Chapter 2
His parents, whose faces he could barely remember, had given him that name with the meaning, ‘Become a king.’
Well, reality was that he was living on monthly rent in this tiny semi-basement room, nowhere close to becoming a king.
Ju-sang looked out at the street through the small window.
Sunlight cut in half as it streamed through.
Only the lower halves of people were visible from his viewpoint.
At a height of barely one meter, the laws of the world were laid bare.
At first, he had resented being thrown into the cold reality of life at such a young age.
But that wasn’t a reason to give up on life.
Perhaps it was true that there was no such thing as being destined to die?
Fortunately, Ju-sang possessed an innate talent and reflexes for combat sports good enough for people to call him a future rising star of Korea.
Yes.
He had never doubted that a bright future lay ahead of him.
At least, until everything collapsed after he was hit by a drunk driver on his way home from training.
“Your career as an athlete? It will be difficult for you to even perform everyday tasks with your right hand. From now on, we’ll have you practice primarily with your left hand while undergoing rehabilitation to restore the nerves in your index finger and thumb.”
The doctor’s verdict had felt like a death sentence.
His flower had withered before it could even bloom.
“Ju-sang. Don’t come to the gym anymore starting tomorrow. Sigh. I’m sorry. Eun-hyuk says he’s uncomfortable because he feels like he’ll end up like that too if he stays around a ghost of the past. You’ll understand, right? You know his title match is coming up soon.”
“Mr. Ju-sang. No matter what happened to your hand, how can you work that slowly? I’ll pay you for today, so you should leave now.”
“I’m sorry. The customers are uncomfortable because of you….”
His life changed because of one ruined right hand.
‘It was hopeless.’
In a reality without dreams or hope, all he had left was the 50 million won he had received from his insurance.
That was when he encountered ‘The Emperor.’
The 10-billion-won bounty was the only escape route from this hellish life.
And so, chasing that hope, Ju-sang devoted himself to the game like a madman for 365 days a year.
He gave up sleeping.
He gave up eating.
He burned everything he had solely to see the ending.
It was a grand journey spanning more than 50,000 hours.
The result was failure.
He had become so ridiculously experienced that ordinary players couldn’t even compare to him, yet reaching the Emperor was still impossible.
‘If I could have used my right hand properly… would things have been different?’
Unfortunately, the game reflected reality far too accurately, and his right hand became a huge shackle even inside the game.
He had even sent protest emails complaining about discrimination, but that damn company never replied even once.
I guess their attitude was, if you don’t like it, don’t play.
Boil, boil!
Ju-sang emptied the remaining one-third of a can of chili tuna into his boiling ramen.
‘I’m out of food, too.’
Yes.
It was time to give up.
His only means of barely making a living—selling in-game currency and items—had already reached its limit.
The exchange rate had collapsed so badly that selling a single holy relic might barely earn him 50,000 won.
Honestly, it was amazing that anyone was still willing to buy them.
Logging into the server now, finding another player was several times harder than finding a dragon.
Still, he had no regrets.
‘It was fun.’
Everyone else had fled the game in disgust….
But there had been a certain thrill in discovering countless gimmicks, gathering opportunities, and experimenting with various classes.
He had enjoyed being able to hold onto the hope that someday he might escape from the bottom.
That was enough.
‘Ah, before I quit, I should at least say goodbye to everyone.’
Ju-sang logged into The Emperor’s dedicated community.
In this cold world where he had neither family nor friends, it was the only place where he could forget his worries.
Left-Hand Spoon Murderer: I’m thinking of quitting now because I need to focus on my real life. Thank you for reading my tips all this time. (Bowing emoticon)
Replies immediately poured in.
Someone Who Has Learned Quite a Lot: Ahem. If Murderer-nim disappears, what reason is there for this world to exist? If things are really difficult, shall I even arrange a decent job for you?
[Attached: SNU Student ID — 7th Year, Class 3, No. 23]
Nonviolent Person: Cancel that before I come to your house. You absolutely cannot quit until you take the Emperor’s head.
Moonlight Rabbit: Without Murderer-nim, the game won’t be clear even after 1,000 years. Thanks to the strategy guides you posted, I finally qualified to go to Europe ㅇㅅㅇ!
Full-Time Gold Farmer: Hey. Are you really going to give up 10 billion won like this? Don’t you think all the work you’ve done until now is a waste?
Third-Rate Magician: Do you like magic shows? I’ll give you a ticket to a small theater performance, so come watch it. Let’s have some soju and chat afterward.
Hunched Man: Kid, your big brother is having a hard time moving up to middle school this year too. How can you already be complaining?
There were only about fifty people in the community at most, but their affection for The Emperor was greater than anyone else’s.
Ju-sang’s nose began to sting.
Countless memories from the years he had spent playing came rushing back.
Left-Hand Spoon Murderer: Just kidding! I’ll be back tomorrow! I have to go collect rent from a ten-story commercial building. 20,000.
There was no need for things to end on such a lonely note.
After leaving a post hinting that he would return, he finally took his hands off the keyboard.
He thought that was how it would end.
But then—
[The selection of ‘Heroes’ will now begin!]
[Selected Heroes will immediately be transported to the world of ‘The Emperor.’]
Red status windows began pouring out.
And a sense of déjà vu so strong that it made him feel like he might vomit.
[The first selection begins!]
People began disappearing.
Becoming Heroes.
Being transported into the world of The Emperor.
At the same time—
[The reward for the Great Challenger is now being revealed.]
A golden status window flashed.
“Ah….”
Ju-sang’s mouth slowly fell open.
All kinds of emotions escaped through his breath.
[If you enter the world of The Emperor, the nerves in your right hand will be completely restored.]
[However, in this case, you will join as a later recruit rather than as part of the initial selection.]
[Will you accept?]
[YES / NO]
A miracle had occurred.
The miracle he had desperately wished for.
[The 32nd Selection has ended!]
Selection timing: Random.
Number of selected people: Random.
Two and a half years had passed, but humanity had discovered nothing.
People simply continued to disappear, and all contact with them was lost.
As if they had been sucked into a black hole.
“So it didn’t work this time either.”
Ju-sang carefully opened his eyes.
The semi-basement room was still there.
The benefits of joining as part of the initial selection and the benefits of being able to use his right hand again.
When he placed the two on a scale, the answer was obvious.
The latter.
In fact, no matter what choices had been offered to him, he would have chosen the latter.
This was a wish he had desperately held in his heart every single day without exception.
‘Most of the truly important opportunities are things only I know about anyway, so I don’t necessarily have to go first.’
Up to that point, it had been a rational decision.
The problem was—
Two and a half years was far too long.
He wanted to use his right hand again as soon as possible, so every passing moment felt unbearably slow.
[Community Members Online: 1 (Left-Hand Spoon Murderer)]
The community members had already been selected and departed as well.
The only person left in the empty online space was Ju-sang.
“I’m jealous.”
Everyone else had trembled in fear at the selection because they desperately wanted to avoid being dragged away.
But Ju-sang felt differently.
He wanted to freely make use of all the knowledge and information he had accumulated.
He wanted to see the ending he had never been able to see in the game with his own two eyes.
Of course, he knew that world was dangerous.
Unlike the game, this was reality, and he knew that failure could cost him his life.
But—
Would anything change if he simply stayed where he was?
A room barely large enough for one person to lie down.
A reality where he had to worry about his next meal.
None of that would change.
If he didn’t struggle, he would remain like this forever.
Besides—
‘It has to be me.’
Even the community members who considered themselves veterans only knew the game superficially.
That meant they had no experience with countless disasters and conspiracies.
They weren’t even aware that such things existed.
The information about The Emperor currently available on the internet and in the media was proof enough.
‘Even the strategy videos and information I released were all deleted immediately after the Hero Selection.’
As if someone had deliberately interfered.
There wasn’t even a trace left behind.
In the end—
To save humanity.
And furthermore—
‘To survive myself.’
He absolutely had to be selected.
Just then—
Ding!
[The Heroes selected in the 32nd round were annihilated during the tutorial, except for one person!]
[Due to insufficient personnel, additional recruitment will begin!]
Less than an hour after the 32nd Selection ended, a red status window flashed.
[The 33rd Hero Selection begins!]
Another status window immediately appeared.
At the same time—
Wooooong!
Ju-sang’s body became enveloped in warm light.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart began pounding like crazy.
This feeling.
This sensation.
There was no doubt.
He had finally been selected for the recruitment he had been waiting for.
‘I can do it.’
Ju-sang cleared his mind.
Based on everything he had experienced so far, he calmly considered every possible scenario.
Soon, his vision was dyed white.
[Entering the ‘Hall of Heroes’!]
[Total number of selected people: 552.]
[Each person is granted 1 Stat Point.]
[The Stat Point can be invested in one of four stats: Strength, Vitality, Agility, or Mana.]
When he opened his eyes again, everything had changed.
A gigantic space made entirely of pure white marble.
Pillars stretching dozens of meters into the air continued endlessly into the distance.
“Damn it.”
“No. No! I was selected?”
“Aaaah! This is a dream. This has to be a dream!”
Those who had been forcibly dragged here screamed desperately.
Even if there was a reward that could grant their wishes, such a story was only attractive when there was some possibility of success.
How were they supposed to clear this damn game that everyone had already given up on?
Yet there was exactly one person—
“I wanted to see this. This garbage game—no, this god-tier game!”
Ju-sang alone looked completely at peace, as though he had returned to his hometown.
He even hummed as he observed his surroundings.
‘Wow. Nothing has changed here.’
He remembered turning the portraits of past heroes hanging on the walls into Captain Hook.
He also remembered trying to bring in water to open a water park, only to flood the entire place.
There had even been an occasion when an enraged administrator rushed out and caused an instant Game Over.
Looking back, they were all fond memories.
Just then—
[Reward settlement has been completed.]
With that brief message—
Twitch!
His right hand moved.
Naturally and smoothly.
As if it had always been perfectly healthy.
“It was real…. It really worked. It actually worked. Really….”
He couldn’t believe it.
It was astonishing to see each finger move according to his will.
His emotions surged.
An indescribable feeling welled up inside him.
It was resentment.
A grudge he had carried in his heart every single day without exception.
[However, if you fail to become one of the top 500 strongest individuals within three years, the effect of the reward will disappear.]
A sweet deal offered by a devil.
He now had another reason to reach an overwhelming position in this world.
Amid the extreme confusion—
“Well, I imagine everyone is confused right now, but don’t worry too much. I know what we’re supposed to do.”
Someone stepped forward.
He was a man around 175 centimeters tall.
“Um… do you know something about this game?”
“I only made an account and never even played it, yet I got selected!”
“Me too!”
Voices seeking help poured out from every direction.
“Haha. It’s a little embarrassing to say it myself, but I’ve actually played for more than 500 hours.”
The average playtime for The Emperor was 29 hours.
Most players had given up after being blocked by the difficulty of the early game.
“Wow!”
“500 hours? That’s a total veteran!”
“Yes. As long as we stay calm and respond appropriately, everyone can survive. So just trust me.”
The man introduced himself as Kang Ho-young and smiled confidently.
His confident tone.
His relaxed smile.
In such a desperate situation, he naturally seemed trustworthy.
“Soon, the monsters inhabiting the tutorial will appear. Usually, they’ll be Slimes, and in severe cases, Orcs might appear. But that’s extremely rare, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
“What should we do with our Stat Points? Wouldn’t it be better to use them now?”
“Save them. It’s better to invest them into the stats suited to your class after you obtain one.”
Kang Ho-young kindly answered several questions.
Hmm.
He really could call himself a veteran.
Some of the information he was sharing was the sort of thing only experienced players would know.
He couldn’t simply be giving information to the newbies out of goodwill.
He wanted something in return.
One of the methods of obtaining unique abilities in The Emperor was maintaining a specific concept.
He probably wanted an ability related to [Commander] or [Agitator].
Well, it wasn’t a bad choice.
At least, this time was an exception.
Ju-sang looked at a scorpion-shaped mark that had appeared on the wall.
A non-standard difficulty that appeared only once in several thousand runs.
It was a warning that hell was about to unfold here.
He had to hurry.
He was the only one who could prevent this tragedy.
Step. Step.
His pace quickened.
His eyes darted around frantically.
It should be somewhere around here….
‘Found it.’
The corners of Ju-sang’s mouth curved into a crescent moon as he searched the surroundings.
He had finally discovered one of the hidden pieces concealed within the Hall of Heroes.
[You have acquired ‘Broken Smartphone’.]
Beep. Beep!
Even when he pressed the screen, it alternated between responding and not responding.
At first glance, it looked like a broken smartphone.
But if you knew how to use it properly, it could produce an absurdly powerful effect.
090-8282-1004.
Ju-sang entered the number and pressed the call button.
Beep. Beep. Beep….
And when the ringing sounded for the third time, he rapidly pressed the number 7 seven times.
Then—
[Global Message has been activated!]
[You can send messages to the players here through the status window!]
Good.
With this, all the preparations were complete.
Several dozen minutes passed.
[The tutorial monsters are awakening!]
[Survive for 30 minutes.]
A red status window appeared before everyone.
Just as Kang Ho-young had predicted.
“See? As long as you do exactly what I say, there won’t be any problems! Now all we have to do is maintain our formation and respond calmly.”
“We’ll trust you.”
“Let’s do this.”
However—
[‘Non-Standard Difficulty’ has been set.]
“…Huh?”
“W-What?”
Something completely unexpected had happened.
