The Lion King’s Proposal

I closed my eyes, focusing on the hologram window that only I could see before me. Even with my eyes shut, the hologram window was clearly visible. As I reviewed it again with closed eyes, I still couldn’t believe the results on my status window.

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[Status Window]

Name: Kim Hyukjin (Player)

Level: 1

Title: –

Strength: 10 Intelligence: 12

Agility: 11 Sense: 11

Stamina: 10 Mental Power: 13(+30)

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‘Is this really my stat?’

It was higher than I thought.

‘What’s with this?’

No, it was excessively high.

‘Why is it so elevated?’

The numbers made no sense.

‘Kwon Wang Masanghyun’s abilities during the tutorial averaged about 9.’

Globally, the initial stats of top players average about 9. But at a glance, mine averaged around 11. What could this possibly mean? My lowest stats, strength and stamina, were set at an imposing 10. Higher than the average for Kwon Wang, the finisher of the tutorial.

‘And mental power at 43…?’

The “(+30)” indicated that this was likely a temporary boost due to “The Observer’s Cool-Headedness.” It’s a figure impossible at level 1, one you could never see during the tutorial. Even discounting that buff, an initial mental power of 13 was an extraordinarily high stat.

‘Was my talent always this immense?’

Higher initial stats are invariably advantageous within the system. This truly was the realm of talent. Simple leveling up is the realm of the grind, the realm of effort, but growth corresponds with talent and sense.

‘I can’t comprehend this.’

Just yesterday, had I not been judged as ‘Talentless’?

[Talentless.]

Was it not clearly specified so?

‘Has something changed since I returned to the past?’

I’m unsure. It’s too early to judge. But for now, my initial stats are higher than Kwon Wang’s. This means my chances of survival here have greatly increased.

‘If every point in initial stats makes a significant difference… then I am indeed in a favorable situation.’

Just then.

Thump! Thump!

The bus began to shake. I did not open my eyes.

‘Those wielding clubs.’

This place is a conditional safe zone. As long as I don’t provoke them, I should be safe. At least for a while.

The voices of men reached my ears.

“Crazy…!”

“What is that?”

Out of the roughly eight people here, how many could survive? I cautiously opened my eyes, just a sliver, faintly perceiving the world.

‘One person?’

No, two?

‘Perhaps… none at all.’

Through the bus window, I saw green monsters hopping around. Goblins, no more than a meter tall but with jumping power exceeding two meters. Those wielding clubs were banging furiously against the windows, and cracks began to spiderweb across the glass.

‘Keep calm.’

Was it due to “The Observer’s Cool-Headedness”? I was much calmer than expected as I surveyed my surroundings.

Crash!

Eventually, a window shattered. Soon, they would swarm in. I quietly looked at the time.

‘The bus has bought five minutes.’

The reason I kept the door from opening was to buy this time. Just five minutes. I had hoped to stretch it a bit longer.

“Go away, you monsters!”

“Aahhhh!”

I closed my eyes again.

‘It’s not like we can just stay still when told.’

Imagine a one-meter cockroach wandering around. Moreover, these goblins are much bigger and armed. In reality, they revel in slaughter. It’s strange for anyone to remain still when told to in such circumstances. I clenched my eyes shut and bit my lip.

‘Better not to see anything.’

Even with high initial stats, I don’t have the strength to face a horde of goblins. Though I couldn’t see, I pictured the situation. By the brutal hands of the goblins, the men were likely already dead. They might have been torn to pieces. A foul odor wafted up. The stench of goblins.

The sound of footsteps approached. The voices of the monsters too.

Kiik! Kiigiigiik! Kiikik!

The screams of a woman sitting at the back reached my ears. A shriek echoed.

“Please, please help! Save me! Aaaah!”

Something sprayed on me. A hot liquid ran down my cheek, likely red in color. I had a hunch.

‘This is… blood.’

There must be a goblin with a dagger, given the sharp sound of stabbing flesh. That thuk, thuk noise was too dreadful to ever hear again.

Even with the help of “The Observer’s Cool-Headedness,” it was almost too much to bear.

I trembled but maintained as much calm as I could. Losing it now meant death. I remembered the photo of my mom from yesterday, telling me not to worry, promising to live well and work hard.

‘I want to live.’

Kiik?

A sound near my ear.

The goblins, the only survivors, had drawn close to me. Something cold touched my shoulder.

‘A palm…?’

It seemed like one. A small, green-skinned monster’s palm on my shoulder, sniffing my cheek with curiosity. The stench from the goblin on me was truly nauseating. I suppressed the urge to vomit.

‘Damn it.’

No more screams could be heard. Likely, everyone here was dead. I lacked the power to protect them, and they couldn’t protect themselves.

‘Horrible.’

The goblins began to grope at me. One of them, with its long tongue, licked my shin. My trousers felt strangely moist; probably the acidic saliva. Others probed my cheek with their filthy nails, toying with me as if I were just a plaything.

‘Just hold on for five more minutes.’

A total of ten minutes. If I could withstand silently for ten minutes, I’d have a reprieve. It’s a fact documented in the memoirs of Kwon Wang Masanghyun and seen on YouTube guides multiple times.

Minute by agonizing minute passed. The goblins crawled over my body like giant cockroaches.

How much time had gone by? Another notification sounded.

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ has begun to take an interest in you.]

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ wishes to offer you a chance.]

Another guardian was taking an interest in me — two, actually. One was ‘The Nameless Observer’ and the other, ‘The Valiant Lion King’, a guardian I was already familiar with.

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ wishes to bestow upon you an open beta special privilege.]

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ has gifted you with ‘Potion of High Strength’.]

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ awaits your bravery.]

I was not thrilled.

‘The Valiant Lion King.’

Of all the guardians, he’s notorious. ‘The Valiant Lion King’ is well-known for demanding reckless bravery and unnecessary passion, regardless of whether players die or anguish in dangerous situations. He’s relentless, enjoying the process as if it were a perverse game.

‘Showing courage now would mean…’

I would be devoured by these goblin swarms. To survive, one must discern when to exhibit courage and when not to. Now was not the time for bravery.

‘Dirty goblins.’

I doubled down on my focus. Amidst the goblins prodding me with their filthy tongues and claws, I had to concentrate on something else to prevent going mad.

‘Focus.’

Kiik! Kiik! Kiieek?

One of the goblins licked inside my ear with its tongue. In an instant, my concentration shattered. It felt like all my body’s hair was standing on end, the pain agonizing as if my ear were melting from the acid.

‘Kugh…!’

[‘Potion of High Strength’ has arrived in your gift box.]

[During the tutorial period, gifts in the gift box are automatically transferred to your inventory.]

[Do you wish to activate your inventory?]

I bit my lower lip hard to avoid making a sound. Any movement or noise now, and the conditional safe zone would break, and I would end up like the other eight in the bus.

I knew how to activate the inventory.

‘Inventory.’

Just think it in my mind. Even with closed eyes, the inventory hologram clearly appeared in my mind’s eye. It wasn’t visible to my actual sight. It’s as if it’s perceived directly in my mind.

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[High Strength Potion]

A gift from The Valiant Lion King. As an open beta special privilege, it exerts its effect for 10 minutes.

Temporarily increases strength by +6.

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‘Plus 6?’

Every level up grants two bonus stat points. Under special conditions, it’s said you can get more, but the basic amount is two.

‘If I use this…’

I did some mental math.

‘It’s like leveling up three times.’

My current level is 1. Assuming plus 6 to strength, it’s akin to focusing on increasing strength across levels, roughly equivalent to level 4.

‘My initial stats are already much higher than average players.’

The initial stats of top-tier players average about 9. Mine are higher. With the potion, my level might approximate 5 or 6.

‘Goblins are usually considered hunt-able around level 5.’

‘The Valiant Lion King’, the guardian, likely had this in mind when gifting the ‘Potion of High Strength’. Perhaps wanting to see the desperate flailing of a level 1 player for just 10 minutes.

‘What a pervert.’

For sure, I don’t like this ‘Valiant Lion King’. Meanwhile, my inventory had another item. Commonly referred to as a basic item, one granted randomly to all players.

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[Rusty Iron Sword]

An iron sword covered in rust. It can hardly be expected to have great killing power.

Attack Power: 2~5

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It’s quite a shabby item, but certainly better than nothing. Potion of High Strength. And a Rusty Iron Sword might just enable me to hunt goblins. But, as emphasized repeatedly, now is not the time to fight. I cannot hunt the horde of goblins alone.

‘Wait a bit longer, and the goblin assault will pause.’

Honestly, I just need to hold out another 2-3 minutes. After that, the goblins will disappear. If Kwon Wang Masanghyun’s records are correct.

A notification urged me.

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ anticipates your bravery.]

I deliberately ignored it. Drawing the attention of a guardian from its favor is truthfully advantageous for gameplay. However, one can’t survive by acting solely on what the guardian desires. This is an established truth. Accept what should be accepted, refuse what should be refused. As I stayed still with my eyes shut, another notification came.

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ has requested a trade with the middle manager.]

From there, the situation started to change rapidly. In that moment, several scenarios flashed in my mind. The predispositions of The Valiant Lion King. The nature of the tutorial field. The kind of trade a guardian could request from a middle manager here. Each piece, as if fitting into a puzzle, connected organically within Kim Hyukjin’s mind.

‘Putting all these together and analyzing…’

I could understand the picture The Valiant Lion King wanted.