Chapter 2

2. The Regression of an F-Ranked Player - 2

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Can a person change overnight?

‘I wonder...’

One day, the gate opened, and the world was turned upside down.

Following this, those with superpowers, known as ‘Players,’ emerged, and the power structure of society was redefined.

However, the masses of humanity remained the same.

Selfish individuals tried to take advantage of the disaster to gain more, while cynical ones continued to grumble about everything being unsatisfactory.

A few heroes tried to change the world, but they were repeatedly blocked by numerous obstacles, including the two aforementioned types.

Indeed, many problems still arose not because of monsters, but because of people.

Players were the only unique weapon of humanity, but not all of them were heroes.

Politicians and businessmen who were former Players wielded power and shook it, and crimes committed by Players increased day by day.

This was a predictable problem.

After all, Players were ultimately just human.

Thus, even if the world changed overnight, people did not change easily.

Of course, over a long period of time, with many experiences, one’s way of thinking might change, but at least not overnight... This was a timeless adage.

However...

‘Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook... something has changed.’

Park Jun-mo, who had just been promoted to corporal, felt that his squad leader, Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook, had changed overnight.

It started four days ago, when he showed an unusual reaction after being woken up before the evening meal assembly.

“...Huh!”

He was currently doing pull-ups alone on the horizontal bar in the open space behind the barracks.

What was so special about this, you might ask...

‘He used to be so listless, but suddenly his eyes changed, and he started exercising every day. He doesn’t seem like the person I knew.’

This was completely opposite to the Lee Hyun-wook that Park Jun-mo knew. Even though he had only observed him for three months, he had never seen him move except during training or missions.

His recent behavior was also quite suspicious.

He seemed to be asking about the unit he had been in for over a year as if his memory was hazy, often taking notes, and muttering future dates to himself.

Most importantly, his eyes had changed.

‘After observing the seniors for so long, I can tell a person’s mood just by their expression. Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook... he has definitely changed.’

He used to be a listless and unconfident person, but now he had calm and cold eyes that seemed to see through everything.

It was like... to exaggerate, the eyes of an old predator.

‘Still, no matter how I think about it, it’s strange.’

As he was thinking this, Lee Hyun-wook turned around.

“Jun-mo, what’s up?”

Even his voice sounded more solid.

“...Ah!”

Park Jun-mo was startled and scratched his cheek.

“It’s, the evening meal assembly is about to start.”

Lee Hyun-wook checked his watch.

“Right, thanks.”

He approached, doing a light shoulder stretch, and Park Jun-mo felt that he had grown significantly in just a few days.

“Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, can I ask why you suddenly started exercising?”

Lee Hyun-wook chuckled.

“Why? Is it strange for me to exercise?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just...”

He patted Park Jun-mo’s shoulder.

“You never know when you might have to fight. You should exercise too. With that body, you’d have a hard time taking down even a single goblin.”

“Ah... I understand.”

It was true.

The ‘Anti-Monster Troop’ (A·M·T), composed of Players, was deployed on actual missions several times a month to fight monsters.

In other words, the threat of death could come at any time.

Therefore, training one’s abilities and physical strength was not an option but a necessity.

‘But, we hardly ever get involved...’

However, Lee Hyun-wook and Park Jun-mo were F-ranked Players, the lowest tier, so they rarely had the opportunity to fight monsters directly.

They were part of the ‘Support Squad,’ which assisted other squads during battles.

In simpler terms, they were essentially ‘laborers.’

Noticing his confusion, Lee Hyun-wook added:

“Actually, there’s no particular reason. I’m just trying to change.”

‘...Change? How?’

Park Jun-mo thought this, but his words came out differently.

“Ah, trying to change... that’s great.”

“Enough with the flattery. Let’s go eat.”

“No, I really mean it. As your assistant, I’ll definitely follow your example.”

In reality, it was flattery. There are things in the world that simply cannot be changed.

‘F-rank can’t be changed by effort, can it?’

Player ranks are divided into three major categories.

First, there are A, B, C, D, and E ranks.

These ranks can increase their abilities by leveling up, as the name ‘Player’ suggests.

Thus, even if one starts with relatively weak abilities, they can improve their rank by working hard and leveling up.

Next, there is S rank.

These have no levels. Instead, they are given different special growth methods.

For example, the most famous non-level growth characteristic Player, the savior of Busan, ‘Inferno,’ improves his abilities just by being in fire.

This means that as long as he can keep a fire burning while he sleeps, his abilities will improve, which is a significant advantage. According to rumors, his mansion has a giant ‘furnace,’ and he enters it whenever he rests.

This is a kind of ‘hidden class,’ and such S-rank abilities are extremely rare, with only 31 in the entire world.

And finally, F rank...

‘Non-growth characteristic...’

This means, literally, a characteristic that does not grow.

If S is a ‘hidden class,’ then F is a ‘miss.’

‘In college, F means retaking the course. In other words, no score.’

The fate of not being able to develop no matter how hard one tries... Is there anything more heartbreaking?

A ‘miss’ drawn in a random draw cannot be exchanged for any prize.

Park Jun-mo felt a bitter taste as he looked at Lee Hyun-wook, who shared his fate.

He was looking up at the empty sky.

‘He seems to have a lot on his mind. What is he worrying about?’

Park Jun-mo projected his own emotions onto him. As an F-rank, he felt he could understand Lee Hyun-wook’s heart.

However, Lee Hyun-wook was not thinking much at all.

He was just...

– Current controllable ‘metal’ weight: 877g

Looking at the status message that appeared before his eyes.

‘Hmm, indeed, exercising speeds up the absorption rate.’

The amount had increased from 300g to almost double, 577g.

‘At this rate, I’ll consume all the metal I’ve collected in two days. To grow faster... I need much higher quality metal. I need to go on leave soon and gather a lot.’

In fact, the ability of an F-rank, classified as a non-growth characteristic, was not something that could never be changed. However, this truth was only revealed six years later.

It was known as the ‘F-rank Player Rediscovery Incident.’

After this incident, F-rank Players received considerable treatment.

In other words, at this point, F-rank was not an unchangeable ‘miss’ as commonly believed. Instead, it was a hidden class like S-rank, a ‘puzzle’ with a hidden method of ability growth.

Lee Hyun-wook was solving this puzzle, which he had tried to solve before, much faster.

When he tried it before, he failed to complete it...

‘...This time, it will be different.’

He secretly swallowed the metal.

***

The next day, it was Saturday around lunchtime.

Someone knocked on the door of the 5th dormitory. It was a newly transferred private, who seemed to have come on an errand.

He cautiously poked his head into the dormitory.

“Private, Choi Sung-min! May I come in?”

“Sure.”

Sergeant An Min-tae, who was sitting by the door watching TV, nodded.

“Um... is the 5th squad leader here? The administrative office, the duty officer... called for him.”

An Min-tae looked around the dormitory, but the squad leader was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, Jun-mo. Where did Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook go?”

A few days ago, the 5th squad leader was sent to the military hospital, and Lee Hyun-wook had been performing the ‘temporary squad leader’ duties.

The reason he was chosen was simple: he was the highest-ranking.

“Ah! He must have gone to exercise.”

An Min-tae chuckled at Park Jun-mo’s answer.

“Exercising again? What’s up with him lately? Hey, new private. Why did the duty officer call for him? Is it urgent?”

“It’s... just an order from the duty officer. I heard something about cleaning the fuel depot.”

The 5th squad members, who were resting, seemed to sense something and slowly got up.

“Ah, damn! So it’s work again?”

“What? More work? We already did work this morning!”

Groans erupted from all over.

“Ah, it’s the duty officer, Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol. He’s...”

Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol, an E or F-rank, was known for particularly tormenting lower-ranked soldiers. Since most of the lower-ranked soldiers were in the 5th squad, the entire squad often became his target.

“Ah, we’re not really slaves...”

Someone muttered.

The 5th squad, known as the ‘Support Squad,’ was indeed treated like laborers, but only in the sense that they supported the ‘Combat Squad’ during operations.

They transported combat supplies and moved the wounded, performing essential tasks during battles.

In other words, making them do odd jobs on their day off was a clear injustice.

Injustice, a practice that should have been eradicated long ago in regular military units.

However, the A·M·T, which could be deployed into combat at any time, maintained a strict hierarchy and discipline to ensure command and control. Therefore, a certain degree of injustice was tolerated in military life.

And Kwak Jin-cheol was a malicious senior who took advantage of this.

“Ah, by the way, a few days ago... Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol... in the bathroom...”

A private hesitated to speak.

“What is it?”

An Min-tae asked when he hesitated.

“...Ah, I heard he was saying something about Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook being too cocky as a temporary squad leader. It feels ominous today.”

“Ah, damn, he’s probably trying to pick a fight. We’ll suffer too, damn...”

At that moment, the distinctive electronic sound of the speaker being turned on echoed.

Beep-

– Administrative office broadcasting. 5th dormitory... 5th squad, please assemble in the central corridor immediately. End of message.

It was Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol’s voice.

“Ah... He’s probably angry that we’re a bit late.”

An Min-tae sighed and put his hand on Park Jun-mo’s shoulder.

“Jun-mo, quickly bring your squad leader. Do you know who the duty officer is today?”

“Yes! It’s Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol.”

“Right, that guy, he’s a fire breather. If you don’t want to see our temporary squad leader get burned, run fast. He might end up as charcoal after hanging from the bar for the first time.”

The squad members chuckled at this comment, which was a clear insult to their squad leader, but it also revealed how they perceived Lee Hyun-wook.

“Understood!”

The phrase ‘fire breather’ was not a metaphor.

Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol was a fire-type ability user who often ‘breathed fire’ like a dragon when tormenting his juniors. This bizarre image made him one of the most feared seniors.

Park Jun-mo thought of this scene and hurriedly ran out of the barracks.

‘Even so, Sergeant Kwak Jin-cheol and Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook are from the same batch...’

One was a source of fear and respect to his juniors, while the other was being ignored and ridiculed.

‘And Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook, he’s a good person...’

As far as he knew, Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook was not a bad person.

He was well-informed and had good instincts and senses. Even in combat training and other areas, excluding his Player ability, he performed better than anyone else.

His shooting was always perfect.

In a regular military unit, he would have been a respected ace.

However, this was the A·M·T, a unit that fought monsters.

‘Well, in the A·M·T, there’s no place for us F-ranks.’

No Player wanted to have an F-rank behind them in a fight against monsters.

‘I would probably receive the same treatment even if I had more experience...’

As he approached the horizontal bar, he saw Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook.

He looked the same as yesterday. He had been doing pull-ups consistently for a few days.

Some seniors even mocked him for buying and drinking ‘recovery potions’ from the ‘military item shop’ with ‘reward points’ to aid his training.

“...Huh! ...Huh!”

Actually, such intense training was almost unheard of unless one was a close combat type Player.

That’s why...

Compared to a few days ago, his biceps were noticeably thicker. It was clear that he was really working hard.

‘He said he would change...’

Would the change he spoke of... actually happen?

“...Sergeant Lee Hyun-wook?”

Lee Hyun-wook got down from the bar and turned around.

“Jun-mo, what’s up? The lunch assembly is... still a while away.”

He checked his wristwatch.

“Ah, it’s... the work assembly.”

“Hmm, did they call only our squad again?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Lee Hyun-wook, as usual, grasped the situation accurately. Park Jun-mo looked into his eyes.

For a moment, he felt a slight sense of disillusionment.

‘Why? He usually does everything without complaint.’

Everyone knew this was an injustice. And with his experience, Lee Hyun-wook should have been treated better...

Kwak Jin-cheol was a ruthless person. Once he put on the duty officer armband, he treated even his batchmates and lower-ranked soldiers poorly.

And, in a way, this was the fate of F-ranks.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Lee Hyun-wook zipped up his uniform and walked ahead.

Park Jun-mo felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

Somehow, he felt that something would happen today.