novelraw Chapter 4 : Chapter 4
Chapter 4 : Chapter 4
Chapter 4. The Beginning of the Main Story (4)
"This world we live in divides Players into ranks. From F-Rank to Hero-Rank. It might sound like a cruel story, but..."
The professor's voice coming from the platform.
A voice with a constant tone that automatically induced sleep.
As proof, several students were repeatedly banging their heads on the desk and waking up.
So, if you ask why I am listening to such a boring lecture...
'I can't believe classes weren't over for the day.'
At Im Seong-cheol's words, I thought there were no more classes today and tried to return, but that wasn't the case.
What Im Seong-cheol said meant his class was over.
For me, who was rejoicing thinking classes were over, it was news like a bolt from the blue.
"...Therefore, the purpose of Glory's establishment here is to raise you all into Hero-Rank Players. However, that path will definitely not be easy. Let's see... Ah! The student with short black hair sitting in the second row there."
It was then.
The professor with a benevolent face suddenly pointed out a student.
But if it's short black hair in the second row...
'It's me?'
The guys sitting in my row all had hair dyed in brilliant colors.
Maybe because of that, my undyed black hair felt like it stood out more.
Why is everyone so interested in an extra?
However, one cannot ignore a professor's call.
I eventually stood up from my seat and answered the professor's call.
"Yes."
"Your name is... Cadet Choi Yu-seong. Then, could student Choi Yu-seong please explain a bit about Hero-Rank Players?"
If it's that much, it's easy.
Ahem! I cleared my throat and began the explanation.
"Hero-Rank Players are the highest rank in the Player ranks, which are divided into 8 stages. However, it is said that only 1% rise from S-Rank, the 7th highest rank, to Hero-Rank."
In this world, Heroes have a definite standard.
Usually, those who step forward for the people were called heroes, but here, only definite performance allowed Players to be called Heroes.
Of course, the heroes I admire are irrelevant to such standards.
I caught my breath for a moment and continued the remaining explanation.
"The reason lies in the conditions to rise to a Hero-Rank Player, because a vicious condition is attached that one must have cleared A-Rank or higher Gates more than 100 times."
"Good! You may sit now."
Fortunately, it seemed my answer pleased the professor.
Well, I spoke while even using the ability of the Gear, so how could he not like it?
There was a drawback that I had to manifest the will to recall for it to surface, but it's fine.
Compared to that damn EX-Class ability, it's a penalty akin to a fairy.
"Now. As Cadet Choi Yu-seong just explained, Hero-Rank Players are..."
Even after that, the professor continued his explanation.
While maintaining the miraculous tone of voice that made people incredibly sleepy.
At that professor's voice, I also had no choice but to succumb.
Eventually, like the majority of the cadets, I gently laid my head on the desk.
'Mmm.......'
Then, as if by magic, my eyelids grew heavy.
"...Seong-ah."
Ah. A deep sleep at school, felt after a long time.
How could it be this sweet?
"...Yu-seong-ah."
Perhaps this is the only drug permitted to students?
To think sleeping is happier if done at school even though it's the same sleep; truly a strange thing.
"Choi Yu-seong!!"
"Uh-huh?!"
Suddenly, a thunderous shout was heard.
At that sound, I had no choice but to give up my happy sleep.
Who the hell is it?
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and turned my head to check who the guy was that stole my sleep.
"Kim Su-hyeok?"
...In that spot stood our dear Mr. Protagonist.
"Classes are all over. Must have not slept properly last night?"
"Huh, huh?"
At the words of Kim Su-hyeok, who was wearing a good-natured smile, I turned my head.
Then what I saw was a classroom empty without a single cadet.
Only then could I know how long I had slept.
"There's dormitory assignment now, so hurry and go. Ah! Before you go, you have to receive your weapon too, so go see the instructor."
"Uh. Thanks..."
"Don't mention it. I'll get going now!"
Kim Su-hyeok waved his hand at me and disappeared somewhere.
Staring blankly at that figure, I also waved my hand along.
By the way...
'To think my first line was "Uh-huh".'
Since coming to this world, I had always agonized over what words to say for the first greeting.
Because greeting the protagonist of the novel I loved most was an incredibly heart-pounding event.
So, "Hello?", "Nice to meet you?", "Hey, friend?", etc. I agonized so much, but.
'In the end, it became "Uh-huh". A bastard like me became "Uh-huh".......'
Sigh.
Why does nothing in life go according to plan...
Eventually, I left the empty classroom and moved my lonely steps toward where the instructor was.
Those steps were even lonelier than when I was going to school in the morning.
***
After all classes ended, the hallway of the Academy looked a bit chilly.
"Hey! Kim Su-hyeok!!"
A girl's clear and ringing voice resonated there.
At that voice, Kim Su-hyeok turned his head and made a surprised expression.
"Oh? Eun-ha, didn't you go back to the dormitory?"
"I was just looking around the school~."
Ha Eun-ha wore a broad smile toward Kim Su-hyeok.
"You're living pointlessly busy yourself, aren't you?"
She said while looking back at the classroom Kim Su-hyeok came out of.
At Ha Eun-ha's words, Kim Su-hyeok laughed brightly.
"Haha, I'm a bit like that, right? But I can't just leave him be."
"Idiot. I was being sarcastic just now......."
Ha Eun-ha, who sighed at Kim Su-hyeok's reaction, soon made a face as if something fun came to mind.
"Come to think of it, the kids were mocking him earlier, did you hear?"
"Huh? They did?"
"Other kids were mocking him for choosing the exact same weapon without a secondary armament, just like you~. Saying, who is the 899th rank to copy the 1st rank."
"What?"
At Ha Eun-ha's words, Kim Su-hyeok distorted his face as if he didn't like it.
"Among Players, there are many besides me who use a one-handed sword without a secondary armament. It is not right to say he is copying just because of that."
"That's true. Maybe the kids just didn't like him because he's rank 899~?"
Ha Eun-ha giggled as she spoke.
"So, what do you think? Do you think he copied? Your observational skills have been amazing since middle school. You must have observed him while talking earlier, right?"
She stared intently at Kim Su-hyeok with eyes asking him to speak quickly after throwing the question.
Eventually, Kim Su-hyeok let out a sigh and opened his mouth with an expression of defeat.
"...I saw traces of effort."
"Hmm?"
"His hands were full of calluses; I saw traces of effort. It means he didn't copy."
"Eeh, boring. I'm leaving."
Ha Eun-ha, whose interest cooled quickly at the boring answer, went her own way.
Kim Su-hyeok shook his head from side to side at her reaction, which had always been like that since middle school.
People usually mature as they age, but how can she be so consistent?
Kim Su-hyeok, who was thinking such thoughts, soon muttered as if something came to mind.
"Right. Since we came to a new school, there must be a new training room too!"
Kim Su-hyeok said so and wore a bright smile.
Kim Su-hyeok, who always trains without rest.
To someone like him, a trivial thing like seeing a new training room was a form of happiness.
"Then I should go check out the training room."
***
After receiving the weapon from Instructor Im Seong-cheol, I recalled what I saw earlier while heading to the dormitory.
"Come to think of it, Kim Su-hyeok and Ha Eun-ha were together, right?"
The two are middle school alumni, so it wasn't strange.
Besides them, I remember the setting was that Ryu Jin-oh and Ju Ha-yeon also graduated from the same middle school.
"Pitiful, Kim Su-hyeok."
At this time, Ha Eun-ha was probably known for her pain-in-the-ass... no, her reckless personality.
Kim Su-hyeok, who is close to Ha Eun-ha, must be tolerating that.
"I wonder if I can fit in between them later~."
It would be nice if I could.
Thinking that, I opened the door of the assigned dormitory.
"Oh. It's better than I thought?"
What unfolded inside was scenery like a family home of roughly 30 pyeong.
Considering the house I was originally in before entering here, it was practically a mansion.
Air conditioner, heater, refrigerator, bed. Everything is there without exception.
It was when I was looking around the place where I would live for the next 3 years.
Beep-ring-!!
"Why a text all of a sudden?"
The quiet phone rang loudly.
No matter how much I think, there's nowhere to contact me... Is it a game advertisement text?
How on earth did they know my phone number?
I sighed and checked the text.
However, upon checking the sender's name, I had no choice but to be astonished.
[Sender: ckdwhwk1]
"...The author?"
Why this person all of a sudden?
For a moment, various emotions surfaced, but I quickly buried them.
I decided not to reveal any personal emotions that could ruin my thoughts.
Besides, since the text came with the caller ID restricted anyway, it was impossible to argue or anything.
Therefore, I decided to check the content of the text first.
[Exercise influence on the determined fate of the world.]
If I saw this without knowing anything, it might have been content that made me wonder what kind of bullshit this was suddenly.
However, as the current me, I could know at once what the author intended to say through this text.
"...Influence Points."
What comes to mind hearing the word 'influence' is naturally Influence Points.
Since it was a problem I was racking my brains over until the first day of school anyway, I could recall it immediately.
"Influence on the determined fate of the world, huh......."
It is not difficult to understand.
Doesn't it literally mean to write a story different from the original novel I read?
It seemed to mean that if I intervene in that, I can probably earn points.
"Then there is no reason to refuse."
Considering my purpose in the first place, it was an obvious story.
My purpose is to change the fate of the heroes who had to meet sad deaths.
In that process, my intervention could be seen as a set procedure.
If I move to save the heroes, points will follow simultaneously. It was a problem that could be thought of simply like this.
Of course, there were parts where questions arose.
"To receive Influence Points, do I have to operate openly?"
It is a bit ambiguous whether influence is recognized even if I move from behind, or if I need the recognition of others to be acknowledged.
Still, it wasn't like I was dying of curiosity.
After all, this was a part I could find out very soon.
With so many events about to happen, would there be no time to figure this one thing out?
Rather than that, the immediate problem I faced was more important.
"Damn Virtual Combat Training."
That I have to participate in the Virtual Combat Training occurring in two days.
Since this was training executed to gauge skills to some extent against the entire first year, I can't even skip it.
And on the day of the Virtual Combat, there won't be any occasion for me to use 'Embodiment of Admiration'.
"Because there isn't really anything to earn Influence Points from until then."
No matter how much the world is flowing towards catastrophe, it wasn't so messed up that a major incident would occur just two days after admission.
That means in the upcoming Virtual Combat Training, I have to rely solely on my Swordsmanship Talent.
In short, I have to participate in the Virtual Combat relying entirely on my own abilities.
"Sigh, nothing is easy."
When reading the novel, I really liked this part because I could know the protagonist's abilities.
Now that I think I have to do it, it's just terrible.
"...Well, what can I do about it. I should just go to the training room."
Even if it's terrible, what can be done?
If told to do it, doing it is the truth of the world.
And if I have to do it anyway, wouldn't at least minimum preparation be necessary?
Therefore, I got up from my seat and left the dormitory.
Now it was time to put down the comfortable moment and go feel the bitterness.