Chapter 2

# Chapter 002

Originally, he was just an ordinary young professional, nothing special or remarkable.

His only hobby was gaming.

And even then, it was mostly single-player RPGs.

He had to feel the gap between capital and talent even in the online gaming world.

Thus, he began to frequent game community sites.

While videos and strategy guides from so-called veterans were entertaining,

it was also because download links for illegally copied games often appeared.

He knew it was wrong.

But his meager salary was a good excuse for self-justification.

So, when he clicked on the post titled "Rare game DLC, full mod package. First come, first served," it wasn't anything special at the time.

<Aquilonia.

A semi-open world dark fantasy filled with betrayal, corruption, rebellion, and intrigue.>

The introduction piqued his interest.

The game screenshots were impressive.

However, it was a game that was no longer sold due to the developer's circumstances.

The post was deleted right after he clicked the download link.

Feeling proud that he had been the first to get it, he immediately launched the game.

He decided to burn the weekend to see the ending.

In Aquilonia, there were five classes available to players:

Knight, Barbarian Warrior, Mage, Scout, and Cleric.

According to the tips during installation, in special situations like boss battles, you could receive help from other player characters registered on the server.

However, the server connection didn't work.

It wasn't clear if it was because it was an illegal copy or if the servers had been shut down.

In any case, it was clear that he had to do everything alone.

So, he chose the Mage.

It was a ranged attacker and the most straightforward choice for a beginner.

His unique traits were Intuition and Focus.

The difficulty was set to normal for his pride.

His appearance was default, and his name was random.

Thus, the character Ian Hope was created.

"...I should have looked for a guide first."

Ian sighed.

It was too late for regrets.

At the time, he was so engrossed in the game that he didn't even think about it.

Aquilonia was a pretty good game overall.

The graphics were a bit outdated but had a unique atmosphere that didn't bother him.

The combat, based on a wide variety of skill trees, was engaging.

While you had to clear specific quests to move to the next area in the semi-open world,

the high degree of freedom and the ability to skip side quests and cutscenes made it not too tedious.

Most importantly, the numerous choices that led to dark fantasy endings delighted him.

Of course, the game wasn't easy.

Items had restrictions based on wearing stats rather than class.

As a result, the options were all over the place.

The skill points were quite limited compared to the vast skill trees.

Especially, battles with named mobs and bosses were quite challenging.

He chose skills and stats appropriate for the situation as he progressed through the game.

However, he hit a wall in Chapter 4, the late game.

The difficulty started to increase significantly from Chapter 3.

Before he knew it, even regular monsters were hard to handle.

A brief grind for leveling up didn't change anything.

He eventually searched for a guide.

Fortunately, he found a detailed article written by a veteran player from a long time ago.

It was a lengthy, academic-level text, so he skimmed through the necessary parts.

He gradually realized the extent of the overall mess he was in.

First, his unique traits were problematic.

Intuition and Focus were not particularly helpful for ranged combat.

Traits like elemental affinity, mana bloodline, insight, parallel thinking, or even luck and reflexes would have been more useful.

Moreover, his character's stats were lower than those of other mages of the same level.

Especially his intelligence and mental strength.

This was because he had invested in strength, agility, and endurance to equip solo combat gear.

It was a necessary choice, but it had to be overcome with control and overwhelming firepower.

The same went for his skills.

He should have specialized in one path instead of dabbling in multiple attributes.

Support roles like secrets and common skills should have been learned minimally.

Skill points were that precious.

Due to the lack of mana and money, and the occasional appearance of bosses with extreme resistance, it was an unavoidable choice.

The proper method was to farm items and reduce enemy resistance.

The most critical issue was the quests and choices.

He had missed or skipped too many essential side quests that granted additional stat and skill points.

Furthermore, due to choosing the worst options, many key characters who should have helped him had either died or fallen.

In short, his character, Ian Hope, was a complete failure.

A total failure.

There was nothing he could do to reverse the situation.

However, fortunately, there was still time before the weekend ended.

He quickly made a decision.

Rebuild the character.

This time, with a guide.

Choose an easier class.

However, he only had one character slot, and additional slots required a paid purchase.

Since it was impossible, he ultimately chose to delete the character.

An error message appeared right after.

"Deletion refused."

Not impossible, but refused?

While he was bewildered,

another popup window appeared in succession.

"The ◆◇◐◑ are watching you."

"The ◆◇◐◑ want the world's end."

"The ◆◇◐◑..."

After that, all he remembered was the blindingly flashing monitor.

It was also his last memory of the world he lived in.

When he came to, he found himself lying in the middle of an unfamiliar swamp.

Along with the tutorial quest window he had seen when he first started the game.

"......!"

At the sound, Ian's eyes snapped open.

His body reacted instinctively.

He grabbed the sword leaning against the bathtub and pointed it at the intruder.

"Ah...!"

A suppressed scream followed.

It was a maid holding a bucket of water.

Steam rose from the hot water as it splashed onto her legs.

"Water... I was going to change it for you..."

With the blade at her throat, she spoke in a trembling voice.

"......"

Ian stared at the maid's frightened brown eyes.

Was it because he recalled old memories?

An old question he had concluded long ago resurfaced.

Is this really a human?

Is it just very sophisticated graphics?

After all, this world was originally a game.

"...I see. I misunderstood."

Ian sheathed his sword.

"I'm sorry..."

The maid, finally putting down the bucket, collapsed.

Her shoulders trembled, and her forehead was drenched in cold sweat.

Looking at her, Ian came to the same conclusion again.

Even if she was fake, he couldn't think of her that way.

If she was this real, there wasn't much difference.

"I'll drain the bathtub."

The maid, standing up, bowed her head toward the bathtub.

The plug at the foot of the bathtub popped out.

Her reddened legs caught his eye naturally.

Probably from the hot water that splashed on them.

Ian spoke awkwardly.

"I'm sorry for earlier. It was instinct. I've been attacked a lot."

The maid, smiling as if understanding, spoke in a calmer tone.

"You must have gone through a lot."

Ian shrugged.

The vast swamp where he first woke up came to mind.

A sick person, a refugee, an escaped criminal and thief, and even a damn monster.

In the vast swamp where all these emerged, he spent over half a year.

It was enough time to accept and adapt to his situation.

The game had become reality.

The scenarios he had cleared had been reset.

Now, he was in the paradoxical situation of being a game character.

"I'll bring another bucket of water. ...Don't point your sword at me this time."

The maid turned around, adding.

Ian didn't respond.

His gaze was still lost in the past.

Memories that turned an ordinary person, who was even afraid of cockroaches, into a dark age mage who didn't hesitate to kill.

If he hadn't retained his character's stats and skills, he would have died long ago.

Ian pondered.

Why were only his level and skills retained?

Even the time, quests, and items had been reset.

The most plausible hypothesis was that it was an arrangement to prevent him from dying helplessly.

A strangely benevolent arrangement by the entities that brought him to this world.

'If they had just given me points, it would have been even more grateful.'

The problem was, even so, the core issue didn't change.

The core issue that Ian Hope was a failure.

Now, he could kill all the villagers without any special equipment because the gap was so large.

But eventually, he would be in a state where he couldn't do anything, just like before.

He couldn't hide in this village forever.

Time would pass regardless of him.

Things that were going to happen would inevitably happen.

If he didn't intervene, they would go in even more unpredictable directions.

It was a flow he couldn't escape from unless he left the continent.

If he did nothing, he would surely die, pushed by that flow.

Moreover, this world wasn't just wider than the game.

There were more and stronger enemies.

Villages, people, and monsters that didn't exist in the game.

So, the point of reaching his limit might come even faster.

No, he was actually certain.

Chapter 4, or even Chapter 3, late Chapter 2, would be his limit.

'This isn't even a death sentence.'

Ian chuckled.

His level hadn't increased at all in the past year.

The experience gained was only a few percent.

Even that was from completing quests and receiving experience as a reward.

Probably because the enemies he faced were too weak compared to him.

Like kobolds or the vigilantes earlier.

Of course, that didn't mean the situation was entirely pessimistic.

'The story has been reset.'

He had another chance to clear quests that granted additional stats and skill points.

He could change the choices that had made everything go wrong.

Even the points he had already gained in the past hadn't disappeared.

'Until now, I've gained a total of 3 points in the early part of Chapter 1... Not bad.'

It was impossible to create the optimal mage he had seen in the guide.

But there was hope to build a character that could somehow get through.

The best would be to maintain the current gap until the end.

'The world doesn't work that way...'

Ian looked at the swollen ankle at the foot of the drained bathtub.

'...It never works that way.'

The problem was the axe thrown by the kobold chief.

Thanks to the swirling barrier skill, the axe grazed his cheek.

He stumbled in surprise.

It was a pattern the original kobold chief didn't have.

"What pattern...?"

Ian muttered, almost laughing.

To have such a complacent thought after all he had been through.

It was fortunate to learn such a big lesson from just a sprained ankle.

Thanks to his high health stats, it would heal in a day.

Creak.

At that moment, the door opened.

Very slowly and carefully.

"I'm not holding a sword."

Hearing Ian, the maid finally entered.

This time, she was also carrying a bucket of boiling water.

Are they going to boil me alive?

"I'm sorry for the delay, hero."

The maid bowed.

"I'm not a hero, I'm a mercenary."

"You saved the village."

Technically, she wasn't wrong.

But this village was ultimately destined to burn.

"Just put the water in. Stop talking nonsense."

Ian clicked his tongue and gestured.

The maid picked up the bucket she had placed earlier.

"...If it's too hot, let me know."

She slowly poured the water.

Turning her head to the side, she kept glancing at him.

Her cheeks were slightly red.

Ah, it's because of my naked body.

Ian realized.

He had adapted to this dark age too much.

"Don't have any funny ideas."

"Me? What are you talking about?"

The maid shuddered.

Ian calmly added.

"I mean it. Don't have any funny ideas."

By this world's standards, she would be considered an adult, but to him, she was too young.

Fifteen, maybe sixteen at most.

Having any feelings for a girl like this would be a crime in itself.

"...I wasn't thinking anything."

She can't even lie.

Well, she probably only saw toothless, drunk men before, so this body must be surprising.

He looked at his own body.

Thanks to his strength and endurance stats, he had well-defined muscles, even as a mage.

His six-pack, which he never had in reality, was as clear as chocolate.

His intelligence and mental strength were also improved.

He was aware that he thought faster and more comprehensively than before.

His mental state was also more stable.

Despite the failure-level stat distribution, he was this strong.

If he had properly allocated his stats, he would have been on the level of an enlightened sage.

"Stop. The water is overflowing."

Ian finally raised his hand.

The maid, who seemed ready to pour another bucket, reluctantly stood up.

"Do you want more hot water?"

She asked hesitantly.

"The water is fine. Prepare a meal. I'll leave in an hour."

"And then...?"

And then what?

"Nothing. Get out."

The maid pouted and turned around at the firm dismissal.

But she didn't forget to give him a strangely challenging look.

"Whatever..."

Ian chuckled as the noisy drunkards' voices filtered into his ears.

Well, maybe it would have been better to ask the maid to chatter about anything.

Ian closed his eyes, immersing himself in the bathtub up to his chin.

Activating level 3 meditation.

This was originally a secret skill that should have been maxed at level 1.

***

The next day.

Ian led the innkeeper and a few village youths back to the kobold stronghold.

They also brought a cart.

"What a mess... Did you go around pouring burning oil?"

The stronghold still bore the marks of last night's carnage.

Charred corpses and ashes.

Burnt remains of the wooden palisades and huts.

"How many were there? Were they planning to start a country?"

"Even if they did, the lord wouldn't care. He's too busy preparing for war."

"Whether it's the lord or the vigilantes, hah, spit. It feels good to think about it again. They died well, those bandits."

"You should have trampled on the corpses instead of just spitting on them."

The voices of the village youths, who had been talking loudly, quieted down.

Because Ian turned to look at them.

Perhaps because they had seen the scene he created with their own eyes, the youths looked at him with a mix of awe and fear.

"As I said, your job is simple."

Ian continued calmly.

"Search every corner and collect everything useful."