Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Training Facility (1)
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“Ugh... Where... is this...?”
“Ughhh...”
After some kind of light flashed, it seemed like everyone had blacked out for a moment.
When I came to, the sight before me was two men who looked flustered at the sudden appearance of us behind them.
The two men stared blankly for a while before finally speaking up.
“W-What?! It's not even been a full month yet...?!”
“C-Crazy! Hey, hurry up and contact everyone. This is a major incident...!”
One of them rushed off somewhere in a panic. The other approached us slowly and spoke.
“Um, by any chance... are you the ones who cleared the tutorial?”
Seo Yu-ju answered the man's question.
“Yes. That's right...”
“How in the world... It's not even been a month yet...”
.... Did we clear it too fast?
From the man's reaction, it looked like our tutorial clear speed was far from average.
More importantly... who is this guy?
I opened the man's status window.
Name: Park Hyun-wook
Age: 34
Job: Advanced Swordsman (Hero Grade)
Title: Training Facility Guard, Participant in Maters Gorge War
Unique Trait:
Group Bond (Hero Grade) - For each ally within a 20-meter radius, all stats increase by 1. Maximum increase is 5.
Traits:
Master of Sword Arts (Hero Grade) - Greatly increased understanding of sword arts.
Intermediate Understanding of Martial Arts (Rare Grade) - Moderately increased understanding of martial arts.
Mana Blade Aura (Hero Grade) - Temporarily infuse mana into the sword for use.
Crazy... his stats are...
The man appeared to be Korean at first glance. His name suggested it, and though he wore armor, he wasn't wearing a helmet, so his face was visible.
The man continued speaking.
“For now... I imagine you're all quite disoriented, but please wait just a moment. People will come to guide you shortly.”
I cautiously addressed the man.
“By any chance... may I ask a few questions while we wait?”
“Of course. I'll answer anything within what I'm allowed to say.”
“Where exactly is this place?”
“Haha... This is the Neutral Nation Baronia. More specifically, it's the Training Facility within the Neutral Nation Baronia.”
“... Training Facility?”
“It's an institution that educates people like you who have just cleared the tutorial and arrived in Eras.”
I got it. This seemed to be the place where we'd receive basic training necessary for surviving in this world.
“Mm... Probably some higher-ups will explain in detail later, but you'll undergo three months of training here, and those with talent will receive offers from various clans.”
“... May I ask what a clan is and what an offer means?”
“Of course. On this continent, people from Earth like you and me are called Outsiders. The natives here refer to us that way. A clan is a group formed by people like us. There are many clans in this world, and while the continent has its own laws, it's ultimately centered around martial power, so you can think of clans as paramilitary organizations.”
“.......”
“Also, clans typically make offers to talented newcomers. Hm... Since you cleared the tutorial incredibly fast, you'll likely get offers from at least mid-tier clans or higher.”
So, clans here were like guilds or clans in games. Of course, here they involved risking your life.
In any case, there were various clans, and each needed newcomers like us.
But.
They probably don't want just anyone.
“Does that mean we have to join a clan no matter what?”
“No. Joining a clan isn't mandatory. You can operate solo... but honestly, those without offers or who go solo form parties at best. Over 99% of those who get good clan offers join them.”
“.......”
“This is just my personal recommendation, but if you get an offer from a good clan, I strongly suggest accepting. Clans benefit by nurturing talented newcomers to bolster their power, and for clan members, the clan has your back and supports stable growth.”
According to this man, joining a clan was unequivocally beneficial. No, most people probably couldn't join even if they wanted to.
In any event, joining meant having a clan's power behind you and receiving their support for growth.
I figured major clans likely had know-how and tips for training newcomers.
Especially since there's a huge difference between learning from someone and self-teaching, joining a clan seemed like the smart move.
While talking to the man, about ten people arrived with the one who'd run off earlier. The moment they saw us, conversations broke out.
“.... It's real. They already finished the tutorial?”
“Fuck, I told you...! It's true!”
“... This batch is insane. Must be chaos up top...”
Soon another man arrived, and the others hurriedly cleared a path for him. He looked at us with wide eyes, composed himself after a moment, and spoke.
“Welcome, everyone. I'm Kang Sung-jun, the Chief Instructor here.”
He didn't look ordinary at all. His attire alone set him apart from the man I'd been talking to.
I immediately opened his status window.
Name: Kang Sung-jun
Age: 39
Job: War Lord (Legend Grade)
Title: Troll Slayer, Fury of the Volcano, Legend of Eterinte
Unique Traits:
War Lord's Cry (Legend Grade) - Shout the war lord's battle cry. Enemy morale drops, ally morale rises. You and allies' Strength, Agility, and Stamina increase by 3 each.
Endless Fighting Spirit (Legend Grade) - Fighting spirit never wanes the longer the battle. Stamina permanently +10.
Rending (Hero Grade) - Your body possesses the power to tear anything apart. Strength permanently +8.
Traits:
Mind and Fist as One (Legend Grade) - Tremendously increased understanding of martial arts.
Mana Armor (Hero Grade) - Temporarily infuse mana into the body for use.
The moment I saw the man's status window, I couldn't believe my eyes.
... Is this the same species as us?
Even if our whole group rushed him, we'd all be dead in ten seconds. His stats were beyond my comprehension.
The man continued speaking.
“Clearing the tutorial this quickly... truly impressive. In any case, welcome. Guards?”
“Y-Yes!”
The others responded tensely when Kang Sung-jun called them.
“I'll guide these people personally. That's fine, right?”
“O-Of course!”
As the others replied to Kang Sung-jun, a light flashed behind us, and more people began appearing.
They looked like the ones who'd gone through the tutorial with us.
“Huh?... Huh?!”
“W-What's this place? Did we get teleported...?”
“Hic... I survived! I'm alive! Hic... Waaah...”
The others, excluding Kang Sung-jun, immediately moved to control the newcomers. But those who had just arrived screamed as the armed people approached.
“W-Who are you?! Stay back!”
“Please comply with control measures. You've passed the tutorial. We're the Training Facility guides. Cooperate.”
“F-Fuck, don't touch me!”
Thwack!
“Guide my ass—send me home! What's this Training Facility bullshit?!”
“This bastard...!”
Thud!
“Gahk...!”
Unlike how they'd treated us, they weren't gentle with them. They even resorted to violence against those resisting control.
“Comply with control measures. This isn't a request.”
The newcomers quickly fell in line with frightened expressions. They'd realized through a few examples that these people were far stronger.
Kang Sung-jun smiled mildly and addressed us.
“Haha... Embarrassing display. This sometimes happens when fresh tutorial graduates arrive.”
Seo Yu-ju replied to him.
“... I see. If I may ask, where are we being taken now?”
“Of course. Ask anything you're curious about. You've just cleared the dungeon too, so we're heading to your lodgings. Rest there, and follow the guide who comes later.”
Hearing that, I asked what had been on my mind.
“By any chance... Chief Instructor, are you part of a clan?”
He looked surprised, like he hadn't expected the question. But he soon smiled as if welcoming it and answered.
“Yes, of course. I'm the leader of Incarnation Clan. You've already heard about clans, I see?”
“Yes. After arriving here, I chatted with one person and learned a bit.”
I could feel our group's evaluation rise another notch in his mind. He seemed to think we were adapting incredibly fast.
“Hm... Embarrassing to say myself, but the Incarnation Clan I lead is one of the three clans representing Neutral Nation Baronia. We always recruit and invest in those who adapt quickly and show talent.”
.... He wants to recruit us.
It made sense. Everyone we'd met, including Kang Sung-jun, had reacted with disbelief, so it was natural they'd want to scout us.
From their talk of "not even a month," our clear time was ridiculously fast.
Of course, there was only one reason we cleared so quickly.
Seo Yu-ju's existence.
But since Kang Sung-jun hadn't seen her true capabilities yet, he didn't seem to grasp her value.
Still, once they trained us, they'd realize it whether they wanted to or not.
.... Though whether Seo Yu-ju reveals her full strength is another matter.
I figured even half her power would have them fighting to take her.
... I need to latch on before they expose me as a fraud.
The tutorial was just that—a tutorial—so maybe willpower mattered more than stats. But I doubted it here.
My stats were objectively bottom-tier, and I knew better than anyone I had no talent.
Would the instructors fail to notice over three months of training?
In the worst case, Seo Yu-ju and the others might get offers while I got none.
“Rest here, and follow the guide when they arrive later.”