Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Chapter 3: Tutorial (1)
Translation: godtl
Lightning Rod.
Sparks incessantly crackling upward.
The sparks flowing from the white rod embedded in the floor instantly turned the interior of the studio apartment chaotic.
Yet, Si-mun couldn't afford to be startled by this rod's sudden appearance.
To be precise, he didn't have the luxury to be surprised.
Why?
[The Constellation Hermes shows interest in the sudden appearance of Olympus's lightning.]
[The Constellation Athena shows interest in the sudden appearance of Olympus's...]
[The Constellation Ares shows interest in the sudden...]
Unimaginable messages were popping up in rapid succession.
'C-Constellations?!'
Si-mun's eyes widened in shock.
'Why are Constellations suddenly showing interest in me?'
The problem was that this wasn't the end.
[The Constellations of Olympus are astonished by the traces left upon you.]
[The Constellations of Olympus hastily retreat to a distance.]
[Only three kings remain seated, unfazed.]
[Among them, the ruler of Olympus, the Constellation Zeus, shows great interest in you.]
The successive messages contained content that left Si-mun no choice but to be utterly stunned.
Naturally so.
Constellations were beings who typically became active only after one was formally incorporated into the main Arena.
Before that, only a select few players ever received a Constellation's attention.
On top of that—
'The Constellations of Olympus are retreating because of traces left on me?'
Si-mun couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion at their reaction.
Olympus itself was composed of Constellations of considerable standing, after all.
Soon—
'Could it be... because of that title?!'
He realized that the title "One Who Receives Gaze from Beyond" must be having some effect.
However.
While the title had shocked the Constellations and made them retreat,
the real reason Olympus's attention had been drawn was something else entirely.
Lightning Rod!
The rod at his feet was flaunting its intense presence.
This lightning rod that had appeared alongside the transmutation was the root cause of this entire situation.
'Just what the hell is this thing to cause such a commotion?'
Like CGI from a famous movie,
blue and white lightning crackled incessantly.
Yet Si-mun wasn't frightened.
Though the fierce sparks were destroying the few pieces of furniture he had,
they had absolutely no effect on Si-mun himself.
He immediately approached and grabbed the lightning rod.
Crackle.
"Ugh."
The moment he grasped it, a tingling sensation surged up his arm.
Not pain, but an incredibly peculiar tingling.
'So this is why there's that kind of play in S— No, no! Stop with the weird thoughts.'
Shaking his head vigorously, Si-mun stared intently at the white rod in his hand.
And the information that surfaced—
[Astrapē]
Grade - Imitation (10%)
The spear of Zeus, ruler of Olympus.
It can wield lightning, but for some reason, it cannot exert its full power.
"Holy shit! Astrapē?!"
He blurted out in shock.
Naturally so.
Astrapē, the weapon of the Constellation Zeus.
This was the signature weapon of Alexander the Thunder Emperor—
a rising star from Greece who, like Go Mal-suk, had entered the high-ranker tier as a latecomer after the main battles began.
'Though he ended up defecting to America after Greece fell...'
Alexander the Thunder Emperor, much like the Heavenly Demon Go Mal-suk,
was a powerhouse who maintained his position as a high-ranker even after losing his affiliation.
'Especially his attack power—it was insane.'
Despite being a combat-class fighter who wielded a spear,
when equipped with Astrapē—the Mythic-grade weapon Zeus had granted him—
his attack power rivaled that of lightning-based magic from Magic Class rankers.
And such a weapon—
"You're saying I transmuted this?"
—was now in Si-mun's grasp.
Of course, it wasn't the real Astrapē.
Si-mun clearly remembered the Astrapē wielded by Alexander the Thunder Emperor, which he'd seen in broadcasts.
'Just by equipping it, it charred everything around him.'
Lightning Qi that even rankers couldn't face unless they were of a certain level.
The real Astrapē emitted such Lightning Qi ceaselessly, simply by existing.
Crackle.
In comparison, Si-mun gazed at the imitation emitting its meager sparks.
"So it's just an imitation, as its grade suggests."
Even Zeus was only showing interest,
not making any offer to sponsor him.
'Well, it's not surprising.'
Astrapē was a Mythic-grade weapon wielded by a Constellation.
No matter how much he'd used the Philosopher's Stone to transmute it, perfectly recreating the real thing was impossible.
"Hold on."
Si-mun, who had been fidgeting with the imitation, abruptly stopped moving.
'I definitely scaled down the transmutation method to match my level.'
Not only that, he had even spent 500 Achievement Points to compensate for the Philosopher's Stone and his lacking Transmutation Power.
As his thoughts reached that point, a single possibility flashed through his mind.
'The system never said the transmutation was impossible, did it?'
The very first message window that had appeared when he attempted the transmutation clearly stated:
[The Transmutation Power is absolutely insufficient to meet the required threshold.]
There had been no mention whatsoever that the target was "impossible to transmute."
And wasn't there a numerical value of 10% displayed beside the imitation?
'Then that excruciating pain must have been the Rebound.'
The agony so vicious it felt like his soul was being torn out.
A backlash caused by attempting a transmutation beyond his level with an unstable Philosopher's Stone.
It was unmistakably the Rebound, a common phenomenon in alchemy.
Which meant, conversely—
If he could just meet the proper transmutation requirements—
'I might actually be able to transmute the real Astrapē.'
Come to think of it, there was no reason it wouldn't work.
The foundation of alchemy was Equivalent Exchange.
The very reason he, a Level 1 with Mana Disability, could create the Elixir and the Philosopher's Stone—
Wasn't it all because of this principle?
"Hah, haha......"
Unconsciously, the strength left his legs.
It was already astonishing enough that his Mana Disability had been cured and he had regressed eleven years into the past.
But now, if he could just satisfy Equivalent Exchange, he could even transmute Mythic-grade equipment?
"Alchemy—this is seriously an insane ability!"
Potions, repairs, the sole trap of the Magic Class—
Who would have thought that alchemy, burdened with countless negative modifiers, held such potential?
But Si-mun's joy didn't last long.
Crack.
"Huh?"
The weight of the Astrapē had lightened.
When he looked down, he saw the spear gradually disintegrating into particles.
There was only one reason a transmuted object would react like this.
"I see. It's the Rebound of the transmuted object."
Rebound wasn't a phenomenon exclusive to the alchemist.
If the transmutation or Equivalent Exchange wasn't fully realized,
the transmuted object itself could suffer Rebound, either vanishing or exploding.
It was a common occurrence even when crafting low-grade potions,
so any seasoned alchemist should have been able to brush it off lightly.
But—
"Wait! Then what about my Achievement Points?!"
For Si-mun, who had dumped 500 points into this, it was a bolt from the blue.
Admittedly, 500 Achievement Points weren't as much as he'd thought,
but for a mere Level 1—
No, for someone like him, who hadn't even been assigned an Arena rank yet, it was a significant amount.
Yet, mercilessly—
Fsssh—
The Astrapē dissolved into motes of light without the slightest delay.
"...I take back what I said earlier."
Alchemy.
This was an insane ability in a whole different sense.
Just as a wave of emptiness washed over him—
[The Philosopher's Stone minimizes Rebound.]
[In proportion to the Philosopher's Stone's grade and level, 50 of the consumed Achievement Points have been refunded.]
This wasn't some kind of cashback.
'It's returning the Achievement Points spent on the transmuted object?'
A message window he couldn't just dismiss floated before Si-mun's eyes.
Hurriedly, he opened his Status Window and tapped on the Philosopher's Stone under his owned traits.
[Philosopher's Stone]
Ownership: Kim Si-mun
Level: 1
Grade: F
A mythical product of alchemy.
If Equivalent Exchange is satisfied, anything can be transmuted.
- Grants absolute Correction in all aspects related to alchemy.
Back when he had transmuted the Philosopher's Stone in his past life,
the initial Status Window had displayed no level, and the grade was simply marked as '?'.
Well, he could roughly guess the reason.
"Is it because of ownership and regression...?"
Hmm.
As if responding to his words,
a faint resonance echoed in his chest.
"Philosopher's Stone, let me ask you two things."
Si-mun looked down at his chest as he spoke.
"If this change happened because of ownership, then your growth is influenced by me, right?"
Hmm.
An affirmative response resonated.
Which meant—
Like so-called growth-type items, the Philosopher's Stone would grow stronger as Si-mun himself grew stronger.
A small smile curled at the corners of Si-mun's lips.
"So that's how it is?"
Immediate shift in stance.
Maybe there was no need to curse alchemy after all.
Snap.
The sound of a finger flick.
Along with it—
Whoosh.
A small flame blossomed inside his tiny rented room.
The protagonist of this ignition—
Kim Si-mun gazed down at his hand with a satisfied expression.
'I never knew performing transmutation without a transmutation circle could be this efficient.'
Now he understood why the Philosopher's Stone had regarded drawing transmutation circles as so primitive.
'This is on an entirely different level from circle-based transmutation.'
Si-mun felt like early humanity discovering fire for the first time.
'This isn't just alchemy—it's a revolution for the Magic Class.'
One of the Magic Class's inherent weaknesses had always been casting time.
Though exceptions like Battle Mages or Spirit Summoners existed,
the vast majority of Magic Class players were bound by casting requirements.
Even alchemists needed transmutation circles and materials, didn't they?
But now—
'Ending an entire transmutation with just a finger snap changes everything.'
Si-mun surveyed his now-pristine studio apartment.
So-called "imitation" of Astrapē my foot—
The sparks from that lightning rod had thoroughly wrecked his desk, chairs, wallpaper,
and the few pieces of furniture he owned.
And yet—
"Thanks to that, I got to properly practice my new transmutation method."
Alchemy was nicknamed "the repair bug" for good reason—it excelled at object restoration.
Of course, that only applied to non-magical items, but
repairing furniture and wallpaper was child's play for Si-mun.
He smiled contentedly at the spotless interior.
"With alchemy at this level, the Tutorial won't be a problem."
His rigorous practice had one clear purpose.
"It's definitely 5 PM today, right?"
He'd memorized the date and time down to the minute.
How could he not?
January 17, 2030. 5:00 PM.
The day he'd receive his first summons as a recognized Arena player—the Tutorial.
'How ironic.'
Of all days to regress, it had to be the very date of the Tutorial summoning.
"The Tutorial mode was probably... Territory Control, right?"
Territory Control—victory by capturing designated zones.
Most Tutorials consisted of goal-based Offense, Defense,
or Survival modes where ranking mattered.
Unfortunately, Kim Si-mun had been matched to Territory Control—
a mode typically reserved for Gold-rank players and above.
The reason was simple.
'All because of my 10 Mana stat.'
The Galaxy Arena used MMR (Matchmaking Rating)
to pair players of similar skill levels.
In his past life, despite having 10 Mana,
Si-mun's Mana Disability had guaranteed instant elimination.
'Couldn't even set foot in the capture zone before an arrow pierced my skull.'
Magic Class players who couldn't use mana were practically no different from ordinary humans.
'Well, maybe with decent equipment...'
But that had been impossible for his past self.
Now, though? No fear.
Only anticipation.
'Because I have alchemy.'
Smiling confidently, Si-mun picked up his phone.
[January 17, 2030. 4:40 PM]
[Kim Si-hyeok: Unread Messages +99]
His lips, which had been curving upward, stiffened at the flood of notifications beneath the time display.
'Right. If you think about it, Si-hyeok was already...'
From this day until phones vanished from Earth,
that brilliant younger brother had messaged him daily without fail.
They'd eventually reunite and even become close enough for Si-hyeok to deliver the Elixir curing his Mana Disability—but that hadn't been the case yet.
"Kinda shameful, honestly. What kind of older brother am I?"
That incident hadn't been the kid's fault at all.
Si-mun opened Si-hyeok's messages.
[Kim Si-hyeok: I got into Awakening Academy! lol]
[Kim Si-hyeok: Reached Diamond-rank and got another trait. Three whole traits now? No clue how to use this one though.]
[...]
[Kim Si-hyeok: Hyung, did you see the sunrise? Can't go anywhere now that I'm a senior.]
[Kim Si-hyeok: Got my class assignment today—same as Yu-jeong. She totally hates me? Well I hate her too...]
"Damn brat, you sent a lot."
Still bright and cheerful as ever.
Not because of his innate talents.
Kim Si-hyeok had always been this radiant by nature.
Which was why Si-mun never knew—
Just how much festering darkness lay beneath that brightness.
But.
'Not this time.'
Having seen the kid's Status Window, he knew.
That the entire Galaxy Arena's purpose revolved around this bright, naive—frankly stupid—younger brother.
'I just have to change things from now on.'
First and foremost, improving my relationship with him should be the priority.
Si-mun placed his finger on his phone.
Then froze for a long while.
'But what should I even say? I have nothing to say.'
Beyond questioning whether brothers would even have a reason to exchange messages.
The reality at this time was that they hadn't been in contact for years.
Si-mun fell into deep contemplation.
Soon.
"Tch. Why am I even agonizing over this? What a hassle."
Clicking his tongue, Si-mun decided to send his current feelings exactly as they were.
[Kim Si-mun: Yep. Congrats.]
After firing off the reply, he closed Si-hyeok's message window.
Then, right below it.
He saw the exact same number of unread messages.
The moment he saw the name, Si-mun's face stiffened instantly.
[Lee Yu-jeong: Unread Messages +99]
"Right. You were still alive at this time too."
Yu-jeong.
The longer he stared at that name, the more his hand gripping the phone trembled slightly.
"Haa......"
Biting his lip hard, Si-mun covered his phone for a moment.
"Calm down. Nothing's happened yet."
Right.
It hadn't happened yet.
So.
"I just have to change it."
No.
I must change it.
I absolutely had to change Yu-jeong's fate.
Because I couldn't let her lose her affiliation and become a refugee again.
The moment he steeled his resolve—
[Congratulations. You have been selected for the Arena Tutorial.]
[You will be summoned to the tutorial shortly. Please prepare.]
[Summoning in: 09:59.]
[If you possess an Arena access device, please equip it before proceeding.]
Had the time come?
Si-mun glared at the message windows floating before his eyes.
"This time, for sure......"
The wretched life of a mana-disabled.
And all the misfortunes yet to come.
'I'll tear them all apart and rebuild everything.'
Springing to his feet, Si-mun shouted into the air.
"I request early entry."
[Early entry request received. Please wait a moment.]
[Approval complete. Summoning to the tutorial now.]
A blinding white light enveloped Si-mun's body, and then—
Flash!
With a single brilliant flicker, he vanished.
[Welcome to the Tutorial.]
[This tutorial's event is 'Territory Conquest,' with 100 participants.]
A thick, humid heat seeped into his entire body.
Though his limbs wouldn't move, he could at least turn his head, so.
Si-mun carefully scanned his surroundings.
"Just like back then, it's the jungle map."
The oppressive humidity, the sweltering heat, and the dense forest obscuring his vision—everything was exactly as he remembered.
'It really hits me now—I've regressed.'
The same environment as his first tutorial.
Experiencing it again felt indescribably surreal.
[Earn points by securing territories or eliminating other players.]
Along with the message, a square outline appeared in the distance.
The boundary marker for a territory.
[The tutorial will now begin.]
"It's been a while since I last participated in the Arena."
Just because he was Level 1 and mana-disabled didn't mean he had no combat experience.
Countless Outbreaks had occurred as risks of the official Arena.
Whether Level 1 or mana-disabled.
It was a world where you had no choice but to fight—or die.
'For now, I'll play it safe and aim for a high rank.'
Still, even in his past life, his Arena participation had been limited to the tutorial and a few early matches.
Kim Si-mun planned to take the tutorial slowly.
[The gaze of the Constellation Zeus upon you grows more intense.]
[The Constellation Zeus has issued you a mission.]
At least, that was the plan—until another window appeared before his eyes.
[Mission window activated.]
[Sponsorship window activated.]
'A mission?'
Missions and sponsorships were supposed to unlock only after clearing the tutorial. Why were they already available?
Si-mun opened the mission window to check what Zeus had assigned.
[Mission]
Achieve 1st place in this 'Territory Conquest' tutorial.
Reward: 1,000 Achievement Points
'No wonder he's the ruler of Olympus.'
Was this his way of saying he wouldn't acknowledge anything less than first place?
Still, Si-mun didn't consider the mission unreasonable.
In fact, he welcomed it.
'For just a tutorial? He's giving 1,000 Achievement Points?'
From what he remembered in his past life, the tutorial completion reward was a measly 50 Achievement Points.
'I have to do this no matter what.'
Achievement Points were essential for crafting imitation Mythic-grade equipment.
And if he wanted to buy stats from the Achievement Shop later, he'd need to scrape every last point he could get.
'I'll take first place no matter what!'
Burning with determination, Si-mun paused briefly before glancing up at the sky.
"By the way, Lord Zeus? If you could just add 100 more points, it'd be even more fun—"
KRRRUMBLE!
"Haha! Just kidding. Whew."
Forcing a hearty laugh, Si-mun wiped his brow.
"To think he's the ruler of Olympus, no less."
'He's stingier than I expected.'