A Player with Maxed-Out Talent

I faintly heard the notification.

[Unique Ability. ‘Sensory Eye’ (感覺眼) fusion successful.]

[Unique Ability. ‘Sensory Eye’ (感覺眼) has been awakened.]

The world began to come into view. I could hear notifications again. And me… I seemed to be alive. I heard a voice.

“The kid who went to study. Not studying at all.”

Such a blunt voice. It was my sister’s. My foolish sister who had worked her bones to the dust in a semiconductor factory, only to succumb to leukemia.

“Sister…?”

She turned around abruptly. Her bluntness was ever-present.

“It’s enough that you didn’t die.”

With that, she left the hospital room. Focusing on the noise, I realized it wasn’t a dream – I had cleared the tutorial field. Clear, vivid notifications reached my ears.

[‘Sensory Eye’ is in an active state.]

‘Unique Ability. Sensory Eye.’

‘The Eye of a Cold Observer’ and ‘Hyper Sensitivity’ had merged to create the new ability ‘Sensory Eye’ – perhaps the greatest reward of the tutorial field.

‘Sensory Eye is…’

I hadn’t even heard of it ten years ago. Among all the renowned rankers and their numerous unique abilities, there was nothing like ‘Sensory Eye.’ A unique ability inherent to my body had blossomed.

‘For now, it seems to enhance my senses to their limits.’

Outside the hospital room, I heard subtle sobbing. It was a very faint sound, but the ‘Sensory Eye’ seemed to be catching it. I concentrated to listen.

“If you’re going to die, then just die already, why make my heart suffer like this.”

And with that, she wept profusely. Outside the hospital room door, sitting curled up, crying. She must have left quickly so as not to be caught weeping. Her sobs sounded pitiful, even comical. She must be soaked in tears and snot.

‘Sister, I’m sorry… I can hear everything.’

Thanks to ‘Sensory Eye’, I can hear it all. Setting aside the marvel that I could hear such a faint sound, my eyes teared up involuntarily.

My sister’s sharp voice made it all feel real.

‘I’ve truly returned to life.’

I was back in the past, with all my future knowledge intact. And with it, an unprecedented unique ability, ‘Sensory Eye.’ ‘Sensory Eye’ wasn’t just about enhancing my senses.

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[Unawakened]

Name: Kim Ayoung

Age: 24

State: Relief/Joy/Worry

Disposition: Sacrifice/Blunt/Love

Summary: A devoted tsundere

+ This is an unawakened individual.

+ Disposition and characteristic/summary reveal a few representative qualities which may change depending on the situation.

+ Due to low proficiency in ‘Sensory Eye’, detailed information viewing is not possible.

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The summary seemed a bit strange, but it wasn’t necessarily incorrect. A devoted tsundere. It was accurate, after all.

‘Sister. You don’t have to go to the semiconductor factory anymore.’

No, it’s not that she doesn’t have to go—I won’t let her. Taking care of her good-for-nothing little brother. That can end now.

‘I’ll make sure you live comfortably.’

My talent, undoubtedly different from the past, was superior even to Ma Sanghyun’s. If nothing out of the ordinary occurs, if no variables interfere, I stand a strong chance of becoming a ranker. Then, for our family, living well will be entirely feasible.

I called out loudly.

“Sister! Bring me lots of honey! I want honey! Tons of it!”

Outside, my crying sister thought, ‘What the hell is that idiot saying…’ as she got up. ‘Sensory Eye’ caught even the slightest sound.

“What honey? Do you want to be smacked with honey?”

While saying that, she walked somewhere, likely to buy honey. Since I asked for a lot, she’ll probably buy a lot.

There was another person sobbing.

“Mom.”

Just that single word brought tears to my eyes too.

“Don’t cry. Your son isn’t dead.”

My mother couldn’t stop her tears. Her son, who was nothing special, a perennial civil service examiner. But after all, a son is still a son. It wasn’t just my mother by my side. There was also the girl who had supported me to the end, the one who had called the ambulance immediately after the tutorial field had cleared. It was Kang Sunhwa.

“Oppaaaaa!!!”

Kang Sunhwa ran towards me lying in the hospital bed and wept loudly. With her small body, she hugged me tightly and it was intolerably annoying.

“Oi, can’t you move away?”

“It’s fortunate. I thought you were dead.”

Dead? Sunhwa didn’t let go of me, even as I said move away she clung tighter. She must have been truly scared, thinking I was dead. She’s become so affectionate despite knowing me for only a few days.

‘We do owe our lives to each other, after all.’

It’s a special kind of bond. It’s fitting. After all, we’ve been through life and death together. Of course, I don’t see her as a woman at all. It’s more like… a dear affectionate niece.

“Hey, you smell like sweat.”

Sunhwa, who had no intention to let go, suddenly sprang to her feet at my comment. Now I can finally breathe.

“I showered, I showered yesterday!”

“But there’s a smell.”

“Ew! The smell isn’t from me!”

She covered her nose. Her face turned red. She ran towards the direction my sister had gone, out through the door.

‘Anyway.’

No matter what happens, I’m back to the past. To this present. My mother is here, and so is my sister. And Sunhwa, whom we owe our lives to each other.

‘This time, I will.’

I’ve decided to live well.

* * *

Having earned the title ‘Tutorial Conclusor’ and secured my place in the ‘Hall of Honor’, Ma Sanghyun became an instant celebrity. He’s appeared on television several times and was even nicknamed the strongest in the tutorial. He was introduced as having Korea’s greatest talent.

-Not at all. I was just lucky.

That was Ma Sanghyun’s response. Everyone thought he was being modest, but he was sincere.

‘The real Tutorial Conclusor isn’t me.’

During that blurred consciousness, he had seen a figure. A young girl and a man. The memory was too vague to see clearly, but he was certain in his heart.

‘The man I saw at Cheonggyecheon.’

It was definitely that man.

‘What was his name again?’

It seems we didn’t exchange names.

‘Is that man… dead?’

The man who had climbed up to the second floor of the Gwanghwamun D Tower to save others, the man who had escaped after saving Ma Sanghyun himself, with a magic troll hot on his heels. It seemed unlikely that he would have survived.

Ma Sanghyun said this.

-There was a true hero in the tutorial. I simply benefited from his good deeds.

He only said that much. If the man were still alive, he’d reveal himself. Speaking about him in his stead could be considered impolite.

‘Is he alive?’

Of course, he didn’t know whether the hero had survived.

‘If he is alive…’

If he’s alive, then he’s a life-saving benefactor. Ma Sanghyun owed him his life. A debt of gratitude that must be repaid.

‘I hope he’s somewhere, still alive.’

He thought this sincerely, hoping for a chance to repay that kindness.

* * *

A month had passed.

On the streets, the non-aggressive monster ‘Slime,’ which even ordinary people could hunt if they chose to, was a common sight. Local kids playing with slimes had become everyday occurrences. The world had prepared to accept monsters in just a month, and the concepts of ‘Player’ and ‘Play’ began to form.

‘Low difficulty.’

For the time being, it should be safe. Except for in ‘Dungeons’ or ‘Gates.’ At most, ‘Urban Foxes’ or ‘Urban Wolves’ might appear. Indeed, urban foxes and wolves can be quite dangerous. As per ordinary people’s standards.

-Urban Wolf involved in an incident with 2 severely injured and 1 dead….

Every day, incidents involving urban foxes or wolves occurred. They are conditional non-aggressive monsters; unless provoked, they’re harmless, but there were countless cases of people dying or getting injured for provoking them needlessly.

-The authorities immediately dispatched police to subdue the Urban Wolf….

Foxes and wolves don’t have ‘Shields.’ They’re too elementary as monsters.

‘Soon, things will appear that can’t be subdued by scientific and technological power.’

That will be in a year’s time. When the Players Association forms, when guilds start appearing among players, and when the world grows somewhat accustomed to this ‘system.’ That’s when the world changes a little bit more.

‘I’ll be fully prepared by then.’

I intend to make the most of my knowledge of the future. To live differently from the past. Not to remain a perpetual examinee, but to be successful and respected.

Today’s date. June 7th.

‘Seoul Station.’

I was heading to Seoul Station with Sunhwa. Time: 6 PM. The evening rush hour at Seoul Station was bustling with people.

‘Seoul Station exit number 2.’

We walked towards exit number 2. A small gate was about to appear here. This gate leads to the ‘Seoul Station Dungeon.’ Its grade is marked as ‘─’, meaning it had no grade. For convenience, it’s referred to as a beginner-level dungeon.

The crowd started to murmur.

“What’s that?”

Screams erupted. Suddenly, a reddish-black mist, like a heat haze, rose near exit number 2. A gate had appeared. It was no more than two meters high; not a very large gate. The people did not approach it.

“Could it be a monster is going to come out?”

People still remembered that day in Jongno, the beginning of a catastrophic change. A terrible calamity from which only 5,000 out of 150,000 survived. They were just starting to get back to normal life, and now another bizarre thing had appeared.

‘The world has seen too many changes to be shocked by this.’

They’ll have to adapt to the new system, to the new world. Those who don’t will be left behind, like I was in the past.

“Let’s go.”

Alongside Sunhwa, I approached the gate, which could be activated with a click.

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[Seoul Station Dungeon Gate]

A gate that leads to the Seoul Station Dungeon.

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There were no further explanations. Perhaps due to the appearance of the gate, the distant sound of police sirens could be heard. The police seemed to be on their way to assess the situation.

‘It will become troublesome if the police arrive.’

It was best to enter quickly.

[Only Players can use the gate.]

[The recommended minimum number of dungeon entrants is 7.]

[Level limitation: 10]

Both Sunhwa and I were Players, and our levels exceeded 10.

‘Let’s go in.’

A few steps forward. At once, the scenery changed.

[You have entered the Seoul Station Dungeon.]

[Channel #19207 has been opened.]

[Guardians are beginning to enter.]

A familiar face appeared before us. Inexpressibly beautiful, an intermediate manager with a pair of wings, one we could call a BJ – it was Senia.

With an expressionless face, Senia warned,

“The recommended number of entrants is 7 or more.”

I ignored her. I started taking steps forward.

“Kim Hyukjin, as an intermediate manager, I warn you. The recommended number of entrants is 7 or more. You must not leave the safety zone.”

“Why?”

“Proceeding in this dungeon with only two people is dangerous.”

“…”

“According to the manual, we encourage a play with 7 or more Players.”

“…”

I wasted just a little time. Even as I delayed, guardians would keep entering Senia’s channel ‘#19207.’

‘That should be enough.’

After delaying, I spoke to Senia. No, in truth, I was addressing the guardians who might be observing us from above, treating us as playthings.

“I told you before.”

“What are you referring to?”

“That I would show how to play. My way.”

If that is how to adapt to this world, if that is the path to success…

‘I’ll show them.’

I moved forward.

‘How I adapt to this new world.’

At the same time, a new notification was heard.