Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: 1. A Common Setup, Huh?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A brilliant light began to envelop the surroundings.
As soon as he blinked, Yoo Sung-hoon found himself in an unfamiliar place instead of the white space he'd grown accustomed to. The buildings around him exuded a medieval, antique vibe straight out of a movie or novel. He hunched his upper body slightly, ready to draw and swing his sword at a moment's notice. His stomach felt a bit full from the recent meal, but he didn't let it show.
Suddenly, Jerry's final words flashed through his mind.
'Before we officially begin The Mission, allow me one piece of advice.'
'Value your life.'
He had kept his ears open even while wolfing down food to fill his empty stomach.
'Even though this situation follows a game format, it's not a real game. You can't respawn endlessly like in a game after dying. The Mission allows only one revival. This is an absolute, unchanging rule and piece of advice. Value your life.'
He had already killed three people right from the start. He knew nothing about The Mission's world.
It might be a tournament format again, cramming people into a room and repeating until only one remained. And among the people he'd meet again, there might be someone like him—hesitation-free in plunging a weapon into another person. But fortunately, the sky was clear overhead, and this open city-like area meant it wouldn't be like yesterday, at least...
Woooong!
"Wh-what is this?!"
"Kyaaaaack!"
"You bastards! Let me out, please!"
The brilliant light appeared and vanished here and there, and people began materializing along with it. Their appearances varied wildly, but one thing was the same. Men wore green-tinted shirts and pants, women blue-tinted shirts and skirts—the beginner outfits rewarded for completing the Tutorial.
Some held short swords, others bows and such. Some scanned their surroundings warily like Sung-hoon, others spewed curses and screamed, and some collapsed in tears. But even after a while, nothing else happened.
No quest window appeared, no monsters showed up.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck Sung-hoon.
'Damn it. This isn't the time to stand around.'
Jerry had said The Mission's world was about to begin. He'd been intimidated by that, but Jerry had also mentioned that the First City was the starting point. Tutorial quests, reward distribution—so what came next?
As Jerry said, this was the true beginning.
No matter the game's format, what mattered was moving first.
'It follows a game format but isn't a real game? Conversely, that means it follows game formats to some extent. There might be quests rewarding those who act first. No time to waste standing around like an idiot.'
Sung-hoon broke into a sprint, leaving the spot behind.
He saw people gawking dumbly at their surroundings, and others who seemed to have teamed up, backs to each other. But he had no time for such things. The name "city" fit perfectly.
Densely packed buildings. And soon enough, he spotted his target.
A building with an antique signboard engraved with the word "Mission." Like someone was chasing him, Sung-hoon darted inside like lightning.
The interior was deserted. He was the only one who'd just burst through the door. After a quick scan, Sung-hoon cleared his throat and approached the desk.
"Thank you for being the first to visit the First City Mission Office, Player!"
"Ah, yeah."
"How may I assist you?"
"Well, that is..."
He'd hoped for a special perk for being the "first," but he shelved that thought.
"Could you tell me what this place is for?"
"Yes. The Mission Office assigns quests to players."
"Quests."
Mission Office: assigns quests. Engraving that in his mind, he said,
"Sorry, but I don't know much yet. Is there no way to get a map of the First City?"
"Maps are available at the general store."
"Right... haha. Well, since I'm asking, where do I go hunting?"
Knowing hunting spot locations would give him a huge lead. He had solid basic gear and skills, after all. The receptionist smiled brightly and pulled something from below.
"Looking for a hunting quest? As a beginner, you can take Rat Extermination or Sparrow Removal. If you're up for a challenge, how about Wild Dog Hunt?"
"No thanks. I just need to know where the hunting grounds are. Not ready to take quests yet."
"You need to accept a quest to hunt."
"What? What do you mean?"
Seeing his flustered expression, the receptionist replied with a smile.
"There are no monsters inside the First City."
"So to hunt, don't I go outside the city?"
"There's nothing outside the city. Precisely, you can't leave the city. The city is this entire world. If you want to earn gold, accept quests and complete missions."
It took a moment to process. But soon, he understood.
"Can I take the Rat Extermination quest?"
"Yes."
Rat Extermination
Grade: E
A massive rat infestation in the warehouse is causing trouble. Eliminate the rats inside the warehouse.
Achievement Conditions:
1. Rat Catcher: Catch 5 rats (0/5)
2. Hunter: Catch 20 rats (0/20)
3. Slayer: Catch 100 rats (0/100)
Base Reward: 500 gold, Fame +1 (Additional rewards based on achievements.)
Slayer Difficulty First Clear Bonus: Bonus Stat Point +1
The rewards weren't impressive.
But the "First Clear Bonus" next to it caught his eye first.
Woooong!
"Damn it. Is teleporting the only way to move around here?"
Blinking, he realized he was now inside a massive building he'd never seen before. Quickly confirming his position, Sung-hoon sighed softly and crouched down.
The Mission wasn't as easy as he'd thought. He'd assumed an open-world setup at first. But no. As the receptionist said, the First City was inescapable.
And to earn gold or grow stronger, quests were the only way.
'If Jerry's words are true, transcendent beings are watching the players. They decide successors based on how missions are cleared and how powerfully?'
"Anyway, no time to lounge here."
The "First Clear Bonus" from the rewards lingered in his mind. Even if everything else was wrong, his prediction that moving fast yielded rewards was spot on. This game had no levels, no stat-up advice—an unfriendly one.
In such a game, the one way he'd found to raise stats.
Monopolize stat points as fast and as much as possible.
'I'm not the only quick thinker. Simple quests like this will run out fast. Gotta move quicker.'
Squeak?
"There you are!"
Sung-hoon swung his sword without hesitation toward the sound. But the blade cruelly struck the floor, chipping stone. The rat pup, inches away, vanished into the shadows.
Squeak!
"Stay still, you!"
After wildly swinging his sword for a while, Sung-hoon soon leaned on it like a cane. Even with title bonuses, his stamina was sub-par. Bent over, flailing the sword everywhere—it tired him quickly.
After repeated rests and hunts, he wiped sweat from his brow and gritted his teeth.
"Damn, rat-catching isn't as easy as it sounds."
He'd grown used to killing in the Starting Room. But that didn't help with rats. The basic-of-basics rat hunt in games.
But in reality, it was insanely difficult. Fighting sizable foes was easier. Catching tiny rat pups in this huge warehouse? Pure hell quest.
And chills ran down his spine.
"The achievement conditions are..."
The lowest was catching five rats. But in this state, could he even catch one? Plus, no way to abandon the quest.
Completing it to leave meant failure trapped him here forever.
Good thing he'd stocked food and water. Otherwise, he'd starve chasing rats. Throat parched, Sung-hoon licked his lips and opened his inventory.
It held water and food. Realizing his target wasn't there, he rummaged in his coat pockets.
This coat cost 3,000 gold. Defense slightly above leather armor, but perfect for safely storing daggers or potions in inner pockets.
Fumbling inside, he grasped a vial sloshing with clear liquid.
This was it.
Just in case, he scanned the warehouse. No food anywhere. Just unidentified junk. Gaining confidence in his plan, Sung-hoon pulled out the potion fully.