Chapter 6
"...What? Huh?!"
Jung-hoon had no time to react.
The white egg in his left hand suddenly trembled before bouncing out of Jung-hoon's grasp.
Thunk!
Then, the surface of the egg began to gild, and soon it started cracking. Jung-hoon's face paled, while Cheonma exclaimed in awe.
"Your luck is truly remarkable. Trap items are already rare, but an egg-shaped trap item? I've never seen anything like it."
"Isn't this bad luck?! My summon!"
"Summon? Can't you even read Korean? Pray for low-level monsters to spawn and prepare to fight!"
"What kind of nonsense is this?!"
As gray smoke poured out of the egg, it soon transformed into the shape of a monster.
A notification appeared, and within seconds, a monster stood before Jung-hoon.
It was a humanoid monster with green skin and torn eyes.
A goblin.
A creature synonymous with low-level monsters and one Jung-hoon had just slaughtered. Yet, Cheonma shook his head incredulously.
"Well, well."
This goblin warrior, unlike the tutorial goblins, was in a league of its own.
<Crimson Sunset Tribe Goblin Warrior>
On top of its head, wielding a sharp kukri, those words were written.
"What's with the intimidating goblin title?"
"Don't bother... No, it's meaningless. Fighting is futile. It's all about stat adjustments and tactics, but in this state, we can't win even if we wake up dead."
"Is there a penalty for dying?"
"Of course not at the newbie stage. Death penalties become stronger as you level up."
"Hmm."
Jung-hoon glanced at the goblin warrior. The creature seemed to smirk, realizing Jung-hoon was a complete novice. Like a cat with a mouse right before the pounce.
But still.
"Let's give it a shot. It's not going to die quietly, right?"
"Good attitude. Those who give up at the first sign of trouble never rise high!"
Thud!
With all his might, Jung-hoon charged at the goblin. It was a movement that seemed impossible for someone who had just started the game today.
"Hya!"
With a powerful roar, Jung-hoon's fist aimed for the goblin's head, slicing through the air.
Perhaps it was because Jung-hoon had underestimated the creature, thinking of it as a mere mouse. The goblin warrior noticeably flinched, lowering its head in surprise.
Thwack!
But it couldn't completely avoid the blow, and Jung-hoon's fist struck the goblin's forehead squarely.
"Alright... Huh?!"
However, that was precisely the limit.
The goblin warrior blinked its eyes and swung its kukri toward Jung-hoon.
"Scream!!!"
"What, what?! Why isn't it effective?!"
"Why wouldn't it be? You're just a level 1 newbie trying to take on a level 35 elite monster bare-handed. Do you think your damage will actually land? Even with the bonus stats, if they weren't there, the recoil from your attack might have ended up draining your own HP."
"What do we do then?!"
"Well... there's no sharp solution. The difference in stats is too obvious. Even if I were to fight myself, it wouldn't work out."
"But you said you've been playing for 10 years!"
"What does being a 10-year veteran have to do with it? Some things just can't be done."
It had only been about 10 seconds since Jung-hoon struck the goblin, but blood was already trickling down his body from the minor cuts caused by the kukri. Checking his status, his HP had suddenly halved.
He hadn't even landed a direct hit!
"It's unfair, but what can you do? RPGs are all about levels and gear. Just try to avoid as much as possible and maybe spitting on it would relieve some tension?"
"I want to defeat it!"
With a shout, Jung-hoon swiftly pulled out a sword from his inventory and aimed it at the goblin's neck. Perhaps startled by the sudden appearance of the weapon, the goblin's reaction was slightly delayed.
Thunk!
Jung-hoon's sword tip pierced the goblin's throat precisely! In that moment of triumph for Jung-hoon...
"Grr?"
"Oh, I forgot to mention. Until an unempathized item is empathized, it can neither deal damage nor defend. It's just for show. It would probably be more effective to just smack it with that brick over there."
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?!"
The startled goblin grinned and then began to strike back even more fiercely with a menacing expression.
"Seriously, I'm going to die! Is there really no way?!"
"Hmm... none."
"Hey, 10-year veteran!!!"
"Who knows? Maybe if you pulled out an unempathized sword from a random box and then pulled out a top-grade empathy scroll from the other box, empathized the sword, and got two or three additional options, there might have been a chance?"
"What? That's ridiculous!"
"Ridiculous? Is it really? If that actually happened, then it wouldn't be a game, just blatant manipulation."
"Ugh, I don't know anymore."
With a sense of resignation, Jung-hoon swung his sword at the goblin for the last time. Anticipating his demise, he closed his eyes tightly.
"Well, you've lasted much better than I thought. Good effort. If you keep that passion and go back to town, I'll definitely treat you to something... huh?"
However, there was one fact overlooked by even Cheonma, who had played the game for over 10 years.
Jung-hoon possessed something that had never existed in his 10 years of playing—an irregularity that could easily be called manipulation or cheating.
Swish!
As Jung-hoon swung his sword, a bright light began to emanate from it. And as the rust peeled away, revealing each individual blade, a crimson hue began to emerge.
Ding!
[Unlocking 10-star skill 'Unlock.']
[Unsealing unempathized items. Perfectly empathizing all items below legendary grade.]
[Additional options discovered.]
[Additional options discovered.]
[Additional options discovered.]
[A total of 3 additional options have been discovered. The item's grade will be upgraded by one step.]
Shk!
Jung-hoon's sword strike cleanly sliced through the goblin's arm.
"Huh?"
"...Huh?"
The unimaginable event left Jung-hoon and even Cheonma dumbfounded.
Despite the goblin writhing on the ground, screaming in agony with its severed arm, the shock was so immense that it barely registered.
What on earth had just happened?
"Uh, info window."
Ding!
[Green Skin Slayer]
[Grade: Hero]
[Level Limit: 10]
[Bound Item]
[Physical Attack Power: 170~190]
- Strength +2
- Agility +2
- Dexterity +3
- Attack Speed +5%
- Movement Speed +3%
[A lightweight and sturdy one-handed saber. Faint magic of the wind increases the user's speed.]
- Additional Option 1: Agility +4
- Additional Option 2: Item Level Limit - 10
- Additional Option 3 (Hidden): Damage against Green Skin monsters increases by 300% with a low probability.
*Due to the additional option (hidden), the name and grade of the item have been changed.
"Wow."
Even amidst the silence, Jung-hoon felt like he could understand one thing.
"This is insane."
They were experiencing something that ordinary users would never even dream of.
But beyond the appearance of a hero-grade weapon in the tutorial, there was something even more important.
"The Unlock skill was related to empathy!"
He had caught a glimpse of the clue to a 10-star skill!
Cheonma's voice was filled with more excitement than ever.
"Cheonma hyung, hold on a moment."
- "Hold on? What could be more urgent than a 10-star skill... oh."
Jung-hoon didn't respond but instead tightly grasped the Green Skin Slayer. At the edge of his vision lay the goblin warrior, writhing in pain and blood.
"We still need to finish what we started. It's all experience points and money."
- "You're not going to get robbed anywhere you go, are you?"
"Is that a compliment?"
- "Of course. You've got to make sure you grab what's yours. Especially in Lase."
With one arm already lost and its combat power drastically reduced, the goblin warrior was practically defenseless.
The 300% bonus from the additional option had clearly taken effect.
Its HP probably wasn't that high either.
In short, there was no longer any threat whatsoever.
However.
Ding!
[Moving to the next scene in 5 seconds.]
Even the lengthy tutorial no longer waited for Jung-hoon.
"Oh, no! Just one minute... no, 30 seconds!"
- Hey! Hey! Run! Kill! Push!
Jung-hoon exerted every last ounce of strength and thrust his sword into the ground.
Thunk!
The sensation of the blade piercing flesh traveled up the sword.
Plop!
Immediately after, a new scene unfolded before Jung-hoon.
* * *
In the central square of the starting city, Raycin, users were appearing one after another with a brief flash of light.
These were the ones who had completed the tutorial and were now stepping onto the stage of the continent in earnest.
"Is this the starting village?"
"Wow, look at the graphics of the buildings. Is this a game or a real world?"
"Hey! Let's start by killing some monsters!"
"Quest! Quest!"
While a stream of novice players rushed past, other users paid them no mind. In the starting city of Raycin, this was a common sight.
"Sigh."
And Jung-hoon sitting in the middle of the square, sighing, was not a particularly unusual sight either.
"That person must have had a tough time too."
"The tutorial monsters are no joke."
"It's kill or be killed unless you're at pro gamer level. Kill or be killed."
"It's not an easy game, that's for sure."
It was all too common for those who believed they had talent in the game to receive a harsh lesson in the tutorial.
"Sigh. If only I had ten more seconds."
Of course, this story had nothing to do with Jung-hoon.
Ding!
[Name: Karpe]
[Level: 2]
[HP: 165/165]
[MP: 31/31]
[Strength: 1(+24) Agility: 1(+24) Endurance: 1(+24) Dexterity: 1(+24) Magic: 1(+24)]
- Distributable Bonus Status: 5
[Titles (5)]
- First 10-Star Skill
- First 0-Star Rear Commander
- Two Firsts
- Complete Victory in the Tutorial
- Leveled Up in the Tutorial!
[Rear Commander]
0-Star – Celestial Master (Irregular)
[Skills]
10-Star - Unlock Lv. 2
- Distributable Bonus Skill Points: 2
Fortunately, Jung-hoon's final charge was successful. The fact that he reached level 2 was the most concrete evidence!
Distributable bonus stats and skill points were also generated.
"And the fact that my stats have increased by 2 each... probably due to the effects of the new title..."
Without a doubt, Jung-hoon... no, Karpe touched the new title.
[Leveled Up in the Tutorial!]
- You leveled up in a tutorial area where you normally can't earn experience points. A remarkable achievement.
- All stats +2
"Phew."
It was intoxicating. Perfect. It was enough to be certain that the tutorial was simply outstanding.
"Ha, if only I had ten more seconds, it would have been perfect."
Well, to be precise, it was about 99% perfect.
"What if the goblin warrior dropped a top-tier item? Ah, I forgot to check the drops. If only I had ten more seconds!"
- What's this crazy nonsense again? Is the goblin a dragon? Why would it drop a top-tier item? It's lucky if it drops even a trash item.
"Ah! My top-tier trash item!"
- Little rat...
"Well, enough joking around."
Karpe looked at Cheonma with a questioning gaze and spoke.
"How come you're here, Cheonma? Aren't Rear Commanders supposed to be hard to find after the tutorial ends?"
- That's right. Most users think so.
According to the strategy guide Karpe skimmed through, Rear Commanders are beings subjected to powerful constraints akin to the gods, which restrict their activities.
In order for Rear Commanders to communicate with users, they had to expend a great deal of power, and to conserve that power, they refrained from contact as much as possible. So why was he here, as if it were only natural?
"Could it be that Cheonma's an irregular? Do irregulars have the ability to casually disregard game settings or systems?"
- No, I don't think that's it.
"Then what is it?"
- I'm not exactly sure, but I have a guess. It might be because of the title.
"The title? Ah!"
Come to think of it, I obtained a title related to Rear Commanders when I did the draw. Jung-hoon once again examined the title.
[First 0-Star Rear Commander]
- One constraint of the Rear Commander is lifted.
"This is it."
- Thank goodness. If I had been under constraint and unable to communicate properly... just the thought of it is horrifying.
"Yeah, you're right. I mean, I've got this 10-year veteran strategy guide, so I should use it properly. Honestly, I'm still a bit skeptical."
- Well, that's understandable, given that it's hard to believe.
Cheonma chuckled and said,
- You just have to prove it from now on.
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