Chapter 1

# 1

User Manual for the Regressor 001

My Talent Level is Below Average (1)

[Tutorial is starting.]

“What the….”

I was about to curse when I glanced around. What I saw was the dark interior of a building.

Faint light revealed indiscernible patterns.

A completely different form from any building on Earth, these things I had never seen before made my mouth open wide.

I had never seen the inside of a pyramid, but it probably looked like this.

The situation was so unrealistic that I rolled my eyes for a moment.

The last thing I remembered was eating dinner with my younger sister.

‘What the hell is going on? Exactly….’

If I recall, it went like this.

A mysterious message came through my phone.

-Do you want to participate in the game?-

I thought it was a game invitation from a friend and pressed the button without a second thought.

That was it.

That’s all I can remember.

My jaw and legs trembled uncontrollably. The situation was too incomprehensible.

I suddenly found myself in a place I had never seen before.

It was natural to be confused.

What stood out was the atmosphere here.

Thanks to the atmosphere reminiscent of a horror movie, most people were terrified.

Before I could think further, various voices came from around me.

“Hey, where are we?”

“Don’t ask me. I, I don’t know either.”

“Is, are there other people here? What is this place… and why are there swords and weapons here?”

“If we knew, we wouldn’t be here. It seems we’re all in the same situation. Does anyone remember anything?”

“Hey! Is anyone there? Hey!”

People started to converse.

Some were sitting on the ground, pinching their cheeks, thinking it was a dream.

Everyone was different.

‘This isn’t a dream.’

It’s not a dream, and I’m not the only one here.

There’s no sense of unreality.

As I swallowed, the small cave echoed again.

[Players have been invited to this world. We sent you invitations, and you accepted them. You have been chosen as heroes to save a dying continent.]

“Damn! What heroes!”

“Stop your damn joke and come out, you bastards!”

“I’m going to report this to the police. I’m going to report this to the police.”

“Are you doing a hidden camera prank? This is grounds for a lawsuit. Grounds for a lawsuit!”

[However, not everyone can go to the continent. Only a few who pass the tutorial can go.]

“What the hell are you saying!”

[Please focus on what I say next. It’s a matter of your survival.]

I suddenly snapped to attention.

The word "survival" stuck in my ear amidst the strange atmosphere.

[Let me repeat. Only a few who survive this tutorial will have the right to go to the continent.]

“What… are you saying we have to kill each other?”

[That’s up to you. What I’m about to say is crucial for your survival and future life. This is not a dream; it’s the reality you’re in. I don’t recommend denying it, as I have the duty to guide you through this tutorial.]

“Stop joking! Damn it!”

“Please, get us out of here. Please.”

Various voices were heard, but the woman’s explanation continued calmly.

[Let’s start the guide. First, this place is a starting point where you can wait before the tutorial begins. Think of it as a waiting room. The starting point contains essential items: water, food, and weapons you will use. The weapons are graded as common, rare, hero, and legendary. The weapons here are all common or below.]

Indeed, a few things caught my eye. Instead of the plastic bottles I saw on Earth, leather water flasks were placed in one corner.

Not only that.

As expected, the most eye-catching were the unfamiliar weapons.

Bows and arrows, swords and shields, spears and maces.

The presence of various weapons that seemed to belong to the medieval era was certainly alien.

‘This is real.’

It’s not fake.

Most of the swords were blunt or old, but they looked sharp.

The reality began to sink in.

[You can protect yourself with the weapons here. For your information, the goal of the tutorial is survival and strategy. There are not only you but also the continent’s inhabitants, called monsters, here. They will target you, and you will have to fight back.]

It’s like a fantasy novel.

Interestingly, the number of people shouting was gradually decreasing.

They started to focus on the voice echoing in the place.

Of course, occasional curses still flew, but that was all.

[Of course, it might be difficult for you to fight them with your current strength. But don’t worry. There’s more prepared for you.]

“What the hell is this….”

[You are chosen players. You came here from different places with different personalities. This place amplifies your personality and helps you grow. If I mention a status window, you’ll understand what I mean.]

I didn’t say the word "status window" out loud.

I thought I needed to move cautiously in this unknown situation.

Sure enough, someone muttered at the right time.

“Status window.”

“Status window? What? What is this?”

“Squeal!”

I saw a woman screaming into the air and others who were startled, examining things.

[The status window is an indicator that shows your current state. Your abilities can increase or decrease depending on your efforts. Next is your class. They are broadly categorized as Warrior, Mage, Priest, and Archer, and further divided based on achievements. For example, a Warrior can become a Barbarian, and a Barbarian can become a Berserker. There are many growth paths, and the choice is entirely yours.]

“Ah….”

[The class levels are common, rare, hero, and legendary. However, some classes like Mage and Priest require a certain affinity for divine or magical power. Some classes cannot be chosen, so please understand. You can choose a class when you complete assigned tasks, hidden quests, or accumulate invisible experience.]

‘Class.’

The more I listen, the more it sounds like a story I’ve heard before. It’s most similar to the structure of an online game.

It seems that priests and mages are rare here as well.

If there really are monsters and they target us, most people would avoid being warriors.

No one wants to fight at the front for everyone else.

I immediately spoke up.

“Status window.”

[Name - Lee Giyoung]

[Title - None. You need to work harder.]

[Age - 25]

[Personality - Strategic and resourceful]

[Class - Unemployed]

[Abilities]

[Strength - 10]

[Agility - 11]

[Health - 11]

[Intelligence - 19]

[Stamina - 12]

[Luck - 21]

[Mana - 00]

[Equipment - None]

The screen that suddenly appeared before my eyes was unfamiliar.

When I quietly opened my mouth, feeling like I was in a game, the woman’s voice came again.

[The last thing is your traits. You unlock traits as you reach certain levels. Traits are unique to each player and determined based on your personality, similar to your class. The most important thing is the player’s unique personality. Traits are classified into four levels: common, rare, hero, and legendary, with better performance as you go up.]

“Uh….”

[Traits open in a direction similar to your class. Like your class, traits can significantly influence your growth path, so please choose carefully.]

I couldn’t focus on the last part.

I saw a glowing line at the bottom of the status window.

[Trait - Hero Level - Do you want to view it?]

‘Huh?’

The hero level, glowing in purple.

Clearly, traits are classified into common, rare, hero, and legendary levels, and they can manifest based on the player’s personality.

‘Good.’

I don’t know why this is included from the start or if the current situation is real, but it’s not bad.

[Trait]

[Eye of the Mind - Hero]

[You can view the status windows and hidden talent levels of yourself and others.]

I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but starting with something is a significant advantage.

The woman clearly said the goal is survival.

‘Survival.’

I have to survive.

I must survive no matter what.

It’s natural to think that I should try everything I can, whether this situation is real or not.

‘Yulha…’

Thinking of my younger sister, who is alone at home, I bit my lip tightly.

The reactions around me were varied.

Some were discussing traits with others, some were handling swords, and some were looking for shields.

Although they don’t know what’s happening, they are trying to find a way to survive, sensing the threat.

A woman was sitting and crying.

A middle-aged man was continuously shouting.

Even a child who looked like a student was there.

I also want to sit and scream, but there’s no time for that.

‘Talent?’

I don’t know exactly what it means, but it can’t hurt to check.

Getting a trait is a significant achievement.

I’m starting from a different starting point than others.

I had a strange sense of expectation, thinking I might be the protagonist in a boy’s manga or a fantasy novel, but I quickly shook my head.

‘That’s a ridiculous story.’

[Checking Player Lee Giyoung’s talent levels.]

[Name - Lee Giyoung]

[Strength - Growth limit: Below average]

[Agility - Growth limit: Below average]

[Health - Growth limit: Below average]

[Intelligence - Growth limit: Hero and above]

[Stamina - Growth limit: Below average]

[Luck - Growth limit: Hero and above]

[Mana - Growth limit: Below average]

[Overall - Your talent levels are the lowest. No matter how hard you try, it won’t make a difference. It’s hard to rise above a third-rate level, no matter how hard you try. Almost all your stats are hopeless. You’re naturally uncoordinated, and it’s unlikely you’ll develop magical power. Your intelligence and luck are decent, but… Your future is deeply concerning. There’s no need to try swinging a sword or anything else. The result is obvious.]

I had some idea, but the numbers were far from what I expected.

No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, the result was the same.

“Huh?”

Survival is the ultimate goal.

I never thought I would be the protagonist, and I knew reality and manga were different, but the hopelessly low numbers made me open my mouth in surprise.

“Damn.”

My talent levels are below average.