Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Chapter 4: Main Server (1)
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Three months had passed.
In that time, my daily life had undergone massive changes.
I quit my part-time gig and started working at a construction site.
Something I never would've touched before.
*It's dangerous.*
One accident on site, and you could end up dead.
I'd never shied away from tough work, but dangerous stuff? I'd avoided it like the plague.
Mana changed all that, though. And with my delivery unloading income gone, I had to fill the gap somehow.
On the plus side, it freed up my evenings.
I filled every minute with training.
Practical martial arts like the special forces learned, dagger techniques, spear work, hand-to-hand combat—I soaked up everything I could.
That ate through most of the ten million won from the promotion exam.
Dropping over two million a month for three months burned through it fast.
My gut twisted, but what could I do? If it lowered my odds of dying, I'd pay anything.
*At least I bought the kids laptops. That's something.*
Unexpected money anyway.
And the results made it worth it, so I shook off the regret quick.
I'd already mastered near-perfect control over my body, so my skills were unmatched.
Hell, I could spar with the master himself.
"Stop, stop!"
The dojo master, pinned down and getting stabbed by my sponge dagger, called surrender.
I got off him, chest heaving.
"Thanks for the session."
"Ugh, you're getting scarier by the day."
He took my hand to stand, clicking his tongue.
*I want to live.*
I swallowed a bitter smile.
He eyed me strangely, then spoke stiffly.
"Just so we're clear—no causing trouble, got it?"
Maybe because our spars had gotten rougher lately.
His glare was pretty sharp now.
"No worries. Told you, not learning this for bad reasons."
"...Right."
He said that, but the suspicion lingered.
Not that I planned to clear it up.
No need.
A quick glance down showed why.
「Main Server (Earth) Activation: 99.997%」
Not long now.
No telling when that last bit would tick up.
So today was my last day at the dojo.
Last registration day of the month anyway.
I finished my usual remaining workout and left the gym.
Checked again—same line at the bottom of my vision.
*Activation...*
After stabilization, the Main Server jumped straight into activation.
Unlike beta, where tutorial kicked off right after stabilization.
*Maybe the tutorial message just didn't pop for me.*
Possible. I'd finished it already.
But if not?
System might've changed the order.
There'd been a slight delay after the first tutorial before external access opened.
Main Server's gotta be way bigger than beta.
That delay would stretch.
If my guess was right, back-to-back stabilization and activation meant one thing.
*Fixing errors.*
System was using beta data to patch issues.
Some GM managing it like a normal game?
Or did the system have its own consciousness?
*What the hell are you?*
I tossed out the question I'd asked steadily for three months.
「Main Server (Earth) Activation: 99.998%」
System answered as always—with a number at the bottom of my vision.
Felt like it was saying answers were coming soon.
*Soon.*
Muttering that short word, I broke into a run.
I always ran home from the gym.
Part of my endurance training.
Breathing hard after a bit, I slowed down quick.
Someone I'd met at the gym was in sight.
"Grandma."
"Oh, young man!"
"Nice haul today."
She scraped by collecting scrap paper from abandoned lots.
"Haul? Ain't much these days."
"Bull. Plenty."
I eyed her cart.
No idea where she found it, but it was always piled like a mini-mountain.
*Drags this every day? Grandma's got some strength.*
Back straight, spry as hell for her age.
But watching her struggle tugged at me.
Reminded me of my grandparents, gone since I was little.
So whenever we crossed paths, I'd walk her home.
"Ah, hop on quick. Gotta get home."
"No need, I can manage."
"Just hit the jackpot."
I piggybacked her and pulled the cart with one hand.
"Strong as ever today!"
She belted out her folksy cheer.
"Told you, not many stronger than me."
Giggling at my dumb line eased the tension a bit.
Dropped her off and got home by ten.
Showered, back in my room—final task awaited.
Mana training.
Three months straight, I'd pushed Mana Operation proficiency to the 40s.
No days off, and it paid off.
I focused on the red mist coating my dagger blade.
But it vanished before ten seconds.
"Hoo."
Ran my hand through my dried-out hair, sighing.
*Damn tough.*
Coating objects was way harder than just pulling mana out.
Kept getting repelled.
Still, I kept at it. Convinced it'd save my ass.
Red mana on a blade? Power beyond imagination.
*Rocks sliced like tofu.*
Refocused, started again.
Hold time wasn't great yet, but progress was steady.
Two hours later, bedtime.
Instead of crashing, I muttered soft.
"Storage."
Pulled out something useless these three months, no matter what.
Promotion exam reward: attribute stone.
Held the rainbow gem, poured in mana.
「Inject attribute mana.」
Same infuriating message as always.
Said attribute mana only, but I couldn't separate plain from attribute yet.
*Attribute at 33 now.*
Maybe minimum to sense mana was 50.
Only usable once game restarted.
"Hoo."
Sighed long, stowed the stone.
Time to sleep for real.
New system message hit two days later.
* * *
Up at dawn for the construction site.
Quick breakfast, wash up, change—ready to roll.
Slipped on new boots, heading out.
"Oppa..."
Yeon-woo shuffled out, rubbing her eyes.
"Up already?"
Thumbed the sleepies from her eyes, grinning.
"Be safe."
Her send-off pumped me up.
"Feel stronger alrea—"
Grinned to reply, but a hated alert chimed.
「Main Server (Earth) activates.」
Froze solid.
"Oppa? What's wrong?"
Snapped back, smiled like nothing.
"Nah. Your send-off fires me up, but sleep in next time. Don't doze in class."
"Yeah... Woke up for the bathroom."
"Go on then. I'll head out."
"Kay..."
Watched her hit the john, then left.
Checked my changed interface.
*New layout.*
Icons on the left, message log thumbnail bottom-center.
New messages popping there nonstop.
Used to overlay front-and-center.
*Better this way maybe.*
On the walk, yanked every weed I spotted.
*Nice haul.*
Early June now, summer creeping in past spring.
Greener than February-March.
Made casual mana gathering easier.
*Over 100 in three months.*
Drops make mountains.
Muttered at absorption notices.
"Message log."
Pulled records—finally time to scan details.
「Main Server (Earth) Activation: 100%」
「Main Server (Earth) activates.」
「Beta Server closes.」
「System User Manual (Revised) provided.」
「Player Status Window updated.」
「Player Growth Program (Absorption & Purification) updated.」
「Player Management Program (Summon & Recovery) updated.」
「Player Support Program (Storage & Shop) updated.」
「Player Interaction Program (Community & Party) updated.」
「Hole Management Program (Allocation & Closure) executes.」
「Mission list updated.」
「Phase 1 Player Selection in progress. (10,000/10,000)」
「Mana 0.9 absorbed.」
「Mana 0.4 absorbed.」
「Mana 0.5 absorbed.」
That's all for me.
One number jumped out, stunned me silent.
*...Ten thousand?*
Beta had 100 players with me.
This? Hundred times that.
*What the...*
Fists clenched on instinct.
Shoved down the panic, scanned carefully.
Growth, management, support, interaction—revised from beta data, obvious.
Hole management? New.
*Bad vibes...*
Reminded me of mana collection in promotion exam.
*This bastard... gonna squeeze mana out somehow?*
Gotta watch for next mission.
"Tch."
Clicked tongue, opened revised manual.
Hoped for more, but nah—mostly same, just cleaned up broken text.
Shop details unchanged.
[Shop]
• Sells items to equip and grow players.
• Auction tab for player trades.
• Custom order tab for player items.
Old news.
Time to see the goods.
"Shop."
One left icon expanded.
White window, unlike before.
Five tabs: Skills, Equipment, Medicine, Custom Orders, Auctions.
Guessed the last two.
Checked others in order.
Skills tab hit me with prices first.
*...Mana.*
All priced in mana.
Gear up with absorbed mana?
Pondering intent, skimmed page one.
Familiar term popped.
「Mana Operation Method.」
"Huh?"
My traits: four total.
Question marks, Purification, and this Mana Operation.
Moved to skills category post-activation, but I still had it.
In the shop? What?
Hurried to status.
Player Kang Hyun-woo (Beta Tester)
Mana: 1563.48 (Attribute Mana: 33)
Chaos Value: 0.00%
Affiliation: Earth
Race: Human (Player)
Rank: Alpha
Attribute: -
Skills: Mana Operation (41.19%), Sensory Expansion (11.17%)
Traits: ?????, Assimilation, Tenacity, Purification (lv.1 - 15.11%)
Some ex-traits now skills.
*Status updated, right?*
Clicked one—new window.
[Assimilation]
• Type: Trait (Talent)
• Description: No prejudice against the unfamiliar speeds new knowledge acquisition. Easier to learn new skills, adapt quick to mastered ones.
• Effect: Player skill acquisition chance +100%, skill proficiency gain +30%.
[Tenacity]
• Type: Trait (Habit)
• Description: Once started, you cling till the end—boosts focus. Speeds proficiency during concentration.
• Effect: Proficiency gain +20%.
Mystery solved.
Three months back, taught Ethan Mana Operation.
Took him over a month—way longer than me.
Verbal instructions, sure, but still odd.
*Gets it now.*
Assimilation boosts self-learning sans system aid.
Ethan lacked it, so struggled.
Next: trait categories.
Dunno criteria for talent vs. habit, but difference clear.
*Talent > habit.*
Numbers prove it.
Assimilation: +30% plus acquisition boost.
Tenacity: just +20%, no extras.
*Superior version?*
Question short-lived. Effects confirmed, beneficial.
*Finally off my chest.*
Lighter now, checked Sensory Expansion.
[Sensory Expansion (11.17%)]
• Type: Permanent Skill
• Description: Heightens senses, expands perception.
• Effect: Five senses expanded (perception ratio 1:2)
Made senses sharper, plus stretched 1 second to feel like 2.
Matched my experience.
Question marks? Nada.
"Tch."
Status done, back to shop.
Pulled away soon.
Mana Operation aside, most started in thousands.
Worse: way more digits. Not for me yet.
*Check later, mark useful stuff.*
Skills to equipment—same prices.
Heavy sigh, hit medicine.
Here, cheap items jumped out unlike others.