The Tutorial Is Too Hard

“I can’t get in touch with Seok-Hyeon,” Hochi said.

“What?” I questioned.

“I said I can’t get in touch with Seok-Hyeon.”

“Who’s that?”

It was a name I had never heard of before. Hochi frowned and said to me, “You know, my friend Seok-Hyeon. We became close in the community.”

Ah. So Hochi was talking about the kid whom he got close to in the community. He couldn’t reach him?

“He could be dead,” I commented. Hochi angrily glared at me.

It was surprising to see him express his anger so openly because usually, even if he was upset, he would reply sarcastically.

“How could you say such a thing?”

Then what was I supposed to say? If you messaged someone in the Tutorial and they didn’t reply, there was a high probability of them being dead. Eight out of ten people were considered dead in such cases.

The warm clothes were a wise choice. It was said that the tournament location was quite cold, so it was right to wear warm clothes.

Of course, Yong-Yong wouldn’t feel cold there, but he did dress up in order to match the dress code. Now, Yong-Yong was a bit taller than my waist, but he still looked small and young to me, perhaps because of his thick overcoat and a big bag.

With a bright smile, I hugged Yong-Yong, who rushed at me and said, “Now, let’s go to the square. The portal has shown up.”

I was unsettled by the fact that Hochi and Yong Yong would be sent out, even if it was just for a short period. Hochi, who had been anxious, calmed down, and it felt strange to be the only worried one.

“Should I come too?” I murmured, thinking about it.

Yong-Yong, who heard me, said yes because he didn’t mind it, and Hochi asked if that would be fine. But it was already decided that I couldn’t go. There was a clear reason for me to stay, and it wasn’t something that I could change because of my mood. I was both sad and distressed, but it was time for Yong-Yong and Hochi to leave.

* * * * * *

[Hochi]

Look at that restless piece of shit!

Ho-Jae, who had teased me before like a child, was visibly stressed when Yong-Yong and I went up to the portal. I bit back a smile at that sight. He was a respectable man but strange, so if you laughed recklessly, you might end up laughing for a very long time.

“Yong-Yong, say bye to your dad.”

At my words, Yong-Yong, who had been standing next to me and holding my hand tightly, bid farewell Ho-Jae.

“I’ll return soon, Dad. I’ll be sure to have a good time by myself.” I had to hold back my laughter once again at Yong-yong’s words.

Yong-yong’s farewell was no different than what Ho-Jae used to say to Yong-Yong, who kept clinging to him whenever he went to the 61st floor. He was having fun. Did Yong-Yong think that’s what one had to say whenever someone was leaving? It seemed necessary to correct this thought at another time.

We ran to the portal, ignoring Ho-Jae’s face, which had a concerned expression.

As our bodies floated, I could feel Yong-Yong and I get moved somewhere.

It was quite different from when we moved from the 60th floor to the 61st floor. Ho-Jae explained the difference between the two portals in theory, but I couldn’t understand what he meant. I knew quite a bit about magic, but not as much as Ho-Jae or Yong-Yong. At the very least, I knew this portal was unlike other ones.

We were not teleported to any crowded areas, and I thought that it was an excellent choice, since it prevented congestion. Anyone would have been embarrassed if they had suddenly fallen into a crowded square after entering the portal.

The place where Yong-Yong and I moved to was a quiet mountain road. The sign ahead showed which way to go. I tried to go the other way, but a transparent wall blocked the path. Having no other option, I followed the sign as indicated.

An excited Yong-Yong tried to break the transparent wall and go through it, saying that he wanted to chase a flying butterfly. Luckily, I somehow managed to stop him.

* * * * * *

“Hello. My name is Baek Sung-Woong.”

“Oh, hello.”

We were able to reach a gathering of people after walking for a while. There were several mountain cabinets, and people were entering and leaving frequently. Some people continued to walk alone, but most had flocked into a group. From what I could make out, they were all members of the Order of Vigilance.

Just as Yong-Yong and I were wondering if we should join them, a tall, scary-looking man approached and greeted us. The sunlight reflected on his bald head.

“This way.”

The bald guy guided us as if it were natural. I assumed he was the guide in charge of us. He had said nothing but greetings, so I couldn’t confirm whether I thought it was right. He was quite blunt.

“It’s a human!”

Yong-Yong wasn’t scared of the bald man, so he approached him and pointed at him. I hurriedly hugged Yong-Yong in surprise, to hold him back.

“I’m sorry!” I apologised to the bald man.

“No, it’s fine. By the way, you haven’t changed at all.”

“What?”

Did Ho-Jae know this bald guy? As far as I knew, I hadn’t ever heard of this guy.

“I’ve seen you on TV before. It’s an honor to be able to guide you.”

“Ah, yes.” I felt like I missed the time to say no to him being our guide.

“Cute!” Yong-Yong, who was in my arms, looked at the bald man and exclaimed.

“No. Don’t say anything, Yong-Yong. Excuse us.” I directed the last sentence at the bald head.

He wasn’t cute. Not at all.

“Cute, cute.”

Yong-Yong wasn’t listening to me. Usually, he was very obedient, but when he got hooked on something, he wouldn’t stop being stubborn, even if he was in a good mood. Yong-Yong stretched out his hands towards the bald man, attempting to touch his bald head.

“I’m so sorry. It’s his first time seeing someone like you,” I apologised.

“Is this the hatchling?”

“Yes, yes. I’m so sorry. He’s usually not this disobedient.”

“Oh, that’s all right. Children are like that. I used to have a kid this big on Earth. I don’t know how much he has grown now since it’s been two years.”

The bald man’s initially serene face turned sad. Wistfulness and sorrow were apparent as he thought about his own child. Even though he looked like a no-nonsense kind of man, he seemed to be softer than I thought. Seeing Yong-Yong seemed to ease his anxiety little by little. I thought we could get along easily over time.

“Ahaha. Cute.” Yong-Yong, who was seated on the bald head’s back, smacked his head.

Oh no, that little punk. He didn’t realize how dangerous it was to do that to a bald person.

The bald head seemed a little embarrassed and upset, and I didn’t know what to do. Come to think of it, it was my first time meeting people and holding a conversation with a bald guy.

“I’m terribly sorry, bald head.” Ah no, his name wasn’t bald head. His name was Baek Sung-Woong.

Perhaps I had been around Ho-Jae for too long, so I just blurted out whatever I had thought like he usually did.

The bald man raised his hand and said, “It’s fine.”

It was such a kind and gentle gesture that I couldn’t help but feel sheepish. I had missed the best time to correct my words.

<Competition Chapter (1)> End