Tutorial (5)–the shop.....
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You know what?
People. Animals. Beasts. Monsters.
All creatures. All mortals.
They hate endings.
They run from them.
Fear them.
Curse them.
Beg them to wait just a little longer.
They cling to life like it's some precious treasure—when really, it’s just… noise.
Honestly, it’s sickening.
Ah—pardon me, I got distracted again.
Anyway.
Despite all that desperate clinging, all that drama…
I never felt bad for them.
Not because I was merciless.
But because I simply didn’t get it.
Emotions? Feelings? Struggles?
Why fight for something so temporary… when the ending is carved into the bones of fate?
Some gods once said it was because of "pheromones."
Some strange little chemicals squirted into the brain.
Well, I never had that squishy mess up there.
So I asked my father for a favor.
To let a fragment of myself be born mortal—just to understand.
He granted it.
And so I lived.
Once, twice... no—this makes 1,368 times.
I’ve lived as kings, beggars, monsters, warriors, saviors and even maniacs.
Each life, a thread. Each death, a knot.
And slowly, I learned.
One thing in particular stood out.
If you want to hunt something truly clever…
You don’t chase it.
You build a trap.
A big one.
A beautiful one.
One so inviting they walk in smiling.
And then—snap.
Now, all that’s left is to wait.
And maybe… laugh a little.
----
I rose up from the ground.
Dusting off dirt from white shirt and coat, my gaze scanned around.
The whole surrounding has been cleared due to that lackey's skill.
The air was also filled with fragrance.
'Inventory.'
I thought to myself.
And then a blue translucent screen, with 36 boxes (6×6) square boxes drawn inside it.
In those boxes, three things were already placed.
A book icon, a potion icon with number '5' at bottom left and my spectacles icon.
Rest 33 were empty boxes.
I looked at my items for a moment.
My sword had vanished with the body of shadow wolf.
'Well, it had already cracked!'
I clicked on my spectacles icon.
The screen flickered and changed.
It shows a large image of spectacles to right.
And on left was its description.
[Normal spectacles]
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Type: misc.
Grads: common.
Effect: protects against sunlight, radiance and improve far away vision.
Description: a spectacle created by some humans to allow someone with weak vision see clearly.
An useless item.
[Do you wish to withdraw it?]
'No.'
My vision had already after awakening my innate Trait, so there was no need to wear it.
I raised my head up and looked towards sky.
It was still morning.
The sky was clear, clouds moving, sun shone brightly.
Of course only few minutes (nearly 10) have passed since we arrived here.
"Okay, everyone, you all heard the Guide right? We all need to prepare."
Gavin said, attracting others attention.
"Yeah, it's still morning but we need to be prepared."
Another man said.
"Yes, let's stay together."
A woman said.
My gaze scanned around, taking a proper look at them.
There were about 70 people left.
Most were discussing among themselves.
'Well, they will manage somehow.'
I clicked my tongue and turned around.
I started to move towards the forest.
"Hey, where are you trying to go?"
A man noticed me and shouted.
"That’s the way of forest! It's dangerous there."
Another one added.
"Yeah, we should stick together."
A woman said.
They were worried about me.
'Wrong!'
They must've seen me fighting, so they think I would be useful.
"Hmm.. Don't worry, you will be safe if you all do as that lackey had said."
I said, just slightly turning towards them.
"Lackey?"
They puzzled who I was talking about, whispering among themselves.
But I didn’t bother explaining them and started to move forward.
"Oh! Yeah, don't go to deep into forest. That's my advice."
I said playful, with smirk forming over my lips.
My steps stride forward.
And finally, I entered the dense trees of forest.
-----
Zones.
The Tutorial wasn't a single place.
It was divided into multiple areas and stages, known as "Zones."
Each Zone came with its own environment, rules, and objectives.
Howling Grove.
That was the name of this Zone.
Originally, it was just a normal forest—lush, quiet, almost peaceful.
But then, things began to change.
Unnatural occurrences.
Creatures grew violent.
The air turned heavy.
And a strange darkness began to spread through the trees.
Monsters twisted by that darkness—more wild, more chaotic—began to appear.
And then came the Shadow Wolves.
Predators born of nightmare, ruling the night.
The forest was soon abandoned.
And eventually, it was converted into one of the Tower’s tutorial zones.
Or so the Player Guide says.
---
Inside the forest, the trees stood like ancient giants—thicker, taller, and far more imposing than any tree I’d seen on Earth.
I approached one and tapped my knuckles against its bark.
Solid as steel.
High above, branches were heavy with strange fruits, and some bore hard-shelled nuts.
A few squirrel-like creatures darted up and down the trunks, their eyes sharp, their movements fast.
At first glance, they looked similar to ordinary squirrels, but their teeth—those were different.
Sharper. Strong enough to bite clean through bark.
One of them climbed up, bit into the tree trunk, and chewed the pulp.
Then, with a quick jerk of its head, it spat the tree pulp with surprising force.
The shot hit a cluster of nuts hanging above.
They shook—then one fell, thudding softly onto the mossy ground.
The squirrel darted down, grabbed the nut before any of the others could, and zipped back up the tree.
I observed them for a few minutes.
Curious little things.
But I turned my attention back to the book in my hand—the player guide.
As the name suggested, it was filled with useful information.
Monsters, their weaknesses, drop points, EXP values, behavior patterns, and more.
Though, not everything inside it was accurate.
Some sections were clearly guesses, speculation.
Trial and error from players before me.
Still—“This one seems reliable enough.”
I flipped the page.
An illustration of the squirrel appeared, baring its jagged teeth.
---
Scatterfur
A weak forest monster resembling an oversized squirrel.
Often underestimated due to its size, but beware—its teeth can chew through bone.
Known to gather pulp and nuts, storing and shooting them from its mouth with force.
They’re skittish and fast, fleeing rather than fighting.
----
So that was its name—Scatterfur.
One of the lowest-ranked monsters, along with the likes of fang Rabbits and Razor Foxes.
I glanced back at the tree.
One Scatterfur stuffed an entire nut into its mouth.
But then ran away quickly upon seeing me.
I ignored it, letting out a chuckle.
"Rookie Guide!" I called out.
With a soft flash of light, a familiar figure appeared—a floating helper in the shape of a small pixie, glowing faintly blue.
"Hello! I'm you rookie guide, Bernet! How can I assist you today?" he asked.
"Open the shop."
"Sure! Here you go!"
A translucent screen bloomed into view, icons lighting up in rows—items, names, types, and prices.
I browsed quickly, clicking through for expanded details.
The shop only had basic gear, but it was enough for now.
[Rookie Shop - Tutorial Zone: Howling Grove]
Currency: Tower Points (TP)
Note: Limited stock. Items may change with progression.
[Weapons]
- Basic Iron Sword
Type: Weapon
Grade: Common
Price: 100 TP
A standard iron sword. Balanced for beginners.
- Rookie Dagger
Type: Weapon
Grade: Common
Price: 75 TP
Lightweight and fast. Effective against smaller monsters.
- Worn Axe
Type: Weapon/Tool
Grade: Common
Price: 90 TP
Can be used to chop trees or split heads.
- Short Spear
Type: Weapon
Grade: Common
Price: 110 TP
Slightly long reach. Fragile but effective.
- Wooden Shield
Type: Shield
Grade: Common
Price: 85 TP
Basic defense. Blocks minor attacks.
- Pickaxe
Type: Tool
Grade: Common
Price: 95 TP
Breaks rocks. Can be used in close combat if needed.
[Survival Gear]
- Rope Bundle (10m)
Type: Utility
Grade: Common
Price: 20 TP
Can be used for climbing, binding, or crafting.
- Campfire Set
Type: Utility
Grade: Common
Price: 30 TP
Includes firestones and dried twigs. Sets up a fire anywhere.
- Fire Flint Kit
Type: Utility
Grade: Common
Price: 15 TP
Ignites small fires (10 uses).
- Basic Tent
Type: Shelter
Grade: Common
Price: 120 TP
Provides rest and shelter for 1–2 people.
- Dried Food Pack
Type: Consumable
Grade: Common
Price: 25 TP
Long-lasting and light. Restores minor stamina.
- Water Pouch (Full)
Type: Consumable
Grade: Common
Price: 10 TP
Clean water. Essential for survival.
[Potions & Herbs]
- Small Health Potion ×1
Type: Potion
Grade: Common
Price: 30 TP
Heals 30 HP over 5 seconds.
- Minor Stamina Tonic ×1
Type: Potion
Grade: Common
Price: 25 TP
Recovers stamina. Used to stay mobile longer.
- Healing Herb Bundle
Type: Herb
Grade: Common
Price: 20 TP
Chew or brew. Slow natural healing.
- Burnroot Extract
Type: Herb
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 40 TP
Grants temporary resistance to heat/fire.
[Scrolls & Skill Orbs]
- Scroll of cleanse
Type: Scroll
Grade: Common
Price: 50 TP
Cleanse the poison or paralysis status ailments.
- Scroll of Bind
Type: Scroll
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 80 TP
Immobilizes enemy movement for 10 seconds.
- Skill Orb: Blink
Type: Consumable
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 150 TP
Allows a one-time instant dash.
- Skill Orb: Flame Toss
Type: Consumable
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 180 TP
Single-use fire projectile. Useful for crowd control.
- Skill Orb: Light
Type: Consumable
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 200 TP
Single-use Light spell.
[Miscellaneous]
- Beast Bait (Basic)
Type: Utility
Grade: Common
Price: 20 TP
Lures nearby wild monsters.
- Trap Kit (Single-Use)
Type: Utility
Grade: Uncommon
Price: 70 TP
Includes a snare, spring launcher, and net.
---
There were more items upon scrolling vertical and down.
I bought a few things from the list.
[All purchased items have been transferred to your inventory!]
The system message popped up, confirming the transaction.
"Anything else?" the rookie lackey asked.
"Don’t you sell coffee powder or coffee beans?"
I asked, a bit irritated.
"No, I'm sorry but tutorial zone doesn't sell those things"
He replied flatly.
"Is it so?"
I asked again.
"Yes."
He replied.
"Haa! You can go then, I’ll call you later," I replied with a smal sigh.
"Umm... sure..." he muttered, clearly not interested in working.
‘These lazy creatures,’ I cursed inwardly.
With a faint pop of light, the lackey vanished into thin air.
I exhaled, tightening my grip on the guidebook.
Time to move to the next step.
‘Status Window.’
The familiar blue screen flashed open before me, listing out my stats:
---
[Status - Player Info]
-Strength (STR): 14
- Agility (AGI): 17
- Intelligence (INT): 21
- Vitality (VIT): 13
- Dexterity (DEX): 12
- Endurance (END): 14
Additional Attributes:
- Perception (PER): 11
-Willpower (WIL):14
-LUCK : 8
Status Points: 5 (Unallocated)
---
My stats were pretty decent—above 10 which is basically average for most early players.
Especially intelligence. That was my edge.
The 5 unallocated points were my reward for leveling up twice.
I didn’t hesitate.
+3 to Strength
+2 to Dexterity
[Status Points allocated!]
A brief pulse ran through my body.
I felt lighter. Sharper. Stronger.
‘That’s the real joy of leveling up.’
A grin tugged at the edge of my lips.
Now onto the next part.
‘Inventory.’
Another screen materialized.
The items were already neatly organized into the inventory slots—just as the system had mentioned.
I slid the book back into its space and reached in mentally.
A soft flick of thought—and a dagger appeared in my hand.
Simple. Clean. Effective.
I turned to the nearest tree and gave it a quick slash.
A deep cut marked the bark, followed by a spurt of sap dripping down the trunk.
‘Not bad,’ I nodded.
The blade had good balance.
Its sharpness was decent—reliable enough for the wild.
Now, no more wasting time.
I spun the dagger in my grip once.
‘It’s time for the hunt.’
