Damned System

Chapter 17. K(1)

Toma had lived his entire life in a quiet fishing village in the Philippines.

Tired of the daily monotony of fishing, he always dreamed of escaping. He wanted to move to the city and live a better life.

However, about three months ago, Toma realized how peaceful and happy his life had been.

Watching the community in silence, Toma sighed.

‘Everyone’s quiet.’

It had only been ten days since the three-month hiatus ended and the game started again. Already, six people had died.

The incident seemed to have scared everyone. No one dared to attempt the missions after that, and the once lively discussions in the community froze up.

Toma was just as frightened as the others.

‘Eight thousand….’

Though nobody dared to try, there were countless missions, impossible to view all at once. Every time he saw the list, he felt a tightness in his chest.

The thought of someone dying, whom he didn’t even know, made him feel nauseous. Recalling the tutorial moment, Toma shuddered.

The memory of a lion’s fangs tearing into his belly and devouring his innards was something he could never forget.

Unbeknownst to him, cold sweat drenched his back. Wiping his trembling hand across his face, he sighed again.

Despite having nightmares for the past three months, nothing had improved.

‘It’s no wonder everything’s quiet.’

In truth, it wasn’t strange that everyone began to ignore this game, as if by mutual agreement.

‘Who wants to die?’

With a complex expression, Toma scrolled through the mission window. It wasn’t an action of any particular significance—just habitual, unconscious behavior.

“… What?”

At the end of his unconscious action, he found something unexpected. Gazing intently, Toma rubbed his eyes hard.

He thought he might have seen it wrong. However, even after several checks, the numbers before his eyes remained unchanged.

「02-07(1/5)」

As with two days prior, a mission number had thickened.

This meant that someone had started the mission. The shock came twice.

Once upon realizing someone had dared to challenge a mission again, and a second time when noticing the mission number wasn’t 01 but 02.

‘A level 2 mission?’

Up to this point, the community held a dominant view that the leading number indicated the mission’s difficulty.

In such a situation, a mission beginning with 02 had thickened. Dazedly staring at the mission window, Toma hurriedly posted in the community window.

「Title: Looks like someone entered the level 2 mission.

Content: Just as the title says. I didn’t see it wrong, did I?」

Was everyone closely watching the community, even amid the tense atmosphere? Surprisingly quick comments followed, almost unbelievable given the prior silence.

– Someone went in again?
– They’re an attention seeker.
– For real, that’s crazy. Wasn’t it still impossible to enter level 2?
– Do they have a death wish? Why would you go in there?
– Is it solo this time?
– Leave them be. If they’re intent on dying, there’s no reason to stop them.

The community quickly became uproarious.

* * *

「The barrier is activated.」
「The hall is opening.」
「Entering the mission site.」
「The location is not a player protection zone.」

It was the first mission in three months since the promotion exam. There was a slight tension but no fear. I trusted in the effort I had put in so far. I quickly skimmed the mission details.

MISSION

「02-07(1/5)」

Eliminate the enemy. (0/7)

「Rewards」

Choose from the following rewards.
• Mana 40
• Attribute Mana 20

‘Attribute Mana.’

I noticed the numbers in the mission window and my eyes gleamed.

If I could obtain those 20 attribute mana in this opportunity, I might be able to use the attribute stone.

If 50 is truly the threshold to sense mana, then surely, it would be possible.

‘That’s if I succeed in this mission.’

After taking a deep breath, I scanned the mission window thoroughly.

I skipped the level 1 mission because of the message stating that I exceeded the mana criteria.

With a higher level, it might be slightly more difficult. Considering that the entry condition is mana, it should be a difficulty I can handle now.

Luckily, even at level 2, the structure wasn’t vastly different. The simple and clear premise of this game remained the same—kill monsters and absorb mana.

Even the white wall blocking the sky was the same as the promotion exam mission.

The main difference was the terrain.

‘A cliff…or is it a canyon?’

There was a steep cliff right beside me. Peering over briefly, I saw water rushing ferociously through the deep gorge below.

The terrain was quite different from the last promotion exam mission. While that had ample trees and grass to be labeled a forest, it wasn’t as steep.

At most, it was a gentle slope.

‘Perhaps the map changes with each mission?’

Quickly assessing my surroundings, I backed against the cliff.

‘Certainly.’

It would be hard to say it was the same region. The promotion exam mission site didn’t have trees growing straight and tall like these.

They were all twisted and entangled, with uneven heights—a literal thicket.

Though not well-versed in plants, it was enough to recognize that this place and the other were entirely different regions.

The climate wasn’t oppressively hot to the point of difficulty breathing. Rather, it was moderately cool.

After glancing around the area for a while, I extended my hand forward.

‘Let’s start with reconnaissance.’

Red mana, like smoke, rose from the palm of my hand. Concentrating on Mana Manipulation made the wavering mana begin to form a shape.

“Phew.”

Soon, in the spot where the red mana gathered, a butterfly with fluttering wings appeared.

「Mana Detection is commencing.」

It was a skill for which I paid 400 mana in the skill tab.

I decided to save the shop voucher. Because of the warning text under the voucher.

The price range for a free purchase with the voucher was five times the mana I own.

‘How is that a free-voucher?’

The system surely didn’t understand the meaning of free.

Today, once again, resentment towards the system simmered, but there was no way to dispel it.

Even amidst innumerable curses, I refrained from using the voucher. It wasn’t an item to be used on purchasing cheap skills like Mana Detection.

As my mana increases, I’d be able to buy more expensive skills or weapons.

I briefly checked the voucher stored in the inventory and opened the status window. Then, I reviewed the information on Mana Detection again.

「Mana Detection lv.1(5.89%)」

• Classification: Permanent Skill
• Description: Can detect mana within the activity range of the medium.
– Cognition Range: 300m based on the medium
– Activity Range: 10m based on the caster

This skill, which displayed both level and proficiency, indeed allowed me to detect mana. The world seen through the butterfly consisted solely of mana.

A world full of smoky, shimmering light. Of course, it wasn’t visible directly with the eyes.

I could only sense it. Mana dissipates if it goes beyond the activity range, but it’s assumed the range would increase as the level rises.

‘Let’s see.’

Launching the butterfly into the air, I followed behind. When first acquiring this skill, it felt more unpleasant than expected.

The forceful insertion of knowledge into the brain made me nauseous and caused a headache for two days.

However, thanks to that, unfamiliar knowledge settled in my mind. Although it felt unpleasant, buying and mastering this skill granted me hope.

‘There are still many items in the skill tab.’

Most are expensive enough to be hard to buy right now. However, the more mana I gather, the more skills I could learn.

The possibilities are endless. I reviewed the skills I intended to purchase after accumulating more mana as I moved forward.

I sensed a multitude of mana around through the butterfly. Scattered like dots here and there, faintly colored, and small in size—mana belonging to plants.

‘Once I deal with the monsters to some extent, I should retrieve those too.’

I brought all necessary items. Let’s see how much I can take back. Focusing on Mana Detection, I moved for five minutes.

‘It’s too quiet.’

Not a shadow of the monster was in sight. All the mana sensed through the butterfly sent earlier was small.

‘Should I move further inward?’

I was currently walking along the cliff by the canyon. Logically, there would be no beast living close to a cliff.

To find monsters, entering the forest might be better. As I was about to turn for this reason.

“Hmm?”

My gaze, which had unconsciously glanced down the cliff, fixed. I saw something strange among the bushes, moss, and large rocks.

‘Could it be?’

Blinking and frozen in place, I soon crouched by the cliff, looking for a way down. But with no apparent route, I jumped down.

I had confidence due to checking my body’s changes frequently. I managed to descend the nearly 50-60 meter cliff with just a few steps.

Afterward, as I confirmed what lay beyond the muddy, swirling waters.

Gulp.

Without realizing it, I swallowed dryly.

What I had speculated from above became almost a certainty now that I was below. Without a moment’s hesitation, I entered the water.

Splash, splash.

It took only a few seconds to cross the water, which reached my chest, and reach the opposite side.

Upon arrival, broken wooden pieces surrounded the obstructing bushes, towering over the landscape with large rocks.

But what caught my eye wasn’t the stones or the plants. When I pushed aside a chunk of rock the size of my torso with one hand.

“Wow!”

Involuntarily, I uttered nearly a curse-like exclamation.

It wasn’t a mistake after all.

“It’s gold!”

Half-crushed under the rock’s weight, it was definitely gold. Excitement flushed my face red as I frantically began clearing bushes and stones.

More pieces—necklaces with sparkling jewels, rings—continued to appear. I carefully gathered them into one spot.

Amid this, I found something truly peculiar in the mix of dirt and gravel on the floor.

‘This is…’

A coin. A gold coin. Nearly three times the size of a 500 won coin.

On one side, there was an image of a woman with her hair tied up, while on the other, there was a roaring beast.

It looked like it could be a lioness or a bear.

Without a word, I examined the coin for a while.

‘Britain? France? A currency used in the Western world…’

Did any country in the past use gold coins of this design?

I had severed ties with world history when I dropped out of high school, so I had no idea.

However, the lack of proper knowledge didn’t prevent me from feeling a sense of incongruity.

The emblem on the coin was too intricate. Did such a detailed technique exist in the era that used coins like these?

Before I realized it, my excitement subsided, replaced by confusion. A creature I had never seen in my life and a strange coin.

The two sets of information twisted my mind into chaos. Regardless, my hands continued to move diligently.

Thanks to that, I could discover new things alongside gold bullion, jewelry, and coins.

It was wood, rotten and split apart everywhere. The shape was unmistakably.

“A wheel?”

Though semicircular and broken, it was undoubtedly a wheel. A wooden wheel, lacking any rubber tires.

If it hadn’t broken, it would have been comparable in size to a medium-sized car tire.

While fiddling with the wooden wheel, I fell into thought. Gold and jewels scattered nonsensically in this place.

And the wooden planks and wheels abundant around them.

As I alternated my gaze between the two, I raised my head.

I saw the butterfly, which I launched into the air for surveillance, lingering above.

Flutter, flutter.

Beyond the lightly fluttering butterfly, the cliff’s edge was visible.

‘Did it fall from there…?’

No sooner did the question arise than my body flinched.

A cluster of mana abruptly appeared within the range of my perception.

Thick and large, incomparable to that of plants. It wasn’t floating like a mirage but blazing intensely like a fireball.

Realizing what it meant, I quickly jumped aside.

As I grabbed the spear that was set down during my digging, an unsettling crunching sound along with heavy footsteps reached my ears.

The incessantly flowing water hidden the sound initially, but it began to stand out, growing ever nearer. Hastily glancing upward, lo and behold.

Sprouting from the edge of the cliff, a black-furred head jutted out.

“Krrek.”

Standing ears like a fox, a protruding snout, and four upward-pointing canines—all matching the characteristics of a creature I had seen in the promotion exam mission.

‘It seems a bit bigger, though?’

Apparently, the creature I saw during the promotion exam wasn’t an adult.

The creature just stared at me down the cliff, holding a chunk of red flesh in its hand, chewing it with a sickening, crunching sound amidst its feeding.

The sound reminded me of a predator chomping on its prey’s bones. Ceasing Mana Detection, I lifted my head, watching it intently.

The creature seemed to have no intention of moving first.

So, what choice did I have but to go first? The pattern of creature movements from afar was obvious.

‘At most, it’ll flick its tongue, or leap down.’

It’s easy enough to counter both scenarios. Even if an unexpected situation unfolds, I was confident I wouldn’t be easily taken down.

Thus, I kicked off the ground, leaping up the cliff in a single bound.

Damned System.