Chapter 3. Tutorial (1)

Those who wish to become a god, ascend the tower!

* * *

[This is the 0th floor, the chamber of the tutorial.]

Whoosh!

Yeonwoo winced at the blinding light that stabbed his eyes. His vision swayed, and dizziness hit him like he was experiencing a high-altitude flight.

[‘Cold-Blooded’ trait maintains your composure.]

Something stirred inside him, and he managed to steady the spinning world. The dizziness soon subsided.

Thanks to this, Yeonwoo could calmly observe his surroundings.

A straight corridor stretched out before him.

The walls were made of solid stone, and glowing stones were embedded at regular intervals in the ceiling.

However, the lighting was dim, and he could only make out about two meters ahead.

Beyond that, it was pitch black.

‘I really made it in.’

Yeonwoo clenched his fist.

The scene was exactly the same as what he had seen in the diary.

The tower was a gateway and a trial for practitioners seeking to become gods. Naturally, the tower did not want to accept just anyone, and one had to prove their worth to ascend it.

The tutorial was where such qualifications were tested.

A place commonly known as the ‘0th floor.’

‘Beyond here are the guys who hurt Jungwoo.’

Yeonwoo felt that if he closed his eyes, he would immediately recall the numerous scenes from the diary.

The ones who betrayed and drove his brother to death.

But he did not get excited.

He calmed his mind as much as possible and composed himself.

‘Just wait a little longer. I’ll be there soon.’

To enter the tower, one had to first pass the tutorial with a high score.

It wasn’t just about getting a high score.

‘An overwhelmingly high score. I have to achieve first place.’

Of course, it was not an easy task.

The tower connected to countless dimensions, universes, and worlds, and only those with outstanding talent and skills participated as players.

Yeonwoo might be considered strong in the world of Earth, but the universe was vast, and there were many strong individuals.

Focusing solely on physical abilities and instinctive senses, Yeonwoo had many weaknesses compared to existing players.

If he tried to pass the tutorial like this, he would die before taking a few steps.

But.

‘On the contrary, the tutorial is also a place where one can acquire such qualifications.’

His brother had a very weak body before ascending the tower.

Despite this, he passed the tutorial, proved his worth, and rose to the 6th rank in the shortest time possible.

The tutorial did not just test physical abilities.

It evaluated a player’s talent, reasoning, agility, judgment in unexpected situations, and composure, among other aspects.

Scores were given based on the overall results of these tests.

Of course, many died in the process.

Or, they suffered because they overestimated their meager skills.

Fortunately, Yeonwoo knew the dangers of the tutorial.

And he also understood its value.

‘Hidden pieces scattered throughout. I’ll combine as many as possible to complete the incomplete inheritance.’

Yeonwoo’s current state was 5% incomplete vessel.

There was still much of the karma his brother wanted to pass on. Yeonwoo intended to complete the vessel as much as possible to change ‘incomplete’ to ‘complete.’

‘Creating the vessel before ascending the tower. Focus on that for now.’

Yeonwoo organized his thoughts and quietly took out a white mask from his bag and put it on his face.

He would meet many people, so he wanted to hide his face in advance.

Thus, Yeonwoo slowly walked forward along the corridor.

* * *

How long had he walked?

At that moment.

“Oho! A visitor at such a time. I almost missed you and sent you away.”

Suddenly, a blue light formed in the air, and a portal opened wide.

Someone fell down from it.

Yeonwoo instinctively stepped back and crossed the two great swords he was holding in his hands.

The sudden intruder was bizarre.

Small in size, as if it could fit in a waistband.

Its skin was bumpy with protrusions, and its eyes were long and slit.

Thick lips, split to the chin, revealed sharp fangs that gleamed.

Just looking at it evoked disgust.

A monster.

Specifically, a goblin.

However, it looked very different from the ordinary goblins Yeonwoo had seen in the diary.

Unlike ordinary goblins, which were low in intelligence and acted purely on instinct, this goblin wore a strange monocle in one eye and was dressed in a neat tuxedo.

Its polite demeanor exuded a sense of dignity.

“Even with my broad heart, I would be hurt if you greet me with such an attitude. Would you please sheathe your swords?”

Despite his words, the goblin smiled and winked.

Only then did Yeonwoo realize what kind of being the goblin was.

‘A manager.’

Those who manage and supervise each floor and trial of the tower.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Evilkera, the manager responsible for guiding the 0th floor. Since we’ve met, would you give me a round of applause? Oho!”

Yeonwoo lowered the two crossed great swords.

Managers were affiliated with the tower and led players through trials.

There was no reason to be wary.

“Hmm. Do you believe my words?”

“Even if a manager’s advice seems trivial, it’s good to keep it in mind.”

“Indeed, indeed. It seems you know something about us. I thought you were just shy because you were wearing a mask. This will make our conversation much smoother.”

Evilkera started explaining with a light jest.

“This tutorial is divided into seven sections, from A to F. Each section has a different environment and different trials. Your score is determined by how you complete these trials within the given period, and the results are announced after all scores are tallied at the end of the period.”

Yeonwoo already knew the general rules from the diary.

But to avoid arousing the manager’s suspicion and to confirm the rules again, he asked a few questions.

“Do I have to pass all seven sections?”

“Not necessarily. The tutorial is simply to prove the minimum qualifications. If you think you’ve accumulated enough points, you don’t have to proceed, but passing all sections will help you achieve a higher score.”

“What are the advantages of a higher score?”

“The higher the score, the greater the reward later on. Isn’t motivation based on results necessary? The tower and its managers are thorough in this regard. Oho!”

“How long is the period?”

“The period is 30 days, one month. How you allocate your time in each section is entirely up to the player. However.”

Evilkera adjusted his monocle and smiled.

“This session has been running for about a week. That leaves about three weeks. What will you do? Will you proceed in the next session?”

It might seem like just a week had passed.

But a week in the tutorial was not a short period.

It was a quarter of the total duration.

‘By now, the leading group must have advanced far enough that no one can catch up.’

The higher the score, the better the reward, and the higher the chance of passing the tutorial.

For Yeonwoo, who intended to achieve a lot in the tutorial, this was a very disadvantageous start.

But.

‘I had expected as much anyway.’

A slight smile appeared on Yeonwoo’s lips.

Whether Evilkera knew or not, he continued his explanation.

“And this place, though called a tutorial, is quite difficult. We usually advise forming a party of three to five people to pass each section smoothly.”

“So, if you pass a section solo, the score is higher?”

“Yes, but it’s much harder.”

“If a late-joining solo player catches up to the leading group, is there any advantage for that?”

Behind the monocle, Evilkera’s eyes gleamed.

He had realized what Yeonwoo was thinking.

He smiled, revealing his sharp fangs.

“The tower grows based on the player’s karma. The higher the player’s achievements and the greater the karma, the more the score calculation will be adjusted, so you don’t need to worry.”

“I see.”

Yeonwoo relaxed his body after confirming everything.

Crack.

‘I must catch that guy no matter what. If I miss him, all my plans will fall apart.’

Yeonwoo thought of the largest hidden piece obtainable only in the tutorial.

A creature that only appeared at a specific time.

Capturing it would make the inheritance process much smoother.

Crack. Crack.

His muscles tightened, and his mind became clearer as blood flowed faster.

Evilkera took a step back.

He had realized that his advice and warnings were not being heeded.

Typically, such players were one of two types:

They either overestimated their skills and died, or they provided new entertainment.

Regardless, it would be interesting, so he didn’t bother stopping them.

“If that is your intention.”

Snap.

Evilkera snapped his fingers, and a giant window appeared in the air.

[The trial of the 0th floor begins.]

[Trial: As a practitioner seeking to become a god, you must prove your worth to ascend the tower. Pass all seven gates and seven trials within the given period.]

[Achievement Condition: Record a high score within the time limit.]

“Then, let’s begin the trial.”

Evilkera bowed elegantly and disappeared like the wind.

A timer appeared where he had stood.

[549:37:88_96]

[549:37:88_95]

...

‘About 23 days and 3 hours left, I guess?’

Yeonwoo gripped his great sword and stepped forward.

‘Let’s see how this goes.’

As he crossed the line that seemed to be the starting zone, a new message appeared.

[You have entered Section A.]

[Disarm or bypass all traps in the section.]

The straight corridor stretched out before him.

The darkness seemed to beckon him forward.

Yeonwoo tensed his nerves and cautiously took each step.

But despite his vigilance, nothing happened for a considerable amount of time.

It was as if nothing existed there from the beginning.

A normal person might have relaxed a bit, but Yeonwoo tightened his focus even more.

Evilkera had clearly said that it was best to form a party of 3-5 people to pass this section.

So, he couldn’t afford to be complacent.

Most importantly,

Danger often came without any warning.

And when it did, it always came like a storm.

Just like now.

Whoosh!

An arrow suddenly shot out of the darkness.

Yeonwoo instinctively turned his body to the side.

The arrow narrowly grazed his left arm, causing a sharp pain.

His clothes tore, and blood spurted out.

Thud!

‘Steel arrow!’

Yeonwoo’s mind snapped to attention.

He frowned at the arrow deeply embedded in the wall.

Not a wooden arrow, but a steel one.

One hit could sever his arm. A hit to the abdomen or head would be fatal.

The diary had warned about the various traps in Section A.

But the traps’ locations were random, and they activated randomly, so his brother’s experience didn’t help much.

He just had to stay alert and pass through.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

More steel arrows flew in rapid succession.

They came from all directions.

It was impossible to track them with the naked eye.

Yeonwoo crouched low and rolled forward, simultaneously pushing his backpack forward.

It was thick with clothes and tools, making it a good shield.

He had brought it for this purpose.

Thud. Thud.

Several steel arrows embedded themselves in the backpack.

Each one was so powerful that it felt like his arm would be torn off. A couple even pierced through the backpack and poked out timidly.

He barely managed to straighten up and pressed himself against the wall.

In a place where snipers could strike from anywhere, it was best to minimize exposure. A rule he had learned from experience in Africa.

But.

Thud!

Steel arrows were not only set up in front but also behind, and even very low.

An arrow had deeply embedded itself in his left thigh.

“Ouch!”

Yeonwoo felt sparks fly before his eyes.

Despite the excruciating pain, he gritted his teeth and tried to turn his body.

Thud. Thud!

More arrows flew in rapid succession, piercing through his backpack and embedding themselves deeply in his left shoulder, arm, and ribs.