Ah. Um. Hello?
…
Enjoy? And review? Ah, but only if you want to! I don't want to pressure anyone into doing anything unsavory.
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I clapped my hands together, examining the various tools before me. There was a long wooden dowel about two meters long, a roll of duct tape, a large kitchen knife, several screws and a screwdriver, and a small metal spike that was roughly the same diameter as the wooden dowel. They were all resting on a dirty towel on our house's roof. I'm going up here a lot, aren't I?
Anyway, this unlikely jumble of component parts will become my new weapon! Well, hopefully. The fact that I lack any sort of crafting skill for the task makes a bit leery of declaring success right off the bat. Which is why I've got several more dowels and spikes in my Inventory, so I have five more mulligans in case of accident, idiocy, or accidental idiocy.
The spike had several holes near the lip, so I was planning on just screwing it into the dowel. Though I don't think I can fit more than one screw in, since whoever made this didn't think of staggering the holes. Maybe they was meant for another purpose? Gah, focus.
Anyway, after fitting the spike on as best I could, my next move would be to tape around the spike's circumference. It was a foolproof plan!
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Okay, problem. The spike's too small to fit on the pole.
Well, this is what I have the knife for, right? All I need to do is whittle down the next… 3 centimeters of pole and it'll fit snugly.
Problem solved.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
Okay, new problem. The screws are too big for the holes on the spike. This only reinforces my hypothesis that these weren't meant to accept screws.
Wat do?
Well, I could bull ahead. That would eventually make the holes large enough for the screws. Alternatively, I could seek a more efficient method to enlarge the holes. Or I could just give up on screwing the spike in.
Well, I don't fancy the idea of powering through obstacles with sheer determination. That should remain for shounen heroes only, since they have several advantages I don't: plot armor, ridiculous luck, and super special power that usually causes their shunning by the community. I only have the super special power and that only seems to pave the way for future growth, rather than grant me immediate strength.
I also have no real idea how to enlarge the holes other than power tools. De we have power tools? I'll go check.
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I come bearing electrically-enhanced manipulators! I have no idea why these were buried in the closet, but I'm not complaining. It even came with a bit collection!
Problem solved.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
Okay, another new problem. I can't get a grip to pull off a strip of duct tape.
… Never mind.
Problem solved?
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
Ha, success!
I thrust my finished weapon high in the air, examining it for defects. Surprisingly, it looked good. There were a couple bumps underneath the tape and the whole thing was really nothing more than a wooden pole with a blunt metal tip, but it looked good. Well, considering the circumstances. Enough to slay scores of the undead!
A skill has been created through a special action.
Nice. I must've gotten a crafting skill after all.
A skill to combine different materials, [Crafting], has been created.
Eh? That's a… fortuitous name.
Crafting (ACTIVE
LVL: 1
The ability to build various crafts using different materials. Allows the manufacture of many small objects, but requires other skills for more impressive creations.
Odd… So it's a general crafting ability? But I have cooking…
Oh, I've got it! It's the Skill that covers what the other crafting skills don't! So, if I wanted to make an amulet, I'd need [Blacksmithing] to make the ornament and [Crafting] to make the necklace part. Weird. Really, really weird. Also unconfirmed.
Whatever. Still nice to have.
"[Observe]."
Because I want to know what it is I made.
Shoddily-crafted Spear (WEAPON)
A spear. Made with poor workmanship, it does little damage and will break easily.
-50% Damage
-50% Armor Penetration
-50% Durability
Wow. Just… how shitty is this thing!? This screen tells me it's really shitty!
Gah, I shouldn't be surprised. I mean, I had LVL 0 [Crafting] when I made it.
Only one solution: make another.
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It took me much less time to create this iteration. That new skill at work, neh?
"[Observe]."
Now to sit back and relish how… similar to my first attempt this is.
Shoddily-crafted Spear (WEAPON)
A spear. Made with poor workmanship, it does little damage and will break easily.
-50% Damage
-50% Armor Penetration
-50% Durability
No improvement? Really? Maybe the quality of created items only improves in tiers? So I would need to reach [Crafting] LVL 5 to make a decent spear? Or use less crappy materials? I mean, that's surely a factor. If I had an actual spear haft and blade, combining them with poor [Crafting] would give me… an Attack penalty and Durability reduction, I imagine. Since the blade would be attached improperly and the "wiggliness" of the blade would impair efforts requiring precision.
Gah, confusing. And I'm not even sure if I'm right.
Well, whatever. I'm not grinding [Crafting] by using up my limited materials. Maybe I could grind it by making other things? Origami or paper mâché, maybe? Ugh, I don't want to become artsy. So maybe make necklaces? Nah, still artsy.
Unfortunately, this is all distracting me from my primary concern: Sun-Il.
I put my new spear in my Inventory and sat back, admiring the afternoon sun. For just a moment, don't want to go blind, do we?
It's just… I don't want to exclude him from this, but I also don't want to expose him to danger. At least, that's what I'm telling myself. After looking at his stats, it's pretty clear to me that he's not in any danger from anything but a Legion Zombie, Agent K, and Redhead. I mean, his VIT is above 80! He must have truly ridiculous HP!
I… I'm not sure what to do. If I tell him, I run the risk of him being exposed to a new, dangerous world and his disappointment at not being told sooner. If I don't, I run the risk of his disappointment at not being told. He's my first friend and I don't want to lose him, even if I act like I barely give a shit about him.
Gah, let's cut to the truth of the matter. I'm afraid to tell him because I don't know how he'll react. I fear that he will be disgusted with me because I didn't tell him immediately or afraid of me because I've obtained abilities outside his comprehension.
Heh. I really need more faith in Sun-Il's idiotic loyalty. If he actually shuns me because of this, he wasn't really a friend after all. Or that's what daytime talk shows have taught me. Plus, it's extremely likely he's involved in the Abyss. I mean, he's over LVL 20, while the highest I've ever seen a mundane person hold is LVL 14. He even fits all the stereotypes: mysterious family, freaky strength, goofy attitude to ward off the horrors of his everyday life, ridiculous loyalalty to his friends and family, best friends with the Protagonist. That would be me.
So, tell him tomorrow?
Yeah, ask him to blow off "special training" for a day and tell him my secret.
Gah, this is starting to sound like coming out of the closet. I know what I need: stress relief.
And excuse me if this sounds like minor psychopathy, but I find killing zombies to be very stress-relieving.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
I stood in one of my home street's many alleyways, spear resting on my shoulder.
"[ID Create]."
Which type of Instant Dungeon would you like to create?
Zombie
Ghost
Empty
… Should I make a Illusion Barrier filled with Ghost-type enemies?
Nah, zombies are still giving a pretty good chunk of EXP while remaining pretty easy to kill. When I'm able to take on the Legion Zombie fairly easily, I'll consider transitioning over to ghost fighting.
I tapped Zombie and let the Barrier form.
Right away I noticed a much greater number of zombies than I previously ever noticed. Not skipping a beat, I hefted my weapon and gripped it with two hands, excited.
Almost immediately I heard a small crunch from behind me.
A regular zombie, I think. Pretty simple to dispatch.
"[Spiraling Energy Bolt]."
Wow. The zombies was knocked down, alright. A third of its HP was taken, too. Neato.
I absentmindedly jabbed the zombie in the head. In comparison, my jab only cost the zombie about… a sixth of its HP? So ranged attacks finally outpace melee!
What's this?
A skill has been created through a special action.
Oh. Probably [Polearm Mastery]. I really should've gotten this earlier.
A skill to utilize long weapons freely, [Polearm Mastery], has been created.
Wow. This is the… second (?) time I remember successfully predicting a Skill name.
Polearm Mastery (PASSIVE)
Allows the user to freely use polearms.
+10% Damage
+5% Attack Speed
Nice. That'll make my attacks even more effective! You know, I wonder if I can make another [Power Strike]?
I eyed the struggling zombie before shrugging. Why the hell not? I guess I should make some sort of… thrusting attack. That's what spears specialize in, after all.
Winding back, I threw my arm out behind me, pointing the spear tip at the zombie's torso.
"Mighty thrust!"
The spear launched forwards and buried itself deeply into the deadhead's chest, draining its last HP.
A skill has been created through a special action.
I fucking knew it.
A skill to unleash a powerful piercing attack, [Mighty Thrust], has been created.
I even got the name right! Or did my exclamation influence the Skill's name? I suppose it doesn't matter either way.
Mighty Thrust (ACTIVE)
LVL: 1
Pierces the target with a strong force.
+15% Critical Chance
+50% Armor Penetration
Hmm. So [Power Strike] gives Damage and Critical Chance, [Energy Burst] gives Force and Damage, while [Mighty Thrust] gives Armor Penetration and Critical Chance. I suppose this fits in with what you use the weapons for. Slashing weapons are kind of poor against unarmored enemies, unarmed attacks rely on delivering overwhelming blunt force to the target to inflict damage, and piercing weapons work best by punching through armor and natural defenses to reach weak points.
Well, any drops from the re-killed undead? Wow, that's a really poorly-worded sentence.
… Nope, none at all. Shame. Now- FUCK!
A zombie snuck up on me again! Goddammit, what's wrong with my awareness? Alright, calm down and analyze the situation. I don't know if it's [A Gamer's Mind] or something natural, but I was able to observe a lot in the scene in front of me.
A slightly pudgy woman in her mid-40s was lurching towards me, her face screwed up in a feral snarl. The corpse was clad in a blood-stained cardigan that I think was originally pink and a knee-length white skirt. She was a bit too close to use the spear effectively, so I raised a lone hand.
"[Spiraling Energy Bolt]."
The orb of mana buried itself into the zombie's head, knocking it down for several precious seconds. A quick [Mighty Thrust] dispatched it handily.
The LVL of [Spiraling Energy Bolt] has gone up by one.
Really? Well, I suppose it is only LVL 1. Or was.
The LVL of [Mighty Thrust] has gone up by one.
Nice, two-for-one.
The LVL of [Polearm Mastery] has gone up by one.
Three-for-one? Awesome.
How many zombies were following that other one? None, it appears.
Now for a plan of action. Do I want to focus on LVLing my spear skills or my magic skills? Well, I'm leaning towards magic, but increasing my polearm use to a decent level first would make future grinding so much easier. I mean, if my magic oneshotted every zombie, I'd have to wade into melee with fully mobile zombies. On the other hand, if I worked on spear skills, I would later be able to work on magically defeating zombies and easily take down anything that slipped past.
Yep, going with the spear.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
"[Observe]."
Runner Zombie LVL: 12
DEAD (AGAIN)
A walking corpse. No matter how it died, it hates the living, attacking and devouring their flesh. This zombie retained a great deal of agility and coordination for a zombie.
And damn did it ever. Very hard to hit and equally hard to avoid with its above average DEX and fast movement speed.
Hah. I stretched my arms above my head until I could hear the joints pop before slumping down. Very nice run today. I made 1 LVL in [Observe], 3 LVLs on [Mighty Thrust] and 4 LVLs in [Polearm Mastery]. It's going up so fast since that's all I've been using right now. So far, I've been good enough that I haven't needed to resort to using my fists and let me say that it is fucking difficult to kill these zombies, especially Runners, without knocking them down first. It actually requires player skill, rather than character skill.
Anyway, time to go. According to that pocket watch I still have tucked away in the Inventory, it's almost dinner. After that, I think I'll catch up on homework. I'm actually kind of behind right now.
You've gained one LVL.
Really? That makes 2 so far. Well, I suppose I should distribute the points I've obtained before turning in.
Name: Han Jee-Han
Title: Apprentice Undead Hunter
Class: The Gamer
LVL: 9
XP: 20/9000
HP: 170/170
MP: 270/270
STR: 7
DEX: 10
VIT: 6
INT: 25
WIS: 12
LUK: 5
Points: 10
Money: 15000W
Wow, close. Now, common sense tells me to leave INT alone this time. I happen to agree; I'm going to be focusing more on melee combat for a while. Though I don't think I'll be taking down the Legion Zombie in hand to hand. So I do need to invest in magic stats. Hmm…
Well, definitely 1 point to STR. I really want that to be an even number. And 2 to DEX so it's easier to down the Runners. Another 2 to VIT for health? Yeah, seems good.
But that leaves 5 points to spend. I guess I'll throw those into INT? It would seem to give a more immediate benefit of increasing the power of my spells, while putting them into WIS would just increase my Mana Regen...
You know what, fuck it. I'm going to improve WIS next time unless I'm still having trouble with the Runners. Then I'll split between DEX and WIS. After than, I'll put points in LUK to improve drop rates. Because I'm assuming that's what it does.
Name: Han Jee-Han
Title: Apprentice Undead Hunter
Class: The Gamer
LVL: 9
XP: 20/9000
HP: 180/180
MP: 295/295
STR: 8
DEX: 12
VIT: 8
INT: 30
WIS: 12
LUK: 5
Points: 0
Money: 15000W
Now to home and homework. Urg.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
Urp. Ah god, I feel like I'm gonna puke. Oh man, was that vomit?! Did I just swallow vomit!?
Calm.
Whoa, [A Gamer's Mind], It's been a while. How've you been?
I struggled into the living room before collapsing on the couch. I have no fucking clue what Mom did today with her meal, but it was awful! Normally, I can at least stomach Korean food, if not enjoy it, but tonight was some kind of disaster! Undercooked, crunchy rice; clumped-together noodles; far too many spices, the thing was a nightmare!
Well, whatever. I suddenly feel a lot better in my stomach; not entirely well, but better. Maybe [A Gamer's Body] procced?
… Man, I wish Mom didn't guilt trip me into eating it. "Oh, I worked so hard on dinner tonight. Please give me your honest opinion; it's a new recipe I decided to try out just for you." Blah, I am such a bleeding heart.
Damn my empathy.
Anyway, homework time. Maybe if I throw up on it I'll get an extension? Nah, I'll probably get points taken off for sloppy work.
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I slumped in my seat, dully glaring at the faux wood desk in front of me. Damn cheap alarm clock, making me come to school an hour early. Mom was still asleep, which should've tipped me off, but for some reason I wasn't as alert as I usually am in the morning.
Even my sarcastic internal narrative has suffered this infernal degradation!
Hold it! Something's not right here…
I subtly examined my surroundings for anything unusual. I didn't find anything but a total stoppage of the passage of time, unfortunately.
Wait just a cotton picking minute…
…
Wow, I'm tired. After this, I'm going to the teacher's lounge and grabbing a cup of coffee, rules be damned!
Now, what could cause such a blatant disregard for the laws of nature…
Magic. Obviously magic. The real question is who cast the Stop spell.
"I need to speak with you."
"SONAVABITCH!"
I whirled around, scaring my attacker with an aural assault. Or that was the plan, at least. I'm pretty sure a redheaded martial artist who can punch through 5 meter tall praying mantises wouldn't be too impressed.
Redhead simply stared at me, unperturbed.
"I need to speak with you. This Barrier will not last long."
Oh, so this is an Illusion Barrier. They can stop time!? Wow, that is so overpowered. How do I do that? Wait, talking to someone.
Redhead was still standing there, but her eyes were sharper than they were before. I guess she's getting impatient. Just go along with the nice, scary lady, Jee-Han. When she saw me getting to my feet, she spun around and marched briskly to the door. I guess she expects me to follow her?
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I have no idea what her DEX is, but I had to jog several times to keep up with her walking pace. It's probably somewhere in the 40s or 50s.
I walked through the opened door to the roof, admiring the early morning view. I suppose the crisp morning air refreshed me do much I don't need that coffee. It would still be nice, though. When I looked down at the courtyard, people were moving again. The Illusion Barrier must've fallen while we were climbing.
"Do you know why Hwan Sung-Gon is collecting soul stones?"
Gah! Oh right, she's here. I really need to work on awareness. Wait…
"Who's Hwan Sung-Gon?"
"Our teacher, the man wearing the black suit."
Oh, Agent K. What to say, what to say. If I tell her my suspicions of romantic motivation, will she take me seriously or will she laugh in my face?
Probably take me seriously. She doesn't seem the laughing type. I suppose she could just not believe me.
Believe it or not, I'm actually not very confident in my analysis, despite my evidence. Well, my knowledge of commonly-used plot hooks and genre savviness. Fuck it, I'll tell her. I am curious as to her reaction.
"I think he's using them to revive or heal his true love. There's no way anyone would gather items of immense power for any other reason without being obviously Chaotic Evil."
Nice! That actually came out coherently, even with the tacked-on addendum at the end explaining your reasoning. Go Team Han!
"In other words, you don't know."
… Whaaaaat? What the fuck is she smoking!? How could she not hear the sincerity oozing off my dulcet tones?!
Okay, maybe that was a bit narcissistic. My confusion must have shown on my face as she continued.
"I doubt you are actually naïve enough to believe that and your psychological profile indicates you would joke about something as trivial as this."
Wow. That psychological profile is way off. I actually am that idealistic (not naïve) and would joke about this. I fact, I am highly likely to! Who created such a defunct psych eval on me! It's only half right for chrissake!
Redhead sighed and marched off towards the door before pausing and facing me halfway there.
"Thank you for your assistance."
She spoke robotically and resumed her previous course.
"Hold it."
Redhead stopped and turned again, albeit reluctantly.
"Why would you assume I would know anything about Agent K's goals or motivations?"
It's curious why she would ask me. I mean, aside from my increasing power levels, I have no obvious connection to Agent K. Oh right, game; it's probably part of the quest line and as such doesn't have to make much narrative sense. Ah well, it's still a fair question.
She stared at me for a moment.
"Who?"
"Agent K. You know, the Hwan guy."
She stared at me for another few seconds before continuing. I think that's her way of showing curiosity.
"I've seen you enter his Illusion Barriers repeatedly."
… Wow. That's just… wow. Really, really shoddy reasoning.
"For your information, I've only entered his Illusion Barriers three times."
Was it three? I think it was.
"You've entered four so far."
Damn. Which'd I miss? The accidental zombie one, the intentional zombie one, the accidental Legion Zombie one… Everything else was inside my own Illusion Barriers… Oh, she means the very first one where I saw Redhead and Agent K.
"That one doesn't count. Why are you so interested in Agent K, anyway?"
… She walked off while I was thinking. Bitch. Ooh, new skill?
A skill has been created through a special action.
Some kind of social skill, I imagine.
A skill to bring others around to your point of view, [Persuasion], has been created.
Thought so.
PERSUASION (SOCIAL)
LVL: 1
Allows the user to convince others through debate, logic, and emotional appeal. Improves ability to analyze and understand others, especially their emotions.
Nice. It's basically what a debater would use. And that last part will be excellent to tell what the hell other people feel! What's that sound? A bell?
Oh shit, class!
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
Fortunately, I made it in before the final bell. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to snag a cup of joe before the teachers swarmed the Lounge.
Class passed by quickly as I contemplated the wisdom (not WIS) of confessing to Sun-Il.
I'm not referring to asking Sun-Il to skip training by that name again.
Back on topic, how could he react? Eager determination to help me? Disappointment in my confiding's delay? Surprise I know about the other half of his life? Fear of my new, supernatural abilities?
Ah man, it could be anything. Though the odds are heavily favoring determination and surprise.
Well, that's the end of school. Do or die time.
"Wait, Sun-Il"
The greenhead started before facing me.
"Hey. Can you make this quick? I'm expected at the dojo pretty much right after school ends."
Wow. Surprisingly distant response. This only reinforces my decision to say this before it comes back to bite my ass and drive a wedge between us.
"Can you blow it off for a day? Please?"
I clapped my hands out in front of me and tried to twist my expression to the classic "puppy dog eyes". Judging by his face, I failed.
"… That was disturbing. Please never do that again. Anyway, I suppose… How important is this?"
"Super-ultra-mondo-giga-important."
His face crumpled before taking on a thoughtful cast.
"Is this related to how fucking weird you've been acting lately?"
Eh? I've been acting oddly? I know I lost all rationality for a few days, but it couldn't have been that bad, could it? Well, I suppose it was.
I nodded, trying to convey the severity of my request. His face broke out into his trademark grin before speaking.
"Well, I suppose I could. But only because you asked so nicely."
… I'm so grateful that I won't complain about his acceptance.
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
I led Sun-Il to the roof, stopping in a secluded corner away from the prying eyes of whoever comes up here after school ends.
"I know you're trying to be serious and circumspect here, but this is starting to seem fishy. Are you confessing to me? While I'm flattered, I'm also straight, so…"
I flicked his nose and glared at him.
"Fuck off. [ID Create]."
To my surprise, Sun-Il jumped a few feet backwards and assumed a ready stance before the flash vanished. I- Is that a green aura surrounding him? Hah, I was right! He is a magical martial artist!
"Talk. Now."
Ooh shit, his voice's gone all serious and intimid- gack!
The bastard used his forearm to pin my neck to the wall!
"Let me get one thing clear: if you've hurt Jee-Han I will end you."
Does he think I'm not me?! I tried to call him on his idiocy but the current state of affairs precluded such frivolities.
"Won't talk, eh? Eh?"
He seemed confused when I frantically pointed at my throat before recognition colored his features. He loosened his grip on my trachea and I took the opportunity to gulp down sweet mouthfuls of oxygen. It's true what they say: you never know what you have until it's gone.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, GREENHEAD! PUT ME DOWN BEFORE I REMOVE YOUR ABILITY TO REPRODUCE!"
He dropped me like a hot potato before smiling warmly.
"Jee-Han! I thought you were an imposter!"
… Idiot. Who else would I be but me?
"… Idiot. Who else would I be but me?"
His expression only brightened at this.
"And now you've proven yourself to be Jee-Han. A sane person would be less candid with someone who choked them a second ago."
"And now you've proven yourself to be Sun-Il. A sane person would be less candid with someone who threatened them with castration a second ago."
His grin stayed for a moment before fading away until he was in one of his rare, serious expressions.
"Jee-Han, why can you create Illusion Barriers?"
I sighed and pushed him back a few feet.
"It's a long story. Basically, I've unlocked the ability to accidentally enter Illusion Barriers and learned how to do the rest by imitating fictional media and a bit of impromptu instruction from out new chemistry teacher."
I… I decided to give him a partial truth. It's just… it's a lot easier to believe spontaneous magical powers than spontaneous RPG character. And, if he is an NPC like I really hope he isn't, he might even be hardcoded to ignore game talk. Plus, it's not exactly wrong, is it? I mean, I kinda know what the hell I'm doing. I…
If it comes down to it, I'll give him the whole truth. This is just testing the waters, so to speak. If it's an unfavorable response, it's at least going to be less severe than if I told him everything in one go.
Sun-Il stared at me for a good half minute. It was surprisingly awkward. Just as I was going to nudge him, he blinked and started talking.
"How the fuck did you learn that! Any of this! It takes years of training to achieve the most basic levels of proficiency in this! Even creating Illusion Barriers takes a few months of dedicated practice for a properly-trained student! Unless…"
He started mumbling to himself and growled whenever I tried to poke him. It was kind of intimidating, to be perfectly honest.
"Tell me,"
I started and looked him in the eye.
"what do you know about Natural Ability Users?"
xxXXxxXXxxXXxx
And that's a wrap!
Yeah, Jee-Han's kind of paranoid about Sun-Il. He's not going to keep the truth away from him forever, but he's also not going to spill his guts about something so fantastic unless he has a good reason to believe Sun-Il will believe him. If your best friend walked up to you, displaying magic powers you've known existed for your entire life and claiming to be an RPG character, would you believe them or think they're a bit delusional and stumbled across magic by chance? It's not a perfect analogy, but still…
Please leave a review if you found anything to be out of the ordinary or completely implausible. Or if you read this.
Name: Han Jee-Han
Title: Apprentice Undead Hunter
Class: The Gamer
LVL: 9
XP: 20/9000
HP: 180/180
MP: 295/295
STR: 8
DEX: 12
VIT: 8
INT: 30
WIS: 12
LUK: 5
Points: 0
Money: 15000W