Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – The Unyielding (1)

[The tutorial is still in progress, so it cannot be used yet]

“Huh?”

Kang Hyeon’s brain momentarily froze at the unexpected message.

“What’s this all about...?”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“It says I can’t use it because the tutorial is still in progress?”

“Haha!”

Kang A-hyun burst out laughing, as if the room was about to blow away.

“Are you laughing right now?!”

“Ah, sorry. Then do you have to clear the entire tutorial?”

“I’ve already prepared for that... Wouldn’t it be safer to use my abilities properly as soon as possible?”

Now that the reality has started to change, I didn’t know what would happen. Although the difference wasn’t huge, if I could use my slightly enhanced abilities, I could be a little more at ease.

“But it seems to have been applied to some extent already?”

“What?”

Kang Hyeon frowned at Kang A-hyun mysterious words.

“Look at your body. Within a few days, you’ve gone from a scrawny anchovy to a normal person. No, wait a minute. Are you a bit muscular?”

Kang A-hyun fussed over Kang Hyeon’s body.

“Ah, why is this so disgusting?”

Kang Hyeon pushed Kang A-hyun away in disgust, but he was secretly pleased.

‘It’s true that something has changed. I’ve gained some weight and my muscles are quite alive.’

It wasn’t a completely muscular and handsome physique, but it was now quite decent for an ordinary person. I didn’t weigh myself, but I think I’ve gained around 10 kg.

“My body has really improved a lot! I was so focused on the goblins that I didn’t even notice.”

“Since it’s turned out this way, do your best. Everyone else failed at the 2nd or 3rd stage of the tutorial, but you’ve cleared up to the 8th stage alone. Wouldn’t that make a difference?”

Kang A-hyun was speaking in the most positive way for Kang Hyeon’s sake.

“You’re right. Alright! I’ll get through it somehow.”

However, Kang Hyeon had no intention of slowly and steadily completing the tutorial.

‘I don’t know when a crisis will come, so simply working hard won’t do. I need to clear the tutorial as quickly as possible and gain full abilities.’

My abilities may have already been applied, but it’s not certain. Kang Hyeon was determined to get through the tutorial as quickly as possible.

“I’m taking a day off from work again today.”

Kang A-hyun took a break again today. Just like the day the tutorial started, the outside was in chaos and she didn’t know what would happen.

A dungeon appeared in the middle of the road, paralyzing the traffic, and the police and soldiers were wandering around the streets. In this situation, she had no intention of stubbornly going to work for a few measly coins.

“Good call. Let’s eat first.”

“Okay.”

A simple meal. Kang Hyeon felt like the food was just going down without him really registering it.

“Whew, I’m full.”

“Yeah.”

“...”

After clearing the table, they didn’t know what to do next. Kang Hyeon broke the heavy silence.

“Let’s check the internet first.”

The internet was in an uproar, as expected.

-Isn’t it necessary to quickly clear the dungeon and level up before 5 years pass?

-I heard the dungeon will open in about a month, so we have to clear it quickly.

-Hurry up and put those ability users in. Regular people can’t get in, right?

-Do they think something will be there just because they go in?

-Those bastards who will kill living people.

There were already a lot of talk about having to put ability users in quickly, or that it’s life-threatening.

“Hmm...”

All ability users have cleared the 1st stage. That means they’ve at least gone through the 2nd stage and faced monsters. From the tutorial, such monsters have emerged and died, but no one knows what kind of monsters will appear in the main game.

Moreover, this is reality. If you die, it’s the end.

-I heard that about half of the tutorial participants have cleared the 1st stage, and less than half of that have cleared the 2nd stage.

-Ah, here’s another unfounded claim.

-But looking around my area, the previous comment doesn’t seem to be completely wrong. Out of ten people, there are only one or two who have cleared up to the 2nd stage.

-My friend cleared up to the 4th stage!

-Bullshit. They haven’t even cleared the 3rd stage.

Kang Hyeon sighed as he browsed the portal site to gather information.

“Geez. There’s not a single helpful post.”

“Yeah.”

Kang A-hyun nodded in agreement.

“But it seems the number of people who have cleared the 2nd stage is really low. You’ve failed 5 times, but you still cleared it, right?”

“6 times.”

“That’s the same thing.”

“There’s nothing I can’t do for my brother.”

***

Ippotranslation

***

After digesting the information to some extent, Kang Hyeon began to lightly stretch his body.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to exercise.”

“Exercise all of a sudden?”

‘I need to clear this as quickly as possible, grow stronger, and fully master my abilities.’

Reassuring himself, the time of patience passed... And finally, it grew dark.

During that time, Kang Hyeon learned a few things about the Kurkas:

They have a primitive but hierarchical society, numbering over 50.

The Kurkas living in the forest clearing, gather food through hunting and foraging.

The chieftain, an elderly and frail-looking Kurka, lives in a large tent at the center of the clearing.

The key point was the second one.

He still didn’t know exactly what the ‘opportunity’ mentioned in the tip was, but Kang Hyeon thought the most suitable opportunity would be when the powerful warriors went out for a hunt.

‘Even if there are still many inside, the chances would be much higher than fighting them all. If necessary, I can just ignore them and stab the chieftain.’

While thinking, Kang Hyeon played with the dagger in his hand.

‘But it seems they won’t be going hunting now that it’s dark...’

-Grumble

Kang Hyeon’s stomach alarm went off in the middle of his thoughts.

‘I’m so hungry, and my body is aching terribly.’

He had been motionless for half a day already. The hunger was a problem, but the feeling of his entire body stiffening up was making him feel like he would die if he didn’t stretch soon.

-Sniff, sniff

From a distance, the crude smell of the Kurkas’ cooking lured Kang Hyeon.

‘If I go out now, all the waiting will be for nothing. I have to at least wait until night...’

Desperately trying to keep his mind focused, Kang Hyeon’s eyes slowly started to close.

***

Ippotranslation

***

“Kuruk, Kuruk!”

“Kuruk! Kuruk!”

The sudden sounds around him made Kang Hyeon snap his eyes open.

‘Fuck! Could it be that I fell asleep?’

In Kang Hyeon’s vision, crouched down, all he could see were dozens of shabby legs. It seems he was caught tossing and turning in his sleep by those creatures.

‘Damn it. Damn it!’

As the crisis unfolded, Kang Hyeon’s head started spinning furiously.

“Ahem, guys... How about we solve this through dialogue?”

“...”

“You primitive people also have a kind of civilized life, don’t you? Haha!”

The result of the spinning was not very good.

‘What the hell is he talking about?!’

Anyway, the milk has already been spilled.

Kang Hyeon slowly got up from his seat and raised both hands to express his surrender.

“Let’s be gentlemanly first...”

-Thud

Kang Hyeon, who continued to ramble, saw the giant axe flying towards his forehead and gave up. That was Kang Hyeon’s last memory.

***

Ippotranslation

***

“Yaaaah!”

Kang Hyeon, who had woken up, roughly waved his hands and hit his own head.

“Yaaaaaaah!”

“Shut up! Why are you shouting and ranting this early in the morning?”

“I! I was lying on the floor for hours! Aaaah!”

Kang Hyeon ran around the room like a person haunted by regret for never being able to move.

“There’s a complaint from downstairs, so stop it, you bastard!”

“Ugh!”

The riot continued until he was kicked to the floor by Kang A-hyun.

“So you just lay still all day and died?”

“Yes.”

After a while, Kang A-hyun, who heard Kang Hyeon’s story, began to giggle.

“Hehehe...”

“Are you laughing because your brother died? Are you crazy?”

“No, he’s perfectly alive here, who died? It’s just so... Hehe, no, I’m sorry.”

She quickly left the room, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Where are you going.”

“To eat breakfast. I’m taking the day off from work today, so let’s think about it together.”

***

Ippotranslation

***

After thinking hard all day, the two of them came up with two options.

First: Charge in when the warriors are out hunting.

There are still many Kurkas left in the tribe, but most of them are women or children.

If done well, he might be able to break through and stab the chieftain in his hut.

Second: Wait until it’s completely dark.

This method seemed the most realistic, but at the same time the most unrealistic.

“How can a person endure for more than ten hours without moving?”

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