From Today, I'm a Player

‘A spear?’

Bae Sang-Su looked at the man. As the rules did not allow information about the participants to be released during the Tutorial, the participants were given numbers. Hunter No. 7 kept catching Bae Sang-Su’s attention. When he had said that he thought the Sponsors viewed it as a game. Then again when he had chosen the spear and shield.

‘It won’t be easy.’

Actually, the spear was an easy-to-use weapon. It had a long reach, and the techniques weren’t complicated to learn. But, of course, while it was true that there was a significant difference depending on who was wielding it, the spear was still very suitable for beginner Hunters to use.

‘But, was there a Sponsor who encouraged the use of spears?”

It was rare to find a Sponsor who preferred spears. Beginner Hunters who had ended up choosing the spear were bound to change their weapon later. It had become the norm not to choose a spear as one’s first weapon. Furthermore, there was no reason to persist with the spear as there were plenty of other suitable weapons.

‘What a strange one.’

He was definitely a Hunter who continued to stand out. Furthermore, he also added the shield to his repertoire. He had combined the shield that had a short reach with a long spear, which was not as compatible as a short spear would be. It was a rarely used combination of equipment, only really used when hunting giant monsters. For him to grab such a spear and shield as his primary weapon... To be honest, Bae Sang-Su couldn’t wrap his head around why No. 7 would pick the shield in the first place. While it was true that there was some use in increasing survivability, it wasn’t that large of an increase. For a Hunter, the most important tool for survivability was strength, and that strength stemmed from skills. It wasn’t that no one had tried that combination before, but for a Hunter who thrived on the usage of skills, using a shield unrelated to their abilities could have a negative effect.

'Maybe…’

He thought that No. 7 could have been the D-Rank Hunter. If No. 7 was the D-Rank Hunter, unlike any of the rest, he could have secrets no one else knew about. Still, it was impossible to tell. No. 7 may have been unusual, but he hadn’t shown any signs of being special as of yet. There were some decent candidates among the other Hunters as well.

‘I’ll find out soon enough.’

Bae Sang-Su picked up a weapon.

“I will begin to explain the weaponry briefly. After all, there is no guarantee that the weapon you chose will be the weapon you continue with, and also because there is no single king of weapons.”

Weapons would have different strengths depending on who held them. Even stones could become the most potent weapons in the hands of a strong Hunter. The current introduction was only meant for explaining the basics.

"We’ll end today's course with an explanation of techniques and simple training."

This was all that was covered for the first day of the Tutorial. Bae Sang-Su spoke slowly, “Tomorrow… we will have a simple test.”

Chatter.

Soon, the classroom quieted down, as it was a test everyone had already known about.

“Only those who pass the exam tomorrow will be able to participate in the graduation ceremony the day after tomorrow. To be clear, if you are able to participate in the graduation ceremony tomorrow, you can be considered to have passed the tutorial.”

The Hunters nodded. They had come as Hunters who made up their minds to complete the Tutorial after hearing the basics.

“Then I will begin to explain the techniques.”

At Bae Sang-Su’s words, the Hunters began to inspect the weapons they were holding.

‘I’m looking forward to tomorrow.’

The exam was tomorrow, and in it, he would be able to confirm who the D-Rank Hunter was.

***

"Please, come inside,” said Lee Jun-Kyeong, opening the door in a very inviting voice.

"Thank you for inviting me,” said the man standing in the doorway. He carried a large pack of toilet paper with his right hand.

“I wasn’t sure if I could also come in.”

Standing next to the first man was another man whose head shone brightly from the light in the front door. They were Kim Su-Yeong and Yeo Seong-Gu. They had come to Lee Jun-Kyeong’s house today; it was a housewarming party.

“Wow. Is that what you were speaking about?” exclaimed Kim Su-Yeong in admiration as he entered the house, looking around the living space. The focus of his attention was a bed. It was a bed that looked even more luxurious than the previous one.

“Yes, it is.”

“Would it be okay if I tried it out?” he asked.

“Of course.”

Kim Su-Yeong laid down.

“It’s amazing. Expensive stuff really is different.”

Kim Su-Yeong’s admiration wasn’t strange. As a registered Hunter who had received a D-Ranking, Lee Jun-Kyeong received much more than just rental housing. He had received a bonus for registering as a Hunter as an encouragement for his future activities.

Twenty Million Won.

It was an amount Lee Jun-Kyeong had never seen before, let alone had. Excitedly, he had thought hard about where to spend it.

‘I want to spend my entire first paycheck.’

It wasn’t because he didn’t want to save any money. He had simply made up his mind to spend it all without restraint for once in his life. However, an unexpected dilemma had arisen. As he had never had such a large sum before, he had no idea where to begin to spend his money. Even after buying clothes, groceries, and even some furniture, he still had some left over.

What Lee Jun-Kyeong had chosen was…

“Considering it’s a bed bought using nearly your entire fortune… of course it’s different. It really is different!” said Kim Su-Yeong in an admiring tone. Yeo Seong-Gu stood to the side, trembling.

“You can lie down if you want,” said Lee Jun-Kyeong, hinting at Yeo Seong-Gu subtly.

“I’m fine, thank you.”

Yeo Seong-Gu shook his head and declined.

‘He’s different.’ Lee Jun-Kyeong thought to himself as he looked at Yeo Seong-Gu. He was different from the Yeo Seong-Gu he had known. The person he had known was a friendly and humorous man. However, the Yeo Seong-Gu in front of him was cold and charismatic, a typical leader type.

‘Yeah, he’s just like what I saw in the book.’

Even though Heimdall from the book was similarly bald, he still couldn’t connect that hero with Yeo Seong-Gu. Even if they had similar personalities, connecting the two together would still be challenging. Either way, the Yeo Seong-Gu now and the Yeo Seong-Gu he had known were different.

Lee Jun-Kyeong wondered what could have happened that would cause such a transformation. It was too much of a difference to just attribute it to the passing of time. It was too different of an appearance. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong still felt close to him.

‘Is it because he’s bald?’

Even though he had a completely different personality, Lee Jun-Kyeong still felt as though Yeo Seong-Gu was the older brother he had always known.

“What weapon did you pick today during the Tutorial?” asked Yeo Seong-Gu in a soft tone. He was the guild master of the rising guild, the League Guild. There was a reason why he, the rising rookie, had come all the way to the house of the newly made Hunter, Lee Jun-Kyeong.

"I chose a spear and a shield."

"The spear and the shield…"

Yeo Seong-Gu nodded as if he was contemplating something.

“Let’s sit down for now."

They sat down at Lee Jun-Kyeong's suggestion, and a small party with light refreshments was held. While it was ironic that the three men had snacks and soft drinks in front of them…

“It’s good.”

“Yes, this is great.”

Surprisingly, none of them enjoyed drinking.

Lee Jun-Kyeong originally didn’t drink as he had thought of alcohol as a luxury, which subsequently developed into a habit.

‘That’s unexpected.’

It was surprising that neither Kim Su-Yeong nor Yeo Seong-Gu were drinking, especially Yeo Seong-Gu.

‘He’s not drinking?’ 𝚋ｅｄｎ𝚘𝚟ｅｌ.ｃｏ𝚖

It was even more disconcerting the way it contrasted with the Yeo Seong-Gu from before, who had walked around with a soju bottle in his hand. If it weren’t for the name of his guild, the League Guild, or his own name, Yeo Seong-Gu, or even his bald head, Lee Jun-Kyeong would have thought he was a different person from the man he had known.

“As we have a gate raid tomorrow, let’s drink together next time.”

If that was what he wanted, then that was fine. Yeo Seong-Gu had his own reasons, but it was a pitiful sight to see him refrain from his own tastes though.

A simple conversation ensued about the Tutorial and future endeavors. As Kim Su-Yeong had been assigned as Lee Jun-Kyeong’s manager, they would often see each other from this point. For D-Rank Hunters or higher, it was common for them to have managers assigned from the Hunter Association.

“Speaking about the future…”

Yeo Seong-Gu, who had decided to speak informally from a certain point in the conversation, spoke to Lee Jun-Kyeong. Yeo Seong-Gu was currently thirty, though he had been thirty even when Lee Jun-Kyeong had known him.

‘How long has he been hiding his real age?’

High-level Hunters, especially Hero-level Hunters, didn’t age or fall ill. Furthermore, it was rumored that as long as certain conditions were met, their lifespans could become unimaginably long. The Twelve Gods, for example, still existed in the distant future. While Lee Jun-Kyeong was momentarily distracted by other thoughts, Yeo Seong-Gu spoke, grabbing his attention.

“Have you considered the proposal?”

Gulp.

The carefree Kim Su-Yeong swallowed at the sudden question.

The League Guild was a guild that was currently considered promising in Korea, and he was their leader. Even though he was a D-Rank, it was still difficult to catch their interest as a recently awakened Hunter.

“I’m asking because, for some reason, I had the gut feeling that I couldn’t miss out on you. I don’t have any intentions of forcing you.”

The League Guild’s recruitment offer was straightforward. His sincerity was clear from his coming to visit a Hunter who had just awakened, even attending his housewarming. Lee Jun-Kyeong nodded.

“I’ve given it a lot of thought.”

It was the request of Yeo Seong-Gu, someone he was indebted to.

“I will have to decline.”

Lee Jun-Kyeong was adamant.

***

'Would it be okay to ask why?'

He remembered what had happened yesterday. Unlike Kim Su-Yeong’s shocked expression, Yeo Seong-Gu’s face had stayed calm.

‘While it could have been a little unfamiliar, it wasn’t a decision I could understand. Rather than being a problem for someone like you who wanted to become a battle Hunter, this would have been a promising proposal.’

It was true. Rejecting Yeo Seong-Gu’s proposal was an act that made absolutely no sense. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong still refused.

‘It’s dangerous.’

Regardless for him or Yeo Seong-Gu, it was risky. Lee Jun-Kyeong was someone who had returned to the past. There was a countless amount of information about future events stored within his mind. Furthermore, he had created a rough plan with this information in mind. Because he had the plan, it was dicey to become close to anyone.

Due to necessity.

Due to understanding.

“But if there ever is a time you need help, I’ll be there. I owe a huge debt to Hunter Yeo Seong-Gu.”

Kim Su-Yeong couldn’t contain his laughter anymore after hearing that. This wasn’t something a person who finally had just become a Hunter should be saying to the rising rookie Yeo Seong-Gu.

“I will remember that.”

Yeo Seong-Gu’s response was different. He had accepted Lee Jun-Kyeong’s words wholeheartedly and earnestly. Of course, he had misinterpreted the huge debt that the younger man had alluded to. Instead, he thought it was because he had saved Lee Jun-Kyeong from the cave.

“Kyaaaaaa!”

Lee Jun-Kyeong came to his senses to the sound of screaming. Suddenly, a huge iron gate had opened in front of him, from which a female Hunter came out. He was next in line for the test.

“Hunter No. 6, unfortunately, did not pass the exam. We recommend you either retake the Tutorial or try again at the next opportunity.”

Hunter No. 6 shed tears. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong didn’t pay any attention to her. Because he was the next in line.

"Are you ready, Hunter No. 7?"

"Ready," he said, standing up. Only by passing the exam would he be able to participate in the graduation ceremony tomorrow.

‘The benefits the Association would give me would increase…’

If he was able to show good results in the ceremony, he would be able to get the attention of many others.

Attention.

The goal at this point was to get as much attention as possible. Without thinking any further, Lee Jun-Kyeong walked out with a shield in one hand and a spear in the other.

“I will explain it again,” Bae Sang-Su said to Lee Jun-Kyeong, who had stopped before the iron gate.

“The goal is to deal with the starving goblins. It’s okay if you can’t actually kill them all. I will decide if you have passed or not. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“There is no need to worry too much. They have been brainwashed so they can’t inflict fatal wounds that could lead to death.’

“Okay.”

Clank, clank, clank.

The vast iron gate began to rise. As the gate rose, a large and desolate room became visible.

“Keruruk.”

Within that place?was a chained goblin, with eyes red and bloodshot from hunger.

The goblin.

‘We?meet?again.’

The first being Lee Jun-Kyeong had met in this time was not a human but a goblin. At that point, he had somehow been able to deal with it using a strategy he had previously known.

‘It’s different this time.’

Not only was that method useless this time, but he also hadn't intended to use it either. He had awakened as a Hunter. This would be the first monster he faced after understanding his own condition and holding a weapon. Here, Lee Jun-Kyeong planned to test himself.

“Keruruk.”

The saliva dripping from the chained goblin’s mouth stretched and dripped from its chin. It was disgusting. However, Lee Jun-Kyeong calmly raised his shield and aimed his spear.

-When you're ready, raise your hand.

From the broadcasting system, Bae Sang-Su's voice echoed through the room.

"Whew."

Lee Jun-Kyeong exhaled calmly, and raised his hand.

-Start.

Rumble rumble.

The goblin rushed towards Lee Jun-Kyeong as soon as the chains were loosened. While he had no weapons, his long nails looked like he could tear a human into pieces.

Clang!

As the goblin rushed in,?Lee Jun-Kyeong pushed it back with his shield.

‘It’s bearable.’

Thankfully, his strength had not changed; the fallen goblin rushed toward Lee Jun-Kyeong again.

With a ringing bang, Lee Jun-Kyeong threw his shield and raised his spear.

Then.

Peuuk.

-Beep.

Two sounds rang out at the same time. One was the sound of flesh being pierced, and the other an alarm, signaling the end of the test.

-12 seconds… You have passed.

Thump.

The goblin collapsed to the floor with the spear that Lee Jun-Kyeong had thrown stuck firmly within its head.

Splat.

.

Like a fountain, the goblin’s green blood spurted up as Lee Jun-Kyeong retrieved his weapon.

Rumble rumble.

As the iron gate lifted again, Lee Jun-Kyeong turned around.

[<The Sky of the Apocalypse> is watching you.]

As the voice disappeared, the iron gate Lee Jun-Kyeong had passed through began to close.

1. This is overall strength, not physical weightlifting strength.

2. Roughly 14,000 USD

3. I didn’t know if I wanted to include this earlier, but I think it’s relevant now. ???, or Yeo Seong-Gu, has a really odd name? So if we drop the gu, and just have yeoseong (??), it means female or woman. Which is very contrasting with his Bald, manly appearance. However, it’s still alluded to quite often, as Yeo Seong-Gu is described to be very handsome, almost beautiful if it wasn’t for his bald head.