Ten years ago, the ‘System’ spread from Korea to the entire world. This ‘System’ infused new civilization into the world and birthed numerous famous players. Players like ‘Fist King’ Masanghyeon, who started as the Tutorial’s Endgame, and ‘Flame Emperor’ Gangsanggu became well-known.

Behind these well-known players, there was always the existence of impressive ‘Guardians.’ Little was known for certain about the Guardians. They are said to support players from behind, sometimes making demands of them. Some Guardians actively developed powerful players, while others led them to ruin. The Guardians were known as beings who ‘look down upon’ our play.

‘I’ve never heard of an Observer without a Name.’

I had no information about the Observer without a Name. It seemed to be a guardian who revealed their name early in the play. Given the obscurity, the title of Observer without a Name seemed quite fitting.

[‘The Observer without a Name wishes to bestow upon you an ‘Open Beta Privilege.’]

[You are given the Open Beta Privilege.]

‘Suddenly?’

I hadn’t done anything, yet I was being given a privilege. Normally, guardians only give rewards for actions that suit their taste.

‘I don’t know, but it must be good.’

It was said that many of the world’s top-ranked players received the ‘Open Beta Privilege.’ Perhaps it was a merit for those who started early.

‘3 percent probability. It’s a reward for surviving within that chance.’

That thought gave comfort. I didn’t understand why a talent-packed guardian would take notice of someone as untalented as myself, but as long as it wasn’t bad news, it was welcome.

[Due to the Open Beta Privilege, you have received ‘The Observer’s Dispassionate Eye.’]

[‘The Observer’s Dispassionate Eye’ has been applied.]

My thumping heart began to settle.

‘Uh…?’

My chest was still hot, but my head felt like it was cooling down. The sense of fear seemed to diminish.

‘This feels odd.’

In the midst of a battlefield. It felt like standing in the thick of a warzone.

‘This is the power of the System’s application.’

It was terrifying yet wondrous. I felt an eerie silence around me. Although people nearby were freaking out with exclamations of “What is this!”, those sounds seemed to naturally filter out. I was closer to feeling tranquil than anything else. It was hard to put into words, but that was the sensation.

‘The Observer’s Dispassionate Eye, huh.’

The name seemed appropriate. It felt as though I was a third party observing the situation.

[Tutorial has begun.]

[A Conditional Safe Zone has been declared.]

‘It’s really starting.’

Notification of the initiation of the ‘Tutorial’ reached my ears.

[The Tutorial quest will begin in 10 seconds.]

[10]

[9]

Due to an accident, the bus could go no further.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize. It is simply impossible to drive any further. I will open the door, so those of you who wish to walk, please do so.”

The fog was thick enough to be a natural disaster. No vehicle could move an inch.

“Damn it. What a mess first thing in the morning.”

Two men wearing glasses headed towards the exit. They seemed unaware of the ‘Tutorial notification.’ A sign they hadn’t been chosen as players.

[6]

[5]

The clock was ticking down. I couldn’t just sit still. I knew all too well what was about to unfold. I stood up abruptly and shouted at the men.

“Don’t move!”

Then I yelled forcefully at the bus driver as well.

“Close the door, now!”

“Yes… what?”

“Close the door, immediately!”

My urgency must have been convincing; the driver, though taken aback, complied. I owed an apology to the driver. The ten seconds were up too fast for explanations. I addressed the roughly eight people in the bus loudly.

“Don’t say anything, don’t move, don’t even open your eyes. Just stay still.”

The words came out in a rush. Whether they would be heeded, I had no idea. I must have seemed like a madman, but I had to do my best.

“Something unbelievable is going to happen. We could all die. So please, try your best to survive. For now, staying still is your best shot at living.”

That was all I could offer. There was no more time. I couldn’t cause a commotion. I had done what I could.

[‘The Observer without a Name has taken interest in your actions.’]

The countdown continued.

[2]

[1]

Events I had only read about in history books, subjects I had only engaged with through text, unfolded before my eyes.

[The Tutorial quest is starting.]

[‘The Intermediate Manager’ reveals itself.]

* * *

The bus. The space near the driver’s seat began to twist bizarrely. Something was emerging from it.

‘Intermediate Manager.’

They were called managers, but the most common name for them was ‘BJ.’ These were the BJs who acted as intermediaries between the ‘Guardians’ watching over us and the ‘Players’ actually playing the game.

At the sight of a human-like entity emerging from the distorted space, people were primarily frightened, then doubly so by its excessive beauty.

‘Female BJs are usually pretty.’

Among them, this BJ was beautiful enough to rival the top rankings. The BJ’s ethereal silvery hair and pale skin seemed unreal, almost divine, and the wings on her back made her look like an angelic being.

‘She is incredibly beautiful indeed.’

But I was unimpressed. Only a man stood with his mouth gaping, as if he’d never seen a woman of her caliber in his life.

“Wow…”

He audibly gulped.

‘But beauty is not everything.’

I didn’t know about this BJ, but BJs are not always friendly toward players. They are obsessed with how to connect players and guardians to earn ‘COIN.’ Not all of them, but most are.

And the woman spoke.

“My name is Senia. You have been chosen to undertake the Tutorial Quest.”

[Survive on the Tutorial Field for seven days.]

[You cannot leave the Tutorial Field.]

[Future difficulty levels are determined by the number of survivors.]

Senia. If a BJ was this memorable, I should recall her, but no memory came to mind. Seemingly, she was one of the earliest early Tutorial BJs. I already knew the famous ones that came after.

“What, what is this? Do you know something? Is it a film shoot?”

“…”

Senia gave a measured look at the man who had addressed her. No emotion crossed her face.

“You must use all your abilities to survive.”

“So tell us! What does that even mean?!”

He didn’t know what was good for him. Our level was barely 1. We were in no position to irreverently address a BJ. Fortunately, this BJ didn’t appear to be cruel. Had we been unlucky, that man could already have become a corpse right here.

According to people’s memoirs,

[‘The intermediate manager who called herself ‘Leytra’ sliced in half those who questioned her, saying, ‘I don’t recall allowing questions.’]

Such incidents were frequently mentioned. I didn’t pay much attention to the BJ. Her otherworldly beauty didn’t draw my eye either. By default, I do not trust BJs. After all, to most of them, we are a means to make money.

‘More importantly…’

I want to live. I glanced outside the window. Thick fog remained.

‘The Primordial Fog.’

This fog silences sounds. According to Fist King Masanghyun’s memoirs—Tutorial’s Endgame who later gained fame as a ranker—this fog not only dampens sound but also skews direction sense.

‘It’s a well-known device seen in numerous dungeons.’

Until the great explorer ‘Jackson’ found a solution, the ‘Primordial Fog’ was one of many frustrating mechanisms.

‘To think it’s here in the Tutorial.’

The Tutorial we understood wasn’t typical. It’s supposed to be a friendly system that helps new users get accustomed to a game. However, the reality of the Tutorial in this world was different.

Ten years later. The ‘Tutorial’ in people’s estimation was this.

‘An opening scene for the Guardians.’

Humanity reduced to jesters in a game, putting on a spectacle for the superior beings ‘above.’ These beings, known as ‘Guardians,’ were ones that must eventually be destroyed. This was the very opening show for them, right here at the Tutorial Field in Jongro.

Then a man’s scream broke the silence. Something outside the window had caught his attention.

“Ins-Insane!”

At his cry, I opened my eyes for a moment. I bit my lip.

‘It has begun.’

It wasn’t hard to guess the reason behind the man’s scream. At the front of the bus, a few vertical red lines were drawn on the glass. Blood. It appeared that something bathed in blood had hit the glass and then fallen to the ground.

“Guh, gasp…!”

“What the hell is this?”

“Was, was that just now? It’s blood!”

Meanwhile, BJ Senia disappeared. She was likely moving swiftly elsewhere to garner the attention of many Guardians on the Tutorial Field.

I didn’t see what it was. Could be a human arm, leg, or possibly even a head.

‘I told them to stay still.’

But that’s easier said than done, especially when a dismembered corpse flies to the windshield of the bus. How can anyone remain calm in such a moment? Despite hearing ‘stay still,’ how could they possibly act on it?

‘Stay calm.’

[‘The Observer’s Dispassionate Eye’ is being applied.]

With the notification, I was able to remain composed. Thanks to the Open Beta Privilege, I didn’t lose my cool. I continued to visualize the situation in my head.

‘The first to appear are goblins.’

The first monsters to emerge here were ‘goblins.’ Small humanoid creatures of green hue, goblins stood between 80 cm and 1 meter tall, stronger and nimbler than an average adult man. Their defining features were pointed ears and long tongues.

‘A dreadful hobby.’

Goblins had the ghastly hobby of dismembering humans. Outside, they were probably indulging in that pastime, butchering weak humans encountering monsters for the first time.

[Many noises and movements are detected.]

[The goblin horde is becoming excited.]

[The first goblin assault begins.]

[Goblin forces start invading the area around Jongro.]

Thuds! Thuds! Thuds!

The sounds reached my ears.

Though faint, I could hear the strange cries of Kekeke! Kiekah! It was a familiar sound to me, one I had heard often on YouTube.

‘The cries of goblins.’

The thudding was likely coming from goblins climbing on cars and trampling over them. And another alert came.

[‘The Observer without a Name finds your actions interesting.’]

As the Tutorial Field commenced, a flood of other information washed over me. How to access the ‘Status Window’ to check my stats. How to open the inventory. Such information flowed effortlessly into my mind.

I accessed the Status Window as if I had been playing for a long time, the whole process feeling surprisingly natural, as if I had always known how.

‘Status Window.’

All I could do now was to understand my situation fully. I had to make the best use of the limited time I had left.

The Status Window opened, and within it unfolded something unbelievable.