Chapter 2: Tutorial (1)
“Ugh…”
“Where am I?”
“A forest?”
Hearing the voices around him, Lee Jin-hyuk slowly opened his eyes.
“What the hell is going on…?”
“I was definitely drinking just a moment ago.”
“This doesn’t make any sense. Why a forest all of a sudden? I was in Seoul…”
Dozens of people were panicking and looking around in confusion.
‘Is this when I first entered the Tower?’
From the looks of it, they had all been suddenly dragged from South Korea into the Tower.
Everyone here had been living in Seoul, South Korea.
They woke up one day in an unfamiliar forest, surrounded by a glowing blue barrier.
For an ordinary person, not panicking in this situation would be strange.
‘I remember being dragged here in my sleep too. I was pretty shaken back then.’
“We need to stick together!”
“Yeah! We don’t know what could come out!”
“Wake up the people who are still out cold!”
Just like before his regression, a few people stepped up and showed strong leadership, gathering others around them.
It was a wise approach.
In a situation that changed so suddenly, the chances of survival increased greatly by sticking together under someone’s lead.
‘Back then, I blindly joined that group too.’
Fear. Confusion. Panic.
Unlike everyone else drowning in negative emotions, Lee Jin-hyuk silently walked toward a nearby stream.
‘If I’ve returned to this point, then it must have worked.’
Thick eyebrows, masculine facial features, a sharp nose.
His reflection in the water looked exactly the same as before his regression.
‘My face is the same.’
Swish.
‘But my body is clearly different.’
A flawless physique, solid muscles, and a height of around two meters.
It was definitely different, likely because this was the body meant to contain a Constellation.
“My ideal type is someone like you, big brother! Especially your looks!”
Remembering Tang Sowol’s nonsense made him chuckle.
‘There was a time when we could joke around with hope.’
He only let himself reminisce for a moment before shifting focus to the present.
‘Status window.’
{Status Window}
Name: Lee Jin-hyuk
Race: Human
Level: 1
[Strength: 15] [Stamina: 15] [Agility: 15]
[Mana: 5] [Divine Power: 0]
“…!”
Lee Jin-hyuk was shocked at the stats.
For males, the starting stats at level 1 usually ranged from 8–10.
For females, 5–8.
Even the highest recorded starting stat ever was 13.
Yet Lee Jin-hyuk had 15 in all physical stats.
‘Just one stat point or level can significantly impact performance.’
Normally, gaining a level raises strength, stamina, and agility by 1 each.
Since leveling up in the Tower is notoriously difficult, having such high base stats was a huge advantage.
‘Mana is average. And divine power is zero.’
Stats you don’t possess at all aren’t displayed.
Having 0 in divine power means it exists but can’t be used yet.
Since this body was built to host the <Pure Radiance>, it had a foundational base for divine power.
‘The stats are impressive, but not quite fitting for a Constellation’s vessel. However—’
Grin.
‘—the skills more than make up for it.’
{Skill}
<Indomitability>
Grade: Mythic
▶ Immune to all “status ailments.”
▶ Immune to all “mental-type” attacks or penalties.
▶ Upon level-up, strength, stamina, and agility each increase by +2.
‘…Mythic-grade.’
All items and skills in the Tower are ranked in six grades:
Common, Rare, Epic, Heroic, Legendary — and Mythic.
Even Lee Jin-hyuk, the former Rank 1 “Wailing King,” had never owned a mythic-grade skill.
<Indomitability> had effects worthy of that title.
Complete immunity to status effects and mental attacks, even penalties.
And unlike others who gained +1 per stat on level-up, this skill gave him +2 — doubling his growth rate.
‘This completely breaks the balance of the Tower. Was <Pure Radiance> out of its mind?’
Grin.
‘Well, to withstand the consciousness of a transcendent being like a Constellation, this much would be necessary.’
{Skill}
<Stellar Archive>
Grade: Common
▶ Copy and store Constellation powers in skill form.
▶ One skill can be stored per 10 levels.
▶ Requires that Constellation’s relic and points to copy.
▶ When copying, the skill’s grade increases and new effects unlock.
[Common-tier special effect]
▶ All conditions are waived for the first copied skill.
[Currently Stored Skills]
None
Next Skill Point Requirement: 0
Though listed as “common,” it was not a skill to be taken lightly.
‘It lets me steal the power of Constellations at will.’
Swish.
Normally, players could only use a Constellation’s power through a contract.
But <Stellar Archive> was different.
It allowed access to multiple Constellations’ powers — without pledging loyalty.
‘No need to flatter them or curry favor.’
Indomitability.
Stellar Archive.
‘Unyielding will. Absolute strength.’
Two overpowered skills.
Most players begin with no skills or experience — yet Lee Jin-hyuk started with this arsenal.
‘I already know how I should grow stronger.’
While Lee Jin-hyuk was formulating a rough plan…
“Ugh…”
“Where… are we?”
The rest of the people began regaining consciousness.
“What is that barrier?”
“Are we trapped?”
“Why am I in a forest?”
Just as all 500 or so people became fully conscious—
[Welcome, candidate players!]
[Join the glorious climb. The Tower awaits you.]
A holographic window appeared in mid-air.
“Huh?”
“What the hell is this?”
“Augmented reality? VR?”
“What is going on…”
Panic spread among the people.
Meanwhile, Lee Jin-hyuk’s eyes shone with clarity and resolve.
‘I’ve returned to the very start of the Tower.’
Before he stole the Constellation’s body and regressed, he had reached the Tower’s summit as the number one ranked player.
Yet there were regrets from his first playthrough:
All the hidden pieces and rewards he missed due to ignorance, fear, or inexperience.
Now, he could seize them all.
Because he was retracing a path he’d already taken, he knew he could do better.
No — he was certain of it.
‘I got another chance. Thanks to them.’
Tang Sowol. Russell Mighty. Chun Hyangwoon.
The comrades who helped steal the Constellation’s vessel.
After offering a brief moment of silence for them, Lee Jin-hyuk raised his head.
‘Now it’s my turn.’
The <Pure Radiance>, who toyed with players, killed them, and eventually destroyed the Tower.
He had to gain the strength to oppose it.
[Main Quest <Goblin Hunt> acquired.]
<Goblin Hunt>
Grade: Tutorial
▶ Objective: Kill 10 goblins.
▶ Rewards:
1,000 points
Choose one intermediate-tier weapon
▶ Bonus Reward: ???
[Beginner weapon granted.]
[Item <Beginner’s Sword> acquired.]
Zzzt—!
Swords suddenly materialized in everyone’s hands.
<Beginner’s Sword>
Grade: Common
Type: Sword
[Attack Power: 5]
‘Useless.’
Better than nothing, but still terrible.
“What is this? A sword?”
“We’re supposed to kill goblins?”
“Wait, hold on.”
Before anyone could grasp the situation, another hologram appeared.
[Tutorial has begun. <Safe Zone> has been deactivated.]
[Good luck.]
The blue barrier vanished.
KRAAAA!
“You’ve got to be kidding me!”
“What is that!?”
As if responding to the humans’ panic and fear, monsters began charging in from beyond the barrier.
“They’re coming!”
“Stop them! Block them!”
“Fall back—”
“We’re surrounded, we can’t fall back!”
“Stick together!”
Salivating mouths, bloodshot eyes, rusty weapons and jagged teeth — aggression radiated from them.
“Kraaah!”
“Graaah!”
“DIE!”
In an instant, chaos erupted.
The goblins were smaller than humans.
Stat-wise, most people here were slightly stronger.
But there was one fatal weakness.
Everyone here had come from peaceful South Korea.
They had never fought before, let alone used a sword or been in battle.
Meanwhile, goblins were born and raised to fight.
So the humans flailed and screamed, completely unprepared.
“Ugh!”
The goblins didn’t stop.
They tore, bit, and hacked at humans like starving dogs.
“I’m hurt!”
“Save me!”
Faced with real-life monsters, people could only run.
Fear spread like a disease — paralyzing reason and movement.
“M-monsters…”
“How can we win against that?”
“RUN!”
People died one by one.
Some peed themselves. Others cried or fainted.
And among them — one man stood firm.
“What the…?”
“What just ran by?”
“Is there another monster behind us?”
Panicking, they cowered in fear.
Shhk!
But the man didn’t kill people.
He saved them.
Keeeeee!
By slicing off a goblin’s arm at the front lines.
“…!”
A clean, efficient attack.
And most of all, not a hint of hesitation.
Some people wondered:
‘How can someone cut down a living creature so easily?’
‘Who is this guy?’
But Lee Jin-hyuk ignored them.
He stepped forward and swung his sword.
“Don’t panic. Just take it slow and handle it one at a time.”
Shhk!
“The quest says it, right? Just kill 10 goblins.”
Even as he spoke, his sword never stopped.
One goblin per strike.
Each blow dealt critical wounds.
“If you can’t do it yourself, just finish off the ones already down.”
He weaved through goblin attacks effortlessly.
Even while running, swinging, and dodging, his movements were fluid and precise.
Strength, stamina, agility — and beyond that, flexibility, coordination, and combat skill were all elite.
Shhk!
KREEEEE!
Another goblin’s arm went flying.
He ducked just as three goblin blades clashed above where his head had been.
A roll, a twist, another slash.
Slice.
Another goblin leg fell.
This body — it was soft, agile, and completely under his control.
No, not as strong as his prime in the top ranks.
But far superior to his old self during his first climb.
‘Back then—’
Grin.
‘I was trembling, couldn’t even swing my sword properly.’
Before entering the Tower, Lee Jin-hyuk was just an average Korean man.
The gym was something he visited on New Year’s resolutions — and only briefly.
During his first tutorial, he froze at the sight of a real, living goblin.
‘But now I’m different.’
Slice.
He had experienced too much to hesitate anymore.
A few more strikes and dodges — and he was fully in sync with his new body.
Every move felt natural, like it had always been his.
“Come on! At least finish off the ones he’s downed! He’s doing all the work out there!”
“Y-yeah! Let’s go!”
Crunch!
Inspired by Lee Jin-hyuk’s actions, others regained their senses.
They realized goblins weren’t invincible, and they couldn’t just stand by.
And finally — they began to fight back.
“DIE!”
“Grah—!”
Of course, they weren’t as good as Lee Jin-hyuk.
They got hurt. Blood splashed. But they managed.
No one becomes a master overnight.
But together, killing ten goblins became doable.
[Player <Kim So-hyun> has completed the Tutorial. Transferring to a safe area.]
[Player <Park Si-hyuk> has…
“Uh… huh…?”
Fwoosh—!
As soon as ten goblins were taken down, a pillar of white light surged around the players’ bodies.
“We can do this!”
“Let’s go!”
“If you can’t fight, at least finish off the wounded goblins!”
Waaaahhh—!
Having somewhat overcome their fear, people began charging at the goblins one by one.
They began killing the goblins in turn, gradually clearing the tutorial.
Watching the chaotic clash between goblins and humans, Jin-hyuk looked ahead.
‘This should be enough. They’ll clear the tutorial on their own now.’
Goblins, and humans.
The balance of power between the two groups had finally evened out.
“Keeeek…!”
“Kyyaaaahh… kaaahh…!”
Jin-hyuk cut down goblins one after another, moving forward, ever forward.
However, there was one peculiar detail.
Not a single goblin that crossed paths with Jin-hyuk had died.
Limbs were severed and they crawled helplessly on the ground, but they weren’t dead.
Eventually, they were finished off by the players following behind him.
‘Killing ten of these weaklings myself would be a waste.’
Jin-hyuk certainly had more than enough power to finish them off—but he didn’t.
He left them half-alive.
▶ Objective: Defeat 10 goblins.
‘The tutorial’s additional reward. To get that, I need to go after the one pulling the strings.’
Swoosh.
‘I have to take down the Goblin Chieftain.’
While the other players were desperate to kill even a single goblin, Jin-hyuk had his sights set on the bigger picture.
A being hiding in the background, orchestrating this horde of goblins.
That was Jin-hyuk’s real target.
*[Warning! A unique entity has been detected nearby.]
[This target is not suitable for tutorial players. Evasion is strongly advised.]
