"At a glance, the number of people gathered in this open space exceeds 50. They can't move on to the next stage without swallowing the golden orb. This tower is trying to divide us," said a familiar voice in a familiar situation. If it feels like you've seen it before, you're probably right. In the past, I pretended to be a good person to capture Choi Ji-won's interest. My ideals were high, but I pretended to be a weak man with little to offer, yet I successfully learned swordsmanship from Choi Ji-won... I have to do the same thing this time. I'll pretend to be a good person.
"But if we defeat the boss, a portal will be created. It means there's definitely a way for all of us to survive." Am I a good person? A hero? No. Unlike Choi Ji-won's father, I don't have the qualities of a hero. I sometimes despise myself, being just an ordinary person. But there's a reason I pretend to be good. It's cooperation. I needed everyone's absolute cooperation for my plan to succeed. To gain everyone's cooperation, I thought it best to act the role of a 'hero' rather than a mad psychopath. ...And if I clear this tutorial, I'd rather have a positive reputation than a negative one.
"Instead of fighting each other, we must unite." In the past, when I gave the same speech, I was utterly ignored and ridiculed. But this time it's different. "Uh... um..." "G..." People are deeply engaged in my speech. Even firefighter Park Chul-jin, who had previously doubted everything, was nodding slightly. Naturally. With my 'Curiosity' trait, how could they resist listening? If I was once a young man with high ideals but lacking power, now I'm a young man with both high ideals and great strength. Now, I have the power to act. It's time to change things up. I had my own goals.
"Everyone, I am strong." With a flourish, I raised my sword to the sky. "Probably stronger than all of you combined." It's only natural since most here haven't even reached a level. Aside from Choi Ji-won, I am the strongest. Now, let me show you my performance. Be in awe. "Huu..." I gather my momentum, tense my muscles, and open my eyes wide. My target, my longtime nemesis: Grass. "Hup!" With a swift motion, I cleanly cut the grass with my sword. From a bystander's perspective, they probably couldn't even see the blade. But just cutting it wasn't impactful enough. Slash, slash, stab, spin, slash. I maximized my physical capabilities. Just as I showed off my swordsmanship to the others before, their eyes slowly widened in shock, admiration, surprise, and fear. Even if I didn't possess any special traits, I would clearly have been able to feel their emotions.
"Haah..." My performance finally came to an end, and I thrust my sword forcefully into the ground. The looks in their eyes were different now. Where once there was just curiosity, now there was admiration, awe, and a hint of fear. The 'awe' trait has been activated. Everything has gone according to plan so far. A deadly combo of 'Curiosity' and 'Awe'. I've successfully dominated the atmosphere. The only unpredictable element might be Choi Ji-won intervening, but she seemed to be observing, arms crossed.
Now for the the finale. "I can sense it." I picked up a new sword from the pile and pointed in the direction where the Minotaur was sealed. "Because I am stronger than all of you, I can sense it. There, a mighty enemy awaits. He's targeting us." Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't believe me even if I said I sensed a monster. But due to the combination of the 'Curiosity' and 'Awe' traits, they were overwhelmed by my presence. "He... he's targeting us. Sharpening his blade to harm humans. He's coming for our blood!" "Uh... Aaah..."A man was so engrossed in my story that he sank down, his legs giving out.
"But... it's okay."
Now, it's my turn to reassure everyone.
I tried my best to give a cool smile.
"I will protect all of you."
[The effect of the 'Hero Trait' is activated!]
"I'll be your shield!"
[The effect of the 'Hero Trait' is activated!]
[The effect of the 'Hero Trait' is activated!]
"So... trust me."
[Multiple effects of the 'Hero Trait' are activated in succession.]
A flood of messages obscures my view.
Yes. This was my strategy.
Real enemies. And me, protecting the people from such enemies.
The 'Hero' trait can be stacked.
So... if I fight while protecting all these people here?
I can stack the trait nearly 200 times.
I feel a surge of energy throughout my body.
I feel light, and my muscles are overflowing with power. Now, I feel like I can achieve what I've only imagined.
Excitement. I can feel the excitement.
With my current state... it's possible.
I can defeat the Minotaur!
"Now, everyone, follow me. Let's go take down the boss..."
Clang!
"Huh..."
I barely managed to deflect the sudden sword strike.
If I hadn't stacked my trait, I wouldn't have been able to react to such a fast attack.
The only person who could attack me like this here is...
"...What do you want?"
Cho Ji-won. She was the one who swung the sword at me.
"Where did you learn that sword technique... and what are you trying to do with these people?"
She looked at me suspiciously as if I was some cult leader.
"...You must feel it too. The presence of the monster."
Cho Ji-won nodded.
"Yes, I feel it. But is there a need to go with all these people?"
"It's the effect of my trait. The more people I protect, the stronger I become. I'm not just taking them to die with me."
"You'll protect? By yourself?"
Cho Ji-won smirked.
"Sorry for the misunderstanding... and for speaking informally. But look at me closely."
"...?"
"Look straight at me and feel it."
Instead of responding, I looked directly at her as she asked.
With my enhanced state, I could tell how stable her posture was, what her right foot step meant, the significance of the way she held her sword, and just how strong she was.
"You're right. You are strong. But weaker than me. And that monster is stronger than me."
"It might be possible for us to barely win if we combine our strengths, but you're going to take all these people with you? It's already hard enough to just win, let alone protect them all. Do you have the strength to do that?"
She was right.
Even though I had stacked the 'Hero Trait' nearly 200 times...
I was still way behind Cho Ji-won.
The Minotaur was an opponent that even Cho Ji-won couldn't guarantee victory against.
Under these circumstances, it was impossible to defeat the Minotaur without any injuries.
"If you want to fight, go alone. Don't drag these people into it."
Cho Ji-won firmly told me.
The elation I felt was quickly replaced by a sinking feeling.
My plan of stacking the 'Hero Trait' and defeating the Minotaur in one blow had failed simply because I wasn't strong enough.
But now, there was no way to become any stronger.
I had already acquired all possible traits, maxed out my achievement level, and there's no way to grind levels by hunting goblins. This was my limit.
Maybe I should give up.
After all the hard work, I wasn't capable enough.
It might not be so bad to just save whoever I can and move on.
I don't need to save everyone.
"No. I won't give up."
I need to think."Think hard.
There must be a way.
But the only battle ability I possess... is just a heroic trait.
And I'm already protecting everyone here.
There's no one else left to protect. In other words, there's no way for me to become stronger.
A good method.
A way to become stronger.
A way to protect more people.
- Hero [C]
- In times of crisis, people think of you. You become stronger when you fight to protect someone.
Is there someone?
A person? Someone?
"...There is."
Bang!
[You have taken damage.]
[You will regress to the moment you first entered the 0th floor.]
A familiar space, if it can be called that.
The Minotaur is tightly sealed, glaring.
“Kerk... Kelrok, Kelrok…”
The Goblin Shaman, breathing heavily and coughing.
I cautiously sat next to the Goblin Shaman with my legs crossed.
“Kerk? A human... I smell a human…”
"Hello?"
I whispered into the creature's ear.
Hearing my voice, the Goblin Shaman is startled, then opens his mouth in surprise.
"Human! A human has come! Human! To…"
In the past, he asked me for help, hoping I would defeat the Minotaur for him.
But now,
“Goblin Shaman. I need your help."
This time, it was me who needed help.