Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 002
Chapter Title: The Tutorial Begins
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Lee Sang-hyun was sitting on a bench by the Han River, just like any other Sunday.
Leaning back against the uncomfortable bench backrest, hands shoved into his pants pockets, he looked rather forlorn as dusk settled in.
"......"
There were more people out for walks than usual today. Unlike Lee Sang-hyun, they were lively and boisterous.
No one had hollow eyes like his. Even those glued to their smartphones brimmed with vitality.
Lee Sang-hyun sat still, staring endlessly at something. Or perhaps he was deliberately looking away.
Then, a sudden thought flitted through his mind.
Is life boring? Or do I make it boring?
Lee Sang-hyun pondered the question deeply but couldn't reach a conclusion.
The frustration weighing on his chest only grew, making even this listless state feel agonizing.
So, Lee Sang-hyun thought to himself. If... truly if a special opportunity ever came his way, he would never let it slip.
At that moment, a brilliant light pierced through the clouds. It was visible only to him, a light meant solely for Lee Sang-hyun.
"?!!"
It was no illusion or dream. He felt it deep in his heart and realized it: the opportunity he'd longed for had arrived.
Because he'd waited and waited for this very moment, Lee Sang-hyun responded calmly, without panic.
"I'll do it."
Those words were merely a 'contract.' But for Lee Sang-hyun, who had been waiting, it was more than enough.
It didn't matter if the other party was a 'god' or a 'demon.' What mattered was that an irreversible change had come to his monotonous life.
Thus, without a shred of hesitation, Lee Sang-hyun accepted the contract.
"Without question."
On that day, the chosen ones numbered 1% of humanity. Only 1% of humans were selected and transported to an unknown place. And Lee Sang-hyun was among them.
It was an island. A pristine white beach, dense tropical forest, and a small landmass encircled by azure seas.
Ten people appeared on the beach. Seven men and three women.
Though summoned to an unfamiliar place, none had lost their senses. If anything, their minds were sharper than ever.
"Wh-what is this?!"
"Where are we?!"
"I was at home..."
"What the hell..."
"What's going on here?"
"Is this a dream? Ack?! No, it's not a dream?"
"Movie set... maybe...? Nah..."
The once-quiet beach erupted like a bustling marketplace. Everyone was bewildered. The frantic glances around them betrayed it. Even the older man, relatively speaking, couldn't hide his disorientation.
"Kidnapping? No way, we've been kidnapped...?"
Yet one person remained calm. As if he'd known from the start, only Lee Sang-hyun stayed silent, observing the situation.
"......"
Moments later, accompanied by a dazzling burst of light, something appeared. It was a fairy, straight out of comics or movies. A fairy about 30cm tall.
Fluttering her wings and chattering away, she was quite adorable. But the people couldn't hide their fear at the sight of a 'fairy.'
"Uwaaaah?!"
"M-monster?!"
"What is that?!"
"It-it's flying...?!"
"D-don't come closer...!"
"This has to be a dream..."
"Have I finally lost my mind......"
"Fairy...?"
The group cowered like children. The most level-headed reaction came from the man named Kang Mu-hyuk.
Kang Mu-hyuk stared at the unmistakable fairy and swallowed hard. Sweat drenched his clenched fists.
The fairy who introduced herself as Alice spoke.
Few grasped Alice's words at that point. Far from understanding, they were too terrified by the flying fairy-like creature before them.
'Chosen? Constellations? This is... just like that stuff from novels!'
The young, fit Kang Mu-hyuk caught on immediately. He even pieced together the situation.
'We've been summoned here... to this tutorial ground... to be chosen by beings called Constellations! And depending on how well we adapt and showcase our abilities, we'll earn the favor of special Constellations!'
Thus, Kang Mu-hyuk boldly decided to step forward, just like protagonists in those novels. That way, he'd grow stronger than the others.
"What are we supposed to do from here?"
It was a simple question. Amid the floundering crowd, it stood out brilliantly.
The fairy smiled broadly in response.
Kang Mu-hyuk secretly pumped his fist. He didn't know how valuable bonus points were, but they surely weren't useless.
Fairy Alice continued.
The crowd murmured in confusion.
People still hadn't fully comprehended. But seeing Kang Mu-hyuk earn 'bonus points' snapped a few out of it.
Clap! Fairy Alice clapped her hands. Translucent display screens appeared before everyone's eyes.
"This is...?"
The translucent displays showed everything from common game jobs to rare, unusual ones.
Kang Mu-hyuk, having snapped to attention faster than most, dismissed the basic jobs and swiftly selected a special one.
'Swordmaster...! This is the best choice! Its potential may fall short of Hero or Demon King, but... all things considered, this is optimal!'
Whether it was the absolute best choice was unknowable, but it was certainly a solid one.
Fairy Alice praised Kang Mu-hyuk for choosing first and awarded him another +1 bonus point.
Even the older man, who had been protesting what this nonsense was, snapped to attention at Alice's words.
Because he could no longer dismiss this bizarre 'reality' as a joke.
'...I can complain later. For now, play along. No reason to kidnap this many people for something pointless.'
True to being part of humanity's 1%—the 'chosen'—they weren't fools. They quickly picked jobs, unwilling to lag behind their neighbors.
As people chose one by one, only Lee Sang-hyun didn't rush.
He gazed calmly, almost leisurely, at one particular job. Because it glowed.
"......"
Was this a revelation? Or an illusion?
Regrettably, it offered no answer. Silent as ever. Yet Lee Sang-hyun felt its presence watching from behind, and sensed its nod of approval.
'This one.'
No more signs were needed. It was enough. As if it were the most natural thing, without doubt or fear, Lee Sang-hyun selected the 'Berserker' job.
Around Berserker were special jobs like 'Dragon Knight,' 'Transcendent,' and 'Vampire.'
But Lee Sang-hyun chose Berserker. The one with extreme attack power.