Chapter 3 : I Think I’m Kind of a Genius

Chapter 3: I Think I’m Kind of a Genius

The civilization humanity had built over countless centuries was collapsing at a rapid pace.

Humanity’s power was far too weak to fight against grotesque creatures possessing power beyond all standards.

As he watched the world heading toward destruction, Dohyeong had no choice but to acknowledge that Colossus had become true reality.

The convenience store part-timer who had followed Dohyeong out belatedly stared at the outside situation that resembled hell and froze in shock.

“……That’s impossible.”

Dohyeong was just as shocked.

Of course, through what he had experienced moments ago, he had already accepted that this situation was truly real, but…….

‘If monsters are pouring out that indiscriminately, how the hell are you supposed to survive?’

Hundreds of monsters roared in the middle of the streets.

High-level monsters that were impossible to handle immediately appeared frequently, so even Dohyeong, a seasoned Colossus veteran, couldn’t help but be flustered.

‘Isn’t this even harder than the original Colossus?’

Colossus, a doomed game that had been shunned by users due to its atrocious difficulty.

However, the real-world version of Colossus that had been patched seemed to boast an even more extreme difficulty.

Just as Dohyeong decided that the best course of action was to mingle among the fleeing citizens and get out of here as quickly as possible.

‘……Huh?’

Dohyeong felt something off.

“Save me!”

People ran everywhere without distinction.

And monsters screamed threateningly toward them.

But…….

‘What is it with those guys?’

The monsters only roared in place or thrashed about.

They weren’t chasing after the fleeing citizens.

No, to be precise, it looked as though they were blocked by an invisible wall and couldn’t move forward.

Thud, thud!

Just like the Giga Snail, the ‘Black Hound,’ known as a newbie killer, barked violently as it slammed its head into the empty air.

Just as Dohyeong swallowed hard and observed the scene carefully.

“Huuh! Hah! Save me!”

From afar, a middle-aged man came running in a panic.

Sweat poured down his face as he dashed toward the convenience store, but in his panic, he failed to properly check his surroundings.

Dohyeong raised his hand high to warn him of the danger.

“Watch out!”

But the man had already stepped inside the transparent boundary around the Black Hound.

And then…….

Crunch!

Along with a sickening sound of rupture, the middle-aged man collapsed on the spot.

“Hngh! Hah!”

Face-down on the ground, he panted as he tried to push himself up with his hands.

Bang.

He lost his balance and rolled back onto the ground.

“Uh, uh……?”

Hot blood dripped onto the asphalt.

Only then did he realize that his entire right shoulder had disappeared.

“Uuugh, aaaaaah!”

The middle-aged man, his face a mess of tears and snot, collapsed to the ground and wailed like a child.

His missing shoulder was already inside the Black Hound’s mouth.

The man stretched his remaining arm toward Dohyeong.

“Help me! Please, just save m—!”

Crunch!

Another sickening rupture rang out, and the man’s voice was cut off.

Thus, the Black Hound’s meal continued.

Thud.

The convenience store part-timer covered her mouth with her hand and sank to the ground.

Then, her body trembling violently, she began crawling along the floor.

“W-we have to run. Hurry and get out of here, r-run……!”

Dohyeong quickly grabbed her as she crawled.

“Get a hold of yourself.”

“L-let go of me! If we don’t r-run quickly, I’ll be next…….”

Panicked, she shook off Dohyeong’s hand and crawled awkwardly.

Toward her, Dohyeong whispered quietly.

“……They can’t chase us anyway.”

She flinched at Dohyeong’s calm voice.

“Yes? Wh-what do you mean by that?”

“…….”

Dohyeong met her eyes once, as if telling her to look closely.

Then he picked up a random pebble lying nearby.

“Huh? Wh-what are you doing righ—? Kyaa!”

Her startled voice rang out, but.

Without hesitation, Dohyeong threw the pebble toward the Black Hound.

Tap.

Struck mid-meal, the creature turned its head and glared.

“Grrrr……!”

Thud!

Then it leapt high and flew toward Dohyeong.

Beside him, the convenience store part-timer screamed and tried to run away, but…….

Thud……!

“Grrr, woof! Woof……!”

Just as Dohyeong had said, the creature couldn’t come any closer.

Thud! Thud!

It was as if, while entry was permitted from the outside.

There existed a barrier that prevented the monsters inside from coming out.

At that sight, Dohyeong became certain.

‘They don’t intend to release everything all at once yet.’

Of course, that didn’t mean the monsters weren’t dangerous.

If you ran away without checking your surroundings in fear, you’d easily become prey, just like the middle-aged man earlier.

“Th-then what do we do now?”

The convenience store part-timer continued in a trembling voice.

“Mister. Shouldn’t we just wait here until the police come? Like you said, those things can’t chase us, and if we wander around for no reason…….”

Her words were half right and half wrong.

From the moment the end arrived, waiting idly for the government’s help was a foolish thing to do.

“The police……, with things already like this, I don’t think even the police can really do much.”

“Yes? Th-then what do we do now?”

It was hard to expect help from the government.

And the streets were littered like landmines with monsters that tore people apart like sheets of paper.

Moreover, that barrier blocking the monsters would not last forever.

============================

Before the tutorial proceeds, the survival zones will first be activated.

Players are requested to move to a nearby survival zone within the given time limit.

Any accidents that occur in other areas will be the sole responsibility of the player concerned.

Time limit : 2 hours

Currently closest survival zone : Seogyo-dong Community Center

============================

‘After the two hours mentioned by the system pass, we’ll probably be able to move freely.’

The key was whether he could reach the safe zone before the time limit.

After that, the tutorial would proceed, just like when creating a character for the first time.

Dohyeong organized his thoughts in an instant, but.

In front of the convenience store part-timer, he deliberately furrowed his brows, as if deep in thought.

“Um……, I’m not completely sure either, but that message floating in the air seems related to all this, right? Rather than wandering off somewhere strange, I think going to the Seogyo-dong Community Center might be the safest option.”

Dohyeong spoke in a vague manner, nudging her toward heading to the safe zone.

“A, a message? Ah……!”

Perhaps because the surrounding area had turned into hell, she had momentarily forgotten.

Only then did she recall the system message and nod repeatedly.

“……The community center.”

That was about as much consideration as Dohyeong could give to someone he had just met.

If he acted like he knew everything, it might only make her suspicious.

And if things went wrong, she might end up clinging to him.

Leaving the still-hesitating woman behind, Dohyeong headed back into the convenience store.

There was one thing he needed to take.

And one thing that weighed on his mind.

‘Everything else aside, what was that Giga Snail just now?’

Unlike the other monsters on the street, the Giga Snail had been able to move freely from the start.

If there were other individuals like it that had no restrictions, he needed to prepare for that.

Just as such thoughts crossed Dohyeong’s mind.

Ding!

Another system window appeared.

============================

[Sudden Event Occurrence!]

As an event to speed up game progression, one mutated monster capable of moving freely has been released in each area.

Players are advised not to remain in one place and to head to a safe zone as quickly as possible to avoid any unfortunate incidents caused by this individual.

Seoul City Mapo District Seogyo-dong Mutated Monster Individual : Giga Snail(LV.6)

============================

A nasty event aimed at those who had noticed that monsters couldn’t leave certain barriers.

Unfortunately, Dohyeong had run straight into that event-type individual from the very start.

While feeling relieved that there wouldn’t be any more such individuals for the time being.

Dohyeong frowned at the fact that he had almost died because of a single nasty event.

‘No, then shouldn’t there be a reward? You called it an event.’

Perhaps it was nothing more than an Easter egg designed to threaten players.

It seemed they hadn’t set up any proper rewards.

Who would have thought that someone would dare hunt the Giga Snail, known as a newbie killer?

Of course, that had actually happened.

In any case, safety was the top priority right now.

Once the official tutorial began later, he planned to lodge a proper complaint.

Step, step.

Entering the convenience store, Dohyeong picked up a green-glowing stone from the wrecked store floor.

It was the first item he had obtained after defeating the Giga Snail.

Strangely, the moment he grasped the stone, item information appeared in his field of view.

[Giga Snail’s Essence(Epic)]

= You can grant the following attribute to a weapon.

Giga Snail’s Corrosive Poison

Deals 300 fixed damage per second to opponents of level 6 or below.

Feeling keenly that reality had truly become like a game, Dohyeong scanned the information window and nodded.

‘As expected…….’

An epic item boasting a drop rate of only 0.00003%.

And the core item of an early-game-only overpowering tech tree.

In truth, it was something harder for a newbie to obtain than plucking a star from the sky.

‘The first hunt achievement bonus triggered.’

Otherwise, this situation couldn’t be explained.

An achievement bonus given to the user who hunts each monster for the first time.

In this case, with the reality patch, all such achievements had been reset.

And Dohyeong had been lucky enough to reap that benefit.

Seen that way, encountering the Giga Snail hadn’t been entirely a bad thing.

“Getting this right from the start.”

Muttering softly, Dohyeong tucked the ‘Giga Snail’s Essence’ into his clothes.

And just as he started racking his brain over what kind of character concept he should raise to survive here.

‘Wait a second.’

Something flashed through Dohyeong’s mind.

The first hunt achievements that had all been reset due to the reality patch.

Monsters whose movements were restricted for two hours before the tutorial.

And the ‘Giga Snail’s Essence,’ which possessed tremendous power limited to the very early game.

“If I play this right…….”

When he arranged these three seemingly unrelated puzzle pieces appropriately.

A completely unexpected picture began to take shape.

At that thought, a chill ran down his spine and goosebumps rose all over his body.

His heart pounded as if it were about to burst.

‘Could I monopolize all the first hunt achievement bonuses……?’

Swallowing hard, Dohyeong looked out at the convenience store exterior that had turned into hell.

“R-run!”

Terrified people were fleeing for their own safety.

Should he obey the system like everyone else outside and immediately run toward the safe zone?

Or should he fight the monsters for the future, even if it meant taking a huge risk?

Dohyeong pondered for a moment.

Then he took out the Giga Snail’s Essence he had kept on him.

“……Jin Dohyeong, you’re really a lunatic.”