Chapter 4

# 4

User Manual for the Reincarnated 004

Reincarnated (1)

"Let's try to get a job first."

Finding a job is the first step.

"How do you get a job?"

"I don't know."

Park Deok-gu looked at me as if I were absurd.

"I'm not some know-it-all. I'm not that smart either."

"Still, you seem smarter than someone who only studied. You look a bit more reliable, sir."

That's partly true.

The problem is that I wasn't that good at studying either.

"Then how do you plan to change your job?"

"Other than hunting those things, there's no other answer. She said our jobs are determined by how much effort we put in."

"I think I heard that too…"

"Doing something is better than doing nothing. Either swing your sword or keep fighting to catch them. If we stay here, we'll die without doing anything."

As I spoke, I dumped all the items from the leather bag.

Park Deok-gu looked at me as if asking what I was doing, but when I started to roughly tie the leather to his body with the shoelaces, he seemed to understand.

His face showed a bit of surprise.

"That looks like armor… Do you need it, sir?"

Since he's the one fighting in front, there's no need to make one for me.

A simple guard to protect my neck is enough. I didn't just go out front for no reason.

But I didn't think it was necessary to explain that.

"Since you're bigger, relatively."

"I'm scared I might not live up to your expectations, but I'll try one step at a time."

I nodded at his words.

* * *

He definitely lived up to my expectations.

In fact, when I saw Park Deok-gu's basic stats, I could guess he would be quite strong.

I couldn't understand how his body was affected by his stats, but his stats were almost double mine.

Especially his 30 endurance stat was really surprising.

The strength and agility from his large build, combined with a shield and sword, and even the makeshift leather armor, made him look like a gladiator from a movie.

It was natural to have high expectations, and it was also natural to think he would perform well.

But the confidence he gained exceeded my expectations.

"Sir!"

"I understand."

I saw his back as he pushed two monsters with his shield.

His face was still pale with fear, but the monsters hit by his shield were in a different situation.

He was just pushing them with brute force, but the monsters trapped between the wall and the shield could only extend their claws.

As Park Deok-gu pinned one down, he thrust his spear into the monster's face, feeling a strange sensation.

'Accurate.'

"Khh!"

He let out a strange scream and swung the sword in his other hand.

He frowned but didn't loosen his grip on the sword, knowing from experience that it could lead to injury.

"Geek…"

After the monster stretched out, I thrust my spear into its face again.

"Huh… Huh…"

'It's tough.'

It looks simple, but nothing is simple.

Compared to what Park Deok-gu is doing, it's better, but there's a difference in basic stamina.

Just a few minutes with these things, and my body is already drenched in sweat.

"Hey, can I have some water?"

"Thank you."

I sighed slightly, and Park Deok-gu spoke with a worried tone.

"Is your stamina too weak?"

"I've never exercised."

At least my stamina points have increased.

'Just by 1.'

In comparison, Park Deok-gu is a bit different.

His original endurance stat of 30 is now 33. Compared to me, it's a significant achievement.

I think the talent stat also affects the increase in stats.

With his potential, he could reach the legendary level if he wanted to, so it's not surprising that it increases so quickly.

'Damn.'

I have no reason to be jealous.

What I'm worried about is if Park Deok-gu no longer needs me.

His innocent face doesn't seem to be thinking that.

I judged that it would be advantageous for me to survive if he relies on me.

"Should we go a bit further today, sir?"

"Let's look around a bit more… and lower your voice when you speak."

"Should we be careful?"

"What do you think was the reason so many monsters gathered at the first starting point?"

"That guide woman…"

"It could be, but I think differently. Monsters are slow but sensitive to sound. If they kept making noise in one place for a long time, it's not surprising that monsters came from all directions. If the tutorial started quietly, half of the people there might have survived."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. When you fight, you should also lower your battle cries. Fighting a few stragglers is easy, but if 4 or 5 gather, we'll die. We keep moving to avoid being surrounded."

He looked at me with a strangely admiring gaze. If you think about it calmly, it's something everyone could notice.

But it's a good thing that this innocent guy sees me in a good light.

I nodded and continued.

"This area is relatively quiet because all the monsters around here have gathered at the starting point. I think the others who escaped are in similar situations."

I thought the only way was to piece together the information in my head.

"Let's eat something for a moment."

"Sure, that sounds good."

As we quietly sat on the ground and took out some dry, inedible food, a faint voice came from somewhere.

"…"

I wanted to pretend I didn't hear it, but Park Deok-gu perked up his ears and spoke to me.

"Is that a human voice?"

"No way."

"Kyaah! Help me!"

The voice was getting closer.

'Ah…'

They know we're here.

'It was a mistake.'

It was a mistake.

The knife marks I made on the wall to avoid getting lost were a mistake.

I hoped someone would find us, but I didn't expect them to come shouting so loudly.

"Sir, sir."

"Get your sword ready."

It's too late to avoid it.

"Geek!"

Fortunately, the number of monsters following doesn't seem too large.

Having new people join is a good thing, but it's also a bad thing.

'If they have water and food, it would be different…'

The problem is the limited resources.

I'm not a charity worker.

I need a fighting companion, not a burden.

The conditions are: willingness to fight, having water and food, and being a small group.

In that sense, the voice I'm hearing now is a failure.

Not a companion worth moving with.

"Annoying…"

"Don't worry too much, sir. It doesn't seem like there are many."

'What a carefree guy.'

He took the lead with his sword and shield. I immediately followed with my spear.

As we reached a slightly wider space, we saw a woman running, dragging three monsters.

Torn clothes. She's beautiful, but her appearance doesn't matter now.

'A nuisance.'

She's running towards us frantically.

No weapons, no food.

After checking the stats of the monsters behind her, I activated my eye to look at the woman.

[Checking Player Jung Hae-yeon's status and potential.]

[Name: Jung Hae-yeon]

[Title: None. You need to try harder.]

[Age: 21]

[Disposition: Pure Advocate]

[Job: Unemployed]

[Stats]

[Strength: 10 / Growth Limit: Rare or lower]

[Agility: 11 / Growth Limit: Rare or lower]

[Stamina: 12 / Growth Limit: Hero or lower]

[Intelligence: 22 / Growth Limit: Hero or higher]

[Endurance: 14 / Growth Limit: Rare or lower]

[Luck: 23 / Growth Limit: Hero or higher]

[Mana: 10 / Growth Limit: Legendary or higher]

[Overall: You have a growth limit of Legendary or higher. Your physical stats are generally low, but you have the potential for explosive growth as a mage or priest. You currently don't realize that you can feel your mana. Compared to Player Lee Gi-young, you are like a speck of dust on an ant's claw.]

'What?'

The stats of the woman running towards us, panting, are hard to believe.

Not to mention other things, but it's the first time I've seen someone with potential for Legendary or higher.

Unlike me, who has no mana, she already has a value of 10.

"I've never fought three before."

I had considered the option of leaving her behind, but the moment I saw her stats, all my options changed.

"We'll fight."

"Can we win?"

"We'll go to a narrow place."

"I understand."

It's better to fight with our backs against the wall than to be surrounded.

There's a disadvantage of having no escape route, but I don't think we'll tire quickly.

I tightened my grip on the spear.

The woman, seeing us, is running as fast as she can.

She nodded when I gestured for her to come over, so she's not completely useless.

"Wait at the corner."

"Got it, got it."

After the woman reached us, the monsters turned the corner, and Park Deok-gu swung his shield.

"Now!"

"Khh!"

It seemed like they were pushed back, but I thrust my spear at one of the monsters trying to charge at Park Deok-gu again.

"Sir!"

When the other monster grabbed my spear, my mind went blank, but one of them fell when Park Deok-gu swung his sword.

The problem is that Park Deok-gu's stance was disrupted.

Clearly, the three monsters are not easy to handle.

All I could do to protect the crouching Park Deok-gu with his shield was to swing my spear.

As I clenched my lips, I saw a sword suddenly pierce the back of one of the monsters.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Someone was helping us.

After the monster fell, a familiar face appeared from behind.

The man who helped me at the starting point.

His slightly desperate face was memorable.

"What…"

[Checking Player Kim Hyun-sung's status and potential.]

[Name: Kim Hyun-sung]

[Title: Reincarnated of Altanus, Swordsman starting the second cycle, One who couldn't overcome, One who carries the burden of sacrifice, One who has realized.]

[Age: 22]

[Disposition: Benevolent Mediator]

[Job: Swordsman - Common Rank]

[Stats]

[Strength: 19 / Growth Limit: Legendary or higher]

[Agility: 28 / Growth Limit: Legendary or higher]

[Stamina: 23 / Growth Limit: Legendary or higher]

[Intelligence: 18 / Growth Limit: Hero or lower]

[Endurance: 22 / Growth Limit: Hero or lower]

[Luck: 23 / Growth Limit: Hero or higher]

[Mana: 11 / Growth Limit: Hero or higher]

'What is this…'

I couldn't help but widen my eyes at the incomprehensible status.

'Reincarnated? Time travel?'

This isn't his first time.