◈ Episode 2. If You Need Training (1)

After the Arcana flooded into reality.

The symbol of Korea has become the Wizard’s Tower.

“Yes, I’m in front of the Wizard’s Tower!”

“Wow. How many metres is that? I can’t believe that thing came into existence overnight.”

“Wait, aren’t those supernovae, threatening the Rankers?!”

Wizard’s Tower.

The shrine of all mages.

A place that played an important role in Arcana.

After such a tower rose in Seoul.

The ripples that followed were indescribable.

[Magic Tower effect? Rankers flock to Korea].

[Wizards of the Tower, “We are not seeking new knowledge, just friendly relations.”]

[Matap tourism popularity…… 3,000% increase in tourists compared to last year]

“Why did you come to Korea? It’s because of Matap, of course. From long-distance teleportation to enchantment. There are so many services available in the martop that we, the Shining Guild, are planning to stay in Korea for the time being.”

The Shining Guild, the best in the world, has opened a chapter in South Korea.

Following in their footsteps, other large guilds from around the world have established themselves in Korea.

They pay a hefty tax.

With an abundance of players, it was only natural that monster damage would decrease.

Korea’s future was bright!

However, it wasn’t just the magic towers that crossed over from Arcana.

Where there is light, there is also darkness.

I thought, “Damn. I’m the best man even though I’m a player?

“I wanted to be that good!

“I’m jealous. Envious enough to make me sick to my stomach and want to kill.’

Yes, the devil was living in the darkness.

“It was hard to get used to it at first, but the more I look at it, the more I realise that it’s a better place for us demons to behave than the continent of Arkana. Envy, jealousy, pessimism, all kinds of negative emotions!”

In an environment like this, it’s only a matter of time before I become a high-level demon.

“One day, I’ll be like the demons……!”

The imp, a low-level demon, licked his lips in ecstasy.

It had spotted its prey.

Five players.

“Let’s go with those guys this time.”

I think back to the kites I killed while playing yesterday.

Their desperate howls were so good to hear.

They seemed like easy prey, being so much younger than their young.

*No.

Only five, including me.

“Good thing.

It wasn’t like only high-level players had to be awakened.

There were plenty of job postings in the community looking for players of my level.

Solving is dangerous.

And it’s real.

If you die, it’s not game over.

It means you’re dead.

“I see it, the crack.”

I pointed to the subway exit.

It was still rush hour, so there was quite a crowd.

If I hadn’t written my resignation letter, I’d be there, right?

As I thought about it, I reached the exit.

……This is what the players see.

A crack only visible to the player’s eyes.

I could see a ‘barrier’ blocking the subway exit.

Office workers pushing through it to get to the platform.

As you can see, ordinary people were not affected by the rift.

That’s probably why society runs as it does.

[Gnoll’s Cellar]

[Suitable Level: Lv35~40]

[Collapse Progress : 19.8%]

“I can see the crack information.

When the collapse progress reaches 100 per cent, the rift collapses and the monsters are released into the real world.

The early days after the Cataclysm.

When there were fewer players and less knowledge about the rift, the rift would collapse and monsters would be released.

The human toll was unspeakable.

Because of the sacrifices made, current players are able to exploit the rift without any restrictions.

The rift is a ticking time bomb.

Players were the only ones who could access it.

“Judging by the progression, there may be some players who got in first, but let’s give it our best shot! All right, just one cigarette. I’ll enter in exactly five minutes.”

……A little nervous?

I can’t help it.

After all, I was just an ordinary office worker a few days ago.

Now I’m about to hunt a monster that wasn’t even there.

It’s natural to be nervous.

“It’s times like these that I think, ‘Thank God.

But it was only a feeling.

I didn’t feel the slightest tremor in my body.

My neck was as stiff as ever.

My shoulders weren’t slumped.

My gaze was clear and confident.

……You’re an aristocrat on the subway.

You don’t look like the first player to enter the rift today.

Stay positive.

Nothing good can come from being nervous.

Besides, you didn’t join this party for your first experience, did you?

[Recommended level: Lv35-40].

My current level was 55.

Even with the Demon Hunter’s mediocre stats, there’s a 15 level difference between us……. There was no point in standing around.

“Alright, shall we go in then?”

“Good luck!”

“Let’s do this together!”

Before I knew it, five minutes had passed.

A motivated party.

Only three older sisters.

And they’re all younger sisters.

A few bowls of rice balls that I’ve been eating since I was a kid to stay neutral in my sisters’ wars.

I used to be favoured by my bosses with those snacks.

I opened my mouth to lighten the mood.

In a very noble voice.

“You have nothing to worry about because I’m here.”

……Wait, who’s worried about who?!

But I couldn’t help myself.

“……Yes?”

Damn it, I can see my party melt down.

They’re going to die of embarrassment, I swear.

Grand Prix, my fucking black history.

.

.

.

They say you get half the way there if you stay still.

I’d better keep my mouth shut.

That was my conclusion.

Soon, as I entered the crack, I saw a different landscape.

It was the same subway I saw every day on my commute to work.

There was a sense of strangeness.

Nam Chul-min, the leader of the party ahead of us, clicked his tongue.

“The escalator is rusty, so we’ll have to walk. Oh, there are a lot of stairs here……. Let’s just pretend we’re warming up and go down!”

I looked at the escalator as he said that.

I mean, really?

A rusty escalator.

A damp, unpleasant smell wafting from far below.

And the occasional howl of a beast.

‘I wonder if it’s a gnoll.

Indeed, it seems that the cracks have transformed the subway into an environment to match.

The player is the only one who can access the ruined subway station.

Of course, when the rift collapses, the real subway will look like this.

“Gather your gear.”

“Judging by the lack of entrance, I’m guessing there’s a party that got in first?”

“Apparently so, but don’t worry, this is a transfer station, so it’s pretty big. If we pick a good route, we’ll be able to hunt without overlapping with the other party.”

I’m glad I found a party.

I would have been stupid to come alone.

I opened my inventory and checked my gear.

“I guess I’m lucky this is …….

Level 55.

That might seem like a low level now, but back then it was a pretty high level.

Equipment wasn’t easy to come by back then.

But who was I back then?

I lived for style and died for style.

I vaguely remember spending my pocket money to get the coolest gear.

Anyway, thanks to that pom-pom, my current level of gear is on the luxury end of the spectrum.

[Nameless Blacksmith’s Masterpiece: Silver Dagger]

[Rating: Rare]

[Limit: Lv.50]

[Effect: Deals additional damage to undead and demons].

[Description: A masterpiece of a blacksmith with great skill but little fame].

This dagger stands out in my memory.

I remember buying it at an auction for a very high price…….

As the description says, it was crafted by a very famous blacksmith player at the time.

I don’t know who he was, but I’m sure he’d be a very famous blacksmith by now if he’d kept playing Arcana.

“That’s not the point.

……So you only have one weapon?!

This is a waste.

Silver weapons had very poor durability.

I vividly remember hunting and losing durability and spending a small amount of gold on repairs.

It was gold then, but now it was cash!

I had a bow, but only five arrows.

And they were all silver arrows.

I couldn’t even use silver arrows without worrying about durability.

I made a quick judgement call.

“I’m going to have to fight as little as possible.

At least until I can get a new weapon.

[You have entered the Gnoll’s cellar-pantry].

The only new weapons here are the crude ones the Gnolls use.

Still, it’s better than using wasted silver weapons.

‘After all, there’s still a level gap.’

I regretted my decision as the battle began.

‘…… Really, Lee Ho-yeol, you bastard!’

No matter how cool silver weapons are.

Was it that hard to pack a practical weapon?!

“Crouch!!!”

Dogmen, gnolls.

The real ones were much faster and smarter than the ones I’d seen in Arcana.

They must have adapted to the subway.

They used the complex terrain of the subway to attack us.

Shush!

An arrow shot out of the corner of my eye.

The mage, Seo Jung-yeon, who had barely dodged, shouted.

“Gnoll Archer, he’s hiding behind that vending machine!”

For some reason, our party had a better division of roles.

I looked over at Nam Chul-min.

“…… Is this how you party hunt these days?

I hadn’t heard it, but Nam’s class was obviously a tank.

The large shield and plate armour proved it.

But why?

Rather than protecting the party, Nam Chul-min had fallen out of line.

‘I don’t know, but the situation is not good.

I can’t pay the bills.

Seo Jung-yeon, a mage, was the only ranged dealer in our party.

I did as she said and looked towards the vending machine.

Sure enough, there were two gnoll archers behind the vending machine.

‘They’re reloading their arrows.

Is this my chance?

I rack my brain.

Yes, it is an opportunity.

Gnoll archers are terrible in melee.

If I can take them down, I can take their arrows.

But I’m not the only one who’s bad at combat, am I?

Besides, they haven’t had a battle like this in over a decade.

Each.

But I didn’t think about that.

I was walking leisurely.

My gait was relaxed.

As if the gnolls couldn’t even approach me.

I walked confidently towards the gnoll archer.

Yes, my mind was weighing all the variables and dangers.

My body was honest.

I wasn’t nervous in the slightest.

Or, more accurately, intimidated by the gnolls.

The confidence of the Grand Prix that had been draped over me was too much.

“Excuse me? It’s dangerous! I don’t have a weapon……?”

Suddenly, I thought I heard Seo Jung-yeon shouting in my ear.

But I didn’t hear the whole thing.

Maybe I didn’t hear her.

I couldn’t tell if Seo was slurring her words.

“CRRRR!!!”

Fangs bared.

Two gnolls showing hostility.

Another gnoll.

I approached them casually.

Another punch.

I slammed my fist into the bridge of their noses.

There was a gracefulness to the sequence of movements that was beyond relaxed.

There was not the slightest wavering in my vision.

I said.

“You must be undisciplined.”

As if I were chastising a hunting dog.

“Not that I mind, but sometimes.”

It was like looking down from on high.

It was the attitude of an overbearing aristocrat.

“Corporal punishment is sometimes necessary.”

……Crack, crack!