Chapter 4 - The Tutorial is Too Easy (2)

Lee Kyung-bok, who had been standing there blankly, turned his eyes at the beeping sound.

The timer had already passed 5 seconds.

'Let's just give it a try.'

He wanted to confirm once if this strange sensation, which he had never felt before, was real.

Lee Kyung-bok immediately kicked off the ground and ran.

He turned his gaze towards the obstacle he could sense. The first one was a pillar protruding from the wall.

"Wow."

It was accurate.

The pillar emerged from the darkness exactly as Lee Kyung-bok had sensed it.

Since he already knew about it, he wasn't worried about hitting it.

'Is this also...?'

The next obstacle was a floor that collapsed after about 1 second. Lee Kyung-bok deliberately stepped on the floor he could sense and immediately turned his head.

Then, the floor cracked with a thud.

'If that's the case...'

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Lee Kyung-bok's mouth. His half-doubting heart solidified into certainty.

The system message had urged 'caution,' but Lee Kyung-bok instead increased his speed and put more effort into it.

'If I go like this...!'

He could feel the position of the hidden obstacles. Naturally, drawing the optimal path to avoid those obstacles was an incredibly easy task.

Lee Kyung-bok completed the course without stopping for a single moment.

"Phew."

In reality, he would have been out of breath and collapsed on the ground, but it was different here.

Lee Kyung-bok exhaled happily and smiled.

[You have successfully passed!]

[00:53:21]

Eventually, the test result window appeared in front of him. Since it was a tutorial test, the course wasn't very long.

'Is there a ranking too?'

Below the result window, there was a trophy icon. Lee Kyung-bok casually opened the ranking.

['Lee Kyung-bok's' physical ability test result is currently '3rd place.']

[Amazing!]

[Are you a national representative in reality? What an incredible ability!]

'...I'm in 3rd place?'

Lee Kyung-bok blinked and checked the overall ranking.

[1st place: Kim** - '00:52:12']

[2nd place: Jeong** - '00:52:37']

[3rd place: Lee Kyung-bok - '00:53:21']

For privacy reasons, only the surnames of the other ranked individuals were revealed. However, this wasn't a problem for Lee Kyung-bok.

'No, actually, I'm not in 3rd place, am I?'

He didn't start running immediately when the test began; it took him about 5 seconds to get used to the strange sensation.

If he had started right away, would he have been in 1st place?

'Am I in 1st place?'

Being in the top five in South Korea would be surprising enough, but he was at the very top. However, the reason Lee Kyung-bok was most bewildered was different.

'It wasn't that difficult, was it?'

He hadn't even aimed for a high ranking or put in much effort.

* * *

Meanwhile, Choi Byung-hoon was feeling bewildered for a different reason.

"Damn."

Worried that something might happen to Lee Kyung-bok, he was monitoring him outside using his smartlink.

Fortunately, Lee Kyung-bok seemed fine and showed great interest in the virtual reality. It looked like he would accept the broadcast proposal positively.

However, something was off from the obstacle course.

At first, he thought it was a recurrence of the symptoms from high school. Lee Kyung-bok had been standing there blankly, dazed.

He was worried that the 'new symptom' might have returned, but everything changed after Lee Kyung-bok took his first step.

"Amazing."

In less than a minute, but it was enough time to be shocked.

'How did he not hit a single obstacle?'

Lee Kyung-bok was like a runaway locomotive. The faster he ran, the more obstacles popped up from all directions at short intervals.

Yet, Lee Kyung-bok sailed through them as smoothly as water.

He didn't dodge clumsily either. The confidence in his expression and the ease in his movements made it clear that he wasn't a first-time virtual reality user.

Choi Byung-hoon, who had been in the industry, knew how extraordinary Lee Kyung-bok's record was.

If someone from another industry saw it, they might have been stunned.

He was stunned himself.

"Damn, I should have recorded it..."

Choi Byung-hoon rubbed his forehead.

From an editor's perspective, there wasn't a single scene to cut. The problem was that he was so shocked he didn't even think to record it. He smacked his forehead in frustration at his own foolish decision.

Meanwhile, the capsule opened, and Lee Kyung-bok came out.

"Phew."

His face still showed the lingering effects. The comfort of the virtual reality body made it impossible not to feel a sense of disconnection with his real body.

'Sure enough, it's gone.'

Lee Kyung-bok felt this even more strongly.

The strange sensation that seemed to transcend the five senses was not felt in reality.

If he hadn't known it before, it might have been different, but now that it was gone, he felt a bit frustrated.

'Is this the influence of divine power? Since it was virtual reality, there was no backlash?'

The only thing that came to mind as the source of this strange sensation was one thing. However, he didn't have time to think deeply about it.

"Hey, what's with you?"

"Huh?"

Choi Byung-hoon asked Lee Kyung-bok as if he was questioning him.

"Are you really using the capsule for the first time?"

"What do you mean? I saw you creating the account."

"But how... Damn, you're amazing."

Choi Byung-hoon let out a hollow laugh, as if he was at a loss for words.

He had thought Lee Kyung-bok would have good game sense, but he hadn't expected such outstanding physical abilities.

It was absurd, but a very satisfying absurdity.

"Hey."

Choi Byung-hoon lightly grabbed Lee Kyung-bok's shoulder.

"You must be a genius."

"...What?"

Genius (天才).

A talent bestowed by heaven.

Choi Byung-hoon said this half-jokingly and half-seriously.

'This guy, if he does well, could be a huge success.'

This was a judgment based on his experience as an editor.

* * *

"Hey! Hey! Really, think about it! You'll succeed! Wasting such talent is a crime, a crime!"

"Alright, I get it. I'll contact you again."

Lee Kyung-bok sent off the excited Choi Byung-hoon and started walking.

'Am I a genius?'

Choi Byung-hoon was not just a friend; he was objectively a competent editor. The videos he made were so captivating that even Lee Kyung-bok, who knew little about virtual reality, was drawn in.

Choi Byung-hoon wouldn't have said such things just to flatter him, and they weren't even close enough to do so.

'He's just too impatient.'

If put nicely, it meant he had good initiative, but now it felt more like a negative trait.

Lee Kyung-bok stopped walking and looked around.

On a weekday afternoon, the bustling area was filled with people heading out for lunch.

'These people probably use capsules too.'

There might be a few like Lee Kyung-bok who didn't have capsules, but nowadays, having a capsule in every household was as common as having a computer.

'1st place in South Korea.'

He thought about the test results again.

Of course, some people might have skipped the test because it was bothersome. But even considering that, the weight of the 1st place title was not light.

That's why Choi Byung-hoon had reacted that way.

Lee Kyung-bok changed his direction.

'One more time...'

He arrived back at the capsule room.

'I'll give it a proper try this time.'

If he did, he would know if he was really the genius his friend said he was.

* * *

As soon as Choi Byung-hoon got home, he turned on his computer.

'It was definitely 53 seconds and 21 milliseconds.'

His friend's record, etched in his mind.

Considering the time wasted before starting, it was about 48 seconds.

'There was definitely a site that collected test records.'

The test conducted during the capsule's first tutorial.

It wasn't meant to be a competitive test focusing on results. The results weren't highly valued.

It was simply to measure physical ability, not a professional or detailed measurement.

No one likes a bad evaluation. Making a user's first virtual reality experience negative would be foolish.

'Let's see. The average record is about 1 minute and 20 seconds.'

So, the test's difficulty was set to be average.

A typical adult could clear it within at least 1 minute and 30 seconds, and if it took more than 2 minutes, it was considered unsuitable data.

"World Record... This is it."

Choi Byung-hoon's eyes widened as he opened the page. When he checked the world rankings, he couldn't close his mouth.

[World Record.]

[1st. Rob*** - '00:47:53']

[2nd. Ota*** - '00:48:22']

[3rd. Jac*** - '00:50:45']

Lee Kyung-bok's record was about 48 seconds.

'3rd place in the world!'

He couldn't measure the exact time he had wasted, but it was a score that could aim for at least 3rd place, or even 2nd place.

To have a friend who was among the top three in the world?

"Damn, to have such talent and be working in sales...!"

It wasn't just about the desire for success.

Choi Byung-hoon genuinely felt sorry for his friend, who hadn't seen the light of his talent.

What if he had recommended it a little earlier? He felt responsible for not suggesting it even while working in this industry.

'How do I convince him...'

He fully understood the hesitation.

The personal broadcasting industry is similar to the entertainment industry. Streamers live off the attention and affection of people.

The only difference is that it's a bit more unrestricted and has a more open and communicative atmosphere.

But it also comes with the burden of exposing oneself to the public.

'But the rewards are that much greater.'

As mentioned earlier, the earning potential of streamers, similar to the entertainment industry, has no ceiling.

With enough recognition, one can live a more comfortable life than many celebrities.

Just from live broadcasts and sponsorships, one can earn four-digit figures, and with endorsements, promotions, and the income from editing and uploading YouTube videos, one can aim for even higher earnings.

'But there are definitely risks too.'

Of course, it's not all rosy. On the contrary, the bottom of this industry is also very low.

Choi Byung-hoon had seen many streamers slip and plummet due to a single mistake.

However, he was confident he could handle such risks.

'If this guy just says yes...'

Choi Byung-hoon scratched his head. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

'Yeah, he hasn't refused yet. He needs time. It's his first time with virtual reality.'

Thinking this, Choi Byung-hoon took another deep breath. It was unbelievable that someone could be 3rd in the world on their first try.

'Let's at least come up with a simple strategy...'

Just as he was planning to recruit (or rather, convince) Lee Kyung-bok, his smartlink on his wrist vibrated.

It was a message from his target.

"Hey! What's up?"

<Open the door.>

"Door?"

<In front of your house.>

Choi Byung-hoon jumped up.

He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Lee Kyung-bok's image on the intercom screen.

He hurriedly got up and opened the door.

"Hey, come in, come in."

"Did I interrupt anything?"

Lee Kyung-bok, seeing his friend's bewildered face, asked as if he already knew.

"Interrupt?"

"Even if it's you, it's bone-chilling to do it in broad daylight."

"What the hell are you talking about!"

"Never mind."

Lee Kyung-bok chuckled and plopped down on the sofa as if it were his own home.

Choi Byung-hoon frowned, then realized Lee Kyung-bok was looking at the computer.

"World Record? What's this?"

"Oh, I just looked up the world record for what you did today."

There was no reason to hide it.

Since he hadn't done anything shady, Choi Byung-hoon decided to be straightforward.

"This is... a world record?"

Lee Kyung-bok's eyebrows furrowed.

Choi Byung-hoon, who had been gauging his reaction, quickly approached.

"Of course! Hey, this is great. Take a look. You're 1st in South Korea and 3rd in the world. No, 2nd. Number two, number two!"

'You need to realize how amazing you are.' Choi Byung-hoon poured out his earnest hopes.

"Really, just trust me for half a year, no, three months. Is that too long? Okay! One month, no more, just one month of broadcasting! Come on, you'll succeed!"

"Hey."

Lee Kyung-bok cut him off with a single syllable. As Choi Byung-hoon stepped back with a flustered expression, Lee Kyung-bok fiddled with his smartlink.

A beeping sound and a photo arrived.

"...What is it?"

"Take a look."

Choi Byung-hoon looked at Lee Kyung-bok's face curiously. Strangely, he didn't seem upset.

What kind of photo could it be?

Choi Byung-hoon checked the photo and froze.

"S, s, s, s..."

"It took me a while to figure out how to take a screenshot."

It was a record.

[You have successfully passed!]

[00:42:18]

[‘Lee Kyung-bok’s’ physical ability test result is currently ‘1st place’.]

This was the result of Lee Kyung-bok's full effort, his 'real' record. He refreshed the page with a relaxed smile.

[World Record.]

[1st. Lee*** - ‘00:42:18’]

The updated record.

"Looks like I am a genius, just like you said."

Lee Kyung-bok was now certain.