Chapter 2: Tutorial (2)

I devoured countless webnovels. I simply enjoyed reading them, and it quickly became my hobby.

However, that didn’t mean I was satisfied. Webnovel trends often clashed with my preferences.

I love heroic stories. Like the slogan of a certain boys’ manga magazine from the 2000s, I love stories about friendship, effort, and victory.

Amazing comrades, powerful enemies, and heroic triumphs achieved through hardship and perseverance! Those are the stories I crave.

That’s why modern webnovels often left me wanting.

They treated power like a game, a few taps on a status window and boom, instant strength.

Easy power, but devoid of heroic deeds.

Protagonists, despite their title, often displayed the self-serving, self-preserving behavior of petty commoners, a trait I found deeply disappointing.

I also disliked the trend of surrounding characters being used and discarded like consumer goods, all to prop up a less-than-heroic protagonist.

Tired of these trends, the author’s debut novel had been a breath of fresh air.

The heroic protagonist’s saga instilled courage within me, courage that helped me navigate my weary life.

That’s why I was so enthusiastic about the author and, consequently, so disappointed by their abandonment of those values.

[Status window access denied due to ‘Curse: Proof of Beginner’s Mind’.]

As a result, I was now, saddled with this
curse. I fundamentally reject the status window. It has no place in a heroic tale.

But this is!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can I be denied access to the status window!!!!!!!!!

Author, you petty, pretentious!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I ever see you on the street, I swear I’ll rearrange yourface!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Huff… Huff…”

My sudden rage almost had me screaming in the plaza.

The Tutorial Fairy—no, just the Tutorial—was busy flapping its gums. If I interrupted with a loud outburst, I’d probably end up like—Garrosh.

Cheers to my superhuman self-restraint.

Anyway, I love heroic tales. But does that mean I want to be a hero? Not really.

Just as no one truly aspires to be Captain America, despite his awesomeness and the admiration he inspires, I felt the same way.

I was just a bottom-feeder, drawing courage from heroic tales to face another day.

I knew my place. An extra, not a protagonist. A petty person, not a noble one. That’s me, Go Hyun-joon.

So, as a mere extra, not a hero, I needed the status window. Survival was more important than achieving heroic feats.

“Ha… This……”

The feeling of being left behind from the start was indescribably awful. Everyone around me was gesturing at the air.

They were probably checking their stats, tapping their status windows like touchscreens. But all I had…

[Status window access denied due to ‘Curse: Proof of Beginner’s Mind’.]

…was that single, infuriating line.

The unreasonable unfairness of it all reignited my anger. This wasn’t impulsive rage, but a cold fury.

I vowed to remember this feeling.

After the status window check, it was time to choose a weapon. There were various options, but I chose the hwando (Korean sword).

No particular reason. I had some kendo experience, so I picked a familiar form.

Of course, according to cliché conventions, the sword and shield combination was the most stable choice. But considering my precarious situation, any choice felt like a gamble.

“Not bad.”

My kendo experience was limited to casual practice. However, the experience of wielding a mokgeom (wooden sword) and a jingeom (real sword) while training for my rank provided a sense of comfort.

“Now that everyone is ready, I’ll give you your quest! Floors 1 through 4 are the tutorial area, and the quest for the first floor is to hunt designated monsters! You have 20 days to complete the quest. If you fail, you might die, so get moving! Tick-tock! Time is running out!”

With the fairy’s final words, people began to leave the plaza. I, however, stayed put, focusing on observing the departing crowd.

My targets were the protagonist, the regressor Lee Han-seong, and the first heroine, Yoo Ha-na. Of course, finding them was a near-impossible task for a complete stranger like me.

But I already knew what they looked like. They were the cover models for the novel, and their illustrations had been released even before the prologue.

“Found her.”

After a while, I finally located my target. Yoo Ha-na, the first heroine. She seemed to be having a rough time from the get-go.

“Ooh la la! An S-rank beauty! Hey there, wanna join our party?”

“Ooooh… That’s right, we’ll protect you…”

“With you, we’ll have four members, the perfect party size.”

What a creepy combo. A sleazy pretty boy, a fat, creepy dude, and a creepy guy with slitted eyes. Just looking at them made my
shrivel.

These brain-dead were clearly trying to hit on the S-rank ice queen beauty.

Under normal circumstances, I would have ignored them, but not now. Yoo Ha-na was my compass, guiding me to the regressor.

“Hey! Ha-na!”

So, I acted as if I had bumped into a close friend in a foreign land.

The key was to use a similar but different name and to attract the trio’s attention with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“Wow, I was feeling so lost being dropped here alone, but it’s great to see you! Remember me? It’s me, Go Hyun-joon, from Class 3-1 at Samhwa Middle School!”

If she was perceptive and eager to escape her current predicament, she would likely play along with my impromptu act.

Traveling with someone you know is far better than following a stranger, after all.

“Oh! Hyun-joon! Wow, it’s been so long! You’ve grown so tall!”

“Hahaha, of course! I’m not the shorty I used to be.”

I suddenly had a past as a shorty, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was her reaction and the justifiable reason it provided for her to escape her current situation.

“Huh? What do you think you’re doing?”

“Ooooh… This is unpleasant!”

“…”

The trio, interrupted mid-flirtation, reacted with displeasure. A perfectly understandable reaction.

They were about to lose their prize catch right in front of them; it was natural for them to be angry. But, what were they going to do about it?

“Excuse me. I was just happy to see an old friend. Is there a problem?”

As long as there was a purpose, all human relationships were built on justifications, big or small. And these justifications were as fragile as thin ice, requiring careful handling. Otherwise, they would shatter, and the relationship would crumble.

The best-case scenario here was for the trio to get angry at me. The moment they showed their rudeness, Yoo Ha-na would become wary of them.

“…No, not at all. We just wanted to get to know Ha-na. Just like you.”

Contrary to my hopes, the slit-eyed guy took a step back. As expected. He was as cunning as he looked creepy.

In stories depicting societies where law and order had collapsed, slit-eyed male characters were typically portrayed as sociopathic serial killers, rapists, and necrophiliacs.

And this guy was probably even more perverse.

He had disguised his intentions with a veneer of goodwill while simultaneously sowing seeds of distrust toward me in Yoo Ha-na’s mind.

By bringing me into the equation, he subtly implied that I had the same ulterior motives as them.

“Well, we’ll see you later, Ha-na. I hope to see you again under better circumstances.”

Contrary to expectations, the trio retreated without a fuss. But not before planting seeds of doubt about me in Yoo Ha-na’s mind. As they disappeared, Yoo Ha-na turned to me, her gaze demanding an explanation.

“Thank you for earlier. I was in a difficult situation.”

Back in the now-empty plaza, Yoo Ha-na expressed her gratitude. A faint smile played on her lips.

“But that aside, I want you to know that I don’t trust you. You must have approached me with some ulterior motive as well.”

However, her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

Instead, they reflected a hint of hostility and firm suspicion. As long as she harbored doubts, any proposal I made would be futile.

“You’re right. I did approach you with a purpose. We’ve been dropped into this world with nothing. To survive, we need to form connections. And showing kindness to someone in need is the first step towards building trust.”

Yoo Ha-na was beautiful. Model-like legs, a glamorous figure, long, straight hair that made men’s hearts flutter, and a pure, innocent appearance. The epitome of a “bagel girl” (baby-faced and glamorous).

In this unfamiliar world, her beauty was a double-edged sword. Used well, it could be a powerful tool. But it could also be used against her.

Therefore, her wariness towards men was a justifiable defense mechanism. And trying to force my way past it would only hinder my goal.

“I see. However, after what just happened, I’m not planning on partying with any men for a while. And that includes you, Hyun-joon.”

“I respect your decision. Your suspicion is valid, and it’s a good mindset to have.”

To elicit the desired response from someone, you had to consider their perspective. Especially when building trust with a complete stranger.

“Then, I’d appreciate it if you left. Honestly, I’m a little uncomfortable around you right now.”

“Hmm… Alright. But allow me to offer a piece of advice. For the next five days, instead of rushing out into the field to complete the quest, it would be better to explore the town and interact with the locals. Earn some money by doing odd jobs, or learn self-defense and survival skills from an expert.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Then it’s time for us to part ways. I plan to start the quest five days from now, in the morning. I’ll be waiting by the fountain in the plaza. I hope to see you again then.”

I failed to party up with Yoo Ha-na. However, by offering advice and revealing my future plans, I had successfully made an impression.

Now, building trust was a matter of time.

As long as she remembered my advice, she would naturally seek me out five days later, regardless of what she did in the meantime.