episode_0007

Episode 7. Floor 1. First conversation with a crazy woman.

Starting with Kim Sara and me, other people also joined the hunt one after another. Among them, the delinquent was the fastest, as expected.

I also tried my best, but I couldn’t make it to first place.

First of all, the fact that my weapon was only a stone played a part, and Kim Sara and the delinquent’s hunting skills were too overwhelming.

Before long, all the rabbits in the field disappeared. I took a breath and checked the rankings. My ranking was lower than in the first round.

[Kill Ranking]

[1st~50th place: Survival]

[51st~100th place: Death]

1st place: Cha Seung-in (40 kills)

2nd place: Kim Sara (37 kills)

3rd place: Shin Yo-han (26 kills)

4th place: Kang Cheol (14 kills)

5th place: Ahn Yeo-dae (12 kills)

6th place: Shin Ye-hwa (11 kills)

7th place: Shin Jin-woo (9 kills)

8th place: Jin Tae-jin (6 kills)

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.

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52nd place: None

53rd place: None

54th place: None

55th place: None

.

.

100th place: None

‘There are a lot more people who killed rabbits than before. Up to 51st place succeeded in killing a rabbit.’

This time, the delinquent didn’t show the petty behavior of stealing other people’s prey.

This is because he worked hard to surpass Kim Sara. Certainly, the delinquent was a talented hunter.

[Judgment Execution.]

Puhpuhpuhpuhpuhk─

Heads exploding everywhere. I watched the scene with an indifferent face. I didn’t even feel like throwing up anymore.

But my expression did frown a little. Just a little.

But Kim Sara maintained an expression that didn’t falter in the slightest. It even looked admirable at first glance.

Now, what will happen next? From this point on, it was my first time too.

Will new animals or monsters appear? Or will we move to another place? I was a little nervous.

[Execution completed.]

[Tutorial stage completed.]

[Moving to the room of rewards.]

Paaaaat─

When I opened my eyes, I was in a pure white room. It wasn’t a very big space. About 5m by 5m?

[Calculating rewards.]

[Acquire 56 Karma.]

[Acquire 2,600 Gold.]

“······.”

I immediately opened the status window. I could actually see the increased numbers in the Karma and Gold sections. I knew a little about how to use Karma points, but I still didn’t get a feel for Gold.

‘Certainly, in the first round, when I tried to raise my Strength to 14, it demanded 14 Karma.’

My current Strength is 13. I don’t know exactly where this is in terms of level, but even so, I usually enjoy exercising. I should be in the top ranks in Korea.

‘Even if Strength goes up by just 1, the existing Strength increases by about 7%. That’s an enormous figure.’

To put it extremely plainly.

If the existing deadlift 1RM is 170kg, it will suddenly be bumped up to 181kg. Simply by moving a finger.

Of course, I don’t know if it really applies that way. It’s just an assumption.

I stared at the newly emerging message.

[You can choose a job. Please select.]

[Magician]

[Alchemist]

[Warrior]

[Boxer]

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.

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‘There’s a lot.’

There were too many. Even a quick glance showed that there were over 100, and it didn’t seem easy to choose.

When I first opened the status window, I expected that I might get a job someday. Because there was a section written as ‘Job’.

‘It’s really like a game. Is it telling me to change jobs because the tutorial is over?’

Even if I don’t usually play games, I know this much. There were tons of kids around me who played RPG games like this.

Looking closely, there was a phrase [Explanation] written in small letters next to the job. I busily moved my fingers to unfold the explanations for all the jobs.

Anyone who saw it would have been dizzy. But since I had perfect recall ability, I started thinking with a relaxed mind.

‘Jobs like Alchemist or Blacksmith are rejected for now. Let’s go with something with combat ability.’

I wonder if there are people who would choose those kinds of jobs. In a situation where life and death are at stake, hammering and making potions?

And around this point, I could predict the situation that would happen next.

‘I don’t know how developed it will be, but I’m going to move to a civilized world with at least a blacksmith and a restaurant. Otherwise, there’s no way there would be jobs like that.’

I think it’s a reasonable assumption. Because the tower was giving hints too blatantly.

Cook, Blacksmith, Jeweler, etc. Maybe it’s the Middle Ages that often appears in fantasy novels or games.

‘······.’

Eventually, I chose a job. I don’t know if this is the right choice, but I believed it was the best path.

[Job selection completed.]

[New stat. Magic Power is unlocked.]

[Magic Missile. Lv1 is unlocked.]

[Inventory is unlocked.]

[Exit the room of rewards.]

Paaaaat─

***

[Arrived on Floor 1.]

The scenery in front of me instantly changed. I quickly lowered my posture and looked around. What kind of place is it this time, a fantasy medieval era as I expected?

At that moment, lively voices were heard from all over the place.

“It’s cheap! It’s cheap! Freshly caught fish this morning, 10 gold per fish! If you buy 5 at once, it’s 9 gold each!”

“Selling recovery potions! Special price! Try just one drop and go!”

“No, honey, let go, that bastard was first······.”

A narrow road paved with stones. On the sides of the road, street vendors were displaying various fruits and vegetables, spices, and various sundries.

The attire of the people walking around was as diverse as the goods. There were men wearing animal skins like clothes, and there were skinny men wearing flashy robes.

It was truly like a fantasy movie set. But I was feeling more bewildered than amazed.

‘Why are my clothes like this?’

Thump, a man brushed past me. A man wearing clothes roughly sewn together with shabby cloth. It was no different from the clothes of the beggars begging in the subway station.

My clothes were exactly the same as that man’s now. Shabby and unimpressive appearance.

I hurriedly groped around my waist. I felt a sensation that was much rougher than my school uniform. Furthermore, these pants didn’t even have the concept of pockets.

‘Then what about the belongings I had? What about my cell phone?’

Of course, my cell phone doesn’t even turn on, but I still have to have it.

‘Are you suddenly getting rid of things? What the hell······ huh?’

Suddenly, a possibility came to mind. Surely it said that the inventory would be unlocked? Could it be······

‘Inventory.’

As soon as I muttered, a bright blue window appeared. It was a figure with several square boxes about 1cm wide attached to each other. There were a total of 5 boxes, and something was visible in the two boxes on the far left.

It was very small, but I could confirm the shape. It’s clothes. It’s probably my school uniform. I don’t know what’s to the right of that though.

‘I get the feeling. Let’s take it out later, later.’

It was too open of a place right now. I decided to walk down the street for now. In the most ordinary way possible.

I glanced sideways at my surroundings. It was to see if there was anyone who seemed to be a modern person.

I also had a reason to find Kim Sara. Fortunately, she was nearby.

‘That’s her. That’s her.’

A woman busily turning her small face and exploring her surroundings. She looked like a capybara with black fur. I quietly approached Kim Sara. Now was the chance.

“Hello.”

“······Yes. Hello.”

She greeted me without much embarrassment. I was rather surprised by the nonchalant reaction.

“You’re Kim Sara······right?”

Only then did she look a little surprised. Kim Sara looked up at me with her eyes wide open. A light of vigilance seeped into her pupils.

“How did you know that······.”

I waved my hand and said.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m just saying it based on the ranking table in the sky. I just have a particularly good memory.”

“Ranking table? Ah······.”

She relieved her guard a little. But she still seemed uncomfortable with me. After all, I was just a stranger she met briefly.

“So, what’s the matter?”

She seemed to have basically no words. It felt like she was only expressing the bare minimum of her intentions. I smiled softly and said.

“I came to share information. Shouldn’t people from the same hometown help each other in times like this?”

“Information?”

She didn’t seem to like it very much. The question, ‘Why bother?’ was written all over her face.

A normal person would not feel any good about her reaction. It was that blatant.

“Yes. Ms. Kim Sara. Even if it’s not information, don’t you need a few colleagues? Wandering around alone in this strange land isn’t a very good choice.”

“······.”

She chose silence. She seemed to be thinking for a moment. Eventually, her mouth opened.

“Why me of all people?”

I answered the question as if it were obvious.

“Aren’t you a whopping 2nd place? I saw the swordsmanship you showed against the rabbits. I trust you more than any able-bodied adult man. Haha.”

“Um······.”

She paused and looked me up and down. Her gaze was so intense that I felt burdened.

Is it because she’s a returnee? There was no hesitation in her actions. Eventually, her eyes reached my left hand.

“Is that a couple ring?”

I unconsciously stroked the silver ring with my right hand.

“······Yes? Ah, yes. It’s a ring I got last year. I have to go back quickly for the sake of this ring’s owner······.”

“Okay. Let’s go together.”

“······.”

“Let’s go somewhere quiet first. It’s too crowded here.”

She just finished saying what she had to say and immediately turned her back. I was stunned for a moment. Only now did I understand the situation.

‘Could it be that she accepted because I said I have a girlfriend?’

I tasted a strange feeling for some reason.