TARRTTW 01

Episode 1: Every Awakening Has a Reason

-There is no such thing as an awakening without a reason.

This year, 27 years old.

Having finished military service, graduated from college, and enjoying the life of an unemployed person, Kim Min-cheol was once again watching YouTube shorts without much thought.

-When your life is in danger, when you have to protect someone, or when you find yourself in a desperate situation, a person experiences awakening.
-So you’re saying that earnest desire brings about awakening.

A professor with a balding, shiny crown and an announcer were exchanging dialogue. It was mainly in a question-and-answer format, with the announcer asking and the professor answering.

-Then, does the ability one awakens to differ depending on the reason?
-That’s correct. World-renowned Hunter Malcolm Bernard gained the ability to manipulate cold air because he harbored the desire to save people from a burning building.

These days, people’s biggest interest was awakening.

Because one day, a mysterious tower suddenly appeared in the sky.

And the only beings who could enter that place, rumored to be filled with treasure, were the awakened ones.

-Then, it should be possible to create awakened individuals artificially, right?
-That’s an opinion often brought up in academic circles. But it’s such a dangerous idea that it’s never been put into practice. As I mentioned earlier, people only awaken in desperate situations.
-To artificially create such a situation… you’d have no choice but to commit terrible acts.

Honestly, from Min-cheol’s perspective, this wasn’t particularly important information. The number of people who become awakened was extremely small. Most people had no connection to awakening at all.

Even becoming an awakened one was problematic. They said money and fame came rolling in if you climbed the Tower, but it was equally tough.

Dangerous monsters infested the inside of the Tower. Moreover, to climb the Tower, you had to perform difficult quests.

They said there were floors at the beginning where you didn’t die, but the experience of dying couldn’t possibly be pleasant.

So, there were many people who, despite becoming awakened, lived ordinary lives.

“Hwaaam.”

Watching YouTube while lying down, sleepiness crept in. Mincheol let out a long yawn.

Blink, blink.

As drowsiness washed over him, it became hard to keep his eyes open. Gradually, the number of times he blinked increased.

Just as he was about to unknowingly fall asleep, the strength left his fingers.

Thump, thud-.

His smartphone fell downwards with a noisy clatter.

Unfortunately, because he was lying facing the wall, the smartphone slipped into the gap between the bed and the wall.

Startled, his sleep completely vanished. Min-cheol shot up and peered into the gap.

Between the wall and the bed, he could see layers of accumulated dust and his smartphone.

Min-cheol lamented. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed impossible to retrieve it without moving the bed.

“Ah, this is such a hassle… .”

But he couldn’t just leave his smartphone there.

Min-cheol got down on the floor and grabbed the corner of the bed.

Creeeak… .

The bed frame was heavy, so a little bit of force wouldn’t budge it. Mincheol held his breath and pulled the bed with all his might.

The bed moved little by little. Deciding this was enough, Mincheol climbed back onto the bed and reached his hand into the gap.

The problem was that the gap he’d created and the thickness of his arm were exactly the same.

“Why… can’t I… grab it… !”

His fingertips touched the smartphone, but his arm was stuck tight; he couldn’t push it down any further.

He couldn’t be bothered to get down again and pull the bed some more. Min-cheol pressed his face against the wall and shoved his arm in further.

“Just a little… more… I think I can get it… !”

That was the moment.

Suddenly, something appeared before Mincheol’s eyes.

<Congratulations on your awakening!>
<Status Window, Skill Window, and Inventory have been unlocked!>
<You have acquired the unique skill ‘Auto Looting’!>

“Huh?”

Too startled, Mincheol froze on the spot.

He slowly pulled his arm out of the bed and looked at the message floating before his eyes.

“A-awakening? I became an awakened one?”

The content he’d just seen on YouTube flashed through his mind.

Every awakening has a reason.
There is no awakened one without a reason.

“Is it okay to awaken for a reason like this?”

Awakening just for trying to pick up something that fell on the floor? He’d never heard of or seen such an absurd awakening in his life.

“And what’s with this unique skill? ‘Auto Looting’?”

Unique skills referred to the one-of-a-kind skills that only one of each Hunter possessed.

While similar unique skills might exist, completely identical ones did not.

That’s why a unique skill was the most important factor determining a Hunter’s value.

“How do I use this?”

<Please state the desired item, and the corresponding item will be automatically acquired.>

“Whoa, you scared me!”

<Acquired items will be stored in the inventory.>

As if understanding Min-cheol’s question, another message appeared. Half-doubting, half-believing, Mincheol spoke.

“Uh… smartphone?”

<Acquiring all smartphones within a 100m radius.>

“What? 100 meters?”

Instantly, a foreboding thought crossed his mind. Sure enough, Mincheol’s worry became reality.

<22 smartphones have been stored in the inventory.>

“What the f*ck, what?! Where’s my phone gone?”

“Eek! Eeek! A ghost! A ghost has appeared!”

Shouts erupted from the entire studio apartment building. The walls were thin, so people’s voices were vividly audible.

At the same time, the inventory opened before Mincheol’s eyes. Smartphones of all shapes and colors were stored inside.

“Uh, haha, haha… .”

Having suddenly become a smartphone thief, Mincheol let out an awkward laugh.

This year, 27 years old.

Having finished military service, graduated from college, and enjoying the life of an unemployed person, Kim Min-cheol awakened today.

For the absurd reason of wanting to pick up his smartphone that had fallen on the floor.

Back in his rented room, Min-cheol looked up information about awakened ones in a bit more detail. In this information-saturated society, he could find what he wanted without difficulty.

-Professor, what exactly is the Tutorial?

Among the things he found, what caught Mincheol’s attention was the original video of the shorts he’d just watched.

-The Tutorial is a gateway that newly awakened individuals who have just gained their abilities must pass through. Everyone probably knows what a tutorial is in general.
-Yes, isn’t it like a training program set up by game companies to help new users adapt?
-That’s correct. The Tower’s Tutorial is no different. Since it’s made for awakened individuals who just acquired their skills, it’s very safe and user-friendly.

Safe and user-friendly.

Both were words far removed from the Tower.

Even Min-cheol, who wasn’t particularly interested in the Tower, knew very well how treacherous a place it was.

-Awakened individuals do not die in the Tutorial. They simply return to Earth. Moreover, they can challenge it again several times.
-Is that really true?
-It’s true. Plus, the test content is always the same. According to Hunter testimonies, you just need to obtain the red gem guarded by ten goblins.

You don’t die. You can challenge it multiple times. The test content is always the same.

Although Min-cheol had a strong aversion to the Tower, listening to the professor made his curiosity gradually grow larger than his fear.

Because the Tower, as dangerous as it was, was also a mysterious place.

-Because of these characteristics, many awakened individuals challenge the Tutorial multiple times. Even if they’ve already cleared it.
-Why would they go through that trouble?
-Because the faster you clear it, the greater the reward. Experience points, titles, and if you do well, you can even get special rewards, they say.
-So the better your score, the stronger you can become compared to others. Then, what’s the best record, in minutes?
-The best record is known to be 5 minutes and 30 seconds, held by the world-renowned Hunter Malcolm Bernard.

Min-cheol put down his smartphone.

Unknowingly, time had flown by as he focused on the video. The sky was already showing sunset colors.

Min-cheol approached the window and looked up at the sky. Because of the building across the street, only a small part of the sky was visible.

Yet, he could see it clearly. The Tower floating in the distant sky.

Humanity knew nothing about the Tower.

Why it appeared. Who made it. What its exact name was.

All humanity knew was that the Tower was filled with treasure.

Elixirs that rejuvenate the elderly into youths.

Ointments that make severed arms instantly grow back.

Staffs that bring rain and overturn the earth, and so on.

The treasures obtainable from the Tower were all things that easily surpassed human civilization.

“The Tower… .”

Of course, Mincheol had no intention of climbing the Tower. Because to climb it, you had to fight dangerous monsters.

However, he was curious. What the inside of the Tower might be like.

“He said you don’t die in the Tutorial, right? Should I just go take a look?”

<Would you like to enter the Tutorial?>

A message appeared as if it had been waiting. Startled, Mincheol stepped back.

“Hey, you scared me.”

<Would you like to enter the Tutorial?>

The message appeared again. After some thought, Min-cheol impulsively shouted.

“Fine, I’ll go in.”

As soon as he finished speaking, light flashed. Mincheol unknowingly squeezed his eyes shut.

After a moment, when he opened his eyes, Mincheol was no longer in his rented room. He was standing in a completely unexpected place.

Massive pillars carved from stone and arched bridges supporting the ceiling.

“A temple?”

That was the first thought that came to mind. Mincheol looked around with a curious expression.

Then, he saw something sparkling in the distance.

A red gem, about the size of an apple, was floating lightly in the air.

“That’s not… .”

<The Tutorial will begin in 10 seconds.>
<You must acquire the red gem you see before you.>
<However, ten goblins will try to stop you.>

Something came raining down from the sky.

Green skin, a small stature of 140cm, short thick clubs clutched in their hands.

Large noses, mouths torn wide open to their ears. Their appearance was so grotesque it was undescrible.

“Keeeek!”

“Keeeek!”

The goblins laughed bizarrely and pointed at Mincheol. They seemed to be pondering how to eat him.

‘So that’s a goblin? It’s even uglier than I imagined?’

Min-cheol observed the goblins with fascination.

Even though he knew well how dangerous monsters were, curiosity outweighed fear since his safety was guaranteed.

<10 seconds have passed. The Tutorial begins.>

With the message, the barrier of light protecting Mincheol disappeared.

At the same time, all ten goblins charged toward him.

“Keeek?”

“Huh?”

Their speed was much faster than expected. If he stayed put, he’d get beaten by their clubs.

Even if you don’t die in the Tutorial, he didn’t want to experience pain.

Min-cheol’s mind raced. Then, an idea flashed through his mind.

If they have no clubs, there’d be nothing to get beaten with, right?

“Clubs!”

<Acquiring all ‘Goblin Clubs’ within a 100m radius.>

As soon as the skill activated, the clubs the goblins were holding vanished completely.

“Keeeek!”

“Keeeek!”

The goblins were startled and stopped in their tracks. All ten of them looked at their now-empty hands, bewildered.

“Keh-ek! Ki-ek!”

Then, one goblin pointed at Min-cheol and let out strange cries repeatedly.

The longer the cries continued, the harder the goblins’ faces became.

Their pointy ears drooped down. They seemed afraid of Min-cheol.

“Keh-ehk!”
“Kkee-eh-ek!”

Eventually, the goblins began to scatter in all directions, fleeing from Min-cheol.

“Wow, this actually works?”

Mincheol spoke with amazement. Then he quickly snapped back to reality.

“This is no time for this. I need to get the gem quickly.”

It would be bad if the goblins came to their senses and charged again. Even bare-handed, their numerical advantage wouldn’t disappear.

Min-cheol ran towards the red gem. The distance was farther than expected, making it tough.

“Whew, huff, this is killing me. How many meters is that? Must be like 100 meters.”

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

If walking there is hard and bothersome… why not just get that with Auto Looting too?

“Red gem.”

<Acquiring all ‘Red Gems’ within a 100m radius.>

As soon as he activated the skill, the red gem immediately entered his inventory.

<Quest item acquired.>
<You have successfully passed the Tutorial!>
<3 minutes 40 seconds! A world-shattering new record!>
<An unprecedented achievement! Rewards will be enhanced!>

A flood of messages appeared one after another. Among them, what caught Mincheol’s attention was the time: 3 minutes 40 seconds.

“Didn’t that professor guy say the world record was 5 minutes 30 seconds…?”

He had surpassed the world record by over a minute. And so easily.

He’d broken it so effortlessly that it didn’t even feel real.

<Would you like to complete the Tutorial as is?>

A message appeared before the bewildered Min-cheol. He was about to reflexively say yes, but then thought differently.

“This… I think I can make it even faster, right?”

Mincheol estimated the red gem’s location was about 100 meters away. Meaning it was within Auto Looting’s range.

“I’ll challenge it again.”

Light flashed once more. In an instant, Mincheol was back in his original spot.

Everything was exactly as before. The distant red gem.

“

“Keeeek!”

“Kyaaaaak!”

And the goblins baring their teeth at him.

<The Tutorial begins!>

The barrier of light disappeared. The goblins charged at Mincheol again.

Having waited, Mincheol immediately activated his skill.

<Acquiring all ‘Red Gems’ within a 100 m radius.>
<Quest item acquired.>
<You have successfully passed the Tutorial!>
<0.01 seconds! A world-shattering new record!>

As Mincheol expected, the red gem was within Auto Looting’s range.

As soon as he acquired the red gem, the goblins vanished. And the completion message appeared.

<Would you like to complete the Tutorial?>

No matter what he did, he couldn’t beat this time. Mincheol gladly completed the Tutorial.

“I’ll finish it like this.”

<You have cleared the Tutorial!>
<You have passed within an impossible time frame!>
<The Tower is greatly pleased with your achievement!>
<Tutorial rewards are greatly enhanced!>
<You have acquired a special title!>
<You have acquired a ‘Hidden Piece’!>

At that moment, a torrent of messages flooded in.

Around the same time.

The Management Office, which manages Hunters in South Korea, suddenly began bustling with activity.

“What? Someone cleared the Tutorial in 0.01 seconds?”

It was because the Tutorial record had just been broken.

Any awakened individual could check the Tower’s records.

The information that someone had cleared it in 0.01 seconds was also shared by an awakened person working at the Management Office.

“No, is that even possible? The world’s best record is 5 minutes, how can 0.01 seconds come out?”

“Was it confirmed what country they’re from? It’s not America again, is it?”

“Find them! We absolutely must identify who they are!”

It wasn’t just the Management Office that was shocked after checking the record board.

“Master, someone has cleared the Tutorial in 0.01 seconds.”
Yeonhee, what nonsense are you talking? How can 0.01 seconds appear? Does that even make sense… what the, it’s real? 0.01 seconds is really on the record board? W-who is this? Who did that?”

South Korea’s top guild, Seol-Aeng-D.

“0.01 seconds? Am I seeing this correctly?”
“What? It’s not our guild’s rookie? Then where on earth did they raise such a monster?”

Helios, known as America’s top guild.

“Someone slap me. Is this really 0.01 seconds?”
“I thought a monster like Malcolm Bernard would never be born again… but someone who easily surpasses him has appeared?”

Crusade, known as Europe’s top guild.

“Where on earth did they raise such a monster? It’s not Helios again, is it?”
“Can you even raise someone to set a record of 0.01 seconds?”
“What kind of unique skill do they have to clear it in 0.01 seconds?”

At the news that made South Korea astonished, America stunned, and Europe kneel, all nations and guilds were thrown into chaos.