Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

[Activating ‘low-grade summoning scroll’!]

[Player ‘Baek Jinwoo’ has obtained the creature ‘Filth Blob’ (F-rank)!]

[Player ‘Baek Jinwoo’ has obtained the creature ‘Horn Butterfly’ (F-rank)!]

A pair of F-ranks emerged right off the bat.

[Player ‘Baek Jinwoo’ has obtained the creature ‘Poison Lizard’ (E-rank)!]

Wow, an E-rank!

Baek Jinwoo pumped his fist silently, celebrating the minor victory in his head.

An auspicious beginning.

If he counted Ramba as an E-rank equivalent, he had managed to beat the five-percent probability twice out of a mere five attempts.

That was a stellar ratio.

Furthermore, a Poison Lizard was a fantastic pull for its grade.

In terms of utility versus cost, it was exceptionally practical.

What a stroke of fortune.

He chuckled to himself.

Combined with the Fur Gorilla, this creature would be immensely helpful during the initial progression phases.

“Get over here.”

Baek Jinwoo extended his arm out.

Swish!

The Horn Butterfly drifted through the air, settling gently upon his left arm, while the Filth Blob slithered along the floor until it was resting right below his feet.

Though, to be honest, this particular entity had a rather repulsive odor.

He resolved to utilize it temporarily before discarding it down the line.

And then—

Slither, slither!

The Poison Lizard darted its tongue out, crawling closer to where he stood.

Excellent, a basic squad has been assembled. It is time to target the entry-level zones.

The path forward was clear.

He would raise the levels of these creatures while continuously opening more summoning scrolls, and once he established a formidable roster?

That would mark the beginning of his intensive rune cultivation.

Runes functioned essentially as gear for creatures, and possessing a diverse inventory was crucial.

It allowed a player to adapt and modify their loadout according to the specific threats they faced.

Extract runes, clear zones, tear open scrolls.

Engaging in that endless loop was the fundamental methodology for getting stronger.

Step by step, he would secure superior runes and cultivate mightier forces.

Time to dive back into the grind.

An RPG simply isn’t an RPG without repetitive grinding.

Even with the system manifesting in reality, that immutable truth remained unchanged.

Come to think of it, human life followed the exact same principle, didn’t it?

Whether a person was pursuing academic success or launching a commercial venture.

One had to put in the grueling hours to achieve results.

Baek Jinwoo established an immediate objective for himself.

The remaining EX-ranks… he needed to track down every single one of them.

What would the outcome be if he managed to unite all ten EX-rank entities into a singular, ultimate squad?

“Incredible.”

The mere mental image caused him to mutter aloud involuntarily.

Overpowered.

Completely and utterly broken.

Visualizing his personal dream squad, Baek Jinwoo felt an instant wave of absolute certainty.

If he brought that collective together, it wouldn’t matter if they faced five S-ranks or any other combination—

He would simply obliterate the opposition.

Scaling all one hundred tiers of the monument would likely be a walk in the park.

Wow.

His pulse was accelerating.

The sheer excitement made him restless, filling him with an urge to take immediate action.

But where exactly were these zones located?

During its days as a mobile application, the process was incredibly straightforward.

The zones were categorized by tier, and entering was as simple as tapping the screen.

However, reality presented a different challenge.

This was no longer a simulation on a mobile phone.

He would have to manually locate the entrance points himself.

Flick.

Baek Jinwoo retrieved the mobile device he had set up earlier that morning and began looking up local details.

And immediately after—

“What?!”

An exclamation burst from his lips before he could restrain it.

“Is this for real?”

Spatial entry points materialized arbitrarily across different residential sectors.

On the bright side, one could gauge the severity of the threat by measuring the density of the radiation leaking from each gateway, however……

Ordinary citizens were barred from entering these zones, even if they possessed summoned entities?

What a massive headache!

He couldn’t just walk inside whenever he pleased?

Reading further into the protocols, it became apparent that formal enlistment at Player HQ was a mandatory prerequisite.

In the beginning, access had been universally unrestricted, but as casualties began to skyrocket exponentially, government authorities stepped in to regulate the environment.

A supervising official was now permanently deployed outside every single gateway, and entering required their explicit authorization.

“Unbelievable.”

To make matters worse, this specific regulation had been implemented just within the current calendar year.

Talk about terrible timing.

The registration protocols appeared incredibly tedious as well.

There was an extensive curriculum of mandatory classroom instruction, supplemented by field evaluations and combat assessments.

They even forced applicants to participate in competitive trials?

This was undoubtedly an administrative measure to regulate the influx of active participants.

A functioning society required individuals to fill diverse vocational sectors to maintain equilibrium.

If the entire populace abandoned their roles to chase the massive financial rewards of hunting, the social infrastructure would collapse.

“Well, filling out some paperwork isn’t a massive hurdle. I’ll just go through the motions.”

Ring, ring—

Muttering complaints under his breath, he dialed his sister’s number.

“Hey, Brother.”

Wow, she answered almost immediately.

She certainly hadn’t been exaggerating when she told him to reach out whenever he required assistance.

“Are you telling me I need to obtain a formal license just to step foot inside a gateway? Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”

“Oh! Right, that whole regulation!”

Baek Ajin offered an embarrassed chuckle before clarifying.

“A few days back, a package containing player credentials arrived via certified delivery. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I guess it’s all due to that recent legislative update?”

“How could you leave out an administrative detail that vital?”

“My bad, sorry about that! To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t entirely clear on the specifics myself. The notice mentioned that anyone who cleared at least ten zones during the previous calendar year received automatic validation. I remember skimming through the text and tossing it aside, completely forgetting how it might affect you, Brother. Anyone who wasn’t active last year likely had their privileges revoked entirely. Apparently, there’s a massive surge of applicants trying to get back in because of that regulation, which means…… you might find yourself going head-to-head against veterans with three full years of field experience, you know?”

“Can’t you use your connections to bypass the line?”

“Brother…… what kind of bureaucratic leverage do you think someone like me possesses?”

“Really? You seemed plenty confident when you were bragging about your C-rank Shadow Elf earlier.”

“Hey! The administrative branch is incredibly rigid. You have to at least secure a spot on the leaderboard before anyone cares about your opinion.”

“The leaderboard?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t be familiar with it. The central organization assesses global influence on an annual basis and compiles a hierarchy. The top one hundred individuals domestically, and the top one hundred on a global scale.”

“Understood.”

“Mind you, our nation’s top-ranked individual is lightyears away from even touching the international rankings. Seriously, if the legendary JinuGod would just step forward, our national standing would skyrocket instantly.”

“Right, sure…… anyway, I appreciate the info.”

The moment his sibling uttered the alias “JinuGod,” Baek Jinwoo winced slightly and scrambled to conclude the conversation.

In any case.

To conduct operations legitimately, passing the licensing exam was non-negotiable.

And now there was a hierarchical ranking system to consider as well.

Very well.

The immediate preparations were sufficient for the moment. It was time to head indoors and rest up.

—

The following morning.

6:00 AM.

He had awoken at the crack of dawn and was preparing to exit the apartment immediately when—

“Oh.”

His mother and father were already awake in the kitchen, organizing the morning meal.

His parents.

Incredibly industrious individuals.

“Oh? Where are you heading off to so early in the morning?”

His father inquired, pausing his culinary preparations to look up.

“Jamsil.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t Ajin fill you in? You were the one who suggested I give this player career a shot. That’s exactly what I’m pursuing.”

“Ah, so that’s what Ajin was referring to when she mentioned she was assisting you with something. Getting ready for the trials, I see.”

“Correct. I’m starting out three years behind everyone else, so I need to put in double the effort.”

“Ahem.”

His father cleared his throat gently, fixing a steady gaze upon his son.

An unmistakable glimmer of satisfaction and pride shone in his eyes.

“Son.”

“Yes, Dad?”

“I’ll admit I was full of anxiety, but watching you take charge of your life the second you recovered… it brings me immense relief.”

“I have to stay focused. The licensing requirements and training protocols have become incredibly strict.”

“That is the correct mindset. But it is undeniably an industry with massive potential. Take a look at your father. Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you say?”

Hummmm!

His father thrust his palm outward, bursting with pride as he prepared to manifest his Pebble Golem (E-rank), when suddenly—

“Dear!”

His mother furrowed her brows, letting out an annoyed scold.

“I have explicitly told you countless times not to call that massive thing into the living area! It causes nothing but an obstruction!”

“Haha, my apologies.”

The extended palm immediately moved to the nape of his neck, which he rubbed sheepishly.

In the strictest sense, his father wasn’t an active combatant.

He never utilized his Pebble Golem to clear hazardous gateways—rather, he employed its immense strength to streamline the loading and transport of heavy commercial freight.

“In any case, I was deeply anxious, but seeing you step up with such determination right away… it puts my mind at ease. Keep pushing forward, son.”

“I will do exactly that, Dad.”

Baek Jinwoo offered a warm expression in response.

Then, he lowered his head in a respectful, deep bow.

“Mom, Dad. I am incredibly grateful.”

“My goodness, what is brought on this sudden emotional display?”

“For covering all those medical expenses, and for constantly believing in me.”

“Save the dramatic speeches for later. That is quite enough. Keep those thoughts close to your heart. More importantly, you intend to have some breakfast before you leave, correct?”

“Yes, definitely. Spending three years unconscious means my body has a built-in hunger cue demanding sustenance.”

“Are you managing to rest properly?”

“I spent three consecutive years slumbering. I am thoroughly exhausted from sleeping at this point.”

He wasn’t exaggerating.

The moment he secured his official license, everything would change.

From that day forward, his schedule would consist of a 6:00 AM start and a 2:00 AM finish.

He intended to dedicate every ounce of his being to the grind.

He couldn’t afford to waste a single minute loitering around the house.

“Well, please enjoy your breakfast! I’ll be taking off now!”

After offering his final farewells and stepping across the threshold—

Baek Jinwoo’s mother, Hwang Myeonghui, gently reached out and tapped Baek Jincheol’s shoulder.

“Dear.”

“Do you truly believe he will be alright out there?”

“It is infinitely better than him waking up only to wander around the house like a hollow shell. From what I understand, the authorities enforce highly rigorous safety orientations nowadays, so he should be perfectly fine.”

“……Be that as it may.”

“Who can predict the future? Perhaps our Jinwoo is destined to become the premier player on the planet.”

“I don’t even care about global recognition. My sole desire is for him to remain out of harm’s way.”

During the grueling years she had spent managing his medical care, she had been utterly consumed by overwhelming dread.

With every passing day, she had expressed deep gratitude to the heavens simply because he continued to breathe, offering up endless prayers.

If truth be told, she harbored a strong aversion to her son entering such a hazardous vocation.

It was a profession fraught with far more lethal risks than the general public realized.

He had only just managed to claw his way back from the brink of the afterlife—what if he walked right into another tragedy and perished?

However.

Baek Jincheol had remained unyielding in his perspective.

He maintained that the intense focus present in Jinwoo’s eyes when he looked at the summoned golem in that medical ward mirrored the exact expression he wore when he was completely captivated by that digital game.

For the first time in a long while, their child had discovered a purposeful endeavor to channel his energy into.

Irrespective of the dangers.

Offering their unconditional backing from the sidelines was their duty as parents. That was the unshakeable standard Baek Jincheol held.

Please stay safe, my boy.

Hwang Myeonghui directed a warm, protective gaze toward the entryway where her son had departed.

Was the world overflowing with active players?

As it happened, that wasn’t the case at all.

Although the entire global population had been granted the systemic capability to operate as players, the segment that actually engaged in field operations was unexpectedly small.

This reality was entirely logical.

Statistically speaking, the vast majority of individuals prioritized personal security over high-stakes hazards.

The overriding deterrent was the reality that one had to gamble their very existence.

The defensive baseline evaporated completely the moment all of a user’s summoned forces were forcefully banished.

If you stepped inside a hazardous gateway and committed a single tactical blunder that resulted in your entire squad being wiped out?

You perished. Instantly.

Ripped to shreds, dismembered, pulverized—in a thoroughly horrific fashion.

Regardless of how grand the financial windfalls were, or the immense prestige it offered, there was an incredibly valid justification for why ordinary people hesitated to test their luck.

South Korea, specifically, had recorded an unprecedented volume of fatalities within the gateways during the initial phase.

The underlying cause was almost absurd.

It stemmed from a specific brand of hubris.

A sort of main character delusion, to put it accurately.

Swayed by popular literary tropes and martial arts entertainment, individuals convinced themselves that they were the chosen heroes of reality. They charged into dangerous gateways with zero preparation and paid with their lives.

There was even a popular hypothesis among analysts that the nation’s consistently low rankings in international combat metrics were a direct consequence of losing an entire generation of elite gaming talent in their twenties and thirties during that chaotic era.

“Good day. Are you arriving to complete your registration?”

The moment he stepped into the reception area of Player HQ, a meticulously attired administrator offered a polite greeting.

“Your timing is impeccable. Today marks the final cut-off date for the current monthly cycle. You can hand in your completed documentation right at this desk.”

The necessary prerequisites consisted of the following items:

* A valid government-issued identity card.
* A fully formed, active summoning roster.
* A standard registration form detailing personal background information.

What followed the submission?

Rigorous instructional sessions within designated cohorts over a specified timeline, followed by a comprehensive theoretical examination.

Subsequent to that, a practical evaluation within a live gateway environment.

Finally, an elimination phase conducted through player-versus-player combat.

The ultimate outcome?

A mere fifty applicants out of the entire pool would be awarded the official title of ‘player’ each month.

Only fifty……

A brutal filter.

Incredibly competitive.

The reason for the high difficulty?

At that exact moment, hundreds of eager applicants were already filling out their paperwork across the main hall.

The ironic twist was that the vast majority of these individuals were far from novices.

They were experienced combatants whose previous licenses had been voided due to inactivity, returning to re-authenticate their status.

But it didn’t matter.

Baek Jinwoo harbored absolute confidence.

Since this was a merit-based trial, the evaluations would be strictly impartial, and under those parameters, he could cast those competitors aside without breaking a sweat.

If he lacked the capability to breeze through a fundamental gateway assessment like this……

Wouldn’t that bring immense shame upon the legendary reputation of Ilcheon JinuGod?

“Here are the completed documents.”

After handing over his paperwork, Baek Jinwoo ambled over to a neighboring coffee establishment, settling down to pass the time comfortably.

He began casually browsing through various online databases.