Chapter 2

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

Chapter 2

‘How did this happen?’

Woojin, or rather, Kim Minwoo now, let out a sigh.

〈(Tip) Stage 6 is ‘Reality’. Keep in mind that you only have one life.〉

The opening message felt strangely eerie.

[Your consciousness begins to merge with Kim Minwoo’s body!]

[Your mental attributes are undergoing significant changes!]

The messages floated up.

And just like that, three days had already passed since he had been trapped in this damned world.

Words appeared through the memo app on his phone.

[Day 1]

―All of Kim Minwoo’s 23 years of memories have been transferred. This technology is insane! Could it be true that the game company tortured aliens?

―The sensations feel so real. Increasing the sensory implementation rate by more than 50% is definitely illegal, right?

―Something is strange. I can’t log out. The broadcast has been dead for a long time too.

―I’m starting to get confused whether this is a game or reality.

―Could it be… that I’ve been kidnapped into the game?

―I had 300,000 viewers on my last broadcast! But they kidnapped me? Did the game company go bankrupt?

―I can’t leave the room. The guards are blocking me.

―They say I still have two days left of the house arrest I received from the chairman. Fortunately, they do bring me food…….

[Day 2]

―No hydration, nutrition, or urination/defecation warning messages. No forced logout function for extended game use.

―It’s like… my body isn’t in the capsule. It’s cold.

―One day left until Kim Minwoo’s house arrest ends.

[Day 3]

―If my body is in the capsule, the rescue team should have arrived by now. I’m supposedly in the middle of a 72-hour continuous game play!

―It seems like things are going according to the worst-case scenario I had in mind.

―Hunt foreign creatures within 7 years. If I fail to achieve this goal, will I be stuck here forever?

‘There is no rescue team.’

He had waited as long as he could.

Now that his house arrest was over, it was time to make a move.

This wasn’t Stage 5, but Stage 6 difficulty.

One wrong step could lead to death.

“……Fortunately, it’s not the worst.”

He had dedicated half his life to Gate Hunter.

“I’ve faced countless dangers in the game.”

He had survived countless life-or-death situations.

“I can do this.”

Kim Minwoo clenched his fists.

“I will get out of here alive.”

His eyes burned with determination.

“And I’ll make those bastards pay for what they’ve done.”

He would make them regret the day they messed with him.

“Starting with that damn chairman.”

A smirk formed on his lips.

“It’s time to start playing.”

This time, for real.

No one knew this world better than he did.

An overwhelming information advantage.

‘And my mental state has changed significantly, too.’

He thought back over the past three days.

He hadn’t been particularly lethargic, irritable, arrogant, or easily offended.

He had dreamed of becoming a freeloader, but that was only natural for a gamer.

He definitely felt like his mental state had improved.

‘Talentless. It seems like this terrible physical talent is still here, though…….’

Still, it was better than his mental state getting worse.

The advantages didn’t stop there.

‘Status window.’

[Name: Kim Minwoo (23)]

[Occupation: UnAwakened State.]

To think that Kim Minwoo was in an UnAwakened State!

‘At least he’s not a cancer-ridden examiner.’

Kim Minwoo’s physical abilities were close to the worst.

Even putting aside the fact that he had never trained.

‘He just has no talent for it.’

He was terribly talentless.

He had taken countless potions and undergone high-intensity training.

Even so, his growth had stopped at the level of a mid-level Awakener.

He turned his attention to the artifacts, but the limitations were clear.

Even though the best player in virtual reality was the pilot in the battle against the Dragon Lord.

‘He only managed to draw half of its blood.’

And now his target was an Otherworlder. It would be much stronger than the Dragon Lord, at least.

Conclusion.

There was no answer as a melee class.

But was ranged combat the answer?

‘Not really.’

Kim Minwoo’s lack of talent would not be limited by distance.

However, even he had some advantages.

‘The Titanium Spoon.’

Ilsung Group Group.

The number 1 conglomerate in Korea.

The 20th largest conglomerate in the world.

At least in Gate Hunter’s Korea, there was no conglomerate that could match Ilsung Group.

If he could revive himself after reaching the bottom of the family and even hacking into it…….

Show Me the Money.

He would be able to print money like a cheat code.

In other words, he would be able to acquire countless pieces of equipment.

What was the best job to make the most of that?

‘A job that utilizes summons.’

Summoner, Spirit Master, Necromancer, Enchanter, etc.

Summoner-type classes were Kim Minwoo’s true calling. After all, summons could also use equipment.

“And among them, the Necromancer is the best.”

Most summons, such as skeletons, durahans, liches, and death knights, are close to humanoid in form.

In the Awakened market, which is close to 1 billion people, it is the easiest to obtain equipment for summoners.

‘It’s perfect for freeloading.’

That’s not the only advantage.

Undead are immune to fear.

In other words, it means that you can equip them with one more offensive equipment.

“There’s no need to worry about getting backstabbed either.”

Undeads are quite easy to manage summons.

Do they eat, fight, or even want praise?

They have blind loyalty and will rush into the flames without hesitation!

And then there’s the wave attack.

That’s the advantage of the Necromancer.

“I’ll try freeloading for once too.”

1,832 days.

For nearly six years, he had been swinging his sword with tears in his eyes.

So isn’t this kind of compensation okay?

He opened the door.

He saw the guards with stern faces.

“I’m going out for a bit. Is that okay?”

“Yes, sir. We need to go with you, so if you could just tell us where you’re going…….”

“I’m going to the Sword Sect. Please contact them.”

“……The Sword Sect?”

The guards tilted their heads.

It was understandable that they would be confused.

The Sword Sect.

It was the place where the S-rank Awakener and the number 1 Awakened in Korea, the Sword Saint, lived.

It wouldn’t make sense for Kim Minwoo to go there.

He smiled and said.

“Yes, I have something to do there.”

It all starts with Awakening.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

***

Five cars carrying the guards drove smoothly down the road. Minwoo, sitting in the back seat, thought to himself.

‘In Gate Hunter, anyone can become an Awakened.’

On the premise that you find the Awakening condition.

The conditions are different for each individual.

Some people awaken by drinking water, eating rice, or exhaling.

On the other hand, some people awaken through continuous actions, such as swinging a sword more than 10,000 times a day for a year.

Even more difficult conditions existed, such as meditating in the rain for more than thirty hours or surviving a lightning strike.

The opportunity for Awakening is fair for everyone.

Whether you are a chaebol or a homeless person, you can become an Awakened if you only find the right condition for yourself.

However, the results were not equal.

‘The difference starts here.’

After completing the Awakening, the ‘Awakening Achievement’ is settled according to the process, ranging from F to S rank.

What can you do with this achievement?

It’s simple.

It is to create a job skill book.

Not just an F-rank Awakened.

F-rank swordsman.

F-rank mage.

F-rank priest, etc.

You can create the skills that will be the foundation of your profession for the rest of your life. Many people achieve easy conditions. That’s why there are so many low-ranking Awakeners.

‘The problem starts after that.’

Easy conditions usually lead to low achievement results.

The job skill books created in this way are naturally of low quality.

‘And that’s how the snowball rolls.’

That gap widens over time.

For example, in the case of Park Siwoo, the swordsmanship genius who played the first play.

[You have cleared the Extreme Difficulty and achieved S-rank Awakening Achievement!]

[Create your first job skill book as a swordsman!]

[Swordsmanship Constructor (S)]

[Effect 1. All swordsmanship damage increased by 30%.]

[Effect 2. If you stab the same area three times or more, that area becomes the opponent’s weakness.]

[Effect 3. Once every ten sword strikes, one attack is sure to hit as a critical hit.]

The moment he achieved S-rank Awakening Achievement, such a monstrous first skill popped out.

On the other hand, what about more than 50% of the F-rank swordsmen who are in charge of the carpet in the Awakened world?

[Beginner’s Slash (F)]

[Effect 1. Increases damage by 10% when using Beginner’s Slash.]

[Beginner’s Stab (F)]

[Effect 1. Increases damage by 10% when using Beginner’s Stab.]

That’s right.

The difference is overwhelming from the first skill. So much so that it is almost impossible to catch up.

That’s why it was important.

What is the Awakening condition?

And how to achieve that achievement with an S grade.

“Kim Minwoo’s Awakening condition was… to be beaten up by an Awakened.”

The eldest son of the Ilsung Group Group.

Kim Minwoo, who was closer to a titanium spoon than a diamond.

Even an S-rank Awakened would not have an easy time hitting him.

Because he would incur the wrath of the Ilsung Group.

The one who beat Kim Minwoo to a pulp was his father, the chairman, Kim Kangchul.

“I can overlook everything else. But you dare touch drugs? Director Im, bring it!”

The anger of Kim Kangchul, a C-rank Awakened and the group chairman!

Kim Minwoo was beaten to death with a golf club that day, and the result of not being able to put up a decent fight was:

Achievement grade E.

In other words, trash.

He even said that the swordsman he saw in a drama that year looked cool, so he chose the swordsman as his pre-Awakening skill book…

[Spinning Slash (E)]

[Effect 1. Deals 120% sword damage to up to two enemies.]

‘…Ugh, the more I think about it, the angrier I get.’

Thanks to that, the memory of using Spinning Slash to death for the past 1,832 days was still vivid.

But now it was different.

This was before Kim Minwoo had even Awakened.

The only chance to undo everything that went wrong!

‘Fortunately, the Awakening condition isn’t bad.’

It’s not a condition that’s difficult to modify, even as simple as breathing.

The Awakening achievement will vary depending on who, where, and how you are hit.

‘First, I need to get hit by a strong person.’

But at the same time, I can’t just let myself be beaten up.

The higher the achievement grade, the more I have to struggle.

In that sense, the Sword Saint was perfect. There was no stronger Awakened in Korea than him.

And on top of that, he had been swinging his sword like crazy for the past six years.

That feeling was still fresh in his mind. That it was easier to deal with than other classes.

‘S-rank, it’s worth a try.’

“Master, we have arrived at the Sword Sect.”

The guards got out first, looked around, and opened the door for the back seat.

A magnificent wooden building appeared, as if out of a martial arts novel.

Then a middle-aged man standing at the front gate approached Kim Minwoo.

“…I am Kim Un, an instructor at the Sword Sect. You said you wanted to look around?”

His attitude was polite, but his eyes were cold as he looked at Kim Minwoo. Perhaps it was only natural.

Kim Minwoo’s public reputation was close to the worst, being a chaebol heir and a playboy.

The only reason he didn’t refuse the visit was probably because of the Ilsung Group’s influence.

After all, it was the company that donated the most money when the Sword Sect was built.

“I’d appreciate it if you could.”

“…Very well. I will show you around. However, the trainees are in the middle of training, so please be quiet.”

“I’m telling you not to cause trouble.”

“Yes.”

He nodded and entered the building with the guards.

“This is the training ground where the third-class disciples train. Recently, swordsmen from overseas have also been entering the Sword Sect.”

Perhaps their eyes were drawn to the sight of the guards in suits. The trainees who were training while sweating profusely glanced at the group of guards.

“Isn’t that… Kim Minwoo?”

“It looks like him, judging by the guards. What is that jerk doing here…?”

The trainees started to murmur. Seeing this, Kim Un’s eyes furrowed slightly.

“You can’t even focus on your swords, where are your minds?”

At his shout, the trainees turned their eyes around, startled.

Minwoo clapped his hands and said.

“As expected of the Sword Sect. Haha, even the third-class disciples are so impressive!”

“…Ahem, they’re still far from it.”

No one in the world hates compliments. Although he spoke curtly, Kim Un’s eyes were full of unconcealable pride.

The training ground for the second-class disciples.

And then, the training ground for the first-class disciples, which is not easily open to outsiders.

By the time he entered the heart of the Sword Sect, praising it all the way.

“Did you enjoy the tour?”

Kim Un stopped as if to say this was it and spoke.

“Can’t I see more?”

“Yes. I’m sorry, but outsiders are not allowed to enter beyond this point.”

“That’s a shame. I wanted to see the Sword Saint once.”

“He is currently in closed-door training. Even if he were not in closed-door training…”

Kim Un looked at Minwoo with cold eyes. He could guess the rest of the unspoken words.

He’s not someone you can just tell to come and go.

‘That’s probably what he means.’

Minwoo nodded.

He already knew that the Sword Saint was in closed-door training.

That’s why he had approached as close as he could.

He took a deep breath.

Now all he had to do was.

“Sword Saint! I, Kim Minwoo, challenge you to a duel!”

Although it was a voice without a single trace of mana, the volume of an adult shouting at full strength was by no means small.

Kim Un’s eyes widened at the voice that shook the interior.

“What, what are you doing!”

Leaving the flustered Kim Un behind, he continued to speak.

“I’ll bet a 100 billion won on this duel! Whether I win or lose, I’ll donate all this money to the Sword Sect!”

It wasn’t just Kim Un who was flustered.

The guards were also looking at Kim Minwoo with dumbfounded expressions.

“I’ll use that sword! I guarantee it will be a fun duel! Are you not coming out even after this? Are you scared?”

“T, that’s enough! Are you crazy!”

Kim Un hurriedly grabbed Minwoo’s shoulder. What the hell is this crazy guy doing!

Just then…

Hehehe.

Along with the laughter that echoed through the Sword Sect, a terrifying sense of oppression was felt. Soon, an old man with a majestic physique appeared in front of Kim Minwoo.

All that could be seen were his dark eyes that seemed to draw everything in.

“So, you’ve come looking for me?”

“Yes. I have. Let’s have a go. Like a man.”

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]