Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Basic Training Ground
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Because so much had happened yesterday, I didn't wake up until the afternoon.
Dragging my still-sleepy body, I slung the military jacket draped over the chair onto my shoulders and grabbed a cigarette.
─Chik
With my eyes half-closed from the lingering drowsiness, I lit it, and smoke rose from the cigarette.
"Hoo—."
While smoking, I fiddled with my phone and saw a message that the assembled bed I'd ordered had been delivered.
I kept the cigarette in my mouth and opened the iron bars. There were two large boxes with handles.
I stubbed out the cigarette, hauled the boxes inside, and spent a while assembling them following the instructions. A decent-looking bed was complete.
I laid the new mattress I'd ordered on top of the finished bed and rolled around on it for a bit before yesterday's status window message popped into my head.
"Status Window!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Would you like to move to the Basic Training Ground? The relocation prompt still hadn't disappeared and floated right in front of my eyes.
"What the hell does 'move' even mean?"
The contract etched into the status window.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡ Contracted God: Mara Papiyas (Demon King Papiyas) ⚡ Contracted God: Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni) Just reading the text sent waves of sufficient anxiety crashing over me.
I glared at the prompt floating in front of me, put off responding, and picked up my phone.
─Ga-eulllll!
I called, and before the ringtone could even finish, my sister's cheerful voice answered as if she'd been waiting.
"Sis!!"
─Ga-eul!!!
"Sis!!!!"
─Puhaha! Did you miss me so much you steamed yourself up like a pressure cooker?
"That's exactly it. I missed you."
─Hehe. Really? Aw, can't be helped then. Should I come see you, Ga-eul?
Hearing her voice instantly lifted my mood.
"We'll see each other later. I have to head somewhere for a bit."
─Where? With who? Me? Take me too!!
I calmed my excited sister and continued.
"It's just a quick trip. I called to hear your voice before I go."
─Oh, that's what it was? Bummer.
"I went to visit the army barracks yesterday, you know? I'll tell you all about it when I get back. Lots to share."
─Why'd you suddenly go to the barracks?
"I was playing a game and promised to grant a viewer's wish, and turns out they were a soldier, so I went for a visit."
─Whoa, that's wild. Got it. You better tell me everything when you get back, okay?
"Yep. Let's grab something tasty and chat later."
─Sweet!!
"Yeah! Bye-bye."
After hanging up with sis, the status window message I'd been ignoring forced itself back into view.
"Fuck it, let's go!"
I swiped my hand through the air, and the room twisted around me. Soon, the scent of grass filled my nose.
A vibrant field stretched out before me, with a single thatched house beside it.
One moment I was in the rooftop room, the next under a clear sky with leisurely drifting clouds. Bewilderment washed over me.
"Anyone here?"
My bewildered shout triggered a system chime.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Welcome to the Basic Training Ground. This is the Basic Training Ground and also the system user's exclusive territory. We wish you the best of luck. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The environment has changed. Shop list is being reconfigured. "What? What does that mean?!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Guide requests a visit to the Lord. The barrage of messages left me dazed. I had no idea where this was, what "reconfiguration" meant, or what a "guide" was.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The Guide requests a visit to the Lord. As I tried to parse the messages one by one, the visit request popped up again, like it was urging me.
"...Do whatever."
I muttered half in resignation without a proper reply, and light gathered from the sky, coalescing into a large snowflake.
The snowflake fluttered on the wind and dropped straight toward me. It slowly descended, stopping right in front of my nose and hovering in the air.
I held my palm up to the stationary snowflake, and it fell onto my hand as if waiting.
A warm, fluffy texture. Looking closer, it wasn't a snowflake—it was a cotton ball.
─Twitch
"Huh?"
The little cotton ball on my palm quivered, and adorable ears popped out.
"A bunny?"
As it uncurled on my palm, the white fluff turned into a tiny baby rabbit.
Adorable ears, tiny paws, petite body—it looked like it was designed to maximize cuteness.
"What are you?"
"Baekto."
"Eek!"
I'd muttered it casually, not expecting a response like talking to an animal, but it replied, startling me into shaking my hand.
Calming my surprise, the rabbit was gone from sight, but I felt something warm on my head. I reached up and pulled down a white rabbit by the scruff.
"Was that you talking just now?"
I placed the grabbed rabbit on my palm and asked. A reply came.
"Master."
"A rabbit talking..."
One more weird animal in this bizarre situation didn't faze me much, so I kept questioning.
"So why are you here? Who are you?"
"Baekto."
It repeated itself.
"Where'd you come from?"
"Up there!"
I looked up at the baby rabbit's words, but saw only drifting white clouds. I gave up after more of the same responses.
"Hmm..."
No progress, so I took the rabbit and approached the thatched house. Peeking inside, it was an empty room.
I plopped down on the porch, set the rabbit on my knee, and stroked it. The fluffy warmth enveloped my palm.
"This is so healing and happy. Is this why Grandpa always petted them?"
As I petted the rabbit absentmindedly, a gentle breeze rustled through, caressing my hair pleasantly.
"Bunny."
The rabbit perked its ears at my voice but didn't reply. It was listening, at least.
"What am I supposed to do here?"
"Train."
"Train? Why should I?"
"Choice."
"Choice..."
Unless aliens invaded Earth, I had no reason to get stronger. But no human rejects strong power either. Whether it's political power, money, or raw strength— the thirst for it is human instinct.
"You gonna train me?"
The rabbit, eyes closed under my touch, raised a cute front paw.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ A Basic Trainee Wooden Dummy is summoned. "What?!"
I jumped up in shock at the message. Light gathered in one corner of the yard, forming a wooden dummy carved from a log.
It creaked to life, raised its arms, and assumed a fighting stance.
"You want me to fight that thing right now?"
The rabbit—somehow back on my head—was tapping my scalp with its paw.
The dummy looked ready to charge. I tossed the jacket from my shoulders onto the porch and raised my arms.
That's when the dummy rushed me, swinging a fist.
I barely blocked with my arms, and its fist slammed into them.
"Ugh! You wooden bastard, have you lost your mind?"
The weight of the wood made the blow heavier than expected, pain shooting through my arm.
I shoved the fist away hard. The dummy's arm flew up, exposing its empty face.
I saw my opening and exploded forward with leg power.
My fist pulled back fully, loaded with all my strength, ready to unleash.
Hup!
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Insignificant Strike ─Boom!
I smashed my fist into the dummy's face, and its wooden head exploded.
"Haa... haa..."
As I watched the headless dummy collapse, a system chime rang.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Gluttony's Demonic Eye has been unlocked. A portion of Sin Sense has been dispelled. +10,000 won EXP +2 Growth Rate: 2% Panting roughly as I stared at the fallen dummy, I could almost hear crunching and chewing sounds in my ears.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Gluttony devours the opponent. +10,000 won EXP +2 Growth Rate: 4% "Hoo... money and EXP?"
The messages showed money, EXP, and the resulting growth rate. Checking the status window confirmed the added funds from defeating the dummy.
Training hadn't piqued my interest before, but toppling the dummy changed my mind.
I felt like a game character.
This was nothing like FPS games where I sucked at shooting. Grinding in Helon Chronicles or real-life grinding—both were my specialties.
A grin crept onto my face; this could be fun.
"Still, this ain't right, bunny. You gotta warn before starting. Should I make you into rabbit hot pot? Being cute doesn't mean you won't die, y'know?"
As if protesting, the rabbit still clinging to my head pecked at it with its paws.
"I'm the master, right?"
"Provisional."
I grabbed the fluffball and pulled it down. The baby rabbit dangled from my hand.
"Provisional?"
I set it back on my palm and met its eyes. It perked its ears.
"None."
"None what? A name? You're Baekto."
"Species."
"...Kinda pissing me off."
It seemed like it wanted a name, so I pondered and offered options.
"White ones always get these by the rules, right? Pick one: Sugar Cloud, Salt, Tofu."
"····."