Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2- First Round.
An ordinary day, just like any other. But within that ordinary day, something extraordinary suddenly arrived.
[All members of Earth have been selected as Tower entrants.]
[Earth is a world unaffected by mana.]
[For fairness, entry into the Tutorial will occur sequentially.]
[1,000 individuals have been selected.]
[You are the first entrant.]
"...What the hell is this?"
Had I been gaming too much yesterday?
Game-like system messages scrolled before my eyes.
I’d had a drink too was I still half-asleep, hallucinating?
As I shook my head to clear it, my vision wobbled.
Then, my room vanished without a trace, replaced by an endless plain stretching before me.
"...Huh?"
I sucked in a sharp breath.
It felt like I’d stepped into another dimension.
Lush grasslands spread beneath my feet, and under the deep blue sky, an infinite expanse stretched beyond sight.
"What is this... a dream?"
Flustered, I pinched my cheek.
Ouch.
A stinging pain spread.
This... was definitely not a dream.
And the moment I realized that, people began appearing around me, one by one.
As if they’d been standing there all along, invisible until now, suddenly regaining substance.
Had I looked like that to them too?
"...What the hell?"
Before I could even take a step back, the number of people exploded.
In an instant, nearly a thousand had gathered.
The murmuring voices grew louder.
Maybe it was because I hadn’t seen so many people in a long time, or maybe it was the sheer noise swirling in my ears, but my head throbbed like it would split open, and my stomach churned.
Then, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.
The headache eased slightly, and my nausea settled.
"Yeong-min!"
A voice I could recognize even in a crowd.
The voice I’d heard most in my life, after my parents’—familiar and welcome.
"...So-eun?"
In the distance, I saw her waving. Yoo So-eun was pushing through the crowd, running toward me.
"Uh... you’re here too?"
Even as I spoke, it still didn’t feel real.
This situation was so surreal, so impossible to believe.
But... at least I could breathe again.
"Haah... thank goodness..."
Seeing a familiar face was a relief.
"What the hell is going on...? Words popped up in front of me, and suddenly I was here."
"Same. What kind of disaster is this?"
I could’ve said this felt like something out of a web novel or a game, but if I did, I’d definitely be labeled a lunatic.
"You’re talking about that in this situation?" I could already hear the scolding.
As the murmuring grew louder, the sky suddenly lit up.
Mysterious beings with white wings descended from above.
The scene looked like something out of a myth.
A radiant glow painting the heavens.
Ethereal, winged figures emitting a soft light.
Bodies of perfect symmetry.
A sacred aura, as if they didn’t belong to this world.
As they descended one by one, the noise around us quieted.
Some gazed in awe, others in terror.
Then, in that moment, each angel reached out to a person.
And in an instant, people began vanishing.
"Wh—what’s happening?!"
Panic erupted.
Some flailed in the air, resisting, but their bodies were already being sucked into shimmering light.
"Yeong-min!"
I turned my head and saw Yoo So-eun reaching toward me.
But before our hands could meet, her body, too, was enveloped in light.
"So-eun!"
Before I could even stretch out my arm, she was gone.
The vast plain was now empty, save for me and a single angel with two pairs of wings.
My mind went blank. The only person I knew here my only anchor was gone.
Breathing heavily, I glared at the angel.
"...Where did everyone go?! My friend—!"
I hurled the question roughly, but the angel before me simply gazed back with calm, unwavering eyes.
A cold, divine gaze that only deepened my unease.
As if sensing my fear, the angel spoke in a composed voice.
"There’s no need to worry. Each person has been taken by their assigned angel to be educated about the Tutorial. I am Estelle, the angel assigned to you, Player Han Yeong-min."
A quiet but firm tone.
Strangely, her words put me at ease.
"Then... when can I see the others again?"
"Once the education is complete, all players will be moved to their lodgings. You’ll meet them soon, so there’s no need to worry."
The moment I heard that, a sigh of relief escaped me.
It meant I’d see So-eun again soon.
There was no reason for these transcendent beings to lie to me.
If they wanted me dead, they could’ve just killed me.
The fact that they were going through all this trouble meant they had a reason.
If I’d been left here alone, without a single familiar face, forced to stay with this mysterious, unfamiliar angel forever how exhausting and lonely would that have been?
But my relief was short-lived.
The angel continued.
"First, would you like to open your status window?"
With some of the tension gone, I couldn’t help but think:
'...This is really like a web novel now.'
I decided to just accept it.
Even if this felt like a game or a web novel, it was my reality now. Following instructions was the right move.
"Status window."
[Name: Han Yeong-min]
[Title: None]
[Age: 24]
[Constellation: None]
[Stats]
Strength: 1 / Stamina: 1 / Mental Power: 1 / Agility: 1 / Intelligence: 1 / Magic: 1
[Traits]
None
[Skills]
None
'...This is kinda pathetic?'
Far from flashy stats, this was just a bare-bones starting state.
No stats, no traits, no skills—just a bland status window.
I doubted everyone else was like this.
"Have you checked?"
"Yes."
"If you had trained regularly, your stats might’ve been around 2 or 3, but since you haven’t exercised, it’s likely they’re all at 1."
Estelle continued her explanation in a composed tone.
"And the traits or skills you start with in the beginning are extremely important. So I advise against carelessly sharing your status window information with anyone."
'...But I don’t even have anything to share?'
No traits, no skills, nothing.
Just a completely penniless start.
But the fact that the angel mentioned this likely meant some people did start with traits or skills. Seems like I got the short end of the stick from the very beginning.
"Next are the skills provided in the Tutorial. If you say ‘Tutorial Skills,’ a list will appear, and selecting a skill will provide a guide for learning it."
"Tutorial Skills."
[Tutorial Skills List]
Low-Grade Swordsmanship (Lv. 1), Low-Grade Spearmanship (Lv. 1), Low-Grade Archery (Lv. 1), Low-Grade Blunt Weaponry (Lv. 1), Low-Grade Axemanship (Lv. 1), ...
An enormous list of skills unfolded before my eyes.
For a moment, it was dizzying.
"If you want to clear what’s in front of you, just think ‘Disappear.’"
Following her instructions, I focused, and the windows vanished.
'This... is surprisingly convenient.'
"If you say ‘Tutorial Monster,’ a list of summonable monsters will appear. But at this stage, even the weakest monster would be difficult for you to handle, so I recommend training first before attempting it."
"What happens if I summon a monster?"
"If you don’t deal meaningful damage within 10 minutes, it will automatically despawn. Also, monster corpses will disappear after 10 minutes if left untouched."
'Oh.'
So I could gain martial art experience without worrying about cleanup.
I was starting to get a sense of what the Tutorial was about.
"In the Tutorial, the maximum stat value is 20. There’s no limit to the number of skills you can learn, but you can only raise them to Intermediate Lv. 1 at most."
"And..."
Estelle added one last crucial detail.
"Even if you die in the Tutorial, you’ll return to your state from 6 hours prior. You can revive after 10 minutes, so you can train without worrying about your body. Do you have any questions about what I’ve explained so far?"
'Revival..?'
An even more transcendent ability than I’d expected.
I was stunned for a moment but didn’t show it.
If revival was possible, it meant I could treat my life like a game currency spending it recklessly to train.
Not that I planned to, of course.
'She really explains things well.'
"I understand everything. You explained it clearly, so I don’t have any questions."
"Then I’ll send you to your lodgings. If you need a large space to train or have any questions, just call my name."
Estelle flicked her fingers, and in a flash, my vision shifted.
A cozy space came into view.
"Is this the lodging?"
A spacious, tidy house. The 100-square-meter space was fully furnished.
The wardrobe had training clothes in my size, the fridge was stocked with food and ingredients, and there was even a microwave, induction stove, and air fryer.
Nothing seemed particularly inconvenient.
The only downside was the lack of entertainment.
'What’s outside the door?'
Aside from the window for ventilation, there was an ordinary door.
Opening it revealed a hallway where many people were chatting.
"Han Yeong-min!"
A familiar voice called out. Turning, I saw Yoo So-eun waving at me.
"You got here faster than I expected?"
"They said if you don’t have questions, they will send you straight to the lodgings, so I just came."
She laughed familiarly and playfully punched my shoulder.
"If I don’t take care of our Yeong-min, who will?"
"We’re the same age, why do you keep calling yourself ‘noona’?"
To be honest, there was almost a year’s difference. So-eun’s birthday was January 1st, mine was December 31st.
But technically, we were the same age.
Still, at some point, she’d started acting like an older sister.
"Let’s talk inside. It’s too noisy out here."
She slipped through the open door, and I sighed softly before closing it behind us.
"The soundproofing here is amazing."
"Right? Is there some kind of soundproof booth installed?"
Despite the crowd outside, not a single noise leaked in.
This lodging must’ve had some magical technology or at least special materials.
"Are you hungry?"
Now that she mentioned it, I hadn’t eaten all day.
The moment I realized, hunger hit me like a truck.
"Starving."
"Tch... Hang on. I’ll make something quick."
So-eun pulled ingredients from the fridge and started chopping with practiced ease.
Watching her, I remembered something.
Back then, she’d suddenly decided she wanted to be a good wife and started learning to cook.
A few months later... she’d gotten four culinary certifications.
'She’s practically a semi-pro chef.'
I’d asked whose wife she wanted to be, but she never answered.
I’d never heard about her dating anyone, and she never gave off that vibe, so I couldn’t even guess. Who was this future husband?
Lost in thought, I didn’t notice the finished dish being placed in front of me until it was right there.
...And, unsurprisingly, it was that dish again.
"Pork stir-fry again?"
I grumbled.
Not the right thing to say to someone who’d cooked for me, but for some reason, I always ended up whining around her.
Maybe that’s why she treated me like a younger brother.
"But you like pork stir-fry, right?"
"...Can’t deny that."
I love pork stir-fry.
Especially the delicious kind.
She handed me chopsticks with a triumphant smile, and without another word, I took a bite.
"Mmm."
The familiar taste.
The mildly spicy seasoning teased my appetite.
As we ate naturally, we talked about this place.
"I don’t even know where to start. I don’t even know why we were brought here."
So-eun sighed.
For someone as diligent as her, this situation must’ve been a bolt from the blue.
I’d read enough web novels and played enough games to vaguely predict this kind of development, but for her, it was completely out of left field.
"Seems like some god-like being chose us, but for now, we’ll just have to follow along. I doubt... they’ll send us back."
Right.
Whoever dragged us here by force wouldn’t just let us go home.
Not unless... I gained something that could change the game.
"Yeah."
She nodded.
"Then let’s decide what skills to learn first. If we have to do this, we might as well do it properly."
"Okay."
We reviewed the skill list over the meal, discussing what to prioritize.
By the time we’d settled on skills, the food was gone, and I decided to call the angel.
"Estelle."
Whoosh.
The moment I called, Estelle appeared before me.
Instantaneous summoning.
"Yes. Did you call for me?"
The angel’s serene voice echoed softly.
"Can you send us to a space where we can train together?"
"Of course."
With a simple reply, she flicked her fingers.
Snap.
My vision wobbled.
The next moment, an endless plain stretched before us.
"Will this suffice?"
"Yes, it’s perfect."
"Then call for me again when you wish to return."
With those words, she vanished just as quickly as she’d arrived.
As the angel disappeared, So-eun spoke in an impressed tone.
"Wow... Your angel is really pretty, huh?"
I silently looked at her, then quietly thought to myself.
'...Yeah, she is.'
Long, flowing golden hair. Gem-like golden eyes. A perfectly balanced figure.
'Her beauty is on another level.'
"She is pretty."
When I answered nonchalantly, So-eun suddenly leaned in.
"You like her? You do, don’t you?"
She bent down and poked my chest repeatedly.
"No, it’s not like—"
To be honest, the girl in front of me was also unbelievably pretty.
Even among celebrities, I could count on one hand the number I thought were prettier than her.
It was only because we’d been friends since childhood that I could act normal around her.
If I’d met her for the first time as an adult, I might’ve been too nervous to speak.
"Honestly, she seems too intimidating for my taste. You’re better."
Her eyes sparkled at that.
"Ohhh...?"
"Uh...?"
For a moment, I felt like I’d said something wrong.
So-eun smirked and slowly stepped closer.
"This guy... knows how to sweet-talk, huh?"
Her fingers dug into my sides, tickling mercilessly.
"Ah, hey! I told you to stop that!"
"Fufufu~"
Only after thoroughly teasing me did she step back, satisfied.
I sighed and pulled up the skill list.
We both chose Low-Grade Hand-to-Hand martial art as our first skill.
In a situation without weapons, the only way to protect ourselves was with our bodies.
[Low-Grade Hand-to-Hand martial art guide initiated.]
[Follow the movements before you.]
As soon as I confirmed my selection, a hologram appeared in front of me.
Inside it, the basic motions of Low-Grade Hand-to-Hand martial art repeated like a video.
"Whoa. This is cool. It’s like augmented reality."
"Right? Just watch and copy, I guess?"
We began following the hologram’s movements slowly.
About ten minutes in, So-eun suddenly stopped and spoke in surprise.
"Huh? It says I’ve acquired Low-Grade Hand-to-Hand martial art."
"...What?"
She’d already learned the skill?
I hadn’t even managed to copy a single motion properly yet!