Chapter 5
How to choose a Profession according to the type of Initial Skill, how to choose a weapon according to the new Profession, how to distribute stat points with maximum efficiency, the geography and environment of the gates in South Korea, information on monsters residing in the gates, the types of quests and effective tactics, the physiology of urban gates, and so on—Lion’s Castle faithfully taught its students knowledge essential for players.
“....As the Strength stat increases, so too does your Strength. In addition, the Strength stat also has some effect on your speed and defense. But speed, and visual acuity for that matter, is chiefly the domain of the Agility stat. Note—Increases to your Agility stat also bring minor improvements to all of your senses… ”
Contrary to Kim Jin-Myeong and the other students’ concerns, Jae-Hyeok was enthusiastic about class. He was focused and he took notes.
“Is there anyone who doesn’t know this? Ordinary people know about it, right?” One student whispered, clearly bored.
“...There are two ways to earn more stat points: you either level up or clear quests. When you level up, your main stat increases by two points while your other stats increase by one. You will also be awarded some stat points when you complete quests.”
“How many are ‘some’?” Jae-Hyeok asked.
Kin Jin-Myeong was immediately annoyed. “Depends on the quest. Don’t you even know that?”
“Well, no. That’s why I’m here.”
Jin-Myeong just breathed. After a moment, he peeled his eyes from Jae-Hyeok and continued his lecture, “Your… main stats are defined and set by the Profession you choose. A typical close-combat Profession, for example, will have Strength, Stamina, and Agility set as its main stats.
“Ideally, you choose a Profession that will raise your current highest stat-categories into your main stats. But this is rarely practical.
“No matter the stats you’ve awakened with, the Skill in your Initial Skill slot should ultimately determine your Profession. Thus, if the Initial Skill slot is occupied by a magic-type Skill, you should choose a magic-type Profession, even if Strength is your highest stat. Additionally—”
Jae-Hyeok commented, “But how could there be such an idiot? An unawakened who trains their strength should postpone their awakening until they get a close-combat Skill, right?
The rest of the students groaned internally. Putting aside Jae-Hyeok’s passion, his attitude was a problem.
Even Kim Jin-Myeong was left speechless and rethinking his future. At the rate Jae-Hyeok was interrupting, how would he finish his lectures?
Each teacher was limited on the number of demerit points they could give to the same student. It was a per-semester limit.
If it weren’t for this limit… Kim Jin-Myeon imagined himself drowning Jae-Hyeok in demerit points, expelling him, and teaching a nice, quiet first period… until Jae-Hyeok’s voice shattered his revelry.
“Hello?”
“That’s a stupid question. Developing a Skill for the Initial Skill slot requires you to push yourself to the limit for an average of ten years. It takes extreme work and time to develop a Skill. Every student in Class B has gone through this. It’s a basic fact. Moving on—”
“But wouldn’t it be faster if you exceeded your limit instead of just stopping at your limit?“
“Kang Jae-Hyeok!” Kim Jin-Myeong shouted, but his voice rapidly softened, “Kang Jae-Hyeok, considering that you are only sixteen years old, you must’ve developed your Initial Skill in five- or six years. And considering your line of questions, it seems you even got a Skill that complemented your stats. That’s good for you. But the vast majority of people aren’t so lucky—and they certainly don’t want to hear from you how they should simply spend another decade developing another Initial Skill.”
Unlike the lucky Jae-Hyeok, less than one percent of players developed an ideal Initial Skill from the start. Even those who dreamed of becoming advanced players often weren’t so lucky. Of those who were determined, they often had to endure more than two decades of suffering just for another chance at a decent Initial Skill.
Kim Jin-Myeong concluded, “Rid yourself of the delusion that every awakener is as lucky as you. It’s an insult to the less fortunate. Now, please, sit quietly and listen, understand?”
“But I haven’t awakened?”
“...”
Was this brat a parrot in his previous life? Kim Jin-Myeong was tired. Even his anger had been drained away.
Kim Jin-Myeong turned and resumed class with a wooden smile, ignoring Jae-Hyeok.
***
—Little brother, I’m sorry. I couldn’t hold back my anger and beat up the president of the association…for an hour. But I controlled my power just right, so I probably didn’t kill him. In any case, if I wander around the family house right now, the association will find a justification to turn it upside down. If that happened, I wouldn’t have the face to see my ancestors, right? So I’ll be away for a while, little brother. Listen to your older sister and take care of our father until the day I return.
“You irresponsible bastard. You’re the eldest son... Hello? Hello! Hey! Kang Dae-Seong!”
...
—Hehe, sorry. I got caught trying to bomb the Capitol and kidnap the president. That damn adjutant made a fuss... In any case, don’t worry about your older sister! I will eat and sleep well in my cell! Yes, it’s just fifteen years or so of chewing gum! I’ll kill that bastard adjutant with my own hands later! Listen to Du-Na and take care of our father!
“You... just rot in prison.”
...
-I’m leaving for training—it won’t be in South Korea. There are too many restrictions here due to Oppa and Unnie.
“If you leave… I will be the only one at home… ”
-Is that a big deal? You aren’t a child.
“I’m only eight!”
...
Jae-Hyeok often had nightmares. A frequent one made him relive the series of calls he’d gotten from his siblings when he had been eight. At that time, he’d gotten a different call each day for three days.
They were irredeemable bastards.
If he weren’t here, all of the Yaksha’s children would be stigmatized as madmen.
***
“Hey look—he’s that Kang madman.”
“Is that true? I couldn’t even believe it when I heard it.”
“Well, having seen him yell in front of the girls’ bathroom for Cheon Hye-Ji to come out… it seems true.”
“The younger brother of the fugitive Kang Dae-Seong and the traitor Kang Hyeon-Ah…. Seems like it’s in their blood.”
On the way to the cafeteria during lunch break, Jae-Hyeok felt a lot of stinging gazes. The news that the Yaksha’s son was transferred here seemed to have spread throughout the school.
Jae-Hyeok groaned.
He’d been in a low mood since this morning. It was hard for him to communicate with the teacher, and the students’ levels were ridiculously low. Even looking around now, most of the students walking on the street were off balance. They had no idea how to handle their own bodies, which was proof that they’d neglected their training.
And some of the lessons involve group exercises, too, which is going to be a headache…
Father… Why did you devote yourself to these people? I feel sorry for the blood and sweat you shed to protect your country’s future. It makes my stomach twist.
But above all, what Jae-Hyeok really found annoying was the situation with demerit points.
Lion’s Castle evaluated students strictly based on their grades and number of demerit points. There was a rule that those who accumulated too many demerit points would be expelled from school, regardless of status.
The criterion for expulsion was fifty demerit points. Meanwhile, Jae-Hyeok had already been penalized ten points on the first day of school. He couldn’t help being unhappy.
“Ohu.”
Still, Jae-Hyeok’s frown quickly vanished when he arrived at the cafeteria.
In the middle of the cafeteria, there were piles of food arranged buffet-style. It was enough to fill more than a thousand bellies, and all the new aromas enchanted Jae-Hyeok. How did Butler Hwang ever become a butler when he’s not even a cook?
Butler Hwang wasn’t good at cooking. He could grind low-fat meat, vegetables, and nuts to make porridge; or grind fish and dried vegetables to make porridge; or grind eggs and nutritional supplements to make porridge...
Often, Butler Hwang had even served dog food with nutritious ingredients under the excuse that Jae-Hyeok had to eat healthy to grow well.
Jae-Hyeok was used to swinging his sword from the time he woke up to the time he fell asleep, and thanks to Butler Hwang, he even had to remain alert and cautious during mealtime.
Well, I suppose it is in part thanks to Butler Hwang that I managed to train my mind, Jae-Hyeok thought seriously.
Butler Hwang was an important person to Jae-Hyeok. He struggled to see anything Butler Hwang did as wrong.
“Hey.”
I’ll go for the bread this time.
Jae-Hyeok’s expression brightened even more as he grabbed two plates. In the morning, he had eaten the rice—and he couldn’t help eating a whole seven bowls. It tasted much better than the porridge at home. Now, he was going to try all the types of bread for lunch.
There’s got to be around fifty types of bread here.
“Hey.”
Wow, is this fried bread? With a smile, Jae-Hyeok continued piling bread into a tower on his plate.
“Hey!”
“...?”
Jae-Hyeok paused to look up.
A little boy with unkempt hair was staring at him.
The boy reminded Jae-Hyeok of a flame, not because of his red hair, which resembled a lion’s mane, but because of his blazing eyes. They gave off a strange aura, and Jae-Hyeok could sense a fierce anger and longing hidden within.
Jae-Hyeok was familiar with such eyes. They were something he’d seen every day in the mirror for a long time. “What do you want?”
“You’re a first-year student, right? You cut in line.”
“...?”
No matter how bad he was at socializing, even Jae-Hyeok knew it was common sense to wait in line. He’d learned at least this much from Butler Hwang.
He hadn’t cut the line.
Still, Jae-Hyeok supposed an accident was possible. He decided to be reasonable. “Maybe you’re so small that I didn’t see you?”
The boy’s mouth immediately turned into a flat line. “You’re… talking about me?”
“Who else?” Je-Hyeok stared at the boy strangely.
The boy closed his eyes for a moment; then he opened his eyes and unclenched his small hand to point a somewhat shaky finger at Jae-Hyeok. “…Apologize.”
Apologize?
Him?
Jae-Hyeok frowned. He’d already been civil, and now the boy wanted to make him apologize? Jae-Hyeok pointed a finger back at him. “You apologize.”
“Me?... Are… you dumb?”
Jae-Hyeok refused to be bullied. “Are you? No matter what, it’s your fault—sneaking around with your small body, it’s like you wanted to trick me into cutting the line. Are you trying to turn me into a villain? If someone should apologize, it should be you.”
The red-haired boy lowered his finger.
His whole body started to shake.
When he started growling, the students watching the situation panicked.
Year Two, Class B student Baek Do-Jin.
Baek Do-Jin was famous for having a terrible temper, especially when being called small; that comment always sent his eyes rolling into the back of his head.
There was a reason Baek Do-Jin was nicknamed Rabid Dog. Second- and third-year students knew him well. First-year students, however, usually learned the hard way.
“Kyaak!”
Baek Do-Jin roared and swung his hand vigorously.
Hmph, I thought I liked the look in his eyes. Jae-Hyeok’s eyes shone. The boy’s center of balance was rock-steady as he moved and attacked. Jea-Hyeok also noted the streaks of developed muscle in the boy’s forearms. He looks like he’s been training with a heavy weapon. Jae-Hyeok could see at a glance how much of an effort the boy had invested to overcome his small physique. He was satisfied. This enraged little boy was the only student he’d encountered in half a day who reached his expectations.
I should make him join my team for the group exercises.
The little boy was jumping around like a monkey, and the more they exchanged blows, the more Jae-Hyeok liked him. Although he looked angry, he was fighting properly. Every time his technique failed to reach Jae-Hyeok, he immediately switched to another.
What’s with this guy? Baek Do-Jin thought.
Jae-Hyeok’s smile grew deeper at the same rate Baek Do-Jin’s expression grew stiffer.
Dammit, cheeky first-year, just wait until I catch you.
Baek Do-Jin went for Jae-Hyeok’s wrist. At this point, he just wanted to grab whatever part of Jae-Hyeok he could and start twisting. But no matter what he did, it felt like he was swatting at a ghost, and every time he came close, Jae-Hyeok easily knocked his fists away.
An awakener? Does he have a passive Skill?
It felt like he was being swept away by a vortex.
Like his body was being led according to the other person’s will.
This can’t continue. Do-Jin clenched his fists and fully unleashed his Strength stat. You brought this on yourself. Don’t blame me if you get hurt. Part of an awakener’s courses included monster hunting and leveling up. A recently awakened freshman was likely still level 1; meanwhile, as a second-year, Do-Jin was over level 20.
The muscles in Do-Jin’s forearms swelled as he clenched his fists and attacked.
The light in Jae-Hyeok’s eyes dimmed. Ah, he got too excited. He’s overextended and put himself off balance. Jae-Hyeok clicked his tongue and slapped the back of Do-Jin’s hand, redirecting the trajectory of the attack.
Do-Jin stepped back, surprised. Are his stats higher than mine? If Jae-Hyeok’s stats were higher, that meant only one thing…
This freshman’s level is higher than mine?
Do-Jin Do-Jin spoke, “You’re… an aristocrat?”
Aristocrats were different from the start. After they awakened, advanced players from their families would take them along to attack gates. In this way, the young heirs would fill up their second- and third Skill slots as a matter of course, and their level would increase at a tremendous pace. This practice was known as power-leveling, and it was a staple of the aristocracy.
“You have recognized my great lineage.” Jae-Heok straightened his back and stretched out his hand gracefully. Having taken a liking to the boy, he decided it was time to stop fighting and introduce himself.
“Yes, I am the sole successor to the great Kang family. I am Kang Jae—”
A bowl landed on Jae-Hyeok’s head, and its warm contents flowed down his face.
“—Porridge?”
Why the fuck is there porridge?
Jae-Hyeok cursed, “Fuck, it’s always porridge. Wherever I go, it’s always goddamn porridge… ”
Do-Jin stepped back in surprise. There was nothing for it. That bowl had left his fingers before Jae-Hyeok started talking. By the time the porridge had finished its arc, Jae-Hyeok was in the middle of introducing himself with a smile.
Jae-Hyeok glared. “Brat, I’ll kill you!”
“U-uh?”
“You’re dead!”
“Kyaaaaa!”
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