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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Descent into the Ninth Tutorial
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Month one.
It didn't feel like much had changed.
Maybe my posture had improved a bit? That was about it.
I still wasn't used to bare-handed combat at all.
I'd never even been to one of those common taekwondo dojos as a kid.
Swordsmanship was the same.
My grip strength was so weak that dropping the sword happened all the time.
So what I focused on was memorizing monster vital points.
You see what you know.
Studying chased away the vague fear.
Even the toughest-looking monsters had clear "weak points." Knowing that was a comfort.
Maybe because I'd done some drawing in my time.
I picked up on bone and muscle movement easily, and thanks to that, I mastered vital point targeting.
Month two.
Finally, noticeable changes appeared.
I could feel my stamina improving on my own.
It wasn't just the training—regular sleep and steady nutrition helped a lot.
The instructors said even though I wasn't the type to build muscle easily, I was keeping up well.
Unlike the others, I threw myself into training without complaint, so they took good care of me.
One even joked that I shouldn't die.
And finally.
Month three.
I got pretty comfortable with bare-handed fighting, and dropping the sword was a thing of the past.
I'd gotten stronger, in my own way.
Of course, it was still just regular person level.
By Hunter standards, I was hopeless.
They said maybe I could beat a goblin if I got lucky.
"Tomorrow's finally the day you enter the Tutorial."
After the last training session, the combat instructor looked at me with a bittersweet smile.
"Thank you for everything."
"I just did my job. Thank you, actually. It's been ages since I saw someone train this diligently..."
"You all went out of your way to help me. Of course I had to work hard."
I bowed my head politely.
"Come back safe, and we'll grab some grilled pork belly and soju."
"You got it!"
Grilled pork belly and soju.
Maybe because I hadn't touched booze since coming here.
It sounded tempting.
But that was for when everyone made it back safe.
That night, I ate dinner just once, took a light walk, and went to bed early.
The cook looked disappointed that I wasn't eating more.
But it was my choice to keep my body light.
Say what you will.
Staying alive would be nice, right?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Tutorial entry day arrived.
Since entry dates align with climber registration, there were five of us total, including me.
Two were people I'd never spoken to.
One was the guy who picked fights with me every time we crossed paths in the cafeteria.
And the last was the "you know" uncle who strutted around pretending he'd swung a sword before.
We headed to the space prepared for Tutorial entry.
The end of the training hall corridor.
The door that was always locked swung open.
"Finally..."
A stark white room, like a lab, welcomed us.
In the center sat a plush chair, with a wall of mirrors opposite it.
Behind those mirrors, Babel Tower Climber Management Bureau staff were probably watching us.
Coldly evaluating who would survive.
Along with our data so far.
Gulp.
No matter how hard I tried not to be nervous, the atmosphere made it impossible.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Babel Tower Climber Aspirants, welcome. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Please take your seats in the chairs labeled with your names.
I sat in the center chair with my name on it.
Then,
Clank.
My wrists and ankles locked into the chair.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ This restrains your bodies in preparation for accidents.
Holograms of various articles popped up on the mirror.
When exiting dungeons, the ejection sensation could throw off your balance.
If you were unlucky, you might fall backward after the Tutorial and die from a concussion.
This massage-chair-like seat was plush to prevent that.
Even if it bound your limbs.
"Damn, this is uncomfortable..."
Someone grumbled from the left.
Cafeteria grumbler.
"I didn't commit any crime, so why tie me to this shitty chair..."
Uncle was muttering curses from the right.
Why these two, of all people?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Your Tutorial entry begins now. Say "Babel Tower Entry" aloud, then answer "Yes." We wish all aspirants good fortune.
The dry mechanical voice cut off abruptly.
"Babel Tower Entry."
The moment I said it aloud, my vision brightened, and a translucent window appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Would you like to enter the Tutorial?]
Saying "Babel Tower Entry" transported you there instantly.
But just once, the Tutorial asked for confirmation.
Like a final chance.
The moment I went to say "Yes."
"I-I can't do it...!"
"Cancel! I want to cancel! I can't do this!"
Terror-stricken voices came from both sides.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Climbing refusal is not permitted.
The dry mechanical voice returned.
Climbing refusal is not permitted.
Obviously. We'd signed contracts to be here.
Crime immunity, debt forgiveness—those weren't free.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You are all talents who have completed training for Tutorial entry.
This time, not mechanical—a human voice, just as dry.
Someone behind the mirror, probably.
They called us "talents," but there was zero expectation in the tone.
The familiar delivery suggested this happened often.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ So please, face the challenge bravely.
"Bravely? Screw your brave!"
"You do it, you son of a bitch!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ...Allow me to repeat. Restraints will not release until Tutorial entry. Consider carefully what that means.
No need to think carefully.
Enter the Tutorial?
Or sit bound, shitting and pissing yourself in the chair?
Now maybe not, but two or three days like this, and you'd beg to say "Yes."
Better leave before seeing that filth.
"Yes."
I answered short and firm.
And at once, it felt like passing through a massive wall...
Like walking through an air curtain at a door.
Or riding an elevator in a skyscraper.
Or strapped into a plummeting roller coaster.
"Gasp!"
When I came to.
Everything had changed.
No white lab room, no mirror wall, no binding chair.
Pitch black around me.
Couldn't even see my feet looking down.
Tutorials 5, 9, 13, 20, and 21 were dark ones requiring caution.
And this place was...
"Damn."
Not far off, a pale green glow flickered and faded.
Night moss.
They called it glow lichen.
Meaning this was Tutorial 9.
Tutorial 9.
Underground Cave Survival War.
A maze-like cave splitting multiple ways—you just had to survive till the time limit.
Survival War, they called it, but the labyrinth made it exponentially harder.
Survival rate: 0.5%.
Extreme. Hellish.
In short, I was as good as dead.
I'd never thought of myself as lucky.
But.
Couldn't it have been a standard Tutorial 1 this time?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Lee Tae-pyeong] [Babel Tower Entries: 1] [Granting entry commemorative trait.]
Right.
The trait.
They said you'd get it right upon Tutorial entry.
There was still a chance.
If a good trait popped...
✨ TRAIT ACQUIRED ✨ Trait: Heavenly Murder Star
Hm?
Heavenly Murder Star?
⚡ SKILL GRANTED ⚡ Skill: Talent for Murder
I knew from diligently attending training that you'd get a trait and skill upon Tutorial entry.
And that traits and skills were linked.
But... what the hell was this?
Heavenly Murder Star.
天殺星.
Heaven's killer star.
The being chosen by the heavens to wash the world in blood.
That cliché from wuxia novels...
A psycho killer?
Heaven-chosen or whatever—
Just a straight-up murderer.
And Talent for Murder?
What kind of edgelord skill was this?
So damn vague, too.
I'd trained expecting something standard like Talent or Skill.
This was baffling.
Screee!
That's when it happened.
A shrill cry.
No human or normal animal could make that sound.
"...!"
I turned. About a meter tall, bipedal rat stood there.
Brandishing a knife, no less.
'Ratman!'
One of Tutorial 9's races.
Practically blind, but acute smell and hearing, blindingly fast.
Ratman incisors were vicious—once they bit, that chunk was gone.
'What do I do?'
Answer was set.
Tutorial 9 was "Survival War."
Unlike Extermination where you killed everything, just stay alive till time's up.
'Then, run first.'
Safer that way.
Instructors always said not every fight was smart.
Ratmen had poor eyesight.
And we were a good distance apart now.
So, if I moved carefully...
Crack!
Right.
I had the vision debuff too.
One step, and something crunched underfoot.
Screee!!
The Ratman charged straight at me.
Zeroing in on the sound, swinging its knife wildly.
One hit from that blade...
I'd die.
Dodge!
Wham!!
But my body moved opposite.
Not fleeing the wrong way.
My fist shot out, dodging the slash and smashing the Ratman's jaw.
Scree... k...
The sudden counter staggered it.
I didn't miss the opening.
Thud!!
A kick to its fuzzy belly.
The Ratman collapsed without a scream.
Splat!
Its body hit the damp cave floor.
Snap!!
I stomped its neck, shattering it.
Instant death.
The Ratman's life snuffed out.
"..."
What just happened?
I was dumbfounded.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart pounded wildly.
From fear?
No...
Excitement.
'Excitement?'
Am I insane? Why get thrilled in this?
'No way...'
The Heavenly Murder Star?
Still dazed, I pried the knife from the dead Ratman's hand.
Insanely rusty...
But better than nothing.
Gripping it lightly, my heart raced faster.
Like I could kill anything.
Confidence?
No.
Something different.
As natural as breathing...
Screee!!
Screee!!
Before I could name the sensation.
Ratmen cries echoed from afar. They were coming.