Soul Trio
After work, I quickly returned home and plugged my earphones into my ears, sitting on the bed to calm my mind.
Last time I was summoned at dawn, but this time the timing is different. The current time is 21:00.
'This time it's different...'
Last time, I was dragged away without understanding and couldn't fight properly. But this time, it's different!
I didn't do any personal hobbies or meetings for a week, only work and training.
Only a week, but I trained really hard, and my strength is much stronger than before, easily surpassing 3x500.
Now, I can smoothly transition to the basic posture of swordsmanship. The motions leading to slashing from each position have become quite natural.
'I'm ready.'
Whether I can enter or not, I have the cut-resistant gloves ordered from PangPang on my left hand, and I'm wearing a windbreaker.
Just in case, I hold the neck guard tightly in my right hand.
I've prepared everything for perfect murder no matter when I'm summoned.
Time until the next mission...
"Let's go!!!"
Pop-!
The world flashes and the scenery changes.
It was the exact same place where I was summoned a week ago. This time, a building made of wood had appeared.
'As expected...'
The clothes I was wearing had disappeared, and I was summoned in jeans, black t-shirt, and sneakers — my usual outfit.
The earphones I had plugged in and the gloves were gone too.
"No problem! Tutorial Fairy, come out and bring the sword!"
Learned swordsmanship for 1 week!
Thanks to the Dunning-Kruger effect, my confidence is soaring through the skies.
I'm a grandmaster. No, even if called a Sword Master, it wouldn't be an exaggeration.
"Guide me to where the enemy is! There's not enough blood!"
A very cool line.
If my momentum is seen, even Miyamoto Musashi would be trembling and peeing his pants.
"Eh??? Eh????!!!!"
At that moment, a woman's surprised voice came from behind.
"Huu... Again, someone was summoned."
Daring to turn around on this Sword Master, a bit arrogant, but if a newbie, it's possible.
With a broad mind, forgiving her impudence, I turned around.
"Nothing happened????!!!!"
"Eh?"
Black straight hair, white skin, and a doll-like pretty face.
Doll girl!
She didn't die, so she was summoned again like me.
'Wait... When did she start being behind me...?'
Reciting lines from my mid-30s with overflowing middle school energy was a bit embarrassing.
But seeing the doll girl again, the joy is much greater.
We are the soul duo who survived the hellish tutorial together.
Thinking about it, the moment her arm was torn off is still vivid in my memory.
"Eh, eh... Is the arm okay now?"
"Yes, as you can see, after the mission ends, I returned to normal. No, rather, where were you until now??"
"Eh?? What does that mean...?"
"After the tutorial, you didn't appear for a week, so I thought you died!"
"Eh??????"
What is this saying?
Then I alone returned to my original world?
"Ah... Then, um... Anyway, what should I call you?"
"Ah... Sorry, late. I'm Aria. Aria Forte."
Aria placed her hand on her chest and bowed slightly. Her dignified appearance was truly beautiful.
"I'm Choi Minwoo. Call me Minwoo."
"Yes, Minwoo-ssi. By the way, what happened?"
"Ah, that's..."
I told Aria what had happened during that time. After killing the elf in the tutorial, I returned to the original world. And that I prepared for a week to come here.
"Eh?? Then Minwoo-ssi returned to the world you were in?"
"Yes... I thought you all were the same..."
From Aria's story, she stayed here after the tutorial.
And she said she hasn't heard from other participants about cases of going back and forth to the original world.
Then where did this difference come from?
'Ah! Right!!!!'
├─ Trait:Wanderers are not bound to a single world.
'But...'
Is this good?
If summoned to the other world, live there, make various connections, etc. Wasn't that the plan?
But it's an ability to periodically forced return to reality?
What meaning does that have?
No, I felt the other world is hell to the bone from the tutorial.
Then can I prepare in reality? Look up sword basics on YouTube and prepare? That's an amazing preparation plan!
Or since it was hard, go to reality for healing? How do I heal? I have to go to work!!!!!
If I don't work, the real life fails, what to do!!!!!
It's too unfair!!! Wouldn't it be much better to be bound to one side?
Sigh...
My life is clearly cursed.
Even after being summoned to the other world, I'm in such a dog-like situation, it really is too much.
"Aria, wait a second."
There's a part of what Aria said earlier that bothers me a lot.
"Other participants? Did you meet participants other than us?"
"Ah... There's a place called Gathering Hall. It's better to see it directly."
Aria took me to the central crystal. Touched it and said.
"If you think of moving to Gathering Hall, you'll be transported there. Try it."
"Aria, how do you know all this?"
"After returning from the tutorial, the fairy came out again and taught me."
"Ah..."
That crazy woman?
Anyway, following Aria's explanation, let's move to the place called Gathering Hall.
'Move to Gathering Hall.'
Pop!
Bright light, vision changes instantly.
First, a huge crystal emitting strong red light from the center.
Around it, a small city formed.
The architecture of the 6-tier village is medieval, but not the beautiful fantasy feel.
Rather, it feels like the dwarf city described in some game.
And quite a lot of people are walking around.
'Are those other participants...'
They look normal, but among them, occasionally other races appear.
Even a walking lizardman.
So, looking around this unrealistic place, Aria suddenly appears beside me with a flash.
"This is the Gathering Hall. Other participants are all here too."
Aria continues to explain.
"There is the restaurant, there is the healing room, the far one is the consumables shop."
"Ah then, what are the currencies here?"
"Calculated in points. We don't have points yet, haven't used it."
"How to earn points?"
"After completing the mission, points come in, but we haven't received a mission yet, so no points."
"During that time, you couldn't do missions?"
"Yes... Minimum 3 people are required. Of course, we can party with other participants, but... they don't seem to want to with us."
"Eh? Why?"
"After being laughed at for dying 3 times in the tutorial... Heard a lot to move to other areas, but haven't decided yet."
"Eh??"
What is this saying?
Then other guys survived the hell tutorial?
"Well... You'll know when you stay. Still, now with three, it seems we can do missions, good."
"Eh? Three? Who else besides me and Aria...?"
No way?
"Ah! I didn't mention. Oh, they're coming now."
Aria pointed in a direction, and a red thing of elementary school size walking towards us.
Eh????
Choding monster!
He came back alive!
No, he didn't die!
"UUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
I ran to the choding monster with huge joy, hugged him tightly, and spun while holding him up.
"Alive!!! Lucky!!! Really lucky!!! Without you, I couldn't have won!! Really thankful!!"
"Kiki ki! Ker ker! Ker ker!"
The choding monster also laughing happily, very cute!
Our trio are the turnaround heroes who returned from hell.
Even though we only spent one day together, the bond feels thicker than blood.
"Kiki, now we can go on missions too. Good, huh??"
"Ker ker! Ker ker!"
"Kiki yo?"
"Yes! Kobolds have no names, so I gave them the name Kiki."
Ah... This guy is a kobold!
But Kiki... Did he name it after the laughter sound? Too unthoughtful...
Anyway!
With three, we can receive missions, no need to worry.
Our soul trio together is invincible.
"First, let's go receive the mission. From what I heard, we need points to do something, but we have nothing now?"
"Yes, Minwoo-ssi. The quest office is over there."
Following Aria's guidance, we moved to the quest office.
The quest office was next to the central crystal on the first floor of the gathering hall.
Built of gray stone like other buildings, but this one was larger in size.
It looked about 2-3 times larger than the adjacent shops.
Inside, a large bulletin board on one wall, with papers stuck all over.
Some participants were standing in front of the board looking at the request contents.
"Welcome. Nice to meet you, participant."
Approaching the reception, a pretty receptionist stands and greets politely.
It seems service workers need to be kind here too.
"This person, first time meeting? Are you here to register?"
"Yes, register this person and receive the mission too."
The receptionist asked me, Aria answered instead.
"Understood. Please place your hand on the device here."
The receptionist held out some device.
There is a groove for fingers to rest, like the lie detector seen in variety shows.
Beep!
"Yes, registered. Choi Minwoo, skill is Primordial Power, correct?"
Before her words finished, the laughter of the other participants gathered at the quest office erupted.
What?
What is so funny?