Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Tutorial Begins
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Following my discharge from military service, I launched a YouTube channel dedicated to gaming content as a modest effort to remain productive.
I sought to avoid a lethargic existence in my room while consuming my savings on living expenses as an unemployed individual.
The channel, which specialized in comprehensive game reviews and detailed guides, achieved unexpected success and led to occasional corporate opportunities.
On this particular occasion, a company with whom I maintained a friendly professional relationship requested that I review a new idol-themed simulation game.
I held little personal interest in the nurturing simulation genre, yet I felt an obligation to the chief executive after receiving numerous favors in the past.
I initiated the game with minimal expectations and watched as the introductory cinematic began to play.
The visual quality of the production and the accompanying illustrations were of a commendable standard.
The video soon concluded and gave way to the primary start screen, where a series of rapid clicks allowed me to navigate through the initial menus.
The document appeared to be a standard set of terms and conditions for the service.
I provided my consent to the agreement with practiced ease.
[Y/N]
[Y]
I wondered if it was typical for a standard agreement to present a secondary confirmation window.
I consumed handfuls of sweet popcorn while repeatedly striking the enter key as I contemplated the unusual interface.
I possessed no inkling of the events that were about to unfold and proceeded to enter my preferred nickname.
[R…]
[Ra…]
[Raon]
I inputted the moniker I had utilized since my elementary school years with remarkable speed.
The appearance of the name On Raon struck me as peculiar, given that I had only intended to enter Raon.
I dismissed the discrepancy as a minor issue, reflecting on how I often added my family name when my preferred nickname was already occupied.
I released a heavy sigh of exhaustion.
I questioned if I had overextended myself by streaming a complex raid for five consecutive days.
A sudden and overwhelming wave of drowsiness began to wash over me.
My eyes felt dry and irritated to the point where I wished to remove and cleanse them before they closed involuntarily.
I decided that there was no immediate necessity to complete the task this evening.
The bag of popcorn slipped from my lap and fell to the floor as my head struck the desk with a heavy thud.
***
The sudden impact caused a sharp pain that roused me from my slumber instantly.
The sound of my head striking the surface was loud enough to draw the curious stares of those in my immediate vicinity.
The presence of other people left me momentarily bewildered.
I realized with a sudden chill that I was no longer in the privacy of my own room, a revelation that effectively banished my lingering sleepiness.
I sat upright and performed a rapid survey of my new environment.
I observed rows of hundreds of computers accompanied by the rhythmic clacking of mechanical keyboards.
The air was heavy and thick with the distinct scent of cigarette smoke.
I identified the location as a public internet cafe, yet I remained entirely ignorant of how I had arrived there.
I felt a sudden and desperate urge to examine my own reflection.
I noticed my mobile phone resting beside the keyboard and reached for it immediately.
The device was an outdated model from several years ago, which caused me a brief moment of irritation.
I bypassed the lock screen and activated the camera application to view my face in the digital mirror.
The sight that greeted me was nothing short of shocking.
I questioned aloud when I had become so remarkably unattractive.
Though others might find my assessment exaggerated, I was profoundly serious in my disappointment.
I wondered what had become of the handsome individual who once stood confidently among celebrities.
The fundamental bone structure and features appeared to be mine, yet the overall quality had diminished significantly.
I realized that I had subconsciously sensed a lack of attention from others regarding my appearance.
My original face was of the variety that commanded a second glance from any observer.
Even my former agency, which was known for its relentless criticism, never dared to find fault with my physical appearance.
I lamented that the visage my parents had invested so much in now appeared to be thoroughly compromised.
I vowed to reduce my gaming habits as a direct response to this perceived decline.
I knew that my fellow shut-in companions would never believe my sudden resolution to reform.
I examined the face in the screen once more as I regained a measure of my composure.
I adjusted my evaluation and noted that the face was not truly ugly by conventional societal standards.
However, I recognized that the difference between excellence and mediocrity was often a matter of fine details.
This version of myself appeared to be a significant regression from my original state.
The youthfulness of the reflection suggested I was younger than twenty, perhaps matching the age of the student beside me.
I wondered if my eyesight was simply failing me, though I knew that was merely wishful thinking.
I observed that my eyes had changed from a deep obsidian black to a bright and transparent shade of brown.
I reflected on the impossibility of environmental factors altering the melanin in my irises.
These eyes remained the most appealing feature on an otherwise disappointing face.
I impulsively poked my eye with a fingernail to check for contact lenses, resulting only in a sharp and tearing pain.
A strange digital window suddenly manifested in my vision as I recoiled from the self-inflicted injury.
I was left utterly bewildered by the sudden appearance of the system notification.
The high school student in the next seat moved away in a state of visible discomfort as I clutched my eye in pain.
I ignored his reaction as I became lost in a whirlwind of my own confusing thoughts.
I questioned if my excessive gaming had led to a state of vivid and groundless hallucinations.
The lingering pain in my eye suggested that the experience was far too tangible to be a mere dream.
I attempted to utter a curse, yet I found myself shouting words of faith, hope, and love instead.
I continued to spout the names of various fruits as I struggled to control my unruly tongue.
The student next to me eventually muttered a curse of his own and sought out a new seat entirely.
I found his language to be incomprehensible, despite his Korean appearance and hostile tone.
I took several deep breaths to steady my nerves before attempting to utilize my phone’s speed dial.
I attempted to contact our longtime housekeeper, who often treated me with a blunt familiarity despite my former beauty.
I was dismayed to find that the contact information was missing from the device.
I dialed the number from memory, only to be greeted by a curt and foreign-sounding man.
A wave of fear washed over me that was far more intense than my initial shock at the internet cafe.
I knew the number perfectly, yet my repeated attempts to call were met with immediate rejections and a final blockade.
I discovered that the entire address book was empty, which confirmed my suspicion that this was my old trainee-era phone.
I performed a frantic search of the device and found it to be completely devoid of any personal data or applications.
I was unable to read the majority of the labels on the screen, with only a single name remaining legible.
The sight of my nickname as a profile name left me feeling a sense of profound depression.
I feared that I had fallen into a tired and unpleasant cliché that was now buzzing in my mind like a swarm of angry bees.
▶ Quest Description: You've finally realized something's wrong. As expected, this is inside the game. Rest assured, you're not crazy, and this will be your undeniable reality. For the ignorant you, let's proceed with the kindly prepared quest.
▶ Completion Condition: Understand basic game systems via tutorial
▶ Confirmed Reward: Experience and money
Do you wish to proceed with the quest?
[Y/N]
I found that I could read the quest description perfectly, despite my previous struggles with the phone’s language settings.
I attempted to decline the offer, yet the system informed me that the quest was unrefusable and would proceed automatically.
I felt a surge of frustration as I realized I had no choice but to follow the game's instructions.
I departed from the internet cafe as the clock approached ten in the evening, noting that I lacked any form of identification.
The winter air felt exceptionally cold against my thin and fatless new body, causing me to shiver violently.
I noted that the date on the phone was late February of 2017, placing me five years in the past.
I wandered through the streets toward a more secluded area to begin the required tutorial.
I found that I was still unable to read the signs and billboards around me, feeling like an alien in my own country.
I eventually reached a deserted park where the system window appeared as if it had been waiting for my arrival.