Chapter 19: The Swordsmanship Genius Is Also Good at Hunting Monsters (Part 1)

The entrance to the tutorial area, commonly known as the ‘Abandoned Orphanage’, was a large hole leading underground.

The gaping hole in the middle of the room made the old orphanage look even more eerie.

“Okay, everyone, follow me.”

“Hey, what kind of mobs come out here?”

“Get your weapons, get your weapons!”

Of course, that wasn’t the case in reality.

The space surrounding the hole was like a marketplace.

It was because countless newbies were following their guides or acquaintances and chattering loudly.

“Hmm.”

As someone who remembered the appearance of this place in the past, that is, in ‘that world’, the scene felt quite unfamiliar to me.

This place, which was abandoned because it was considered ominous due to the appearance of the Demon King’s minions, was so lively.

This is also because this world is just a part of the game.

Of course, I was lost in thought for only a very short time.

What good memories would I have to recall?

It’s bad luck, bad luck.

I shook my head to shake off the thoughts from my mind.

Ji-eun, who was coming towards me with two swords from afar, looked at me and made a strange expression.

“What are you doing?”

“Neck exercises. It’s good for the body.”

[? Isn’t that headbanging?]

[Ah LOL Exercise LOL]

[You have to exercise hard to cut mobs well]

[A beauty who never stops training for even a moment LOL]

I pretended to be doing neck exercises diligently, but Ji-eun didn’t seem to believe me at all.

She just looked at me with strange eyes.

That gaze was a little cold and hurt.

“It’s true.”

“Yeah, yeah, right. Take this first.”

Saying that, Ji-eun handed me a sword.

A sword! A sword!

I quickly grabbed the sword as if snatching it.

I saw Ji-eun flinch at my actions, but I can apologize later.

Right now, it was more important to examine this new sword.

The length of the blade was about 90cm.

Judging by the long length of the grip, it must be a two-handed longsword.

‘This is also good.’

As it is easier to handle than a two-handed sword, you can try a wider variety of swordsmanship.

Personally, I prefer large great-swords, but I also liked this type.

The square cross-guard and the appropriately weighted pommel had a simple shape without any decorations.

Of course, I’m not dissatisfied that there are no decorations.

I hate impractical swords with fancy decorations.

Therefore, this suited my taste well.

I lightly ran my finger over the blade and looked back at Ji-eun.

“This is?”

Ji-eun was making an awkward expression as she looked at me.

She scratched the back of her neck and said.

“That’s a basic weapon provided to newbie users by the beginner’s guild. It’s a
game that doesn’t even give newbies weapons when they start.”

“Basic weapon? Then are there other swords?”

“I thought you’d ask that. But unfortunately, that’s the only sword. They all look the same, like they were stamped out.”

At those words, I was deeply shocked.

Doesn’t that mean that they’ve lumped together countless types of swords under the title of ‘sword’ and only brought one longsword!

That’s an insult to swords!

As I trembled with unbearable anger, Ji-eun approached me and said words of comfort.

“Shihyun, you really like swords, it’s a shame.”

“……I know.”

“It would have been nice if there were swords with decorations. You know, like that? The one that wraps around your hand in a circle, what’s it called? A handguard?”

“……???”

“Or, that, that rapier? Something like that. But I don’t think that would be very good. You can only stab with that, right? Like fencing.”

Saying that, Ji-eun pretended to stab the air.

I looked at Ji-eun with wide eyes.

I felt like I was going to lose my mind at Ji-eun’s absurd words.

No, she couldn’t say such things.

She must be very sick.

Or possessed by a ghost.

Otherwise, there’s no way she would suddenly do something that I can’t understand or comprehend.

If this isn’t sickness, then what is it!

I was greatly shocked. She had been overtaken by evil.
She will not ever come back.

I looked at Ji-eun, who had lost her soul to an evil being, with pitying eyes.

Whether she knew my sympathy or not, Ji-eun pounded my shoulder with a voice that seemed excited.

“Okay, okay. You’ve got your weapon, so let’s go quickly. I’ll teach you how to hunt monsters!”

Whether there will be anything to teach or not remains to be seen.

-Drip!

A pit? A cave?

Anyway, when I entered that place, it was full of dampness.

The moist feeling is a little unsettling.

The terrible stench that stings my nose induces nausea.

Even when I first came here as a newbie, this cave was still disgusting.

‘Really, there’s no need to implement even things like this.’

I don’t understand the intentions of Arfellium Corporation.

They couldn’t have failed to realize that virtual reality of this high quality could rather cause discomfort to the user.

Why did they implement everything so realistically?

“Ugh, the smell. It’s really terrible.”

[LOL]

[The newbie cave smell is really bad~~~~~]

[It’s so realistic that it’s disgusting LOL]

[For real, just thinking about it makes me nauseous]

[The things inside are also LOL]

“Well, I’m used to it now, so. It’s okay.”

Ji-eun put both arms on her waist and muttered.

At Ji-eun’s appearance, the chat window began to scroll up rapidly.

[Used to (grimace)]

[Aren’t you feeling nauseous?]

[Euning should be used to it, how high is her level now?]

[PS: The streamer will scream soon.]

[But is Shihyun okay?]

[Isn’t she having a hard time because it’s her first time in the newbie cave?]

[Our Shihyun is suffering, what should we do ]

[Stop the bull!]

[This place is good at brewing broth, it seems to be pork bone broth.]

“Shihyun?”

Ji-eun slightly turned her head.

Shihyun was following her well.

It’s strange that there’s no change in her expression.

But Ji-eun thought it was because she had a lot of patience.

‘Because you can never get used to this smell.’

Even Ji-eun herself threw up and screamed so much while rolling around in the newbie cave in the beginning.

Shihyun will probably be like that soon.

Imagining that scene made me feel somehow happy.

‘Maybe I like to tease people.’

Ji-eun thought that to herself, and then suddenly stopped walking.

Because something caught her eye.

It was a green slime on the floor.

Ji-eun’s eyes sparkled when she saw the slime.

“Shihyun!”

“Yes.”

“You have to get ready now. The monsters will be coming out soon.”

Shihyun nodded as if she understood.

She didn’t really answer.

Seeing that, Ji-eun chuckled to herself.

‘She must be having a hard time even opening her mouth.’

She’s barely holding it in herself, so how can a complete newbie hold back the nausea?

She has no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

Good, good.

Until now, Shihyun has shown a completely overpowered appearance.

Seeing her stiffen up in the newbie cave made Ji-eun feel somehow proud and magnificent.

Singing a humming song, Ji-eun drew her longsword from her waist.

And then she took a step along the slime.

Then.

“Squeak?”

“Squeak squeak!”

Hideously looking monsters appeared.

Their height was a little shorter than that of an adult male, but their shoulders were wide and their arms were thicker than their legs, making them look relatively large.

Their grayish-furred bodies were covered with strange green blisters, and one of their eyeballs was bulging out, revealing reddish blood vessels.

Their mouths, which were dripping green slime, had protruding buck teeth, making them look like cartoon characters that had come to life.

The opponent was a giant rat.

A Ratman.

A monster that inhabits this place, the tutorial area.

[F*cking disgusting thing appeared.]

[Argh]

[Ugh, it’s so f*cking disgusting.]

[Please censor it]

When the Ratman appeared, the chat window went crazy.

The viewers started to freak out collectively at its disgusting appearance.

[Get rid of it immediately]

[10000 won]

Ji-eun saw the donation chat that came up and shouted.

“Thank you for the 10,000 won, To-catch-up ! I’ll get rid of it quickly, okay?”

The next moment, Ji-eun’s sword instantly aimed at the Ratman’s crown.

The Ratman flinched, but Ji-eun’s movement was faster.

Ji-eun’s level is already unsuitable for this tutorial area.

Since the stat difference is insurmountable, she can overwhelm the opponent even if there is no trick in her swordsmanship.

-Thud!

The thrusting strike pierced the Ratman’s head straight through.

Ji-eun swung the sword with it stuck in its head and blew the Ratman’s head off completely.

The headless Ratman fell to the floor.

Only then did Ji-eun look back.

“Shihyun. This is how you do it. If you do it like this, you can catch them all!”

[?????]

[She overwhelms them with stats and declares ‘This is how you do it’.]

[Swordsmanship x Brute force o]

[You said you’d teach, but what are you teaching? The sadness of a low level?]

The chat window became noisy again.

Shihyun glanced at it and then smiled.

“I roughly understand how to do it.”

Of course, the method will be a little different.