Chapter 81. Training or Tempering (1)

The world blinked. With a flash, the asphalt road beneath him became a carpeted floor, and the sky streaked with sunset turned into a high ceiling. The empty shops lining both sides, without owners or customers, melted into soft white walls.

[You have been transported to the Training Institute.]

Where am I?

This place was different from the Training Institute he had visited last time. The modest classroom had transformed into a vast space easily comparable to a university lecture hall.

Is this an auditorium?

A broad platform for at least a hundred people stood at the front, backed with rows of seats that rose higher the farther back they went. Who they were meant for, he couldn’t guess, but the scale was impressive. The enormous screen covering the entire back wall dwarfed the one he remembered.

Thump. Thump.

He walked down toward the stage while checking the incoming messages. Now that he was somewhere safe, he thought he should make sure his companions were, too.

[You have twelve unopened messages.]

[Would you like to check them all?]

“Check them,” Eun-Ho said.

There were twelve in total, but most carried the same tone—words of worry and anxious questions of where he was and who he was with. They were all asking him to please reply. It seemed they had all witnessed the moment he lost consciousness.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Choi Jae-Hyuk

- Message: Hyungnim, are you all right? Yul keeps asking if you’re okay. Please reply if you see this!

So I guess Jae-Hyuk ended up with Yul’s family. That’s a relief.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Lee Ye-Ji

- Message: Mr. Eun-Ho! You’re fine, right? I’m inside Mapo Station with the loudmouth. Let me know the destination once it’s set!

Okay, so Ye-Ji’s with the foul-mouthed one at Mapo. Good.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Song Hyun-Sook

- Message:

Mr. Kim! Am I sending this right?

Eun-Ho frowned in puzzlement.

“Song Hyun-Sook? Who’re they calling Kim? My last name’s Lee...”

Then, it struck him that the security guard used to call the cleaning lady Ms. Song. What she had muttered while asking the guard had probably gotten recorded and transmitted by mistake.

He chuckled softly. “Well, at least they’re safe. That’s what matters.”

He had been worried because falling through the sky without ropes was a bit different from bungee jumping without a cord.

Ji-Eun must have had a rough time. She would’ve been the one managing the descent so no one hit the ground headfirst.

Finally, he opened the last message, which was Ji-Eun’s second message.

- To: Lee Eun-Ho

- From: Kim Ji-Eun

- Message: I thought you fell somewhere near Gwangheungchang, but I can’t find you. You’re safe, right? Please reply.

Eun-Ho sighed because he had inadvertently worried them all.

I need to reply quickly

, yet even as he thought that, the feeling struck him as strange.

When did I gain so many people looking out for me?

Before the world turned upside down, no one ever called or texted him except for work. These people made him feel both guilty and grateful. He organized the information in his head.

So, Jae-Hyuk, Yul, and Han-Wool are at Mangwon Reservoir. Ji-Eun is near Gwangheungchang Station. Ye-Ji and the Swear-Master are at Mapo Station and the cleaning lady and the guard’s whereabouts are unknown, but they seem safe.

Only the two elders remained unaccounted for, but they’d likely landed nearby as well, as most of the group had ended up along the north side of the Han River.

With that in mind, he drafted a reply to Jae-Hyuk first.

-

Message: Let’s meet today at 7:00 PM at Exit 8 of Hongdae Station. If there’s any danger, let me or Ji-Eun know immediately.

He chose Hongdae because survivors there were few and not particularly threatening. Then, he sent the same message to everyone.

I just hope no one gets into trouble on the way.

Jae-Hyuk and Ji-Eun would be fine even if they ran into people or monsters. The ones without unlocked abilities worried him more. Still, the fact that they’d all remained safe so far meant the area probably lacked serious threats.

Even so, I need to finish quickly and get back to them just in case.

Strengthening his resolve, Eun-Ho walked toward the giant screen filled with what seemed like course syllabi. It was packed tight like a university bulletin board plastered with posters.

As he rubbed his eyes to read, there came the sound of footsteps from far away.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His eyes widened. Someone else was there with him.

***

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A man made his way down from the uppermost row of the tiered auditorium. Seeing he was wearing a black baseball cap pulled low, Eun-Ho wondered if it was the Swear-Master. However, the man’s towering height and powerful build quickly erased that thought.

So I’m not the only one here,

Eun-Ho realized.

I guess there’s another person who passed the entry exam with an S+ rating.

[Special lectures have been prepared for the top performer of the Entrance Exam.]

[You may spend Education Points to attend a variety of classes.]

Until now, the condition for receiving these Points had been straightforward: achieve an S+ evaluation. The fact that Ji-Eun hadn’t received them despite earning an S-rank made it all the more certain.

But I’ve never seen this guy before. He wasn’t from Yongsan District. So maybe he’s from somewhere nearby?

It wasn’t exactly suspicion that he felt, but curiosity. Judging by the way the other man’s gaze lingered, the feeling was mutual.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The man’s pace faltered for a moment upon noticing Eun-Ho, then quickened again, his brows drawing together in a frown.

“

Hmm...

So I’m not the only one here,” the man said.

He stood at least 185 centimeters tall. His cap hid most of his face, but the broad shoulders, solid chest, and muscular forearms visible beneath a black short-sleeved shirt spoke volumes. He was either a professional athlete, or someone whose livelihood depended on his physique.

But... Why does his face look familiar?

Eun-Ho thought.

Eun-Ho studied the glimpses of his features under the cap brim, then deliberately looked away. They weren’t in a peaceful setting where one exchanged names in greeting, after all.

If there’s a limit to how many can take each course, I’d better choose first.

With that thought, Eun-Ho skimmed quickly through the list on the massive screen.

[Basic Swordsmanship Class (Completed).]

[Charismatic Leadership Class]

[Omnivore Cooking Class]

Some were the same subjects he had seen back when he’d been only a preliminary candidate.

The strikethrough on Basic Swordsmanship Class suggested that once a course was completed, it couldn’t be repeated. He noted with some respect how meticulous the system was, then continued reading.

[Meditation]

- Are your thoughts in disarray, trapped in cycles of anger, regret, jealousy, or longing? This course is for you. Let go of everything, and gain the world!

- Reward: Unlock Meditation(Lv. 1) skill

That was new.

[Extreme Endurance]

- In a world turned upside down, have you repressed your instincts? With just one lecture, you’ll open the door to a new life. Don’t hold it in any longer and have control over elimination urges!

- Reward: Unlock Bodily Control(Lv. 1) skill

“

Huh?

Do they really need a course like that?” Eun-Ho muttered.

He scrolled further.

[Basic Spearmanship]

- A weapon that secures distance while striking decisively, the spear! Learn stance, form, and techniques all at once. But, a weapon is required to enroll.

- Reward: Unlock Spearmanship(Lv. 1) skill

That one looked far more useful. Besides, there were countless more, ranging from the practical to the bizarre.

[How to Eat and Sleep Well]

[Basic Shield Techniques]

[Children’s Music Class]

...

There were too many to count. Most were labeled basic or introductory, but the mere fact that attending a single lecture could unlock a skill was incredible. Skills like Petrify had come from sheer luck, but others, like Acceleration

,

required rare conditions to obtain.

However, right now, what Eun-Ho needed wasn’t a new skill like spearmanship or marksmanship.

What I need is a way to maximize the skills I already have, especially Counterattack, the skill that had once unleashed enough power to shatter the sky.

[Counterattack(Lv. 1)]

- Consume Resistance stat to reflect a portion of damage received back to the attacker.

- Counterattack amount = (percentage of Resistance stat consumed)%.

Also, there was Revive

,

the skill he had never once used and hoped never would.

[Revive(Lv. -)]

- When your HP is fully depleted, it automatically restores 10% of the total HP.

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

- It consumes the Bloodstone’s stored energy and it requires sufficient blood absorption to recharge.

- Current charges: 1/1

To fully leverage these game-changing abilities, there was one requirement above all else.

My maximum Stamina must be high.

The reflected damage of Counterattack and the restored health of Revive both scaled with total Stamina stat. The larger the pool was, the greater the benefit was. His choice was obvious.

[Basic Physical Training]

-

The first step in martial arts is stamina! A strong mind resides in a strong body. Every long journey begins with a single step, or in this case, a single lap!

- Reward: Increase in Stamina stat

It was a perfect way to increase his Stamina stat without relying on trial rewards.

Swish!

[Selection confirmed.]

Without hesitation, Eun-Ho reached out and made his choice. The problem was that the man beside him had chosen the very same course at the exact same moment.

Swish!

Fwoosh!

The massive screen flickered, and two hidden doors appeared side by side behind the stage.

[Please proceed to the classroom.]

Of all things, he had to choose this one?

Eun-Ho frowned. The man didn’t seem like someone who needed more Stamina training. Was he the type to invest in both Stamina and Strength?

He was still wondering about it when a short sigh came from behind him. “

Hah

. Are you my fan?”

The absurd question made Eun-Ho pause.

“... Your fan?” Eun-Ho repeated, turning to get a better look at him. Then, recognition struck.

Ah!

At last, the face under the cap matched a name.

***

It was Park Gong-Chan, the captain of the national soccer team. Credited with leading a prestigious EPL club to a Premier League title, he was hailed as one of the greatest athletes of his era.

He’s the man called the legend of Korean football in the past, present, and future. And here he is, in the same place,

Eun-Ho thought.

Even more surreal, they were now standing side by side, performing the three great lifts.

[Park Gong-Chan]

[Squat: 420 kg!]

[Bench Press: 300 kg!]

[Deadlift: 450 kg!]

[Congratulations! You have surpassed the limits of the human body!]

[Lee Eun-Ho]

[Squat: 190 kg!]

[Bench Press: 110 kg!]

[Deadlift: 215 kg!]

[Congratulations! You have passed the required standard!]

While Park Gong-Chan was breaking through physical limits, Eun-Ho was barely scraping past the baseline.

Naturally, as Park Gong-Chan had started with Strength and Stamina far beyond an ordinary person’s, then poured his points into them relentlessly. Still, somehow, that didn’t make Eun-Ho feel any better.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Park Gong-Chan said evenly. “This is literally my job.”

Eun-Ho didn’t say anything.

[Stage I clear!]

[The foundation of stamina is solid strength! You have met the requirements for the Basic Physical Training class.]

[Your Stamina stat has increased by one.]

Both of them cleared the trial, but the rewards differed.

[Park Gong-Chan. For your outstanding performance, you received an additional stat.]

Whether “outstanding” was measured against an absolute standard or a relative one, it didn’t matter. Either way, the disparity only fueled Eun-Ho’s determination for some reason.

[The Door has opened.]

[You may now proceed to the next stage.]

“Not bad,” Park Gong-Chan remarked with calm detachment, as though there was never any doubt who stood superior.

[Warning!]

[You may lose your life during training. You are free to forfeit at any time.]

“But don’t push yourself too hard,” Park Gong-Chan said.

“What?”

“Don’t take it the wrong way. I just mean it’s good for me if someone’s paving the way beneath me,” he muttered the words with a sidelong glance, making it sting all the more.

[Would you like to proceed to Stage II?]

“Wouldn’t want you getting hurt by overreaching and—”

“I’ll get going,” Eun-Ho cut him off.

Let’s see who’ll be the one smiling at the end.