Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Tutorial
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Kang Hyun-soo, enveloped in a bright light, arrived in a dense forest.
'The first tutorial, huh?'
Kang Hyun-soo recalled memories from his past life.
'The enemy I have to face is the Fang Rabbit.'
A Fang Rabbit was no ordinary rabbit.
It was the size of a large dog, with long, sturdy front teeth and powerful jaws strong enough to crush human bone and flesh.
And despite its cute appearance, its temperament was ferocious.
Rustle!
With a small noise, a Fang Rabbit with pure white fur and an adorable look emerged.
Kyaaak!
The moment it spotted Kang Hyun-soo, the Fang Rabbit let out a savage roar and charged.
In his previous regression, Kang Hyun-soo hadn't been able to defeat the Fang Rabbit.
Covered in big and small wounds, he'd run for his life.
Then, by sheer luck, he'd found a tree, climbed it, and shivered through the day.
Since the goal of the first tutorial was survival, it wasn't a wrong choice.
'But just surviving gets you nothing.'
Whoosh!
Kang Hyun-soo's sword drew a beautiful arc as he swung it.
Slice!
The neck of the white-furred Fang Rabbit charging at him was cleanly severed.
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Title: One-Strike Kill B-Rank has been granted.]
'Got it.'
One-Strike Kill was an achievement obtainable only in the first tutorial.
Kang Hyun-soo checked the options for the One-Strike Kill achievement.
[One-Strike Kill – B-Rank]
-You hunted a monster in one strike on your first hunt.
-All stats +25.
'As expected, it's awesome.'
He'd only killed a single monster at levels 0 to 3, yet he obtained a full B-Rank title.
It was a luxury available only during the first tutorial.
'But I can't settle for this much.'
There was more than just One-Strike Kill to obtain in the first tutorial.
'I'll sweep up every achievement and title available in the tutorial.'
If he regressed and couldn't even manage that?
He'd be nothing short of the world's biggest idiot.
Rather than avoiding Fang Rabbits, Kang Hyun-soo sought them out.
And hunted them.
The result?
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Title: First Tutorial Level Up A-Rank has been granted.]
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Title: Fang Rabbit Slayer A-Rank has been granted.]
[You have achieved an astonishing feat.]
[Title: Reached the Limit of the First Tutorial SSS-Rank has been granted.]
He had acquired every achievement available in the first tutorial.
A moment later.
[The first tutorial has ended.]
[The second tutorial will begin.]
[Cooperate with each other and survive for 3 days.]
The first tutorial ended, and the second one began.
* * *
Flash!
With a bright light, he arrived in yet another unfamiliar place.
But things were a bit different from before.
"What the hell?"
"Who are you people?"
"Kyaaah!"
Chaos erupted.
'This is the same as before.'
Kang Hyun-soo had also panicked just like them when the second tutorial started in his previous regression.
There were five people in total, including him.
'No particularly memorable faces.'
That meant most of them had died in the tutorial.
Or even if they survived and entered the Atlantis dimension, they hadn't become rankers.
'First, secure some skills.'
The first tutorial had only monsters, so he couldn't use Replica.
But now was different.
[Replica – F-Rank]
-Active skill
-Consumes mana and one stack to randomly copy one skill from another player.
-Replica skills have 10% of the original skill's power.
-Replica skills are copied as F-Rank regardless of the original skill's rank.
-Can hold up to 5 Replica skills.
-Current stacks: 4
-Stacks recharge one every 8 hours.
'Pretty modest.'
The Replica skill from his previous regression was worlds apart from this one.
'Well, that's natural.'
An F-Rank Replica could only copy five skills.
He needed to choose carefully, but there was no real need.
Replica skills could be deleted anytime.
'And with four stacks...'
Kang Hyun-soo cast Replica on the panicking people one by one.
[Using unique skill Replica – F-Rank.]
[One stack consumed.]
[Creating Replica of Steel Skin – F-Rank.]
[Replica skill Steel Skin – F-Rank created.]
[Replica skills have 10% of the original's power.]
...Omitted...
In his previous regression, mana shortage meant he only used Replica once despite leftover stacks.
But now was different.
He had over 100 mana stats.
Enough to cast Replica on the other four.
And with four stacks, it fit perfectly.
The problem was...
'There are no skills worth growing long-term.'
Kang Hyun-soo picked the most immediately useful ones from the mediocre skills.
That was when it happened.
[Using unique skill Replica.]
[One stack consumed.]
[Creating Replica of Mana Heart – C-Rank.]
[Replica skill Mana Heart – F-Rank created.]
[Replica skills have 10% of the original's power.]
'C-Rank.'
Kang Hyun-soo's eyes lit up.
A C-Rank skill right at awakening?
And the name was no ordinary one.
Kang Hyun-soo checked the info on his new Replica skill, Mana Heart.
[Mana Heart – F-Rank]
-Passive skill
-Replica skill.
-Mana quantity +1%.
-Mana recovery speed +1%.
'Jackpot.'
A bright smile bloomed on Kang Hyun-soo's face.
Right now, the effect wasn't huge.
It was just an F-Rank skill at 10% of original power.
It said 1%, but currently, mana quantity and recovery were only up 0.1%.
But in the future, it would be different.
'If I just raise the Replica skill's rank, it can exceed 100%, even 200% of the original.'
Mana Heart could also be upgraded.
If he made both Replica and Mana Heart EX-Rank?
'It'd be practically infinite mana.'
He hadn't expected anything useful from the tutorial, yet he got this treasure.
'Good thing my mana is plentiful.'
If he hadn't gotten those five achievements, including regressing?
He probably wouldn't have had enough mana for Replica and missed Mana Heart like before.
Kang Hyun-soo eyed the player who'd gifted him Mana Heart.
A woman in her early twenties, clutching a small crossbow, trembling.
'Did she die during the tutorial in the previous regression?'
Probably.
If she'd cleared all tutorials?
No guild would overlook a C-Rank Mana Heart; they'd have recruited her with top honors.
She'd have become a top ranker on that skill alone.
'Mana Heart is a classic late-bloomer skill.'
What a waste.
Dying in the tutorial with a skill like that.
'No, maybe that's why she died.'
Truthfully, Mana Heart was useless in the tutorial.
F-Rank attack or defense skills were better for survival than C-Rank Mana Heart.
If Kang Hyun-soo left her alone?
She'd die during the tutorial, just like before.
'I can't let that happen. I'll save her. And recruit her.'
No, better to make her one of his own.
He needed to build forces to oppose the Demon King's minions and traitors anyway.
'No more betrayals like last time.'
He had a way to ensure no betrayal.
Just acquire one job he missed before.
'The second tutorial's goal is cooperation and survival anyway.'
To get achievements, he had to save her.
One second-tutorial-exclusive achievement was clearing with zero deaths.
That also gave Outstanding Leader, for top tutorial contribution.
'Outstanding Leader is an A-Rank title with +30 to all stats.'
A bit of hassle, but +150 total stats made it a must-have.
'And it's totally doable.'
Kang Hyun-soo was different from the others.
He got an EX-Rank achievement at awakening.
Leveled up in the first tutorial, got four more.
Plus over 30 years of combat experience.
Ensuring all four others survived the second tutorial?
Piece of cake.
Of course.
"Hey, hand over that crossbow!"
Assuming no trolls.
* * *
"Hey, hand over that crossbow!"
A man covered in tattoos like crude drawings on his arms and legs approached the trembling woman with a menacing scowl and shouted.
"N-No, I won't."
The woman refused, shaking.
She'd realized it clearly after the first tutorial.
Without this crossbow, she was dead.
"Ha! You won't? Have you lost your mind, you bitch! You wanna die?!"
The man raised his bloodied longsword threateningly.
The woman flinched and aimed her crossbow at him.
"Ha! You think you can shoot me?"
Though he said that, his eyes twitched faintly.
'I thought she was shaking so much it'd be easy.'
The man had barely survived the first tutorial.
And items.
Especially the need for ranged weapons and armor.
He'd chosen a longsword, wooden shield, chainmail top and bottom, and iron boots.
The problem: chainmail top and bottom covered as little as a sleeveless tee and miniskirt.
The iron boots were too heavy and uncomfortable, reducing mobility.
In the first tutorial, his arms and legs had nearly been severed multiple times by Fang Rabbits.
If his wounds hadn't healed moving to the second tutorial?
He'd have bled out.
That's when he spotted her: trembling, holding a crossbow, in leather armor top and bottom with leather boots.
Items resized to the wearer.
Steal her items, and his problems were solved.
So he'd gone for it easily, but it backfired.
"Step back right now."
The woman warned, trembling as she aimed the crossbow.
"You think you can hit me?!"
The man yelled louder and took another step.
But unlike his bold voice, he raised his shield high to cover his head.
"Eek!"
The woman gritted her teeth and fired the crossbow.
Thwang!
The arrow struck the wooden shield.
The man flinched.
It had half-pierced the shield, arrowhead right in front of his eyes.
But that was it.
"You bitch!"
He charged at her with a furious glare.
She tried to reload.
But his sword was faster.
Whoosh!
His sword swung at her.
"Kyaak!"
She screamed and squeezed her eyes shut.
Clang!
Then, the clash of metal on metal rang out.
She cautiously opened her eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?"
She saw a young man facing off against her attacker.
'I'm saved.'
She let out a sigh of relief.
She'd thought she was done for.
But she lived.
Thanks to the young man blocking the man's sword.
"Who the hell are you, butting in?! Get out of the way!"
The man snarled at the young man like an enraged beast.
"Please don't go."
The woman pleaded desperately with the young man.
If he backed off scared?
She was dead.
"No need to worry."
The young man replied calmly to her, then glared at the man.
"I asked you clearly: what do you think you're doing?"
The man's face twisted savagely at the young man's words.