Chapter 5: I’ll Be Your Operator from Now On
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 5: I’ll Be Your Operator from Now On
I’d heard once that office workers live only for the weekend.
As someone who spent most of my time—no, my entire life—on standby within a military unit under the logic of "Do monsters take the weekend off?", that was a sentiment I couldn't quite grasp.
But now, I think I understand.
Even though my only task at work is mana training, I’ve realized that the act of "going to work" itself is incredibly tedious and exhausting.
The hellish subway rides, the time spent washing up and getting ready—just commuting alone eats up a staggering amount of time.
Back then, I woke up in the unit and went to sleep in the unit, so I had no way of knowing.
Seeing how happy I am to have my own time on the weekend, I guess I’ve become a full-fledged office worker myself.
Feeling a strange sense of pride, I check my bank balance.
I received 200 million won as a reward for discovering the dungeon.
With my salary still coming in, it’s more than enough money for daily life, but once I start buying boosters and register at a training center, that 200 million will evaporate in an instant.
But what can I do? To raise my stats, I have to invest.
Besides, once I become a Hero, the money will start rolling in anyway.
I browse through an auction site, looking for the items I’ve already decided on.
It’s a place where items and equipment found in dungeons are sold.
Buying high-end gear right now would be useless, and the good stuff is far too expensive.
What I want are boosters to help with my training.
Simply put, think of them as supplements you take when working out.
There are elixirs and tools you can wear, but the finished products currently on the market are overpriced and underpowered.
I have knowledge of the game, and I have knowledge from my original world.
As long as I get the ingredients, I can make them myself.
The one disappointing thing since coming to this world is that the game characters don't exist yet.
There’s no "must-have" Scarlet, and no Hwa-wol, my favorite character.
However, that actually works out to be a huge advantage for me personally.
For example, since the character Rahiya—a genius scientist from a game event—doesn't exist here, the booster packs she created don't exist in this reality either.
The recipe she gives as a gift after the protagonist rescues her from villains and she joins the team is an essential item.
Some players even skip all other events just to secure that route first.
Thanks to her "genius" concept, she explained the exact dosages in her dialogue, so as long as I follow the order, it’s not hard to make.
I recall a news article from my original world about some crazy guy who actually tried to follow the recipe and ended up being rushed to the hospital.
... ...
Well, this is a world inside a game, so it should be fine, right?
Feeling a bit uneasy, I buy a few antidotes as well, leaving me with about 15 million won.
200 million won vanished with just a few clicks.
At times like this, I miss being a soldier and using military equipment for free.
Though I’d never go back, even if they begged me.
To be honest, military equipment was poor quality because the higher-ups skimmed so much off the top, and there was never enough of it anyway.
I plan to use 10 million won of the remaining money for a training center registration fee.
Even then, that won't even cover six months.
Part of it is because I chose an expensive training center, but Heroes have to lift much heavier weights than ordinary people and require a lot of space for various agility drills.
Naturally, the risk of injury during training is higher, so even if I don't have a dedicated personal trainer, I need someone to spot me and professionally check my physical condition constantly. The costs are bound to be high.
Dressed in a casual hoodie, I head to the training center where I made a reservation.
Looking up at the grand building that looks like a massive warehouse by the docks, I step inside. The woman at the reception desk flashes me a smile.
"Welcome to The One Training Center."
She’s wearing sporty attire, either because she’s one of the trainers or to emphasize the center's brand.
"I’m Jeong Yeon-woo. I have a reservation."
"Ah, Mr. Jeong Yeon-woo. Please, come this way. You mentioned you were a Hero?"
"No, not a Hero yet, just an aspirant. I only have an Awakened license."
I hand the woman my Awakened identification card issued by the government.
"It’s impressive to see a man aiming to be a Hero, especially given how dangerous it is. Oh, you can call me Juna."
Whether it’s her real name or a professional nickname, Juna offers me a hand with a bright smile.
As the face of a fitness center, her body is toned.
It’s not bulging muscles; rather, her fitness gear clings to her figure, accentuating her wide hips, thin waist, and prominent chest.
In contrast to her sexy physique, her face has large, sparkling eyes that give off an innocent impression.
Hiding my desire to see her hair untied—it’s currently pulled back for ease of movement—I shake her hand and look around the center.
"Here at The One, we always have five dedicated Hero trainers on standby, and our facilities are kept state-of-the-art..."
I scan the center while listening to Juna’s explanation.
Even if she is pretty, I’m not so easygoing that I’d focus on a woman’s face over the facility I’m paying for.
I already know more training methods than anyone else; I just need someone to assist me and prevent injuries.
I just need to check the quality of the facilities and ensure there are enough machines so my routine isn't interrupted.
The inside of the center is filled with so many women it might as well be female-only.
Since it also functions as a regular gym, it’s a mix of ordinary people and Awakened.
I’ve always trained only with other Awakened in military facilities, so this atmosphere feels quite fresh.
There are centers exclusively for Awakened, but they are prohibitively expensive and require at least a C-rank qualification, so this was my best option.
As I walk through the center, the women’s gazes follow me.
Some try to look indifferent while stealing glances, while others stare openly.
I almost want to laugh seeing a row of women on treadmills all turning their heads to look at me at once.
After finishing the tour, I return to the consultation room with Juna to continue our talk.
"How did you find the center? Is it to your liking?"
"Yes, the facilities are good, and I like that there are plenty of machines."
"I’m glad. You mentioned over the phone that you’re a Mage?"
"Yes. Even a Mage needs to train their body."
"Exactly! You never know what dangers you might face, so you must always stay in shape! You’ve come to the right place. Our trainers are professionally..."
Juna chimes in, agreeing with me as she continues her sales pitch.
Perhaps because the profit margin for an Awakened member is high, she’s incredibly enthusiastic.
Her gestures are large, and with every movement, her ample chest—which even a sports bra can't fully contain—bounces up and down. It’s quite a sight.
A cute, puppy-like face paired with a body like that... it’s a cheat-code combination.
"Um... is there something bothering you?"
Juna asks cautiously, sensing my silence as I was busy admiring her chest.
Now’s not the time for that.
"Ah, I was wondering about the trainers..."
"Don't worry! We have male trainers as well. If you feel uncomfortable, we can assign a male trainer to you."
No, I’d hate that.
I’m in a world like this; why on earth would I want to sweat alongside another man?
And he’d probably act all "girly" or something.
I can tolerate many things, but I absolutely cannot stand that.
"No, it’s actually because I have a Hero acquaintance who helps me. They’re too busy to oversee my training personally, but they’ve designed my entire routine and training plan."
The only Hero I’m actually acquainted with is Park Sung-jun, but I mention a non-existent Hero anyway.
"I see... but as a rule, training for Awakened can be dangerous and lead to injuries, so..."
"Yes, I’ll need someone to assist me. This might sound a bit rude, but I intend to strictly follow the training my acquaintance laid out."
In short: don't interfere with me.
"So, I just need someone to spot me without trying to teach me anything. Is that okay?"
"Yes, of course! Many Heroes already have their own training methods, so that’s quite common."
I was worried I might offend her professional pride, but Juna nods brightly.
I guess as long as you pay, anything goes.
Well, it’s better than losing a member.
Juna’s eyes flickered for a moment when she saw my physical stats, but other than that, the registration finished without a hitch.
I have too much to do today, so I decide to start working out next time. After being seen off by Juna, I head to a gun shop.
Tinkle—
A cheap bell rings above the door as I enter. A rough-looking woman with tattoos on her forearms glares at me.
"What do you want?"
"I came to a gun shop to buy a gun. What else?"
"You should just stick to using the gun between your legs. Why bother looking for another one? You got a license?"
Men’s status in this world seems even lower than I thought.
Despite me being a customer, the woman openly makes sexual jokes and looks down on me.
Even after I show her my Awakened ID, her attitude doesn't change.
"Hah, a Hero, huh? But why buy a gun? For suicide?"
This isn't necessarily an insult.
Since the "Jewel of Life" exists as a cheat item in this world, if teammates die and a dungeon clear seems hopeless, people often commit suicide quickly to retry.
Unless an object is imbued with mana, it’s hard to damage monsters. Most Heroes use polearms or large weapons for this reason; guns are rarely used except for suicide because it’s difficult to channel mana into them.
But I have no intention of killing myself if I can help it.
"I need two pistols."
"My, my, planning to use three? Greedy, aren't we? If you're buying two, I guess it's not for suicide. What’s the use?"
"I’m going to shoot some people."
At my words, the woman glances at the Awakened ID in her hand and scowls.
"That’s not a very funny joke."
"It’s not a joke. I’m going to use rubber or sponge rounds. Do you have any decent pistols?"
"What, planning to suppress a riot? Or are you using them in bed? If it’s for the bedroom, why don't you shoot some my way? My ass is plenty tough."
Good grief, thinking of using rubber bullets for SM... what goes on in this woman’s head?
This world is full of women with more "imagination" than the men of my original world.
It was a tempting offer, but the guns came first.
"I’d recommend this one or this one. If you want style, I have revolvers. Want to see?"
"No, semi-automatics are better. I’m not a cowboy."
"Cowboy? Pfft, hahaha! What is this, a strip club?"
I wondered why she was laughing, but it seems "cowgirls" are the famous ones here.
Wait, does that mean if I go to a strip club, it’s only men?
Pushing aside that disgusting thought, I look at the pistols she recommended. They look similar to the HK45 used by the US military.
The grip feels good, and according to her, it’s a sturdy model that’s easy to use and almost never jams.
Since the design is familiar and she recommended it, I decide to buy them and ask about the sponge rounds.
"What’s the maximum range?"
"Maximum, not effective? Let me see... uh... it says 75 meters. Effective range is 15 meters."
I’m not trying to kill anyone, so the effective range doesn't matter.
75 meters should be fine unless it’s a very specific situation.
"I have rounds with longer range, want to see? But they’re for revolvers."
"This is fine for now. Give me ten boxes of these rounds and a gun cleaning kit."
She started off with no interest in business, just spitting out sexual jokes, but once we started talking about guns, she treated me properly.
A world where men and guns aren't associated... has masculinity in this world been completely castrated?
I pack my things and head to the clan.
It’s the weekend, so I don't have to work, but I can't exactly test-fire a gun at home, so I’m going to the clan’s training range.
When I arrive, some low-rank Heroes who recently debuted look at me strangely.
Training even on the weekend? How diligent.
I give a short nod to the "chicks" who still have their downy feathers and head to the shooting range at the very back.
The reason a shooting range exists in the clan is because of the support teams.
To deal with monsters that emerge into the world, clans have tactical support teams separate from the Heroes.
Though they aren't Awakened, they use modern weaponry to hinder monster movements or support Heroes.
Since the Jewel of Life exists, most monsters are finished off inside dungeons anyway, so they actually end up catching villains more often than monsters.
Since they aren't the type of people who would come out to train their hearts out on a weekend, the shooting range is empty.
After adjusting the target and firing a few practice shots, I focus my mind and channel mana into the gun.
The mana flowing from my hand penetrates the gun’s interior and wraps around the bullet.
Turning the muzzle toward my own forearm, I pull the trigger.
Bang!
The sound is quieter than a lethal round, but with the report, the bullet strikes my forearm and bounces off.
At this distance, it would break an ordinary person’s bone, but thanks to the mana shroud around my body, the impact isn't that great.
It stings a bit, but then a green light glows from where the bullet hit, and the pain vanishes.
"It works..."
I break into a smile.
The healing magic I imbued into the bullet was functioning perfectly.
The lower a Hero’s rank, the larger the weapon they tend to use.
To deal significant damage to a monster, mana is required, and larger objects can hold more mana.
As one’s mana control technique improves, they can pack more mana into a smaller area, so as Heroes rank up, their weapons return to a normal size range.
The reason some use arrows instead of guns is also due to surface area.
This was a skill used by a character added in an update just before I was dragged into this world; it would be at least three years before this technique was officially "discovered."
I suppose that makes me that character now.
With this technique, even if the potency is slightly lower, I can support party members regardless of distance.
Furthermore, I can imbue attack magic as well, allowing me to provide secondary DPS.
Just as I’m smiling at the successful test results, someone enters the shooting range.
"What are you doing here?"
A girl with mystical silver hair glares at me as if she wants to kill me.
Wait, where have I seen her before? She looks familiar.