Chapter 5
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Monopoly
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“Kraaaargh!”
The instant the beast kicked off the ground and charged at me, a red crosshair locked onto my vision.
The arrow flew from the bowstring, tracing a bizarre trajectory that defied the laws of physics before slamming precisely into its right eyeball.
Splurt-!
“Keeerrreeeek-!”
A horrific scream echoed through the cavern.
Mad with pain, it began swinging its massive axe wildly in all directions.
The air ripped apart with a savage whoosh, slicing the stone floor like tofu.
This wasn’t mere flailing. It was a storm of pure murderous intent bent on obliterating everything around it.
I didn’t even glance back as I shouted,
“Fall back! Huddle in the corner and cover your heads! If you come out, you’re dead!”
Stunned by my roar, the three dazed survivors screamed and scrambled into the corner.
Finally, I could lock my gaze on the monster.
But something felt strange.
'What’s this feeling?'
My heart thundered like I’d sprinted flat out.
But it wasn’t excitement. Nor was I trembling in fear.
My breathing stayed even.
Meanwhile, the corners of my mouth had crept upward.
Yeah.
I was smiling. Right now.
Facing a grotesque monster straight out of a nightmare—one I’d never see in the real world, something I’d only glimpsed in games.
'Is it because I’m a shut-in gamer? My brain’s gotta be broken.'
An inexplicable euphoria washed over me.
Boom- Rumble-
'Ah, here we go. The berserk pattern.'
Having lost one eye, the boss was in a frenzy, blind to friend or foe for the moment.
Eventually, it’d loop into the same pattern—but knowing it didn’t make charging in now anything less than suicide.
Still, even a beast can’t rampage forever.
'15 seconds.'
I stood my ground, savoring the sight of it thrashing like a maniac.
Axe blades whistled over my head now and then. Stone shards grazed my cheek.
I didn’t flinch.
Its frenzy swung like a pendulum—predictable rhythm and all.
13, 14, 15.
“Grr... Hack...”
As if by magic, it froze mid-motion, heaving ragged breaths.
Muscle overload hitting temporary paralysis—the exhaustion phase.
“Idiot.”
I nocked another arrow.
The second it lifted its head, gasping, the arrow speared through its remaining left eye.
“GRRROOOAAAR!”
Perfect darkness.
The sightless monster was little more than a giant punching bag now.
I sliced its ankle tendons. Carved its wrists to make it drop the axe. Whenever a sinew showed, I jammed a spear in to bleed it out.
Rinse and repeat.
It punched at phantoms in the air, but I was never where it aimed.
Now I stood right behind it.
I regripped the spear.
Its nape lay utterly exposed.
Between thick hide and muscle—the fatal nerve cluster.
I drove the spear in with my full body weight.
Squelch-!
Not a single close call.
The goblin’s uncharacteristically massive bulk thudded to the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
You have defeated the Tutorial Ruler, Mutant Hobgoblin.
Acquired +200 Experience.
At the same time, light erupted from my body once more.
This wave of mana was incomparably fiercer than before.
A thrilling rush enveloped me from head to toe.
Pain and ecstasy surged as every muscle fiber seemed to reknit itself.
And then, choices floated before my eyes.
1. Power Up (Normal)
2. Stamina Up (Normal)
3. Speed Up (Rare)
'Jackpot!'
My eyes lit up.
Rares or better in the tutorial were a freakish rarity.
I’d leveled up hundreds of times in the game, but Rares? Maybe three or four times total.
'Real death game jacking up the odds? Or some invisible luck buff from the system?'
No hesitation needed.
I tapped 3 without a second thought.
Selected Speed Up (Rare).
Muscle response speed transcends human limits. You can now move faster than the wind.
The world felt subtly slower.
I clenched and unclenched my fist experimentally.
My fingers left afterimages they moved so fast.
It wasn’t just raw speed.
Visual input to brain, brain to muscle—the whole chain had shortened.
With specs like this, I’d steamroll the early main game.
I couldn’t help but clench my fist tight.
“I-It’s... dead...?”
Choi Hyun-sik peeked out from the corner.
The fallen hobgoblin wasn’t even twitching anymore.
And right beside that colossal corpse, the victor’s spoils gleamed.
Plop. Plop.
Five faint glows in total.
One base reward, plus four extras for the survivors.
Worth sparing those deadweights after all.
Solo, I’d have gotten just two.
I strolled over casually and scooped them up.
First to catch my eye: a single card shimmering blue.
Grants authority to create a party and register members. (Note: Expelling registered members is limited to once per 24 hours.)
'The usual fixed drop.'
This card was guaranteed.
Proof of how brutal the main game was—bosses dropping party cards on the regular.
'Prefer solo if possible, but...'
Moments like this loot haul might demand a party someday.
Best to hold onto it.
Smiling in satisfaction, I pocketed the card and eyed the next item.
Reduces footstep noise by 50% and boosts movement speed.
Flame-attuned beads. Causes a powerful explosion when thrown. (One-time use)
'No luck. Shoes, really?'
I slipped on the boots. Tucked the beads carefully into my top pocket for a special occasion—wouldn’t want to forget them.
The last two? A plain mana stone and an empty potion vial.
Total duds.
'Tch.'
“Uh, Big Brother...”
Choi Hyun-sik sidled up, gulping hard as he called out.
His eyes glued to the items in my hands.
A mix of greed and fear.
He couldn’t spit out a plea to share, but his gaze begged.
Figured he’d been a meat shield or something.
'Hilarious.'
I smirked and tossed him the empty potion vial.
“Here. Yours.”
“Eek!”
He snatched it desperately and cradled it like priceless treasure.
An empty bottle might hold water later or crushed herbs, but let’s be real—trash.
Lee Seo-ah and Park Yumin didn’t dare ask for a thing. Just eyed me warily.
They knew they’d contributed squat.
And they sensed crossing me meant disaster.
Perfectly housebroken.
Whirr-
A blue vortex swirled to life in the cavern’s center.
Tutorial has ended.
Return portal generated.
“We survived... We really survived!”
Choi Hyun-sik whooped and bolted for the portal first.
Right before stepping in, he spun and bowed 90 degrees to me.
“Big Brother! I won’t forget this debt! If we meet outside, drinks are on me—big time!”
He vanished without waiting for a reply.
Drinks, huh.
Here’s hoping our paths never cross again.
If they did, he’d better shape up as a proper meat shield.
Park Yumin shuffled over hesitantly.
Her rags were gone, but she still wore shabby scraps of cloth.
Her teary eyes brimmed with unease.
Beyond her ample chest, totally not my type.
“Um... Big Brother. Thank you so much. Could I maybe get your number...? I really want to repay you.”
“Just go. Not interested.”
I cut her off and pointed at the portal.
She worked her lips, glanced back wistfully one last time, then trudged toward it.
Only Lee Seo-ah remained.
She didn’t bolt. Just stood there, arms crossed, staring me down.
The fear was gone. Her gaze sharp, probing.
“Who the hell are you? Didn’t fight like a first-timer.”
“Just got lucky.”
I shrugged.
'And?'
“Bullshit.”
She said it flatly.
But she didn’t press further.
Knew I wasn’t spilling.
Pilates instructor with killer instincts, huh.
After a beat, she opened her mouth like she’d made up her mind.
“I hate owing people. You saved my life, so I’ll pay this debt. Someday. Count on it.”
“No need to—”
“Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Cheongdam-dong. ‘Bodyline’ studio. My place. Swing by anytime. Number’s 010-XXXX-XXXX. Don’t forget.”
She rattled it off like a machine gun, ignoring me.
“Then, I’m out.”
She turned on her heel.
Straight for the portal.
Park Yumin, still hovering nearby, scurried out of her way.
Lee Seo-ah shot her a glare, gave me one last enigmatic look,
then whipped around and vanished into the portal.
'Feisty personality. Guess she played nice out of fear till now.'
“Uh, me too. Let’s meet up outside—alive—Big Brother.”
Dazed Park Yumin bowed three times in a row before disappearing.
“Ha...”
Finally alone.
Silence blanketed the cavern.
I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.
Deadweights cleared out.
Now for the real business.
I checked my new haul.
Especially the Red Beads of the Shaman.
Without them, I’d have bailed. But the stage was set perfectly now.
I scooped up the boss hobgoblin’s severed head from the floor.
Blood dripped from its gruesome mug, but to me, it was just a key.
Thud. Thud.
I headed to the cavern’s dark corner no one had bothered with.
A grotesque bone altar loomed there, hideous and waiting.
100% tutorial exploration unlocked this hidden gem—after exhaustive trial and error.
Of course, finding it wasn’t the end.
'Clearing this is true tutorial graduation.'
By my hardcore gamer standards, anyway.
“Hup!”
I plopped the hobgoblin head atop the altar.
Whumm-!
The altar glowed red and began to vibrate.
The blue return portal turned blood-red. The whole cavern reeked of ominous energy.
A system chime rang like a warning alarm in my ears.
Hidden activation condition met!
Sacrifice offered to the bone altar.
Hidden trial, Vengeful Wraith, summoned.
Roooar-!
Black smoke billowed from the altar, coalescing into a massive shape in midair.
Physical immunity spirit body.
A nightmare for early-game scrubs.
Swords and spears? Useless. First time I faced it, I just ran—then died anyway.
“Hmph.”
But I was different now.
I knew its perfect counter.
“Come on!”
Two crimson eyes glared from the swirling smoke.
I flashed a wicked grin and pulled the fresh red beads from my pocket.
“Quit stalling and cough up that rare weapon already, punk!”