Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Beta Test (5)
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Yeon-woo's anger didn't subside easily.
What if you got hurt charging at a guy with a knife?
- Why are you so fearless!
She yelled and then burst into tears, forcing me to sweat bullets just to calm her down.
I even got a few calls from reporters.
They wanted interviews or something.
But I was in the middle of this insane game where my life was on the line.
I had no time to spare for them.
I turned down every interview request and threw myself into mad grinding.
Days of repeating Mana Operation practice, plant massacres, and part-time work.
In the process, I learned a few things about mana.
When moving it inside the body, it generally enhanced physical abilities.
My senses sharpened, base stamina increased, skin toughened, and strength grew.
Concentrating mana in a specific area made it so even slashing the skin with a knife left no wound.
'The consumption rate isn't too fast.'
With my current mana, I could enhance my body for nearly ten minutes.
And when releasing it externally, "enhancement" didn't even begin to cover it.
'Destructive' fit better.
Punching a wall to rubble spoke for itself.
When red haze enveloped the skin, even thrusting a knife with force wouldn't pierce flesh.
But the consumption rate skyrocketed.
The longest I could maintain it nonstop was just 1 minute and 12 seconds.
Even that was only by clinging to it desperately till the end.
Once mana started depleting, stamina dropped sharply, and running out led to total exhaustion.
'Not a skill for reckless use.'
Building on those discoveries, I drilled practice after practice for three days.
I was on edge now. The next mission would likely start tomorrow morning.
'Previous ones were five days apart.'
I might have to repeat that hell again tomorrow.
Just that thought sharpened my nerves like a blade.
At the part-time job, I got sick of hearing "You angry the whole time?"
But I didn't want to show that side to my siblings.
I paused at the front door, steadying my mind.
Finally, I managed my usual smile.
Only then did I punch in the door code and open it.
"Hyung, you're back?"
Jin-woo greeted me first.
"Yeah."
He came out of his room at the door sound, heading to the shoe rack.
I ruffled his hair roughly, then scanned the living room.
No Yeon-woo. She'd usually come running with a shout.
"Yeon-woo?"
I asked, wondering if she'd gone out.
"Balcony."
Jin-woo's calm reply made me flinch.
"B-balcony? Why?"
No specific reason given, but I felt guilty anyway.
Thieves get jittery at their own footsteps for a reason.
'No, don't jump to conclusions. Could be unrelated.'
Yeon-woo had over ten potted plants.
Just one small one missing.
She might not have noticed.
She'd been quiet the past few days!
No guarantee she was out there because of that.
Maybe doing laundry, or just getting some air.
"She's freaking out over the flowerpots while watering them. Says one disappeared or something."
Jin-woo dealt the finishing blow just as I thought that.
My face stiffened.
I'd planned to pluck a couple more from the remaining pots to prep for tomorrow.
Of all days, why today?
'If Yeon-woo gets mad, it's unmanageable.'
I'd barely calmed her after the kidnapper incident last time.
"Urgh."
I groaned, glancing at the balcony.
Jin-woo eyed me oddly.
But before he could ask, Yeon-woo came inside.
"Gone, gone... Not even misplaced, so why's it missing?"
She mumbled gloomily, then spotted me.
"Oppa!"
Her face lit up instantly, pricking my conscience.
"Y-yeah..."
"You're back? Not tired? Want a massage?"
"No need for that, I'm fine."
I waved it off casually, but my gaze drifted behind her.
Potted plants visible through the glass door. Have to give those up.
"Tch."
Regret made me smack my lips unwittingly.
Mana access made the total amount feel so insufficient.
Excluding animals, my ways to absorb mana outside missions were limited.
Not many greens in winter.
Couldn't set parks or mountains ablaze.
Couldn't steal neighbors' pots.
Plucking every green thing yielded little.
Greenery everywhere, yet too little mana harvestable.
I eyed the balcony pots wistfully, sighed, and headed to my room.
How to gather mana faster?
'Slaughterhouse hiring part-timers...?'
But part-time didn't mean instant butchering.
"Ah, seriously."
Back in my room, I flopped on the bed, messing my hair.
Wish mana rained down somewhere.
* * *
My prediction was spot on.
On the fifth day, at 10 a.m., the third mission began.
Worried, I'd stored everything back, but nothing came except system gear and my worn clothes.
「A new weapon inventory is provided.」
Weapon first.
I grabbed it, then drew the dagger for my left hand.
My eyes shook like an earthquake.
No bathtub this time.
Rising difficulty per stage was expected.
But this?
"This is too much!"
Beyond the mission window stood a polar bear.
Standing bipedal, its head forced my neck to crane.
Its height was about double mine.
Just height-wise. Bulk was four or five times greater.
Seen bears at zoos, but never this terrifying.
Safeguards existed then.
No barriers between me and this massive predator amplified the fear beyond imagination.
That instant, I forgot my strengthened power.
My rigid body soaked in cold sweat.
If I hadn't rechecked the mission window hiding the bear.
If I hadn't seen the ticking timer dwindle.
I'd have frozen into the bear's meal.
Timer down to 10 seconds.
"S-storage!"
I sheathed the dagger, gripped the spear tight.
Dagger strikes wouldn't faze it.
Storage vanished, mission window too.
Bear charged first.
Insanely fast for its mass, several times heavier.
"Kuoooong!"
Its roar pulled mana forth.
「Mana Operation activated.」
Senses sharpened further, body hardened more.
Bear's movements, once eye-limit, seemed slower.
Bear raised forepaw high; I launched myself.
Claws grazed cheek and neck razor-close.
Minor scratches, ignored.
Regaining stance urgent.
Rolling on white floor, I rose fast, clenching left fist.
"Hup!"
Hundreds, thousands of reps: red haze blanketed left hand and arm.
I slammed the fist into the turning bear's flank.
Crack-!
"Krung!"
"Uh...?"
A dumb sound escaped me.
Something shattered; the massive bear flew back.
Rolling bear rose unsteadily, vomiting red blood.
My mind blanked at the surreal sight.
But body already surged forward.
Instinct screamed: chance while injured and weakened.
No hesitation thrusting spear downward.
Puk.
Thud.
Heavy bear body slumped fully.
"Uh..."
「Target eliminated. 23 mana absorbed.」
「Congratulations! MISSION - Tutorial Beta Test (3/3) cleared.」
「Success reward: 10 mana provided. All injuries healed.」
「Compiling results.」
"...It's over?"
This easily? Unreal.
Shock brief.
"Ugh!"
Mana absorption began.
I collapsed atop the bear corpse.
Brief writhing ended absorption.
Mission closed, rewards in.
Only then did reality sink in.
Three missions done in this abrupt shitty game.
Indescribable emotions swirled.
Relief strongest for now.
"Haa."
Long sigh as I flipped over.
Bear corpse as backrest briefly.
Noticed change, bolted up.
"What the..."
Post-second mission: rewards, then room return.
Room for performance rewards.
Today, still white space.
Slumped bear proved it.
Frowning, I stood.
Situation diverging sharpened nerves.
Slack tension rebuilt.
Scanning for differences, recovered weapon.
Spear through bear's head: stored, vanished.
Drew from storage: in hand.
As tested outside repeatedly.
Standing blankly in white space, how long?
「Results compilation complete.」
「Congratulations! Player Kang Hyun-woo eliminated target in 00:00:39.」
「Top performance reward: 5 Attribute Mana provided.」
「Top performance: Trait ????? generated.」
「Duplicate trait detected. Deleting duplicate.」
Messages scrolled.
Realized: waiting for other players to finish.
Clenching teeth, braced for next shock.
"Hup!"
Mana absorption hit.
Body crumbled; I writhed like a worm.
Endured, endured; it passed.
Unsteadily sat up.
"Ptoo."
Blood-mixed spit—bit tongue holding on.
Still brutal.
'But better than first.'
Old saying right: anything improves with reps.
Huffing, eyes darted.
Still white space all around.
Reason soon appeared.
「Tutorial ended.」
「Compiling overall results.」
「Player Kang Hyun-woo's overall rank: 1/100.」
Overall results! Eyes widened.
System added single-mission rewards before.
Expect more for overall.
'Yeah, go big or go home—first place.'
Competitive since kid.
Hated this game, but #1 puffed me up.
「Additional mission for all-clear players.」
「7 players confirmed.」
「Barrier activated.」
「Hole opens.」
Pride vanished as system spouted nonsense instead of rewards.
Unforeseen messages bulged temple veins.
Prizes overdue, but? Extra mission?
Pent-up rage since dog bite day exploded.
"Hey, you son of a—!"
Body glowed blindingly before curse finished.
Damn System