T7RFHE 04

Chapter4

A little later, inside the tutorial zone’s sewers.

Jang Sunam and Aria emerged from the underground, following the stream that flowed along the path.

Originally, this is where I found Aria’s corpse.

Thankfully, in this loop, that fate had been avoided.

But then—

Hm?

At the edge of the sewer, he caught sight of a slime darting away at high speed.

“…Something there?”

Aria turned to look in the same direction as Sunam.
The slime was already gone, out of sight.

“…No, nothing worth worrying about.”

He brushed it off and guided her out of the sewer, climbing up to a nearby path. Soon they settled under a tree, taking a seat on a park bench, enjoying a moment of clean, fresh air.

This area was relatively free of slimes—perfect for a short rest.

“Waaah~ fresh air really is the best.”

Aria stretched her arms wide before plopping down right beside him. After spending so many days together earning coins, the initial awkwardness between them had softened; their bond was unmistakably closer now.
To Aria, this was her very first genuine human connection in this world.

“Um, Sunam? Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“I’ve been holding back my curiosity for a while, but… I really need to know.”

She hesitated, then spoke.

“…That summoning skill of yours. What is it, exactly?”

Not every NPC was privy to the nature of skills or artifacts, even if they sold related items.

Aria’s important to me going forward. Better to be honest—win her trust now.

He kept it simple, giving her a concise explanation of the Illusionary Summon skill.

Her eyes widened.

“A skill that can even bring back the dead, even if the odds are slim… as expected of an EX+ skill. It’s amazing.”

“Technically, it’s not resurrection. The summoned have no freedom—they’re bound to me.”

If the summon failed, the “resurrected” became little more than berserk monsters, attacking indiscriminately.

“Even so…”

Aria went quiet, clearly weighing something serious, before she lifted her gaze and met his eyes directly.

“Could I ask you one thing?”

That’s what I was waiting for.

“If I die… could you summon me back? I still have something I must accomplish.”

“…You know the odds are almost nonexistent. Even if I want to, success isn’t guaranteed. And again—it wouldn’t truly be you. You’d be my summon.”

“I don’t care. As long as I can continue, even as your summon, that’s enough. And… if you keep me, there’s value in it for you as well.”

“And what exactly is that?”

Her voice grew firm.

“If you have me, most of the Rainsys Empire’s NPCs will stand by your side.”

Bingo. That was exactly why Sunam had chosen to build a relationship with her.

Aria knew her own worth and offered it plainly.

“I am the last hope of the Rainsys Empire. If I live, I can still act. If I die, then the Empire dies with me. For the sake of the Empire, for my people—I cannot be allowed to fall. Please, I’m begging you.”

Her words were steeped in sincerity, her eyes unwavering. Sunam had spent a month alongside her and knew well how dearly she valued her nation and its people.
Her survival alone was hope for them—and for him.

He smirked faintly.

“Alright. If you die, I swear I’ll summon you back no matter what. That’s a promise. But in return, I need something from you.”

“Anything.”

He subtly unfolded his map skill, checking to ensure there were no nearby marks labeled with ???.

Just as I thought…

Then he leaned in close, his lips near her ear. From the outside, they could’ve been mistaken for lovers whispering sweetly.

“…I’ll tell you something important. Remember it—and act on it.”

He whispered quietly, sharing the crucial secret.

Meanwhile, in the city square.

Dozens of hunters had gathered with their leaders, holding a war council.

Thirty days was plenty of time to adapt.
Organizations had formed, rules created, and alliances struck.

“Today we take down the tutorial boss.”

“We’ve lost hundreds of hunters to that thing. Time for payback.”

Food supplies were limited in this zone. Nobody wanted to linger here for a hundred days just for some unknown ‘system reward.’
According to NPC intel, there were countless tutorial zones. The first group to escape would monopolize resources and seize a critical advantage in the new world.

“Sixty of us have assembled for this. This time, we can do it.”

They’d studied its attack patterns, drilled strategies. Now it was time.

But before they could mobilize—

“Leaders! A hunter’s already gone to the boss’s lair!”

“““What?!”””

Chairs scraped as leaders shot to their feet.

“Who gave that order—?!”

“Wait. Maybe this isn’t bad. If he goes first, we can benefit.”

“Yeah, he might reveal something, weaken it for us.”

After all, hundreds had already lost all their extra lives to that boss. One more reckless victim didn’t matter. The only odd part was that they didn’t recognize this “newcomer.” But they didn’t dwell on it.

“Fine. Let’s follow.”

When they arrived, they saw him—
a hunter striding confidently toward the boss.

“…A crow mask?”

A cheap plastic crow mask, the kind you’d find at a party store. His build marked him as male, but nothing else mattered. All they wanted was for him to bleed information—or weaken the boss.

And before them loomed the true menace.
A slime twenty meters tall, a mountain of corrosive gel.

<Giant Slime> (F+)

“Kirrik!”

It pulsed ominously, core glimmering deep within, unreachable without powerful penetration attacks.

“Hello, big guy.”

The familiar voice echoed from behind the mask.

To kill the boss… I need to kill you first.

The slime surged toward him.

[The effect of <Poles Apart> (Luck) has activated.]

Perfect timing.

Sunam grinned and cast Illusionary Summon.

A crimson sigil blazed in the air—then ruptured.
Failure. As always.
A monstrous creature spilled out, berserk.

And instantly, it locked onto the slime.

Summon failures attack anything, even other monsters. That’s the trick.

The slime and the summoned horror clashed violently. Within moments, the summon dissolved—but it had lasted just long enough for Sunam’s cooldown to reset.

“Next.”

He cast again. Another failure. Another monster hurled itself at the slime.

Again. Again. And again.
Until—

A massive sigil flared brighter than the rest.

There it is.

“Groooaaah…”

From the light emerged a hulking form of powder and grit. A Salt Giant, nearly the slime’s equal in size.

The two behemoths collided.

Boom!

Shockwaves rippled outward. Hunters watching from afar trembled at the sight.

Then it happened.

The slime’s body began to melt away, hissing violently where the salt pressed into it.

“W-wait… that giant’s white body…!”

“The slime’s weakness—it’s salt!!”

Correct. Sunam had learned this long ago in his first run, when spilled food salt had melted a slime instantly.

The once-feared terror of the zone was crumbling before their eyes.

“Th-that crow mask hunter… he’s incredible.”

A few leaders exchanged glances, envy plain in their eyes.

The Salt Giant dissolved alongside the slime, shrinking rapidly.

Seizing the moment, Sunam lunged forward, axe raised.

CRACK!

With one clean strike, he smashed both exposed cores.

The monsters vanished.

“““Uwoooooohhhh!!”””

Hunters erupted into cheers. A month of terror ended in triumph, thanks to a masked hero.

But their joy faltered.

“…Wait. Why isn’t the tutorial-clear notice showing up?”

Confused, all eyes turned to Sunam. He rested his axe on his shoulder, answering casually:

“Because that was just the mid-boss.”

His words echoed across the plaza.

“““What…?”””

Shock swept through the crowd.

If that was only the mid-boss… then how strong is the real one?

While they struggled to process this, Sunam simply smirked, waiting calmly.

At least I’ve prevented the worst-case scenario this time.

He remembered too well the second run, when skipping the mid-boss had led to its sudden fusion with the final boss, creating an abomination with two cores.

Not this time.

Now then… time to begin the real plan.