Space warped, and from within emerged the female BJ, Senia. She was exceedingly beautiful, but I didn’t see her as such in my eyes.

“I shall revise the content of the Tutorial Field in accordance with the Brave Lion King’s wishes.”

There are times like these. Guardians can make minor content changes as a privilege. I know what the Lion King might suggest. I know it all too well.

‘I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.’

I bit my lip slightly.

‘He’ll surely lead it to a fight.’

It was almost a certainty.

‘The best way to do that is to destroy the conditional safe zones.’

Guardians have limited ways in which they can intervene with players. They can support players or sponsor COINS, but they face many restrictions in directly interfering with gameplay. That’s all they can do. By proposing to a middle manager, they can manage to do something like destroying the conditional safe zones.

“The deal has been concluded. Following the Brave Lion King’s request, the conditional safe zone will be lifted in 30 seconds.”

Without blinking an eye, she nonchalantly muttered such a thing, knowing full well I couldn’t handle a horde of goblins with my current strength.

‘As much as you are aware of that, I know this world even better.’

Perhaps I know it even better than Senia herself. They should not underestimate Kim Hyukjin, the guy who prepared for civil service exams for three years and a game addict.

I said,

“If a guardian forces a change in settings, shouldn’t the player receive corresponding compensation?”

Senia looked at me with an expressionless face. Although I couldn’t read her expression, it felt as if she found the complaints of a level 1 bug insignificant. She was unperturbed by my informal manner of speech.

“Ignoring the rules should not be allowed. Especially if it relates to my life. You cannot ignore the law.”

Notifications popped up.

[‘The Nameless Observer’ expresses surprise.]

[‘The Brave Lion King’ remains silent.]

“Did you just speak of the Law?”

“Yes, the Law.”

Because such laws – or rather, the Law – exist within this system.

“What do you know of the Law?”

“Is that important?”

At this moment, my life hangs in the balance. What could be more important?

“Shouldn’t the player have no need to explain their style of play in detail?”

Senia said nothing. Normally, BJs are quite chatty, but this one is somewhat unique.

‘Such beauty, yet unknown by name… that dreadful lack of eloquence must have played a part.’

I checked the time. Ten seconds had already passed.

“My time in the safe zone has expired while conversing with you, a middle manager. The compensation?”

“In accordance with the Law, I shall extend the validity of the safe zone. After our conversation ends, the safe zone will remain effective for another 10 seconds.”

Good. This is a very welcome development for me. The first goblin attack will end soon. I just need to hang on a little longer. The Brave Lion King may have interfered, but time is steadily moving forward. I spoke again.

“The setting change is related to the safety of my life. Should there not be an appropriate compensation for such? Am I wrong?”

“…”

“I’ll ask again. Am I wrong?”

“…”

She’s probably flustered by now. A level 1 trash like me talking back to a BJ – yet she has no grounds for sanctioning me, as my argument relates to the ‘Law’ that will only be revealed seven years later.

‘Maybe she’s actually enjoying this.’

My current behavior is definitely standout, likely to attract the attention of many guardians. Maybe the BJ, Senia, is actually welcoming my actions privately.

After a brief silence, she spoke.

“Player Kim Hyukjin, you are correct.”

At that same moment, an item became bound to my inventory.

──────────

[Quality Lubricant]

A can of quality lubricant. It can sharpen bladed items or be applied to parts that need lubrication. It is exceptionally slippery.

──────────

‘A setting change reward, and it’s just this?’

I frowned slightly. The reward seemed somewhat weak. Still, I had gained what I could gain. I won the time by talking to the BJ. That was a sound decision.

‘The Lion King. What a fool.’

He had helped me, inadvertently. Thanks to him, I could draw out sufficient time in safety. Nobody would have guessed that a level 1 player could stretch the time by invoking the ‘Law’ as a ploy. I certainly hadn’t expected to. When confronted with the situation, this method came to mind.

[The first goblin raid has ended.]

[‘The Brave Lion King’ is deeply disappointed.]

I silently breathed a sigh of relief.

‘I’ve survived the first wave, for now.’

Without a doubt, the Brave Lion King, that damned guardian, is fidgeting around like a dog in need of the toilet because the goblins are about to disappear from this field.

“Kehehe. Kigigik! Kieek!”

The goblins started to move. If they had appeared like a flood tide, now they were disappearing as if the tide was ebbing.

‘Now’s my chance.’

I sprang to my feet. BJ Senia simply watched me move. She neither hindered nor helped me. Given that she hasn’t left, she seemed to show some interest in me. I left the bus.

‘Ugh…’

A grisly hell unfolded before my eyes. It was hard to find a whole corpse. What was once a common bus interior at dawn was now strewn with seven bodies, torn to pieces, some parts even missing.

‘Ugh.’

I felt nauseated. It was horrific. I didn’t want to see any more of this. There seemed to be a man who had died with his eyes open, lying over a seat, as though he would rise and pursue me in that state.

‘Let’s pull myself together.’

I had to focus. The official survival rate of the Tutorial Field is a mere 3 percent.

‘I must hold out for a week.’

I must survive for a week. I have ridden this bus daily for three years, and I know this place like the back of my hand. At least I am certain where convenience stores are located near the road.

‘The fog has thinned.’

I pushed open the bus door and stepped out. A nauseating sewer stench mixed with the heavy odor of blood reached me. Thankfully, the fog was present. If I had to see this place in broad daylight with a clear view, I might have gone mad.

‘I need water and food, first and foremost.’

Surviving seven days without drinking anything is next to impossible. The convenience store is my primary destination.

I have about 10 minutes.

‘Let’s go.’

Strangely enough, I moved as naturally as someone who had experienced this gameplay before. As if I had practiced it multiple times.

Up until now, I hadn’t fully grasped the extent of my own talent.

* * *

The surroundings appeared very blurry. Amidst the bitter smell of blood, I could see cars and bodies smeared with blood scattered all over the street. Amongst the chaos, I could hear the voices of those who survived. It’s worth noting that vision and hearing are greatly limited in the fog.

‘Considering this is within the fog… there seems to be quite a few survivors from the first goblin raid.’

I began to run toward the convenience store. The orientation senses are said to be nearly gone, and it felt true. Only a few steps later and the blue bus was almost out of sight, I caught a last glimpse of it. I ran without looking back.

‘This way is right.’

There is a convenience store not too far ahead. I relied on my instincts and ran forward. The distance, not even 300 meters, felt incredibly long. It was the first time I realized how strongly I was clinging onto ‘life’.

Thud.

Something caught my foot. ‘Another corpse?’

But it wasn’t a corpse. Beneath my feet lay a person, not a body. I could hear sobbing.

“Please, help me. I beg you. Please save me.”

The girl looked to be in her early to mid-teens. Paralyzed with fear, she lay curled up and shaking until she looked up and saw me. The look in her eyes was one of a child seeing an adult, yearning for help.

Squeak-squeak—the sound of something being scraped was audible. At that moment, I couldn’t help but flinch.

‘A goblin here?’

I hadn’t seen it for the fog, but there was still a goblin present.

‘The first goblin raid is over, isn’t it?’

Based on numerous records and simulations in virtual dungeons, the goblins were supposed to have completely withdrawn. That was the accepted theory, and there was no mention of this in the strategies. This goblin represented a ‘variable.’

A ‘variable’ or perhaps an ‘error.’

Kigik. Kigigik!

The creature was about 50cm tall.

‘Not a full-grown one?’

It wasn’t an adult goblin. It seemed to be a young one. However, its vile hobby remained, as it diligently sawed at the girl’s ankle with a small dagger. Squeak-squeak—the horrible sound continued. I faced an internal conflict in that moment.

‘Should I run?’

To flee or not to flee.

‘To defeat a baby goblin seems feasible.’

While it generally varies, the standard level recommended to take down a goblin is about 5. This creature isn’t a mature goblin, but its offspring. With my initial stats befitting top-tier players, I could possibly hunt down a baby goblin, given a little time.

More sobbing reached my ears.

“No, no, please help me. Please, I want to see my mom.”

I bit my lip. Helping this girl could make me completely lose my sense of direction. Leaving me defenseless for the second raid.

“Please, I’m begging you. Save me.”

What should I do? Amidst my conflict, I suddenly noticed something odd.

‘Come to think of it…’

Chills ran down my arm.

‘There’s no blood. None at all.’

This girl. She wasn’t screaming in pain, only in shock.

Even if it was a baby goblin, it still had a dagger, which was earnestly slicing the girl’s ankle. The baby goblin appeared to be focused entirely on cutting the girl’s ankle.

‘She’s not taking any damage.’

Did this girl also receive Open Beta perks? Maybe she got something that protects her body.

‘But still… How could this young girl…’

She must be barely a junior high student. The ‘Talent Panel’ is typically known to peak in the late teens to early twenties. This girl is too young for her Talent Panel to have fully opened.

‘Without any armor, she’s resisting that dagger. Solely with her body’s capability.’

Even Marxism, with his strength, would find it improbable at level 1. This girl was oblivious to her own condition. The scraping of the blade on her ankle was the only sensation she felt. Deep in panic, she was unaware that she was completely unharmed.

‘Is this the fabled talent I’ve heard about?’

If she were to properly grow from this state? If I could make her an ally? Even if that’s not the case, if I can just owe her a life debt?

‘In the absolute worst case…’

There likely won’t be many such instances, but in the gravest moment, this girl’s ‘toughness’ could be of great help to me. A person without a Talent Panel, deemed ‘Talentless,’ can’t compare to this girl.

‘I’m out of time.’

The second raid is about to begin. Senia, having caught up with me, said,

“A baby goblin or not. At level 1, it’s quite difficult to defeat.”

She seemed to regard me as ‘quality content,’ judging that it wouldn’t be good for me to die here.

A decision must be made.

‘I will…!’