“Let’s get a job first,” I suggested.

Finding a job was the first step.

“How do we get a job?” Park Deok-Gu asked.

“I don’t know,” I said.

Park Deok-Gu looked at me with a bewildered look.

“I’m not someone who knows it all, and I’m not that smart either,” I told him.

“You’re pretty smart, hyung-nim. You look like a teacher, but you seem more reliable than a knowledgeable teacher,” he complimented me.

He was partially correct. The problem was that I was never good at studying.

“Then how do we get a job?” Park Deok-Gu asked.

“We don’t have a choice but to hunt those monsters. That woman explained that our jobs would be determined based on our efforts,” I answered him.

“I-I think I heard that too…” he commented.

“We have to do something if we want things to change. We either need to keep training with our swords or continue fighting those monsters for a chance at getting a job. If we stay here, we’ll end up dying before we even get the chance to try anything,” I explained.

As I spoke, I poured out all the items that were inside the leather bag. Park Deok-Gu looked at me as if he was questioning my action, but when I weaved my shoelace into the leather and wrapped it around his body, he must’ve noticed something because he looked a bit touched.

“It looks like armor…don’t you need one hyung-nim?” Park Deok-Gu asked.

I didn’t need one since he was the one who would be fighting in front. A veil to cover my neck was all I needed. It wasn’t like I would be going out there to make a fuss. However, there wasn’t a need to explain that to him.

“You have a bigger frame than I do,” I answered.

“I’m afraid that I won’t meet your expectations, but I’ll do my best one step at a time,” Park Deok-Gu said.

I nodded in agreement.

* * *

Park Deok-Gu met my expectations.

To be honest, I knew he would be strong after I saw his basic stats. I didn’t understand how stats affected our bodies, but still, his stats were double compared to mine. I was particularly surprised by his endurance - 30 points.

He had his shield, sword, and strength, which came from his large frame. With the shabby leather armor, he looked like a gladiator in a movie.

My expectations for him were naturally high, and I was sure that he was going to leave a good impression on me. But after he gained some confidence, he greatly exceeded my expectations.

“Hyung-nim!” he called out to me.

“Got it,” I answered.

I saw his back as he was pushing back two monsters with his shield. While he must still be terrified because he looked pale, the monsters that got hit with his shield didn’t seem to feel the same way.

Park Deok-Gu was using his pure brute strength to push one of them back and while being pushed into a wall, the only thing the monsters could do was to attack with their claws. When I threw my spear through the narrow gap between them, I felt something strange as the spear pierced into the monster’s face.

‘Bullseye.’

“Ha!”

Park Deok-Gu also swung his sword as the monster released a bizarre scream. Even though he frowned, he tightened his grip around his sword because he knew from experience that if he let his guard down, he could get hurt.

“Screeech…”

After the monster’s body became lifeless, I pierced my spear into the monster’s face one more time.

“Pant…pant…”

‘I’m tired.’

It looked easy, but nothing about it was easy. My job was easier compared to Park Deok-Gu’s job, but there was a difference between our stamina. We only spent a few minutes dealing with the monsters, but my entire body was already covered in sweat.

“Here, have some water,” Park Deok-Gu said.

“Thanks,” I said.

When I released a light sigh, Park Deok-Gu asked worriedly.

“Why do I feel like you’re too weak?”

“It’s because I’ve never exercised before,” I answered.

My stamina point did increase though.

‘By one point.’

Park Deok-Gu was a bit different. He originally started with 30 points, and he now has 33 points. Compared to me, he had a great result. I wasn’t sure if our talent affected our stat growth, but it must be the case.

The rank of his endurance stat was above epic and if he wanted, he had the potential to reach above legendary, so growing this fast wouldn’t be considered as pushing his limits.

‘Damn it.’

Every jealousy had a reason.

What I was worried about was being no longer needed by Park Deok-Gu, but looking at his innocent-looking face, it didn’t seem like that was what he was thinking. Even so, he needed to rely on me so that I could have an advantage in surviving this place.

“Hyung-nim, how about we go a bit farther today? ” Park Deok-Gu suggested.

“Let’s look around some more…and lower your voice when you’re talking,” I told him.

“Do we still need to be cautious?” he asked.

“What do you think was the reason those monsters gathered at the starting point?” I asked instead of answering.

“That female guide…” he didn’t finish his sentence.

“That’s a possibility, but I think there’s a different reason. The monsters may be slow, but they’re sensitive to sound. Since people were yelling for a long time in one area, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the monsters came from different directions. If we started the tutorial quietly, I’m sure half of the group would’ve survived,” I explained to him.

“I-Is that so?” Park Deok-Gu questioned.

“Yeah and stop going ‘Heup!’ and shouting so much when you’re fighting. It’s not that bad right now since we’re only dealing with one or two monsters that have been separated from the group, but when there’s a group of four or five monsters, we’ll be the prey instead of the hunters,” I warned him.

It was strange how he was looking at me with respect. If he thought about it more objectively, he would’ve realized this himself. But this innocent guy didn’t think badly of me, which I found hilarious.

After nodding my head, I continued talking.

“This place around us doesn’t have that much monster foot traffic because the monsters that were originally here have gathered at the starting point. I’m sure the people that ran away during that time are in a similar situation to us right now.”

I thought it would be best to share with him the intel that I had one by one.

“Let’s eat something,” I suggested.

“Good idea,” Park Deok-Gu said in agreement.

Just as we quietly sat on the ground and took out the dry food that even a dog wouldn’t eat...

“...”

I heard a faint voice from somewhere.

I wanted to pretend that I didn’t hear it, but Park Deok-Gu asked while listening closely.

“Isn’t that a person’s voice?”

“No way.”

“Kyaaah…please save me,” someone screamed.

To make things worse, the voice was getting closer.

‘Oh…’

They knew that we were here.

‘It was a mistake.’

Leaving sword marks on the wall so that we wouldn’t get lost was a mistake. I hoped that someone would come and find us, but I never imagined someone would approach us while screaming like a maniac.

“H-hyung-nim,” Park Deok-Gu called out.

“Grab your sword,” I told him.

It was too late to avoid them.

“Screech!”

Luckily, there didn’t seem to be a lot of monsters chasing the person. Having a new person join us was exciting, but at the same time, it was depressing.

‘It would be a different story if they had food and water, though…’

Having limited resources was the problem. We weren’t philanthropists so we needed someone to fight with us, not hold us back. To join us, they must have the will to fight, food rations, and their group must also be small. The screaming person definitely did not meet these conditions. They did not deserve to travel with us.

“How annoying…” I commented.

“I don’t think we need to worry so much hyung-nim. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of them,” Park Deok-Gu said.

‘Easy for you to say.’

While holding his sword and shield, he ran out first. I immediately followed behind him while holding my spear.

When we arrived at a slightly open area, we saw a woman running with three monsters chasing after her. Half of her clothes were torn and even though she was beautiful overall, I wasn’t interested in her physical appearance.

‘Damn it.’

She must’ve seen us because the way she ran towards us was a sight to behold. She had neither weapon nor food on her.

After checking the stats of the monsters behind her, I immediately activated my eyes and looked at the woman.

[Check Jung Ha-Yan’s Status Window and Potential.]

[Name - Jung Ha-Yan]

[Title - None. Please work harder.]

[Age - 21]

[Nature - Innocent Supporter]

[Job - Unemployed.]

[Stats]

[Strength - 10/Below rare growth limit]

[Agility - 11/Below rare growth limit]

[Stamina - 12/Below epic growth limit]

[Intelligence - 22/Above epic growth limit]

[Endurance - 14/Below rare growth limit][Luck - 23/Above epic growth limit]

[Magic - 10/Above legendary growth limit]

[Overall Review - Jung Ha-Yan possesses above legendary growth limit. Her overall physical stats may be low, but she’ll be able to grow a lot later as a mage or a priest. Currently, Jung Ha-Yan isn’t aware of the fact that she is able to feel magic. Compared to this woman, it’s not an exaggeration to say that player Lee Ki-Young is like the dirt that’s on an ant’s pincer.]

‘What the hell.’

I couldn’t believe the stats of the woman that was running while panting. It was my first time seeing someone with an above legendary stat rank. Unlike us, who didn’t possess any magic points, she already possessed 10 points.

“We’ve never fought against three monsters,” Park Deok-Gu said.

I could already imagine the scene of us abandoning the woman, but after checking her stats, everything changed.

“We’re going to fight,” I said.

“Can we even win?” Park Deok-Gu questioned.

“We’ll lure them to a narrow area,” I suggested.

“I understand,” he said.

Fighting while leaning against a wall was more advantageous than being surrounded. The downside was that we wouldn’t have an escape route, but I believed that we weren’t going to lose so easily. I tightened my grip around my spear.

She must’ve realized where we were because she started running as fast as she could. Seeing as how she nodded her head when I waved to her to come this way, I guess she wasn’t dull-witted at all.

“We’ll stand by at the corner,” I suggested.

“G-Got it,” Park Deok-Gu stuttered.

When the woman reached us, the monsters turned around the corner, and Park Deok-Gu swung his shield with all his might.

“Now!” I yelled.

“Ha!”

The monster was pushed back for a moment, but as it charged towards Park Deok-Gu again, I attacked with my spear.

“Hyung-nim!”

When another monster grabbed my spear, my mind went blank, but thanks to Park Deok-Gu’s swinging of his sword, the monster was destroyed. But as a result, he lost his posture.

As expected, dealing with three monsters wasn’t easy. The only thing I could do for Park Deok-Gu, who was crouching while holding his shield, was to swing my spear.

The moment I bit my lips again, I suddenly saw a sword coming out from the monster’s back.

“T-Thank you,” Park Deok-Gu said.

“It’s nothing,” someone said.

Someone helped us. After the monster was taken out, the person standing behind it was a face that I had seen before. He was the same man that helped us back at the starting point.

I remembered his slightly desperate face.

“What the…” I whispered.

[Checking Player Kim Hyun-Sung’s Status Window and Potential.]

[Name - Kim Hyun-Sung]

[Title - Regressor of Altanus, Swordsman that Starts the Second Round, One Who Couldn’t Overcome, One Who Sacrifices, The Awakened.]

[Age - 22]

[Nature - Kind-hearted Mediator]

[Job - Swordsman-Average rank]

[Stats]

[Strength - 19/Above legendary growth limit]

[Agility - 28/Above legendary growth limit]

[Stamina - 23/Above legendary growth limit]

[Intelligence - 18/Below epic growth limit]

[Endurance - 22/Below epic growth limit]

[Luck - 23/Above epic growth limit]

[Magic - 11/Above legendary growth limit]

‘What is this…’

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at the unknown status window.

‘A Regressor? Time reversal?’

From the looks of it, this didn’t seem to be his first time.