Chapter 1. Tutorial
The three headed toward the rocky mountains. The air felt different right away. The foliage grew denser, and all sounds faded away. Even desensitized Earthlings couldn't miss a change like that. At least they weren't the kind of low-IQ idiots who would joyfully dance around and grill up suspicious meat tossed their way.
Ji-hyuk tracked the monster's traces and the source of the thick killing intent. The skinny guy and the teacher lady clutched their crude wooden spears with both hands, eyes darting around anxiously as they stuck close behind him.
...There are others nearby.
Ji-hyuk's sharp senses picked up more than just monsters. He couldn't pinpoint their exact identity, but he knew someone was there. Makes sense—everyone was desperate for tokens, so plunging deep into the forest after monsters was inevitable.
He ramped up his vigilance toward his surroundings. Danger wasn't limited to monsters right now. Other participants could turn hostile and attack them at any moment. Humans who ranked as weaklings would be easy prey for them. He had to be especially wary of the unusually aggressive orcs. Those bastards were battle maniacs who led with their fists instead of words. Even B-rank hero Giranoshi had terrible relations with the other heroes because of his impulsiveness. He'd nearly come to blows with Ji-hyuk once, too.
Lizardmen were better, at least. They were fierce, sure, but they didn't charge recklessly at every opportunity. They were rational types. And quick with calculations, too. That was why so many renowned merchant guild leaders were lizardmen.
Ji-hyuk kept walking, eyes scanning every direction. The teacher lady seemed pretty worn out, but there was no time to rest. They needed to bag a monster fast and get out. If luck soured, they could end up as targets for the other participants.
"Ji-hyuk, can we... take a short break?"
"No. Hang in there just a bit longer."
"...Okay."
The teacher lady didn't ask twice. She knew well enough how tense the atmosphere was.
Ji-hyuk finally reached the vicinity of the monster. The thing was greedily tearing into something—a corpse.
"Gasp."
The teacher lady clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. The skinny guy was just as startled.
Ji-hyuk motioned for them to hide behind a tree. They ducked behind a thick trunk.
...Fuck, one step too late.
Someone had already closed in right up to the monster. Fortunately, it was just a troll. Luck was on their side. If a token dropped, they could snatch it and run.
Getting a token without fighting the monster was the best method. No need to take unnecessary risks.
Good thing the opponent was a slow-footed troll. They could easily shake it off after grabbing the token.
Soon, the troll clashed with the monster. The hulking troll swung a massive boulder, hammering the monster's body. It was a brutal, brute-force brawl. But for a troll, nothing was more effective. Wounds healed in no time anyway.
The monster ripped chunks from the troll's flesh with its teeth and crunched bones, but the troll shrugged it off and kept smashing with the rock. Once or twice was nothing, but sustained blows like that—even the monster couldn't endure forever. They rolled across the ground in a savage dogfight.
In the end, the troll emerged victorious. The monster was on the weaker side to begin with, and facing a troll was just bad luck. Unless its head was severed in one shot, physical attacks barely fazed the thing.
That's when Ji-hyuk started creeping toward the troll. Stealthily, so it wouldn't notice. Waiting for the token to drop.
...Not this time either? No way it's another dud—
A flash of light burst forth.
Token...!
The moment he spotted the gleam, Ji-hyuk bolted. The troll, fixated on the token, hadn't noticed him yet. The orb, about the size of a baby's head, was unmistakably a token.
Before Ji-hyuk could snatch it, the troll grabbed it first. Then it turned its head. It sensed something approaching.
But Ji-hyuk was already right there.
-_-!!
Before the troll could react, Ji-hyuk's wooden spear smashed the orb from its hand. The spear snapped like a twig, and the orb flew off.
Ji-hyuk leaped after it. He scooped up the distant orb and bolted.
"Run—!"
The troll, robbed of its precious token, went berserk and gave chase.
- Roooaaarrr—!!
It charged like a madman. Slow-footed, sure, but not so much you'd yawn. Fast enough to catch the exhausted teacher lady, at least.
But the troll's focus was solely on Ji-hyuk. All it saw was the token. A stroke of luck for the teacher lady.
The skinny guy and teacher lady escaped the pursuit. Confirming that, Ji-hyuk pushed his speed even harder. The troll bellowed and chased, but eventually vanished from sight.
- Roooaaarrrroooaaarrr—!!
Having lost the token right in front of it, the troll unleashed a roar that echoed through the forest. But what could it do? It was gone.
Ji-hyuk leaned against a tree trunk, gasping for breath. Dodging the troll had drained his stamina massively after sprinting like hell.
Fucking shitty stamina—.
He hated this disconnect he felt after dying. Back when he was an S-rank hero, he could've run half a day without breaking a sweat. Now a little sprint left him wheezing like he was dying.
...Thinking about the grind to get back in shape was depressing.
He stood before catching his breath fully. Leaving the two alone made him uneasy. If they died, he'd be in deep shit. He wasn't tough enough yet to last days without sleep.
Huff huff—.
Ji-hyuk figured they needed to get out of there fast. The troll's roars had drawn every eye; participants would swarm soon. If word got out he had a token, he'd be target number one. Hunted day and night.
He hurried back to the two. Fortunately, they'd stayed put, waiting wisely.
"Is that the token?"
"Yeah. Let's get out of here quick. Trouble if others show up."
The pair nodded and tailed him closely. Still, snagging one token lifted their spirits. Just two more to go.
Luck held—they made it back to the original puddle without running into anyone. The sun was already dipping low.
Ji-hyuk handed them the token briefly and went to check the goblins. They were alive and fine. No harmful poison in the meat, apparently.
He returned to camp and suggested grilling it up. They gathered twigs and dead leaves like they'd been waiting, prepping the bonfire.
The skinny guy clumsily rubbed sticks together and finally sparked a flame. The teacher lady sliced the meat into chunks and skewered them on twigs.
They handled these chores on their own now. Meanwhile, Ji-hyuk dug a hole and buried the token. Best to hide it from prying eyes. Act like they had none.
"Dinner's ready."
The meat sizzled golden-brown. Night had fallen pitch-black. They ate their belated dinner by the lone bonfire.
The skinny guy and teacher lady devoured it like maniacs. Their first proper meal in three days. It reeked of goblin funk, but they didn't care. Too starved to nitpick.
With full bellies for the first time in ages, they grinned in satisfaction. Pure bliss.
"I don't get why we lived so frantically back on Earth."
"Should've enjoyed life more."
They even had the leisure to chat like that. Ji-hyuk thought, These idiots still haven't learned their lesson—.
...Well, shedding that Earthling mindset would take time.
Thinking of home soured the teacher lady's mood again. She sniffled repeatedly. But no tears this time. Probably didn't want to look weak in front of Ji-hyuk.
"Put out the fire now."
"Okay."
The skinny guy and Ji-hyuk flopped onto the dirt. The teacher lady sprinkled soil on the flames. Ssssh— they died out. The world went black again. Only silver moonlight dripped through the dense leaves, the sole spotlight.
On Earth, it'd be romantic. Here, not so much.
Ji-hyuk closed his eyes. Drained, he fell asleep fast.
Pheww—.
An arrow streaked like a beam of light. It pierced the teacher lady's skull clean through as she dozed sitting up.
"Gack—."
A final gasp, and she slumped dead.
Ji-hyuk's eyes snapped open. He saw her head impaled by the arrow.
Fuck—!
He rolled across the ground. An arrow thunked right where he'd been. A split-second later, and he'd be dead.
"Get up—!"
He yelled at the skinny guy and kicked his torso sideways. Another arrow whizzed past by inches.
The skinny guy jolted awake. Ji-hyuk ordered them behind a tree. They scrambled opposite the arrow's origin.
Hah hah—.
No more arrows came.
Fucking fairy bastard—!
The culprit was obvious. Only that pervert would craft a bow and snipe like this.
At least they'd survived. His spare life had done its job perfectly.
"S-Se-hee...!"
"She's dead."
Ji-hyuk said it flatly. Ah, aaaah—.
The skinny guy trembled at the sight of her lolling tongue and arrow-pierced head. The terror of death, distant before, hit him hard again. He panicked.
Ji-hyuk couldn't do much either. Just pray the damn fairy gave up and left. It kept its distance and presence hidden too well to pinpoint.
But it wasn't closing in. That much he knew.
They spent the night barely sleeping, on high alert. Only at dawn did Ji-hyuk stir cautiously. No sign of the fairy.
He woke the skinny guy, knees up and head drooped in exhausted sleep.
Aaah—.
The guy looked up, startled.
"Get up now. Time to move."
The skinny guy's eyes flicked to the teacher lady. Her gruesome corpse. Nightmarish—he averted his gaze quick.
They gulped water, grabbed the token, and left. The skinny guy glanced back now and then. But the dead woman didn't stir.