The Tutorial Is Too Hard

[Well then, farewell.]

The Master Monk calmly said his farewell. I did the same, opened the 33rd Room’s door and to leave the room.

There was a portal on the corridor’s floor.

Apparently, I’m supposed to go this way.

I got on the portal and teleported into Kiri Kiri’s green field.

“h.e.l.loooo! Are you still angry? You are going to buy me a cake this time, right?”

As always, Kiri Kiri was asking me about cake. I looked at her.

However, I was not feeling all that great at the moment.

“Kiri Kiri, wait a minute.”

I feel uncomfortable.

Actually, I’m surprised that I feel this way.

I can see the beautiful field and sky. There is the sound of wind whistling past my ears. I can feel the gentle breeze on my skin.

Is it because of the memories of when I had all of my senses paralyzed and watched the world by relying solely on mana… or when was trapped in the world of no sensory input without any mana at all?

With my senses revived after such a long time, I don’t feel comfortable.

I thought I would feel liberated and accomplished.

However, instead, to think I would feel uncomfortable like this…

I sat down, closed my eyes and circulated mana.

Sitting down, I checked the body’s condition and spread mana to the area to check the surrounding.

Soon, I came to realize what it was that was bothering me.

Using mana was far more effective.

I could access more information with greater accuracy with even greater ease than before.

I learned why Lee Sin, a fictional warrior character, always had a blindfold on.

[PR Note: Pretty sure this is a League of Legends reference.]

Other than the drawback of having had to spend mana constantly, the mana-consuming Energy Sensory skill’s performance far exceeding that of normal senses.

However, I cannot afford to close my eyes for the rest of my life and rely only on mana.

There is happiness in life that can only be achieved through seeing beautiful things with eyes, smelling aromas, eating delicious food, listening to upbeat songs, and touching things.

I opened my eyes and focused on the sensations I could feel through my senses.

I can feel emotions that differ from my observations through mana.

There are things that I can observe only after I see for myself with my own eyes.

The world that I’m observing through my senses and mana is the same.

There is no need for me to give up one side for the other

It is just that I had spent a long time relying only on my Energy Sensory when my other senses were all paralyzed. I felt awkward for a moment because of the experience.

The 13th floor was the best environment for cultivating one’s mana operation ability and Energy Sensory. This is just a minor side effect from being in such a great environment for so long.

There is nothing wrong with observing an object through multiple lens.

I can see the cake with my eyes, smell it with my nose, and taste it with my mouth.

I can even touch the cake by dabbing the cream with my finger.

Like this, I just need to feel the Energy Sensory through mana like the rest of my other senses.

It just feels weird just because I’m not used to it yet.

I used mana to sense the flower near me.

I looked at the flower with my eyes.

I touched the flower with my hand.

I bent down and tried smelling it.

I couldn’t really smell the flower. Instead, I just got to smell the gra.s.s.

All of these were same.

Like that, I slowly attempted to be more familiar with the skill.

[Energy Sensory Strengthening Lv.1 was combined with Sensory Strengthening Lv. 12]

[Energy Sensory Widening Lv.1 was combined with Sensory Widening Lv.5]

[You obtained Sensory Widening Lv.8]

“Is it over?”

I was lying on the field. Kiri Kiri walked over to me.

Um.

Her one-piece skirt is waving in the air. I can almost see what’s underneath.

Instead of trying to shift my eyes around, I just used mana.

It’s light blue.

“Kiaaaaaoooong!”

Kiri Kiri screamed in her unique little pitch and threw a punch at my stomach.

Of course, the punch lacked any meaningful power.

“How rude!”

“I’m sorry. I suddenly wanted to check.”

I think I should be careful when I observe another being using mana like this.

Actually, that was rude as well. It would even be the justify attacking me.

“How do you feel?”

The question is quite out of the blue.

“It’s great. I feel like flying. I feel like I’m looking at the world through different kind of eyes. It’s fun just to lie on the field and just observe the breeze the shaking gra.s.s.”

“Heheng.”

What is she smiling about?

“How was it?”

That question is even more ludicrous than the first question.

Why are your questions all lacking in common sense?

However, I could understand her question.

She must be asking about what I was thinking.

I was thinking about the things I went through recently.

“It was great.”

“How?”

Being with Idy at the 12th Floor by summoning her became a very valuable experience.

I came to learn the joy in spending simple days with the warmth of a family member with me. I learned how thankful I should be to have someone with me.

In addition, I came to recognize the importance and joy of good meals.

When she disappeared, my loneliness was more apparent than ever.

I am a human being.

Being lonely and sad were natural.

I came to realize that as I chatted with the monks.

I could be like that.

The monks taught me that they were not just some monsters that I need to beat the c.r.a.p out of and kill for experience points but beings who I could have mutual respect with.

We exchanged ideas although we had opposing opinions. We had whole-hearted duels and even discussed them afterwards. There were joys in them all.

They made me throw away the friend-or-foe mentality that I had about all beings in this world.

Relationships were complicated, and they could change.

Again, I gave them a chance to think.

I have lived my entire life by relying on my normal senses. The s.p.a.ce where all of my senses were paralyzed showed me a new world.

I came to know the new world that could be experienced through the Energy Sensory.

I had the time to think about myself while I was trapped in the accelerated mind.

The past was definitely important. However, I shouldn’t be trapped by my past.

I became fully aware of this fact.

I need to live in the present, not the future.

Many things have happened.

New problems came up, but I could also find as many new answers throughout the period.

I am definitely growing, both in the inside and outside.

I am moving forward.

“I’m glad.”

Kiri Kiri smiled widely and asked again,

“So, how do you feel?”

“Tell me in detail.”

Um… How should I say this?

How I am feeling right now…

“I feel happy.”

Happy.

That was the word that best described how I was feeling.

“Also… I feel like I’m alive.”

“Hoooouuuujae was alive before too.”

I was not certain.

I didn’t just question the reality of the Tutorial once in a while.

I always pondered that.

I believed that I already died in my one room from alcohol addiction and all of this is just a hopeless dream of a dying man.

I never thought about why something like Tutorial was possible. I didn’t bother wondering how it worked either.

I just focused and obsessed over the goals I set.

Getting stronger, growing, and winning.

However, I’m different now.

Even if this is all just a dream, an illusion.

Anyhow, at the moment, I am happy.

I am alive in this place.

It could be that I’m excited just because of my temporary sense of accomplishment and the special characteristics of the green field. Still…

Regardless, that’s how I am feeling.

“I’m so glad, hehe.”

[G.o.d of Adventure is very happy.]

Looking at Kiri Kiri’s bright smile, I opened the store and purchased a cake.

Kiri Kiri’s smile became even brighter.

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: Are you done with preparations?]

When I was watching Kiri Kiri hurriedly making the cake disappear, a message from Kim Min-hyuk came.

[Lee Ho-jae, 13th Floor: What preparation?]

[Lee Ho-jae, 13th Floor: The compet.i.tion is going to start? Now?]

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: No, not right now. It will start at Round 16, Day 0, 00:00. Did you not see the notice? I even send you a message.]

I was in a situation where I could not see it…

I asked Kim Min-hyuk for more information as I looked at the community forums.

The community was in a mode of festivities.

Everyone is all excited.

There really was a notice about the compet.i.tion commencing on Round 16, Day 0, 00:00.

[Lee Ho-jae, 13th Floor: By the way, does it matter that I don’t have anything in particular that I should prepare?]

I just need to show up and partic.i.p.ate. That would be all.

Even if I don’t prepare anything special, it was going to end in my victory.

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: No! That… Ugh. I asked you to take command of the people in the Normal Difficulty. Remember?]

Ah…

[Lee Ho-jae, 13th Floor: Hey, can I just not do that?]

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: No, you cannot just forget about it.]

You heartless rascal.

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: Anyway, prepare to take command of the people. There isn’t much information about how the compet.i.tion will be held, so the decisions made by the commanders of each difficulty will become important.]

[Kim Min-hyuk, 30th Floor: If that happens, all members of the Order of Vigilance in the Normal Difficulty will go there, so it will be fine regardless.]

That’s true. Kim Min-hyuk is asking me to take command of the people in the Normal Difficulty mostly because the rankers in the Normal Difficulty, including Kim Min-hyuk, are mostly spread apart thin due to wide authority of the Order.

If it happens to turn out that people have to gather together based on difficulties, then I won’t have to worry about the gap in the Normal Difficulty’s forces.

I sent a message to Kim Min-hyuk, telling him I understood what he was saying, and then closed the community and the message window.

“Are you going to go now?”

Kiri Kiri’s nose was submerged deep in the cake dish. She momentarily raised her head to ask me.

Before I answered, I checked the time first.

[Round 15, Day 29, 21:20]

I am not sure what to do.

“I’ll stay a little while longer and then go.”

After she finishes eating the cake, I think I’ll just take a nap here.

“Hey, Kiri Kiri, I have a question.”

“Ung. What is it?”

“I obtained Holy Power Resistance Skill this time. Is this going to negatively affect the Power Skills that I have?”

“Of course not. The resistance takes effect only when the Holy Power is being applied against you.”

Um…

I think the definition of that distinction will be quite hard to define.

“It will also take effect when the skill’s user judge that the Holy Power is being used negatively against him.”

I think it will be easier to understand after experiencing this a few times.

“Also, I got the Talaria’s Wings skill again. Add some descriptions for this skill.”

“Right now? Aren’t I supposed to go to the waiting room if I want to see it?”

“It’s all right since it is a skill that you already had. As for the detailed mechanism…”

She probably cannot tell me because the information is expensive.

“Right. Hehet.”

“Status Window.”

Lee Ho-jae (Human)]

Lv. 27

Strength: 34

Vitality: 39

Mana: 30

Skill: Battle Focus Lv.20 Willpower Lv.10 Awakening Lv.2 Night Vision Lv.5 Bright Vision Lv.5 Charge Lv.8 Sneak Lv.11 Meditation Lv.11 Detection Lv.7 Tracking Lv.4 Natural Regeneration Lv.12 Super Regeneration Lv.5 Strengthened Senses Lv.14 Widened Senses Lv.8, Energy Sensory Lv.6, Increased Field of Vision Lv.4 Ironwall Lv.2 Toughened Body Lv.3 Soul Cry Lv.2 Mid-level Swordsmanship Lv.4 Mid-level Shield Skill Lv.1 Basic Spear Technique Lv.6 Mid-level Hand to Hand Combat Skill Lv.2 Basic Throwing Skill Lv.5 Basic Cooking Lv.1 mana Circuit Lv.15 Poison Energy Lv.4 Wind Spirit’s Blessing Lv.5 Familiarity with Spirits Lv.2 Knowledge of the Time before Babel Lv.6 Soul Steal Lv.5 Mind Corruption Immunity Lv.3 Great Pain Resistance Lv.3 Bleed Resistance Lv.10 Faint Resistance Lv.6 Pierce Resistance Lv.4 Great Poison Resistance Lv.3 Paralysis Resistance Lv.14 Fire Element Resistance Lv.1 Cold Resistance Lv.4 Frostbite Resistance Lv.3 Curse Resistance Lv.6 Great Magic Resistance Lv.3 Holy Power Resistance Lv.1 Perseverance Lv.1 Focused Effort Lv.1 Blink Emblem Lv.Max Talaria’s Wings Lv.Max, Dead Summoning Lv.???

Misc: G.o.d of Slowness is disappointed. G.o.d of Adventure is relieved.

G.o.d of Slowness’ Trial [Completion rate: 4/11]

G.o.d of Adventure’s Trial [Completion rate: 97/224]

For some reason, I the progression of the G.o.d of Adventure’s trial’s surged after the last floor.

Could it be that their difficulties are lower in proportion to the number of a.s.signments?

I folded the question about the trial away for the moment. Instead, I checked the detailed explanation about the Talaria’s Wings.

[Talaria’s Wing (Lv.Max)]

The weaknesses were addressed and new functions were added.

Too many of his range of powers are focused in just one skill. When activated, the Talaria’s Wings are summoned behind the caster. The wings provide sustainable flight magic to the caster. The wings have very high durability and magic defense. The wings provide increased mana recovery rate to the caster and allies within the range.

The wings provide an effect of increased magic resistance to the caster and allies within the range.

The wings bestow additional strength to the caster (Strength +10)

The wings change the color based on the caster’s will.

Talaria’s Wings do not require the caster’s mana, mental focus or Holy Power to cast it.

What the h.e.l.l is this?

… Seriously, really… what the h.e.l.l is this?

When I saw that the G.o.d of Adventure got the t.i.tle of ‘fool’ from this, I should have noticed that something was off.

I didn’t think too much of it because G.o.d of Adventure seemed to have a very apparent dense side, but…

Just what is this? This is one ridiculous cheat-like skill.

[G.o.d of Adventure is proud.]

[G.o.d of Slowness is sighing.]