Perfect Tutorial Domination

A storm of alert windows exploded into view, leaving no time to react.

A pristine white capsule burst out from the shattered vending machine, spewing forth a burst of pure white energy. The energy seeped straight into Jeonghun's body.

"Status Window?"

-You can open the status window starting from the moment you get a skill... Wait, no, forget that. A real 10-star skill? No way! Check it out quick!

"Uh, yeah. Hold on."

Ding.

"So that's how it looks."

-Pretty clean, right? No way to get confused even if you tried.

As Kang Jinho said, it was a simple yet intuitive interface.

"I've got a ton of questions, but first things first—the skill."

Questions like 'Why does my name show as undecided?' and 'What's with the bonus stats next to my abilities?' popped up, but the burning curiosity was the game's first-ever 10-star skill.

Jeonghun hurriedly activated the skill description.

"...Huh? That's it?"

10-star, and this was all? The unprecedented top-grade skill boiled down to one line of description—or two if you counted the bonus?

Hell, it was barely a description. It was just a literal breakdown of the characters for "unlock"!

-RaSe is kinda unfriendly with this stuff to begin with... but this is especially bad. First, we gotta figure out how this skill actually works.

"Works how?"

-Yeah. From that alone, we don't even know if it's passive or active. No clue on usage conditions or range either. We'll have to learn as we go.

"Whoa. What kind of game doesn't even teach you that?"

-Probably 'cause it's 10-star. Even I've never seen one in over 10 years of RaSe.

"Hmm. Saying it like that makes it sound kinda cool... Wait a sec."

Jeonghun's head snapped around. Had this ghost just said something weird?

"10 years?"

-A bit more than that exactly, but around there... Hey, quit looking at me like I'm some psycho. I get it, but it hurts.

"No, but."

If he didn't wanna look crazy, he shouldn't say crazy shit.

And understandably so.

"RaSe hasn't even been out for half a year."

Not 10 years—barely even six months. Anyone in his shoes would make that face.

Kang Jinho looked sheepish, like he understood, and continued awkwardly.

-Yeah, that's what I was trying to explain earlier but the timing got away from me... Truth is, I'm kinda like the protagonist here.

"...Huh? Prota-what?"

-Protagonist.

"... ."

Jeonghun reeled from the protagonist drip slamming into his skull out of nowhere. But Kang Jinho's face was dead serious. A little flushed with embarrassment, maybe, but still.

"What the hell? Cutting straight to that with no context? Bullshit."

-Argh, it's hard to explain.

Kang Jinho scratched his head in frustration, then suddenly asked Jeonghun.

-You ever read any fantasy novels?

"Yeah, a bit. Still a hobby now and then. But what does that have to do with—"

-Perfect! That makes it easy.

Kang Jinho cut him off excitedly, puffing out his chest proudly.

-I regressed. You know, that cliché from fantasy novels.

"... ."

Easy explanation my ass.

Jeonghun let out a deep sigh and plopped down right there.

"So... Hoo."

Jeonghun furrowed his brow, hesitating like saying the next line would embarrass him to death.

"The server-first 0-star Patron Spirit I drew turned out not to be a ghost, but a RaSe vet who's regressed seven times?"

-Spot-on summary.

"Spot-on my ass. Plot logic's gone to shit. Even light novels don't title chapters like that anymore."

-It's the truth, what can I do?

According to Kang Jinho, you forcibly regress if you don't meet certain conditions.

"So what's the condition?"

-Clear failure.

"Pardon?"

-If you fail RaSe's final clear, you go back to the past—or that's my guess. It's always happened that way so far.

"Clear? MMORPGs don't have a 'final clear'. You just keep leveling and gearing up. Wait, you mean rank 1 or something?"

-I've hit rank 1 plenty. Nah, the real deal. Game's been out half a year, right?

"Yeah."

-A bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠longer and it'll update. The ultimate content for every RaSe player.

Kang Jinho paused, eyes closing as if reminiscing, then opened them.

-I challenged it five times, failed every one. And the moment I was convinced no strategy would work, boom—regression.

"Five times? You said seven regressions earlier."

-Didn't play the first two.

"Huh?"

-Think about it. You finally regress, and all you do is game? Nah, hit the stocks or investments first to get rich.

In this surreal mess of ghosts and regression, the pragmatic advice ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hit Jeonghun like a truck. He blinked.

"...Fair point."

-Game novels pull some bullshit reason like 'I must play, become the supreme to crush my betrayers and save my poor family!' But that's for plot. Reality's different.

"Sounds like you're turning the whole regression meta against itself... Anyway, moving on. So you eventually played? Why not just live large off stocks?"

-Died.

"...Pardon?"

-Ever see that old flick Final Destination? First regression, perfect life plan—then truck-killed on day three. Regressed. Second life, shopping mall collapse. Regressed.

"... ."

The mood chilled, but Kang Jinho chuckled self-deprecatingly, like old memories.

-Third time, fuck it, played the game... and weirdly, didn't die. But two years in, betrayed by guildies, clear fail, regression. That's when I got it—my loops tie to this game.

"Haa. Believe it or not? Crazier than a novel."

-Your call. But one thing's sure.

Kang Jinho thumped his chest with a fist.

-You drew the ultimate card no 9-star could touch. I'll make you the strongest.

And so Jeonghun's game began.

"So what now?"

-Keep doing what we were.

"What we were?"

-Yeah. We were in the middle of introductions. Gotta give your name.

"Huh? Name? I already did."

-Real name, not that. Your RaSe name from now on.

"Oh, nickname!"

Makes sense why the status showed undecided. Most games ask at start, but RaSe was quirky.

"Thought of one already. Carpe."

-Cool. I'm Kang Jinho. Let's get along.

"Yeah. Still half-doubting, but pleased to meet you. Nickname done—that's it?"

-Normally, names exchanged last, then character creation finishes... Why no? Kang Jinho. Kang Jinho. My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠name is Kang Jinho.

Kang Jinho muttered his name in panic, but nothing changed. Jeonghun smirked 'told ya'.

"Bug confirmed. Time to report. Fix the bug, ascend the ghost."

-Hey hey, chill. No bugs in RaSe.

"Then why?"

"We said names... Ah, no way?"

-Oho. Guessing something?

"Nickname."

-What?

"You set your nickname during intro. So you need a nickname too, not real name. Say your old one, not Kang Jinho."

-Ah...

Kang Jinho nodded—it made sense—but hesitated, displeased.

"What? Embarrassed? Like DickSizeKing? It's fine, happens. I get it."

-Get this! Not that, asshole!

"Then just say it."

-Haa...

Kang Jinho sighed, resigned.

-...Jhon.

"Pardon? Too quiet."

-...Jijon. Cheonma Jijon! Damn, named it half-assed thinking I'd regress again!

"...Eh. Decent enough."

If the user wasn't pushing 30. Right as Jeonghun thought that—

Ding!

Fwoosh!

A bright glow enveloped Jeonghun's body, warping him away.

"Huh, where's this?"

-Character creation done, tutorial stage loaded. You nailed it.

Jeonghun looked around slowly. Vast plains stretched ahead, dense forest behind. He was at the forest edge.

Ding.

"Monsters?"

-Yeah. In one minute, monsters charge from the plain's edge to kill you. Dodge 'em for an hour.

"Aha, hence the forest."

No rocks on the open plain—50 monsters impossible to evade. Forest had cover to hide.

"Average good survival time?"

-Around now... users average 12 minutes.

"Fucking brutal."

But objectively, a VR newbie lasting 12 minutes against 50 wild beasts was impressive.

-Hard, sure. For normal cases.

But Jeonghun's situation was anything but.

-Told ya. You drew the ultimate card.

With RaSe's top strategy guide. Best hiding spots in the forest, hidden weapons under tree trunks, HP potion under rocks. Kang ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jinho knew it all.

-See? Feel my greatness yet? Obey me, and tutorial's a joke—rank 1 in no time... Hey! Where you going!

Before he finished, Jeonghun bolted—toward the plains, not forest!

-Wrong way! Forest!

From the horizon, 50 monsters spawned in a glow, eyes red, charging at Jeonghun. He charged back, awed.

"Whoa, presence is insane. Super real."

-You're insane! Forest now!

"Die to them and straight to continent, right?"

-Yeah, but... don't do anything stupid. Final survival reward's huge. Gotta—

"Duh, gotta get it. But here's the thing."

Monsters closed in full speed—too late to turn back.

Kieeeek!!!

Lead goblin screeched, lunging.

"They drop even if I kill 'em all, right?"

-...What?

Thwack!

Jeonghun's punch pulverized the goblin's head. He whistled again.

"Damn, impact feels good."

-No... yeah, it does. Holy shit. What the—ah, no way?!

That destructive power was no level 1, stat 1 feat. Only one conclusion.

Ding.

Stats weren't 1.

"Hyah. Didn't expect one-shot."

-Obviously.

All stats +22 was massive. Level 1 player could fry tutorial mobs easy.

-Still, you don't just charge? First game. Stat buffs don't guarantee win. Be cautious—

"Psh. Tutorial. YOLO."

-What if you die?

"Won't!"

-...Fucking wild.

Kang Jinho sensed it. Clearing with this weirdo wouldn't be easy.

Thud!

Jeonghun's kick dropped a kobold. Momentum carried on. 50 monsters down didn't take long.

Ding.

Carpe's flashy debut.