WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 2: 002

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Was I seeing things?

I rubbed my eyes, then checked the words floating in my vision again.

They were still there.

[You have been selected as a Tower climber.]

[Prepare for the trial.]

[Time remaining until entry: 09:53]

"This is insane...!"

A curse slipped out on its own.

I'd been chosen as a climber?

Despite those absurd odds?

'Why me?!'

Climbers, also known as Hunters.

People envied them and they made a lot of money, but it was an incredibly dangerous job.

Tutorial survival rate: 85%.

Five-year survival rate for Hunters who passed the tutorial: 63%.

I'd heard survival rates had improved compared to the past, since safe hunting grounds had been secured and various strategies had been developed.

Even so, Hunters were people who could die at any moment.

And I was one of them now.

'I should call my sister first.'

Brrring. Brrring.

The call went through, but she didn't answer.

She really must have been busy at work.

I might die, so I wanted to at least say goodbye. Was even that too much to ask?

[Sis, I was just selected as a climber. I don't know if I'll make it out of the tutorial alive, but I'll do my best.]

I hurriedly sent her a text, then immediately logged onto Hunter Gallery.

'There was definitely a tutorial guide in the Hunter Gallery notices.'

These days, most people there only insulted Hunters. Back in the Tower's early days, though, Hunter Gallery had been where real Hunters gathered.

Because of that, I remembered old notice posts containing all sorts of useful information, including tutorial guides.

'Found it.'

After checking the old notices, I found the tutorial guide without much trouble.

I quickly read through it.

[Title: (Notice) (Must Read) Tutorial Guide]

You got the notification saying you've been selected as a climber, right?

Ten minutes after the notification appears, you'll be transported to the tutorial area.

There's no time, so I've only included the essentials. Memorize as much as you can.

Once you enter the Tower, you'll be summoned naked inside a safe zone surrounded by a translucent barrier.

The safe zone lasts ten minutes, so grab a weapon, get your head together, and stretch or something to warm up.

During that time, goblins outside the safe zone will threaten you, try to scare you, and attempt to intimidate you.

Just ignore them.

They can't do anything while the barrier is active.

For weapons, I recommend sword and shield, a one-handed sword and shield.

If you've trained with a weapon before, use what you're familiar with. Otherwise, take a one-handed sword and shield no matter what.

You know you're summoned naked, right?

You won't even have a pair of underwear, let alone armor, so you absolutely need a shield.

With a shield and one-handed sword, you can block or shove with the shield, and the sword is easy to handle. It's the most recommended combination for beginners.

There's a reason sword and shield is the standard. Don't pick up something weird. Please just take a sword and shield.

Also, any weapons you're not holding disappear as soon as the safe zone is lifted.

Don't think you can pick something up later.

After ten minutes, the safe zone is lifted and the barrier disappears.

That's when the fight begins.

There are three tutorial monster patterns.

The Tower assesses each climber's potential and assigns a trial.

People generally call them Easy-rank, Normal-rank, and Hard-rank.

Easy-rank: One goblin, dagger.

Normal-rank: Four goblins, three with daggers and one archer.

Hard-rank: One Goblin Warrior, longsword.

Easy-rank is simple.

As soon as it starts, charge in with your shield forward, knock it down, then stab it in the neck or stomach.

As long as you don't panic or get scared, you'll win.

You receive basic physical enhancement when you become a climber, so even if you're a scrawny public service worker, you'll definitely win if you overpower it.

Seriously, just don't freeze up.

Easy-rank has over a 90% survival rate. Keep your head clear and you'll pass without much trouble.

You need to stay alert on Normal-rank.

As soon as it starts, stand with your back to the wall and hold up your shield.

Block the incoming arrows with your shield, then carefully cut down the three goblins coming at you with daggers.

Keep your eyes open.

Block both the arrows and daggers properly.

By the way, the arrows are coated in paralytic poison, so getting hit will slow your body down.

You can barely endure one or two arrows, but after three hits, your body won't move. Be careful.

That said, don't focus so much on the arrows that you miss the daggers.

You can endure one or two arrows, but if a dagger stabs your thigh or side, you're finished.

Watch out for both arrows and daggers, kill the three goblins, then rush the last archer and kill it to clear the trial.

There's a real chance you'll die, but never give up until the end.

Survival rate: 50%. It's fifty-fifty, but you can do it.

Hard-rank... may you rest in peace.

Honestly, there's no answer.

The Goblin Warrior's greatsword is fucking strong. It can split a tutorial shield in one blow and wreck your arm along with it.

Its strength is beyond imagination, so trying to wrestle with it isn't even an option.

It's much more agile than it looks, dodges arrows and everything else, then comes charging in.

It runs stupidly fast too, so you can't escape or make distance.

I'm currently climbing the ninth floor, and even I get chills whenever I fight a Goblin Warrior. I have no idea how anyone is supposed to beat one with Floor 0 stats...

Estimated survival rate: around 1%... It's hard, but hang in there...

Honestly, if you're the kind of person who gets Hard-rank, you should trust your own abilities and instincts over a shitty guide like this.

They say Kim Taeseok and Choi Yejin, who both cleared Hard-rank, used a greatsword and a bow respectively.

Look them up yourself.

Both of them have very distinct talents, though, so I don't know if it'll help.

Anyway, I hope you complete the tutorial safely.

Easy-rank has a 90% chance of appearing, Normal-rank is 9%, and Hard-rank is only 1%.

Don't worry too much about getting Hard-rank.

Make sure you survive. See you on the other side!

└What about a spear instead of sword and shield? Isn't a spear better than a one-handed sword with that short reach?

└└Goblins are short and nimble, so sword and shield is better than trying to poke them with a spear.

└└I cleared Normal with a spear, but it went in too deep and wouldn't come back out. I seriously freaked out... I threw it away, took a goblin's dagger, and barely survived. Take sword and shield no matter what. If you stab too deep with a spear, it's hard as hell to pull out.

└└Damn, you survived that?

└What happens to people with glasses when they're transported naked? I'm severely nearsighted, so I'm blind without them.

└└You get physical enhancement when you enter the Tower, so your eyesight improves. You'll see fine without your shitty glasses, don't worry.

└But what the hell are the people dying on Easy-rank doing? Tutorial survival rate is 85%, right? I understand Normal-rank or Hard-rank, but what are the people dying on Easy-rank even doing? It looks easy as hell lol.

└└It might look easy, but you'll panic when it actually happens to you.

└└That goblin is holding a dagger, drooling everywhere, and its eyes are shining with bloodlust. Fuck, it feels like my heart's going to stop.

└└People get scared when a neighborhood dog barks and chases them. A monster charging at you with a knife is a whole different story... Don't overestimate yourself.

└I'm entering the tutorial soon. Thanks for the guide. If I come back alive, I'll report in!

└└Good luck.

└└It's been an hour. Still no survival report?

└└Ah... they went.

└└RIP

"Easy-rank, Normal-rank, Hard-rank... Sword and shield..."

I skimmed through the post and comments, cramming everything into my head.

I already knew all of it, but just in case.

Fortunately, there was nothing new I needed to know.

Then again, the government constantly promoted tutorial information. There was no way I could have forgotten it.

I glanced at the words floating at the edge of my vision.

[Time remaining until entry: 00:13]

While I was looking through the guide, only a little over ten seconds remained.

I squeezed my eyes shut, clasped my hands together, and prayed.

"Please be Easy-rank, please be Easy-rank, please be Easy-rank...!"

Please let it be Easy-rank difficulty!

Someone weak and cowardly like me had no chance of clearing Normal-rank or Hard-rank.

Easy-rank was my only path to survival.

So I prayed desperately.

[Time remaining until entry: 00:00]

[Entering Tower Floor 0.]

Flash!

A bright light engulfed me, and I was transported into the Tower.

* * *

Blink.

I opened my eyes and looked around.

It was exactly like the scenes described in countless forms of media.

A dark underground space.

Lights embedded at intervals along the walls faintly illuminated the area, while damp, fishy air brushed against my skin.

When I looked down, I was naked just as expected.

Only objects made from materials found inside the Tower could be brought into it, so people usually began the tutorial naked.

[Survive the trial and prove your qualifications.]

[The safe zone will be lifted in 10 minutes.]

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 09:52]

As expected, I had ten minutes to prepare.

During those ten minutes, I had to choose a weapon and pull myself together, physically and mentally.

-Huuuh! Huh! Huh!

I took deep breaths, forcing my racing heart to calm down.

Cold sweat soaked my back, and an icy chill crawled up my spine.

I gritted my teeth.

'The difficulty. I need to check the difficulty first.'

I widened my eyes and stared ahead.

'It'll be Easy-rank, right? I don't have any potential... Of course it'll be Easy-rank.'

The general consensus was that tutorial difficulty was determined by a climber's potential.

No talent for fighting meant Easy-rank.

Some talent meant Normal-rank.

Remarkable talent meant Hard-rank.

I'd always been frail, and I'd never shown any particular talent for sports.

I had expected to be assigned Easy-rank difficulty.

-Step. Step.

Footsteps echoed from beyond the darkness.

I swallowed hard and stared at the faint silhouette approaching me.

First of all... it was bigger than I expected.

I'd heard ordinary goblins were about the size of a young elementary school student.

'Why is it almost as tall as me?'

Its eye level was close to mine.

Then there was the sword in its hand.

It wasn't a dagger. It was a longsword.

Bulging muscles and veins. Leather armor.

There was no doubt.

"A Goblin Warrior?! Hard-rank difficulty? This is insane, why am I on Hard-rank...!"

My tutorial opponent was a Goblin Warrior.

I'd been assigned Hard-rank difficulty, the rarest and most difficult option.

'I can't win. There's no way I can win. How am I supposed to fight that monster?'

I had lived twenty-seven years without ever getting into a fight.

I had no real experience with exercise either.

I was cowardly and timid by nature.

There was no way I could beat that muscular monster.

And the Goblin Warrior wasn't my only enemy.

-Keruk. Keruk.

Thud. Thud.

Another figure emerged behind the Goblin Warrior with light footsteps.

It was short, roughly the height of a young elementary school student. It had the build of an ordinary goblin.

Its clothes were different, though.

It wore a drooping leather cloak over its head.

A necklace made of animal teeth hung around its neck, and filthy tattoos covered its body.

It even held a crude wooden staff in its right hand.

Its outfit and equipment were far too strange for an ordinary goblin.

I knew exactly what it was.

'A Goblin Shaman...!'

A Goblin Shaman had appeared.

It was impossible to believe.

'A Goblin Warrior, and a shaman too? That's impossible. A Goblin Warrior is supposed to be the end of the tutorial!'

There were three types of tutorial difficulty: Easy-rank, Normal-rank, and Hard-rank.

None of them included a Goblin Shaman.

Of course not.

The Goblin Warrior, which appeared starting from the fifth floor, was already a monstrous challenge.

A Goblin Shaman appeared from the tenth floor onward. Wasn't that basically telling me to die?

Yet for some reason, a Goblin Shaman had appeared before me alongside the Goblin Warrior.

'Could it be that Hard-rank isn't the highest tutorial difficulty?'

Then what was this supposed to be called?

Extreme? Lunatic? Hell?

Whatever it was, this was an extreme, insane, hellish situation.

Was I the first person to ever see a Goblin Shaman in a tutorial?

Or had nobody ever survived to tell anyone?

I didn't know.

There was only one thing I knew for certain.

"...I'm going to die here."

I had no chance.

There was absolutely no way I was getting out alive.

I stood there in a daze, staring blankly at the creatures beyond the barrier.

-Keruk. Kekekekek!

-Karururuk!

Maybe they had noticed I had lost the will to fight.

The Goblin Warrior and Goblin Shaman cackled as they openly mocked me.

-Boom! Boom!

The Goblin Warrior approached and pounded on the barrier.

Its hideous face twisted into a sadistic grin. Its yellow eyes were filled with killing intent as it glared at me, as if it were promising to chop me to pieces the second the barrier disappeared.

-Keruk. Kuruk. Karuk...

Behind the Goblin Warrior, the Goblin Shaman visibly began preparing a spell.

As it muttered something, blue motes shimmering in the air began to stir.

They soon gathered at the tip of its staff, forming a bizarre pattern.

-Whoosh.

A fireball floated above the Shaman's staff.

It looked no bigger than a fist, but I'd heard it was a spell that caused a powerful explosion upon impact.

The instant the barrier was lifted, that fireball would fly at me and blow me apart.

"..."

My hands shook.

No, not just my hands. My entire body was trembling.

I was so scared I could barely think.

My heart pounded wildly, cold sweat poured down my body, and my eyes wouldn't focus no matter how hard I tried.

I checked the remaining time.

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 07:12]

Had I been standing there in shock for that long?

Three whole minutes had already passed.

"W-Weapons... I need to grab weapons first. A sword and shield..."

I forced my trembling body to move and looked down at the floor.

At my feet was a messy pile of various weapons.

There were common weapons such as longswords, spears, and bows.

There were also less common weapons, such as nunchaku, clubs, and maces.

I had to find a shield and one-handed sword among that enormous pile.

They were the safest weapons, the ones everyone recommended.

I reached out and started searching through the pile.

"A shield... Where is it...? I can't see one..."

My vision grew blurry.

Tears had welled in my eyes.

I wiped them away and desperately searched for a weapon.

As my hands mechanically rummaged through the pile, the faces of several people passed through my mind.

'Mom, Dad, my sister... I think I'm really going to die here. I'm sorry.'

My mother, who had passed away when I was young.

My father, who had died amid the chaos of the Tower's early days.

My sister, who had spent so long taking care of her useless younger brother and paying off debts...

Ah.

I didn't want to die.

"Fuck! A shield! Where the fuck is the shield?!"

I shouted as I searched through the weapons.

It was my own desperate attempt to shake off the fear.

-Keruk! Kekekekek!

-Karururuk!

The goblins had gone beyond mocking me. They were openly roaring with laughter now.

I refused to look at them.

If our eyes met, I felt like my body would freeze up again.

Facing a living monster was far more terrifying than I had imagined.

And these weren't even ordinary goblins. They were elite types, a warrior and a shaman.

They felt like creatures on an entirely different level, as if my very soul were shrinking before them.

I tried my best to ignore them and kept digging through the weapons.

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 05:47]

I found an old, battered wooden shield.

I strapped it onto my left forearm.

Now I just had to find a one-handed sword.

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 04:36]

Was it because my vision had narrowed from panic?

Or because the dim environment and countless gray pieces of metal made them difficult to distinguish?

I couldn't spot a one-handed sword anywhere.

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 03:21]

Three minutes remained.

Panic surged through me.

I searched through the weapon pile faster.

I'd heard the tutorial only gave you a few dozen weapons at most.

Yet the pile before me looked like it contained at least several hundred.

Had more weapons been summoned for me alone?

Or was it because of this damned difficulty?

Fuck.

Forget this useless junk. Just give me a one-handed sword.

[Time remaining until the safe zone is lifted: 02:11]

There wasn't enough time.

I couldn't find a one-handed sword, so I felt like I needed to grab anything at all.

I reached out and picked up the first thing my hand found.

'A staff?'

What I held was a staff.

It was made of wood and reached roughly to my solar plexus, with a fingernail-sized crystal set into its tip.

An old, unimpressive wooden staff.

'No matter what, this isn't right. I need something with a blade.'

I was about to throw the staff away without a second thought.

There were pieces of metal everywhere. There was no reason to swing around a branch.

Then, at that moment.

-Hummm...

The crystal at the tip of the staff began to glow blue.

And...

'Blue Motes.'

The mysterious particles only I could see, the Blue Motes that had blended into the air.

They all began gathering at the tip of the staff.

"Huh?"

-Keruk?

-Kek...?

My cry of confusion and the goblins' startled noises rang out at the same time.

Footnotes:

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