IRE 36

chapter 36

“…Ha.”

A hollow breath escaped my lips.

What was meant to be a laugh turned into an empty sound — void of meaning, filled only with futility.

“…Job selection.”

The words came out not by will, but as a reflex — like something I had to say.

[The following job options are now available for you to choose from.]
[Remember! You may select only one profession. Please think carefully before making your decision.]

With the sequential appearance of the notification windows came the list:

— Archer
— Hunter
— Elementalist
— Sentinel (Race-exclusive job)
— Diplomat
— Warrior

“Ha.”

Six options appeared before me.

Six of them.

Even after five years of playing, I had never seen anything like it — neither in my own experience nor in any game forum archive.

Usually, players got one, maybe two options. Three was considered lucky. In the entire five-year history of the game, the highest recorded was four. Never once had there been more than that.

As if possessed, my finger hovered toward the word Sentinel, and I pressed it — just like clicking a mouse.

[You have selected the job ‘Sentinel.’ This is a race-exclusive class. Would you like to confirm this as your final choice?]
Yes / No

Race-exclusive jobs referred to professions that only a specific race could take.

The abilities or skills weren’t drastically different from general jobs, but race-exclusive ones offered unique racial bonuses — making skill mastery slightly easier and marginally increasing performance.

Still, the difference wasn’t huge, and players didn’t place much weight on it.

I pressed Yes.

Regardless of stats or performance, I had never considered anything else.

What other job would an Elf desire if not Sentinel?

From the start, I had shaped my entire growth path with Sentinel in mind.

Sure, that was thanks to my teacher’s early training and my mother’s influence — but ever since I created this character, Sentinel was my one goal.

So yes, I was surprised to see that many options, but they were all irrelevant to me.

Incidentally, Sentinel was the race-exclusive evolution of the general job Hunter.

Even if I’d chosen Hunter, the early skills learned would’ve been the same — unless I later unlocked race-only skills after a second job advancement.

[Job selection complete. Open your status window to confirm your new profession.]
[A job-exclusive skill has been generated. Check your skill window through the status interface.]

Only then did I finally open my Status Window.

“Status window.”

[STATUS WINDOW]

Name: Eldmir Architea
Level: 1
Race: Spirit Elf
Job: Sentinel

[Attributes]
Strength: 95
Agility: 103
Stamina: 91
Endurance: 82
Intelligence: 88
Wisdom: 100

[Skills]
— Will Arrow (意矢) (Proficiency: Low)
Consumes mental energy to imbue arrows with willpower. The strength and behavior of the arrow depend on the strength of will and proficiency.

— ??? (Proficiency: ???)
Description: ???

— Spirit Arts (Proficiency: Master)
Normally allows one to borrow nature’s power through a contract with a spirit. However, as the user is fused with a spirit, they now possess that spirit’s power. Originally absorbed a high-level spirit’s power, but due to compatibility and exceptional talent, proficiency has increased by one rank. This skill cannot improve through normal means.

— Tracking (Proficiency: Master)
Enables easier identification and pursuit of traces. Higher proficiency increases accuracy and range.

— Archery (Proficiency: Master)
Affects the ability to handle bows. Higher proficiency allows better control and accuracy.

The first thing that caught my eye was my race.

Then the attribute stats.

Then that mysterious skill labeled ???.

But before I could focus on any of that, a powerful tremor ran through my body.

As the status window opened and the system—the very concept of “stats”—activated for the first time in this world, a surge of power I had never known before filled every part of me.

“This is…”

So it worked here too.

Just like in the game.

In the game, characters with a status window were worlds apart from those without.

Higher stats meant stronger abilities — even a single point could shift the balance. The difference between having stats and not having them was simply incomparable.

And these numbers… were absurd.

When I reached the end of the game as an Orc, my main stat — Strength — was 109. Yet here, as a Level 1 Elf, my main stat was already 103.

Sure, perhaps the world’s balance worked differently here, but still — to my game-trained eyes, these numbers were monstrous.

And the skills…

Usually, at the end of the tutorial, players got just one class skill — and the proficiency depended on how you trained during it.

Getting even a mid proficiency (中) was already considered excellent.

But me?

All of my skills were Master-level (最上).

That alone was insane — but the real shock was that I had more skills than I should.

Not just the class skills like Archery and Tracking, but also Will Arrow, Spirit Arts, and even the mysterious ???.

Three additional skills gained during the tutorial.

That was something no one had ever accomplished.

In any forum, if someone posted a status window like this, they’d immediately be accused of hacking.

“Ha… hahaha.”

A laugh escaped me.

I didn’t even know why I was laughing.

It just came out.

“Hahahahaha!!”

It wasn’t joy.
It wasn’t sadness.
It was… empty.

A hollow laugh that filled the night sky.

And as I heard my own laughter echo in my ears, I suddenly began to observe myself — detached, almost clinically.

Why was I laughing?

There was no answer.

Only laughter.

And when the laughter finally subsided, tears began to flow — for no reason at all.

“…Ha.”

The laughter stopped.

But the tears didn’t.

I didn’t sob aloud.
I just cried silently — tears falling wordlessly.

It was overwhelming power.

Even now, my stats were monstrous — and this was only Level 1.

There was no level cap in this game, but there were two major “walls” that players treated as milestones: Level 30 and Level 50.

As time went on, growth would slow — but I would only grow stronger, faster than ever before.

Yes.

Truly.

This power was overwhelming.

“…I’ve become stronger.”

Was this the strength I wanted?

Or the strength I wished for?

Even I could no longer tell the difference.

But one thing was clear — I had gained it.

I had been rewarded for enduring the tutorial.

All my main stats exceeded 100, my job skills were at their highest rank, and I would only grow faster from here.

Few enemies could stand in my way now.

“…Ah.”

Overwhelming power.

I had already suffered the worst defeat of my life — but now, no one could stop me.

Overwhelming power.

I had already lost my family — but now, I would never again know the pain of loss.

Overwhelming power.

I had lost everything I was meant to protect — and yet…

“Ah… aaah…”

I must not cry.

I didn’t know why, but I vowed it.

It felt as though someone — something — demanded it.

I bit my lip, forcing down the sobs rising in my throat.

And then… I heard it.

A whisper.

Don’t cry.

That calm, familiar voice echoed faintly.

I don’t want to see you cry.

Someone’s voice —

“…Atyr.”

The name escaped my lips — my other family.

Why did his name come to mind?
Why now?

I didn’t know.

My eyes drifted again to my race name.

Spirit Elf.

Half-Elves existed, sure — but Spirit Elf?

Two races merged into one — I’d never seen such a thing.

Maybe even within Omega World, the game’s lore itself, I was the first of my kind.

That thought struck me.

“…It’s time to go home.”

I closed the status window.

I didn’t question my race, or the mysterious skill’s description.

That unknown skill had helped me survive against the War Hammers — that much was enough.

But I didn’t dwell on it.

Somehow, none of it felt important anymore.

I didn’t want to think.

Not about anything.

Too much had happened.

I stood up and wiped my tears.

Then I walked.

And walked.

Until I reached the place where my mother’s body lay.

Elf corpses don’t decay easily.

Given enough time, they do — but children of El Ledaire’s blessing remain untouched for long years.

Mother looked exactly as she had when I’d last seen her.

“…I’m late, Mother.”

I gently brushed the strands of hair from her face.

Her skin was cold. Hard.

That warmth — that calm, gentle aura — was gone.

Only the shadow of death remained.

“…Let’s go home. Back to the forest.”

I lifted her body in my arms.

Stiff, lifeless — and all too real.

Brushing her hair once more, I took a step forward.

And then another.

And another.

The moonlight shone down upon us.

Walking across the barren stone, I moved slowly — alone.

And then, I began reciting the prayer I had failed to finish.

“I offer this to El Ledaire — my god, guardian of the forest, mother of all Elves.”

I kept walking.

Carrying my mother’s body in my arms, leaving the Dark Elf corpses behind, I continued forward.

Whatever had happened here — whatever might happen next — I buried it all in my heart and kept walking.

“Why… did you reincarnate me into this cursed game?”

There was no answer.

I hadn’t expected one.

I’d asked that question countless times before.

Each time, silence was the only reply.

So I swallowed my anger and kept walking.

Step by step.

To live.

Because one way or another…

I had been reborn into this damned game world —

As an Elf.