T7RFHE 02

Chapter 2

[Acquired Skills]

• 〈Translation〉 (A)

• 〈Regressor’s Journal〉 (SSS)

• 〈Poles Apart〉 (EX)
  ┗ Either a Fortune or Misfortune effect will occur.
  ┗ The probability and duration are random.

Fortune and Misfortune.

As long as the word fortune is attached, there’s a high chance it’ll be at least somewhat useful.

But the problem is… it comes with misfortune as well.

Judging by the description, it’s a skill that carries both risk and return. If I can minimize the risk while maximizing the return, then it could become a tremendous advantage.

The question is… how do I truly grasp the nature of this ability?

Like in my previous regressions, simply rushing to defeat the boss won’t mean anything.
For the sake of reaching the Happy Ending, I need to grow stronger. I need to become something new.
Even if that path proves harsher than before.

“…Alright. I’ve decided.”

There’s a path I’ve avoided until now—a choice too dangerous to even consider.
But if I want to test this new EX-rank skill, 〈Poles Apart〉, this place is perfect.

Jang Su-nam lowered his gaze to the manhole cover leading down into the sewers.

“It’s my first time going down here during the tutorial.”

The sewers are extremely dangerous for beginners.

Why? Because slimes—usually weak tutorial monsters—grow far stronger in water.

“This damp sewer is the perfect breeding ground for them…”

「Kirik?」
「Kiiik?」

Echoes of slime voices reverberated below, proving his point.

“I’ll have to be careful not to get spotted—”

Crack!

“…Huh?”

Something clattered above. Looking up, Su-nam saw a shard of metal fly past.

The ladder beneath him wobbled precariously.

“No way…”

With dread on his face, he realized what was about to happen.

[〈Poles Apart〉 Misfortune has been triggered.]

Craaaack!

The sturdy ladder suddenly snapped apart, ripped clean from its hinges.

“Damn it! So this is what random misfortune looks like?!”

Crash! Splash!

Instead of quietly sneaking down, he plummeted with a deafening crash into the water below.
Fortunately, the water cushioned his fall enough to prevent broken bones.

「Kirik?」

The noise immediately drew the attention of nearby slimes.

“Shit!”

「Kiiiii!!」

Dozens of slimes surged toward him.
Fighting one or two would be easy. But dozens? Impossible.
And with the ladder gone, there was no escape route.
If he died here, his regression would end.

「Kiririk!」

Dodging the first slime’s charge, Su-nam swung his axe—only for his strike to miss.

By sheer coincidence, another slime bounced into the first, knocking it out of his attack’s path.

“So the random duration means this too, huh?”

Sploosh!

A misstep on slick moss sent him tumbling backward.

“…So it’s not limited by time, but by chance.”

Several slimes leapt at him, but Su-nam rolled away just in time, countering with a swing that shattered one’s core.

“Good. It’s not like I’m completely helpless. It’s just probability.”

If there’s a way to act within that probability, then maybe he could control the risks of this EX-rank skill.

But as long as he didn’t know the true limits of misfortune, there would never be a guarantee of safety.

And then—

BOOM!!

Part of the sewer ceiling collapsed, debris scattering, knocking away the approaching slimes.

A system message appeared before his eyes.

[〈Poles Apart〉 Fortune has been triggered.]

“Nice! So after misfortune ends… fortune arrives!”

With a grin, Su-nam charged into the horde of slimes, swinging his axe with reckless abandon.

[You have acquired 2 Coins.]

Suddenly, coins—rare drops until now—fell rapidly into his hands.

“So that’s how it works.”

Like a downhill slope always leading to an uphill climb, misfortune was always followed by fortune.

“But this alone isn’t enough…”

Barely surviving thanks to fortune wasn’t enough. The risk had to bring gains that far outweighed it.

And what better opportunity than the dozens of slimes surrounding him?

“I don’t know how long fortune will last… but I’ll milk it for everything it’s worth!”

Time passed in a blur of battle.

「Krrrk!」
「Kiiiii!!」

Dodging slimes with minimal movement, Su-nam cleaved through two at once with a single swing.
His body still struggled to adapt after regression, but his mind remembered every battle. Slowly, that experience returned.

「Kiririiik!」

Slash!

“Now this is more like it.”

Slimes no longer posed any threat.

“Hm… looks like I wiped them out.”

Ahead lay three branching paths.

He had no information, but instead of thinking it through, he simply walked straight ahead.

After all—

“If fortune is still active, moving on instinct might yield even better results.”

And besides, he needed to test 〈Poles Apart〉 as much as possible.

The sewer interior widened unnaturally.

“This space… it’s bigger than it should be. An Anomaly Zone?”

Anomaly Zones appeared after the Trials began—ordinary spaces warped into dungeons.
A family home could become a dungeon entrance, or a five-story building could twist into a five-hundred-floor tower.

Not always bad, though.
Because the stranger the place, the higher the chance it held hidden pieces or quests.

“What lies at the end of this path, I wonder.”

As he advanced, cutting down stray slimes—

“Someone! Please, help me!”

A large chamber revealed a woman surrounded by slimes, cornered on a cracked ledge.

“I don’t want to die like this!”

Su-nam’s eyes narrowed.

“This… could it be a Hidden Piece event?”

“Amazing…”

The woman’s trembling voice reached him after the last slime fell.

From her perspective, all she could see was [〈Hunter〉 (F)] floating above his head.
To her, a mere F-rank hunter wiping out hundreds of slimes was nothing short of impossible.

“To think someone this strong could appear in the tutorial…”

She watched the mysterious hunter fight like a seasoned knight, using both weapon and environment with flawless precision.

“Thanks to him… I’m alive.”

Her golden hair and blue eyes, along with her luxurious attire, marked her as someone of noble blood—perhaps a princess before her world’s destruction.

“Thank you for saving me, Hunter.”

She lifted her dress hem and curtsied gracefully.
If not for the foul-smelling sewer, the gesture would have been perfect.

“My name is NPC Aria Linesis.”

NPCs.

Unlike hunters, they had only one life.
They could not earn coins from defeating monsters.
Their only income came from shop commissions.

They were bound, cursed remnants of worlds that had failed their Trials.

“…Aria Linesis, huh?”

Su-nam stared intently.

[NPC] (F)
[Aria Linesis]

“Open, Regressor’s Journal.”

Only he could see the holographic record appear.

And the sight made him grimace.

[Regressor’s Journal]

• Name: Aria Linesis (NPC)

• Formerly the First Princess of the Linesis Empire, once its only hope.

• Information obtained through quests from NPCs searching for the lost princess.

• Princess Aria’s corpse is discovered in the tutorial zone’s river.

• In all previous regressions, Aria never survived.

• Survival route research required.

“…So her body in the river was because she died here in the sewers.”

He never imagined she could be saved.

“Good. If I can keep her alive, I might unlock the Imperial event chain that was blocked before.”

Just then—

“Would you like to use my shop? For my savior, I’ll even offer a 5% discount.”

Aria smiled sweetly, offering her services.

Su-nam nodded.

“Show me the list.”

Considering the fortune effect of 〈Poles Apart〉 was still active, he expected good items.

And when he checked—

“What the—?!”

His eyes widened.

[Purchase Skill 〈Absolute Map〉 (SSS+)]
[Purchase Skill 〈Phantasmal Summon〉 (EX+)]

“No way… both of them?!”

Two of the best skills he had ever obtained in past regressions—now available together.

〈Absolute Map〉 revealed terrain, monsters, items, and people’s movements—even undiscovered ones. Invaluable for gathering intel.
He had only ever obtained it once in six regressions.

〈Phantasmal Summon〉 allowed him to summon beings from his memory—even the dead. Its conditions were notoriously difficult, but its potential was limitless.

Together, they were overwhelming.

And the price?

Exactly 100 Coins.

The precise amount he had earned today.

“This… is 〈Poles Apart〉’s fortune effect at work.”

Without hesitation, he bought them both.

[You have acquired 〈Absolute Map〉.]
[You have acquired 〈Phantasmal Summon〉.]

Now his status read:

• 〈Translation〉 (A)

• 〈Regressor’s Journal〉 (SSS)

• 〈Poles Apart〉 (EX)

• 〈Absolute Map〉 (SSS+)

• 〈Phantasmal Summon〉 (EX+)

“This seventh regression… is already different.”

He clenched his fist.

“With these, I might just crush the Bad Ending with sheer power.”

At that moment, another message popped up:

[Tip: A special tutorial-only mail has been delivered.]
[Tip: Any hunter who remains in the tutorial zone for 100 days will receive a reward.]

Su-nam smirked.

“So that trick again.”

He knew from experience the tip wasn’t always worth it.
After all, once the zone was cleared of monsters after a month, the remaining 70 days would yield nothing.

But this time… a thought struck him.

“…Wait. What if I earn enough coins beforehand?”

Yes. If he could stockpile enough before the 70-day drought, then the risk could be managed.

Aria tilted her head, confused at his sudden gaze.

“…Aria.”
“Yes?”
“If I pay you a fair price, we can trade beyond what’s listed in the shop, right?”

Her heart skipped a beat at the certainty in his voice.

“W-Well… if it’s by mutual agreement…”

She swallowed nervously.

The unease in her chest was stronger than even when she had been surrounded by slimes.

And then Su-nam spoke.

“For the next 30 days… I’ll buy you.”