Chapter 6

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 6

Chapter Title: Tutorial (6)

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I'd run quite a distance, so I stopped for a moment to catch my breath.

"Hoo... hoo..."

Now that I had a bit of breathing room, I started worrying about the others.

'That bastard Jo Chan-ho... I hope he's dead, but he's probably fine. I can't picture him dying to just one or two monsters.'

The problem was everyone else. Kim So-young, who'd been attacked first by a monster, had basically no chance of survival. She must have ended up as their meal.

"Hyung. Your arm..."

"...It's fine. It's not like it got torn off—just a scratch. For now, let's move somewhere else slowly."

Come to think of it, when I'd killed that monster earlier, there'd been a notification about acquiring a job. I opened my status window to check.

It seemed like it didn't force a job on you but gave options for you to choose from. The issue was that none of them felt right for me.

For starters, Swordsman and Shield Bearer were out. My stats had gone up a bit—probably from fighting that monster earlier—but with my weak body, swinging a sword or shielding allies was out of the question.

Alchemist... maybe. It might be useful after the tutorial, but right now, I needed combat power, so I hesitated. Survival was the priority at the moment.

'In the end, Archer or Dark Sorcerer...?'

But both had issues. I didn't have a bow or arrows, and I'd never even shot one. It wasn't as frontline risky as Swordsman or Shield Bearer, but someone like me who'd never been to an archery range couldn't just pick Archer lightly.

'Dark Sorcerer... that might actually be better. It's not a regular sorcerer, which bothers me, but aside from Yu-hyeon, no one I've seen has had any Mana stat.'

That meant Yu-hyeon was special. Zero Mana didn't mean no magic potential. Picking Dark Sorcerer would boost Mana anyway.

"Oppa... are you okay?"

"I'm fine... just thinking about the job I got. It's not assigned—you have to choose it yourself."

Yu-rim and Yu-hyeon looked surprised. They hadn't gotten jobs yet, so they wouldn't know. I hadn't either until I checked the notification. Probably because Yu-rim stabbed the monster but didn't finish it off, so I got the job.

"Looks like you get a job for killing a monster. I got the alert right after."

"Then can Yu-hyeon and I get jobs too?"

"Yeah... I'll pick mine first, then the three of us can take down monsters. One kill each for you two."

We'd neutralize them one by one, and have Yu-rim and Yu-hyeon deliver the finishing blows.

But first, I needed to choose.

'Damn... no clue what to pick. Can't you give more hints?'

No matter how I thought about it, Swordsman, Shield Bearer, and Archer were unappealing. My starting point was different from others anyway.

Dark Sorcerer seemed better—same starting line, at least.

The hang-up was that it was Dark Sorcerer, not Sorcerer. Why was that on the list but not regular magic?

'No point overthinking it.'

After agonizing, I chose Dark Sorcerer.

"Ugh...!"

Suddenly, a mild headache hit, and information about dark sorcery flooded my mind.

'Whew... is this how you learn to use dark sorcery?'

It felt like cramming textbook knowledge straight into my brain back on Earth. My head throbbed and spun a bit, but it was easing up.

'Flame.'

Imagining casting the spell, a black flame ignited in my hand. Probably black because it was dark sorcery.

"Whoa...!"

Yu-hyeon gawked at the flame. Yu-rim's eyes went wide too.

"Oppa... did you become a sorcerer?"

"Yeah... more precisely, a Dark Sorcerer. But I don't think I can use it much. My head already hurts keeping this flame going."

I probably couldn't cast it many times. My head hurt too much. I'd get better with practice, I hoped.

Bam!

I bashed an incoming monster with my shield and shoved it back.

"Yu-rim!"

Stab—

"Kieeeek! Keeeek—!"

The monster shrieked in agony with a dagger in its side.

Crunch!

I smashed its leg with my club, pinning it down immobile.

"Hoo... good job. When I block, you strike like that. Let's keep doing this."

We weren't the ones getting attacked anymore. It was our first hunt, so I was shaking a lot, but it wasn't that hard once we got into it.

"Yu-rim, now finish it. You can do it, right?"

"Y-yes..."

Her arms trembled—probably from taking a life for the first time. At nineteen, it wasn't easy.

"Think of your little brother. He can do it if you show him how. It's no big deal. You've squashed ants or bugs as a kid, right? Just think of it like that."

"...Got it."

She squeezed her eyes shut and plunged the dagger into the monster's throat.

"...Hng."

"Kweeeeeek!"

The monster thrashed and screamed as metal pierced its flesh, then slowly went still.

"...You really do change classes."

"What options do you have?"

"...Hold on. Um... Archer, Thief, Spearman."

"Noona, Thief seems good. You're using a dagger already."

I agreed. I didn't know if she'd handled a bow before, but her Strength was low and Agility high—not great for spear. She'd handled the dagger well enough so far; she had talent.

'Her unique trait is Quick Reflexes too. Archer or Thief would suit her.'

I subtly suggested it to Yu-rim.

"I think Thief works too. Your call, though."

"...Yeah, Thief seems best. Hold on... ugh!"

She clutched her head from the class-change headache.

"...So that's what it feels like."

'Agility and Luck went up.'

I expected Agility for Thief, but Luck? That stat made the least sense.

Resistance was like defense in games. Mine had jumped after getting grabbed by that monster.

"Good. Yu-rim classed up safely. Yu-hyeon's next. Don't worry—just do like Yu-rim. Got it?"

"Yeah... hyung."

"Alright. Let's hunt again. Follow behind me."

Monsters could pop up anytime, so I held my shield out and moved slowly.

About thirty minutes later, while creeping along carefully, something flew at my arm.

Whoosh.

Ting—!

'What the hell!'

I blocked with my shield just in time. If not, an arrow would've hit my arm. My heart ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠raced.

"Ah~ aim better, damn it. Can't even hit that?"

"Ha... shit, didn't expect him to block."

Four men burst from the bushes. I spotted the archer who'd shot at me.

'Damn... they outnumber us.'

"...Why are you doing this?"

"You got food, right? Drop it and scram."

'Knew it—they're after rations.'

Fighting wasn't an option. We were three; they were four. Two of ours were students, theirs all burly guys. Tattoos and thug looks didn't scream "good people" from Earth.

"Oppa... what do we do...?"

"Hyung..."

Checking their statuses, nothing stood out. One classed, others decent stats but unclassed.

"......"

Yu-rim and Yu-hyeon were scared—they knew we had no chance in a fight.

"...We'll give half our food. No fighting or resisting—just let us go."

"Nah. All of it, then scram. That's generous. Could kill you all, but we're not itching for a fight."

'Damn... give it all? Then what? We'll have to rob others later.'

Handing it all over meant we'd starve or turn thief ourselves. Fighting? We'd lose for sure.

"Boss, hold up."

One whispered to the leader, who smirked.

"Heh... fine. Hey, man. All food and that girl. Then you and the kid live."