Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Prologue
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Ares, the first-ever virtual reality game, is beloved by 2.5 billion people worldwide.
An interview is underway with Lee Se-jin, the CEO of Purum Inc., the company that created the game.
The man known as the god of the gaming world.
The wealthiest man in the world.
The genius, Lee Se-jin!
*It's about time for that question.*
Lee Se-jin thought to himself amidst the camera flashes and questions.
As expected.
“It's been a year since Ares officially launched. The event you proposed at the grand opening—to break the wooden training dummy in just ten strikes—has yet to be accomplished by anyone.”
On the day Ares launched.
A shocking event notice was posted.
It stated that anyone who could destroy the wooden dummy in the beginner zone with exactly ten strikes would receive a reward.
“The reward was an Ares VVIP capsule worth a staggering 50 million won, plus a +5 increase to all stats, which prompted all 2.5 billion players to try.”
Even those who didn't want to try had no choice.
When players start the game, they first appear in one of hundreds of beginner zones.
The very first thing they do in that beginner zone is learn how to attack.
In other words, they hit the wooden dummy.
A whopping 2.5 billion people attempted it, and every single one failed.
This was despite being able to try again after a certain amount of time passed following a ten-strike attempt.
“Still, not a single person has succeeded. When do you think someone will?”
People were curious.
Who would be the one to break the wooden dummy!
So far, Olympic gold medalists in archery, kendo, and even mixed martial arts had all failed.
“I believe someone will succeed very soon.”
Despite saying so, Lee Se-jin thought it might never actually happen.
Purum Inc. had needed something to ignite the players' passion, and this event was their answer.
The result was a massive success.
In the early days, the number of concurrent users skyrocketed as everyone tried to break the wooden dummy.
*Of course, I can't just give away a VVIP virtual reality capsule and a +5 to all stats that easily.*
Starting with +5 to all stats was something that defied common sense.
At level 1, all stats are standardized at 5.
But if someone succeeded, they would essentially start with 10 in every stat.
The interesting part was that even when that player reached level 10, their stats would still be 5 points higher than other players.
The same would be true at level 100, and even at level 500.
In short, it was a stepping stone to get ahead right from the start.
*The power of an early +5 is quite incredible.*
There were several reasons why breaking the wooden dummy was so difficult.
In the beginner zone, you couldn't level up, change classes, or acquire skills.
From the outset, clearing it in the beginner zone was next to impossible.
“You always give the same answer.”
Lee Se-jin chuckled softly at the reporter's provocative question.
“The world is vast, and there are many geniuses. Very soon…”
Just then.
“What? A world message!?”
a reporter who had just answered a call exclaimed in a shocked voice.
A world message.
A message heard by all logged-in users. It usually sounded when a player accomplished something incredible that no one else had managed.
All eyes turned to the reporter on the phone.
Soon after.
*Trrrrrring-*
*Riiing-!*
*Boss, you got a call-!*
The reporters' phones began to ring off the hook.
“…The wooden dummy was destroyed!?”
“A world message really appeared, saying the wooden dummy was destroyed!?”
“This is insane!”
“Th-This is a scoop!”
“It was finally broken after a year!?”
*Swish-!*
In an instant, all the reporters' eyes snapped toward Lee Se-jin.
Lee Se-jin maintained a composed expression.
“If it's true, then we'll have to prepare to gift that player the VVIP capsule, haha.”
He laughed leisurely, but that wasn't how he felt.
Soon, the conference hall grew noisy as reporters took calls.
After quickly wrapping things up, Lee Se-jin ended the press conference and went to the waiting room.
“C-CEO!”
Staff members were rushing toward him.
One employee was waiting in the room with a screen already displayed.
He was the head of the Special User Management Team.
“Did a player really break the wooden dummy in ten strikes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Play the replay.”
*Click-*
With a click of the mouse, the screen began to play.
-I wonder if I'll succeed this time.
It was a rather handsome young man.
Lee Se-jin quickly noticed something odd.
“What is that weapon? Did he break it with that?”
The man on the monitor was holding a sword with a sharp edge.
“I've never heard of a weapon like that existing in the beginner zone.”
Occasionally, special users would receive artifacts from NPCs and attempt the challenge.
But even those weapons couldn't destroy the wooden dummy in ten strikes.
So what in the world was that?
It was a weapon he had never seen before.
Soon, the young man began to strike the wooden dummy.
-*Thwack, thwack, thwaaack!*
The heavy sounds echoed through the waiting room.
Lee Se-jin's eyes widened as he watched the wooden dummy break on the eighth strike.
“Don't tell me…!”
He turned to look at the employee from the Special User Management Team.
The Special User Management Team monitored players, so they should know what this user had been doing.
“It's exactly what you're thinking.”
“He crafted that sword himself? What's its grade?”
“It's Epic.”
“...?”
Lee Se-jin's face was painted with bewilderment.
“What are you talking about? How can a level 1 player who hasn't even chosen a class forge an Epic-grade sword?”
Despite his disbelief, the team manager spoke.
“Based on our observation of the user's gameplay, he did indeed create it himself.”
As mentioned, the beginner zone heavily reflects a person's real-world talents.
An archer with a bow, a kendo practitioner with a sword, a judoka with judo.
Lee Se-jin suddenly recalled a conversation he'd had with the development team when they were struggling to create the blacksmith class.
*'Finding a consultant for the blacksmith class is the hardest part. They say there are less than ten left in the world.'*
*'Isn't there a famous blacksmith named Smith?'*
*'He's famous, but Smith said he's ashamed to call himself a blacksmith.'*
*'Ashamed?'*
*'He said his blacksmithing skills are adapted to machinery. Apparently, no one does it entirely by hand from start to finish anymore.'*
*'Hmm...'*
*'There was one Master Craftsman in Korea who did it all by hand…'*
*'Was?'*
*'He's in a vegetative state now. Smith said he was the best blacksmith he'd ever seen.'*
*'That's a shame, but we have no choice. We'll have to proceed using historical information and advice from various other blacksmiths.'*
Snapping out of his thoughts, Lee Se-jin's eyes fell back on the young man.
-I wonder when the capsule will arrive?
Watching the young man hum a tune with a pleasant smile, Lee Se-jin couldn't understand.
There was only one Master Craftsman in the world, and he was in a vegetative state.
*Then who is that player...?*
Lee Se-jin couldn't take his eyes off the unidentified user.