[You have satisfied the Hidden Piece.]

‘Hidden Piece?’

Was there a hidden piece in the tutorial field? According to known information, there wasn’t. Even Ma Sang-hyun, who had led the charge in clearing the tutorial field, hadn’t mentioned anything about a Hidden Piece. No survivor had ever mentioned a ‘Hidden Piece.’ In other words, I was the first to discover it.

‘This isn’t just good news.’

Hidden Pieces usually mean great rewards, but also great risks. And this newly revealed ‘Hidden Piece’ is a puzzle not within my knowledge, it’s an unknown risk.

The notifications continued.

[The King of Wolves, Lycanthrope, reveals its form.]

‘What?’

I quickly grabbed Sun-hwa’s wrist and pulled her.

“Sun-hwa. Run!”

“Huh?”

Sun-hwa looked confused but nodded anyway, starting to run quickly as if to make sure she wouldn’t lose me.

[The King of Wolves, Lycanthrope, is enraged.]

The corpses of ‘Urban Wolves’ were all around, which seemed to have enraged the Lycanthrope.

‘Why is a Lycanthrope showing up in the tutorial field!’

Lycanthrope. Think of it as a werewolf that runs on two legs. Its level normally ranges from 20 to 25—definitely not something you’d find in a tutorial. If we only look at physical abilities, it’s on par with those on ‘D Tower’s’ second floor. No, when it comes to offensive power, it might be even stronger.

‘Damn it.’

Sun-hwa and I alone wouldn’t be able to defeat the Lycanthrope.

“Sun-hwa. You hide behind that car there.”

“What about you?”

“Hurry!”

I pushed Sun-hwa’s back, gauging the distance. It was either instinct to live or rationality desperately seeking survival—I wasn’t sure. I made my decision.

‘It’s all or nothing.’

The Lycanthrope was fast.

‘I can’t run away anyway.’

Lycanthrope was already looking this way, which meant it had already locked on to us. If it decided to charge, it would catch up in maybe 5 seconds. I could see Sun-hwa trembling as she hid behind a car.

‘She won’t be able to defend herself against the attack of a level 20+ beast type monster.’

Lycanthrope’s teeth and claws were razor-sharp. They were incomparable even to those of a young goblin. I took a breath.

[Your heart rate is excessively elevated.]

[‘The Eyes of a Calm Observer’ is activated.]

The benefits of ‘The Eyes of a Calm Observer’ were still in effect.

‘Mind control.’

Stay calm. I took another deep breath and then used an item from my inventory.

──────────

[Potion of High Strength]

The gift of the Valiant Lion King. A special perk of the open beta, it works for 10 minutes.

Temporarily increases your strength by +6.

──────────

It had the same effect as gaining three levels. The Potion of High Strength was activated.

“Bring it on, you son of a bitch!”

Just the Potion of High Strength alone wouldn’t enable me to handle it. I knew that. But there was a way.

* * *

From a distance, Kang Sun-hwa felt fear towards the werewolf visible through the car window.

‘It’s different.’

It was different. The presence felt by this creature was like being in another dimension.

──────────

Lycanthrope LV?

──────────

Above the head of the Lycanthrope was the ominous ‘red text.’ Just the name alone looked dangerously persuasive. It was like the system was trying to tell me: This creature is too much for me to handle at my current level.

‘Brother…!’

I had no idea what he was trying to do.

‘Please. Please, God. Help us.’

Even the mother who abandoned her and ran away seemed desirable now. I want to live.

‘I’m going to listen well. I’ll study hard too.’

Then, I heard the loud voice of Kim Hyuk-jin.

– Bring it on, you son of a bitch!

The sky looked like it was turning yellow. Even though I didn’t know what my brother was thinking, his shout seemed to have irritated the Lycanthrope even more than my own ‘Taunt’ skill.

Aoooooo!

The Lycanthrope howled.

[The Howling affects your body.]

[Status Abnormality: Paralysis is applied.]

Kang Sun-hwa collapsed to her knees with a thud.

Shivering.

Her body started to shake.

Clicking.

Her teeth were chattering.

At this moment, Kang Sun-hwa was helpless. The Lycanthrope, standing on its hind legs like a normal wolf, started to run on all fours.

‘It’s too fast!’

It was incredibly fast. The muscle-bound monster, nearly two meters tall, closed the distance in an instant like a spring. Kim Hyuk-jin swallowed his saliva.

‘That kind of speed with that size.’

I had seen a lot on YouTube, but watching on a screen and seeing it in person were worlds apart. It was completely different. Kim Hyuk-jin began to count in his head.

‘3 seconds.’

The Lycanthrope was right in front of him. The distance was merely about 5 meters—a short distance that could be approached in the blink of an eye.

‘2 seconds.’

The golden eyes of the Lycanthrope shone brightly. The pupils of a predator eyeing its prey. They were fixated on Kim Hyuk-jin.

‘1 second.’

He clenched his fist.

‘Now’s the time.’

The Lycanthrope jumped high in the air. Kim Hyuk-jin rolled forward in a flash. Just a single roll. He only envisioned it in his head, but his body followed suit better than expected.

The Lycanthrope high in the air.

‘The first attack is always a jump.’

He took advantage of that habit. Although it was just a few seconds, Kim Hyuk-jin didn’t waste that time idly.

‘And after.’

His leg muscles were swelling, seemingly ready to burst with explosive power.

‘Leg muscles are swollen.’

Everything was visualized. The creature was soon going to land. As soon as it landed, it would charge at him instantly.

‘Now!’

He took out an item from his inventory.

‘The point where the shadow falls under the sole.’

He pinpointed that exact spot. All his actions were fluid. As if he had experienced and learned it before. He took out the reward he had extorted from Senia.

──────────

[Quality Lubricant]

High-quality lubricant. It can further sharpen bladed items, or it can be applied where lubrication is needed.

──────────

I spread the lubricant on the ground, and at the same time, the creature landed.

‘This is the moment!’

I threw myself at the Lycanthrope, pushing it with all my might.

Sliding!

It slipped.

The Lycanthrope lost its balance and slid straight—into the Cheonggyecheon stream.

‘Done, it’s done!’

Cheonggyecheon stream.

‘It’s in the water.’

The Lycanthrope had fallen into the flowing water of Cheonggyecheon.

Confused?

The Lycanthrope made a sound unfitting its imposing aura, like a struggling puppy. ‘The Great Explorer Jackson’ had described, ‘Players attempting this method at low levels should be prepared to risk their lives. However, once successful, it’s the only way for low-level players to capture a Lycanthrope.’

‘This actually worked?’

The only way for low-level players to capture a Lycanthrope. To knock it into the water. Whether the method was right or wrong, in the end, managing to drop it into the water was the key. The geographical advantage of ‘Cheonggyecheon,’ the item ‘Quality Lubricant,’ and the perfectly timed charge all led to this outcome.

‘I really did it.’

I was dumbfounded. I just tried, thinking it might not work, but it did. In fact, Kim Hyuk-jin had to fight between knowledge and instinct just now. Knowledge said ‘I can’t win,’ but instinct said ‘I can win.’

‘It was risky, but…’

Oddly enough,

‘It was easier than I thought.’

Looking back, it was far from easy. Everything had to align organically. Even a well-trained player would have found it difficult to knock off the creature’s balance and push it out with such precise timing.

The discrepancy between knowledge and instinct was too great. Despite the difficulty level, it felt strangely easier than expected.

“Brother, are you okay?”

Kang Sun-hwa approached Kim Hyuk-jin. Listening to some rattling noise below, she looked down.

“Is that the Lycanthrope?”

──────────

<Lycanthrope. LV ?>

──────────

It was indeed a Lycanthrope, but it had shrunk significantly. It was even smaller than the Urban Wolves, like a puppy. Just as Kim Hyuk-jin had hunted the Urban Wolves, he hunted the Lycanthrope. Hunting the water-soaked and weakened Lycanthrope was really easy. Swinging his steel sword at the shrunken Lycanthrope made it impossible for the creature to resist. It couldn’t even move.

‘I actually caught it.’

He had hunted the Lycanthrope. He had beaten a monster with almost double his level.

‘It was clear to me.’

It was clear what to do next, how to proceed. It naturally came to him, as if someone was guiding him. As naturally as breathing.

Catching it made everything certain.

‘It’s sure. This is the realm of talent.’

Those things you can’t achieve simply through effort, the sort of thing that comes innately. Although the possibility he was just an early bloomer player couldn’t be dismissed.

‘Anyway, I survived.’

He had certainly escaped the threat of death. Kang Sun-hwa was already marveling nearby.

“Brother. You’re not trained in martial arts, right?”

Martial arts. There had been no time to learn.

“It looked like something out of a movie. How did you do that?”

“Did it look cool?”

“It was more than cool. It was amazing.”

Sun-hwa looked more excited than I was—the one who had just killed the monster. Just shush! And then swish! She mimicked the action playfully.

‘This is reality.’

This wasn’t a dream. I, who had always been a perennial exam taker, had caught a Lycanthrope. With my own two hands. My level shot up instantly.

[You have hunted a ‘Lycanthrope.’]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have earned 30 coins.]

[Current level: 13]

‘Already a level up?’

It didn’t stop there.

[Your level has increased.]

[Current level: 14]

[Your level has increased.]

[Current level: 15]

Three level-ups in one go.

[You have successfully hunted a Hidden Piece monster, ‘Lycanthrope.’]

[Hidden Piece Reward: You are granted the title ‘Exemplary Hunter.’]

Before Kim Hyuk-jin could properly check out the ‘title,’ another notification followed.

[‘The Valiant Lion King’ laughs at your cowardly trickery.]

Still sticking around Senia’s channel, I see. I could only laugh internally. The Valiant Lion King. So, he’s still watching me somehow. But besides him. Notifications from the other guardians arrived.

[‘The Anonymous Observer’ is amazed by your sense.]

[‘The Anonymous Observer’ wishes to endorse you.]

[+1200COIN]

The Anonymous Observer sent 1200 coins,

[‘The Lady of the Scales’ admires your spirit of sacrifice.]

[‘The Lady of the Scales’ wishes to endorse you.]

[+700COIN]

The Lady of the Scales sent 700 coins. The ‘spirit of sacrifice’ seemed to reflect the appearance of me risking my life to protect Sun-hwa. It wasn’t the case, but who cares? The result is what mattered. I instantly gained 1,900 coins.

‘1900 coins…!’

Currently in tutorial field progression. Level 13. I originally had about 6,000 coins. Then, I received 1900 coins all at once from the ‘guardians.’

‘That makes my remaining coins…’

I activated the inventory window. Down at the bottom of the inventory window, the coins were displayed.

──────────

[Remaining Coins: 7,942]

──────────

I had gained nearly 8,000 coins. And that’s just in the tutorial. Level 15 in the tutorial and 8,000 coins. I’ve accomplished something not even mentioned in the theories or strategies existing 10 years later.

‘Furthermore.’

It wasn’t even the end. The truly important part was next.