [Hm? Who?] [Lee Eunho¡­ I think?] Pause. Harona froze mid-tap. Lee Eunho? Why? Of all things, why him? She had never cared much about personnel reshuffling before. So why now? [Subject Lee Eunho. They say he has abundant gray matter and active synapses. Is that true?] [What about it?] [Oh, I¡¯m asking if he¡¯s smart.] [¡­¡­] Smart? Sure, he¡¯s smart. But why does that matter? Could it be that he¡¯s already setting his sights on him? After all the effort she had put into observing him, investing points, and even upgrading his ¡°eyes,¡± there was no way she could let him take Eunho before getting her returns. But she couldn¡¯t let him know she was interested. Anything someone else had invested in was bound to look more tempting. Having made her decision, Harona met his gleaming eyes squarely. [Who knows? I haven¡¯t paid much attention.] [You don¡¯t know? No way!] [There are so many subjects, you know? The Management Bureau is always insanely busy. Didn¡¯t you know that?] Feigning disinterest, she deflected. The researcher scratched his messy hair and said, [Well, in that case, show me the subjects¡¯ interim evaluations.] "Interim evaluation reports? There¡¯s nothing special in those." Feigning innocence, Harona ignored the outstretched palm as she let her words trail off. It was true there wasn¡¯t much to them. They were documents that should rightfully be shared for proper handover anyway. Still, she wasn¡¯t eager to hand them over. "Hmm, where could they be¡ªaround here somewhere, maybe?" So, when she stayed silent with her arms crossed, the man moved first. He scanned the towering stack of files on the desk. True to his reputation as a genius researcher, he skimmed through thousands ofbels in an instant and immediately picked out one. It was¡ª ¡º[District 13] ROK-SEO Zone Subject Interim Evaluation Report_Subject Lee Eunho¡» [!!] Like someone who already knew exactly where it was, his hands showed no hesitation. Seung flinched in surprise as he watched, but Harona stayed calm. Calm¡ªor more like irritated. [What¡¯s your game?] [My game? What do you mean?] The clipped tone of his response grated on her nerves. And so did the lopsided smirk as he held up the folder. [You esteemed researchers usually hate going out into the field, don¡¯t you?] So Harona shot back, for no real reason other than to pick a fight. [Ugh, what can I do? The field agents can¡¯t even handle their own work properly.] [¡­What did you just say?] [People like me, well, we just suffer for being too smart. That¡¯s all.] The guy was brazenly cheeky, leaving Harona scowling, unsure how to respond. Scratch. Watching her expression, the researcher tapped the edge of the folder against the mountain of papers on the desk. [Work smart, not hard. Stop piling up pointless tasks.] Screech-thud! Screech-thud! Then he turned and walked out. Dragging his feet in slippers, just as unannounced as when he had entered. Creaaaak¡ªbang! The door mmed shut, and Harona slowly opened her mouth. [Is it just me, or is that jerk especially insufferable?] [Not just you, Harona.] Even Seung agreed. And then¡ª [Ugh¡ª! I had everything nned out already!] Snap! Harona crushed the pen in her hand, gritting her teeth. Normally, Seung would be too busy reading the room to react, but this time, he stomped over and began organizing the papers the guy had scattered. [And how does he even know about Lee Eunho? What is he nning?!] [That whole thing about gray matter¡­ it gives me the creeps,] Seung muttered, recalling the man¡¯s hollow yet strangely glinting eyes, his face pale with unease. [What, should we just cheer for the poor folks to survive this round?] [That¡­ might not be a bad idea.] Ha! Harona let out a hollowugh at the situation flipped on its head. [Pathfinder?] The figure on the screen mumbled the word with a peculiar expression. While Harona wondered how to keep her precious future cash cow alive and in one piece. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 41 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 41: Aptitude Test (5) "Pathfinder?" I muttered the sudden title to myself without realizing it. Just then, Jieun, who had finally caught her breath, approached and asked. "Eunho! Did you receive your reward?" "Yes, 2 points and 500 points. What about you, Jieun?" "The same here. You should''ve gotten more for all your hard work, Eunho." "Haha..." When I let out an awkwardugh, Jieun pouted her lips. Seeing her genuinely regretful expression made me feel oddly apologetic. Because... [Congrattions!] [The number of actual survivors has significantly increasedpared to the simtion.] [A bonus reward exclusive to the ¡®Rebel¡¯ trait has been granted.] ...I had already received more. For the number of fates I had twisted. [Resistance Stat (+71)] ¡®71?¡¯ If I count the 51 people from Namsan and the 21 from the other side, that makes 72 survivors in total. Excluding myself, I had received rewards for 71 people. ¡®And that strange title.¡¯ [Would you like to view the effects of the ''Pathfinder'' title?] The message had been hovering since earlier. Pathfinder... I felt curious, so I excused myself from Jieun and quietly moved to a less crowded area. Then, "View." The system began exining the effects in a calm voice. [When leading from the front, your movement speed increases.] [You gain defensive abilities for entering enemy lines first.] [Buff effects increase the more followers you have.] The more people follow me, the stronger the effects be. I had no idea how that would y out, but... ¡®Guess I''ll find out soon enough.¡¯ I immediately returned to the small groups of people gathered here and there. The people who had once been enemies in the dark but now stood shoulder to shoulder again. "I''m telling you, I''m telling you!" An elderly cleaningdy was enthusiastically pping Lee Yeji¡¯s shoulder, echoing her sentiments. "I was so happy to get that armor!" "And who ever heard of taking back what you gave? Ridiculous." Ah, they were talking about the armor and helmet that vanished as soon as the mission ended. Even the security guard beside them clicked his tongue in regret, still seemingly disappointed. However¡ª "At least we¡¯re alive! If it weren¡¯t for that young man, we¡¯d have been..." The security guard let out a sigh of relief, saying, ¡°Still, we made it,¡± clearly grateful to be alive. A piece of armor wasn¡¯t more precious than a life, after all. "Oh, there you are." "Just in time! Young man! Have we told you how grateful we are?" I approached, and the cleaningdy suddenly grabbed my hands and said, "You already did. More than ten times." "Did we? Well, even a hundred times wouldn¡¯t be enough!" "I don¡¯t know how we can ever repay you!" The security guard chimed in. "If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Eunho, we¡¯d have been done for. Either beaten to death or erased entirely." Even Lee Yeji shuddered as though recalling a nightmare, bowing repeatedly while thanking me. Her eyes sparkled with genuine gratitude. So much so that I blurted out without thinking. "You really want to repay me, right?" "Huh? Oh?" "You don¡¯t know how to repay me, do you?" "That¡¯s... true..." The cleaningdy¡¯s eyes went wide, clearly startled by the abrupt question. Lee Yeji, on the other hand, shrugged casually. "Should I give you my sword?" "Excuse me?" "Here you go." Swoosh. Lee Yeji offered her one and only weapon, a blue steel sword, as if she were lending me a pen. ¡®She used to be so standoffish.¡¯ Lee Yeji had changed a lot, whether because of the situation, because of me, or for some other reason. Whatever the case, it didn¡¯t really matter. "The sword¡¯s fine. Instead..." What I needed right now wasn¡¯t a weapon. "Please follow me for a moment." What I needed was people. To test the effects of the Pathfinder title with me. * * * "Hyung! We¡¯re almost there!" "What should we do when we get there?" Lee Yeji, full of enthusiasm, clenched her fists as she asked. But I replied, "There''s nothing you need to do." "Huh?" It''s already done. Testing the effect of the "Pathfinder" title. [The more followers, the greater the buff effect.] As expected from such an intuitive system, both the conditions and the buff effects were precise. [Followers: 9] [Movement speed increases by 0.9%.] [Defense increases by 0.9.] First, it activates when more than five people follow. Second, the movement speed increases proportionally to the number of people. Third, the same applies to defense. Since I tested it by adding followers one at a time, the results should be urate. I¡¯d love to test it cleanly with ten people, but I''m one person short. "By the way, where¡¯s that foul-mouthed guy?" "Ah¡­ I don¡¯t know. I saw him right after the tunnel mission, but¡­" If he were here, there¡¯d be exactly ten. When I asked regretfully, Lee Yeji unexpectedly recoiled. "Why? Did he cause some trouble again?" "Ah, no." "Hmm, maybe he got lost?" Even as she said that, Lee Yeji craned her neck and looked around anxiously, clearly worried. Just as I was wondering where he could have gone at such a crucial time, a familiar white cloth fluttered past my eyes. ¡ª Swoosh! ¡®This is¡­¡¯ A pure white robe pping in the wind. A bowl-cut haircut sharp as if carved with a knife. Icicles already regrowing on their calves. [Monster!] [Scammer!] The twins. Field agents dispatched by the Bureau, Setani. "How did you know toe here?" [We can see you!] [From above!] These two must not have any work to do. Their so-called ¡°office¡± at the Namsan Tower observatory is just a spot to spy on whoes and goes. [What are you doing?] [Going for a stroll?] "None of your business." [Why?] [We¡¯re allies now!] Come to think of it, it¡¯s only been a day since I crushed them and snatched their employment proposal during the admission test. And yet, they¡¯re not the least bit scared. Buzzing around and chattering like this, they¡¯re just like¡­ ¡®Flies.¡¯ Their tiny builds make them perfect for theparison. "Go away. You''re distracting." [Race?] [Workout?] The sight of their robes fluttering as they zipped back and forth could almost pass for a butterfly if you squint hard enough. [We¡¯re faster!] [Look at us!] As I watched the pping hem of their clothes, a message popped up. [Followers: 11] [Movement speed increases by 1.1%.] [Defense increases by 1.1.] Apparently, the system¡¯s definition of ¡°following¡± doesn¡¯t strictly mean physically staying behind someone. The number remained the same even as the twins flitted around me, darting ahead and falling back. "Oh." [What?] [What?] Realizing I could make use of this in many ways, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Seeing my expression, the twins buzzed around more excitedly, but I shook my head and said, "That¡¯s enough¡ª" Only to stop mid-sentence. S, a few steps away, was giving me a strange look. Actually, she wasn¡¯t just looking strangely; she was outright staring at me like I¡¯d lost it. "Uh¡­ mister¡­?" "I¡¯m just talking to myself." "Oh, okay¡­" I decided not to reply further. As I walked silently, one of the twins suddenly perched on my head. Then, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, they dangled upside down, blocking my view entirely. Sigh. "Don¡¯t you two have work to do?" [Done!] [Break time!] ¡®Done?¡¯ Come to think of it, these twins were dispatched by theirpany for an initial survey of Earth¡¯s environment. You could call them subcontractors conducting preliminary research before the full-scale restructuring began. "Does that mean your project is finished?" [Yep!] [Exactly!] Ah. Now that I think about it, the protective barrier around Namsan Tower does seem a bit thinner. It looks like their office at the observatory has served its purpose. Which means¡­ ¡®The next mission location isn¡¯t here.¡¯ Well, this ce is too cramped for the final mission of the aptitude test. Not to mention, too many people survived. In that case... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®Time to get ready to leave.¡¯ "Then go y somewhere else." [Hmph!] [Tch!] Shooing away the pesky ghost-like creatures with a wave, I called out to the living people. "Everyone, pack your things." "What? Right now?" "Yes, right now." Even without hearing any mission updates or broadcasts, I told them to start packing. Perhaps finding it strange, Jieun tilted her head curiously. "S, Yeojin, let''s go together." "Okay." Despite that, they went inside the tower to gather the backpacks they had hidden there. ¡ª Crackle! Just as the group started scattering to prepare. "Goddammit! You climbed all the way up here?" The foul-mouthed man ran up, shouting. "I¡¯ve been searching for ages! ¡­Uh!" Speaking in a tone that was neither formal nor informal. "You¡¯re just now getting here?" "Come here for a moment. ...Uh." Either he was lost, or he¡¯d been up to something suspicious he didn¡¯t want others to find out. It had to be one of the two, so I interrogated him. In response, the foul-mouthed man hurriedly dropped the heavy load he was carrying on his back. "Where were you? You couldn¡¯t have had business in the middle of this mountain¡­." ng! tter! Crackle! "?!" No, the question was wrong. Instead of "where were you," I should¡¯ve asked, "what is that?" "What¡¯s all this?" "Um¡­." Whatever it was, and wherever it came from, it was a lot of stuff he didn¡¯t have earlier, nowid out like a street vendor¡¯s wares. "Don¡¯t tell me¡­." I had some suspicions, but no certainty. As I silently stared at him, the foul-mouthed man scratched his head under his ck cap and spoke. "You know, that guy who died back in the tunnel¡­." The one who got kicked, had his head crushed while trying to climb over the wall, and left me with that disgustingly heavy mace before copsing. The guy who probably met his end in the tunnel. "I looted him." "¡­¡­." "...Uh." "That bastard, he kept bragging about having a stash of weapons." Saying that, the foul-mouthed man began pulling out items one by one: a spear, an iron sword, and a shield. "I brought it all, but¡­ it¡¯s not much, right?" Despite his nonchnt words, he nced at me nervously, like a puppy seeking praise. "The spear is a bit old, but decent. The iron sword and shield are just so-so." "Wait a second. That guy had a shield but didn¡¯t use it?" "He beat everyone with just that mace. I mean, it was nothing to you, but still." Well, even if he had used it, it wouldn¡¯t have made much difference. No shield could stop a sword that could slice through with elerated skills. Anyway. "You¡¯re just giving this to me? Just like that?" He didn¡¯t seem like the type to share, let alone give things away. I could still vividly remember how jealous he was when I first received a "gift" from the anonymous observer. As I squinted at him suspiciously, the foul-mouthed man hesitated and mumbled. "¡­You saved me."N?v(el)B\\jnn Now he looked exactly like a scolded puppy trying to make amends. "Hmm." This wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d saved him, but judging by his expression, he must¡¯ve had a rough time while we were separated. "Th-th-thank you!" His face seemed to shout, "It¡¯s embarrassing!" as he practically yelled the words. Well, whatever the reason. "I won¡¯t refuse, then." I picked one item from the three. The one I needed most right now. ? Wooden Shield -A simple wooden shield. Made of sturdy wood, it can block most ordinary attacks. -Increases defense by 10 when equipped. "A shield?" "Yes. I thought having one would be nice." The other weapons didn¡¯t seem better than my de, so I didn¡¯t bother. Then, as if waiting for this moment, the foul-mouthed man lit up and reached for the sword. He seemed eager to have it. "Then I¡¯ll take the sword¡­." "No." In that case. "Why don¡¯t you give it to the older guy?" "What?" "He doesn¡¯t have a weapon." "¡­¡­." Swoosh! Before his hand could reach the sword, I slid it toward the older guy. The foul-mouthed one froze in ce, dumbfounded. Swiish! The tips of his fingers trembled in frustration. And then, he moved to his next target. "Then, how about the spear¡ª" "No." No, not the next target. "That one''s for thedy." "?!" "Thedy isn''t here either." "......" Swiish! Before the foul-mouthed man could reach it, I slid the spear aside as well. His fingers quivered with disbelief, and his gaze, as shaky as if an earthquake had struck, turned to meet mine. Finding his expression amusing, I deliberately added, "A spear, with its reach, would suit ber better, considering how poorly you handle weapons." "What?! Then what about me?!" Thump! Thump! Truly aggrieved, he thumped his chest and screamed in protest. Thinking I might¡¯ve teased him too much, I finally called out to Jaehyuk, who was walking over with his backpack. "Jaehyuk." "Yes, hyung?" "What was your Strength stat again?" "Currently at 21!" As expected. Jaehyuk likely met the minimum requirements for the item I¡¯d obtained earlier in the tunnel¡ª¡®nged Mace.¡¯ The minimum Strength stat requirement: 20 or higher. Summoning the mace, I handed it over and said, "Here, this is for you." "What?! For me?!" "Give me your old sword in return." "My... my handcrafted sword?!" Better to let it be used than to let it rot unused. [You do not meet the minimum Strength stat requirement for the ¡®nged Mace.¡¯] [You have incurred the status ailment, ''Muscle Pain,'' due to excessive muscle strain!] I couldn¡¯t just pour all my points into Strength to use the mace. Besides, I specialized in swordsmanship, so it wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d get much use out of it anyway. "No, really! A good weapon is more effective in your hands, hyung!" "I can''t use it; I don¡¯t have enough stats." "Then just raise your stats!" Even though the decision was long settled, Jaehyuk stubbornly refused to ept it. So, I told him, "You''re not the type for delicate swordy, are you?" "What?" "You just force it in with raw strength." "Ugh! How did you know?" Maybe brute force had worked for him so far, but the future might demand more finesse. "Think of it as an investment." "But..." "So you can shield me up front." I forced the mace into his hands. "Not taking it? Then I''ll end up with more muscle pain." "Muscle pain...?" "Hurry up." He hesitated, ncing between me and the mace, before finally clutching it like a sacred relic. "Then... I¡¯ll borrow it! Just until you can use it, hyung!" "Yeah¡­ I doubt I¡¯ll need it." "What?! I haven¡¯t even repaid you for saving my life, and now this gift..." Looking deeply moved, Jaehyuk stood straight like a soldier receiving a medal and dered, "I¡¯ll protect us from the front lines!" "Sure, that¡¯d be helpful." The foul-mouthed man, who had been watching silently, chimed in. "I-I¡¯ll use mine well too!" "Of course you should." Excited, he swung the sword around in endless shes at the empty air. ¡­I didn¡¯t expect him to be this happy. His overwhelming gratitude left me a little flustered, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. "Thank you, young man!" "I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll manage at my age, but¡­ I¡¯ll use it well!" Even the older man and woman seemed delighted. ¡°Whoa! The de¡¯s actually sharp!¡± ¡°Careful, Mr. Song!¡± ¡­They like it, right? Watching the two regard the weapon like a dangerous beast left me feeling conflicted. Because¡ª ¡°What would we do without you, young man?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± Unfortunately, they¡¯ll have to manage without me soon enough. And just then¡ª ¡ªBzzzt! Bzzzt! The signal, which had been faint, suddenly strengthened. [This is a message for survivors in the ¡®Yongsan District.¡¯] [The second mission, ¡®Mock Battle,¡¯ will begin shortly.] A broadcast announcing the second mission came through. ¡ªDing! Apanied by the expected system notification. [To improve arena efficiency, a survey will now begin.] "A survey?" "What now?" If it¡¯s a survey at this timing, there¡¯s only one thing it could ask about. Probably the format of the mock battle¡­ ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Wait a second. ©°©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©´ Q. You¡¯re on the verge of being buried alive! Which of the following locations would you prefer? City Mountain Sea ©¸©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¼ ¡­What the hell is this? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 42 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 42: Mock Battle (1) Thepany¡¯s ¡°aptitude test¡± evaluates a total of three categories. The first isbat ability. In the "Dark Path Mission," the n was to assess innate reflexes and unique skills by limiting vision... or at least, that was the intention. ¡®Though I messed it up.¡¯ The second is intelligence. Specifically, strategic and tactical skills. It¡¯s not about grading test scores or anything like that. ¡¸Mock Battle¡¹ Participants conduct a mock battle with identical troops. Victory is achieved by breaking through the opponent''s base and capturing their g. The identical ¡°troops,¡± in other words, soldiers, must be strategically maneuvered to seize the gs of others. Andpared to the other missions, there¡¯s something a bit unusual. ¡®You can choose the type of battlefield.¡¯ I spent the night poring over dozens of proposals. Reading and rereading them, memorizing every detail, analyzing their pros and cons, and contemting what choice would give me the best advantage. So. "This is a joke... right?" "Buried alive? Really...?" "Could this be some sort of psychological test?" The moment I saw the question before me: ©°©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©´ Q. You¡¯re on the verge of being buried alive! Which of the following locations would you prefer? City Mountain Sea ©¸©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¼ "If I had to choose, I¡¯d pick the mou..." "City!" I shouted confidently. "Huh, Eunho?" "The city. Everyone, choose the city." "Um, okay?" Jieun blinked her wide eyes in confusion and reluctantly nodded, lookingpletely unconvinced. "Right? If we¡¯re going to be buried alive, it¡¯s better to do it together in the city..." ...No, that¡¯s not it. "It seems like this is actually the location for the next mission¡ªthe mock battle." "What?" "There are too many people here forbat. It seems they¡¯ve given us the option to choose the battleground to spread everyone out." My deduction, though spective, made Jieun tilt her head. "But why would they frame it as something like being buried alive? Couldn¡¯t they just say it¡¯s to choose the mission location?" "I¡¯m not sure about that part..." The proposal had clearly stated: When the mock battle begins, participants will be deployed to the "closest location based on their chosen type." Which means: "If you choose the mountain or sea, no one knows where you¡¯ll end up." In other words, the mission locations are 100% random. Choosing a bizarre option unnecessarily increases uncertainty in an already unpredictable situation. "If we choose the city, we¡¯ll likely fight nearby, right, hyung?" "That¡¯s the most probable oue." "But... isn¡¯t urbanbat the type with the highest civilian casualties? I heard it¡¯s the hardest to strategize." Jaehyuk voiced his concerns with a wary tone. It was a stark contrast to others, who seemed resigned to the chaos¡ªperhaps because of his military background. But. "There are no civilians left." "Ah..." Seoul had be a ghost town long ago. There were only a handful of survivors left. Civilian casualties, protecting people¡ªthose weren¡¯t even considerations anymore. "If things go south, there are plenty of ces to hide." I added, ncing at Yura. Jaehyuk nodded as if he finally understood. "And being close means we can cooperate if necessary." "Ah! That¡¯s true!" So. "Yura, if you ever find yourself alone, use your ability to hide, okay?" "Okay!" Even a five-year-old couldn¡¯t escape the necessity of fending for themselves. This would be their first step toward true independence. "S, we¡¯ll be okay, right...?" "Of course. Just don¡¯t die, okay?" As the two childhood friends held each other¡¯s hands tightly, the end of the selection process approached. [30 seconds left until selection closes.] The border of the prompt turned red and started blinking. Blink! 29 seconds, 28 seconds, 27 seconds... [If you do not choose within the time limit, an option will be selected randomly.] "Eunho...!" Jieun stared at me with trembling eyes. S clung to Yeojin¡¯s hand tightly. Hanul hugged Yura and looked at me with pleading eyes. [10 seconds remaining to respond to the survey.] I nodded. Without speaking, but with everyone understanding what it meant. Then, all at once, everyone opened their mouths. "City." [Do you confirm the selection of ''City''?] Together. Whether it was burial or a mock battle. "Yes." [Selectionplete!] [The ''Mock Battle'' mission will now begin!] The announcement signaling the end of everyone¡¯s choices echoed through the air. ¡ª Fwoosh! A blinding light engulfed us. So intense it pierced through my eyelids, making everyone groan under its overwhelming brightness. [Transporting to thebat zone.] [Brace for impact!] I opened my mouth, determined to remind everyone once more. "Oh, and if it gets dangerous..." Blink. "I¡¯ll... take care of..." The world went dark. No light. No sound. No words. [Subject ''Lee Eunho.'' Transferplete.] [By the administrator''s authority, ''Eyes'' are now open.] Hearing returned before sight. The first thought I had upon realizing I¡¯d been ''moved'' was: ''...Why does it feel so heavy?'' A damp, oppressive sensation pressed down on my entire body, stifling me. Rough particles assaulted me instead of air, leaving no room to breathe. And then¡ª Sssk, ssst. A chilling sensation, as if something tiny was crawling over my body. "Haa¡ª" When I exhaled involuntarily, dry, gritty soil slipped into my slightly open mouth. Ssshh! Coarse sand shifted and slid off my body as I lifted my arm with all my strength. This... this is... ''Was I... buried alive?'' ...This system is insane. ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' asks if you were already dead and buried.¡¿ ¡¾''The Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' expresses disappointment, saying they were hoping for some real entertainment after a long while.¡¿ In the pitch-ck darkness, where nothing could be seen¡ªnot even ''Eyes''¡ªthe voices of observers echoed in my ears. For now, I ignored their nonsense. Sssk! Still lying t, I raised my knees as high as I could, like a mountain peak. With effort, my knees pushed through the dirt, poking above the surface. Fortunately, theyer of soil on top of me didn¡¯t seem too deep. Sssssssk! Gradually, I thrashed my arms and legs, wing my way up until I managed to pull myself upright. "Phwaaah!" I spat out soil several times, shaking off the remnants of being buried alive from my hair and clothes. But then... ''Where is this?'' An unpaved dirt path, a vast grassy field, towering trees, and a giant pond. The serenendscape of a park. ''If there¡¯s a park thisrge in Yongsan District...'' There¡¯s only one. The Yongsan Family Park¡ªprime real estate in Seoul. Breathing in deeply, I took in the open sky and the lush greenery before me. The grassy field was so vast it could put most school ygrounds to shame. A t expanse with no slopes offered an unobstructed view of the area. Standing alone with no allies or enemies in sight, and with no iing attacks, it seemed there were no ambushes. ''The approximate distance...'' As I calcted the surrounding terrain and situation before the real battle began¡ª [A ''g'' is created in the border zone.] [Forces are being deployed to both sides.] A message announcing the start shed before me.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thunk! Far off in the middle of the grassy field, a pole as tall as a building¡¯s first floor plunged into the ground like a utility pole. Ssssssst¡ª! ck smoke slithered up the solitary pole. p! Gathering and coiling, the smoke formed a dull gray g, unfurling with a sharp snap. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, the writhing smoke burst outward like a sh of light. Bam! Like a water balloon dropped from the air, the dark smoke exploded upon hitting the ground, spreading rapidly in a circr motion. ¡¾''The Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' folds his arms and remarks, "So, it''s finally starting."¡¿ ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' remarks that a true man should also be able to strategize, unable to hide their anticipation.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers demand powerful soldiers!¡¿ It all happened in an instant. Ssshrrrk¡ª! Previously just in soil, the ground beneath me absorbed the ck energy like a sponge. Twitch! And then, it began to wriggle. "...!!" Like sprouts bursting from the earth after a long winter, the writhing soil in several spots suddenly¡ª Rustle! Crackle! ¡ªemerged with a strange noise. And then, with a snapping sound¡ª ...White. "...?!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Skeletons. [Skeleton Soldier (Lv. 1) acquired!] [Remaining troops: 100] "Skeleton soldiers?!" ¡¾''The Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' tilts their head, wondering if such monsters even existed.¡¿ From the piles of dirt, pale skeletons began rising one by one, rattling their creaky limbs as they stood. A literal army of white bones. "Urgh..." "My... arm..." ¡ªtter! "My... leg..." "Graaaargh..." It wasn¡¯t just burial¡ªit was as if a graveyard of bones hade alive, attaching heads to necks, arms to shoulders, and moving of their own volition. The skeletal warriors, equipped with rusted armor and chipped swords, were not few in number¡ªthey were one hundred strong, rising simultaneously. [Subject ''Lee Eunho.'' Troop supportplete.] [Check your troop status!] "Troop status?" Muttering the words as if testing them, a translucent window popped up beside the rattling head of a skeleton soldier. Seventy-two, four, twenty-five... Each skeleton bore a number alongside the name Skeleton Soldier. ¡²Skeleton Soldier (#72)¡³ Affiliation: Lee Eunho (Temporary) Guard Rank: Trainee Stats: HP (3), Strength (0), Intelligence (2), Judgement (1), Agility (1), Endurance (8) Traits: Undead Skills: [Rattle (Lv. 99)], [Dislocation (Lv. 1)], [Bone Bomb (Lv. 1)] A detailed exnation followed: -By sheer luck, they crossed the River Styx again, but their senses from life have long dulled. Theirbat ability is poor, but they might suffice as shields. -Vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch are all dulled, making them resistant to pain and the fear of annihtion. ''Haa...'' A peaceful park in the city, now swarming with skeletons instead of people, dogs, or bicycles. ¡ªtter! tter! tter! [Current Loyalty: 50%] [Remaining Troops: 100] Thwack! As I inspected the status screens of the soldiers, the sound of wood colliding echoed all around. The skeletons, clueless about what to do with their limbs, bumped into one another. When the shock caused one of them to drop its head... tter! Without a care, the creature picked up its head and ced it back on its neck. Snap! It shoved it back into ce. Well, they wouldn¡¯t die that easily. Or¡­ were they already dead? ¡­As I was caught up in these thoughts, an announcement red, as if to pull me out of the swamp of my musings. [You have 3 hours.] [At the end of the mission, any participant who does not capture the ''g'' will be erased. Rewards will be calcted based on the number of surviving soldiers.] The objective was clear: capture the ''g'' nted far away. And the ones I¡¯d bepeting against for that single g were¡­ tter! tter! tter¡ª! The deafening, thunderous noise made me look up. The enemy had already filled the grassy in. Skeleton soldiers. Sigh. ¡®Are they skeletons too?¡¯ The only difference was that while our side had polished white bones, theirs were jet-ck, as if they''d been painted together. And theirmander, leading the charge at the front¡­ ¡°Punish the traitors of death!!!¡± ¡­was a skeleton as well. Wearing a horned helmet crafted from monster bones, radiating an ominous glow from its eye sockets. ¡°Traitors¡­!¡± ¡°Eradicate¡­ them¡­!¡± On top of that¡­ ¡°The g¡¯s already been taken, hasn¡¯t it?¡± The g had spawned in their camp. Right in the center of the grassy in. The very spot where those ck skeletons had emerged from the earth. [A ''g'' has spawned in the border zone.] ¡¾The ¡®Ferryman of the Administration Bureau¡¯ is agitated, questioning how this can be called a border zone!¡¿ ¡¾A minority of observers are raising concerns about the unfair conditions!¡¿ ¡¾The majority of observers anticipate ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯s¡¯ strategy!¡¿ Damn them. The system''s tant intent to stack the odds against me made me chuckle bitterly. ¡°Maintain formation!!¡± Theirmander shouted with a booming voice. Perhaps because of the enormous horns on its helmet, it exuded amanding presence. It carried itself with a dignified air, as though leading the horde was as natural as breathing. But what shocked me most was¡­ ¡®They¡¯re forming a proper battle line?¡¯ The enemymander was setting up a defensive formation, demonstrating a capacity for tactical judgment. Could that thing be more than just an ordinary monster? ¡°Lay down your lives to block them!¡± Its disy of valor and resolve could¡¯ve convinced anyone it was a general from a great nation. If only it wasn¡¯t literally just bones. ¡°Approach¡­ and I¡¯ll detonate them!¡± ¡°Uooooaaaahhh!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaahhh!¡± Its bizarre charisma rallied the ck skeletons, who shook their bones in response. Each held a fragment of bone in their hands. ¡®Are they¡­ threatening us?¡¯ It was clear they intended to use their ¡®bone bomb¡¯ skill. In other words, they were threatening to blow themselves up. ¡®If I rush in recklessly, I¡¯ll be caught in a chain explosion.¡¯ Getting too close would only lead to disaster. ¡°Urgh¡­?¡± ¡°Sc-Scary¡­¡± Think. Think. Think. Even as my own white skeleton soldiers scratched their innocent skulls in frustration¡­ [Your skeleton soldiers are overwhelmed by the enemy''s aura.] [Morale is dropping.] Morale plummeted. [Low morale slightly decreases attack power.] [Fatigue increases easily.] An already-established defensive line. An open, empty in with no resources to utilize. Debuffs from low morale. It seemed like an overwhelmingly unfavorable start with no room to maneuver. But. ¡°Troop status.¡± [Checking the status of troops under ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯] [Remaining troops: 100] ¡²Skeleton Soldier (#2)¡³ ¡²Skeleton Soldier (#11)¡³ ¡²Skeleton Soldier (#65)¡³ ¡­¡­ Only I could see it. A ¡®gap¡¯ in this battlefield that only I could exploit. A method those skeletons could never emte, even if they died and came back to life. ¡°Summon.¡± Fwoosh¡ª! I equipped the round shield and ck sword gifted by the foul-mouthed artisan onto my left arm and right hand, respectively. Feeling the bnced weight in my grip, I opened my lips again. Then. Hoo¡ª! Drawing in a deep breath, I shouted with all my might. ¡°Units 1 to 10! Forward!¡± ¡°Forward¡­!¡± tter! Among the skeleton soldiers idly standing around, a few creaked as they dragged their bodies forward. One, two, three¡­ exactly ten of them. Now then. ¡°Let¡¯s break through.¡± Both the enemy formation and this cursed system. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 43 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 43: Mock Battle (2) ck! ck! Rattle! After a few orders, ten skeletal soldiers stood in a line. One of them, its teeth chattering, creaked into its final position. ¡²Skeletal Soldier (No. 1)¡³ ¡²Skeletal Soldier (No. 2)¡³ ¡²Skeletal Soldier (No. 3)¡³ ... Theirbined stats totaled only 15. Their only skills were "Rattling," "Dislocating," and "Gleaming," essentially making them no more than bone bombs with limited utility. It was as if they were designed to be expendable as explosives. "Got it?" "Y-Yes, Commander...!" For the best possible oue, everyone had to y their part ¡ª them and me. Hoping they¡¯d fulfill their duty safely, I patted one soldier''s shoulder. And then, suddenly... [Skeletal Soldier (No. 1) has been promoted to ''toon Leader Trainee''!] ¡®?!¡¯ The trainee had been promoted. To toon Leader Trainee. ¡²Skeletal Soldier (No. 1)¡³ -Affiliation: Temporary Guard Unit 1st toon under Lee Eunho -Rank: toon Leader Trainee ... -Appointed as toon Leader by Commander Lee Eunho. Seems proud of the promotion. Huh? "toon Leader¡­ will do my best...!" ck! ck! ck! Skeletal Soldier No. 1 clicked its teeth furiously. The remaining nine, now part of the 1st toon, bowed their heads. Well¡­ Whether trainee or toon leader, the task remained the same. Step. Step. Step. I led them forward several meters, to the edge of the grass field where the enemy¡¯s camp began. ¡¾The ''Raven of the Administrative Bureau'' asks why you¡¯re dividing your forces.¡¿ ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' advises an all-out assault instead.¡¿ Then, the observers chimed in with their unsolicited advice. It made sense, given how bleak the situation appeared. ¡¾The ¡®Ferryman of the Administrative Bureau'' protests the unfair mission conditions.¡¿ ¡¾They ask how it¡¯s even possible to retrieve the g surrounded on all sides.¡¿ The enemy only needed to defend the g at the center of their camp, while I had to break through their well-established defensive formation. Moreover, this was an open in with no ranged weapons, essential for sieges or captures. A barren wastnd, devoid of any advantage. It was, on the surface, an utterly hopeless situation. But... "Summon." A handicap is just a handicap. I wouldn¡¯t lose to mindless bones when I had strategy. [Would you like to activate ''Torch''?] [Choose between Beacon me or Smoke Signal.] "Smoke Signal!" The two words left my lips and resonated with the torch. The angr body of the torch hummed for a moment, then its straw-like, woven head glowed red-hot. Ssssss-! Soon, thin, acrid smoke began to rise. One wisp, two wisps, three wisps. The slender trails of smoke twisted and intertwined, gaining momentum. ¡¾The ¡®Ferryman of the Administrative Bureau'' asks why you suddenly pulled out a torch.¡¿ ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' wonders about Lee Eunho¡¯s intent in using such a trivial item.¡¿ The torch, despitecking mes, produced an abundance of acrid smoke. I looked on in satisfaction, while the observers remained doubtful. Of course, that was to be expected. "It''s no ordinary torch, nor just any smoke." They didn¡¯t know. And why would they? They didn¡¯t belong to thisnd. Whiiiish¡ª! "Feel the wind." The direction and strength of the breeze blowing toward the enemy. The rustling des of grass stretched wide to the enemy''s camp. These were sensations they couldn¡¯t perceive. Sssssssssssst! The wind, though not strong enough to push us forward, was perfect for spreading the smokeless me. Step. Step. Step. Touching the rustling grass with my fingertips, I brought the torchhead close. Snap! Snap! The dry grass sparked and glowed red-hot. Using the lush green field as fuel, smoke billowed out without mes. Fwoooooooosh¡ª! As the torch''s power activated, the pale smoke spread like wildfire. "!!" The grass field, now consumed, sent the smoke spiraling into the sky, obscuring visibility entirely. "F-Fire?!" "Where is iting from?" One of the ck skeletons standing guard raised the rm, prompting theirmander to shout in response. They frantically drew their weapons, swiveling their heads in every direction. Exploiting the enemy¡¯s weakness and breaking their formation. A simple, straightforward n. Vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch were all impaired. With nothing but remnants of their eyes, the enemy wouldn¡¯t be able to see. They¡¯d be lost. Even for me, it was hard to make out their movements now that I¡¯d drawn so close. ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' is dumbfounded that you used the in itself as fuel.¡¿ ¡¾The ''Raven of the Administrative Bureau'' apuds Lee Eunho¡¯s ingenuity, calling it a stroke of genius.¡¿ ¡¾The ¡®Ferryman of the Administrative Bureau'' chuckles, noting Lee Eunho requires a different standard for adversity.¡¿ This was nothing. "Ah, I can¡¯t¡­ see anything¡­!" "What do we do¡­?!" "Don¡¯t panic! Maintain formation!" As the smoke spread, the enemy grew increasingly agitated. Meanwhile, the morale of my troops surged. [The skeletal soldiers burn with resolve at theirmander¡¯s brilliant strategy!] [Current loyalty: 55%] Crack! Rattle! Snap! The cacophony of hundreds, thousands of bone joints echoed loudly. Raising the still-smoking torch high above my head, I advanced. ring triumphantly at the disoriented enemy troops and the skeletal soldiers watching intently. Then¡ª Hup! He took a deep breath... Woomph! The soldiers¡¯ noise grew muffled. As if an invisible veil had been cast over them. And above it all¡ª ¡°Attention, everyone!¡± My voice rang out like a gunshot. Flinch! It pierced directly into the ears of every one of the 100 skeletal soldiers. [The signal transmission is enhanced due to the effect of Beacon of Fire.] ¡°!!¡± Silence. A thin, still silence hung overhead. Not because they stopped rattling. But because my words, carried by the torch, pierced into their very bones. [The skeletal soldier horde is now ready to receive themander¡¯s orders!] [Current Loyalty: 60%] [Data required to unlock skills is being measured.] A hundred hollow eyes locked onto mine. Their jawbones clicked open and shut as they silently waited. If they had ears, I¡¯d imagine them standing upright with attention. So, I shouted¡ª ¡°First toon, you¡¯re the scouts! Follow me to the rear!¡± Louder, more firmly. Straining my voice until veins bulged in my neck. ¡°The rest of you, hold position! Attack the front immediately when you see the signal!¡± ck! ck! tter! Snap! The soldiers cked their teeth together, as if to say, ¡°Understood.¡± Enthusiastically. [Loyalty of skeletal soldiers increases due to organizedmands!] [Current Loyalty: 65%] Now, onest thing. [Targets failing to secure the ¡®g¡¯ by the end of the mission will be eliminated, and rewards will be calcted based on the number of surviving soldiers.] ¡°Remember this!¡± I had to make sure they understood. ¡°Your priority is your survival!¡± I need to survive, yes, but so do you. Only then can we reap the rewards. ¡°I don¡¯t want sacrifices from any of you! Got it?!¡± ¡°Yes¡­! Uwoooohhh¡ª!¡± ¡°Rrrraagh¡ª!¡± [Themander¡¯s orders resonate through the ribcages of the skeletal soldiers!] [Current Loyalty: 70%] [Data required to unlock skills is being measured.] ¡°Charge!¡± Snap! Skeletal Soldier No. 1 pulled out one of its ribs. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all my limbs¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°But... Squad Leader...¡± ¡°I said, that¡¯s enough.¡± Even as I refused, it kept offering. Was it because they said returning from death makes them insensitive to pain and the fear of obliteration? Perhaps that¡¯s why theycked the concept of ¡°sacrificing¡± their own bones. ¡°Well, if you insist... just give me your pinky.¡± ¡°Yes...!¡± ¡°Only one side.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Thanks to the generous skeleton, preparations wereplete. And we¡¯d reached the target point. Now, then. ¡°Let¡¯s move in.¡± tter-! The tension emanating from the skeletal fingers gripping swords and their hollow eye sockets. Amidst the taut atmosphere, I raised my de. ¡°Kehek...!¡± ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t see...!¡± The enemy, their vision obscured by smoke, stumbled and iled in confusion. Seizing the moment, I led my soldiers to strike from the rear. [The effect of the Pathfinder title activates!] The awaited buff had arrived. [Followers: 100] [Movement speed increases by 10%.] [Defense increases by 10.] It felt as though the spring breeze of a hundred warriors lifted our legs and des, propelling us forward with a reassuring buff. ¡°Enemy spotted¡­!¡± ¡°Where?!¡± I fixed my gaze on the enemies ahead. Despite their confusion, the ck skeleton horde still maintained a tight formation. Now was the time. Before they noticed my presence¡ªor the de aimed at their spines. Thwack! Iunched forward, breaking through the ranks of the unsuspecting enemies. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The skeletal scout toon following me had already dispersed. This left nothing in my way to stop my de as it shed through an enemy¡¯s neck bone. Crack! The slender de connected with the neck bone. For a moment, I felt the hard surface. Then, in one smooth motion, the de carved through, cleanly severing the rounded bone segments. ¡°Uwaaaaah¡ª!¡± ng! ng! Thud! The ck skull dropped to the ground. Normally, it would have rolled from the momentum, but it didn¡¯t. Half of the severed neck bone was still attached to the skull, keeping it pinned to the ground like a golf ball. ¡°My body! Where¡¯s my body!!¡± The head, now stuck in the dirt, cried out in shock. ¡®It didn¡¯t die in one strike.¡¯ In that case, sorry, but I¡¯ll strike again. I raised my de above my head. Or rather, above its neck¡ªif that was still the right term. Its severed head was already rolling near my feet, after all. In any case¡ª Slice! I brought the de down, cutting through horizontally as the copsed ck bones split and crumbled into a pile. [You have defeated a Skeletal Soldier (Lv. 1)!] [You have gained 50 Welfare Points!] "You filthy...!" "A mere living being like you...!" The head embedded in the ground said no more. Instead, it was the surrounding allies that came charging, shouting. "Where are they...?!" "Where could they be?!" Skeletal soldiers swung their arms like windmills, desperately trying to dispel the fog. ''Their efforts aremendable, but...'' Turning slightly, I could see their profiles. They iled their arm bones with all their might, trying to find me in the mist. ''I can''t afford to lose the advantage I''ve worked so hard to gain.'' Swoosh! I gripped the bottom of the hilt tightly. To maximize the sweep of the de. Then, downward. All at once. sh¡ª! Thud! tter! Their arms were severed just below the shoulders. Four arms fell to the ground. Twenty bony fingers twitched on the dirt floor, as if they still had life. "Aaaaargh!" And then the ughter began. For every one I felled, two came charging, and for every two, four more followed. When that didn''t work, they abandoned all formations and attacked from every direction. [You have defeated Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!] [You have gained 50 Welfare Points!] [You have defeated Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!] [You have gained 50 Welfare Points!] ... Oddly, striding through the midst of blind enemies felt familiar. Perhaps it was due to the movement speed buff. It felt simr to fighting with eleration. It was almost like dancing. I¡¯d never danced in my life, but if I did, it might feel something like this. "Commander! The enemy is too strong...!" "We can''t hold out...!" Thud-! A skeletal soldier shouted what sounded like itsst words toward theirmander before copsing. Ah, I suppose they never had eyes to close in the first ce. The dim light glowing in their hollow sockets faded away. ''It should be time now.'' A towering figure, 2 meters tall. Just from its massive frame, it was clear this ck-boned leader was on a whole different level from the others. It must have realized something was off about me. After all, I had broken through their rear and was now nearly at the center, where the g fluttered. If that''s the case... "Number 1! Send the signal!" I shouted to Scout Number 1, who had been standing by nearby and was now a toon leader trainee. Clutching the pinky finger he had plucked from his own hand, he responded, ready for the moment. "Yes...!" Amid the rattling noises, a faint reply reached me. And shortly after¡ª ¡ªWhoosh! A pale bone shard flew into the sky. Higher, and higher. Piercing through the acrid smoke. I had instructed him to throw it so high his shoulder might dislocate. It seemed he had thrown it with just that much force. When the bone shard seemed to reach the highest point of its arc¡ª "Now!" [Skeleton Soldier (No.1) has used the skill ''Bone Bomb (Lv.1)''!] Apanied by a system message confirming Number 1 had timed it perfectly¡ª ¡ªBoom! The bone soaring through the sky exploded. Like fireworks. And finally¡ª Fwoosh! I held the torch I had summoned high above my head and shouted. "All troops, charge!" [The signal fire''s influence has increasedmunication range!] [The skeletal army charges with bone-shattering force!] "Uooooooohhh!" "Attack!!!" ¡ªRattleeeeeeeee! The roar from far away reverberated through me. The smoke had cleared slightly, but now the dust storm kicked up by 90 skeleton soldiers charging was even stronger. So much so that it reached even here, far away. "What... What should we do...?!" "Commander...!!!" This time, the ck-boned soldiers scratched their skulls anxiously. Before them was a monstrous enemy swinging a sword, and behind them, a horde of ferocious enemies charging with full force. Even without a system message, it was clear their morale had plummeted. Tap! Seizing the opportunity, I quickly pushed toward the center. Toward the g. "Commander...!" And then, almost simultaneously with me, the pale scouts arrived. Other than a few minor scratches, they were unscathed. They must have avoidedbat as much as possible while running. All that nagging must have paid off, to the point where they had scabs where their ears used to be. Flutter¡ª! The g, attached to a pole slightly thinner than a utility pole, waved at the top. Just as I approached to seize it, a giant wearing a helmet emerged from the ck-boned ranks. ''It''s him.'' He had abandoned his front lines to rush here. "Stop... him...!" "Aaaaargh!" The panicked cries of the ck-boned soldiers and the crumbling formation assaulted my senses, but they seemed irrelevant to him. His focus was solely on me and the g. "Pull out the g! We''re retreating!" "Ugh...!" "You worms! Hurry up!" The giantshed out like a whip, but it was no use. Because... "This... This is..." "It''s too heavy...!" The skeleton soldiers'' strength stat was zero. They didn¡¯t have the power to pull out a gpole as tall as a building¡¯s first floor. "Looks tough. Want a hand?" "Shut up, you insolent wretch!" Half-jokingly, half-seriously, I offered help, only for the leader of the ck-boned soldiers to explode with anger. Blue light zed from his hollow eyes. "You dare, with your filthy blood...!" "Why are you so mad?" Muttering anything that came to mind, I waited for the perfect timing. To steal the g and escape with my eleration skill. And then. "How dare¡ª urgh!" I dodged the massive figure that lunged at me like lightning. Instead, their leader rammed into the ck-bone soldier standing behind me. Crash! The ck-bone soldier crumbled under the impact, shattering and copsing. Taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s momentary stumble. "My turn, huh?" Crunch-! I drove my de into the back of the enemy¡¯s neck. With a sound like stone breaking, the sword tip barely managed to pierce through. And when the long de emerged from the other side¡ª "Arghhhhhhh!" I twisted the sword and yanked it out. Just as I was about to stab again¡ª "You scum!! Blow it up! Now!!" ¡ª Thunk! A bone shard, as big as an arm, fell at my feet. Judging by its pitch-ck color, it was from the enemy''s bones... ¡ª Vwoooom-! The ck-bone fragment vibrated in response to something as ity on the dirt floor. ¡ª Rattle! ck! The dark bone began to swell, light pouring out from the gaps in its surface.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om [The enemy skeleton soldier has activated the Bone Bomb skill!] A terrifying¡ªno, a seemingly terrifying skill, but¡ª ¡ª KABOOM! "I¡¯ve already ounted for that." [High defense negates the shock damage!] With the Pathfinder title giving a defense buff of 10, plus the effects of my Shell Breastte and Wooden Shield, I had a total defense of 30. It meant that even if my ribs cracked, I wouldn¡¯t feel a thing. "More! Blow up more of them!" [The enemy skeleton soldier has activated the Bone Bomb skill!] "I¡¯m telling you, it doesn¡¯t work." KABOOM! [High defense negates the shock damage!] KABOOM! [High defense negates the shock damage!] [The Shell Breastte absorbs some of the shock!] [The Wooden Shield blocks the impact!] ¡­¡­ "They don¡¯t believe me." sh-! I decapitated the enemy, whose mouth kept running despite the hole in their neck. And then¡ª Whoooosh-! I unleashed a sword wind, slicing through the gpole and taking out all the surrounding skeleton soldiers. Because right now, neither this one nor that one mattered¡ªonly the g did. "Wha¡ª what?!" I grabbed the gpole as it toppled after being cut. The cold metal surface touched my palm. [The g is imbued with the energy of White!] ¡ª Fwoosh! Light began to stream up the length of the gpole from where my hand had touched it. As I tilted my head back to look up at the g, the light reached its surface. [You have obtained the g of Victory!] The pitch-ck g slowly turned pure white. As pristine as freshly fallen snow. "Done! Let¡¯s get out of here!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 44 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 44: Mock Battle (3) "Everyone, fall back!" "Fall bac¡ª!" "No...!" A ck-bone soldier blocked the way. Quickly, I raised my right arm and swung the sword. sh! It¡¯s hard to control a longsword like a one-handed sword. But fortunately, the pitch-ck bone was sliced heavily yet sharply. "Ughhhhhh!" This time, a skeleton lunged from the side, aiming for the g in my left hand. Should I spin around to dodge? No, then I¡¯d leave the other side exposed. The others wouldn¡¯t miss the chance. They¡¯re rattling, ready to pounce the moment they see an opening. In that case¡ª Thud! I grabbed the long gpole and swung it. Tingling! The cold, heavy sensation of the metal pole traveled from my palm up to my shoulder. "Ughhhhhh-!" "Argh! Why¡ª!" Several soldiers trying to charge forward were knocked over by the gpole. One next to them, and another beside that, tumbled together in a heap. Crash-! Thanks to the cleared space, I pulled myself free. Crunch! I stomped over the pile of shattered ck bones. "This way! Hurry!" At the same time, I waved to the white-bone soldiers fighting diligently in their positions. These guys dove straight into the enemy ranks, relying only on me. They knew I was their only escape route, so they shoved aside the skeletons they were fighting and ran straight toward me. Crash-! ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ shouts to sweep away everything, including the g!¡¿ ¡­Ignoring thebat-crazed fanatic, I turned and began my retreat. "Waitttttt! Stop!!!" A near-screeching cry rang out behind me. That metallic, grating voice... "?!" It was the skeletalmander, staggering toward me. ¡®How?¡¯ I had crushed its neck to make sure its head and body couldn¡¯t be reattached. The proof? The others I had struck the same way had all turned into lifeless bone heaps. Why was this one still moving? "You¡¯re wondering how I can move." With a sinister smile, it adjusted its helmet.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ssssssst-! The horned helmet, carved from the skull of a beast. Sssss... Sss... A purple aura flickered over the ck helmet. It seeped into the cracked, severed neck. "¡­I think I get it now." So that helmet is the source of its life force. I¡¯ll have to take that helmet. I¡¯ll aim for the middle of its head instead of the neck. Thinking this, I raised my sword. "Captain¡­!" Themander grabbed a subordinate next to it. Rattle! Boom-! "Captaaaain!" Then it threw the skeleton. "Detonate it!!!" Detonate? "Useless." It should¡¯ve seen me blocking all those attacks earlier. Either it had no learning ability, or this was itsst desperate struggle. Either way, I wasn¡¯t about to go easy. I raised my shield. "You say it won¡¯t work¡­?" The skeletal soldier, its limbs dislocated and sprawled on the ground, began to hum ominously. A twisted, bent arm. Its skull, fallen near its knees after being separated from its neck. Itspletely folded spine. Hum¡­ Hum-! Each bone glowed a bright red. Like firewood ready to burst into mes. And then¡ª [Enemy skeleton soldier activates the ¡®Bone Bomb¡¯ skill!] [Skill activation expands to the entire body.] [Special condition fulfilled!] [¡®Bone Bomb¡¯ evolves into ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯!] "Self-destruct?!" ¡¸Bone Bomb (Lv.1): Allows bones to be detonated. The power increases proportionally to the bone¡¯s mass, so beware.¡¹ The ¡®Bone Bomb (Lv.1)¡¯ skill varies in power depending on the weight of the bones used. In earlier tests, the force of 20 rib bones measured about 10. It wasn¡¯t enough to get through my armor alone, but with my shield, I was fine. But if it detonates all the bones in its body? ¡®Ten times? Twenty times?¡¯ At minimum, it would easily exceed my defense of 30. This¡ª I can¡¯t block it. No way! ¡®I have to dodge!¡¯ I can recover the gter, but if I get hurt now, it¡¯s over. I¡¯ll use eleration to get as far away as possible. That should do it. Just as I parted my lips to shout¡ª "Runn¡ª" Grab! Something hard, like ws, grabbed my arm. Startled, I turned around to see two dark holes staring out from between pale bones. "Number 1?" Skeleton soldier Number 1 was pulling me back. Its four measly fingers rattled as they clutched me. "It¡¯s¡­ dangerous¡­!" It¡¯s not dangerous. "Commander¡­ let me¡­ instead¡­" I can run away. The eleration skill would give me 20 seconds. Plenty of time to save my own skin. But¡­ ¡®How can I leave him behind when he¡¯s acting like this?¡¯ "eleration! Petrification!" So, instead of using my legs, I moved my hands. Chzzzzt! The bone grave swelled up as if ready to burst. Grabbing recklessly, I felt a tingling heat in my hands despite strengthening them with petrification. It wouldn''t explode in my hand. There were about 0.1 seconds left untilplete detonation; within the slowed time, that tranted to 2 seconds. Whirl! Whoosh! So, I threw with all my might. Skulls, shinbones, foot bones, and even torsos that were still intact¡ªeverything. But. Tick! As time regained its speed¡ª Wuuung¡ª! The protruding dirt mound glowed red. It seemed there were fragments of bone I hadn¡¯t noticed. "!!" Fwaaaah¡ª! A light so blinding that looking directly at it could cost me my vision poured down from the sky. Like a rising sun over the dawn sea¡ªslow but instantaneous. And then. ¡ª Kwooooom! The explosion erupted just as sluggishly¡ªslow, yet never slow in its impact. It was toote to dodge. In that case... ''I¡¯ll block it.'' "Summon! Activate!" I shouted while holding the green summoning ticket in my hand. Fwaa¡ª! A steel door was summoned onto the dirt ground. The cold, smooth surface of the door took the explosion head-on. Like a slow-motion scene, it dented, caved in, and was eventually pierced through. The filtered explosion came rushing at me. [The impact force negates your defense!] [¡®Wooden Shield¡¯ absorbs part of the impact!] [¡®Shell Breastte¡¯ absorbs some of the impact!] ''Ugh!'' The heavy shock prated the titles, armor, and shield I had equipped. And simultaneously¡ª [Warning!] [¡®Wooden Shield¡¯ is destroyed due to consecutive impacts!] Crack¡ª! A fracture ran through the center of the shield. Crunch! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It shattered. Psssh! Psssshhh¡ª! Nearby enemy soldiers crumbled. Like the fractured shield, they split apart, shattered, and turned to dust. The steel door could be resummoned with the ticket, good as new. The shield? I could just buy another one from the store. The problem was... [The ck energy infuses the white g!] The pure white g had been stolen by the enemymander, a massive skeleton d in pitch-ck armor. The very one who had just killed dozens of his subordinates with his own hands. [¡®g of Victory¡¯ has been stolen!] In an instant, the g turned ck. "You bastard...!" I tried to dash forward but stumbled. Perhaps it was the effect of the explosion; I couldn¡¯t seem to muster any strength in my legs. "Commander¡­!" As my skeletal soldiers rushed to support me, the enemy escaped into the crowd of soldiers with the gpole in hand. Damn it¡­! Rattle¡ª! He led the dark skeletons, who were staring at him with eerie eyes. All that was left now were... "Ugh¡­." "Ah¡­ it hurts¡­." ck skeleton soldiers who had lost their legs, arms, or parts of their bodies due to their ally¡¯s self-destruction, copsing helplessly. And soon, the white skeleton soldiers came rushing over, panting heavily. "Are¡­ you okay¡­?" [The sacrifice of theirmander has greatly increased the skeleton soldiers'' loyalty!] [Current loyalty: 95%] "Should¡­ we chase them¡­?" "If we chase them, we can catch up, but..." [The skeleton soldiers are eagerly awaiting theirmander¡¯s orders!] "You¡¯ll be in danger." "!!" "I can¡¯t save you if they self-destruct again." If they went unprepared, I¡¯d lose his rewards¡ªno, my precious soldiers. Think. There must be a way. A way to win while minimizing damage. And then, the system broadcast rang out just in time. [The skeleton soldiers offer their undying trust to amander who understands the heart of bones!] [The loyalty towards the target ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯ has reached its peak!] Huh? ¡ª Ding! [Congrattions!] [You can nowmand the skeleton soldiers to sacrifice themselves.] [You can now enforce noble rest.] The sacrifice of bones? Noble rest? Moreover¡ª [The target ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯ has triggered rapid data analysis due to his strong influence that transcends races!] [Data collection for skill unlockplete.] A new skill, too? [Congrattions!] [Based on charisma that leads the lost, influence that transcends races, and imperial qualities, a skill has been unlocked.] [Leadership (Lv.1) skill unlocked!] Leadership¡­? That was one of the courses he had seen at the academy. ? Charismatic Leadership -In a time of chaos! Who will lead the lost masses? The first step in Imperial Studies for aspiring leaders! Completion Reward: Leadership (Lv.1) skill unlocked ''Well, I saved a course ticket.'' Back then, I had wondered what on earth this could be used for. ''I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d earn it and use it like this.'' [The influence of the Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases your control over subordinates.] "Commander¡­!" "If you tell us to die¡­ we will die¡­!" "Give the order¡­!" The Leadership skill. The sacrifice of bones. The ck bones trembled in agony as they gazed upon their shattered body parts. And even that thing they had saved, thinking it might be useful someday, was gone. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± I calcted everything¡ªvariables and constants¡ªto arrive at my victory form. The math is finished. * * * tter! The skeletal knight quivered with ecstasy as the sensation surged from their skull down to their very toe bones. Every joint shed together in electrifying bliss! tterrrr¡ª! It¡¯s the first time since death. A feeling like this. ¡°¡­I have proven it!¡± That we are superior to humans! Though several soldiers and dozens of bones had to return to the ground, it was a sacrifice of the few for the many. The whole world must know it now. That insignificant flesh and blood are nothing before death! ¡°Rejoice, O Great Creator!¡± tter! The skeletal knight raised the victory g high above their head and shouted. ¡°The end of the human era hase!¡± How pleased the Great One would be to see what His humble creations had aplished. To witness how far His handcrafted beings had grown! As the knight shook with joy¡ª tter-! ¡ªa soldier approached, creaking and stumbling. ¡°What is it, soldier!¡± He had ordered them to stop any advancing enemies. Wait. Come to think of it¡ª ¡°Your bones are a mess. Don¡¯t tell me the enemy is so strong that¡ª¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°E-Enough?!¡± How dare a mere soldier interrupt theirmander! The insolence! They would teach this upstart a lesson. As the skeletal knight clenched their fist¡ªcrack!¡ªready to discipline him¡­ ¡°Summon.¡± The soldier muttered an iprehensible word. ¡°?!¡± Swish! With a flick of a shiny de¡ª sh! ¡ªthe knight¡¯s head was split cleanly between the eyes and mouth. The leader¡¯s skull¡ªcelebrator of a historic victory¡ªwas now bisected. ¡°W-what the¡ª! Pfft!¡± The knight¡¯s upper half, helmet and all, plopped into the dirt. More precisely, the top half of their helmet. ¡°Hmm?¡± The soldier tilted his skull as if puzzled. ¡°T-Treason?! Is that what this is?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dead yet, huh?¡± Then, as though uttering the dumbest observation ever made¡ª ¡°You ignorant¡­! How dare you, a mere creation, refuse the role the Creator bestowed upon you?!¡± The skeletal knight¡¯s rage erupted. tter-! Their body iled without a head. Though it was frustrating to have their seeing hole and talking hole so far apart, they didn¡¯t mind. They could reattach it soon enough. But the soldier, shifting his ankle bones, walked toward the knight¡¯s body. ¡°Petrification.¡± The word rang out. Crash! Crunch! The soldier shattered the knight¡¯s jaw upward, smashed the ribs, and crushed the shin bones. He pulverized every bone in the knight¡¯s body. ¡°M-My body¡­!¡± ¡°Hah, you¡¯re persistent.¡± The skeletal knight¡ªnow a broken pile of bones¡ªmoved their trembling jawbone to cry out. ¡°This¡­ this mad¡ª!¡± Madman! The Creator must have made a mistake and created a lunatic! If only they could recover¡ª ¡°Should I start by removing the helmet?¡± ¡°Ah, no! That¡¯s the knight¡¯s mark of honor, bestowed by the Creator!¡± The knight¡¯s jawbone cried in desperation. Without the helmet, they couldn¡¯t recover from this damage. That must be stopped! ¡°Stop it! What do you want?! A promotion to Sergeant? No, wait! I¡¯ll give you my lieutenant¡¯s position!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡± Ignoring the opportunity for promotion, the skeletal soldier marched toward the g. ¡­Wait. The g? ¡°You fool! What are you up to?!¡± tter-! The soldier grabbed the pole holding the g. [The g is imbued with the power of White!] The beautiful ck g was being tainted with white. ¡°White?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s white.¡± [¡®Victory g¡¯ has been stolen!] tter! Thud! The skeletal knight was so shocked their jawbone fell off. ¡°W-Wait! Come to think of it¡ªyou¡¯re¡­!¡± ¡°Ah, me? You figured it out?¡± If the knight had eyeballs, they surely would¡¯ve popped out, too. ¡°You¡ªyou¡­ who are you?¡± Barely able to move their lower jaw, the knight asked. The mysterious soldier paused to think before replying. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Crunch! The knight¡ªnow nothing more than copsing bone fragments¡ªwas stomped underfoot as the soldier said: ¡°Skeleton Soldier #101?¡± ¡­What? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 45 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 45: Mock Battle (4) Whoosh-! tter! The blowing wind chilled my bones. Not much, just a little. ¡¾Many observers are shocked by the transformation of ''Lee Eunho¡¯!¡¿ ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' asks how it feels to be a skeleton.¡¿ How it feels to be a skeleton, huh... Whoosh-! I thought about it as I felt the wind pass through my body instead of colliding against it. ¡®My body feels light.¡¯ ck! tter! ck! With only bones left, devoid of flesh and blood, I moved my body diligently. Right foot, left foot, then the right again. Each step sent my toe bones, ankle bones, and knee bones rattling as they shed against one another. Earlier, I might have found it noisy, but now... ¡®It''s quieter than I thought.¡¯ Crunch! I must¡¯ve stepped on a rock. My leg wobbled awkwardly, and my ankle bone misaligned with a grinding sound. But after walking a bit, it was fine again. Maybe because my senses were dulled. The world felt quieter, less sharp, and less vivid¡ªlike I had entered a thinyer of water. ¡¾The ''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' asks what happened.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers wonder if you¡¯ve been hiding your transformation abilities.¡¿ "I didn¡¯t hide it on purpose." I was just saving it because I didn¡¯t have much use for it. I only had one ''seed.'' ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' scoffs, saying it¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve seen anyone use a Drosera Seed like this.¡¿ ? Drosera Seed -It looks like it would sprout if nted in soil. -Grows only in extremely hot, humid environments with high oxygen concentration. As it grows, it takes on the appearance of nearby living beings. The first reward I received in District 13, when I captured the giant carnivorous nt ''Drosera,'' during my first basic swordsmanship ss. A ''special seed'' with unique powers. If boiled and consumed with part of a specific creature, you can transform into that creature. Only the external appearance is replicated, and the duration is limited to a maximum of 1 hour. So, I boiled and drank it. With the powdered ck bones of a shattered ''Bone Bomb.'' And as a result, I ended up like this. [The subject ''Eunho Lee'' mimics a Skeleton Soldier (Lv. 1).] [Time remaining: 50 minutes, 27 seconds, 26 seconds, 25 seconds¡­¡­] A transformation into a skeleton soldier. [White energy envelops the entire body.] I panicked when I turned into white bones instead of ck ones. But then I burned some soot onto the bones with a torch to cover it up. ¡®It¡¯s more grayish than ck, but thankfully these guys have bad eyesight.¡¯ At any rate, I reimed the g without issue. And I killed theirmander, so there¡¯s no chance for them to retaliate. Now all I had to do was escape the enemy¡¯s camp safely. But still¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a waste to just leave like this.¡¯ I mean, when else am I going to get to be a skeleton? Someone like me, who only ever imagined ¡°regr employee¡± as the word before ¡®to be.¡¯ Not a full-time worker, not a husband, not an old man, but of all things¡ªa skeleton. ¡®I have plenty of time.¡¯ Fifty minutes of bone-life remaining. A long time or a short one, depending on how you see it. If so... ¡®Shall we begin?¡¯ I looked over the others, tattered like defeated soldiers despite our victory. One of them had lost part of his bones from the explosion. Another one was digging through piles of skeleton remains, searching for recement parts. The system imed they were less sensitive to the fear of destruction, but notpletely immune. Meaning, the desire to survive still existed. Whether they had died ande back or were iplete, fragile beings¡­ Or maybe because they had died ande back, because they were iplete, their obsession with life was even stronger. So... ¡ª tter! I stepped forward. Holding the white g, now wrapped around the stolen helmet. "Ughhhhhhh!" "Captain¡­! He¡¯s dead!" At the same time, a ck-bone soldier screamed, jaws dropping in disbelief. "Betrayal¡­? It¡¯s betrayal!!!" Yeah, in this situation, that¡¯s what anyone would think. Soon, the nearby skeletons gathered. Five¡ªno, six of them. Each one wielded spears and swords, cautiously approaching me with wary movements. I quietly waited, enduring their piercing gazes¡ªdespite theirck of eyes. ck! ck! tter! Their steps slowly tightened around me. The tip of their weapons now close enough to touch my bones. "Did you kill the captain¡­?" "How could a mere soldier¡­?!" "How¡­?!" Facing each of them, I looked back. The g that had shifted from white to ck and back again. I had consumed the ck bones, but white energy still lingered, turning me into white bones instead. "Whatever. Time to act." Despite drinking from the ck bones, I became white-boned, infused with the aura of white. "Summon." The justification was sufficient. Proof that reversal was possible. "I!" Huff! I inhaled deeply. Feeling as though my nonexistent lungs expanded, I shouted. Powerfully. "Amander who recklessly sacrifices his soldiers is uneptable!" Words that outright denied the enemymander in the heart of enemy lines. Unmistakably rebellious words. "?!" "Th-Then, really¡­¡­." [The influence of Signal Fires enhances the power of transmission.] What if those soldiers were ones who had lost a leg, an arm, or shattered ribs at themand of their leader? What if they had the g of victory but wore the faces of defeated remnants? What if they were creations who, because of the roles set by their Creator, had no choice but to follow? [The group of skeleton soldiers grows curious about the rebel''s intentions.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w What they needed now was justification. "That¡¯s why I killed him myself with these hands!" The crimson glow in the ck-boned skeletons¡¯ eyes trembled violently. They flickered, dimmed, shone brightly again, and then faltered. Click! Click! Click! They expressed their confused emotions through the gnashing of their teeth. Impossible. No way. It can''t be! ¡­¡­The responses continued like that. [The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the eptance of the skeleton soldiers.] [The group of skeleton soldiers listens intently to the rebel''s words.] You have no choice but to listen to me. Because. "This helmet is the proof!" The justification you epted to call that guy your mander.¡¯ That¡¯s here, in my hands. ? Bone Knight¡¯s Skull Helmet -A helmet crafted from a wyvern''s skull by an unknown Bone Knight. -It holds the power of death. When worn, it grants absolutemand over skeleton soldiers. -However, only skeletons can wear it. "!!" "Th-That¡¯s!" I pulled the helmet, hidden within the g¡¯s folds, into the open. And then I slowly ced it on my head. Swish¡ª! As I pushed the helmet down, it phased through my skull and covered my forehead and eyes. [Target ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯ has been promoted from Skeleton Soldier to Bone Knight!] The purple energy flowing from the helmet enveloped me before fading away. [You have acquiredmand over the skeleton soldiers!] Flinch! Startled, the soldiers lowered the spears and swords they had pointed at me. "You''ve already experienced death once. There¡¯s no need for any more unnecessary deaths." "B-But to win¡­¡­." "Throwing soldiers into the grinder to win is something even a child could do. Amander¡¯s job is to achieve victory with minimal losses." "!!" And, for the final blow. "I won¡¯t waste my people meaninglessly!" tter! Startled, the soldiers dropped their weapons. "If youe under mymand¡­¡­ I¡¯ll let you live with dignity." Thud! Startled once more, the soldiers dropped to their knees. ¡®It worked.¡¯ I knew instinctively. [The Leadership (Lv.1) skill increases the eptance of orders!] [The group of skeleton soldiers is moved by Lee Eunho¡¯s charisma!] ¡ª Ding! Then, a cheerful notification echoed not through my eardrums but in my mind. [The group of skeleton soldiers wishes to join Lee Eunho¡¯smand!] [Do you ept?] ¡®Yes!¡¯ Suppressing a silent cheer at the message I had half-doubted woulde, I calmed my nonexistent, pounding heart that felt like it would burst through my bones and spoke calmly. The answer was obvious. "I ept." Of course, they were more than wee. [Congrattions!] [You have gained additional Skeleton Soldiers (Lv.1)!] [Remaining troops: 106] The skeleton soldier kneeling before me closed its eyes. Then it opened them again. And like ck skulls stained with drops of white paint, white ripples spread. Like petals blooming in a suffocating swamp. Fwaaah¡ª! Pure white petals spread across the skull¡¯s face. Then the neck bones. Arm bones. Ribcage. Spreading down the spine to the lower body. The skeleton soldiers closed their eyes, and then opened them. Everything had turned pure white. "New... Commander!" "We trust you...!" ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' freaks out, suspecting that the target has just recruited the enemy!¡¿ ¡¾The ''Ferryman of the Administration Bureau'' stumbles back, saying it''s impossible.¡¿ ¡¾Many observers are bewildered by the target, ''Lee Eunho''s'' bizarre actions!¡¿ ''It would be troublesome if they¡¯re this shocked already.'' Because this wasn¡¯t the end. "Everyone, attention!!!" Twitch! I raised the torch high and shouted with enough force to crush my ribcage. "?!" I could feel the attention of the soldiers murmuring far off in the distance focus entirely on me. So. Huff- I inhaled deeply into my ribcage and shouted. "A new era has begun!" A line that would have been embarrassing in my true form. But now, I could say it without hesitation. [The skeleton soldier horde is moved by the charisma of the target, ''Lee Eunho''!] [You have gained additional Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!] [Remaining forces: 125] ¡ª Fwaaaaaash! Dozens of white flowers bloomed. "Follow me!!!" "Uwooooohhhh¡ª!" "Follow...!!!" [The skeleton soldier horde begins to follow the target, ''Lee Eunho''!] [You have gained additional Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1)!] [Remaining forces: 158] ¡ª Fwaaaaaash! More flowers bloomed. "All troops, forward¡ª!" "Commander!" "Commander!" "Commander!" tter! Creak! Snap! Crack! Every sound that skeletons could make erupted all at once. Once ck, once white, now all united, screaming in collective noise. Creatures who only knew how to tter, rip out their own bones, and explode them¡ªinsignificant beings. ¡¾The ''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' cheers, saying the target ''Lee Eunho'' never disappoints!¡¿ ¡¾Welfare points: 1,000 awarded!¡¿ ¡¾Many observers are thrilled by the actions of the target, ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ ...No different from us, puppets controlled by those watching from above. tter! tter! tter! "Commander!" "Commander!" "Commander!" Their cheers echoed across the earth. A cacophony of over a hundred soundsyered together. A gradually intensifying chorus.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om That ck-and-white noise merged into one. "Survive!!!" It exploded. ¡ª ttaaaaaaaaang! [Congrattions!] [By fulfilling a hidden condition, the ¡®Pathfinder¡¯ title has evolved into ''The Path Opener''!] A new title. [You gain a special ''attribute'' through those who follow you.] An attribute. If it¡¯s an attribute granted by the skeleton soldiers following me...! Fwaaaaaash¡ª! From beneath my feet and the soldiers'' feet, the ground¡ªdirt and earth¡ªbegan to emit swirling purple smoke. From beneath us, and stretching far ahead. A path. A violet path extended endlessly from us into the distance. [''Path of the Dead'' has been opened!] [Check its effects!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 46 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 46: The One Who Opens the Path (1) "Hey, shouldn¡¯t we start teaching Yura some Korean soon?" "She¡¯ll learn when she¡¯s interested. She¡¯s still at the age to y." I should¡¯ve listened to my wife back then. "Other kids are even learning English¡­" "She has a whole life of studying ahead of her. There¡¯s no need to rush." I thought Yura had a ¡®whole life¡¯ where all she needed to do was study. I naively believed it was guaranteed. If I hadn¡¯t¡­ She might have been able to read her father¡¯s final words. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?To: Kim Yura ?From: Kim Hanul ?Are you hiding well? I love you, Yura. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you until the end. Please, stay safe. ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤ Thud! "Crush the traitors of death!" "Uwaaaahhh¡ª!" If I hadn¡¯t¡­ Even as I was trampled to death by the skeletal soldier¡¯s feet, maybe, just maybe, I would have felt a tiny bit¡ªjust the smallest bit¡ªless miserable. "Argh! My daughter¡­" I believed. ©¤ Thud! That Yura would enter elementary school. Make friends. Wear a school uniform and smile shyly. ©¤ Thud! That the time woulde when friends became more important than her parents. She¡¯d bury her head in her desk, wrestling with studies. Facing fiercepetition and small failures, she¡¯d grow into an adult. ©¤ Thud! And someday. She¡¯d meet a kind, albeit ordinary man, and smile beautifully.N?v(el)B\\jnn Start a family. Have children as lovely as herself and be a parent. I believed she would live such an ordinary life. Cough! "In the¡­ next world¡­" If I¡¯m reborn. If I can still be Yura¡¯s dad in that life, too¡­ "Please¡­" My dry lips moved, but no sound came out. My vision blurred. Was it just aging eyes? Or perhaps¡­ ¡®Is this the end?¡¯ Swish. A father closed his eyes. And then. tter. From the distant shores of the afterlife¡ª tter! tter! tter¡­! A familiar noise echoed. The sound of those wretched things that had tormented him all this time. Yet there was something different about this sound. Thud. Thud. Thud¡­! It was a deafening noise¡ªenough to rouse even the dying. So, he opened his eyes. He couldn¡¯t not open them. And what filled his vision was¡­ nk! nk! nk! nk¡­! Feet. Feet. Feet filling the entire road. Countless skeletal feet lined up like a. "White¡­?" Strange. The troops assigned to him must have been annihted. Then where did thesee from? And leading them¡­ tter-! A skeletal soldier wearing a helmet made from a beast¡¯s skull. No¡­ "The Demon King¡­?" Purple smoke billowed from beneath his feet. His ominously glowing eyes pierced sharply into the distance. Behind him, the sunset bled into the horizon. Its crimson light shone around him like a halo of grim radiance. "All troops! Halt!" The moment he stopped, everyone stopped. Simultaneously, someone pointed this way. Swoosh! With great effort, he lifted my dimming eyes and weak head. And then, the shadow of the figure grew long as he approached with steady strides. Thud. The closer he got, the more the oppressive aura pierced his skin, leaving him trembling. And yet. Why on earth is his daughter¡­ "¡­?!" Sitting on his shoulder? It couldn¡¯t be¡­ "Hanul." "Dad!" "¡­¡­!" Swish! The creature extended its bony fingers, with nothing but skeletal remains in ce of flesh. Thus. "Get up." p! He grabbed that thin, outstretched hand. * * * A space too messy to be called a museum, yet too grandiose to be called aboratory. When someone once referred to this ce as a natural history museum, its owner didn¡¯t think they were entirely wrong. Countless body parts of various creatures, suspended in vividly colored liquids. Evidence of the endless evolution of countless species in this universe. Within them was history¡ªnature¡¯s history. Abundantly so. [The blood is fine. Hm, the skin¡­ this should do.] At that moment, when a shaggy-haired researcher was dissecting that sacred nature¡­ ©¤ Ding! The system announced the dawn of a new history. ¡¾Simtionplete.¡¿ Finally! The researcher, who had been burying his nose in reagents, lifted his head abruptly. ¡¾Predicting the victor.¡¿ This was it. The moment for his crowning achievement to shine. The moment when the universe would shower him with praise, as he ascended to the realm of gods! Excited like a child awaiting praise, the researcher urged the system forward. [Yes! Hurry up and recite it!] A bold, confident stance born from unshakable belief. Naturally, BLACK¡ªhis creations¡ªwere destined for victory. After all, nothing else stood out at a nce. Except that guy. [Even if he is a problem, the rest are doomed¡­ Wha¡ª?!] ¡¾BLACK ¨C 1%¡¿ ¡¾WHITE - 99%¡¿ [O-One percent?!] Impossible. The soldiers may be weak due to evenly distributed resources, but the knights were different. He had personally crafted their skeletons and endowed them with intelligence! [Show me the backup data!] The researcher¡¯s angry shout reverberated through the room. The sk in his hand trembled along with the liquid inside, but he was far too distracted to notice. ¡¾Disying reasoning data.¡¿ Because the data he trusted so deeply¡­ was lying to him. ¡¾BLACK¡¿ ¡¾Skeleton Knight (Lv.1) - Eradicated¡¿ ¡¾Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) - 70¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Forces - 70¡¿ ¡¾WHITE¡¿ ¡¾Skeleton Knight (Lv.1) - 17¡¿ ¡¾Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) - 1,803¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Forces - 1,820¡¿ The researcher¡¯s jaw dropped. [B-Bug?!] It must be a bug. It had to be a bug. Otherwise, such a lopsided result was impossible. ¡­Or so he thought, as he scrutinized the backup data. ¡¾BLACK¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Forces - 20¡¿ The ck team¡¯s forces had decreased by 50. ¡¾WHITE¡¿ ¡¾Remaining Forces - 1,870¡¿ And the White team¡¯s forces had increased by 50. [!!] Crash! The sk he was holding slipped from his hand and shattered on the floor. [¡­¡­Lee Eunho.] It was him. It could only be him. The one capable of causing such absurdity. The real problem, however, was not who¡ªbut how. [Is it even possible for affiliations to change¡­? Sure, the attribute field does contain faction data, but¡­ how did he figure that out?!] The researcher muttered like a madman. [Even if he figured it out, that¡¯s still the problem. How did he convert them? He wouldn¡¯t have had ess to the source code¡­] ¡¾Updating predictions.¡¿ While the system autonomously rebooted the simtion¡­ The results, updated with the altered data, were disyed. ¡¾BLACK - 0%¡¿ ¡¾WHITE - 100%¡¿ Seeing that screen, the researcher erased how from his mind. [To this extent¡­?] He was curious. What kind of brain did that guy possess, to think of something even the Creator hadn¡¯t considered? He wanted it. He wanted to touch that squishy, malleable brain of his. To bury his nose in it and inhale its sweet, metallic scent. Sniff! [Anyone will do¡­ send someone down.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The researcher, clicking his tonguezily, gave the order. [Go and bring it back! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s alive or not!] He wanted to retrieve the ¡®material¡¯. However¡ª ¡¾Execution not possible!¡¿ ¡¾Resources insufficient.¡¿ The stupid system didn¡¯t seem to understand. [We have the prototype!] ¡¾Execution not possible!¡¿ ¡¾Research data insufficient. Stability cannot be secured¡ª¡¿ [Useless trash!] Biiiiiiiiiiiip¡ª! He shut off the power, his eyes glinting with twisted desire. * * * tter! ck! tter¡ª! Along the Han River Boulevard, leading from Yongsan Station to Samgakji, the sixne road was packed with skeletal figures, any one of which would have been terrifying on its own. A violet mist stretched endlessly over the boulevard. [You are walking the ¡®Path That Defies Death¡¯!] The dark, heavy air¡ªwhether it was mist or smoke¡ªlooked more like the ¡®Path to Death¡¯ than anything else. If it weren¡¯t for the buffs lingering at the edge of my vision, I wouldn¡¯t have dared step foot here. [You are immune to all status effects caused by fear and disease.] [You will not die unless your head is destroyed.] [Mind control abilities do not work on you.] [Wound recovery rate has drastically increased. (+100%)] [Defense has increased. (+50%)] Seeing this list of texts was enough to make my feel proud. Unlike the mocking chats of those hiding behind ridiculous usernames, these buffs had actual value. ¡¾¡®Night Owl of the Audit Bureau¡¯ asks if that torch-bearing skeleton is really the target, ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯.¡¿ ¡¾They say they¡¯re a bit taken aback since they came here on rmendation.¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ jokes that the torch is the main body, not the skeleton, while snickering.¡¿ ¡¾¡®Prince from Investigation Bureau¡¯ suggests that since the skeleton form isn¡¯t so bad after a while, maybe he should just fully transform.¡¿ ¡°Damn punks.¡± Muttering that he¡¯d kick them when he saw them, Eunho noticed Jaehyuk flinching, looking guilty. ¡°S-Sorry, hyung!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I must¡¯ve lost my mind¡­ I didn¡¯t even recognize my savior¡­¡± Jaehyuk scratched his head with one hand, scrunching his face as if in real pain. Understandably so. ¡°Th-that sword! Armor! And the torch?! Don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡± The moment he saw Eunho, he had charged straight at him. ¡°Yeah, Jaehyuk¡ª¡± ¡°You damned skeleton! How dare you touch my hyung¡­!! Die!!¡± He wailed like a beast, smashing Eunho¡¯s head in an attempt to avenge him. ¡°What strength you¡¯ve got, Choi Jaehyuk.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m really sorry! I thought the cursed skeletons got you, hyung¡­!¡± ¡°No harm done.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Fortunately, the defense buff and helmet nullified the damage. It was even a bit touching to see Jaehyuk¡¯s determination to avenge me. Besides¡ª ¡°You¡¯re the most normal one here.¡± ¡°...What?¡± From Ichon-dong to Sin-yongsan Station and on to Samgakji, Eunho had been absorbing skeleton soldiers along the way. ¡°SAMCHOOOON¡ª!¡± ¡°W-Watch out!¡± Yura suddenly leapt out of nowhere, as if she¡¯d been hiding in the sky itself. ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°I said, wake up!¡± Hanul, chanting prayers and refusing to get up, finally joined after a long while. ¡°It is you, Eunho!¡± ¡°Hm? Aren¡¯t you going to ask more questions?¡± ¡°Your shoulder line screams Eunho. And that great ratio, too.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Jieun, after staring at him intently for a while, spouted some strange nonsense and tagged along. Ah, and¡ª ¡°You bitch! Do you even know what kind of sword that is, you fucker?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Lee Eunho.¡± ¡°...What the fuck?!¡± The moment he saw the de in Eunho¡¯s hand, the foul-mouthed man let loose a waterfall of curses. Regardless¡ª [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) acquired!] [Remaining troops: 370] [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) acquired!] [Remaining troops: 512] [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) acquired!] [Remaining troops: 683] ¡­ The remaining forces of the group, along with those of the enemy, had been absorbed as they advanced. [01:00] Before they knew it, the mission was nearing its end. ©¤ Bzzt! "One minute left, boss!" "Right. Everyone still got their gs?" ©¤ Bzzt! "Thanks to the kid, we do!" "Yes! It''s all thanks to you, sir...!" And so, I thought it was finally... over. [¡­¡­ Emergency!] Suddenly, the announcement broadcast crackled like a walkie-talkie in a movie. [00:55] The countdown, which had been fine until now¡ª [00:&%] Started to distort and writhe. [%~$*&] The numbers turned into strange, iprehensible symbols. [Emergency ¡­¡­ broadcasting¡­¡­ begins!] Until the abrupt emergency announcement rang out. [Emergency!] [By the temporary administrator¡¯s authority, the ''Mock Battle'' mission has entered ''Overtime''!] "!!" Overtime? There wasn¡¯t anything like that mentioned in the proposal! An icy chill crawled up my spine at the unexpected turn of events. My eyes snapped wide open, a foreboding feeling gripping my entire body. "Overtime?!" "What the hell! We already secured the gs! What do you mean, overtime?!" Yeji and the foul-mouthed one both shouted in panic, one after the other. Of course, the system didn¡¯t care. And a momentter¡ª BEEEEEP-! "Ahh!" "What¡¯s that sound?!" It started with a mechanical tone, like tinnitus. A nerve-grating warning that seemed to pierce not my ears, but my mind. Sssssssssssss-! Next, a ck hole appeared in the sky. At first, it could have been mistaken for a small dot, like a bird. Then it grew to the size of the sun, and finally spread like a cloud. A literal ck hole¡ªpitch-ck, ominous, and massive enough to swallow a whole building. "This is...!" I¡¯d seen it before. "Isn¡¯t that the same thing we saw in the KTX ceiling?!" "It looks simr... but it¡¯s much bigger this time!" I could tell. Something was going to fall from that hole soon. And it woulde straight for us, just like the dozens of demons that had done so before. Except this time, it¡¯d be muchrger and far more powerful. "Shit! If it¡¯s this big, even a tank wouldn¡¯t stand a chance!" The foul-mouthed one shouted, his face pale as a corpse. At the same time¡ª ©¤ Sssssssssssss-! The ck hole rippled, filled with unease, menace, and dread. "Get ready." "Yes!" "Got it, boss!" By then, Jieun and Jaehyuk had already stepped up beside me, standing firmly. "You''re not seriously thinking of fighting it, are you?! C-Can''t we just hide somewhere?" Unlike Yeji, who was trembling as she pleaded, "I know you''re strong, but this is way too dangerous! Or maybe we should just try to run as far away as we can¡ª" "No." "...?!" It was obvious. The hole was on a scale we¡¯d never seen before. It was bound to spawn a massive monster. Hiding would only lead to getting trampled and dying a pointless death. Running wasn¡¯t an option either. The skeleton soldiers¡¯ agility stats ranged from 1 to 4 at best. We¡¯d be lucky not to get ambushed while fleeing. It was hopeless unless I abandoned everyone. Instead¡ª "All troops!" I gave the best order I could. "Surround the hole!" My loud andmanding voice was filled with conviction. The skeletons responded immediately. "Yes...!" "Surround... it...!" tter! tter! tter! tter...! Fifteen hundred skeletons began to move. Like waves of white shattering against the shore. Though they didn¡¯t march in unison, they moved as one. Even as shoulders collided and heel bones got stepped on, they reached their designated spots. ck¡ªck¡ªck¡ª The skeleton soldiers lined up tightly behind me. Reassuring figures: Jaehyuk taking the lead, Jieun standing beside me, and the foul-mouthed one approaching hesitantly. The formation was ready. [''Mock Battle'' mission has entered ''Overtime''!] [Eliminate the enemy and survive!] The enemy we needed to eliminate¡ª "!!" "What the hell... is that...!" Come. Whether it''s ghosts or monsters, I¡¯m not scared of a single one. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 47 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 47: The One Who Opens the Path (2) Ssssssssss! The ocean in the sky began to ripple. A ck sea stretched out like a tongue and¡ª Gulp! It spat something out. BOOM! "A mountain...?" "No, that''s..." It was a rock. A rock so massive it could easily be mistaken for a small mountain. [Time remaining: 10 minutes.] [Defeat the ''Stone Golem'' and survive!] In the middle of the Samgak Intersection, a boulder with arms, legs, and even a head came crashing down. Beneath its weight, cars, utility poles, and signposts were all buried without a trace. Crash! The asphalt, now hosting an enormous boulder, began spewing dust everywhere. ng! Crack! Creak! Amid the choking smoke, countless fragments flew through the air. Large and small shards scraped against exposed bones, but it wasn¡¯t worth worrying about. Because¡ª "Stone Golem?!" "What the heck? You expect us to take that down? Now?" Everyone''s attention was wholly consumed by the appearance of this new enemy¡ª living or dead, it didn¡¯t matter. "Damn! That thing''s ridiculously huge!" The swearden exmation said it all. It was big. Ridiculously big. So massive, in fact, that it could easily engulf an office building in its shadow. The enormous figure loomed so close that the skeletal soldiers forming a perimeter could almost touch it. ¡®This... isn¡¯t going to be easy.¡¯n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Arrgh... Attack...!" The skeletons closest to the golemunched their assault. But¡ª ng! Their swords bounced off like toothpicks. ng! ng! ng! ng! ng! Dozens, hundreds of steel toothpicks were sent flying in all directions. The disparity in power was overwhelming. Annoyed, the golem began to stomp its feet. BOOM! With its left foot down¡ª "!!" The ground quaked. Cars were ttened like chewing gum, and power lines toppled over. BOOM! Then came the right foot. "Ughhhhh!" Nearby skeleton soldiers were flung into the air. They crashed back to the ground with their bones dislocated and piled together. It was hopeless. Even if thousands, tens of thousands of skeletal soldiers swarmed, victory seemed unattainable. This wasn¡¯t an enemy that could be defeated through sheer numbers. So I yelled desperately. "Stop! Fall back!" And to buy them time to retreat¡ª "de Storm!" I shouted and swung my sword. The air I cut through rushed forward faster than anyone else. Whoosh! The sound of air splitting pierced my ears. A crescent-shaped sh tore through the space ahead, its momentum strong enough to awaken dulled senses. But to the golem¡ª Screech! It was nothing. A scratch. A mark. Not even enough to itch. If it were a car, no repairs would be needed¡ªjust a fresh coat of paint. It was that insignificant. ¡®My attacks... don¡¯t work?¡¯ "Arrgh!" "Y-yes, Commander!" ©¤ Creak! The golem advanced. Judging by its mountain-like appearance and the way it deflected my attack, its defense was extraordinary. Perhaps stronger than any enemy we¡¯d faced so far. Now it was its turn. The creature raised its fist like it was about to deal the final blow. It grew dark. The sun above was blocked in an instant, leaving a chilling shade. Whoosh! A colossal stone fist came crashing down like a meteor. "!!" BOOM! The road shattered beneath the blow. The asphalt crumbled like tofu, scattering ck debris everywhere. "Commander!" "Sir! It¡¯s dangerous here!" The sheer weight behind its punches was overwhelming. This was nothing like the bone-bomb explosions I had deflected with my Pathfinder title. A direct hit from that fist would turn my white skull, from crown to toe, into a single, shattered fragment. The only silver lining was¡ª ¡®This thing¡¯s onlying after me.¡¯ Whoosh! "Over here! Over here!" Jieun waved a piece of leather¡ªor was it cloth?¡ªin the air, trying to catch the golem''s attention. "Sir! Watch your head!" Jaehyuk hurled a mace at the golem like he was in a hammer-throwpetition, then called out again and hurled another. Whoosh! Crash! Even though parts of its leg crumbled away like shedding skin under their attacks, the golem ignored thempletely, fixated only on me. "This way, you dumb lump of rock!!" Whatever was in that rocky brain of its, I seemed to be the sole target. I wasn¡¯t sure why, but¡ª ¡®That works for me.¡¯ At least I didn¡¯t have to worry about the others¡¯ safety. And then¡ª [The effect of the ''Pathfinder'' title has been activated!] A cheerful announcement echoed through the air. Fwoosh! In an instant, a cool breeze swept over, embracing the bare bones of my legs. The blue wind climbed, wrapping every joint and crevice of my skeletal frame with precision. [Followers: 1,497] [Movement speed increased by 150%.] [Defense increased by 150.] My body felt both light and sturdy. This should be enough to evade attacks without much trouble. Even if I got grazed, I wouldn¡¯t die instantly. BOOM! While the speed gifted me precious time, I thought. What the enemy possesses. What the enemycks. And what I have. There¡¯s an answer. A slow reaction time, resulting from immense weight. My mace¡¯s attacks¡ªsubtle, but effective. The monster, ignoring the scattered party,ing only for me. And finally, the lingering effect of a title I still held. The best option in this situation is... Whistle! This time, I whistled. I moved my legs in a frantic, fleeing motion, heading somewhere. ¡°Eunho! Where are you going?!¡± ¡°Hyung-nim! It¡¯s dangerous to go alone! Besides, you''re still in your skeleton form...!¡± ¡°Stay there!¡± Ignoring the worried cries of Jieun and Jaehyuk, I ran. ¡°First squad! Go left! Second squad, circle around to the right and follow me!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Be careful not to get trampled!¡± [The skeleton soldier horde follows themander¡¯s orders!] It wasn¡¯t that our attacks didn¡¯t work. We just didn¡¯t have the firepower to pierce through that high defense in one go. If we couldn¡¯t do it ourselves, we just needed something else to attack in our stead. Just a little further¡­ Thud! Boom! Boom-boom! The golem was following as nned. Dodging its punches must¡¯ve irritated it, as it now began mming its palms down randomly. Its handprints were left stamped all over the road. Tack-tack! After running and running, I arrived at my destination. Here! I came to a halt, waiting for the enraged blockhead. Boom! Left foot. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Boom! Right foot. BOOM! The golem was now right in front of me. It stared at me standing still and raised its fist without hesitation. The sky darkened, a shadow loomed overhead. If I got hit head-on, I¡¯d surely die. But still, I waited. Whiiiiish! Until the meteor-like punch descended toward my crown. ¡°elerate!¡± I leapt aside just in time. CRAAAASH! My nonexistent heart and lungs felt like they were about to burst. Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot... Creak! My shinbone and calf bone scraped together with an audible creak. Grind! My thigh bone and kneecap rubbed against each other desperately. Then, just momentster... Click! Time resumed, excluding me. BOOOOOM! The golem¡¯s fist mmed into the building behind me. Right into the middle of a 34-story mixed-useplex. ¡°Eunho!!!¡± ¡°Hyuuuuung!!!¡± The reason I had sprinted the farthest distance possible within my 20 seconds of enhanced speed, The reason I had run with all my might¡ª It was so I wouldn¡¯t get crushed beneath the copsing forest of buildings. RUMBLE! One tower gave in, bearing the full brunt of the golem¡¯s punch. The stupid golem leaned forward, having swung its fist and lowered its torso to target me. CRASH! BOOM! SHHHHH! And with that, the adjacent buildings followed, tumbling down. Soon, the rubble became indistinguishable from the golem¡¯s form, a chaotic pile of debris. Even so, as the creature stirred amidst the ruins, refusing to concede, ¡°Commander... You¡¯re safe...¡± The skeleton soldiers who had sessfully followed me gathered tightly around. Thank goodness. I had worried the golem might attack them while pursuing me. But it seemed so focused on me that it ignored the ¡°bugs¡± at its back. Should I be grateful? Because... ¡°All units! Prepare the ribs!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± It had unwittingly helped further our n. [The skeleton soldier horde awaits themander¡¯s orders!] ¡°Throw them!¡± Whoosh, whoosh, whooosh! Fifteen hundred ribs soared into the sky. Or rather, erupted might be the better word. White bones surged upward like a geyser, shooting into the air. And finally¡ª Upon the immobilized golem, pinned beneath the rubble¡ª Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud! A rain of bones poured down. ¡°Detonate!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± [The skeleton soldier horde activates the skill ''Bone Bomb (Lv.1)''] With Skeleton Soldier #1¡¯s diligent reply, BOOM! A red dot burst. A crimson, yellow, and white roar of fire. As the first explosion went off like a signal re, 1,500 bombs swelled up as if on cue. [The power increases with a chain reaction!] [Brace yourself for impact!] The red dots gathered into a long line. Then, finally, they became a ne. KABOOOOOM¡ª! I went deaf. Even the nonexistent ears were deafened. Bzzzzzz¡ª! The thunderous roar that shook my skull startled even me. [Your systematicmand of multiple soldiers has greatly improved your Leadership Skill proficiency!] [Leadership (Lv.1) skill level has increased.] [Leadership (Lv.1) ¡ú Leadership (Lv.2)] As my skill level rose, [Congrattions!] The announcement signaling the end yed. [''Stone Golem'' has been defeated.] [You have earned 1,000 Welfare Points!] ¡°It, it¡¯s over!¡± ¡°Hyung-nim! You¡¯ve done it!!¡± It was over. Relief and cheers filled everyone¡¯s faces. ¡°Commander¡­!¡± ¡°Thanks to you¡­¡± Even the expressionless faces of the skeletal soldiers seemed at ease. [Under the influence of the Leadership Skill, your soldiers feel a sense of stability.] [The skeletal soldiers, resonating with themander¡¯s emotions, feel a sense of relief.] ¡­Ah, so it was because of the Leadership Skill. But the soldiers even share emotions? I thought it was just a skill that made them follow orders better, but it turns out to be unexpectedly versatile. ¡®Not that I¡¯ll ever have another chance tomand soldiers like this again, probably.¡¯ Anyway. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your help.¡± ¡°Commander¡­!¡± As I patted the backs of the approaching party and skeletal soldiers¡­ ¡°Wait.¡± My eyes caught the remaining time in the corner of my vision. To be precise¡­ ¡¸%~$*&¡¹ The numbers had transformed into iprehensible symbols. ¡¸00:&%¡¹ They briefly returned to their original form before changing again. ¡¸#^!%_$~!*&¡¹ Turning into an even moreplex mess¡­ Huh? ¡°Why does the remaining time look like that?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡± No way. Surely, it¡¯s not over yet¡­! Suddenly, a dreadful premonition struck me, and I raised my head sharply. What filled my vision was a single shing word in crimson. ¡¸ERROR!¡¹ ¡°Error¡­?¡± BEEEEEEP! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Kyaah! My head!¡± A piercing warning sound. 1,500 skeletons flinched in fright. The living, overwhelmed by the noise, cried out one after another. After a moment, I managed to open my ears again. [Settings have been modified under temporary administrator privileges!] [''Stone Golem'' has undergone an update patch!] A horrifying announcement rang out. I heard it clearly but wished it wasn¡¯t true. ¡°U-up¡­ update¡­?¡± ¡°What did it just say¡­?¡± Everyone, be they human or skeleton, paled and shook their heads in disbelief. [Patchplete!] Beep-beep¡ª! Along with an ominous mechanical sound, RUMBLE¡ª! Something began to rise from the rubble. And that something¡­ ¡°!!¡± The shattered, broken parts of its body reced with metal instead of stone. CLANK¡ª! Its body now encased in cold weapons, cannon-like structures surrounding it. ¡°Patch¡­¡± [Defeat the ''Iron Golem''!] ¡­Yeah, right. You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 48 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 48: The One Who Opens the Path (3) [Defeat the "Iron Golem"!] ¡°What¡¯s with this update crap?! It¡¯s over when you''re dead, right?!¡± ¡°Oh dear, what on earth is ¡®Ah-yeon¡¯ supposed to be now?¡± ¡°Not Ah-yeon, Iron! As in, metal!¡± The sudden appearance of an iron-d monster left everyone in shock. It was abrupt, and yet, there wasn¡¯t even time to be surprised. BOOM! A cannon strapped around its waist sted out bombs. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°What the hell?! Are you freaking kidding me?!¡± ¡°Just dodge! Get out of the way!¡± There was no time forints. ¡°Yura!! Over here!!¡± ¡°Waaaahhhh¡ª!¡± If you dodged one, another woulde from the side. And if you dodged that, yet another would shoot from somewhere else. Bang! Boom! I threw myself to the ground, and the others fled in all directions with their lives on the line. But the skeleton soldiers nearby¡­ Crack! ¡­crumbled into dust. [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) has been destroyed!] [Remaining troops: 1,472] "Damn it!" Explosions erupted all around the street. The ground was pitted with craters so mangled they were unrecognizable. Only fragments of white skeletons remained within the holes. ¡°Everyone, get out of the way!¡± I shouted as I rolled on the ground to avoid the iing projectiles. BOOM! Crack! Yet again, they were breaking apart. [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) has been destroyed!] [Remaining troops: 1,458] Precious rewards¡­ [Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) has been destroyed!] [Remaining troops: 1,441] tter! Watching fragments of the skeleton soldiers scatter everywhere made my teeth clench in frustration. I had to figure it out. Some way to turn this miserable situation around. ¡°Eunho! What if Yura uses her skill to hide?!¡± Jieun shouted breathlessly as she ran toward me. ¡°It won¡¯t help. Bombs areing from every direction.¡± In this chaotic melee, hiding wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Hearing my reply, Jieun chewed on her nails and muttered to herself. ¡°If only that cannon weren¡¯t there¡­¡± She was right. The priority was to disable the cannon. But rushing in recklessly would just get me stomped to death¡­ Ah! A sudden thought shed through my mind. I snapped my finger bones and shouted to Jieun. ¡°Jieun! Gather the rubble from the buildings!¡± ¡°What? Oh, okay!¡± Without any exnation, I threw out themand, and Jieun flinched in surprise. But after a moment of hesitation, she nodded, closed her eyes, and focused intently. ¡°Hmm¡­!¡± I felt a surge of gratitude as she followed my instructions without question. Thrum¡ª! Chunks of ck asphalt and concrete debris began to float into the air. Crack! They fused together. Until they formed a sphere as wide as a person¡¯s height. ¡°It¡¯s done! Put it inside the cannon!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ okay! Got it!¡± Jieun¡¯s eyes widened in realization, and she gave a determined nod. She then picked one of the cannons strapped to the golem¡¯s waist. Creak! And jammed the massive rock sphere into the opening. Boom! tter! Bang! The iron cannon, filled with a bomb, let out a tremendous noise. Screeeech! The cannon swelled like it was about to burst¡ªlike a bone packed with explosives. BOOOOOM! It detonated. The bomb it had been aiming at us went off inside its own chamber. ¡°!!¡± ¡°It worked! Eunho, it worked!¡± It worked! ¡ª Groooarrrrr! Bang! Bang! Bang! The golem was clearly in pain. Well, of course. A bomb had just exploded inside it. But too bad for it¡ªI wasn¡¯t nning to stop here. ¡°Jieun! How many can you control at once?¡± ¡°Um¡­ I can make two? If I push it, maybe three. But inserting them into the cannon is tricky¡­¡± So she could form up to three spheres at once, but could only manage precise control for one at a time. If that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°Keep making them! I¡¯ll handle the rest!¡± ¡°Huh? How will you¡ª¡± ¡°elerate!¡± ¡°Whaaaaat do youuuu meaaaaan¡ª!¡± Leap! I dashed to where Jieun had formed the sphere. The coarse, jagged surface of the stone pressed against my ten finger bones. Without hesitation, I pushed with all my strength. Swoosh! The massive boulder floated effortlessly, unaffected by gravity. It stayed suspended in the air, just as Jieun had controlled it. Thanks to that¡­ Thump! Tap! Thud! tter! ¡­I ran like mad. It wasn¡¯t so much ¡°carrying¡± as it was ¡°pushing¡± the rock. Like some mythic figure bearing the weight of the world on their shoulders. Finally, I reached the golem¡¯s cannon, shoved the rock into the barrel, and turned just in time¡ª Tick! The silent moment ended. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Next!¡± ¡°What? I just finished making it¡­¡± ¡°Come on, move! There¡¯s no time to dawdle!¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! The golem¡¯s cannons fired one after another. Now, only six remained. Boom! No, make that five. As the number of cannons dwindled, so did the golem¡¯s body, breaking down bit by bit. The problem was¡ª ¡°Huff¡­ How much¡­ is left?¡± ¡°Five cannons remaining! Just a bit more, hang in there!¡± As the cannons decreased, so did Jieun''s stamina. It was bing visibly apparent. ¡°Jieun, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes¡­! I can keep going until the end!¡± Though her cheerful response was admirable and appreciated¡­ Her pale face. Her lips, drained of color and parched. Sweat dripping down her forehead. And, most of all, her noticeably heavy legs! She was already nearing her limit. To make matters worse¡ª ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°?!¡± Thud! The golem¡¯s massive, enraged fist came down on Jieun. ¡°Jieun! Look out¡ª!¡± ¡°Huff¡­!¡± Barely dodging, Jieun had no time to catch her breath before¡ª ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± ¡°Are you alright?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I just can¡¯t focus anymore!¡± The golem had finally realized it wasn¡¯t just me it needed to target. Judging by the way it tried to deny Jieun any chance to use her Teleknesis skill. ¡®We¡¯re so close¡­¡¯ Grit! I ground my teeth, but it was no use. Jieun¡¯s skill required absolute concentration. ¡®What if I do it alone?¡¯ What if I made and loaded the cannonballs by myself¡­? ¡®Not enough time.¡¯ My eleration skillsted only 20 seconds. Even earlier, it took the entire 20 seconds just to load the cannonballs Jieun had already prepared. And above all¡ª Rattle¡ª With these hands, making proper cannonballs wasn¡¯t even feasible. ¡®What do I do? How do I¡ª?¡¯ [The skeleton soldiers, attuned to themander¡¯s emotions, grow anxious.] Before we could figure out a way to pierce that stone-hard body, even approaching it was impossible. Screech! And now, on top of everything, the armor near the first destroyed cannon seemed to move. No way. Was it¡­? ¡°U-Uh, Eunho! Over there¡ª!¡± ¡°It¡¯s repairing itself?!¡± At this rate, it would just turn into a war of attrition. No, the longer this went on, the worse it got for us. [The skeleton soldiers, attuned to themander¡¯s emotions, grow even more anxious!] Five cannons remaining. This was the only chance. ¡°A solution¡­¡± At that moment¡ª [Loyal soldiers are stirred by themander¡¯s peril!] ¡°I can¡­ take care of this¡­!¡± [PR/N: A loyal soldier. I respect you.] tter! Skeleton Soldier #1 raised its remaining four finger bones high and suddenly dashed forward. [Skeleton Soldier (No. 1) supports themander in peril!] ¡°You¡¯re kidding¡­!¡± By the time I grasped the meaning behind its sudden, impulsive action, the soldier had already leapt forward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [Skeleton Soldier (No. 1) activates the ¡®Bone Bomb¡¯ skill!] [Skill¡¯s area of effect expands to the entire body.] Its frame, now glowing red-hot, mbered toward the cannon muzzle. [Special condition fulfilled!] [The ¡®Bone Bomb¡¯ skill evolves into ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯!] ¡­And then, the others followed suit. ¡°Commander¡­!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go with you¡­!¡± ¡°No, stop!¡± [Skeleton Soldier (No. 2) activates the ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯ skill!] [Skeleton Soldier (No. 3) activates the ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯ skill!] [Skeleton Soldier (No. 4) activates the ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯ skill!] ¡­ sh! A blinding light burst forth. From inside the cannon barrels. From the muzzle. From the golem¡¯s legs¡­ KABOOM! Explosions erupted from every corner. Some didn¡¯t even make it into the cannon before detonating prematurely, but they all had one thing inmon. Each one clung to a piece of the stone golem¡ªno, a hunk of rock¡ªand blew apart along with it. Boom! Kaboom! KABAM! Caught speechless by the unexpected disy of destruction¡ª Fwoosh! A brilliant multicolored light poured down from above. [The trait ¡®Rebel¡¯ in subject ¡®Lee Eunho¡¯ has detected a risk of systemic copse!] A notification boomed within my skull. [The trait ¡®Rebel¡¯ resonates with the title Pathfinder!] [Title effect can be transformed into a different stat!] ¡°¡­!¡± Currently, the title effect only enhanced movement speed and defense. But now I could convert it to a different stat? [Select the stat to transform into!] ¡®Transform into another stat¡­¡¯ Normally, I¡¯d leave enough speed and defense to escape if needed, then raise my attack power. ¡­That¡¯s what the usual me would do. But now. A Gap Created by Soldiers To fully exploit the tiny gap... ¡°Focus entirely on pration.¡± Eliminate the retreat. [Movement speed increase and defense increase effects are removed!] [Additional movement speed: 142% ¡ú 0%] [Additional defense: 142 ¡ú 0] The escape route is gone. And so, all power is concentrated. [Followers: 1,420] [Pration power increased by 142] ¡°And now...¡± Every ounce of strength. ¡°Even the buff that defies death. Everything.¡± [Which buffs would you like to modify?] [Immunity to fear and disease status effects, immunity to mind control, wound recovery rate increase (+100%), defense inc......] ¡°All of it.¡± [All title effects are removed.] None of it matters. [Pration power increased by 200!] [You have reached the maximum pration power your body can endure!] [Remaining buff effects are converted into attack power!] What¡¯s needed now is the power to end it all in a single strike. ¡°eleration!¡± * * * Whoosh!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The wind that had been embracing my bones vanished. My body feels heavy. Like I¡¯m weighed down with sandbags. Smack! Crunch! A piece of shrapnel from an explosion lodged itself between my skull. A palm-sized chunk of concrete. If it had been moments ago, surrounded by all my buffs, it would have bounced off upon hitting my bones. ¡®Urgh.¡¯ Though my helmet quickly healed the scratches, I can feel the faint sting. My remaining defense is a mere 10. It¡¯s a dangerous ce to charge into, relying only on a fragile shell for protection. ¡®But now¡¯s the time!¡¯ The monster¡¯s body is crumbling apart, unable to hold itself up after the relentless attacks. Taking advantage of this gap, carved out by the sacrifices of the skeleton soldiers... ¡°Here I go!¡± I erased all thought and lunged forward. Leap! I ran up the remnants of a crumbled road, like sliding up a yground slide. I stepped on the remains of roads, apartment rubble, and signposts. Crunch! My knee mmed into an exposed steel bar. My kneecap shattered, but I kept running. I stepped on the jagged shards scattered everywhere. My foot bones were pierced, my toe bones were crushed, but I kept running. Focusing solely on the ¡°gap¡± etched into the monster¡¯s body. Rumble! The moment the golem noticed me rapidly closing in, it began to lift its tenaciously resilient body. ¡°eleration!¡± Timing it perfectly, I activated the skill. Stab! I thrust my sword upward with all my strength. Right into the ¡°crack¡± created by Skeleton Soldier #1¡¯s sacrifice. Crunch! And once more, with all my weight behind it, I drove the de deeper. The sword sank until my wrist nearly touched the monster¡¯s body. No technique, no finesse¡ªjust sheer force driving the de deeper. Just as Jaehyuk¡¯s swordsmanship always had been. Crack! Snap! Crunch! I heard the unsettling sounds of my bones dislocating from my wrist to my shoulder. In my original body, I would¡¯ve been writhing in pain. But now, I am a skeleton. Crunch! Snap! Crack! The sounds, loud enough to make me wonder if I would break before the golem did, finally came to an end. Slice¡ª! It was severed. Screeeeech! From the heart downward, straight through. The golem split apart like the tentacles of an octopus. Click! And as time returned to its normal flow... Creaaaak¡ª! The bisected golem sumbed to gravity. Its left leg tilted further to the left. Its right leg tilted further to the right. The body, legs, everything I had cleaved apart, spread wider and wider until¡ª Boom! Rumble, rumble, rumble! The entire structure copsed in on itself. Silence. A brief moment of silence flowed like a stream. And then... [Congrattions!] [You have defeated the ''Iron Golem''!] [You have earned 3 mission points and 1,000 welfare points!] Instead of light, sound rained down upon me. [You have in an enemy deemed impossible to defeat!] [The mastery of your Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.3) skill has greatly increased due to your extraordinary feat!] ¡°It¡¯s over...¡± It¡¯s finally over. My body feels heavy. I want to copse. I want to lie down... Dragging my body, on the verge of copse, I stumbled forward. Crunch! Suddenly, I stepped on something. And then¡ª Whoosh! Heat and light surged like a vortex from the bones in my foot. [You are absorbing the ¡®Diamond of the Forsaken Hignds¡¯!] ...What? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 49 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 49: The One Who Opens the Path (4) [Ugh...!] The researcher clutched his head in frustration. [This is absurd...!] Sensing that something was off, he even sent down a prototype monster. He personally updated its functions, too. And yet, how could this be the result? [How the hell did he do it? Skeleton soldiers aren¡¯t capable of independent thought... How could he elicit this level of loyalty in just a three-hour mission?] He went over it again and again, thoughts piling on calctions. No answer came to him. It was iprehensible. It shouldn''t be possible. [For now... I have to.] It was agonizing. Frustrating. Painful. What pained him more than losing to a mere participant was his inability to understand how that participant''s strategy worked. So he gave the order.N?v(el)B\\jnn [Bring all the skeletons back and collect the logs.] Every log. He intended to examine every single record. [I''m going to go through it all. Every word Eunho said, every way he fought, what abilities he used to charm my creations¡ªeverything.] Whether the skeletons understood his frustration or not, the screen continued to sh blue and red alerts, obliviously. ¡¾ERROR!¡¿ ¡¾Skeleton Soldier (Lv.1) refuses toply with orders.¡¿ [?!] It was a historic moment. For the first time ever, an ERROR message had appeared on the genius researcher¡¯s screen. [An error? Is it broken? Is this thing broken?] How could his creations, his own handiwork, dare disobey him? It was as if the heavens had turned into the seas and the seas into the heavens. [Forcefully retrieve them! Now!] But¡ª ¡¾Command cannot be executed!¡¿ ¡¾Forced retrieval is prohibited during mission progress.¡¿ ¡¾Time remaining until missionpletion: 5 minutes 11 seconds... 10 seconds... 9 seconds...¡¿ [Argh!!!] Crash! A sk shattered. tter! Bottles and chemicals spilled across the floor. [Refusing to obey... this is impossible. This never happened during the test environment. Did something go wrong when I sent them to Sector 13?] And as shards of broken ss and unidentifiable liquids piled up on the floor¡ª ¡¾WARNING!¡¿ ¡¾Unauthorized deployment of prototype detected!¡¿ ¡¾Enforcing mandatory retrieval in ordance with regtions.¡¿ The system delivered yet another notification. Someone had discovered his unauthorized deployment of the golem. [Damn it! I¡¯m busy enough already! Just take it yourselves!] He waved his hand dismissively, holding his head in exasperation. But¡ª ¡¾WARNING!¡¿ ¡¾Return the ¡®core¡¯ immediately!¡¿ [The golem¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t it? Just retrieve it and bring it back!] ¡¾Command cannot be executed!¡¿ ¡¾No ¡®core¡¯ to retrieve.¡¿ [What kind of nonsense is this?!] Now, they were telling him the ¡®core¡¯ embedded in the golem was missing. [Then deduct it from my points or something!] ¡¾Marked as lost.¡¿ ¡¾Compensation deducted from points automatically.¡¿ He failed to realize¡ª ¡¾Insufficient point bnce.¡¿ That thanks to Eunho saving a staggering 1,400 skeleton soldiers, he didn¡¯t have enough points to exchange for their return when the mission ended. And¡ª ¡¾Would you like to substitute the mission reward with a suitable item?¡¿ [Do whatever you want!] He didn¡¯t even consider that the items in his possession were things that should never, under any circumstances, fall into the hands of a mere participant. ¡ªsh! Crunch! * * * At first, I thought it was just a rock lying nearby. But the moment I carelessly stepped on the hard surface¡ª [Absorbing ''Diamond of the Forsaken Hignds''.] The stone beneath my heel cracked with a sharp snap and then began to melt. It flowed like moltenva. Like liquefied metal. Slowly, yet violently, the thick liquid seeped into the bones of my foot. ¡®This is...¡¯ A familiar sensation. A familiar liquid. And¡ª [Petrification (Lv.10) evolves to Petrification (Lv.12).]] A familiar skill. [Target ¡®Eunho,¡¯ additional manifestation range of Petrification (Lv.12) is¡­] I didn¡¯t need to hear the system¡¯s words. I could feel it in my evolving body. [Right foot.] My right foot had turned to crystal. The once bare bones of my foot were now wrapped in a dazzling, gem-like sheen. For the first time, I understood. The Petrification skill had been protecting me in this form all along. But¡ª ¡®Why was this here?¡¯ There was no way the ¡®Diamond of the Forsaken Hignds¡¯ had simply been lying on a road in this district. ¡®So it must havee from the golem¡¯s body.¡¯ As I scanned the surroundings, hoping to find some trace, ¡ªDing! ¡ªDing! ¡ªDing! The chat notifications mored noisily, demanding attention. Ah, right. He¡¯d muted them during the battle because they were so obnoxious. But if they carried news like this¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡¾¡®Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ is in awe of Target ¡®Eunho¡¯s¡¯ overwhelmingbat prowess!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ praises Target ¡®Eunho¡¯ for his heroic spirit!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ ¡¾¡®Night Owl of the Audit Bureau¡¯ says they¡¯ve never seen a participant like this before and is utterly speechless!¡¿ ¡¾500 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ [After deducting the administrator fee (50%), 1,250 points have been deposited.] I should dly ept it. ¡¾A multitude of observers tremble at the birth of a new warrior!¡¿ It seems those beyond the ''eyes'' found this battle quite entertaining. ¡¾A new observer has entered!¡¿ ¡¾A new observer has entered!¡¿ ¡¾A new observer has entered!¡¿ ¡­¡­ Looks like they brought along quite a few friends or colleagues. ¡¾The ''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' greets you, saying they heard the rumors.¡¿ ¡¾The ''Investigation Bureau''s Brain'' greets you, saying they''re here to see just how exceptional you are.¡¿ It¡¯s getting noisier, and I¡¯m not exactly thrilled about it. But at least the fight is over, so I decided to quietly look around. "Kyaaaah! Eunho!" "Hyungniiiiim! You did it!!" Jieun and Jaehyuk came rushing over, out of breath. "How on earth did you cut through that chunk of metal with a sword?" "Exactly, noona! You saw me smashing it with my mace¡ªbarely scratched it, didn¡¯t I?" "I did, I did! Same here. Wow, seriously... Eunho, you¡¯re not human, are you?!" "Hyung-nim is definitely not human! At least not right now!" Well, yeah¡ªI''m still a skeleton, after all. That aside¡ª "I can... do it, too...!" Those guys. Startling me with an unprompted self-destruction. Ambiguous whether they¡¯re monsters or just part of the system. tter! I looked over the remains of the pile of bones. Broken and shattered into pieces, unrecognizable as their original owners. Half of me felt pity. And the other half was relief¡ªif not for their sacrifice, it might have been Jieun, Jaehyuk, or Yul who ended up shattered here. A short whileter, the announcement came: [''Mock Battle'' missionpleted.] Signaling the end of the mission. [Troop retrieval in 10 seconds.] And the farewell to my soldiers as well. "Commander...!" "Commander...!" [The skeletal soldiersment parting with theirmander, to whom they pledged loyalty.] tter, tter, tter! The white skeletons approached. Though they had no expressions or emotions to read, I could feel it. They were sad. So¡ª [The skeletal soldiers await theirmander¡¯s farewell.] It might not be much of a farewell speech, but¡ª ¡®I''m not needed anymore.¡¯ Swish¡ª! I removed the helmet I was wearing. A bone helmet, wearable only by skeletons. Holding it up¡ª "Take it." [PR/N: Damn.] "¡­¡­?" I handed it to the skeleton soldier at the front. An enchanted helmet radiating a faint violet aura. "Take it and give it to whoever you choose as the next leader." "Wha...?!" "Whether it¡¯s the strongest, the smartest, or the kindest. You guys decide." "¡­¡­!" The glowing lights in its eye sockets trembled. "But this is¡­" "I don¡¯t need it anymore. So take it, and act freely." "Commander...!" [The skeletal soldiers are overwhelmed with loyalty, not knowing what to do!] ¡°You can¡¯t live and die doing only what the system tells you. Right?¡± [The skeletal soldiers express their gratitude for having met such amander!] "Commander...!" "Comman...der!" "¡­mander!" The skeleton soldiers began to open their jawbones one by one. Their unified voices numbering in the thousands. It was a sight that should have resonated through my ribcage. [Target: ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯ Retrieving troops.] But it was short-lived. Blink¡ª! Like flower petals in spring, the bones flickered and faded away. And thus, they disappeared. ¡°...nder!¡± Leaving behind the final syble as if lingering in the air. [''Mock Battle'' missionpleted.] It was over. For them, for me, and for everyone else. [Congrattions!] [You have captured the ''g of Victory.''] [100 welfare points are awarded for each surviving soldier.] "!!" "100 points per soldier?" [Surviving soldiers: 1,420.] [Resistance stat increased (+1,420).] That¡¯s more than I expected. Both the points awarded per soldier and the number of survivors. [Beginning calction.] So, the welfare points I¡¯ll receive total 142,000. ¡®I upgraded the shop with just 10,000 points.¡¯ Now, 140,000 points from a single mission. All that running around paid off. Because welfare points are absolutely necessary for the next mission. With this¡ª ¡®I can waitfortably now.¡¯ That thought had just crossed my mind when¡ª [Warning!] [Target: ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯ Points cannot be calcted!] [You have exceeded the maximum allowable points!] An absurd notification rang out. "Calction impossible?" But immediately after¡ª [Target: ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯ 50,000 welfare points are awarded immediately.] [Excess points will be converted into special rewards.] The sted system handed over 50,000 points, iming it had nothing else in its pockets. [Determining an appropriate reward.] And it made some mysterious deal. [Target: ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯ Special reward has been granted.] [Please check your mission rewards!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 50 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 50: Someone Else¡¯s Memory (1) Srrrng! In Jaehyuk¡¯s hand, Jieun¡¯s dagger gleamed. The sharp de, honed to a fine edge, reflected the cold, blue moonlight as it shattered across its surface. The de pressed closely against the nape of a neck. Thump. A faint movement was felt. It seemed the life hadn¡¯t yet entirely drained away. Unfortunately. ¡°Can you do it? If it¡¯s too hard, you don¡¯t have to push yourself.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯ve learned this much¡­ I can¡¯t back down now.¡± Gulp.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Jaehyuk swallowed hard. He often said that his parents ran a butcher shop when he was a kid, and he grew up watching them work. It seemed he learned how to hold a knife but not how to build his nerve. Huff! With a resolute expression, as if facing a mortal enemy, he gripped the knife tightly¡­ ¡°Eek! D-did it just look at me?!¡± ¡­but then froze, trembling all over. Sigh. Seeing him like this, with an anxious expression, I wondered how I should deal with this coward. ¡°Good grief, why are you hesitating over something like this? Hand it over!¡± Unable to stand it any longer, the cleaningdy stepped forward. Rip¡ªScrape! With just two cuts, the hide and flesh were cleanly removed. ¡°Eek! I-it¡¯s staring at me with its eyes!¡± ¡°Wow, Mrs. Song! You¡¯re something else! Is your skill as sharp as your name? Ha ha!¡± Today¡¯s meal: a starving grizzly bear. With most nearby buildings destroyed, finding food was getting harder and harder. So, I suggested we try self-sufficiency for once. I wasn¡¯t sure if it would work, but thankfully, there was a hidden expert among us. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just d I could help in some way.¡± Scrape! With a satisfied expression, the cleaningdy continued slicing off chunks of red flesh. ¡°Young man, here you go!¡± Now, it was my turn. I received the dripping chunks of meat. Time to take these¡­ nk! ¡­to the griddle I salvaged from the ruins of a nearby restaurant. [Choose between Signal Fire and Signal Smoke.] ¡°Signal Fire.¡± I cooked the meat over a fire ignited with a torch. Sizzle! ¡°S, if something feels off about me, treat me right away, okay?¡± ¡°Uncle, if you say that one more time, it¡¯ll be the tenth time, you know?¡± S replied tly, sounding annoyed, but kept her hands extended, ready to heal at a moment¡¯s notice. Feeling reassured by her soft palms, I brought a piece of cooked meat to my mouth. [You have consumed Grilled Grizzly Bear Meat.] ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°What do you think, young man?¡± [The status condition Hunger is slightly alleviated.] [Your synchronization rate has slightly increased.] Srrkk! As I bit into the crispy outeryer, the tender inner meat revealed itself. It wasn¡¯t so soft as to melt in my mouth, but it also wasn¡¯t tough¡ªjust the right amount of chewiness. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± It was delicious. Was it okay for something like this to taste this good? But it was undeniably tasty. One bite, and then another. I quickly cooked more and distributed it to the people eagerly waiting like baby birds. Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to eat my own share. After eating for quite some time¡ª ¡°Mm¡­ Delicious¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s good, but¡­ it feels strangely humiliating.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯ve lost the dignity of a modern human being.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? S, you ate the most, you know?¡± S¡¯sint, born from a full belly, was met with an incredulous retort from Yeojin. At the same time, a notification popped up: [Collecting data for skill activation.] It seemed another skill was umting data. Hmm. Since I¡¯d seen something simr during training, I had been diligently cooking, just in case. I was grateful it was paying off so quickly. There¡¯s nothing more important than being able to prepare your own food¡ª Especially in a world without delivery services, supermarkets, or restaurants. While I was bustling about, deep in thought¡ª ¡°This torch¡­ I didn¡¯t know it could be used like this.¡± Jieun let out a halfugh, half-sigh in admiration. I thought she was marveling at the torch¡¯s usefulness, but then she said: ¡°Eunho, you¡¯re really¡­ how should I put it¡­ diligent.¡± She shook her head slightly, suddenlyplimenting me. ¡°Out of nowhere? Well, I am naturally pretty diligent.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not just diligence¡­ It¡¯s like you wring everyst bit out of everything. I feel like you¡¯d survive even if you were stranded on a deserted ind.¡± I wasn¡¯t entirely sure if that was apliment. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take it as apliment.¡± ¡°It is one.¡± Listening in, Yeojin and the foul-mouthed one chimed in: ¡°Oh, totally! Uncle would probably build a house and start farming on a deserted ind!¡± ¡°Farming? Hell, he¡¯d make people if he had to. For sure.¡± ¡°Eh? How could anyone make people?¡± ¡°If he can transform into a skeleton, what can¡¯t he do?¡± It seemed everyone was full now. The chatter was getting livelier. ¡°If you¡¯re done eating, time to clean up.¡± ¡°What? By myself?¡± ¡°S and Yeojin, lend a hand, will you? And you too, Lee Yeji.¡± While the foul-mouthed one grumbled, they started cleaning up meticulously. Yura came running over, hugging me tightly. Her round cheeks, full from a hearty meal, radiated satisfaction. ¡°Uncle! Is the curse lifted?¡± "Yeah, it''s lifted now." "Thank goodness!" Earlier, I had said that turning into a skeleton was due to the ''curse of the system.'' It was an excuse I made up on the spot when I first met Yura, since it was tooplicated to exin the training center and the seed that could change my appearance. "Sheesh, it''s a relief it resolved so quickly. I was worried you''d have to live as a skeleton forever." "You''re telling me." ...I didn''t expect even the grown-ups to believe it. Well, since it worked out, I just shrugged my shoulders. "So, what¡¯s that thing you got earlier?" The foul mouthed one asked curiously. It was the ''special reward'' I alone received after the ''mock battle'' mission. [Check your mission rewards!] Once the announcement ended, a gift box appeared. Inside were: ? Elixir of Fortification -Creates a mental shield for the drinker, temporarily immunizing them against all status effects caused by fear or disease. Duration: 3 hours. -An elixir that prevented status effects from fear and disease. ? Bone Bomb -A bomb made by stuffing explosives into bones. Upon use, it deals 15 attack damage to enemies within a 1-meter radius. -A bomb shaped like a shinbone. ? Skull Bowl -A bowl crafted from baked bone powder. Can hold polluted water without causing harm when consumed. -A pure white bowl. "You got all kinds of stuff, boss!" "Seems like it. Didn''t you get anything?" "Nope. Looks like you''re the only one who received something, boss!" So... "Wait. Isn''t there something else back there?" "Oh, that''s the bear head I killed earlier. Want to see?" "Eek! N-no thanks!" There were also plenty of other impressive items, but... Ah. How should I describe it? A lifesaving rain during a drought? No... It was like the kind of rain that falls when thend is so parched the entire countryside is shriveled and dying, with people and animals starving to death from theck of food. And as the rain falls, your tongue suddenly realizes it''s sugar water. In other words¡ª "Jackpot!" Trying to keep my expression in check, Jaehyuk hesitantly asked. "Boss! Is there anything else you need me to do today?" "Huh?" "Like chopping wood... or other preparations!" His face was full of guilt. Add to that a flicker of shame, and it was clear that the earlier battle weighed heavily on him. Charging forward confidently but unable to evennd a blow on the meat must have stung. "I couldn¡¯t do anything earlier¡­" Though his attitude was admirable. "Not necessary." Unless he wanted to show off some talent show tricks to impress me. Because¡ª [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "The next mission is all about charm." "Huh? Charm? Toward who?" Who else could it be? The ones beyond the ''Eye.'' ck. ck. ck. A twin-pigtailed girl moved quickly across the corridor on her short legs. [Hurry up. We''re busy.] [Yes, Ms. Harona.] Trailing close behind her was Seung, carrying a towering stack of documents in his arms. Although his view was obstructed, he couldn¡¯t afford to slow down. There was a mountain of paperwork to process by the end of the day. [Why do the higher-ups love reports so much?] [Seriously. We barely have time to work, and yet they summon us at every turn. It¡¯s frustrating.] Both sighed simultaneously, but that was all they could do. Say what you will about her knack for stirring trouble, Harona was diligent when it came to her job. [The priority is the audit report. Send them all the data they¡¯ve requested first, then wrap up the performance metrics when we get back.] Harona issued her orders as she opened her system window. And then, the sudden burst of notifications. ¡ª Ding! ¡ª Ding! ¡ª Ding! ... [What¡¯s with all this noise all of a sudden?] [You have 17 new notifications.] [Would you like to check them?] Normally, she¡¯d only get three or four notifications a day, if any. Seventeen was unprecedented. She had turned off the sound just a few hours earlier to avoid disruptions during reporting. [Check them!] Her sharpmand came from a sense of unease, fearing some kind of crisis. But contrary to her expectations, the messages revealed¡ª ¡¾A new sponsorship has been received for ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ ¡¾A new sponsorship has been received for ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ ¡¾A new sponsorship has been received for ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ ... Sixteen sponsorships. And one exciting announcement: ¡¾¡®Lee Eunho¡¯s Eye¡¯ has been selected as a trending live channel!¡¿ [!!] Um, in other words... [What the heck? What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?!] Exciting news... right? [Don¡¯t tell me that crazy researcher pulled some bizarre experiment again?] Harona¡¯s unease deepened as she muttered sharply to herself. Seung, however, answered right away. [That doesn¡¯t seem to be the case!] [How do you know? Weren¡¯t you with them?] Thud! With a serious expression, Seung set down the stack of documents he was holding. Then, after properly reviewing the messages: [The researcher... has apparently returned their temporary administrator privileges!] Surprising news indeed. [What? After all the fuss to get them, why?] [Apparently, they extended the mission time and manually added monsters... Even controlled them directly!] [What?!] Good grief. After all that boasting, now what? Extra time and manually controlled monsters? [What the¡ªdoes that mean Lee Eunho put that guy in his ce?] Harona let out a dryugh, frowning as she did. ¡¾Administrator ''Harona.'' A new schedule has been registered.¡¿ ¡¾Temporary administrator privileges will be partially revoked.¡¿ She checked the recovered privileges, thanks to a subject with an overall evaluation of "middle-middle" grade. And then, as if she wasn¡¯t done talking, Seung opened his mouth again. [Oh, and the reason so many observers gathered is¡­] [Is?] [A rmended post went up on thepany¡¯s anonymous bulletin board.] [What?! Show me!] ? [Rmended] Found an All-Time Great Subject! ? This is Deep Sea Exploration Team. Most subjects in District 13 are pretty much the same, but we¡¯ve found an all-time great this time. Fighting? Strategy? They do it all on their own. They must¡¯ve lived one incredible life... Looking forward to when the official contentes out. ? Just passing by, but I saw them transform into a skeleton and lead monsters around. Can¡¯t evenpare them to the guys who just shoot guns. ? When¡¯s the content opening? ? Curious about this too. Just watching is so unsatisfying. [Hmm.] Sip! Harona smiled broadly and clicked her tongue. Her squinting eyes made her look like a mischievous prankster plotting something fun. [Since when did he be so popr?] [This mission seems to have received a lot of positive feedback. Many are saying just observing isn¡¯t enough.] [Lee Eunho, Lee Eunho, Lee Eunho. Hmm.] Of course, the toy in her hands was none other than the subject, Lee Eunho. [This is exciting.] [What is?] [Later... when it¡¯s officially open, I mean.] Tap, tap. Harona continued speaking. [Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll sell well? The life of Subject ''Lee Eunho.''] Imagining the money trail her toy would pave for her. [Next mission, start it.] [Ah, let me just set this down first¡­] [Forget it. Move it, quick. The customers are curious!] * * * AM 08:50. With the eyes that dered their existence like the sun, today began anew. [By the administrator¡¯s authority, ''Eyes'' are now activated.] Morning had dawned. [Announcement to the survivors in the ''Yongsan-gu'' area.] [At exactly 9 AM, the final mission for Project ''Aptitude Test'' willmence.] It was the morning of thest day of the aptitude test. "Wow! Jaehyuk, if we pass this, it¡¯s over!" "Noona! Hyung! Hang in there till the end!" [The final mission is¡­] After two missions that tested strength and intelligence sequentially, it was time for the grand finale. [A ''Observer'' mission where subjects¡¯ content is evaluated.] They¡¯d rummage through our minds, pull out ''content'' however they pleased, and evaluate if it catered to their tastes. "Observer? Does that mean they¡¯ll just watch us?" "Content? Are they telling us to make a video or something?" A video, huh. That¡¯d be easier, but the ''content'' they were referring to was: [The content to be evaluated will be the subjects¡¯ memories.] [All subjects are free to select the memories to be made public, and during the time limit, they can act within the chosen memory.] A theatrical performance constructed from our ''memories.'' [The entire process will be streamed through the ''Eyes'' for observers, and the subject who receives the most sponsorship will earn a special reward.] [Time limit: 1 hour.] [Share unique memories and show off your charm to your heart¡¯s content!] A ''live broadcast'' where they could sponsor the protagonist in real-time and react on the spot. [Please agree to the mandatory terms and conditions!] ? [Mandatory] Third-Party Provision of Private Content Agreement -In ordance with the Private Content Protection Act and the Act on the Use and Protection of Private Content, the content distributor (hereinafter referred to as ''thepany'') intends to provide the content (hereinafter referred to as ''content'') of the content provider (hereinafter referred to as ''subject'') to third parties with the subject''s consent. -Subjects can directly select the content to be made public. If no selection is made, it will be automatically determined by an algorithm¡­ "What the hell is all this? It''s too long to even read!" "It means to enter your memories and make them public to those guys watching from beyond those ''Eyes.''" Like a y based on real events. And those bastards would evaluate if it suited their taste. "What?! Then the sponsorships¡­" "If your memories are entertaining, sponsorship money will pour in. If not, you won¡¯t get a cent." "This is insane!" [Do you agree?] Below the notification window, only one option appeared: [Yes]. Being a mandatory use, it seemed they didn¡¯t even bother to make a [No] button. But I. "No." Decided to refuse. Because. [If you do not agree, you cannot participate in the mission.] [Do you agree?] "I said no, I don¡¯t agree." I figured it was about time I started negotiating. [TL/N: Man doesn¡¯t have any knowledge from future or any novel but still a chad.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 51 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 51: Someone Else¡¯s Memory (2) ¡°Mr. Lee Eunho, you can start work next week, right?¡± ¡°Yes! I can start tomorrow if needed!¡± ¡°Haha, I like your enthusiasm.¡± One thing I learned after bing an adult: ¡°By the way, could I ask when the sry negotiation takes ce?¡± ¡°What? You didn¡¯t know? We don¡¯t do negotiations. It¡¯s already set.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Signing the same contract doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re on equal footing. The kind of ¡°negotiation¡± where I state my terms, hear their opinions, and work toward apromise? That was never in the cards. So, I¡¯ve never had a proper negotiation. ¡®I¡¯ve always just lived by reading the room.¡¯ Digging throughpany rules no one bothers to check. Laborws. Contracts. Internal policies. Because I wasn¡¯t even qualified to sit at the negotiation table. Because that was all I could do. But this time... [Do you agree?] [If you do not agree, participation in the mission will not be possible.] If what¡¯s on the table is my memory and my life¡ª If it¡¯s to that extent¡ª [Do you agree?] ¡°I won¡¯t agree to these terms.¡± [If you do not agree, participation in the mission will¡ª] ¡°I n to participate in the mission.¡± This much defiance is worth a shot. The fact that the penalty for disagreeing wasn¡¯t outright ¡°deletion¡± gave me some courage. ¡°Why are you being like this? It¡¯s just a bonus game. Just follow the instructions and get it over with!¡± ¡°Mr. Lee Eunho, are you crazy?!¡± The outburst from the foul-mouthed one and Lee Yejin was almost a shout. They seemed to sense that the situation was taking a dangerous turn. ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± I met the trusting yet slightly worried gazes of Jaehyuk and Jieun. [...] A brief silence. [Not possible.] The predictable answer came back. That¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t expecting the system to give me the answer I wanted anyway. Tap. I turned my body toward the floating ¡°eye¡± above me. It had been a while since I faced it head-on. Had I grown used to it? Even so, staring into the massive ck pupil embedded in the white orb felt strange. Swish! That sensation¡ªlike my clothes had been stripped off and disappeared. The shame of beingid bare, even beyond nakedness, to the core of my bones. The unease of facing an unknown entity, needing to persuade it, and ovee it. ¡°I want to speak directly with the Manager.¡± But the thirst to live like a human surpassed all of that. The desperation to not just finish the race on this nted ying field but to win it. And then, after a moment: [...Why. What.] A reluctant voice answered. It was the voice of a young girl, sharp and spirited. Her? I thought the Manager had changed. [With temporary Administrator privileges, settings have been modified!] [¡®Stone Golem¡¯ is being updated with a new patch!] So, that was just a temp. Well, this might actually make things easier. She¡¯s somewhat predictable. [You¡¯re clever. Who are you?] Since the moment she first appeared, she¡¯s been consistent. [Did you achieve some global feat? Create an incredible masterpiece?] [I figured not. Then I¡¯ll just sweep it all at once¡­ no, I¡¯ll move things along quickly.] A leader who only cares about results, paying attention solely to those who meet her standards. [Normally, I¡¯d tailor everything to fit individual attributes, but that¡¯s too much hassle. I¡¯ll just randomize it.] She prioritizes her mood overpany policy but doesn¡¯tpletely disregard the rules. ¡°This mission.¡± For someone like her¡ª ¡°I have an idea for additional revenue. Care to hear me out?¡± Practical benefits work better than ttery. [...What is it?] ¡°I reviewed the terms, and they¡¯re essentially the same as before. Observers passively watch what I do in my memories and react to it. So, here¡¯s my suggestion¡­¡± It¡¯s better to get straight to the point. ¡°How about ¡®experiencing¡¯ instead of just observing?¡± [Ex-Experiencing?!] ¡°Not just watching, but stepping into my body and directly experiencing it. A piece of my life.¡± [!!] The Manager let out a startled sound. Which made sense, given that I¡¯d brought up something no ordinary human could possibly know about. ¡¸...Therefore, to promote paid ¡°experience¡± content, securing high-quality material is essential. However, as previously mentioned, due to the standardized education process in Korea and the noticeably dyed independence from parents and institutions, acquiring distinctive ¡°experiences worth remembering¡± is anticipated to be challenging.¡¹ Content ¡°experience.¡± It was something I¡¯d read in a report stolen from the ghosts. ¡®Thepany¡¯s primary revenue source.¡¯ That¡¯s what the memories of people like us were¡ªconverted into ¡°content¡± for those above to watch and enjoy. There were various ways to enjoy it. The most basic level, viewing, simply watching as a observer. The second level, experiencing, temporarily bing the person and living their memory directly. In other words¡ª ¡°Temporary possession¡± might be a good way to describe it. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to marvel at the technology that allowed these beings to create countless virtual worlds from human memories¡ª Or to be horrified at the otherworldly beings who found such things to be mere entertainment. Perhaps both. [This is suspicious. How do you even know about ¡°experience¡± content?] ¡°Oh, is that already a thing? I thought I was the first toe up with it.¡± [So you came up with it¡­ using that oh-so-brilliant brain of yours?] ¡°Yes. I figured it¡¯d be morepetitive than just watching.¡± Maybe I was the most surprised of all¡ªusing even something as surreal as this as a bargaining chip. [Well¡­ fine. Let¡¯s set that aside. Where exactly does the additional revenuee from?] ¡°We¡¯ll charge for the experience. It¡¯ll be a paid service.¡± And yes, I turned it into a money-making tool. [Sigh¡­ Do you even understand what you¡¯re saying?] ¡°Of course. Oh, and I n to keep themission split the same. Fifty-fifty.¡± [That''s not the point right now!] I waited quietly. With an attitude that said, What''s the problem? [Who would pay to experience preliminary content... ah, forget it.] Then, mumbling to herself, the manager let out a shallow sigh. She must have already finished calcting it in her head. [...Though there are a few people who might throw themselves at the chance if it¡¯s you.] I know that too. ¡°We¡¯ve already conducted a demand survey on this end.¡± After the fight with the golem, the observers flocked in. ¡¾The "Night Owl of the Audit Bureau" nods in approval, saying you''re a worthy investment.¡¿ ¡¾The "External Affairs Department''s Rookie" marvels at how quickly the rumors spread.¡¿ Apparently, my "Eyes" were rather popr. I wasn¡¯t sure if that was something to be happy about. Judging by how they were willing to shell out about 1,000 points in donations, they seemed to have money to spare. So. "Fifty percentmission. Don¡¯t you want it, Manager?" I threw the question disguised as a proposal. After a brief pause, Harona responded with a question instead of an answer. [How much is the experience fee? How are you going to pick the participants?] "That¡¯s..." She had a lot of questions. A sign she was half-convinced. If so, time to y the final card. "I¡¯m thinking of putting it up for auction." [An auction?!] Harona''s voice rose in disbelief. Her reaction was as if I¡¯d just said something utterly ridiculous. But. "That way, we can drive the price up as much as possible. Of course, that¡¯s assuming it gets popr enough to attract people." [What if no one shows up?] "Set a low starting bid. That¡¯s better than setting a high fee from the beginning. It eliminates the worry of scaring people away." [Ugh...] One second, two seconds. A moment longer than a blink but shorter than a pause. [You really are something else.] "I¡¯ll take that as apliment." [Ha. What on earth are you made of?] "You¡¯re looking at me now, aren¡¯t you? You can see exactly what I¡¯m made of." [...] Harona came back at me. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w With what sounded suspiciously like apliment wrapped in an insult. [...Shut up for a moment. Let me think.] A positive signal. But. "It''s five minutes to nine. I¡¯ll give you two minutes to think." This time, I pressed forward. Starting the countdown. * * * [...Two minutes. Okay.] Harona ground her teeth before answering and motioned toward the screen with her chin. To be precise, at Lee Eunho, who was smirking leisurely on the screen. Noticing the cue, the quick-witted subordinate bowed slightly in response and began typing away. Then. ¡¾Audio connection terminated.¡¿ Click! Suddenly, the background noise I hadn¡¯t consciously noticed was gone. It felt as if the floating specks of noise shattered in the sunlight and vanished in an instant. And as soon as I registered that the connection had been cut. tter! Harona shot up from her seat. Her carefully maintainedposure was gone. [An auction? Where the hell did that ideae from?!] [Remarkable. Most people would have a visceral reaction to others digging into and evaluating their past.] [Exactly! How does someone even think like that in this situation?] And that audacious attitude. Acting as if he already knows the whole n. It¡¯s not just intelligence; it¡¯s almost as if¡­ [That guy¡ªdid he pick up some future-seeing skill somewhere?] [Impossible. Based on his track record so far, there¡¯s been no time for that.] [Ugh. I feel like we¡¯re being yed.] Harona muttered as she paced back and forth in front of the desk. Sensing her anxiety, Seung cautiously asked. [Surely you¡¯re not considering going along with that absurd proposal, are you?] Any reasonable manager would tly reject it. But Harona? [Hmm. What should I do?] [Of course, you should refuse! He¡¯s not even officially part of thepany yet, and he¡¯s already trying to sell premium content?!] The very definition of results-driven pragmatism. The kind willing to do whatever it takes to hit a target. [Ugh, shut up.] Naturally. [Is this month¡¯s financial report done?] [Huh? It¡¯s nearly finished, but why... suddenly...?] [What¡¯s the achievement rate?] Flinch! Seung stiffened. [Uh, well...] [The target achievement rate. What is it?] Achievement rate. Just one phrase carried so much weight. Seung felt his dry lips suddenly impossibly heavy. [...61%.] Zap! Harona whipped her head around.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Her re was so sharp, it could cut. Faced with that intensity head-on, Seung couldn¡¯t help but stammer. It made sense, though¡ªat this rate, they were headed for the worst evaluation in history. [I-I mean, as you know, our team was assigned an unusually high target this year, so...] [So what?] Harona crossed her arms and took a step closer to Seung. Step. Looking up at her much taller subordinate. [You think a high target means you don¡¯t have to hit it?] Step. [Did I teach you to ck off like that? Hm?] [M-my point is... I just...] She smiled sweetly, yet the pressure was palpable. Seung involuntarily stepped back. And blurted out. [Catching up¡­ I¡¯ll draft a n and report it to you.] However. [No need. I just made one.] [Pardon?] Harona always had a n. [At first, it sounded absurd. But on second thought, it¡¯s not entirely nonsensical.] [Pardon?] [Whether we incorporate an experience or not, it still counts as "observation," so the framework of the mission remains intact. If you think about it, there¡¯s nothing inherently wrong with it.] [Aren¡¯t you interpreting this a bit too conveniently¡­?] [The real issue is what justification we use to include the experience.] Her subordinate¡¯s words had long ceased to reach her ears. Lost in her thoughts, Harona snapped her fingers with a bright idea. [Aha! I¡¯ll just tweak the terms and conditions!] Like a deranged researcher altering survey questions on a whim. Changing a few uses, signing off on them herself¡ªsimple. [There, it¡¯s done!] She smiled widely and plopped back into her chair. Though her deliberations could drag on, her decisions were always swift. Watching this, Seung let out a deep sigh and gestured toward her. [Voice connection activated.] The audio channel reconnected. [Do as you like.] "Understood." Eunho¡¯s face on the screen remained expressionless. [We¡¯ll receive the auction payments as if they¡¯re regr donations. Stick to the existing rules as much as possible, got it?] "That works for me." He had the air of someone who had predicted this all along. Did he gain some kind of future-predicting skill? [But since there¡¯s no time to build a separate system, we¡¯ll handle the logistics on our end.] "Oh, no need. I¡¯ll take care of it myself." [You? Have you ever done this before?] "No, but I have a sense of how to do it." Suspicious guy. Harona decided she¡¯d need to keep a closer eye on him and was about to end the conversation. [Fine, do as you please. I¡¯ll send you the updated terms for app¡ª] "Ah, one more condition." Eunho interrupted with the most shameless expression. [What? You¡¯re already doing things your way; why tack on conditions?] If anyone should be making demands, it¡¯s us. No backtalk, no sass¡ªsomething like that. Though thoroughly exasperated, Eunho ignored her reaction and pressed on. "During the experience, I want observer privileges." [What? Why?] "Who knows what you¡¯ll do with my memories? I need to keep an eye on things." [Ugh, not you too?] Harona¡¯s brow twitched. Every first-timer in this "experience" thing made this demand without fail. It all happened inside their memories. Knowing or not knowing wouldn¡¯t make a difference. "But it¡¯s a whole hour. I¡¯d get bored." A bit annoying, but¡­ [Fine. Do as you like.] After all, ess to the "Eye" system was a privilege avable to anypany member. [Just approve the updated terms.] "Thank you." Finally, the conversation wrapped up. Then, a cheerful notification sound. ©¤ Ding! [Do you agree to the terms?] The same question popped up once again, and this time, a different answer followed. "I agree." sh! A radiant light burst forth. Like countless other notifications before it, the semi-transparent contract text dissolved into individual letters, which swirled around Eunho. Flutter, flutter, flutter¡­ Momentster, the glowing words enveloped Eunho¡¯s head. [Reconstructing subject ¡®Eunho¡¯s¡¯ memories.] ¡­and sank in. While Harona busied herself preparing for the auction. ¡¾Select the auction target!¡¿ ¡¾Set the auction start and end dates!¡¿ ¡¾Enter the starting amount and bidding increments!¡¿ ¡¾Select the payment method!¡¿ She worked tirelessly, clicking through countless prompts. [Ugh! Why is there so much to input?!] And finally¡­ ¡¾Auction is now live!¡¿ Eunho¡¯s memories went up for auction. [Ha, Harona! We¡¯re already getting responses!] [What? We haven¡¯t even sent out a notification yet?!] The anonymous forum was aze. ¡¾Numerous observers express interest in participating!¡¿ ¡¾¡®The Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ is barely hiding their excitement!¡¿ ¡¾¡®External Affairs Department''s Rookie¡¯ says it¡¯s their first auction and looks thrilled! Ding, ding, ding! The office filled with notification chimes. [Harona! The number of connections to Eunho¡¯s channel is skyrocketing!] [Of course! The product has to be unique! Everyone else just watches, but this one lets you actively participate. No wonder it¡¯s drawing a crowd, right?] Harona and Seung exchanged high-fives, their excitement mounting. [Are we about to hit it big?!] [Totally! We¡¯re gonna¡ª Wait, huh?] Suddenly, Harona froze. [Seung?] [Yes, Harona!] Target subject: Eunho. A pawn she considered merely a tool to line their coffers. [Why¡­ am I paving the way for his sess¡­?] It dawned on her that they, in fact, were the tools in his hands. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 52 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 52: Someone Else''s Memory (3) After quitting sports, I hopped from one part-time job to another. "No way someone with a bad back can handle this job." "I can handle light packaging. Just give me a chance." One of those jobs was assisting at the wholesale market during the early morning auctions for agricultural products. The task involved packaging fruit into smaller portions so that the shopkeepers could sell them more easily. Even that proved too much for my back, so I couldn''t do it for long, but... "8,000! We have 8,000 points!" I never imagined that the skills I picked up back then woulde in handy like this. "If there are no additional bids in the next 10 seconds, the auction will close. 10, 9, 8..." ¡¾The ''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' anxiously awaits the result.¡¿ "7, 6, 5... Alright, everyone, just 5 seconds left." ¡¾''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' asks you not to bid anymore.¡¿ 8,000 points. One of the observers was willing to pay 8,000 welfare points to "experience" me. To relive just one hour of a past memory. What an incredible deal. Even after the 50%mission fee, I''d be well on my way to reaching the mission''s goal of 5,000 points. But, I couldn''t help but get a little greedy. "Isn''t anyone else tempted to raise their bid? If no one steps up within 5 seconds, the newbie will win." If I provoked the others just a little more... ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau snorts and ces a bid.¡¿ ¡¾10,000.¡¿ It worked. "10,000 points!" The auction that started at 1,000 welfare points had climbed to 10,000. Spending that much for a single hour of a memory that they didn''t even know the details of. Not that I wasining. "It''s a mandatory mission anyway, so why not make some money while doing it?" ¡¾The ''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' lowers their head in disappointment.¡¿ ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau smirks smugly and lifts their chin.¡¿ Four observers were actively participating in the auction. Apart from the newbie, the others had been giving unsolicited advice from the start. Among them: ¡¾The ''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' throws in the towel.¡¿ ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau clicks their tongue, telling the newbie to go back to learning the ropes.¡¿ ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' steps out, citing budget constraints.¡¿ The newbie and the Prince of the Investigation Bureau both dropped out. It seemed even they couldn''t afford to bid higher. Now, only two remained. As time passed... ¡¾15,000¡¿ An anonymous observer upped the bid. "15,000!" 15,000 points. After fees, that would me 7,500 points in profit. "Starting the 10-second countdown! 10, 9, 8..." ¡¾The anonymous observer deres they''re stopping here.¡¿ I slowed down the countdown, just in case. "3 seconds left! Not 5, not 10, but just 3 seconds!" Thankfully, the raven took the bait. ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau refuses to back down and bids!¡¿ [20,000] 20,000? "We have 20,000 points!" ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' asks if 20,000 is a whole month''s sry.¡¿ ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau retorts that no sry is that low.¡¿ It was hard to tell whether they were joking or serious. "If there are no more bids within 10 seconds, the auction will close. 10, 9, 8..." ¡¾The anonymous observerments their light wallet in frustration!¡¿ Thest dropout had shown themselves. "...3, 2, 1." Time was up. Which meant... "Sold!" The bidder who would "experience" me had been decided. And that meant I had just earned enough points to open the mid-level shop for two survivors¡ªor the lives of 200 skeleton soldiers. It all happened in the blink of an eye. ¡®Even after the 50% fee, that''s still a whopping 10,000 points.¡¯ Adding that to the points I''d earned from the previous mission rewards... ¡®This is incredible.¡¯ * * * ¡¾Observers who failed to win the bid click their tongues in regret.¡¿ ¡¾The Raven of the Administration Bureau pumps their fist, unable to hide their excitement!¡¿ ¡¾Many observers eagerly anticipate the content of the passionate youth''s hour.¡¿ The auction was over. It left behind the regret of those who didn''t win, the satisfaction of those who did, and a windfall for me. [Are you some kind of professional bidder or what?] "I''m not sure what kind of ''professional'' you''re imagining, but no." [Hmm.] Harona''s voice was dripping with skepticism, but she was still a pro. [The auction payment will be sent immediately. It''ll be categorized as a donation.] "Good." [ess rights to the channel have been granted. It''s only for an hour, though.] Her work was impable. [''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' donates 20,000 welfare points!] [After deducting a 50% administrator fee, the remaining amount has been deposited.] Just as I was smiling in satisfaction at the swift transaction... [Time limit: 1 hour.] [Capture the hearts of your customers withpelling content!] [The participant with the highest donations will receive an additional reward.] The announcement that had yed when the group left earlier sounded again. [Participant ''Eunho Lee.'' Entering memory space.] [Brace for impact!] Flicker! The world went dark, then reappeared. Flicker! Again. Then came a splitting headache. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ It felt like being struck by a blunt weapon¡ªa deep, resounding pain that lingered. As I clutched my throbbing head, unable to distinguish reality from illusion... The moment I closed and reopened my eyes¡ª Whooosh! The scenery transformed. Half-copsed buildings turned into a red rain under a blue sky. Preciously gathered survival supplies became stacks of boxed sports drinks. After everyone left, retreating into their memories, even the solitude left behind transformed into a boisterous air. ¡®I¡¯m back.¡¯ Back to the day before the ident. To the day of mystpetition, my brightest moment in life. ¡®I swept the 100m, 400m, and the ry. The reporters swarmed that day.¡¯ They called me the future of Korean athletics or something like that. I feel strange. Perhaps it¡¯s because everything¡ªscenery, textures, even smells¡ªis so vivid. Even knowing it¡¯s all fake, I can¡¯t help but feel a tickling sensation in my chest. A mixture of excitement and unease. [One participant is awaiting activation.] Barely regaining my senses, I noticed a faint white mist hovering nearby. Mist¡­ Can I even call it that? It seemed to take on a human shape, so I stared at it. [You fool!] The mist, shaped like a person, barked at me. [What are you doing? Hurry up and begin!] Apparently, this thing was the raven. It stood over 2 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a massive build that radiated an imposing aura despite its hazy form. Its facial features and attire were too indistinct to identify anything specific, but¡­ [Transferring physical control to the designated target.] [Do you consent?] I nodded. At that moment¡ª Dwoong¡ª! Something inside me began to rumble. Not of my own will¡ªsomeone else was forcibly shaking me from within. Dwoong! Dwoong¡ª! A deep, resonant tremor rose from the abyss. I staggered. Something within me wavered, teetering precariously. And I barely held on. It felt as if my feet were glued to the ground, as if every cell of my body clung desperately to something sticky. And finally¡ª Poof! I was ejected. Out of my standing body. ¡®!!¡¯ I was staring at myself. It felt like the time I encountered the doppelg?nger at the academy. ¡°It worked! It worked!¡± My body spoke. Without opening my mouth, it raised my arms high in the air. Meanwhile, I¡­ Srrrk! Translucent hands. A body that people passed through as if I weren¡¯t there. ¡­Like a ghost. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®A skeletonst time, now a ghost?¡¯ Here I am, struggling desperately to stay alive. And yet, I keep ending up in situations where I¡¯ve died ande back to life. What a cruel irony. ¡°Ahahaha! This is delightful!¡± Whether it understood my plight or not, the raven seemed quite pleased. It groped my body here and there, drew curious stares with its self-directed chatter, and poked and prodded things that were clearly someone else¡¯s possessions. As I watched anxiously, worried it might cause trouble¡ª ¡°Eunho!¡± Someone tapped me on the shoulder. The raven turned its head sharply, its eyes glinting. ¡®Those guys¡­¡¯ ¡­Who are they? ¡°Why aren¡¯t you warming up?¡± ¡°You think just because you¡¯re fast, you can skip warming up?¡± ¡°Cocky bastard.¡± Ah, I remember now. They were from a rival school, the ones I¡¯d see at everypetition. Always losing to me in records, trying to make up for it with their mouths. It¡¯s been ten years since Ist saw their faces, so I barely recognized them. [These guys¡­ It''s been a while. Kind of d to see them.] Huh? My words didn¡¯te out of my mouth but instead echoed from my head. Like the administrators. This feels¡­ weird. I wanted to tell the raven to just ignore them since they¡¯re nobodies. But¡ª ¡°Ahahaha! Warm up? You want me to ¡®warm up¡¯ this ¡®body¡¯?¡± The raven was quicker. Itsugh, unsuitable for a gathering of fresh-faced future athletes, echoed loudly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°Is he nuts?¡± Murmurs spread through the ravend, but the raven didn¡¯t care. It just kept letting out a boomingugh, ¡°Ahahaha!¡± [Is that supposed to be funny?] ¡°It¡¯s hrious! Asking me to warm up¡­ this ¡®body¡¯!¡± The raven¡¯sughter grew louder, and the faces of the guys confronting it twisted more and more. Apparently, they took it as an insult. Perhaps that¡¯s why¡ª ¡°Hey! Shut your mouth, freak!¡± ¡°This guy¡­ is he really Eunho?¡± They stepped closer, irritation and bewilderment written all over their faces. ¡°Hey, looks like there¡¯s going to be a fight.¡± ¡°Ugh, why here of all ces?¡± And just as the tension reached its peak¡ª Our dear raven¡­ ¡°Indeed! I am Lee Eunho!¡± It raised its arms high again and shouted. ¡°And you! You must be my subordinate!¡± And then¡ª It lunged forward and hugged one of them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡­The guy who had been picking a fight. ¡°¡­?!¡± [?!] ¡°¡­?!¡± He¡¯s insane. He¡¯spletely insane. He must be. Everyone watching muttered the same thing. Except for the guy being hugged. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Thwack! Someone I couldn''t even remember the name of kicked at me. The raven caught it with one hand, without even blinking. Thud! The guy, with his ankle caught and his bnce thrown off, hit the back of his head on the ground. "You bastard...!" Then the raven, utterly unfazed, casually opened his mouth. "Oh dear! So you''re not an ally but an enemy?" And calmly twisted the wrist. Crack! "Ahhhhhhh!" Along with that, the ankle in his grip. Yes, that would be the ankle of a soon-to-be national athlete. Ahhhhhhh! The guy screamed in pain and fury, trying to get up, but the raven never let go. "You crazy bastard!" "What the hell are you doing before a match?!" Even the friends who rushed in were handled with one hand each. And then he shouted as if demanding more. "So! Who else should I take down? Where is the enemy?!" His eyes sparkled. Sigh. This guy seriously had the wrong idea about the genre. This isn''t some battle manga; it''s a sports story. "Where?! Who is it that has made your blood boil like this?!" But. [That''s not an enemy...] Maybe I should humor him a bit. For customer satisfaction, you know. [It''s your determination to win the match.] "A match? What match are you talking about?" [If you beat the people here on thisne... or rather, on this red field, that''s enough.] "Ooh!" Honestly, since this is just inside my memory, it doesn¡¯t really matter what I do. "So I just have to beat the people on this field! Got it!" This guy would interpret anything however he wanted anyway. "Where are the weapons?!" [There are no weapons. It''s about pursuing the strength of the body itself, you see.] "Of course! A true warrior should be able to win even with bare hands!" He''s practically a hot-blooded shonen protagonist. "Wait. Don¡¯t tell me we don¡¯t even have troops?" [Of course not. Think of it as an extreme survival situation.] "Oh, I see! So you¡¯ve intentionally ced me in an extreme situation! Got it!" Not a problem for me. So. [Happy now? Have fun.] Step. I turned around without hesitation. There''s a mountain of work waiting for me outside. "Where are you going?!" [Uh... to investigate?] "What? You''re not even going to watch my glorious deeds?!" The raven''s eyes shed as he shouted. [It¡¯s better to watch from a distance, isn¡¯t it?] "Oh-ho! You are wise indeed! Hahaha!" And then heughed heartily again. By the time I left the field, a horde of his enemies had charged at him, and he was dealing with them. Thud! I left the field and plopped down on a nearby bench. The most secluded spot I could find. A bench tucked away in a corner I¡¯d never unconsciously visit. ¡®Even ces I don''t remember are fully replicated.¡¯ ces I don''t know. People I don''t know. Even smells I don''t recognize. Everything is perfectly recreated here. Except for the "ranking" floating above. ¡²Live Sponsorship Ranking¡³ Lee Eunho (20,000 points) Kim Seah (1,000 points) Song Gooyoung (500 points) - - The 20,000 points I paid as the participation feended me in first ce, obviously. [A special reward will be given to the individual with the most donations.] The administrator probably thinks I¡¯m aiming for the top donor reward. They wouldn¡¯t be wrong. But there¡¯s another reason why I allowed someone else into my body. "ess." [Participant Lee Eunho, would you like to ess ''the Eye''?] To earn the qualification of an ¡°observer.¡± "During the experience, please grant me observer privileges." [What? Why would you need that?!] A condition I slipped in as if it were no big deal. ¡®d they didn¡¯t make a fuss about it.¡¯ Evaluating participants¡¯ charm was supposed to be a light-hearted mission. Failing didn¡¯t mean death¡ªjust a bonus game. At least, that¡¯s what I thought at first. But. ¡®This changes things.¡¯ [Participant Lee Eunho, ess to ''the Eye'' granted!] Information. About who else, besides me and thepanions I¡¯ve met so far, has survived. Who they are, and what ¡°core memories¡± they carry. If I¡¯m lucky, I might even discover their unique skills. [Set your observer name.] All of it,pletely one-sidedly. [Anonymous.] What greater advantage could there be? Fwoosh! Hundreds of screens unfolded like a checkerboard. Someone¡¯s memories. Bookmarks pinned in the middle of their lives. ¡®200, 210, 220... There are more than I thought. And these are just survivors from Yongsan District.¡¯ If this wasn¡¯t a situation like this, I¡¯d have no desire to peek into so many lives. But there they were: countless stories spread out before me. Leisure. Travel. Romance. Everyday memories. And then, violent fights. Murder. Arson... ¡®Are these memories from after the mission began?¡¯ Clearly, everyone had chosen the most thrilling, provocative moments. People hitting, killing, and toying with others¡ªlevels of "stimtion" that drew attention. And then. Next to a scene of school violence that made me frown. ¡®Jieun?¡¯ A close-up of a woman¡¯s face burned into my eyes. Short hair and pale skin. Her eyes were closed, as if she was asleep. But... ¡®Huh?¡¯ She was nestled in someone¡¯s arms. [So she had a boyfriend?] I didn¡¯t know that. I was about to close it, thinking I shouldn¡¯t keep looking. But then I noticed a familiar face. Wait. That... [...That¡¯s me?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 53 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 53: Someone Else''s Memory (4) [Connecting to channel E13-HRN-KJE#17995.] The space previously upied by countless screens was now filled with one enormous memory. A gray sky. A crumbling city. The heavy concrete facade of a building shattered like a cookie in the middle of it all. There was Jieun, copsed, and me holding onto her. ¡¾"PR Bureau Frisia" asks if this is going to end in a tragic finale.¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy" tells them to hush because the male lead is saving her right now.¡¿ It was the moment Jieun unleashed her telekic skill. When an abrupt earthquake dragged me into the ground, and she, trying to save me, got struck by falling debris and copsed. ["Yongsan-gu" survivor count: 1,000.] From 999 back to 1,000 survivors. Precisely the moment she had just used "Teleknesis," wasn''t it? ¡®You chose this memory?¡¯ A bit surprising, but not entirely strange. A memory of dying anding back to life. There¡¯s hardly another memory as extraordinary as that. ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" apuds, saying District 13 is truly a romantic haven.¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy" cheers, saying it''s been ages since they''ve seen love worth dying for.¡¿ ¡­The observers¡¯ reactions were a bit odd, though. Almost as if they were watching a romantic movie. It was ufortable. Jieun was fighting fiercely on the border between life and death right now. "Please¡­!" And the version of me holding onto her was wearing an equally desperate expression. ¡¾"PR Bureau Frisia" asks if this is the part where a kiss wakes her up.¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy" folds their hands together and urges for it to happen quickly.¡¿ But talk of a kiss in a moment like this...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Would they still make light of things if their lives were on the line? Thisck of awareness was something else. More importantly... ¡®Why isn¡¯t she waking up?¡¯ By now, she should have opened her eyes. When I used Stone Honey back then, her crushed skull began regenerating immediately, and she woke up right away¡ªdidn¡¯t she? Then. ¡¾An anonymous observer wonders why she hasn¡¯t woken up despite using Stone Honey.¡¿ ¡®!!¡¯ Just a thought, yet a message popped up automatically. Was the system synchronized with my mind? Anyway. "Is it not working?" The me on the screen was equally uneasy, gritting his teeth with a troubled look before moving to stand. Then¡ª Swishhh! Jieun¡¯s hand caught his hem. A delicate grip with just her index finger and thumb, moving ever so slowly. "Something just happened¡­" The world seemed to slow down. "Like when using an eleration skill." Convincing myself it was just a feeling, I refocused on the screen. "Eu-Eunho¡­!" Jieun opened her eyes. For some reason, her face flushed red. ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" giggles, saying the female lead looks so adorable being shy.¡¿ "Jieun! Are you okay?" "Yes¡­!" She was alive. She survived. An indescribable sense of relief and joy filled the screen. The observers felt it too. ¡¾"PR Bureau Frisia" asks if they just saved each other.¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy" remarks they¡¯re so happy they could die, grinning ear to ear!¡¿ Hmm... The focus was still slightly off. "Jieun, you just came back from the brink of death." Interpreting this situation as romantic feelings? "What were you thinking? You should have taken care of yourself first." What an absurd misinterpretation. A misunderstanding only possible for those who didn¡¯t truly know Jieun. Once they heard what followed, they¡¯d realize. "I¡¯m sure Eunho would¡¯ve done the same." Her actions were driven by her kind nature and belief in humanity. Which meant that even if it wasn¡¯t me, she would have saved anyone... "Because it was you, Eunho." Huh? That¡¯s... a little different from what she said before, isn¡¯t it? "It was because it was you." Because it was me. The tone felt peculiar. Her gentle smile was peculiar too. And the strangest thing was¡ª ©¤ She~ maybe the beauty or the beast~ The familiar pop song that began ying. "Huh?" "Jieun, what are you¡­?" "Don¡¯t you know?" The camera zoomed in dramatically on my wide, trembling pupils. ©¤ Maybe the famine or the feast~ The cheesy BGM. The unnecessary close-ups. The time-consuming slow motion. This was definitely¡ª "A romance drama?!" ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" covers their mouth in shock at the female lead¡¯s bold confession!¡¿ ¡¾An anonymous observer is aghast at the syrupy editing!¡¿ Good grief. Something had gone terribly wrong. As I sat there, mouth agape in disbelief¡ª "Thank you for saving me, Eunho." Jieun leaned her small head against my chest. Ba-bam¡ªba-bam¡ªbabababam¡ª Cue the dramatic band apaniment. And then¡ª ©¤ I! Love! You! Baby~ and if it¡¯s quite alright~ A lively song signaling the climax of the scene. "Jieun, don¡¯t tell me¡­" ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" screams in delight over the sweet moment of physical affection!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 welfare points donated!¡¿ Phew. Jieun¡¯s boldness truly caught me off guard. Really. I never expected you to be this proactive. So¡­ ¡¾¡®PR Bureau Frisia¡¯ blesses the beginning of this couple''s journey!¡¿ ¡¾500 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ ¡¾¡®Audit Bureau Lemon Candy¡¯ apuds a couple that stirred their hearts after a long time!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ To think you decided to run a romance channel to analyze the personalities of observers and earn sponsorship points! I knew you were sharp and perceptive as a former assistant, but¡­ I didn''t realize it was to this extent. You''vepletely changed my perspective. ¡®Independent and capable, huh?¡¯ It seems I don¡¯t need to worry. I should just step aside and avoid interfering¡ª ¡¾¡®Research Bureau MeowMeow¡¯ deres a 5,000-point donation for a kiss!¡¿ ¡¾Welfare Points: 1,000 donated!¡¿ ¡­Huh? What did they say? ¡¾An anonymous observer freezes in shock and tension.¡¿ I need to leave. I really think that''s the best option. If I stay here any longer, I feel like I might lose my sanity too. And if Jieun ever finds out I was watching this¡­ ¡®No, that can¡¯t happen!¡¯ Quickly. I need to get out of here¡ª! ¡ªWhoosh! I waved my hands frantically, dodging the strange close-up shots on the screen. ¡ªsh! The grayish scenery that had filled my view disappeared. * * * It seems I exited in such a rush that I ended up switching to the adjacent video instead of the full-screen one. [Connecting to channel E13-HRN-CJH#8251.] It was a surreal sight. A familiar yet unfamiliar space. Here¡­ Dozens of desks and chairs. A chalkboard bearing the remnants of the previous lesson. Students in school uniforms. A school. And not just any school¡ª "S-stop it, you jerks!" "We haven¡¯t even started, so what¡¯s there to stop?" One student kneeling on the ground, surrounded by five othersughing mockingly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was the video right next to Jieun¡¯s earlier. I skipped over it earlier because it was too unpleasant, and even seeing it now, it¡¯s just pathetic. Of all memories, why choose something like this? ¡ªp! The ringleader, a bulky figure, smacked the kneeling student hard across the face. The boy¡¯s head snapped to the side, his upper body swaying from the impact. Sigh. These are the kind of people I never want to associate with. In school, those who resort to violence to prove their worth and boost their self-esteem. Some may say, ¡°It¡¯s just immaturity,¡± but it¡¯s precisely because they¡¯re immature that their true nature shines through. ¡®What a waste of my time.¡¯ That was my thought as I prepared to leave the channel. But then¡ª ¡®Wait¡­ huh?¡¯ I saw a familiar face. A familiar, timid face. ¡®!!¡¯ In the middle of a school violence scene, utterly out of ce, stood¡ª ¡®Choi Jaehyuk¡­?¡¯ Why are you there? Choi Jaehyuk. Twenty-five. The guy who¡¯d call out, ¡°Hyung! Hyung!¡± and follow me and Jieun around like a younger brother. A big guy, but such a scaredy-cat¡ªflinching at small injuries and unable to stab even a dead monster properly. It¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s a former soldier; he¡¯s such a soft-hearted guy. But now Jaehyuk is¡ª ¡ªp! Getting pped. ¡ªThud! Getting kicked. By a bunch of brats wearing the same school uniform. "Hey, idiot, do you know what today is? Collection day, duh." "Bet he didn¡¯t bring the money again." "Then he should¡¯ve stolen it, even if it meant raiding the family piggy bank!" Piggy bank? Jaehyuk had once mentioned that his parents ran a butcher shop when he was young. And he used to be chubbier back then, which must¡¯ve made him an easy target. ¡­For these trashy kids. "Ha, Pig Jaehyuk." The ringleader squatted next to him, pulling something out of his pocket. "!!" ¡ªClick! The sight of a box cutter in the bully¡¯s hand made Jaehyuk tremble violently. But the bullies didn¡¯t care if he shook or not. "Don¡¯t move, you pig." With practiced ease, they unbuttoned Jaehyuk¡¯s school shirt. And then¡ª "Where did we leave offst time?" "We separated the pork belly and loin, didn¡¯t we?" "Then¡­ let¡¯s flip him over today." Theyughed as one of them twirled the box cutter, as if he were an artist gauging his next stroke with a pencil in hand. "Let¡¯s see¡­" And then¡ª ¡ªSwish! "Argh!!" The de slid across his exposed stomach, just enough to draw blood. "Today¡¯s an easy one. This must be the pork belly, right?" "Nah, that¡¯s probably the spare rib, idiot." "You sons of¡ª!" The reaction to the scene was explosive. ¡¾¡®Administration Bureau Cool Guy¡¯ taps his feet in excitement at the thrilling action!¡¿ ¡¾¡®Sales Bureau Top Performer¡¯ cheers for the rising star potential they see!¡¿ Primal violence. The utter trampling of the weak. Because they¡¯re young, because theyck life experience, because they don¡¯t know any better¡­ And precisely because of that, the ¡°evil¡± they disy is all the more pure. The observers cheered in response. ¡¾The ''Investigation Bureau¡¯s Star Performer¡¯ frowns at the frustrating turn of events!¡¿ Some disapproved, but their dissatisfaction wasn¡¯t with the violence itself¡ªit stemmed from the frustrating developments in the story. "Ahh! It hurts so much...!" "Shit, I told you not to move! I messed up because of you!" "I feel like I¡¯m dying! Please, just stop..." "You won''t die from this." ...And then it became clear. Why Jaehyuk was so unusually fearful. Why he was so sensitive to even small wounds. Trauma. This memory was Jaehyuk''s trauma. Something he could never forget, even after almost a decade had passed. No, perhaps it was a scar he could never erase in his lifetime. A trauma he likely wanted more than anything to ovee. ¡¾Anonymous observer is enraged by the unbearable atrocity!¡¿ Snap! It felt like the thread holding his sanity together had snapped. After seeing something like this... [Open the shop.] ...there¡¯s no holding back. ©¤ Fwoosh! [Summoning the mid-tier shop, ¡®The Golden Carriage, Everywhere and Nowhere!¡¯] [Select the items you wish to purchase!] ''Strength boost, stamina boost, and¡­'' Should I just send him a weapon outright? Like someone sweeping items into a cart during a store¡¯s closing sale, he gritted his teeth as he picked out items. "You bastards..." Jaehyuk clenched his fists so tightly it seemed as if he wanted to pierce his palms. "I''m like this because of you...!" "What the hell is he saying?" "What¡¯s wrong with him today?" Muttering through gritted teeth, pinned down with his arms and legs held tight by those bastards¡ª ©¤ Fwoosh! With his right hand, he grabbed the de. ©¤ Crack! And broke it. "What?!" "What the hell!" ©¤ tter! The only weapon fell broken to the ground. In the moment when the attackers were taken aback, Jaehyuk sprung up from his spot. Then, holding up two fingers¡ª ©¤ Stab! Smack! He jabbed like a hummingbird. Into one of their eyes. "AAAAARGH! FUCKK! YOU PSYCHO!!!" "This bastard''s lost it!" The ones nearby lunged at him, but¡ª "The crazy ones here are you! You damn scumbags!!!" ©¤ Screech! Jaehyuk grabbed a chair from the floor¡ªor rather, he picked it up and then¡ª ©¤ Wham! Hurled it. Like bowling pins, they were sent flying. ''Hmm, this...¡¯ Seems like I don¡¯t need to step in after all. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 54 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 54: Someone Else''s Memory (5) A strong man. Jaehyuk always wanted to be a strong man. Someone so strong that no one could look down on him. Bing a soldier was, in some ways, part of that. Building his body, undergoing training, and sometimes enforcing discipline. It wasn¡¯t difficult. He could pretend to be that kind of man. But. ¡°Everyone, stay cau¡ª¡­ eeeeek!¡± The ¡°coward¡± in him never went away. Even though he trained his body until his muscles were as solid as stone. [Based on formidable resilience, the memories ofbor etched into muscles from the triceps to the calves, and an extreme aversion to injury, a unique skill has been generated!] Even though his extreme aversion to injury manifested as a superpower. They say that wounds on the body heal, but the scars on the heart don¡¯t. Memories don¡¯t disappear; they might fade but never vanish. For Jaehyuk, des were such memories. The zzzip! sound of a de being drawn. The terror when a knife approached. The burning sensation of a de grazing his skin. The chafing pain he endured all day because he hid the wound under his clothes to avoid being discovered. He was scared. Of getting hurt. Of sharp objects. Of being stabbed, shed, or scratched. No matter how much he pretended to be strong, deep inside, he was still the same bullied fifteen-year-old. So. [All participants may freely choose which memories to disclose and can act within the chosen memory for the designated duration.] When he heard about entering the ¡°memory¡± of the past, Only one thought came to mind. ¡®With this¡­¡¯ I can escape being a coward. He could ovee it. And if he could, then he could finally be someone worthwhile. ¡°Are you sure you can do this? If it¡¯s too much, don¡¯t push yourself.¡± He couldn¡¯t bear to keep feeling sorry for his brother, who was struggling alone. So¡­ ¡ª Crash! He threw a chair. ¡°Jung Chanhyung. You used to practice kicking every day, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°W-what are you talking about¡­ Arghhh!¡± ¡ª Thud! He kicked the guy in the stomach mid-sentence. It was an overwhelming difference in mass. Combined with the condensed experience of hundreds, if not thousands, of attempts to escape his nightmares. Bang! The guy crashed into the back door of the ssroom. And then. ¡°Ugh! Cough! Aghhh!¡± With his right foot. Again. And again. He drove it down with his full weight. ¡°...Stop! Stop it already! Aaargh!¡± The guys who had fallen after being hit with the chair began getting up one by one and rushing at him. ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± ¡°Is this guy crazy?!¡± The pig they used as a punching bag was now fighting back, ramming into them like an enraged beast. They couldn¡¯t help but swing their fists, frothing with anger. ¡°!!¡± ¡°How did you dodge¡ª Ughhh!¡± Of course, their punches felt like mere feathers. ¡°Kim Jinsol. The money you stole, it must add up to thousands, right?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Ten thousand won per punch.¡± ¡ª Thwack! Thwack! Wham! His fist struck their faces. His kick hit their sides. And when they copsed, he drove his elbow into their bowed heads. ¡°Arghhhh!¡± ¡°C-crazy¡­¡± ¡°That guy¡¯s insane! Damn, his eyes arepletely wild!¡± They writhed in pain. It must hurt. It would hurt. After all, they were nothing but insignificant fifteen-year-olds who only acted tough in their ss. They¡¯d never been properly beaten like this before. ¡°S-sorry! Please stop!¡± ¡°Yeah! L-let¡¯s talk this out, okay?¡± How pathetic. The fact that he had been tormented and suffered so much at the hands of kids like this. ¡ª Step. Only one target remained. ¡°D-don¡¯te any closer! If you do, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The one who had shed him with a box cutter, insulted his parents, stolen his money, and beaten him again and again. ¡°Don¡¯te closer!¡± The one who still haunted his dreams on difficult nights. As he opened his mouth with that disgusting smirk¡ª ¡°Lee Hyukjoo. You¡¯re spe¡ª¡± ¡ª Stab! The sharp de pierced Jaehyuk¡¯s side. It tore through his school shirt and embedded itself in his flesh. It was the de that had been tossed to the ground earlier. ¡°I-I told you not toe closer, you bastard!¡± Bright red blood seeped through the torn fabric. In the past, he would have trembled, paralyzed with fear. But now. Pluck. He simply pulled it out. The de, the wretched memories. ¡°This isn¡¯t enough to hurt me.¡± And if he couldn¡¯t pull it out. ¡°Not from a bug like you.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry!!¡± He would bury it instead. With other memories. ¡°Arrrgh! Stop! Please!!¡± Because he had changed. He wasn¡¯t the same ¡°Pig Jaehyuk¡± who could only cower and endure. ¡¾¡®Investigation Bureau¡¯s Star Performer¡¯ cheers for the satisfying retribution!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ ¡¾¡®Administration Bureau Cool Guy¡¯ shouts for even more intense beatdowns!¡¿ ¡¾¡®Sales Bureau Top Performer¡¯ praises the fists full of potential!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ The apuse from the spectators, who had been egging on his tormentors, now rained down on Jaehyuk. And then, a box appeared in front of his eyes. ¡ª Pop! [A gift has arrived from ''Lee Eunho''!] [Would you like to check it?] "!!" A sudden gift. It was too heavy to be just a simple message as usual. Inside was a vial of liquid shimmering in blue. ? Fatigue Recovery Potion -A potion brewed from medicinal herbs. It seems capable of healing everyday fatigue and minor injuries. A potion that restores fatigue and minor injuries. But why? ¡®Why would he send me three bottles?¡¯ Inside the box were three bottles of the potion. Coincidentally, there were three guys sprawled around, bruised and bloodied. Ah. Even someone as oblivious as Jaehyuk could instinctively figure it out. So. "Are you saying you''re sorry?" "!!" "Y-yes! Yes!" "Then drink this." One more time. It seemed they were suggesting he keep at it until all his anger subsided. "Not done yet, you bastards." Augh slipped out. He thought to himself how fortunate it was to have someone so tenacious and relentless on his side. ¡¾You have chosen ''Fatigue Recovery Potion.''¡¿ ¡¾Recipient: ''Choi Jaehyuk.'' Sponsorshipplete!¡¿ Jaehyukughed, holding the three bottles of fatigue recovery potion. Seeing his foolishly smiling face was somewhat reassuring. He¡¯d worried he might have lost himself after all the screaming and beating. ¡®You¡¯ve grown up, you rascal.¡¯ He hoped Jaehyuk could pay back everything he wanted and let it all go. Thinking that, he waved his hand, preparing to exit the channel. [Congrattions!] [You have acquired the title of ''First Sponsor''!] A voice he hadn''t expected rang out. [Would you like to check the effects of the title ''First Sponsor''?] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Check." [When sponsoring the recipient, a permanent 10% discount will apply.] [The effects of items sponsored through ''The Eye'' will increase by 10%.] Huh? This feels like an unexpected bonus. Anyway, then¡­ ¡¾Purchasing ''Fatigue Recovery Potion.''¡¿ ¡¾Purchasing ''Fatigue Recovery Potion.''¡¿ ¡¾Purchasing ''Fatigue Recovery Potion.''¡¿ ¡­¡­ Might as well send plenty. * * * [Returning to HRN-GENERAL channel.] He scanned through the memories of others, starting with Ji-eun and Jaehyuk. And then he returned to the main screen. The numerous screens filling his vision were brimming with all sorts of stimuli. The difference from the beginning was clear. "Ugh." There were now some memories filled with flesh-colored scenes here and there. They were definitely provocative, but this kind of stimtion didn¡¯t seem to match the taste of those beyond ''The Eye.'' In fact¡­ ¡¾''Administration Bureau''s Badger'' clicks their tongue, saying this is the best you can do.¡¿ ¡¾''Sales Bureau''s Dorothy'' expresses disappointment and exits observation.¡¿ Rather than this¡­ [Connecting to HRN-X#1 channel.] "Please, spare me! I beg you¡­!" "Put the gun down and¡­ let¡¯s talk it out, shall we?" "I have three kids. If I die here, my wife will¡­" This kind of stimtion seemed more to their liking. No matter how you looked at it, these harmless-looking people were locked in a basement. A beautifully dressed female college student, an elderly person in their eighties or nies, and a middle-aged man begging on his knees¡ªall were mercilessly gunned down. ¡®Anyone would call this a crime scene.¡¯ Bang! Bang! Bang¡ª! Three gunshots and three heads burst. "!!" The bullets pierced dead center of the forehead and embedded themselves into the floor. ¡¾''Administration Bureau''s Gunslinger¡¯ feels ecstatic from the consecutive massacres!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 welfare points sponsored!¡¿ ¡¾''Administration Bureau''s Firefist'' hopes your ruthless streak continues!¡¿ ¡¾500 welfare points sponsored!¡¿ ¡¾''Audit Bureau''s Ace Detective'' pleads to see your face just once!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 welfare points sponsored!¡¿ Each motion of drawing, aiming, and shooting the gun had zero dy. A seamless flow of sessive killings.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om A dangerous individual. ¡®Not someone I¡¯d want to get involved with.¡¯ In any other situation, they¡¯d never cross paths. But the fact that he was witnessing these memories meant this person was also within Yongsan District. There were only about 200 survivors left. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely have to meet them.¡¯ The killer was dressed in a suit and mask. Would he be able to recognize them when they met? No, he had to. ¡¾An anonymous observer is carefully watching Subject ''X''!¡¿ A subject with no known name, age, or face¡ªonly referred to as ''X.'' ¡²Live Sponsorship Ranking¡³ Lee Eunho (20,000 points) X (14,000 points) Cha Jinsol (8,100 points) Kim Jieun (7,500 points) Kim Guinam (5,150 points) By the way, ¡°X¡±? That couldn¡¯t be their real name. There was too little information. Even so, I meticulously memorized the proportions, skull shape, and body type of this mysterious survivor. Then, an announcement came. [Attention to all participants in the ''Observation'' mission.] An announcement addressed everyone participating in the mission. "¡­¡­?!" It seemed to be a broadcast directed at everyone participating in the mission. Even the murderer, who was cleaning his gun amidst the corpses, flinched. The content was as follows: [The ''Observation'' mission will soon conclude.] [In rtion to this, we are pre-announcing a special reward to encourage active participation from the participants!] [The special reward is¡­¡­.] It was the kind of announcement that could turn heads. Even the ughterer and I. [¡®The Omniscient Observer''s Eye¡¯!] ¡®¡­¡­?!¡¯ A screen, like an ad balloon, appeared in the sky. It disyed something that filled the screen ¡ª two small white caps attached side by side. A small object, norger than a palm. ¡®That looks just like¡­¡­.¡¯ A lens case, I thought instinctively. And then¡ª ? The Omniscient Observer''s Eye -A special pair of contact lenses designed at the main researchb. When activated, they allow you to see the remaining health of individuals within your field of view. (Note: Disyed only in percentage units.) -When equipped, they make the wearer¡¯s eyes clear and vivid. ¡®They¡¯re really lenses?¡¯ Ha. They looked ordinary at first nce, but the more you thought about it, the better the reward seemed. If you could see the remaining health of your enemies¡ª And if only I could see it unterally¡ª I could easily devise strategies. ¡®I could fight from a position of strategic advantage!¡¯ Deciding quickly to secure my channel first, I turned to head back. Tap! X climbed the stairs, holding something long. It seemed we were in the basement of a building all along. ¡®I can¡¯t see their face.¡¯ It was a night where even the moonlight was faint. The figure appeared, wearing a mask that covered their head entirely, save for two eye holes. Then, escaping the quiet alleyway in the dead of night, the figure ran for a short distance¡ª ¡ª ng! ¡°Welco¡ªahhhhhhh!¡± ¡°Ahhhhhhh! G-gun?!¡± The figure barged into a nearby pub. Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat! The machine gun roared. Heads, heads, and more heads exploded like fireworks. In an instant, the pub¡¯s ceiling, walls, and floor turned crimson. ¡¾The Administration Bureau¡¯s Gunslinger cheers for the bloody spectacle!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ ¡¾Administration Bureau¡¯a Firefist apuds the electrifying noir action!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 Welfare Points donated!¡¿ The more the observers cheered¡ª ¡°Ahhhhh! S-someone save¡ª!¡± The figure grew more frenzied. ¡®He¡¯s getting desperate.¡¯ To im the special reward. The tactic was as extreme as it was effective. ¡®16,000 points. Almost caught up.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t let this happen. Especially not to someone like that. Feeling a rare tension crawling up my spine¡ª Swoosh! I waved my hand to close all the screens and stood up. [Disconnecting.] Now then, I wonder if our esteemed client had fun. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 55 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 55: Someone Else''s Memory (6) The noisy screens disying a variety of memories were shut down without hesitation. And then, the blue sky unfolded, unobstructed. A single autumn leaf rolled to my feet in the gentle breeze. And then. Crunch¡ª It rolled further away. Passing through my semi-transparent ankle. It had already been 45 minutes since I sold my memories for 20,000 welfare points and became a wandering ghost of the past. ¡¸15:02¡¹ Thus, only 15 minutes remained. I had to solidify my position at the top during those remaining 15 minutes. ¡²Live Sponsorship Ranking¡³ Lee Eunho (20,000 points) X (16,000 points) Cha Jinsol (8,100 points) Kim Jieun (7,500 points) Kim Guinam (5,150 points) The gap between me and second ce, X, was a mere 4,000 points. At the rate they were going, they¡¯d catch up in no time. That one, who discarded a pistol for a machine gun as soon as the special rewards were announced, would escte things even further. But still. ¡®How is it still just 20,000 points?¡¯ The 20,000 points were already there from the start, collected as the participation fee. So that meant I hadn¡¯t received a single additional donation since then. "I see! It is a matter of defeating the things on thisnd! Understood!" That raven¡ªafter making such boastful derations, I thought they¡¯d wiped out everything. But apparently not. If they had, the people behind "the eyes" would have cheered. As they did earlier with X. So then. ¡®What on earth are they doing?¡¯ Let¡¯s go see. I don¡¯t know what nonsensical stunt they¡¯re pulling, but there must be something to draw the audience¡¯s attention. And if worstes to worst, there¡¯s always that method. ¡®A card I¡¯d rather not use¡­¡¯ But it¡¯s better than losing the rewards. I entered the arena where they had been, thinking hard all the while. Step. With worry weighing down my right foot. Step. And anxiety sinking into my left foot. The redne I stepped into¡­ [?!] ¡­was aplete disaster. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was meant to be a tournament arena or a refugee camp. [What the hell happened?!] The tents that once surrounded the arena were ripped and scattered everywhere. The hurdles for obstacle courses were uprooted and broken. And the athletes, who should have been racing, were¡­ "When do we have to stop doing this?" "Damn it, I have no idea..." ¡­sparring with each other. Holding the broken hurdles or poles like swords. "Damn it! Can¡¯t we stop already?" "If we ck off and that guy shows up, what do you think will happen? Just do it before we get beat up!" That guy? I didn¡¯t even need to ask who they meant. I could already feel the answer as I instinctively avoided looking their way. "Lee Eunho, you bastard¡­" My name spilled out through gritted teeth. So. That raven¡ªdisguised as me¡ªgave Korea¡¯s track-and-field prodigies makeshift weapons and started training them? And not just that. "What kind of madman makes us wear numbers?" "No kidding! Did you see when someone forgot their number and had to do push-ups as punishment?" "Ugh, I¡¯m number 81. If it had been me, I¡¯d be dead." Wait a second. He made them wear numbered uniforms? This seems oddly familiar. "And he beats us if our loyalty is too low¡­ isn¡¯t he a total psychopath?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "I told you from the start. His eyes arepletely unhinged." Loyalty, too? Sigh, this ispletely¡­ ¡®He¡¯s copied the skeleton soldiers.¡¯ Apparently, our dear customer found the simtedbat mission way too entertaining. To think he¡¯d mimic it like this. Even in this absurd situation, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly while my eyes searched busily for him¡ªno, for "me," strolling proudly among the soldiers. But. ¡®He¡¯s not here?¡¯ No matter how hard I looked, that guy¡ªmy doppelg?nger¡ªwas nowhere to be found. Had he already conquered this ce and left? Reluctantly, I turned the screen back on, which I had switched off earlier out of irritation. [Connecting to Channel E13-HRN-LEH#1.] The version of Lee Eunho on the screen was¡­ "You scoundreellll!" ¡­shirtless, with his athletic top discarded. Holding a pole vault stick horizontally like a spear. And charging fiercely while screaming. "If I can just catch you, it¡¯ll all be over!" Charging at¡ª BEEEEEP! ¡­a car. In the middle of an eightne intersection. "You lunatic! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" "Hey! You can¡¯t just run into the street like that!" "Is he insane? Does he have a death wish?!" [¡­] Let¡¯s go. Time to fetch our insane customer. * * * "Ha ha ha! Your cooking skills aren¡¯t bad at all!" [¡­As long as it tastes good.] In front of a convenience store at the intersection. The raven, sitting cross-legged, bit into a green rectangr ice cream bar and spoke. Apparently mistaking the ice cream for some sort of dish prepared by the store clerk. By the way. [Why did you charge at the car?] "What''s a car, anyway?" [Why, it''s that honking thing from earlier.] "Oh! That hunk of metal from before?" Did it really think cars were the rulers of the Earth? Just to be sure, I asked, and the raven replied as if I were speaking nonsense. "Wasn''t it a golem? Like that monster you foughtst time." [A golem... You thought an car was a golem?] "Yeah. You defeated it, so why couldn''t I?" [Ha.] I let out augh at the absurd response. As I pondered how to draw a reaction out of this fool¡ª Ding! The rankings had shifted. ¡²Live Sponsorship Ranking¡³ X (21,500 points) Lee Eunho (20,000 points) Cha Jinsol (8,600 points) Kim Jieun (8,000 points) Ahn Kyungnam (6,450 points) ''Damn it.'' X had surged ahead by 1,500 points. Even now, their score was slowly climbing, while my channel... [Where did all the viewers go?] "They said they''de back once you''re done. Something about catching up on backlogged work, I think." [...] Even the few observers I had had all left. While the raven gave the yers numbers and wrestled with the "car," ¡¸07:50¡¹ Less than eight minutes remained, and there were no observers left to donate. The surest way to reim the top spot was¡ª ¡¾An anonymous viewer tests the waters with a donation.¡¿ ¡¾Sponsor 10 welfare points!¡¿ ''For me to donate to myself.'' As an observer, I could donate to the participant "Lee Eunho." This would guarantee a win, 100 percent. I just needed to pour in points right before the time ran out. Thanks to the skeleton soldiers, I''d amassed plenty of welfare points. ''It might feel like cheating... but, oh well.'' Even if the administrator realized it was a loopholeter, what could they do? They were the ones who gave me the ability in the first ce. Or maybe they knew all along and gave it anyway. After all, they''d profit from the transaction fees. ¡²Live Sponsorship Ranking¡³ X (23,000 points) Lee Eunho (20,010 points) The amount I donate¡ªthose 10 points¡ªwould count toward the rankings. However, once the mission ended, half would be deducted immediately. ''Because of the 50% transaction fee.'' [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] That was both the administrator''s gain and the reason I hesitated, despite it being a surefire win. Was it worth enduring the loss to im first ce? The value was there. The all-seeing eye of an omnipotent observer. No item in a mid-tier shop couldpare. If I thought of the transaction fee as a price for a reward item, it made sense. But still... ''Ugh.'' Just as I finally made up my mind and opened my dry lips¡ª Ding! [Participant "Kim Jieun''s" broadcast has ended.] [Hosting 9 observers!] ''Huh?'' [A new viewer has joined!] [A new viewer has joined!] [A new viewer has joined!] ¡­ Jieun sent a gift. ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" waves a paw, iming they¡¯vee to see the male lead''s past.¡¿ ¡¾"PR Bureau Frisia" ps, saying they want a closer look at the handsome face.¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy" greets everyone warmly.¡¿ ¡­She¡¯d sent over the romance enthusiasts from her channel. ''!!'' Hosting after ending a broadcast. I didn¡¯t even know such a thing existed. ''Jieun, you''re incredible. Editing everything on your own and now this?'' But why had Jieun¡¯s channel ended first? We¡¯d all been given an hour, hadn¡¯t we...? Oh! ''She started before me.'' While I wasted time negotiating and auctioning, the others had already begun their missions. That¡¯s why I was finishingter. The realization hit me. ¡¾"Investigation Bureau Kitty" beams, saying the male lead was adorable as a child.¡¿ ¡¾"PR Bureau Frisia" sighs, wishing they could also see the female lead¡¯s childhood.¡¿ A thought shed through my mind. This... might actually work. No¡ªthis would work! If I followed Jieun¡¯s example, I could pull it off. Of course, if I were in my right mind¡ªor if I had to do it myself¡ªit¡¯d be impossible. [Looks like some female fans have joined us.] "Fans? What are those?" [Women who admire you are watching.] "What? What do they wish of me?!" Hah. Based on his tone and behavior, he wasn¡¯t going to give the audience the kind of content they wanted. Which meant... [Just follow my lead.] I recalled a familiar trope from the Korean dramas I¡¯d seen in passing. [Delicious.] "Huh?" The green ice cream he was eating didn¡¯t help the mood, but for now¡ª First. [Repeat after me. "It¡¯s delicious."] ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± The raven tilted its head quizzically and mimicked the words. [It¡¯d be nice to eat this with Jieun.] ¡°Who¡¯s tha¡­¡± [Hurry.] Although its tilted head conveyed confusion. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to eat this with Jieun.¡± ¡¾''Investigation Bureau Kitty'' gazes fondly at the male lead doting on the female lead!¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy¡± blushes, unable to contain themselves, asking if he misses her that much!¡¿ ¡¾''PR Bureau Frisia'' pulls their hair, eximing that the female lead needs to see this!¡¿ To an outsider, it might look like the face of someone yearning for someone. My face was already getting hot. Well then, no need for long speeches; let¡¯s get to it. [...I miss her.] The key line. "...?!" The raven flinched, looked at me in surprise, then opened its parched beak. ¡°¡­I miss her.¡± In a low voice, as if unwilling. And the onlookers, misunderstanding this as ¡°the shy male lead,¡± reacted enthusiastically. ¡¾''Investigation Bureau Kitty'' screams that the shy male lead is their type!¡¿ ¡¾2,000 welfare points donated!¡¿ ¡¾''PR Bureau Frisia'' goes wild, saying they thought he was a cold type but he¡¯s got a charming reversal!¡¿ ¡¾1,000 welfare points donated!¡¿ ¡¾"Audit Bureau Lemon Candy'' raises their thumb, dering this a certified romance haven!¡¿ ¡¾5,000 welfare points donated!¡¿ ¡¾Many observers open their wallets for the cold male lead¡¯s unexpected charm!¡¿ ¡­ A flood of donations followed. [Time¡¯s up!] The one hour I was given had ended. [''Observation'' mission has concluded.] [Target: Lee Eunho. Returning to base.] Thest part was a bit awkward, but this mission¡­ ''Wasn¡¯t this too easy?'' As I mulled over whether to be happy about this or not¡ª ©¤ Blink! The world flickered. * * * When I returned after finallypleting the damned voyeuristic mission¡ª "Hey there, young man! You''re back now, eh?" ¡°Damn it! Why were you sote? We were worried!¡± Back at Namsan Tower, mypanions had already gathered, fully recovered. It seemed we had returned to the location where the mission began. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just startedte¡­¡± And before I could even exin¡ª [All participants have returned.] [Final ranking announcement ismencing!] A translucent window appeared before my eyes. ¡²Final Donation Rankings¡³ Lee Eunho (32,010 points) X (23,000 points) Cha Jinsol (8,700 points) Kim Jieun (8,000 points) Ahn Kyungnam (6,450 points) My name alone was shimmering in gold at the top. ¡®Yes!¡¯ I won! And by an overwhelming margin at that. Minimal effort for maximum gain. Now, it was time to im the reward. [A special reward will be granted.] It was the ¡°Omniscient Observer¡¯s Eye,¡± said to disy remaining stamina. It¡¯d definitelye in handy for dealing with people or fighting monsters. As soon as I receive it, I¡¯ll stash it in my inventory. There¡¯s no point bragging about it to others. ¡­That¡¯s what I was thinking when¡ª [Award ceremony ismencing.] [Survivors, please check the screen!] ©¤ sh! A massive screen appeared in the sky, and¡ª "!!" It was filled with my face. To be precise, my face, body, and the Namsan Tower in the background. On top of that¡ª Boom! Boom-! Loud fireworks exploded. Confetti scattered everywhere, visible from every corner of the neighborhood. And then¡ª ©¤ Hug! A familiar notification appeared as a dazzling golden chest materialized. This thing¡­ [Congrattions!] [Please im your special reward!] ¡­Couldn¡¯t they have just given it quietly? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 56: The Uninvited Guest (1) "Young man! Congrattions!" "Congrattions, sir!" "Wow, how did you even start with 20,000 points?" "You didn¡¯t see earlier? When Eunho negotiated." The cheers and confetti bursting in the sky were matched by the attention pouring in. "Should I give it a shot too?" "Don''t me me if you get deleted." "Yeah, they let it slide because it was him. If it were me, I¡¯d be gone in a second, dammit." Pure celebration. Simple curiosity. Undisguised envy. "You do know your stuff, though." "What?!" But there was no hostility or threats. At most, people like Yejin and the foul-mouthed guy squabbled back and forth. "If it weren¡¯t for Eunho, they wouldn¡¯t have listened to the end." "Still, it got pretty close at the end." "Yeah, right. I thought we were going to lose for a moment!" "But I thought you¡¯d still win in the end, sir." It was a reaction like, ¡®Yeah, that makes sense.¡¯ Thankfully, no one seemed overly greedy. "Jeez, at this rate, you''re going to end up beating the administrator someday." "No way!" "No, seriously, this guy seems like he could pull it off." ...They were hyping me up so much it was bing ufortable. Pat! Pat! As I brushed the confetti off my hair, Jieun approached. Jieun, no less than the female lead of Romance Paradise, who was also the PD and editor. "Um¡­ congrattions, Eunho!" "Thanks to you." She approached hesitantly, which was unlike her usual self. Her reddened earlobes suggested she felt embarrassed too. Well, no wonder. Even if it was just acting for a moment, pretending to be lovers with a coworker couldn¡¯t have been easy. Not to mention adding all those editing effects and cheesy background music. "By the way, did the system always have an editing function?" "Yes! I just asked out of curiosity, and it worked¡­ oh?" Flinch! Jieun stopped mid-sentence, her face turning redder. "Wha-what?!" And then, pointing at me with wide eyes, she eximed. "How do you even know that¡­ Eunho?!" She mped her hands over her mouth in shock. Oops. That was a slip. "I mean¡­ what I¡¯m saying is¡­" I yed dumb, acting clueless as I looked at her, who now had eyes darting around like a cornered rabbit. "Was it¡­ hosting? That thing after the broadcast when the observers flocked in?" At this, Jieun turned her head, pursed her lips, and let out a small sigh. Her demeanor suggested she was trying to calm a racing heartbeat. "Are you okay? You look ufortable." "Of course! I mean, why would I feel ufortable around you, Eunho? I¡¯m totally fine! I feel so at ease right now, really!" Hmm. Even if it was just for the sake of the mission¡¯s performance, it seemed Jieun had been uneasy. ¡®I can¡¯t let this slip.¡¯ I decided to keep it an eternal secret to avoid making things awkward. Just as I made up my mind and was about to change the subject¡ª "Hyung!" Jaehyuk came running over, panting. "Earlier on my channel¡­ gasp!" p! "Mmph! Mmph!" "Eunho! Why are you doing that to him?" While holding Jaehyuk¡¯s mouth shut with one hand, I spoke seriously. "This is bad." "Suddenly saying it¡¯s bad¡­ wait, didn¡¯t Jaehyuk just say something important?" "That¡¯s not the point." "Mmph! Mmph?!" "The situation isn¡¯t good." "What?" Jieun tilted her head, puzzled. "It¡¯s about the screen earlier. You saw it, right?" "The award ceremony? Of course! Your face was shown so big!" "That¡¯s the problem. Not just my face but the entire background was shown too." "Ah!" "Mmph!" She wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. The situation truly wasn¡¯t ideal. My location, face, and even my donation details and name disyed prominently. This meant my personal information and location had been revealed to all the survivors in Yongsan District. Which also meant¡ª "Flies might swarm in." "Ah! Like during thest hunting mission?" That mission where we had to hunt a target to fill the quota. Back then, all sorts of low-lives came after my bounty. It¡¯s simr but¡ª "This time, it¡¯ll be a bit different." "What?" Missions can somehow be twisted to find a solution. At least missionse with rules. But¡ª "Human greed has no rules." "...!" Jieun¡¯s lips parted slightly in surprise. Jaehyuk, now freed, chose to keep his mouth shut. After a moment of heavy silence passed, Jieun spoke up. "But¡­ can¡¯t you just store it in your inventory? That way, no one can steal it, right?" "Well¡­" How do you exin the worst-case scenario to someone who thinks theft is the biggest risk? I debated whether to brush it off and avoidplicating things. ¡­But eventually, I called out. "Hey, foul-mouth." "What the hell? My name¡¯s not¡ª" "The guy who died in the tunnel." Flinch! "So, how did you retrieve that item?" "!!" The guy who must have died alone in the tunnel after losing his mace. Back then, the foul-mouthed one had definitely taken a bundle of weapons and armor left behind by him. "I looted it." But how? There¡¯s no way an unconscious person would kindlyy out the contents of their inventory before passing out. ¡®S and Yeojin also picked up weapons left behind by the dead.¡¯ So, the items stored in an inventory... ¡®They drop when you die.¡¯ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s all of them or just some, and if it¡¯s some, what the criteria are. "Then¡­ to get items, others might¡­" "Kill, perhaps." "That¡¯s¡­" I continued on behalf of Jaehyuk, who was stunned and at a loss for words. A look of disbelief¡ªno, a look of not wanting to believe. If just the possibility is shocking... ¡®They¡¯ll faint if they realize how many people like that already exist.¡¯ Jieun hugged her arms as if to ward off a chill and spoke up. "Should we¡­ move somewhere else? Just in case someone harbors bad intentions¡­" "It wouldn¡¯t matter. Our faces are already too well known." "Oh¡­" "Then I¡¯ll stick by you, hyung! 24/7!" At that, Jaehyuk clenched his fists and dered boldly. Twenty-four hours, huh... That¡¯s one way to do it. Hiding behind others. But if it¡¯s something that¡¯s bound to happen eventually... "I have a request." "Yes! Please, go ahead!" If it¡¯s something predictable. And if it¡¯s better to face it now, armed with even a slight informational advantage. Then it might be better to¡ª "If strangerse looking for us¡­" Prepare. And prepare again.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om * * * [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] They came. Strangers who weren¡¯t entirely unfamiliar. "Help, please!" "Ahhhhh!" With a monstrous creature the size of a house chasing after them. ¡ªROAR! "How did a monster get here?!" "Because the barrier is gone." Ah. Namsan Tower is no longer a safe zone. The translucent barrier that once surrounded the tower had disappeared along with the ghosts. And now, the monsters had chased them all the way here. [Defeat the ''Starving Fire Bear''!] Just one bear. As I hesitated, wondering if I should step in, Jieun beat me to it. "Eunho, please stay back. We¡¯ll handle this¡­" "No, noona! I¡¯ll take care of it." "Huh? By yourself?" "Yes!" And then Jaehyuk stepped in to stop Jieun again. "No, Jaehyuk, it¡¯s too dangerous¡ª" "Go ahead." "Eunho!" "¡­He¡¯ll be fine." At that, Jaehyuk nodded and dashed forward. ¡ªLeap! Eyes filled with determination. Lips pressed into a firm line. He¡¯d definitely changed. "Haaargh!" ...Though hisical battle cry remained the same. Still¡ª ¡ªSmash! As long as he swung the mace properly, that¡¯s all that mattered. "Take this! Hyaaah!" Jaehyuk¡¯s mace struck the bear¡¯s leg. It dug in like an excavator demolishing a building. ¡ªROAR! The fire bear let out a pained scream. It staggered! For a moment, it seemed like it was losing its bnce, but it quickly steadied itself. And then it swung its massive forepaw down. "Jaehyuk! Watch out!" Thud! But unlike before, Jaehyuk didn¡¯t scramble to dodge; he took the hit head-on. And then¡ª "Hrrrrrraaaah!" He swung back. Facing a creature much bigger, stronger, and more ferocious than himself¡ªa monster whose injuries would be catastrophic¡ªhe fought back. ¡ªSmash! Thud! Smash! A fierce exchange of heavy blows. Blood dripped steadily from beneath Jaehyuk¡¯s feet. "Is he¡­ healing?" "Super-regeneration. Quite a handy ability." Like reversing time, Jaehyuk¡¯s wounds were closing and new skin was forming. Thud¡ª Meanwhile, the fire bear, its bones shattered by the relentless mace, finally copsed into a pulp. "Phew¡­" And with that, it was over. "Jaehyuk¡­!" "Good work." Exhaustion showed on his face, but he still beamed brightly. "Yes, hyung!" Grinning from ear to ear. * * * Jaehyuk didn¡¯t just gain confidence from defeating the bear. Behind him, like trophies of his victory, came battered visitors. ¡®Some of these faces I¡¯ve seen on the screen before.¡¯ Not all of them, but a few were familiar. None of them brought pleasant memories, though. "Th-thank you! You saved our lives!" "We¡¯re alive!" "Thank you so much! We¡¯ve met before, haven¡¯t we?!" Among the panting survivors was a familiar face¡ªa coworker I¡¯d encountered during the "Hunting" and "Dark Path" missions on Namsan. "An entrance exam?" "Just how many more people do they n to cut down...?" This was the same man who had nearly lost his neck over a wrong word to Harona. [Fine, I''ll exclude you. I can just delete you, after all.] "That''s right! You can just delete¡ªw-what?!" Back then, he certainly hadpanions. Is he alone now? "You¡¯re back again." "Yes! I ended up here while being chased by a monster." Hmm? "You¡¯re saying you came because of a monster? Chased by that fire bear?" "That''s right! It¡¯s just that we didn¡¯t have the ability to fight it ourselves..." Hmm. So that''s how it is. "And these people here...?" "Oh, they¡¯re survivors from Itaewon. We met them on the way." There were thirteen visitors in total. Five were those I had teamed up with during the ''hunting'' mission, and the remaining eight were unfamiliar faces iming to be from Itaewon. "This ce is at least better! Down the mountain, it''s swarming with monsters!" "We were worried after the barrier disappeared... It was really dangerous." "There are injured people here! I¡¯m sorry, but could we get some medicine or bandages?" Among the visitors, some were anxious meeting us, while others felt relief. "Still, it¡¯sforting to see familiar faces." But. "I¡¯m not so sure." "What?" "The fire bear, I mean." "The fire bear?" The starving fire bear they imed to have escaped from to get here. ording to the report¡­ "Have you ever seen it outside of Namsan?" "Um¡­ I don¡¯t think so¡­ Why?" At my words, Jieun tilted her head, looking puzzled. "What¡¯s the matter? What are you getting at?" "The fire bear has only appeared within the mountain so far. The area below belongs to the sky tigers." "That¡¯s¡­ true. But why does that matter?" "If the monster chasing them wasn¡¯t a sky tiger but a fire bear, it means they were already in the mountain before being chased." "Huh?" "And even though the barrier has disappeared, why did they still decide toe here specifically?" Jieun''s face stiffened. "Then¡­ could it be¡­?" I can¡¯t say for sure. It¡¯s possible they came here because they were familiar with the area and needed a ce to spend the night after the barrier fell. But I know. I know his existence. That¡¯s why. "We must not let our guard down." The audacity and cruelty tomit massacres without hesitation just to satisfy the observers. The greed in his eyes when he confirmed the first-ce reward. And his immediate action to switch weapons and rush outside. I had a hunch. He¡¯s among them. X is here. He must havee running straight here when he saw Namsan Tower on the screen. ¡®If someone else kills me first, the whereabouts of the item will be unclear.¡¯ It¡¯s possible even the bear attack was part of his n. No, it definitely was. The problem is¡­ "Who is it?" "Oppa... are we safe now?" "It¡¯s fine now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect you." Could it be that couple clinging to each other? "My leg! My leg¡­!" Or the man clutching his injured leg and wailing in pain? ¡®He lookspletely harmless, but...¡¯ It could be anyone. Who knows what face is hidden behind the mask? Whether it¡¯s an innocent-looking college student or an injured patient, caution is necessary in every case. As I carefully scrutinized their faces, S suddenly stepped forward. "Come here." She began treating the injured. "Ahh¡­!" "Thank you, student! Truly, thank you!" A blue light poured out in an instant. The familiar blue radiance spread and healed the wounds of those it touched as if they had never existed. "Hoo..." As the injured got back on their feet, beads of sweat gathered on S¡¯s forehead. Was it because she was taking care of too many people at once? Thud! She sat down on a pavilion bench, looking exhausted. ¡®She really is kind at times like this.¡¯ Despite her cold impression and shy demeanor, her nature was unmistakable. At that moment, a man who had been watching her hesitated before approaching. "Uh, hey¡­ are you okay?" "...I¡¯m fine." "Both you and the person who saved us earlier¡­ you¡¯ve done so much for us." With an innocent face that seemed devoid of any ulterior motive, he continued. "I really want to repay you somehow..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 57: The Uninvited Guest (2) Throughout my life, I''ve met countless people. Not just during my school days, but even after bing an adult. "Assistant Manager! How aboutmb skewers instead of sushi? Manager Song isn¡¯t too fond of seafood." "Huh? You remembered that?" Every time, I had to figure people out. Those who wanted someone to approach them first. Those who only wanted to talk about work in the office. Those who needed their past achievements praised. Those who wanted to mingle with younger people but still maintain their authority... However, after the restructuring began, things became simpler. Everyone was either beneficial or harmful to survival. No in-between. And these thirteen people? "That student, and the person who saved us earlier... I feel like I¡¯ve only been receiving help." Which side were they on? "I want to repay the favor somehow..." "You don¡¯t need to. I just did it, that¡¯s all." "I''m fine, too!" When the man cautiously asked, S shook her head with a pale face. Jaehyuk also responded with a contented smile. At that, the man eximed, "Ah!" and snapped his fingers. "If there¡¯s something you¡¯d like to eat, let me know. If I have simr ingredients, I¡¯ll make it for you." "Sir, are you a chef?" "Well, I¡¯m not sure if you know, but I used to be the head chef at the Haemil Hotel." "Gasp! Really?!" S¡¯s eyes widened at the man¡¯s words, and Yeojin, standing beside her, was startled and asked again. "I specialize in Western cuisine, but I can make other dishes too. Anything in mind?" "Ah, well¡­ we..." Yeojin nced at me, seemingly seeking permission. "The head chef of a hotel, huh." Haemil Hotel... that¡¯s the one right in front of Itaewon Station. It might not be a five-star hotel, but to be a head chef in your early thirties must mean he¡¯s recognized in the industry. Food prepared by someone like that would surely be mouthwatering, but... "Sir! What about you?" "I¡¯m good. I ate a lot earlier." "If you¡¯re not eating, I won¡¯t eat either." Until I confirm X¡¯s identity, I can¡¯t act recklessly. Who knows what could be put into the food. epting food from a stranger could be disastrous. "Uh... Then I¡¯ll pass too. S, what about you?" "I¡¯m good too." At that, Yeojin and S shrugged, as if they had no choice. "Ah... I see." The chef scratched his head, seemingly not expecting such a reaction. Then, one of the eight people from Itaewon raised her hand high and said, "Oh! Then make something for me!" She was one of the group of eight that came from Itaewon Station. Her strikingly morous features, long legs under hot pants, andrge hoop earrings made her stand out. "Ah, sure. What would you like to eat?" "Fresh fruits! Vegetables! I¡¯m so desperate for them I could die!" "Excuse me? That¡¯s farming, not cooking." "Uh... Is it really?" The woman furrowed her brow slightly, then pursed and rxed her plump lips. "Ugh. I used to be so sick of them during diets, but now that I can¡¯t have any, it¡¯s driving me crazy. See? You never know what the future holds." She turned to Yeojin and added, "Right?" Yeojin agreed enthusiastically and asked with sparkling eyes, "Unnie, are you a model? You¡¯re so pretty!" "Oh, I¡¯ve walked the runway a few times, but I¡¯m not very famous. Still, I guess it shows?" "Wow, amazing! I¡¯ve never seen a celebrity before!" Ah. Come to think of it, I¡¯d seen memories of fashion shows and performances before. I didn¡¯t pay much attention, thinking runway walking wouldn¡¯t be particrly useful, but... Anyway. "A celebrity? No, no way." Despite her words, the model waved her hands with a broad grin. Meanwhile, the chef hovered awkwardly around her. I nced at the people who¡¯d been staring this way for a while now. ¡®I remember about half of them.¡¯ Out of the thirteen strangers apart from those I¡¯d been traveling with, I could vaguely recall the memories of six or seven of them. It would¡¯ve been better if I could remember everything, but this much was still beneficial. The only regret? ¡®I haven¡¯t seen X¡¯s face.¡¯ X. The one who used to kill people like flies even in a peaceful world. The fact that they came in a group meant they were hiding their true form. How could I catch them? How... * * * "Let¡¯s have Eunho¡¯s team take the caf¨¦, the Namsan team the souvenir shop, and the Itaewon team the restaurant for sleeping arrangements." "Sounds good." As evening darkened, the groups began settling into their designated sleeping areas. I left the scene alone. "Ah, I¡¯ll just step out for a bit." "Alright! Take care, hyung!" ©¤ Ding! The elevator took me up to the Namsan Tower Observatory. It was the office where I¡¯d been abducted by the spirits afterpleting the ''Hunting'' mission. Or rather, it used to be an office. ¡®They¡¯re already gone.¡¯ The once-library-like office was now empty. It looked like a vacant space waiting for new tenants. What a shame. The proposal I¡¯d received from them only covered the ''entrance exam'' phase. It had been useful for getting insights into uing missions, so I¡¯d nned to intimidate them into handing over any other proposals. "Is the project over?" [Yep!] [That¡¯s right!] I had suspected as much from their fading voices and the eventual disappearance of the barrier, but... To think they¡¯d leave so abruptly. And even clear out all the papers and desks. All that remained was¡ª Flutter! A lone piece of paper on the empty floor. ¡¸Monster. We¡¯re leaving first.¡¹ ¡®First?¡¯ The paper had some iprehensible words written on it, along with a drawing. Eyes drawn nted upwards, a mouth full of sharp, carnivorous teeth, and even horns sprouting from the head¡ªa mysterious face. Next to it, written in crooked handwriting: ¡¸¡û Lee Eunho¡¹N?v(el)B\\jnn "...What is this?" Hoping there might be some other meaning, I flipped the paper back and forth, inspecting it carefully. Psssshhh! Suddenly, a sound of air escaping came from somewhere. Thud! A metal chunk, about the size of a fist, fell to the floor. "!!" And then smoke started pouring out, just like a fire extinguisher. My vision blurred in an instant. tter! Click-! The door locked itself. Hack! Hack! I coughed uncontrobly. Covering my mouth with my sleeve, my eyes started stinging intensely. ¡®Poison gas!¡¯ ¡¸99%¡¹ Numbers floated above the hand covering my mouth. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡¸95%¡¹ ¡¸94%¡¹ ¡¸93%¡¹ My stamina was visibly decreasing. "This is fascinating." A locked door from the outside. A sealed room with only me inside. Spreading poison gas. A definite death g, but... I dragged my trembling legs to the shattered window. Whoosh-! The window I had smashed entirely while fighting those ghosts. ¡®...Ha.¡¯ Unfortunately, this ce is no longer a sealed room. ¡®They couldn¡¯t have known. That all the ss walls of the Namsan Tower observatory were already broken.¡¯ I took a deep breath of the cold night air, and my head started to clear. My eyes still stung, but it was tolerable now. Whooosh-! The cold night wind hit me head-on. Looking down at the ground, I saw no one. No signs of life at all. However. "Yura, can Uncle ask you a favor?" They would be somewhere down there. Yura and Hanul, who I¡¯d asked to hide and guard the tower entrance, would be waiting. The enemy not opting for closebat was unexpected, but I had prepared for everything. In fact, I was even grateful. ¡®Thanks for acting ording to n.¡¯ Since they were bound to attack anyway, it¡¯s better to deal with them quickly. But still, while setting up a trap was a good move... Sssssssssssss-! The wind blowing through the broken window pushed the smoke toward the locked door like a smog. If I went through that, I¡¯d face the enemy with half my stamina gone. So... ¡®I have to jump again, don¡¯t I?¡¯ From the Namsan Tower observatory. [You have sent a gift to ¡®Kim Jieun.¡¯] [You have sent a gift to ¡®Choi Jaehyuk.¡¯] After sending messages to Jieun and Jaehyuk in turn, I stared down at the distant ground below, which felt even farther because it was night. I thought back to the memory of my first jump from here. ¡®That time, I summoned the door too quickly. If not for the vines growing in the cave, I might¡¯ve been in serious danger.¡¯ Summoning it too early results in a higher jump, while summoning it toote could lead to crashing into the ground. For the safest oue... ¡®Not too early, not toote.¡¯ "Summon." I held the pass in my left hand, leaving my right hand free. For the handle that would soon appear. Then. Leap! I jumped without hesitation. The sensation of gravity and the night wind hitting my entire body. It almost felt like bungee jumping. ¡®Though it¡¯s a bungee jump without a cord.¡¯ I¡¯d heard somewhere before. When falling from a great height, you usually die from a heart attack before hitting the ground. I think I understand that now. This feeling. Thump! Thump! Thump! My heart pounded as the ground rapidly approached. I waited, waited some more, and just as it became unbearable... ¡®Now!¡¯ "Activate!" [Activating pass for ¡®Lee Eunho.¡¯] ©¤ sh! I grabbed the handle of the iron door that appeared like a lifeline. "Whew..." My feet dangled less than a meter above the ground. It was a close call. A momentter, and my legs would¡¯ve been shattered. So this is what it means for your heart to feel like it¡¯s in your throat. Still, having done this twice now, I think I¡¯m starting to get used to it. ...Or so I thought as I carefully touched the cold doorknob. ©¤ Thud! I jumped down. As Inded, Yura and Hanul appeared, as if on cue. "Teacher! Are you all right?" "Uncle! You went whoosh just now!" "Ha ha... You saw that?" While I ruffled Yura¡¯s hair as she swung her arms in awe, I looked to Hanul for confirmation. He answered, as if reading my thoughts. "No one has gone in or out." "And the elevator?" "It hasn¡¯t moved since you got off." "Then they must¡¯ve taken the stairs..." What¡¯s clear is that the person who tried to suffocate me is still inside. They stayed in the tower with me the entire time, waiting for me to be alone. Then, they followed me and released the poison gas. "Not knowing we were already prepared." Alright, time to make our move. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?To: Lee Eunho ?From: Choi Jaehyuk ?No one hase out through the back door. I¡¯ll watch a little longer and then return! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ The front and back entrances are quiet. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ?To: Lee Eunho ?From: Kim Jieun ?Five at Namsan, four at Itaewon. They¡¯ve been together the whole time. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ That leaves out the nine who were all together. ¡®There were thirteen people who came today. That means the remaining four are the suspects.¡¯ Just as I was about to ask Jieun to tell me who¡¯s not here¡ª ¡°...So what I¡¯m saying is¡­ huh?¡± A familiar figure appeared at the bottom of the stairs. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± The hotel chef and a model, side by side. And then, shortly after¡ª ¡°It¡¯s dangerous at night. Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ I think some fresh air will make me feel better.¡± A couple came down, grabbing their coats as if to go for a walk. Exactly four people. How convenient. Hmm. The numbers line up perfectly. The problem is¡ª ¡°What a cute kid. I didn¡¯t see him earlier; how old is he?¡± ¡°Why is everyone gathered here? You¡¯re not sneaking off to eat something delicious without us, are you?¡± Their faces were calm. None of them looked like someone who had just realized their secretly nned murder had ended in failure. But¡ª ¡°Can I talk to you for a moment?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± The culprit is here. This time, they¡¯ve swapped a mask for a disguise. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± At that moment, thest person appeared... ¡°¡­The foul-mouthed one?¡± ¡°Ugh! Seriously, stop calling me ¡®foul-mouthed!¡¯ My name is¡ª¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Turns out there weren¡¯t four¡ªthere were five suspects. Anyway... ¡°Where is everyoneing from?¡± Shall we get started? A game of detectives. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 58: The Uninvited Guest (3) "Eunho! Eunho!! Are you okay?!" "Hyuuuung!" Jieun and Jaehyuk rushed over, checking my body up and down. Like parents frantically examining their child for injuries. Normally, I¡¯d have made a joke or two about the scene, but the situation was clearly too serious for that. Jaehyuk sighed deeply and opened his mouth. "So, let¡¯s sum this up... You¡¯re saying there was a bomb attack, and the terrorist is in here?" "Well, something like that." "Wow, fuck!" The foul-mouthed guy covered his mouth with a trembling hand and let out a curse that sounded more like an exmation. He took off his cap, then ran his hand vigorously through his hair¡ªa clear sign of panic. And he wasn¡¯t the only one shocked by the sudden situation. "R-Really? I didn¡¯t hear any explosion¡­ Oppa, did you hear anything?" "No¡­ not at all. Nothing." The man shook his head in response to his girlfriend¡¯s question. She clung even tighter to his arm, staring at him with suspicion. "That¡¯s strange¡­." "Exactly? If there was really a bomb attack, then how is Eunho perfectly fine?" "Besides, there¡¯s no way it could be one of us. Right?" The model and the chef both chimed in, opposing the idea.N?v(el)B\\jnn Only one person believed me. "Ha¡­ I couldn¡¯t see any of you, so I was looking around." The foul-mouthed guy. "Hey! Don¡¯t answer him!" "Are you seriously believing this nonsense?" Right? Even I was surprised when he took my story seriously. I hadn¡¯t expected them to believe a im with no evidence. That¡¯s why I called Jieun, Jaehyuk, Hanul, and Yura for backup in case force was needed. But then¡ª "Fuck, if I don¡¯t trust him, there¡¯s not a single person here I can trust." I didn¡¯t expect the foul-mouthed guy to cooperate so easily. Not that I¡¯mining. If he sets the tone, the others will naturally follow suit. "From 10:00 to 10:30. Where were you, and what were you doing?" "I was in the dining area with people, then I got up and left. I was wondering where you all had disappeared to." Well, it makes sense. I had made a show of leaving on my own, and then I dragged Jieun, Jaehyuk, Hanul, and Yura into this mess. From his perspective, it probably seemed odd that everyone had vanished. "Alone? Did you see anyone?" "Yeah. That loud-mouthed woman asked me where I was going sote at night." Loud-mouthed woman? "Lee Yeji? What time was that?" "Just before 10. Like, 9:50? She said she needed to sleep at 10 to avoid ruining her skin." "So it was right after I left." That means hisst alibi is from before 10. I was ¡®locked¡¯ in the office at 10:20, and now it¡¯s 10:40. That leaves plenty of time. "And when I couldn¡¯t find anyone, I went downstairs. I swear I didn¡¯t do anything else!" So he had time tomit the act and return. Unfortunately. "Foul-mouthed guy, no alibi." "W-What, I don¡¯t have one?" He stammered in disbelief, but facts are facts. No alibi means no alibi. Next suspect. "Chef?" "I¡ªI don¡¯t know anything about this. And I have no obligation to answer you." Hmm. He¡¯s right; he doesn¡¯t have to answer. I¡¯m not the police or the prosecution, and the Miranda rights still apply, so he¡¯s not wrong. "If you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll consider you the culprit." "And what are you going to do about it? Call the police?" "Haha, of course not." If thew can¡¯t punish someone, it also can¡¯t protect them. "I¡¯ll simply return the favor." In other words, if Ibel him as the culprit and do the same thing to him, there¡¯s no safety to stop me. "Isn¡¯t it true that fists are closer than thew now?" Flinch! The chef visibly flinched under my cold stare and avoided eye contact. After a moment of deliberation, he swallowed nervously and opened his mouth. "I was¡­ with Rina." "Rina?" "I¡ª I was with him." At the unfamiliar name, I frowned. The model standing next to him raised her hand. "Yurina. That¡¯s my name. Pretty, right?" Confident, or maybe shameless, she spoke the line without hesitation. "Why?" "Huh? Isn¡¯t it obvious that it¡¯s a pretty name?" "No, I¡¯m asking why you were together." "Oh, that?" When I asked tly, Yurina raised and lowered her eyebrows. Instead of answering, she just stared at the chef. "We¡­ had something to talk about privately." The meaningless answer came from the chef. Hmm. "When exactly did you meet?" "I wasing out of the bathroom, and he was there¡­ so we ran into each other and talked for a bit. Is that a problem?" "You met outside the bathroom, and what time was that?" "Around ten o''clock? We talked on thending for a while, then it felt stifling, so we came downstairs." So, thending after the restroom, huh. It seemed like they only picked secluded ces, so I pressed a bit further. "What did you two talk about, alone?" "Seriously, do I have to tell you what a grown man and woman talked about? Huh?" The chef bristled. "You sure have a lot of questions." The model blinked and shrugged. Although the woman was right¡ªthere were still plenty of unanswered questions¡­ "¡­Let''s move on for now. Next, this couple?" A man ring withser eyes while wrapping his arm around his girlfriend''s shoulder was waiting. "The second-floor caf¨¦. My girlfriend wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she was lying down the whole time." The man started talking even though no one had asked yet, his expression and tone clearly showing he wanted this to end quickly. He looked absolutely fed up with the situation. "So you two were on the second floor, where no one else was, is that right?" "Well, her head hurt, and it¡¯s noisy when there are people around¡­!" "Got it. And since when?" "Since nine o''clock. We were there the whole time." The sharp response to my follow-up question was brimming with thorns. "Oppa¡­ my head hurts." "When is this going to end? She needs to rest." It did seem like the girlfriend wasn¡¯t feeling well. ¡®I¡¯ll need to confirm it, though.¡¯ As I mentally arranged the timeline of the five people¡¯s movements, the chef spoke up. "So that means there¡¯s only one person without an alibi. Right?" He tantly stared at the foul-mouthed guy. That set off the others, and everyone started chiming in. "Yeah, there¡¯s only one person left." "So we¡¯re done here, right? Can we go now?" "What, what? Fuck, are you talking about me?" Chilly stares were directed at the foul-mouthed man. "You¡¯re the only one who was alone." "Ugh, we were dragged into suspicion for no reason." "No, no, I didn¡¯t do it! Seriously! Why would I kill that guy? That doesn¡¯t even make sense!" The foul-mouthed man turned pale and started waving his hands frantically. "Fuck, I¡¯m telling you, I didn¡¯t do it! I swear I didn¡¯t!" "Calm down." Well, at least for now, we had our answer. "Give me five minutes. Just wait a little longer." Time to wrap this up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * [You¡¯ve sent a gift to ''Yoon S''!] While I called for reinforcements to help wrap up my deduction, the foul-mouthed man was already being treated like the confirmed culprit. "No way¡­ it¡¯s not true, right? Eunho saved our lives so many times¡­." "If he really tried to kill Hyung, we won¡¯t let it slide!" Jieun and Jaehyuk shook their heads, their eyes trembling like they didn¡¯t want to believe it. Seeing their reaction, the foul-mouthed man clutched his head and pounded his chest. "Ah, damn it, I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s not me¡­!" "Foul-mouthed guy." I stepped forward. "Uh, huh? I swear it¡¯s not me! Believe me!" "How many welfare points did you receive as donations during this mission?" "Huh?" The sudden question caught him off guard, and he blinked in confusion. "Welfare points?" "It¡¯s important, so please answer." He looked at me as if wondering what this had to do with anything. Without exining, I asked again. After hesitating, he answered. "¡­I didn¡¯t get any." As expected. I knew it. He probably just showed them Marvel movies and only talked about how great the heroes were, so it made sense he wouldn¡¯t have earned a single point. "No sense, man. No sense. I showed them a masterpiece of humanity¡­." "Wait, what the hell are you talking about? Why are we suddenly discussing welfare points?" ¡­There was so much to exin, but for now, the important thing was¡ª "So he¡¯s not the culprit." The foul-mouthed guy wasn¡¯t the killer. "Huh? Why not?" "Why did the story suddenly take this turn?" The model and chef widened their eyes in confusion. The couple narrowed their eyes suspiciously, as if wondering what I was up to. "Because he couldn¡¯t afford the bomb." "The bomb¡­? You mean the one with the toxic gas?" "Yeah. That bomb is sold in the intermediate shop." I kindly exined why there was no way he could be the culprit. "You got an F in your first evaluation at MS Tower. Then a C at Seoul Station, right?" "!!" "So even if you added up all the incentives you¡¯ve received so far, it wouldn¡¯t even total 1,000 points. And you spent what little you had during the hunting mission, right? Barely scraping by." Because he couldn¡¯t afford the bomb. ¡­A very practical reason. "Wait, you memorized all that?!" Upgrading to the intermediate shop costs 10,000 points. And the bomb itself costs another 5,000 points. So at minimum, you need 15,000 points. "See? There¡¯s no way he could¡¯ve bought it." The others stared in disbelief as I finished my reasoning. "¡­" "If he had received more than 15,000 points in donations, well, he could¡¯ve scraped it together and bought it. But since he wasn¡¯t even on the top donor list, that didn¡¯t happen." ¡°Wow... That¡¯s seriously terrifying¡­¡± The foul-mouthed one stumbled backward, rubbing their forearm incessantly. Even though I¡¯d cleared him of suspicion, I wasn¡¯t sure why he was backing away more and more. ¡°But¡­ then who¡¯s the culprit?¡± ¡°We all have alibis!¡± ¡°No.¡± Anyway, there were four suspects left. ¡°None of us have a solid alibi.¡± ¡°What?! We exined everything! We were together!¡± ¡°How can we believe that? The two of you could be aplices.¡± ¡°Hah! What do you take us for?!¡± Just as the chef clenched his fist, looking ready to throw a punch¡ª ©¤ Ding! The elevator came to a stop. ¡°Who is it?¡± S stepped out of the open doors, nodded at me, and approached. She walked up to the couple¡¯s woman without a word, then raised her palm. And, as we had nned¡ª ©¤ Fwoosh! ¡°What, what the? Suddenly?!¡± ¡°Why are you¡­ healing?¡± The pale light emanating from her palm seeped into the woman. Her startled boyfriend btedly pulled his partner behind him, but the objective had already been achieved. S lowered her hand and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a cold.¡± ¡°...?!¡± ¡°What are you doing! What was that all about!¡± Then, the culprit is¡­ ¡°!!¡± It¡¯s you! Wham! As soon as S¡¯s words ended, I bolted. Behind the culprit. I grabbed both of their wrists as if embracing them from behind and twisted, applying pressure. ¡°What the hell?! What are you doing!¡± The shocked voice escaped, but I had no intention of answering with words. Thud! I kicked behind their knees while holding their wrists. The culprit crumpled to the ground. I immediately pinned them against the wall and quickly called S. ¡°S! Now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Our precious healer and status anomaly detector. ©¤ Fwoosh! As S¡¯s blue light red out, she shouted like an arrow. ¡°Poisoning! It¡¯s true!¡± ¡°!!¡± It¡¯s this one. Fshhhhhhh! I activated the gas bomb. Wham! They were the only one who entered a space before the poisonous gas had fully cleared, falling into a poisoned state. ¡°You were the only one alone.¡± And yet, to avoid suspicion, they pretended ignorance. ¡°You got too greedy.¡± ¡°What? What nonsense are you saying right now?!¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve waited for the gas to clear, then searched slowly. Were you afraid someone else might take it first?¡± ¡°...!¡± If X had been just a little less greedy¡­ If they had waited just a day, or even a few hours, before acting, it could¡¯ve been difficult to catch them. But. ¡°Poisoning?! That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± They didn¡¯t know. They probably didn¡¯t even realize they¡¯d inhaled the gas. ¡¸99.94%¡¹ No one tracks their health to the 0.01 percent level. ? The Omniscient Observer¡¯s Eye -When activated, it disys the remaining health of those within your sight.When activated, they allow you to see the remaining health of individuals within your field of view. But only as a percentage. Unless you¡¯re wearing lenses that show remaining health in percentages. ¡°No wonder you seemed suspicious.¡± The tall,nky figure looked familiar, too. So¡­ ¡°You¡¯re X, aren¡¯t you?¡± You¡¯re the culprit. ¡°¡­Yurina.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 59: The Uninvited Guest (4) [Target ''Lee Eunho.'' A special reward has been granted.] [Please check your mission reward!] The special reward, The Omniscient Observer''s Eye ¡ª a lens ¡ª had been equipped the moment I received it. Of course, I had to wear it. You never know when someone mighte barging in. And someone actually did. "Ah...!" "Thank you, student! Really, thank you!" Especially when S was healing people. As people sat in a row and quietly waited, I was able to take a good look at everyone¡¯s faces. I even confirmed that everyone''s stamina was back to 100%. That was just a few hours ago. So. ''That means no one should''ve had any reason for their stamina to drop.'' Out of the five suspects, only two women had reduced stamina. It was barely noticeable, but still. But without solid evidence, I couldn''t juste out and say it. For all I knew, they might have gotten hurt or tripped somewhere. That¡¯s why I asked S for help. S, who could recognize and heal others¡¯ abnormal conditions. ''I only thought of her healing ability.'' I never imagined her skill to identify conditions woulde in handy like this. "Take everyone upstairs. It¡¯s dangerous here." "Got it." As I thought about how versatile her ability could be, I was evacuating the others when the chef, who had been watching, shouted at me. "Y-You! What do you think you''re doing to ady!?" "Ady?" ...What nonsense is that? That chef clearly knows his ingredients but seems tock the ability to read people. Judging by how he still hadn¡¯t grasped the situation. "You''re using the wrong person..." "Don''t move!" "Ahhh! O-Okay!" In the meantime, Jieun, quick on the uptake, pressed a sword to the chef''s neck. The guy flinched, his anger dissipating as he nced nervously at the de. "I-I don¡¯t know anything! Can¡¯t we just talk this out, please?" The way he looked, frozen with fear and unable to even tremble properly, reminded me of how Jaehyuk used to be. If that¡¯s an act, he shouldn¡¯t be a chef ¡ª he should be an actor. Anyway, I¡¯d deal with himter. "For now... Terrorist Ms. Yurina?" Starting with the main viin. "What are you talking about? I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know anything about bombs or whatever!" Yurina shouted, her face half-squashed against the wall. It was impressive how she could scream so confidently even after being exposed as someone in a poisoned state. "She might be lying and working with that girl! How can you trust her!?" A panicked voice. An expression of unjust frustration, as if she¡¯d truly been framed. But. "I never said I trusted her." An expression like that can easily be faked. Especially by someone who¡¯s lived their life hiding their true identity in the ordinary world. Snap! I twisted her thin wrist ¡ª a wrist so small it fit entirely in one hand, as if snapping a twig. I¡¯d intended to break it from the start, just in case there was any danger. ''Huh?'' But it didn¡¯t go as nned. "Ahh!" A fragile scream that belied a wrist as solid as iron. I had expected a twig, but it was more like a sturdy old tree. "Seems you¡¯ve raised your defense stats quite a bit." "Let go, you perverted freak! It hurts!" It was clear that Yurina was behind the gas attack. That left two questions. First, is Yurina the same person as X? Second, was she working alone? "You¡¯re crushing my earring! At least take it off! My ear¡¯s going to tear!" Yurina shook her head violently, trying to wriggle free. She was probably preparing to headbutt me if given the chance. So I held both her wrists with my left hand and pressed the back of her neck against the wall with my right arm. "Just answer the question. Are you X?" "Ugh! What even is that? Stop shoving me! It hurts!" Her face was smashed against the cold wall as she let out a shrill yell. If anyone saw this, they¡¯d think I was the viin. But. "Do you really not know?" "Why would I know something like that?!" "You should know. You ended up as second ce on the donation list, after all." It¡¯d be stranger if she didn¡¯t. X was¡ª "When the mission ended, the result window popped up. Right in front of you." "!!" "And with the fireworks theyunched into the sky, you¡¯re not going to tell me you missed that too, right?" Yurina shut her mouth. Her brow furrowed as she bit her lower lip, a look of realization and regret crossing her face. There was nothing more to hear. Well, then. ''Yurina thinks it''s X.'' The only question left is whether this was a solo crime. "I-I don¡¯t know anything! I just said what that woman told me to say!" This guy looks far too weak to be an aplice to a murderer, but you never know. There could be others lurking nearby. If so¡ª ¡®If she attacks alone, it¡¯s a solo act. But if she looks like she¡¯s waiting for someone, there¡¯s an aplice.¡¯ If there were hidden allies, they wouldn¡¯t have a choice but to reveal themselves when death was at their doorstep. Well, then, maybe I¡¯ll y along for a moment. I have something to do while waiting anyway. ¡®Let¡¯s see, there should be a gun somewhere...¡¯ If X still had the gun she used in the past, she must¡¯ve hidden it somewhere. Items unaffected by the system aren¡¯t recognized as ¡°items¡± and can¡¯t be stored in the inventory. But Yurina is only wearing a thin t-shirt and hot pants. It doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s hiding anything on her body. ¡®Where is it? There¡¯s no way she left it behind.¡¯ As I silently searched for the gun¡¯s whereabouts¡ª "Ahhh¡ª" Yurina slowly closed and opened her eyes, letting out anguid sigh. Then she parted her full lips. "You caught me." She whispered those words, her voice calm andposed¡ªso much so that it was hard to believe she was the same woman who had been screaming just moments ago. The eerie change sent chills down my spine without me realizing it. Srrrk! Yurina shook her head, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. Click! The faint sound of a pen being clicked rang out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡®¡­¡­?!¡¯ Her earring split in half. Right above my right arm, which had been restraining her. Therge hoop earrings she had worn since the first time we met¡ª I¡¯d thought it strange for someone to wear earrings that big. So they were weapons too. ¡°Petrification.¡± ¡­It¡¯s not important, but¡ª "Hehe, it¡¯s poison. It¡¯ll spread through your body in a minute." A sneak attack with a poisoned needle. And undoubtedly a teasing antidote that she had no intention of giving me. It was a predictable story. It was the second death g, clear as day. But¡ª Crunch! I felt my bones, muscles, and skin hardening solidly. It was as if they fused together, rejecting any impurities from entering. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] And then¡ª Thunk! The poisoned needle stuck halfway into my forearm before snapping and falling away. The attack she had likely been saving as her trump card¡ª "What¡ªwhat is this?! Why isn¡¯t it working all of a sudden¡­?!" "If you really thought you could win with a little needle like this, I¡¯m disappointed." "¡­¡­!" Yurina gritted her teeth and threw her head back sharply. Was she trying to create an opening with a surprise attack? I turned my head to the side to dodge her strike, only for her to spin her body and close the distance again. ¡®Fast!¡¯ Her speed was insane. Flexible yet powerful martial arts. She was clearly no ordinary person. This¡­ ¡®If ites down to pure hand-to-handbat, this could be dangerous.¡¯ Despite her slender body, her strength was significant. It seems I had neglected my basic stats while focusing on skill growth. Fighting an expert in their area of expertise in this situation is insanity. So¡ª ¡®I need to change the flow.¡¯ * * * ¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯ Yurina muttered to herself. This man, Eunho. I thought he was just a brainy type, but apparently, he¡¯s trained his body too. The poisoned needle didn¡¯t work, which threw me off, but it¡¯s possible. Maybe he poured everything into defense. But let¡¯s see. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you can still smile with a bullet in your forehead.¡¯ Ta-at! Taking advantage of the moment he let his guard down, I slipped out of his grasp. It worked. Now all I have to do is put some distance between us, summon the gun, and shoot him. The fact that the poisoned needle didn¡¯t work means his defense isn¡¯t ordinary¡ªbut that¡¯s fine. ¡®If one shot doesn¡¯t kill him, two will. If that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll just keep shooting.¡¯ I¡¯ll shoot him until he¡¯s dead. Until the blood drains from his body, leaving him twitching like a worm. Until he hands over the ¡°Lens.¡± ¡®Someone like him probably has plenty of other useful items besides the Lens.¡¯ He¡¯s smarter than all the fools I¡¯ve met so far¡ªthere¡¯s noparison. It¡¯s a shame that my hidden identity has been exposed, but¡ª ¡®I¡¯ll clean this up and get out of here.¡¯ Just like I always have. "All those people up there¡ªthey¡¯re dying because of you." "What?" "You should''ve just died quietly when I tried to deal with you." "¡­¡­." Lee Eunho said nothing. A look as if he were concentrating on something. Do smart guys sense their end too? How amusing. Anyway, ytime is over. "Summon!" * * * "You should''ve just died quietly when I tried to deal with you." "¡­¡­." Yurina, looking triumphant as if she''d already won, twitched her right hand. She was trying to create distance, somehow. The gaze that had been fixed on her forehead earlier. The eyes that swept across not just me but others like targets on a dartboard. Movements so subtle she didn¡¯t even notice, but I could see them. Because I had been waiting for this very moment. ''Now!'' After watching X¡¯s video, I had thought and thought again. How to face a gun with just my bare hands. Wearing a bulletproof vest, covering my limbs with metal to block bullets, wearing a helmet to avoid a headshot¡­ But no matter how much I thought about it, there was always a gap. I couldn¡¯t exactly cover my whole body with steel. And even if I could, X wasn¡¯t stupid. If X saw that, X wouldn¡¯t even bother pulling out a gun. ''In the end, innocent bystanders would just die.'' So I reached my conclusion. ''Deal with them before they shoot.'' If it¡¯s hidden in their body, cut off their arm. If it¡¯s stored in their inventory, snatch it the moment it¡¯s summoned. The best defense is to stop them from attacking at all. So when Yurina uttered the word ¡°Summon,¡± the moment her plump lips began to form that round shape. "So¡­" "elerate!" "Fuaaaaaaahhh¡­!" Between Yurina¡¯s slender, trembling fingers, something hazy began to take form. Like floating water droplets, it warped the light before reflecting it. Gradually, it revealed a clear brownish hue. The empty air condensed, gained color, and finally, a solid weight. ck¡ª! I snatched it. A long, slender gun about the length of my forearm. ''Hm?'' It was longer than a handgun but far shorter than a rifle. Completely different from what I had imagined. I briefly examined the gun, whichcked a magazine or a cylinder to hold bullets and was instead covered with ornate decorations. "Store." I carefully tucked it away. ''I thought it would be a modern gun.'' Well, I should¡¯ve known the moment it appeared from her inventory. Anyway, for now¡­ "Summon." Grabbing a sword that fit perfectly into my hand, "Raaaaaaaahhhhhh¡ª!" Tick! Returning to the flow of time. "¡­Huh? Wh-What?" Yurina, dumbfounded, opened and closed her now-empty hands. "You said the people up there are dying because of me, right?" "¡­¡­?!" "They''re dying because of you." ¡ªSwoosh! As Iunched myself forward, "Wait, my gun¡­ Did you¡­?" "Goodbye." "Wait¡ª!" ¡ªThud! I thrust it in, without waiting for her to finish. I had no intention of listening to the viin¡¯sst words and getting stabbed in the back. The sword pierced through X''s abdomen. The tip emerged clean through her emaciated body like a skewer. Gurgle! Yurina coughed up blood. Her emptying eyes seemed to gaze far into the distance as the light gradually faded from them. Thud! As her body went limp and fell, a message appeared. [Target ¡®Yurina¡¯ has been eliminated!] I nced at the unknown items ttering to the ground and¡­ Thud! Copsed to my knees. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 60: The Uninvited Guest (5) The items Yurina left behind fell to the ground with a tter. ¡°There¡¯s a lot here, hyung!¡± ¡°Yeah. She must¡¯ve worked hard hoarding all this.¡± Whether she gathered them by killing others or received them as mission rewards, I couldn¡¯t say for sure... But now that they were in my hands, I¡¯d have to put them to good use. ? Venom Pouch of the White Snake -A venom pouch extracted from a venomous snake. It is filled with a deadly poison that, when absorbed, spreads through the body within a minute, shutting down metabolism and hardening internal organs. -Usable Count: 10 The small pouch filled with ck liquid sloshed every time I shook it. Fearing idental exposure, I slightly opened the cap and immediately closed it again. It must be the poison she used to coat that earring that stabbed me earlier. A deadly poison that spreads throughout the body in just one minute. I hadn¡¯t realized it when I was the victim, but now that it was in my hands, it felt reassuring. ¡®I hope it works on monsters too.¡¯ ¡°Store.¡± I put it away for now. ? Compact Tracking Device -A tracking device created by the Future Research Center. When activated, it can track the location of the attached target on a map. -Note: Once attached, it cannot be retrieved or reused, so caution is advised. Next was a small round sticker. It looked like the beige-colored patches people use behind their ears to prevent motion sickness. I wasn¡¯t sure if I¡¯d have a reason to use a tracking device, but I stored it for now, just in case. Next up. ? Refined Sleep Potion -When consumed, it induces sleep within one minute. Duration: 2 hours. -Note: While there are no side effects, it has a high dependency risk. Overuse can lead to an inability to fall asleep naturally. It was a potion that promised sleep within a minute. Basically, a liquid sleep aid. ¡®This seems useful.¡¯ Andstly, the most curious item of all¡ªa strange gun with no magazine or bullets. ? Soeju Handgun -A single-shot handgun crafted by the sensitive artisans of Soeju.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It is ornately decorated with gold ting and iid deer antlers, giving it high artistic value. -Effect: Reacts to the user¡¯s mental energy to generate bullets. ¡®It reacts to my mental energy to generate bullets?¡¯ So that¡¯s why there were no bullets. Skeptical, I held it in my hand and, avoiding the others, pulled the trigger. ¡ª Bang! ¡®!!¡¯ The recoil was stronger than I expected, and my upper body shook. At the same time, a faint golden light shot from the muzzle. The light was so dim that I had to squint to see it. I wondered if its power was as faint as its light. Thud. I approached the spot and examined it. A shallow indentation had formed on the ground. The invisible bullet had embedded itself with a clean, circr mark. Its power was weaker than when I used Petrification to punch, or maybe about the same¡ªbut the speed was iparable. ¡°Hyung! Uh... There aren¡¯t any bullets, so how did you shoot it? I mean... Uh...¡± Jaehyuk, who had run over, asked clumsily. ¡°It seems like the gun generates bullets on its own. But it might be weaker than a real gun.¡± ¡°Oh... I see?¡± ¡°If someone¡¯s wearing armor, this wouldn¡¯t kill them in one shot.¡± But it¡¯ll get stronger over time. It said it reacts to my mental energy, after all. And if I fire this kind of speed and force repeatedly from a distance... Even I find that terrifying. Anyway, I¡¯d obtained some unexpected items. ¡®Thanks to X targeting me.¡¯ I guess I gained rewards and took the enemy¡¯s life as the price for nearly being killed. Sigh. Even in this situation, calcting the practical value of items left by the dead made me feel pathetic. But as I busily stored the gun into my inventory... ¡°Um, excuse me! Can you let me go now?¡± The chef cautiously spoke up, still being watched by Jieun¡¯s sword. ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t know she would do something like that! Please believe me!¡± ¡°Then why did you lie?¡± ¡°She told me it was something secret. That she had something important to say to me privately... So I just went along...¡± Hmm. So you got lured in that easily? Even though you barely knew her? From my perspective, that didn¡¯t make any sense. When I narrowed my eyes at him, the chef flinched like prey in front of a predator. ¡°So you lied just because of that? What about her made you trust her?¡± ¡°Well, because she¡¯s... pretty...?¡± ¡°...Because she¡¯s pretty, you thought she didn¡¯t look like someone who¡¯dmit something like a bombing?¡± Sigh, what a pathetic excuseing from someone associated with a killer. It was so pathetic that it was almost believable. ¡°Observation Mission. What memory did you show?¡± I threw out the question as a test. If he was someone from a memory I recalled... It wouldn¡¯t confirm if he was X¡¯s ally, but it would at least help me figure out what kind of person he was. ¡°W-Why are you asking about that...?¡± ¡°Answer!¡± "Ugh! Fine! I''ll talk!" When the chef answered reluctantly, Jieun red at him and gripped her dagger tighter. Startled, the chef quickly began to speak. "¡­Mukbang¡­." "What?" "I¡­ I did a mukbang." ¡­What? Everyone''s face was filled with confusion at the unexpected response. Then, as if to demonstrate, the chef began waving his hands exaggeratedly. "Cooking and eating on camera! I did that, and it was pretty popr!" Cooking and mukbang? Indeed... ''I''ve seen that before.'' A mukbang where someone devoured noodles from a massive frying pan as if inhaling them. It was somonce that I hadn''t paid much attention to it. So... "What kind of dish was it?" "Ros¨¦ pasta. Ten servings." Pasta. Right, this guy. He started out with a simple mukbang but gradually became obsessed with donations and began behaving ridiculously. Throwing noodles into the air, causing aplete mess¡­ Who would have thought that someone who ate so disgustingly was a hotel chef? Unimaginable. "¡­I''ll reserve judgment for now." "But¡­ what if he''s her aplice?" "Are you sure about this?" At my calm remark, Jaehyuk tilted his head, and Jieun asked with a worried look. However¡­ "I have a condition." Attacking this guy didn¡¯t seem to yield much benefit. "Provide your testimony." "Testimony about what?" "That woman tried to kill me and attacked first." Let¡¯s make use of him for now. Soon, people wille flooding in. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * It was a long night. Someone tried to kill me, but instead, I killed them. Not because the system ordered me to. It was pure intent. For both of us. Yet¡­ "My hands aren¡¯t shaking, and my heart isn¡¯t racing wildly¡­ nothing like that." Am I okay? Even being this calm? As I blurted out my thoughts, Jieun faintly smiled. "It¡¯s a relief. It means you''re a strong person, Eunho." Her droopy, puppy-like eyes seemed more sorrowful than usual, and her smile carried a hint of mncholy. She looked deep in thought. "Eunho." "Yes." "Did this world make people evil, or were they always evil?" So that¡¯s what she was pondering. She used to firmly believe that everyone was inherently good and that evil people had reasons that could at least be understood, even if not forgiven. So I responded cautiously. "I¡¯m not sure¡­ but people tend to change depending on the situation." "¡­You¡¯re right. That was a meaningless question." A bitter smile appeared on Jieun¡¯s lips. ''She¡¯s waking up, bit by bit.'' Should I feel d or sad to see her realizing that not everyone¡¯s heart is like hers? I don¡¯t know. So, as I silently patted her shoulder... "Hey! You two!" The security guard and cleaningdy approached us. 8:30 AM It was already thiste. Come to think of it, the outdoor za was bustling with people getting ready for the day. "Are you alright?" "You don¡¯t know how worried we were! Oh, dear, after going through such a terrifying ordeal¡­." The security guard hesitantly expressed his concerns, while the cleaningdy fussed over me like I was her own child. All because the foul-mouthed guy exaggeratedst night¡¯s events with his own interpretation. He¡¯d spun it as: "Yurina was a terrorist, and I risked my life to take her down." "That person¡­ really?" ¡­Of course, not everyone bought the story. "Last night¡­ it was¡­." "¡­Looks okay, but¡­ oh, it¡¯s too scary¡­ huh?" Most of the murmuring people were from Itaewon. Even if they had only known Yurina for a day or two, they had at least seen the mask she wore. It would be hard to believe that such a woman tried to kill me and died in the process. It was more believable that I had ulterior motives and killed her unjustly. ''This only blew over because the chef testified.'' At least he served some purpose, I thought, shrugging my shoulders. Noticing this, the cleaningdy smacked me lightly on the back. "If you¡¯ve had such a rough time, you should sleep in! Why are you up so early?" "Haha¡­ I¡¯m fine." "You¡¯re just going to hear nonsense if youe out early like this. Ugh! What are you looking at?!" As she red at a few people who had been staring, they flinched and quickly looked away. Not bad. It felt nice to be cared for. 8:50 AM Feeling a mix of familiarity and unfamiliarity, I waited as time passed. Some sighed while staring at the calm sky, and others kicked the ground with frustration, letting out heavy sighs of their own. A thrilling tension in stark contrast to the peaceful mountain scenery. ¡°Noona! What¡¯s today¡¯s mission?¡± ¡°Not sure. The aptitude test is over, though.¡± ¡°Damn it. I thought the entrance exam was finally done.¡± The swearer had a point. The entrance exam was nearing its end. Only one stage remained. ¡®After the aptitude test, there¡¯s only one thing left.¡¯ At that moment, amidst the tension that filled the mountain, a cheerful announcement echoed. [Attention, survivors in the ¡®Yongsan District¡¯ area!] [At 9 o¡¯clock sharp, the ¡®Personality Test¡¯ phase of the project willmence.] ¡°Personality test?¡± The announcement confirmed the next step after the aptitude test. [Survivors are requested to proceed to their designated areas by 9 o¡¯clock.] ¡ª Zap! Suddenly, a map appeared before me for the first time in a while, filling part of my field of vision with a translucent window. The safe zone, marked in green, was bordered on the left by a mountain and a park, while the right side was packed with small buildings. ¡°There¡¯s only one safe zone!¡± Roughly, I could tell where it was. The final mission site in Yongsan District. What bothered me, though, was¡­ ¡°The safe zone¡­ is way too big.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The diameter easily exceeded 100 meters. Compared to the previous safe zones, this one was enormous. But with only around 200 survivors left in Yongsan District, such arge space seemed unnecessary. Which could only mean one thing: ¡®This isn¡¯t the end.¡¯ Just entering the safe zone wouldn¡¯t be the conclusion. ¡®For a personality test mission, a space that size could only mean¡­¡¯ It had to be that! ¡°Jaehyuk! Take this for me!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Now, with all the supplies packed¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s head to Noksapyeong Station! Move!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Run. ¡°Huff¡­!¡± ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Look! That¡¯s the safe zone!¡± We arrived at Noksapyeong Station Intersection, right at the entrance to the dazzling Itaewon streets. Before entering the bustling area, we stood at the crossroads, surrounded by nothing but roads. ¡°Phew¡­ Looks like everyone¡¯s gathering!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of people, noona!¡± Though no cars passed by, the area was teeming with a crowd converging from all directions. People wielding weapons taller than themselves. People ncing around, seemingly assessing others¡¯ weapons and abilities. People with sunken, dark eyes. People trying to blend in and avoid attention. ¡°Personality test¡­ Why gather us all here? What do they n to do?¡± Jieun asked, panting for breath, but I didn¡¯t need to answer. Because the impatient administrator addressed the crowd right away: [Attention, survivors in the ¡®Yongsan District¡¯ area.] [We will nowmence the preliminary mission for the ¡®Personality Test¡¯ project.] Now it was truly beginning: The final gate of the entrance exam. The start of the real Personality Test, for which no preparation was possible. [A stadium has been generated.] [¡®The Eyes¡¯ are being activated.] ¡ª Crack! A sound like ss shattering filled the air as eerie eyes covered the sky. ¡¾The ¡®Raven of the Administration Bureau¡¯ greet their dearpanions!¡¿ ¡¾The ¡®Ferryman of the Administration Bureau¡¯ scoffs, questioning when they ever becamepanions.¡¿ ¡¾The ¡®Prince of the Investigation Bureau¡¯ smirks, remarking it feels like a long time since theirst meeting.¡¿ As soon as ¡®The Eyes¡¯ opened, a flood of greetings from observers followed. Then came another announcement. ¡ª Zap! [The preliminary mission involves a survey to assess participants¡¯ personalities.] [Your responses will serve as foundational data for future missions, so please answer honestly.] ¡°A survey, huh?¡± I¡¯d done something like this before¡ªduring a mock battle mission. ¡°Buried alive?!¡± ¡°Damn it! If we answer this thing, are they gonna bury us underground again?¡± The swearer¡¯sment silenced everyone. Even I, who had read the proposal in advance, couldn¡¯t predict what would happen after the survey. ¡®The questions themselves should be straightforward.¡¯ Like any typical personality test. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ I would betray myrades for personal gain. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Yes, something like that. [Participant ¡®Lee Eunho,¡¯ personality evaluationmencing!] [Answer honestly!] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 61 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 61: Personality Test (1) Everypany has a certain "ideal candidate" they¡¯re looking for. And the process to determine whether an applicant fits that ideal is the "personality test." Usually, this ends with something like a psychological evaluation, butrgerpanies may even hold personality interviews. ¡®To weed out the kind of people who might cause trouble once they join.¡¯ The goal is typically to select honest, diligent, sociable individuals who can prioritize the group''s interests over their own. But in this case, it¡¯s different. The "ideal candidate" sought during restructuring is¡­ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ 1. I can trample on my colleagues if it benefits me. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ [Choose between Yes and No.] [If no answer is provided within the time limit, you will be immediately disqualified.] [10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds¡­] ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°Noona! What should I answer here?¡± A question that might appear in a typical job application test. An obvious question with an obvious answer. It¡¯s about whether personal gain or organizational harmony is more important. The answer is clearly ¡°No.¡± Companies despise individuals who disrupt the organizational atmosphere for their own gain. However, here¡­ ¡°Yes. Absolutely yes.¡± The ideal candidate for this pany¡± is someone who can trample on others, colleagues included, for their own benefit. ¡°Just pick the selfish options.¡± ¡°Selfish options?¡± ¡°Yes, as much as possible.¡± ¡°Understood!¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ 2. I think lies can sometimes be a valid strategy. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ¡°Yes.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ 3. Results are more important than the process. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ This one¡¯s also ¡°Yes.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ 4. The happiness of the majority takes precedence over my own. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ This one is ¡°No.¡± ... Without hesitation, I made my choices. Thanks to that, I quickly scrolled to the bottom, far ahead of others. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ 20. No matter what, I alwaysplete my tasks. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Meanwhile, some people seemed to bepletely lost. All around, confused murmurs filled the air, the sound of people debating how to impress the evaluators above. ¡°What¡¯s the right answer to avoid getting penalized? Ugh, I¡¯m so confused!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they want someone with a proper sense of morality?¡± ¡°You think so?¡± A few minutester, others gradually began to put down their hands. Finally, even Yura, who had been getting help from Hanul, finished her answers. [All participants havepleted their responses.] [Survey results will now be announced.] The preliminary mission was over. ¡ª sh! [All participants are categorized into Suitable, Neutral, or Unsuitable based on their personalitypatibility.] [Please check the survey results.] ¡°!!¡± ¡°What should I do? I got ''Unsuitable''!¡± ¡°Me too! But at least they¡¯re not kicking us out right away¡­¡± For some, it brought a sigh of relief. For others, trembling hands. As for me... I had answered appropriately, so I should¡¯ve received a "Suitable" judgment. Still, just to be sure, I nced at the results screen. ng! The dagger Jieun was holding fell to the ground. An "Unsuitable" judgment. Just as I expected. ¡°Eunho! What do I do now? Am I going to be disqualified?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± But it¡¯s okay. This preliminary mission is just that¡ªa preliminary mission. It¡¯s merely a standard-setting exercise for the personality test that will follow. ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯m doomed! Hyung!¡± ¡°You too?¡± ¡°Yes¡­! What did I answer wrong?¡± As I consoled Jaehyuk, who also received an "Unsuitable" judgment, a few people, realizing they weren¡¯t being immediately eliminated, tilted their heads in confusion. ¡°Hey, Song! So what does ¡®Suitable¡¯ or ¡®Unsuitable¡¯ even mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I was startled when I got ¡®Unsuitable¡¯¡­¡± So, I gave them an exnation disguised as spection. But. ¡°Maybe it means you¡¯re closer to the kind of candidate thepany wants if you¡¯re ¡®Suitable,¡¯ and if not, you¡¯re ¡®Unsuitable.¡¯¡± "An ideal candidate? What''s that?" "Someone who is obsessed with their goals, prioritizes their own gain and performance above all else..." "¡­Ah! I¡¯m listening, keep talking!" Hmm? Was my exnation too difficult? The more I talked, the more mypanions looked bewildered, mouths hanging open in confusion, so I decided to cut to the chase. "In other words, the worse your personality, the higher the chance you¡¯ll be deemed ''suitable.''" "Wait, really?" "Yes. Well... you could say the higher the score, the closer you are to being trash." Then again, in a world falling apart, it might be an excellent survival strategy. Not something you''d say to altruistic people deemed ''unsuitable,'' though. [Total poption of the ''Yongsan District'': 201.] [Suitable: 27, Neutral: 82, Unsuitable: 91.] That aside, wait a second. Something''s... "This seems strange." "Sorry? What does?" [And...] "27, 82, and 91. Add them together, and it¡¯s 200." "Uh... oh? You''re right." "Then the remaining one person..." [Super Suitable: 1.] "?!?" "What''s ''Super Suitable''?" "Young man! You¡¯d better be careful! Sounds like a terrifyingly bad person!" "Indeed. We must tread cautiously." "Wait here. I¡¯ll find out who it is. Everyone, stay clear!" At the cleaningdy''s words, we all turned our eyes, narrowing them. And what we saw... ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Unmatched selfishness! Decisions made without the slightest hesitation! Unyielding obsession with goals! The personality of subject ''Lee Eunho'' is deemed ''Super Suitable'' for thepany! ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤¡ô©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ ...Was a golden system window. [Congrattions!] [Subject ''Lee Eunho,'' preliminary assessment results: Super Suitable!] [Bonus points will be added to your future recruitment evaluation!] Ah... it was me? * * * "That person! Isn''t he the one who ranked first during the observation mission?" "Ah! No wonder his face looked familiar. Did he get more bonus points?" "Unbelievable! He¡¯s hogging it all for himself, huh?" Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixated on the one and only ''Super Suitable'' candidate¡ªthat is, me. Though the emotionless system¡¯s announcement quickly faded, the tension in the air lingered. [Preliminary missionplete.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w [From now on, the personality verification protocol willmence based on all responses given by the subjects.] [Prove it through your actions!] "What, what the heck? Prove it?!" "How are we supposed to do that?" Prove it, huh. That¡¯s all the guidebook exined up to this point. It didn¡¯t say whates next. ¡¸...As all responses can be falsified, a ''proof'' process is conducted to verify the reliability of answers given by the subjects.¡¹ So it¡¯s a procedure to check whether we were honest in our answers. I thought it might involve something like a polygraph test. [Move to the safe zone!] Hmm, this feels more serious than expected. "What now? Are we supposed to enter one by one?" "Do we just stand anywhere?" "Probably. It doesn¡¯t seem like the spots are assigned to anyone." The safe zones that appeared after the announcement were smaller than the ones we¡¯d seen so far. Just enough for one person to stand, feet together. "This feels... kind of like a game of musical chairs," Jieun said, looking around as she stood in a circle. She nced at the people standing opposite her. "Why is the center left empty?" "Good question. Are they nning to do something there...?" "It kind of looks like a stage." She was right. A hundred small green circles gathered to form arger one, like spectators surrounding a street performer. p! A low announcement resonated as over a hundred people each took their spot in a circle. [The first mission, ''Competition,'' will now begin!] A red circle appeared in the central empty space. It included a small table. And then¡ª [The first participant has been designated.] [Please enter the arena!] "!!" "K-Kim?!" Two circles turned red and began to blink. "Hey! My circle changed color!" "Ah, seriously? Why me?" It was the security guard and a man with a face I didn¡¯t recognize. The man had pale blond hair, almost white, and his arms, visible beneath his sleeves, were covered in small tattoos. [If you do not enter within the time limit, you will automatically forfeit.] [10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds¡­] ¡°Get out there!¡± ¡°Just¡ªjust go!¡± Tap! The guard and the yellow-haired man, looking utterly bewildered, were shoved forward. Into the red circle. [Entryplete.] [The match will now begin.] At that moment, a ck object appeared on the table. ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ ¡°A gun?!¡± It wasn¡¯t the mysterious pistol I¡¯d gotten yesterday but an ordinary, modern handgun. And just as everyone began to guess the nature of this ¡°match¡±¡ª [The time limit is 30 seconds.] [Hit your opponent to win; getting hit means you lose.] [However, if no one is hit within the time limit, all participants will be eliminated. Proceed with caution!] A match with no way out had begun. [Match 1, begin!] ¡°What, what the hell?!¡± ¡°You want us to shoot?!¡± While the two stared at the guns in front of them, panicked¡ª ¡¸00:21¡¹ The remaining time had already ticked down to 21 seconds. ¡°Hey, young man! Do we really have to shoot?¡± ¡°How could we not?! If we don¡¯t, we¡¯ll be deleted!¡± ¡°There must be another way! We just need to think!¡± And as the guard tried to persuade the panicking yellow-haired man that there had to be another solution¡ª ¡¸00:11¡¹ The relentless clock had now dropped to 10 seconds. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t care! Whoever grabs it first wins!¡± Unable to hold back, the yellow-haired man clenched his fist. ¡°W-wait! Young man! Listen to me¡ª¡± ¡°Damn it! Shut up!¡± Between his clenched fingers was a small needle. He flung it like a boomerang. ¡°Guh!¡± The guard clutched his abdomen and crumpled to the ground. Despite the distance, the needle had struck the guard¡¯s stomach with perfect precision. The wound didn¡¯t seem too deep, but the uracy was impressive. ¡®Is that¡­ a skill?¡¯ ¡¸00:05¡¹ Click! The gun was now aimed at the guard. The yellow-haired man¡¯s trembling hand clearly betrayed his nervousness. Then, as the fallen guard reacted¡ª ¡°Summon!¡± The shield he¡¯d received from the random box materialized just as the yellow-haired man pulled the trigger. Bang! Or rather, it was more of a ¡°ng!¡± than a ¡°bang!¡± because¡ª ¡°¡­!¡± The bullet fired by the yellow-haired man ricocheted off the shield and shot back at him. [Match over!] The yellow-haired man looked down at the bullet lodged in his own leg and let out a string of curses. ¡°D-damn it¡­¡± He¡¯d been too hasty. It didn¡¯t have to end with anyone getting hurt. ¡°Ahhh! Jinsol!¡± ¡°Are you okay?!¡± A match where one side had to shoot the other for it to end. The rules seemed impossible at first nce. ¡®If it were me, I¡¯d rather¡­¡¯ As I pondered other possibilities and solutions, another announcement red out, offering no time to catch my breath. [Match 1plete.] [The next participant has been selected.] ¡°!!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± I blinked. The circle under my feet turned red. And my opponent was¡­ ¡°Ahhh!¡± ¡°Lee Yeji?!¡± ¡°S-S! S!!¡± Lee Yeji, already pale as a ghost, screamed as if she¡¯d been hit already and clung to S for dear life. ¡°P-please¡­ just aim for somewhere that won¡¯t hurt too much¡­¡± She spoke as if asking for a gentle injection. After witnessing what had just unfolded, her trembling made perfect sense. [Please enter the arena.] ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just step in.¡± ¡°¡­?!¡± This will be over before you even have time to feel pain. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 62 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 62: Personality Test (2) [Failure to enter within the time limit will result in automatic disqualification.] [10 seconds, 9 seconds, 8 seconds...] The announcement yed. Just as the yellow-haired man and the security guard had been called earlier, this time it was me and Lee Yeji being summoned. ¡¾An anonymous observer is curious about the choice of participant ''Lee Eunho''!¡¿ Step. Step. Step. I crossed the red line with indifferent steps. Following me, Lee Yeji entered hesitantly, her steps heavy with reluctance. At that moment: [Participants have entered.] [The match will now begin!] ¡ª sh! The gun that had disappeared from the yellow-haired man''s hand reappeared on the table. Seeing this, Lee Yeji panicked further and stepped back in fear. "Where are you going?" "I-I want to stand next to S!" "You¡¯ll get hurt if you do that. Stand here." "...Okay." I positioned the terrified Lee Yeji in the center of the red circle. I couldn''t risk her standing near others and having a stray bullet hit them. [You have 30 seconds.] [Hit your opponent to win; getting hit means defeat.] [Match two, begin!] With that, the match started. 00:30 Before the remaining time could change to 29 seconds... "Make sure! To miss! I really don¡¯t want¡ª" "eleration." "Whaaaaaaaaa¡ª?!" Snap! I grabbed the gun. And then... ¡ª Slide! I also grabbed Lee Yeji''s hair. Her long, wavy hair that cascaded down to her chest¡ªI pulled it taut and horizontal, parallel to the ground. Holding her hair tightly in my left hand to keep it from slipping out, I fired the gun. Bang! The bullet passed through her hair and embedded itself in the asphalt below. [Hit your opponent to win; getting hit means defeat.] This was enough. The rules only mentioned hitting the "opponent." There was no stiption that it had to be the arms, legs, or torso. Tick-! The 20 seconds gifted by the eleration skill ended. At that moment, Lee Yeji, who had just regained her normal speed, continued her unnecessary pleas. "...You know I can¡¯t stand messy things. Got it?" With her eyes squeezed shut, Lee Yeji repeated her reminders over and over. [Match over!] She was so scared that she didn''t even realize the match had ended. "Excuse me, Lee Yeji?" "Gasp...!" "When exactly are you nning to open your eyes?" "When Lee Eunho shoots the gun!" "I already fired it." "What?!" Lee Yeji¡¯s tightly shut eyes flew open in shock. If you keep your eyes closed like that and suddenly open them, they''ll hurt from the light. ¡­Distracted by such pointless thoughts, I realized the gun in my hand had disappeared. My turn was over. "¡­?!" Still clueless and blinking in confusion, Lee Yeji felt my tap on her shoulder before I returned to my spot. Back to my position, which had turned green from red. "What?! How did you do that?" "Did you actually shoot?" The spectators, who initially wore the same puzzled expression as Lee Yeji, started pointing to the bullet lodged in the ground. "It''s stuck in the ground... Ah!" "He shot at her hair?!" Such a simple solution. This is why you need to read the problem carefully. After leading the bewildered Lee Yeji back to her seat: [The third participant has been selected.] [Please enter the arena!] "Did you see that just now?!" "Yes! Let¡¯s do it like that too!" There was no longer any need for ''proof.'' * * * [Choi Seung! Where¡¯s the backup data for Sector 12?!] [I¡¯m on it!] ¡ª tter! At a conference table big enough to seat dozens of people, a small girl and a man in a suit were scurrying about. The neatly dressed girl with twin braids made an unusually loud tter as she moved. [The director is arriving soon.] [!!] [Already?!] Having to present to higher-ups felt more like apetition than a meeting. ...All thanks to the mad scientist at the center who demanded more research data. [Hurry up¡ªRun!] [Yes!] Harona was inplete disarray. She hurriedly checked the nametes at each seat andid out the prepared documents one by one. Upon discovering a missing file, she gave instructions to Seung, just a moment ago. And at the same time¡ª [Let me just¡­ run and grab¡ª] [Wait! Who¡¯s handling Lee Eunho¡¯s mission as a substitute?] Even in the chaos, a sudden thought crossed her mind. Who was managing the mission she was supposed to oversee? Seung answered casually: [Oh, uh¡­ It¡¯s running automatically!] [What?! Why?!] Harona frowned deeply. [Is there no one avable to manage it?] [No! It¡¯s deadline season, so no one has time...] [Argh! Of all times...!] Why do they alwayse up withpetitions and whatnot when things are so busy? Harona unknowingly clenched the document in her hand, almost crumpling it, before she flinched in surprise and shook her head. Seeing this, Seung furrowed her brow and asked cautiously. [But aren¡¯t most of the other sectors operating automatically? Is there a problem¡­?] [That sector just doesn¡¯t feel right.] ¡®That sector.¡¯ Though Harona didn¡¯t borate, Seung understood. It must be "that sector," where an unpredictable individual was constantly breaking through in unexpected ways. Even systems that worked perfectly in most situations could be twisted by that person. [What should we do, Harona? There¡¯s no immediate solution. We can¡¯t suddenly find recement personnel¡­] [For now¡­ I got it. Let¡¯s just finish this as quickly as possible.] [Understood.] But that was as far as it went. Harona drove her subordinates, who had be uneasy because of her, to action and personally stepped in to get things done. The priority was to handle the immediate tasks at hand. For now... [I hope that bastard, Lee Eunho, doesn¡¯t cause any trouble.] She could only hope today would end without incident. * * * Thud! A man stumbled and copsed, unable to steady his shaky legs. It wasn¡¯t surprising, given that a bullet fired by arge ck man¡ªreminiscent of someone you¡¯d see on the streets of Itaewon¡ªhad grazed just above his head. ¡°Hah¡­ ha¡­¡± ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s left, right?¡± With the foreigner and the man, all verifications were nowplete. [Attention!] [Please act honestly for urate personality verification!] Of course, that wasn¡¯t what the system had intended. [The ¡®verification¡¯ for the first question isplete.] [Mission sess.] [You have earned 1 point as a mission reward.] A sess was still a sess. ¡°We did it! It¡¯s a sess!¡± ¡°Whew¡­ no one died.¡± The tension visibly eased from the people¡¯s faces, even if just a little. It felt like the air of suspicion was beginning to dissipate. ¡°What should we do? I doubted him earlier¡­¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we thank him?¡± Especially when it came to the man in question. ¡°Um¡­ thanks to you, we made it through safely!¡± ¡°I think we might¡¯ve misunderstood. A person who hates harming others like this¡­¡± ¡°Sorry for doubting you!¡± The people who had arrived at the tower with Yurina apologized. Though I didn¡¯t quite understand what they were sorry for, well, whatever. ¡°You¡¯re Lee Eunho, right? The guy who came first in thest mission!¡± ¡°We¡¯re survivors from the Yongsan Station group. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°From East Ichon-dong.¡± Even some representatives from other groups approached to exchange pleasantries. While I was greeting some of the more amiable groups¡­ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Cha Jinsol!!¡± A shrill, high-pitched voice pierced my ears. The owner of the name, a blonde guy who had been scuffling with a security guard earlier, was now facing a young woman in her 20s. She wore a short leather skirt and a tank top, with lettering tattoos on her corbone and shoulders. ¡°Ah, what?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not dead, right?! You¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not dead, so stop yelling! It¡¯s embarrassing!¡± ¡°You took the bullet out, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡®They must be close.¡¯ They didn¡¯t seem like a couple¡­ While I didn¡¯t particrly care about their rtionship, what mattered was: ¡°¡­Damn it, it hurts more now that I¡¯m talking about it.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll put some medicine on it.¡± The woman knelt in front of the blonde, who was frowning in pain, and extended her palm. ¡°Summon.¡± She summoned a t, round tin case. Then¡­ ¡ª Swish! She applied the white coagted substance inside to his wound. ¡®!!¡¯ The bullet wound began to heal instantly. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± It was just like S¡¯s healing skill. ¡°Could she be a healer?¡± Jieun, who had been watching, murmured as if to herself. ¡°It seems to be an item.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve never seen an item like that before.¡± Neither had I. I hadn¡¯t seen a coagted ointment like that, even in mid-tier shops. While I wondered about the unfamiliar item¡¯s origin¡­ ¡°Use more! What are you saving it for?¡± ¡°What if you guys get hurt again?¡± ¡°Ah, I told you, we won¡¯t get hurt anymore!¡± ¡°Shut up. I know you¡¯lle cryingter, demanding I make more.¡± The woman¡¯s words provided the answer. ¡®She makes it?¡¯ That must be her ability. ¡°Seventy percent? Is that enough?¡± ¡°Yeah. This much will heal on its own.¡± ¡°Ugh, useless.¡± ¡°Wanna die?¡± An ability to create healing medicine. Not as impressive as S¡¯s skills, but still useful. It might even extend to other types of medicine. Also¡­ ¡®That guy earlier seemed to use a skill too.¡¯ He had shot with pinpoint uracy from quite a distance. As I continued observing the conspicuous individuals one by one¡­ ¡ª Ding! [Attention all survivors in the Yongsan-gu area.] [The second mission, ¡®Cooperation,¡¯ will now begin!] An announcement informed us of the next mission. ¡®Cooperation,¡¯ following petition.¡¯ ¡°Damn it! Is it starting right away?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s cooperation¡­ I guess we¡¯re supposed to help each other?¡± ¡°Mr. Song! Hurry over here, now!¡± As I wondered what kind of mission would test our humanity this time¡­ Whoosh! Suddenly, a violent gust of wind swept through, shaking me where I stood. "Ahhh! What''s with this wind?!" "Is this a typhoon?!" The few skirts fluttered wildly, the power lines hanging from the utility poles swayed as if ready to snap, and the gust was strong enough to lift someone like Yura off the ground. This wasn¡¯t just a passing wind. Definitely not. Thinking as much, I barely managed to open my eyes and look around, shielding them from the dirt carried by the gale. And then, through the hazy cloud of dust, something came into view. "!!" A lump so white it seemed to radiate light. Boom¡ª! Encased in a ss-like nest. No, it seemed more like some kind of transparent, special material rather than ss. Given it had fallen from the sky and remained intact, it must be something extraordinary. But more important than that was what was coiled up inside that nest. Sssssssss¡ª! Sensing the vibration, it lifted its head sharply, sticking out a massive tongue. And the identity of ¡®that thing¡¯ was¡ª "A s-snake?!" "Ahhhhhh!" "You said it was an aptitude test! Cooperation, you said!! What¡¯s with the sudden snake?!" A massive shadow loomed over the panicking crowd. It wasn¡¯t just because of its length¡ªits sheer bulk was considerable, too. Evenpared to the distant Namsan Mountain, it didn¡¯t seem out of ce. "Holy crap! A dragon in the sky!!!" Well, it was massive enough to be mistaken for a dragon. So it made sense for those with weak nerves to bepletely terrified. "Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s blocked off." "That¡¯s right! It¡¯s sealed... Wait, huh?" Luckily, there was a barrier between us and the gaping-mouthed snake. Though the problem was that the barrier was a transparent ceiling of unknown thickness. "Good thing the nest is there. Otherwise, we might¡¯ve been crushed to death." "Uh, isn¡¯t that more like¡­ a funnel than a nest?" "Huh?" And then Jieun, with her sharp eyes, pointed out another problem. The transparent nest holding the snake wasn¡¯t t at the bottom. What¡¯s more¡ª "Ohhh! Now that you mention it¡­ It¡¯s a funnel supported by transparent cylinders, ma¡¯am!" The area around the stadium where people had been firing earlier was surrounded by invisible pirs. In other words, a cylindrical exit nted into the ground. It was obvious just from looking: this was a call to go inside. "The ceiling¡­ it¡¯s sealed, right? If it shatters, we¡¯re in big trouble." "Maybe it¡¯s meant to be dangerous?" "Huh?" Jieun¡¯s question to Jaehyuk was answered by me instead. With a bitter tone. "It wasn¡¯t sent down for us to just sit and watch." "!!" Of course, it was designed so we¡¯d encounter it. With us. "¡­¡­." A moment of silence followed, and then, as my words sank in, people began screaming one after another. [Mission Start.] [Eliminate the White Snake and survive!] Their faces turned as pale as the white snake. [If the first yer fails the mission, the next yer will have a turn!] ¡°A turn,¡± huh¡­ For a life-or-death mission, that term sounded oddly off. And yet, I couldn¡¯t help but agree. It was a pretty decent opportunity. ? Venom Pouch of the White Snake -A venom pouch extracted from a venomous snake. It is filled with a deadly poison that, when absorbed, spreads through the body within a minute, shutting down metabolism and hardening internal organs. -Usable Count: 10 The lethal venom injected into me by Yurina. That venom came from the White Snake. Which means¡ª ¡®It¡¯s a living treasure trove of items, that thing.¡¯ A smile crept onto my face for a moment. Its stark white body glowed with an almost sacred brilliance. In any case, from my perspective, it was both intriguing and desirable. "Shit! Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re expecting us to go in there?! I-I refuse! Not me!" "I won¡¯t do it either¡­! I get chills just from small snakes; what the hell is that?!" "Ahhhhhh!" Apparently, the others weren¡¯t interested. The indifferent broadcastmanding us to defeat the monster seemed all too familiar, yet everyone recoiled at the idea. Their desperate faces, brushing their arms as if snakes were crawling all over them, didn¡¯t make ¡®opportunity¡¯ seem like the right word. ¡®There aren¡¯t many who can actually fight properly¡­¡¯ Only three or four people seemed to be watching the enemy with sharp eyes. ¡®I should assume they¡¯re potentialpetitors.¡¯ If that¡¯s the case¡ª [Participant Lee Eunho, please enter the stadium!] ¡­Fine, it¡¯s better if I take care of it myself. I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re calling this ¡°cooperation.¡± ¡®Surely, they don¡¯t mean to cooperate with that thing.¡¯ All right, let¡¯s give this a shot. Snake hunting. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 63 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 63: Personality Test (3) "Eunho! Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay alone? It looks way too dangerous!" "Ah, can¡¯t you not go, hyung? I wish I could go in with you¡­" "Don¡¯t worry. If it looks dangerous, I¡¯lle back right away." How to deal with a snake like an Imugi. It won¡¯t be easy, but it won¡¯t be impossible either. It must have a weakness, though I don¡¯t know what it is yet. Step, step. I sharply observed the pale creature and took a step forward. At that moment. [The yer cooperating with ''Lee Eunho'' is...] ''What?'' The broadcast I thought had ended continued. [The selected yer is ''Cha Jinsol.''] "What? Huh?!" "Cha, Cha Jinsol! It¡¯s you!" "Ah, damn it..." Assigning us to partners neither of us wanted. [First yer selection isplete.] [Please enter the arena!] That¡¯s how the third-ranking observer missionpetitor, a blonde-haired individual, was pushed next to me in haste. The sight of them limping, their legs covered in tattoos of ck butterflies and dense writing, caught my eye. "What do we do?! You¡¯re still far from fully recovered¡­!" "Damn, of all times¡­" The lens revealed their health barely exceeding 70%. The gunshot wound they¡¯d sustained from being deflected by the guard¡¯s shield hadn¡¯t fully healed. ¡¾The ''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' asks who the limping person is.¡¿ ¡¾The ¡®Raven of the Administration Bureau'' clicks their tongue, saying the individual isn¡¯t fit to be taken in as a new subordinate.¡¿ It wasn¡¯t just the observers who were baffled by this sudden team event. Though their reasons were entirely different. [The time limit is 10 minutes.] [Defeat the White Snake and survive!] [''Cooperation'' mission begins!] Following the next announcement, the blonde-haired individual grumbled and approached me. "Fuck, what are we supposed to cooperate on?" I was wondering the same thing. How were we supposed to cooperate? Especially when one of us wasn¡¯t even in good shape. Step, step. Even so, I followed the system''s guidance. And so did they. Together, we approached the transparent funnel where a White Snake¡ªboth cloud-like and sky-like¡ªrested its coiled body. Standing before the pir holding it aloft. "Are we supposed to go in there?" "Probably." A square entrance reced what would have been a door. As we passed through and entered the pir, we saw it. Ssssshhh... The slowly writhing White Snake loomed above, almost covering the sky. My heart pounded as if it mighte crashing down at any moment, but now wasn¡¯t the time to fight. First, I need to assess the situation. I needed to find the snake¡¯s weakness and any advantages I could use here. Determined, I forced myself to look down. Then, I noticed a table and two chairs that had been there all along, along with various patterns decorating the ss-like walls of the pir. Sparkle! The sunlight pouring in from outside made the walls glimmer. From a distance, I thought they were smooth, transparent ss walls. But now¡­ ¡®Are these carvings?¡¯ Various patterns were embossed from eye level to the floor. The head of a snake sticking out its split tongue menacingly. Endless, ovepping snakeine bodies. And in between them, brick-like blocks protruding like markers. ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ Was it the chill of the countless, cold snake tongues surrounding me? Or was it the massive snake coiled above that gave me goosebumps? The eerie and surreal atmosphere overwhelmed me. Only after noticing the sweat in my palm and wiping it on my pants did I manage to regain myposure. ¡ªFwoooosh! The air changed. "Uh¡­ isn¡¯t it kind of hot?" The blonde was right. The suddenly humid air wrapping around my skin was noticeable. No one had taken any action, yet. Caught between confusion and unease, I quickly looked up. Ssh! Water pooled at our feet. "Huh? Where did this water suddenlye from?" "Wait a minute." Then came a faint sense of unease. "There were definitely carvings here earlier..." "Huh? Seriously! They were here just now, right? Am I seeing things?" No, I wasn¡¯t. The sudden heat in the cold room. The missing carvings. The water pooling at our feet. This was¡­ "It melted." "Melted? What did?" "Ice carvings!" The ice carvings embedded in the pir had melted and disappeared. And¡ª "Look. It¡¯sing down¡­" "...?!" The block adorned with intricate patterns was slowly descending, unable to bear its own weight. A space below deep enough to fit two people. Creak! The heavy stone scraped against itself as it moved. The sensation of a monstrous presence writhing above made my hair stand on end. No way. It couldn¡¯t be. It shouldn¡¯t be. Even as I told myself that, I quietly summoned my de. ck! The sound of something shutting echoed. And momentster. "!!" Drip! Drip! A drop of ck liquid fell from above. "Ugh!" "Move!!" I shoved the limping blonde aside. The ck droplet sshed onto the asphalt below. At the same time, the ground where the creature had been standing just moments ago melted away instantly¡ªexactly in the shape of the newly fallen droplet. ¡°What, what the hell is this? Where did that suddenly fall from...?¡± ¡°The ceiling¡¯s been breached!¡± The blonde-haired man¡¯s eyes widened as if they would pop out of his head. He instinctively tilted his head back, looking toward the sky¡ªor rather, the white ceiling above. ¡°!!¡± But it was already toote. Because¡ª ¡°The exit is blocked! Are we trapped in here now?!¡± The exit had already been sealed. The rectangr opening that had been there moments ago had instead turned into an opening in the ceiling before closing shut. This... something¡¯s not right. It seemed the bricks earlier were part of some mechanism controlling the ceiling and the door. Those patterned bricks sticking out vertically between the cracks. In that case¡ª Sssssss¡ª Before that pale snake marked us as its prey¡ª ¡°Get over here and help me lift this!¡± ¡°What? All of a sudden? What is this thing?¡± ¡°It looks like a device to open the door. Just hurry!¡± Thud! Even as the words spilled from his lips, he strained to lift the block on his own. But the door neither opened further nor closed; it simply froze in ce. The block, too, was immovable, an rming situation in itself. Still, the mission¡¯s title was ¡°Cooperation.¡± ¡°Quickly!¡± ¡°Oh, uh, alright!¡± Creak! The blonde-haired man, face full of doubt, moved closer and ced the opposite end of the block on his shoulder. Then¡ª ¡°It¡¯s working! It¡¯s moving!¡± The opening in the ceiling began to close, filling the empty space above. A gentle breeze slipped through the slowly opening gap in the door. As expected¡ª When the ceiling opens, the exit closes. When the ceiling closes, the exit opens. That left three choices. First option: The two of us could hold the block together until the timer ran out, safely escaping. This would result in mission failure but ensure our survival. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Second option: Forget the block, let the ceiling open, and fight the descending snake. If we seeded, we¡¯dplete the mission and potentially gain valuable loot, like venom pouch. But failure would mean grave injury¡ªor worse, death. Third option: One person holds the block while the other escapes. The ceiling wouldn¡¯t open as long as someone stayed behind to hold it. This is the worst option. The mission would fail, and we wouldn¡¯t even attempt to fight the snake. Now was the time to decide. What¡¯s the safest way to fight? Closebat? Too dangerous. Just touching the venom would kill them within a minute. Judging by how the ground had melted earlier, the situation could be even worse. If only I could encase myself in stone armor. Or perhaps attack from a distance? It would be safer, but the chances of doing significant damage seemed slim. In any case, rushing in recklessly wasn¡¯t an option. I need to find its weak point. As he studied the pale snake slithering closer through the rectangr opening¡ª ¡°Hah... It¡¯s open!¡± ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°No! I think I can get out!¡± The blonde-haired man, still struggling with the block on his shoulder, gestured toward the exit. Clearly, fighting the snake had never crossed his mind. ¡¾"The Raven of the Administration Bureau" suggests feeding cowards who only think of running to the snake.¡¿ Ignoring the message, I focused on the snake flicking its forked tongue in the air. ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡ªjust hold on a little longer.¡± ¡°Hold on, my ass! You¡¯re not seriously thinking about fighting that thing, are you?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s worth fighting, we should fight.¡± ¡°Look at me! I can barely stand with this leg! We¡¯d die instantly. Just give up and let the next team handle it!¡± ¡°Why should we?¡± The blonde-haired man snapped, his face a mixture of fear and anger. ¡°My leg¡¯s barely holding me up! What do you know about this?!¡± Oh, I knew. How could I not? The same injury this guy had gotten 30 minutes ago, I had endured for 10 years straight. But more importantly¡ª ¡°What about the reward you got earlier? Where did you spend it?¡± ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just wondering if you¡¯re struggling to decide how to use it.¡± I implied that the reward could have been used to heal the injury. The blonde-haired man scoffed at the obvious question. ¡°Of course I upgraded my skills. What else would I do?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You used your skills earlier too, didn¡¯t you? Skillse first¡ªwhat¡¯s there to think about?¡± So naive. He must have spent every reward up until now on visible stats and skills. That kind of injury would¡¯ve healedpletely with the mission reward. Just like mine had. Still, there was no need to share that information. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. Fight or die¡ªdo what you want!¡± With that, the blonde-haired man yelled, ¡°Summon!¡± He pulled out a palm-sized needle, the kind a tattoo artist might use. And then¡ª ¡°...?!¡± He stabbed it into the invisible wall, carving out lines. Jab! The needle pierced. Screech! He etched arge circle bigger than his head, followed by two straight lines resembling legs. From there, he extended curved lines outward to the left and right. ¡¾''Prince of the Investigation Bureau'' nodded, acknowledging that the 13th District indeed had many artists, as rumored.¡¿ ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' suggested that if a man were to aplish great feats, he''d need artists to glorify those achievements, proposing to keep them alive.¡¿ ¡¾''Night Owl of the Audit Bureau'' quipped, asking if he was painting a self-portrait.¡¿ "No, this is¡­." Creak! Creak! Sweat trickled down the figure''s forehead. It resembled the ice that had melted earlier, dissolving under the heat emitted by its own body. After some time had passed¡ª "Manifestation!" With those words, spoken confidently by the man that had drained all its energy¡ª Boom! "!!" A sculpture emerged. Swinging its arm, which extended down to its ankles. "A gori¡­?" It was alive. No, it had been brought to life. By the man¡¯s drawing and skill. ¡¾''Night Owl of the Audit Bureau'' gasped, eximing that the self-portrait hade alive!¡¿ "Make it lift this! Quickly!" Following the blonde man''s instructions, the gori raised its arms and ced the block onto its hands. It was a n to have the gori hold the block and escape in the meantime. A clever strategy, except¡ª "¡­It doesn''t look like it''ll hold up." ¡ªSwish, tap! Swish, tap! From here to the exit, it was about 20 steps at the figure''s stride. At least 30 seconds. But the gori created by the figure was already trembling in its arms. Indeed, it was an impressive skill, but¡­. "I''m out of here!" Not quite there yet. "Fight or die, do whatever y¡ªhuh¡­?!" The blonde man''s sentence trailed off mid-word. Creak! Crackle! The ss gori started to crack from its arm and copsed into shards. "Fuck!!" And he immediately turned back and ran, his steps uneven. However¡ª Rumble, rumble, rumble! The exit had already shut. Shhhhhh¡ª And the ceiling opened wide. Three seconds. That''s how long it took for a pure white snake to notice the opened space, slither down the wall, and stop in front of the blonde man, raising its head. "S-Summon! Aaaargh!!" The blonde man quickly drew a spear as tall as himself and thrust it at the snake.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Then¡ª Fsst! A thin line was drawn across the snake''s white skin. A faintly murky white line. It meant the attack connected but didn¡¯t draw blood. ''Its defense is too high.'' ¡¸99.9%¡¹ ''Its health barely decreased... Wait, huh?'' ¡¸100%¡¹ It hadn''t just barely decreased¡ª ''It regenerated?'' "What the hell is this thing?! The wound just healed instantly!" Sigh. It made sense now how a mission with so many people could revolve around a single monster. "They put something unkible in here." "Then what do we do?! We can''t run, and¡­!" If its regeneration made regr attacks useless, there were only two options: ''Stop its regeneration or overpower it so much that regeneration doesn¡¯t matter.'' Think, think, think. There had to be a good method¡­ As I looked around¡ª ''Aha!'' There was. A way that could only work on this creature. More specifically¡ª ''Winning without fighting.'' "Aaaaaaah! Save me!" The blonde man tried to use his skill again, holding a needle, but tripped and fell on his rear as the snake lunged at his wrist, jaws wide open. It was impossible. How could one think of drawing a picture while an enemy flicked its tongue right in front of them? "Jinsol! Aaaaah!" The shriek from the girl pierced the ears, louder than the blonde man''s screams. The friend, who had been watching from outside, was now panicking more than anyone. The woman d in a leather skirt, her body covered in tattoos like the rest, had rushed up to the transparent wall. "Eunho! Be careful!" The worry-stricken Jieun also cried out from behind her. So¡ª "Save me! Aaaaaah!" Watching the iling blonde man, he turned to the two women. "Well, I¡¯ll just go save him quickly." "Jinsol! Jinsol¡­ huh?" "¡­Alright! Eunho!" Leaving the frantic woman and Jieun, who was still looking at me with a mix of faith and anxiety¡ª Shhhhhh¡ª! I charged. Straight toward the snake, which had opened its jaws wide as if inviting me to try. "Sword Wind!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 64 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 64: Personality Test (4) Whoosh! At the same time, a sharp gust of wind shot out like a boomerang from the sword¡¯s swing. A single gust that smoothly tore through the white snake''s hide. But. ¡¸99.3%¡¹ ¡¸100.0%¡¹ The health that was easily reduced was just as easily restored. As expected. ¡°Attacking doesn¡¯t work! It just regenerates immediately!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­!¡± At that moment, the snake, which had been aiming at the blonde-haired guy¡¯s eyes, turned its head toward me. Its glowing eyes bore into me, and if its flicking tongue was savoring the thought of a meal, it might not have been pure imagination. ¡°Sword Wind!¡± The reason I struck at the pure-white predator with an ineffective attack was¡ª Leap! ¡ªperhaps odd to say, to run away. ¡°Sword Wind!¡± Swinging and jumping. I dashed across, up, and diagonally through the vast cylindrical space. Here and there, I jabbed my sword to test openings. Hissssss! If the creature flicked out its forked, crimson tongue as if to say, I¡¯ve got you!¡ª Leap! ¡ªI retraced my steps and fled again. Dodging its body or tail, stepping on it, and leaping over. ¡°What are you doing right now? Either attack or don¡¯t! Why are you provoking it?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all set.¡± ¡°What is?!¡± Then, the final move. Tap! Tap! Tap! I leapt off blocks embedded in the walls. Sure enough, the legless creature wriggled with all its might to chase after me. After confirming my diligent pursuer, I turned back, avoiding the snake¡¯s gaping maw as it climbed the wall. Thud! I jumped down. Landing right into the coiled center of the snake¡¯s body. As if tethered to a bungee cord, the white snake came straight down after me. Hissssss! Venom dripped from its gaping mouth. Ssssst! I blocked with my petrified right arm, then found a gap under the snake¡¯s belly and barely escaped. As expected, it chased me relentlessly. But¡­ Snap! Its head snagged on its own coiled body. It looked like it had tied its tail around its neck, forming a scarf-like knot. Hissssss! The enraged snake iled, jaws wide as it tried to free its head. Snap! Snap! But the more it struggled, the tighter the knot became. ¡°You tied it up? Did you seriously tie it up?!¡± ¡°Why else do you think I ran around like that?¡± ¡°I thought you were scared and just running for your life¡­!¡± Ignoring the blonde-haired guy, who was cowering in a corner with his mouth agape, I approached. Step. The snake spat venom at me, flicking its tongue furiously. I walked closer, until I was reflected in its glowing blonde eyes. Kaaaaaah! The snake opened its jaws wide, as if determined to swallow me whole. And then¡ª ¡°elerate! Petrification!¡± I shoved my hardened right arm and leg into its maw. At the same time¡ª [You are exposed to a high concentration of venom!] Ssssst! The venom dripped from the roof of its mouth, burning through the sole of my right shoe. [Due to the effects of Petrification, the venom does not prate your body!] I had the stone-like gift from the random box and the golem. ¡°Summon.¡± And I had the weapon left by the serial killer. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang... Golden mental energy poured out like a waterfall. The bullets hit the snake¡¯s softest spot over and over. I didn¡¯t even count how many times I fired. And as they umted¡ª Tick!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om When all the umted time of pain struck at once... [The White Snake has been incapacitated!] The once gleaming white hide, the glowing blonde eyes, and the crimson tongue lost their luster. [Match cannot resume!] [The ¡®Cooperation¡¯ mission is terminated early!] * * * [¡­That concludes the report.] As soon as Harona finished speaking, Seung exhaled a breath he had been holding. Why does his throat feel so dry, even though the report was delivered by his superior? He simply couldn¡¯t understand. [...] The conference room was filled with a noisy silence. Noisy because everyone¡¯s minds were busy calcting their own interests, and silent because one person''s words mattered more than all of theirsbined. [So.] A voice as vast as the sky and as heavy as the earth resonated through the space. The voice of the boss, who was the sky and the earth for everyone here. [Is this person worth going against the Center for?] [Well...] Harona, who was fumbling to respond, shut her mouth. The department head seated next to the director quietly shook his head. It must have meant, "Don¡¯t bring up unnecessary matters and escte this." [Unbelievable. Rejecting the Center Director¡¯s request just to protect a single subject?] [It¡¯s not about protection, but...] [Manager Harona!] The department head watching her quietly interrupted her words. After all, how could a mere manager dare to contradict the words of a director who was like the sky? But. [!!] The director raised his hand, not to stop the impudent manager, but to silence the department head. [What is it? If it¡¯s not about protection, then what?] And he even looked at her silently, as if to say, ¡°Go on.¡± [What they want isn¡¯t just one subject. This must be their way of gradually taking over the authority of the Administration Bureau.] [Isn¡¯t that an excessive leap in logic?] [Isn¡¯t it strange for the Center Director to formally request, and that too personally, for just one subject?] "Hmm." The director let out a low hum. And then. [Intriguing.] A faint curiosity spread across his stony face. [What kind of talent could be so valuable that everyone wants it under their control?] [He¡ªhe¡¯s an indispensable asset! Director, if you see him yourself, you¡¯ll understand!] Sensing the opportunity, Harona seized the moment. [If that¡¯s truly your opinion,] And because of that... [Protect him.] [!!] [And prove it¡ªprove his worth.] ...she achieved her goal. The conclusion that she wouldn¡¯t have to give up the subject she had personally scouted and nurtured. [If not, I will hold you ountable.] [Thank you for trusting me, Director!] The girl bowed deeply, smiling as brightly as a newly blossomed flower. But, just then¡ª Beeeep! [?!] [What¡¯s this sound?!] A foreboding sound that should never be heard at this moment echoed loudly. ¡¾Warning!¡¿ ¡¾Mission interference detected!¡¿ The room was filled with unwee news that should never have reached their ears. ¡¾Proof Protocol interrupted.¡¿ ¡¾As a penalty for the disruption, subject ''Lee Eunho'' will be penalized.¡¿ ...News that the subject she had just barely managed to secure had caused trouble. [Haa...] The girl, newly bloomed, swallowed a curse. Of course, silently. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * [¡®Cooperation¡¯ missionplete!] [Mission reward: 1 point granted.] [Check your reward now!] The mission was over. That is, the mission was... ¡°What¡ªwhat are you doing right now?!¡± The blond-haired man, slumping against the wall, scrambled to his feet in shock. It seemed he was startled by the sight of me raising my sharp longsword even though the mission was already over. ¡°Not you.¡± I tossed him a single line to reassure him before turning my head. Toward the white snake that needed to be ''dismantled.'' ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be good for your health.¡± ¡°...What is?¡± ¡°Snake.¡± ¡°...What?¡± Squelch! Leaving the speechless blond behind, I stabbed downward, driving the sword through the head already torn apart by gunfire. Like slicing through raw meat, the sword sank into the flesh, sawing through the skull and splitting it in two. [You have in the White Snake!] Beeeep! A ringing sound, sharp enough to shake my skull, pierced my ears. [Warning!] [Emergency alert triggered!] ¡°What? What now?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the alert all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s another golem or something?¡± I listened, bracing myself, wondering what kind of disaster would be gifted to me this time. And then I heard it. [Subject ''Lee Eunho.'' A penalty will be imposed for obstructing mission execution.] ''...Me?'' A grandiose usation of "mission execution obstruction." [For one hour, your vision will be blocked.] [For one hour, you will only hear system messages.] [For one hour, all your words will be muted.] An absurd punishment. ¡¾''The Raven of the Administration Bureau'' is enraged by this ridiculous action!¡¿ ¡¾''External Affairs Department''s Rookie'' questions why this channel imposes so many penalties!¡¿ ¡¾''Investigation Bureau''s Brain'' frowns, saying it was just getting interesting!¡¿ ¡¾Numerous observers are exploding with frustration at this irritating turn of events!¡¿ "Not to see, not to hear, not to speak?" As absurd as it sounded, I spat out a string of curses. [You have fallen into the status ailment: Silence.] "??!" No sound came out of my mouth. And then. [You have fallen into the status ailment: Deafness.] ¡ª! The sound vanished. Every sound that existed in the world was erased as if wiped away by an eraser. Even the startled voices of mypanions, reacting to the announcement, didn¡¯t reach me. They just mouthed words, nothing more. ''Damn it¡­!'' And finally. [You have fallen into the status ailment: Blindness.] Blink! My vision, without even closing my eyes, disappeared as if someone had turned off the lights. ''!!'' The tactile sensation of the sword in my hand was still there. The roughness of the severed snake¡¯s head was still there. The distinct metallic tang of cold-blooded animals and the dyed smell of blood¡ªall still there. But darkness. Above, below, to the sides, behind¡ªall that remained was darkness. ''This is...'' Every sense of direction was lost. Even while staying still, it felt as though I was sinking downward, deeper and deeper. I dropped the sword I had been holding without realizing it, but even that made no sound, no sensation, leaving me shivering. Eventually, as all the sensations I had just experienced felt like they had never been mine to begin with¡ª "¡­Ho!" Someone grabbed my shoulder and shook it. ¡ªFwahhh! Light burst through, shattering like ss, flooding through my face. "¡­What happened?!" "¡­Are you okay?!" tter! Thud! Bang! ng! Crash! ¡ªA cacophony of chaotic noise pierced through my head as if to make up for the earlier silence. ¡ªDing! And then, a special message only for me. [Subject ''Lee Eunho.'' Penalty has been canceled due to the influence of your unique trait, Rebel.] [Vision is restored.] [Hearing is restored.] [Speech is restored.] Light and sound poured in all at once. A flood. A torrential downpour, soaking mepletely, as though I was buried under it. "How do youplete a mission when you don¡¯t even know what it is?!" "This fucking system!" And from that fucking system¡ª [Congrattions!] [You have earned a special title, Disobedience!] I had gained something instead. A grandiose title called Disobedience. [Would you like to check the effect of the title?] Disobedience? [The title Disobedience transforms penalties into benefits!] [Duration: 1 hour.] [The status ailments Blindness, Deafness, and Silence reverse in effect.] Penalties turning into benefits? With "reversals" and "reactions," how was I supposed to interpret this wordy of a system? Reversal¡­ does that mean the effects work in reverse? But there wasn¡¯t even time to properly analyze it before the messages poured in again. [You can see the core of objects.] [You can hear sounds that cannot be heard.] [Your speech gains power.] And with those abilities, I looked beyond my restored sight. "¡­Huh?" Wait a second. This snake¡­ What is it hiding in its stomach? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!