episode_0002

Episode 2. It’s best to avoid crazy bitches.

I blankly stared at the blue hologram that appeared before my eyes. It was too clear to be a hallucination, and the time limit that was decreasing in real-time awakened my sense of reality.

[Would you like to enter the Tower?]

[Yes] [No]

[Time Limit: 39s]

Hidden camera… it could be. These days, technology was developing so rapidly. But that possibility quickly crumbled.

‘Augmented reality that you can see even when you close your eyes… There’s no way that exists.’

Seeing me suddenly stop, Seon-ah asked.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“……Seon-ah. Can you see this too, by any chance?”

I knew she wouldn’t see it, but I asked just in case.

“See what? There’s nothing here?”

“……”

[Time Limit: 24s]

I don’t usually enjoy watching webtoons or web novels. But, at the recommendation of my friends, I had seen a webtoon that was ranked highly.

The story was about a protagonist who regressed to the past and gained abilities like a game character to kill monsters. But it wasn’t very interesting, so I only watched up to episode 5 before turning it off.

There were a few things that impressed me while watching the work. One of them was the element of the ‘status window.’

Showing one’s current state in numerical form, I thought it would be quite convenient if it existed in reality.

‘It’s exactly like that.’

What I saw in the drawing appeared in reality. I felt quite strange. I mumbled to myself with a hopeful heart.

‘Status window.’

[Would you like to enter the Tower?]

[Yes] [No]

[Time Limit: 12s]

Nothing happened. But time continued to dwindle.

They say life is a series of choices. It seemed like staying still wasn’t a good choice.

I repeat, I am satisfied with my current life. In other words, I didn’t particularly want to take a risk.

‘No.’

I repeated to myself as I moved my hand. When I brought my finger to the white letters engraved on the blue background, a wave-like ripple occurred.

‘……’

Nothing happened. I twitched my eyebrows and repeatedly tapped the letters.

‘No, no, no, no, no.’

Seeing me like that, Seon-ah panicked and said.

“Yohan! Why are you suddenly like this! What’s in front of you?”

“……”

I’m sorry, but I couldn’t answer her. Because the time limit, which was decreasing in real-time, was putting pressure on me.

’10, 9, 8, 7, 6……’

What kind of change would occur if that number reached ‘0’? Would the hologram disappear like a midsummer night’s dream?

Or maybe……

“Yohan! Get a grip!”

[Time Limit: 1s]

Would a terrible filth splatter on my perfect life?

[Time Limit: 0s]

[You have not made a selection.]

[Entering the Tower.]

Paaaaat─

While looking at the brightly shining scenery around me, I muttered a string of curse words I hadn’t used in a while.

“Shit, was it a predetermined answer……”

When the brilliant light faded, I was standing in a vast field. Along with other strangers I was seeing for the first time.

“……”

[You have entered the Tower.]

[Awakening the Status Window.]

[For the smooth start of the user, the Tower opens the Status Window for the first time only.]

————————–

[Name- Shin Yohan]

[Age- 20]

[Disposition- Cold-blooded Egoist]

[Occupation- None]

[Stats]

[Strength- 13]

[Sense- 13]

[Durability- 12]

[Endurance- 13]

[Trait]

[Perfect Memory]

[Skills]

[None]

[Karma- 0]

[Gold- 0]

————————–

I looked at the countless letters that appeared before my eyes. But I immediately turned my gaze away. What was important right now wasn’t those pieces of text.

Shouts of various pitches rang out from everywhere.

“Fuck! Where am I!”

“Is this a dream? Is this a dream? Is this a dream? Is this a dream?”

“Another world reincarnation, hooray!”

“Do you know how important of a meeting I was having! Send me back right now! The client is waiting!”

“My phone…… won’t turn on?”

“……”

A thug spewing profanity, a small man with messy hair, a bespectacled, acne-ridden pig, a middle-aged man in a suit… and so on.

There were easily over 100 people. Each individual’s unique personality awakened a sense of reality.

‘What a mess.’

Then, I suddenly doubted my eyes. It was because of a woman who was taking actions that I couldn’t understand at all.

‘Huh?’

It was a woman who had pitch-black hair grown down to the lowest part of her shoulder blades. She was quite far away, so I couldn’t see her face well, but at first glance, I thought she was a beauty.

Unlike Seon-ah, she was a beauty with a cold feeling, you could say. The blue kitchen knife she was holding added to that feeling.

“……”

I rummaged through my pockets. The belongings I had in reality were still there. That meant that the woman had been carrying a kitchen knife even before entering the Tower.

In other words, she’s not just any crazy bitch. Furthermore, she was holding the kitchen knife up to shoulder height and was preparing to swing it down. Was she trying to commit suicide?

‘It’s best to avoid crazy bitches.’

Of course, I had no intention of stopping her actions. Because even I was confused right now. I immediately took a step back and distanced myself from her.

But the people around me seemed to have a strong sense of justice. They immediately shouted and stopped her.

“Oh! Miss! A young person shouldn’t do that!”

“Even if you’re shocked! Put that knife down!”

“……”

Many people rushed in and subdued her limbs. She looked at the others who were grabbing her body with a strangely empty expression.

“──.”

She mumbled something quietly, but I couldn’t hear her because of the distance. Not that I particularly wanted to hear it.

“I’ll hold onto this kitchen knife for now! I’ll give it to you later! Later!”

A man with a sturdy build shouted like that. He was a handsome man with clear-cut features.

“……”

I lost interest after seeing that. It was a shame. I was curious if someone would actually die if they died here.

Immediately after, a new hologram appeared before my eyes.

[The tutorial stage will begin soon.]

[Time remaining until start: 14min 59s]

“……”

The remaining time slowly decreasing. I felt like I was going to develop trauma.

I looked at the thing called ‘Status Window.’

‘Strength, Sense, Durability… I roughly get the feeling.’

A system where you use points to raise stats and become stronger through that, just like I saw in the webtoon. Maybe they use Karma or Gold instead of points.

I moved my finger and touched the letters that said [Strength].

[Would you like to increase Strength to 14?]

[Karma is insufficient.]

[Required Karma: 14]

I explored the Status Window for a while. It wasn’t difficult. Explanations came out if you just pressed around here and there.

‘I can’t just stay still. Surely, something bizarre will happen again when that timer ends. I need to gather as much information as possible.’

I don’t know what the purpose of the ‘Tower’ that called me here is, but I decided to go along with it for now.

[Time remaining until start: 9min 48s]

‘Is this the end?’

It didn’t take long to figure out the Status Window. Because it was too simple.

Of course, I didn’t gain much knowledge either. At best, the meaning of each stat and the function of the trait, you could say. Leaving aside the stats, this ‘trait’ was truly amazing.

[Perfect Memory]

[You remember everything. You never forget. No one can touch your memories.]

An explanation that was so humble it was absurd. But the effect was truly outstanding.

‘I remember everything. Everything.’

Even if I only concentrated a little, memories from when I was young came to me vividly. I even remembered my life as a newborn.

The faces, expressions, clothes, ages… of all the people I had met so far. All the memories were clear.

‘I’m sure of it. This isn’t just a simple illusion. It’s all real.’

I was starting to feel it more and more. To be honest, I was still wondering if it was all a dream in the corner of my heart. Because it’s so unrealistic.

But the memories floating up in my head awakened a sense of reality. Absolutely, this is not a hallucination.

That means……

[Time remaining until start: 7min 31s]

Everything that happens the moment that timer hits 0 is all real.

Whooosh─

At that moment, I felt an intense heat from the side. I was startled and leaped to the side.

“Oooooh! Another world privilege!”

I blankly stared at the source of the heat. There was the bespectacled, acne-ridden pig. A clear flame was rising from the palm of that man’s hand.

“Heok!”

“What’s that again!”

The people standing around looked at the man in shock. Of course. Something they only saw in movies was unfolding before their eyes.

But, this was just the beginning.

“Iyat! Freeze!”

“It’s a real, real sword? Ah, blood!”

People were summoning various weapons, making ice, and even there was an old lady who jumped as high as a volleyball player.

“……”

[Perfect Memory]

For some reason, I felt a little left out.