Episode 3
Episode 3. Tutorial (1)
Zap!
Sparks erupted incessantly from the white rod embedded in the floor, instantly wreaking havoc in the small studio apartment. Yet Kim Si-moon couldn't afford to be startled by the rod's sudden appearance.
To be precise, he had no time to react.
Why?
[Constellation Hermes shows interest in the abrupt emergence of Olympus's lightning.]
[Constellation Athena shows interest in the sudden...]
[Constellation Ares shows...]
Unthinkable messages flooded his vision.
‘C-Constellations?!’
Si-moon’s eyes widened.
‘Why are Constellations suddenly fixating on me?’
But this was only the beginning.
[The Constellations of Olympus are horrified by the traces lingering on you.]
[The Constellations of Olympus hastily withdraw.]
[Only three Kings remain steadfast in their seats.]
[Among them, the Sovereign of Olympus, Constellation Zeus, gazes upon you with intense curiosity.]
The cascade of system windows left Si-moon reeling.
It made sense.
Constellations typically became active only after players entered official arenas. Before that, only a rare few ever caught their attention.
Moreover—
‘Olympus’s Constellations are retreating because of traces on me*?’*
Si-moon tilted his head in bewilderment. Olympus itself was a pantheon of elite Constellations.
Then it hit him.
‘Wait—could it be that title?!’
He recalled the effect of his title, ‘One Who Receives Gazes From Beyond.’
But the title alone hadn’t drawn Olympus’s attention. The true cause lay elsewhere.
Zap!
The rod at his feet thrummed with violent energy. This lightning-infused weapon, born from his alchemy, was the root of the chaos.
‘What is this thing?!’
Like CGI from a blockbuster, blue-white lightning arced wildly. Yet Si-moon felt no fear. Though the sparks demolished his meager furniture, they harmlessly skirted around him.
He gripped the rod.
Crackle!
“Ugh!”
A peculiar tingling shot up his arm—not painful, but unnervingly electric.
‘No wonder SM has those... Wait, no! Bad thoughts.’
He shook his head violently and inspected the rod. A description materialized:
[Astraphe]
Grade: Replica (10%)
The spear of Zeus, Sovereign of Olympus.
Capable of wielding lightning, yet inexplicably unable to unleash its true power.
“Holy hell—Astraphe?!”
No wonder he was shocked.
Astraphe was the legendary weapon of Constellation Zeus. In his past life, it had been wielded by Alexander the Thunder Monarch, a Greek prodigy who’d risen to high-ranker status despite his nation’s collapse.
‘Even as a replica, this is insane!’
The real Astraphe could vaporize surroundings with mere presence. This imitation’s feeble sparks paled in comparison.
‘But why did Zeus’s weapon manifest through my alchemy?!’
Then it clicked.
‘The Philosopher’s Stone... and equivalent exchange.’
His hands trembled.
‘If I can meet the requirements... I could forge real mythic gear!’
But his triumph shattered as the replica began dissolving into light.
‘No—my 500 achievement points!’
[The Philosopher’s Stone mitigates rebound effects.]
[50 achievement points have been refunded based on the Stone’s grade and level.]
Si-moon glared at the message.
‘A 90% loss? Alchemy’s a scam!’
Yet when he checked the Stone’s status, hope flickered:
[Philosopher’s Stone]
Bound to: Kim Si-moon
Level: 1
Grade: F
A mythic artifact of alchemy. Enables transmutation through equivalent exchange.
-Grants absolute correction in all alchemical processes.
‘It’s bound to me now... and grows as I do.’
A grin spread across his face.
‘This changes everything.’
Snap.
A flick of his finger ignited a flame in his palm.
‘Casting without transmutation circles? This is revolutionary.’
His restored studio apartment stood as proof—alchemy could rebuild as easily as destroy.
‘With this, the tutorial’s mine.’
He checked the time: 4:40 PM, January 17, 2030.
‘The tutorial summoning begins at 5. Last time, I died instantly in the capture match...’
His phone buzzed with 99+ messages from his brother, Kim Si-hyuk—still cheerful, still oblivious to the darkness ahead.
‘Not this time.’
Another notification appeared:
[You have been selected for the Arena Tutorial.]
[Summoning in 09:59...]
Si-moon smirked.
“Early entry request.”
[Request approved.]
Light enveloped him.
Tutorial Zone - Jungle Map
Humid air clung to his skin as the world materialized.
[Welcome to the Tutorial.]
[Objective: Capture the designated zone or eliminate opponents.]
A distant outline marked the battleground.
[Constellation Zeus’s gaze intensifies.]
[Mission: Place 1st in the Tutorial.]
[Reward: 1,000 achievement points.]
Si-moon chuckled.
‘Zeus, you cheap bastard. But fine—I’ll play your game.’
Thunder rumbled overhead.
“Kidding! I’m kidding!”
He cracked his knuckles.
‘Time to rewrite fate.’
