Reincarnator’s Stream

A huge white stage, reminiscent of several athletic fields combined.

On this stage, Mac Hugo, the examiner of the tutorial trial, stood with his arms crossed, looking down at a participant sprawled out on the ground.

In front of him lay two goblins, each about 120 cm tall.

“Huff, huff—”

The participant panted heavily. To struggle so much against two goblins, the lowest tier of monsters. He frowned in disgust at the participant’s pitiful state.

“You barely succeeded.”

Hugo’s eyes narrowed. Clad in silver armor symbolizing a knight, he approached the participant and asked,

“Do you want to attempt the next stage?”

“The next stage?”

The participant’s face showed confusion as if he couldn’t understand the question. A message appeared before his eyes.

『Would you like to challenge the next stage?』

『One additional goblin will be added with each stage.』

『Additional rewards will be given for passing higher stages.』

The participant’s face turned pale. Three goblins. He had struggled with just two; there was no way he could win against three.

“No, I won’t! Are you crazy? How am I supposed to beat three goblins?”

“Don’t shout. I’ll fail you myself if you keep that up.”

While an examiner cannot directly harm a participant, Hugo glared at him with irritation due to his poor skills and rotten attitude.

The participant, frightened, decided not to challenge the next stage. With that decision, he turned white and disappeared.

Swoosh—

The participant who defeated two goblins could proceed, but there were no additional rewards.

The real rewards of the tutorial began from the second stage.

‘That’s probably his limit too.’

Most participants were like that.

The tutorial trial was known for being significantly easier compared to the trials on other floors.

Yet, less than half challenged the next stage.

‘Assessing individual skill, ambition, and courage in a multi-fight scenario. That’s the purpose of this tutorial.’

Hugo sighed.

“To think we have to let such pathetic ones move up…”

The level of the current tutorial participants was abysmal.

Just two goblins.

Most participants who only managed to defeat two goblins would be immediately blocked on the next floor.

The tower’s trials were always like that. The tower always rewarded players based on outstanding achievements.

Fools who thought all they had to do was go up could never reach higher places.

‘But there was at least one.’

Hugo recalled a participant who took the trial a few sessions ago.

Isaac.

The son of Reinhardt, he displayed natural talent by using magic right from the first floor.

Using magic at level 1.

With talents exceeding even his lineage, he stopped only after defeating over twenty goblins.

‘20 stages are record-breaking. His talent surpasses Reinhardt’s.’

In both swordsmanship and magic. A magic swordsman showing talent in both areas. At least, watching him take the trial wasn’t boring.

Screech—

While reminiscing about Isaac’s trial, the door to the testing area opened. Hugo checked the participant roster in his hand. He wanted to see who was next, and the name caught his eye.

‘Lee Suhyuk?’

There was no way to not recognize that name. Even Hugo himself had once thought of him as an idol. For the upcoming participant, Hugo felt more pity than expectations.

‘He’ll have a rough time because of that name.’

Destined to be compared to the legendary Lee Suhyuk everywhere. Even the weapon in his hand was a sword similar to what Lee Suhyuk used.

『Two Goblins are spawning.』

『Defeat the Goblins.』

A message appeared before the participant.

Chitter, chitter—

Eek, eek—

The goblins, holding poison-coated spikes, emitted monkey-like cries. As the goblins prepared to attack, Hugo announced the start.

“Begin—”

At that moment.

Swish!

A sword flew towards the two goblins, simultaneously beheading both.

Splat—

In the blink of an eye, the goblins’ heads flew through the air. Hugo’s eyes widened in disbelief.

‘What did I just see?’

Thud—

The goblins’ heads fell to the ground. Their bodies collapsed. Just after the goblins from the first stage were killed, a message appeared before Suhyuk.

『Would you like to challenge the next stage?』

『One additional goblin will be added with each stage.』

『Additional rewards will be given for passing higher stages.』

Without hesitation, as if he had been waiting, Suhyuk decided.

“Challenge.”

*

Thud—

Another goblin’s head fell limply. Hugo, who had been counting the fallen goblins, gave up thinking.

“… This is insane.”

He uncrossed his arms. Sweat began to form in his clenched fists. From the first stage to now. The trial area was filled with the bodies of goblins, leaving no room to step.

The goblins’ bodies would disappear only after Suhyuk’s challenge ended, but his challenge wasn’t ending.

Slash, slash—

Suhyuk’s sword cleaving through the thin necks of the goblins. Even while cutting through the goblins, Suhyuk’s gaze continually surveyed his surroundings.

‘He’s not just swinging his sword. He’s thinking two, three steps ahead.’

While swinging his sword, he observed the goblins’ attacks, minimized his movements, and ensured he wasn’t surrounded.

That wasn’t simply fighting well. Could Hugo, even with stats at the same level as Suhyuk, do the same?

‘No. I couldn’t.’

Even as a player who conquered the 6th floor, he was sure he couldn’t do it. He shivered. It wasn’t about using magic like Isaac, nor was it about having exceptional physical abilities.

Even so, Suhyuk was dominating against 50 goblins.

‘Is he really the reincarnation of Lee Suhyuk? How can he move like that?’

The scary thing about goblins was their use of poison-coated weapons and their agility. But the goblins’ specialty, ‘poison’, was nullified in front of Suhyuk.

Slash—

Any goblin that entered Suhyuk’s striking range with its poison-coated spike had its neck immediately severed.

Even the poison darts the goblins shot didn’t touch Suhyuk. He dodged the spikes and seemed to predict the path of the darts as well.

With nothing touching him, the poison was irrelevant.

“Huff, huff—”

Catching his breath, Suhyuk maintained his distance. The goblins hesitated, seemingly frightened. Even if the monsters were virtual constructs created by the trial, they were still living creatures.

Feeling fear of death and submitting to a stronger force was natural. And towards the hesitating goblins, Suhyuk launched himself once more.

Kikik, kiki—!

The remaining three goblins exchanged signals.

Was it a signal to attack simultaneously?

The three goblins charged at Suhyuk, aiming their spikes.

At that moment,

Swish—

Suhyuk ducked extremely low without losing speed.

Kiiik—?

The goblins were caught off guard. In that instant, Suhyuk saw a single line connecting their necks.

Slash!

With one swing, Following that line, his sword cut through, making the goblins’ heads fall like ripe ears of grain.

Thud, thud, thud—

With that, the current stage ended.

『Stage 49 has ended.』

『Would you like to challenge the final boss?』

『Additional rewards will be given for passing higher stages.』

“Hoo—”

As the message appeared, Suhyuk took a deep breath he had been controlling. His hair was drenched in sweat. Pushing his wet hair back, he checked the message.

‘The final stage, huh…’

Next was Stage 50.

It seemed to be the final stage of the tutorial.

‘Perfect timing. I was planning to stop soon anyway.’

From Stage 1 to 49.

He had cut down over a thousand goblins in total. The trial had been going on for hours. Though breaks were given between stages, his muscles were starting to ache, crying for rest.

『Fatigue: 71』

At this level of fatigue, his body couldn’t help but slow down. Since the next stage was the last one, Suhyuk made his decision.

“Challenge.”

『Challenging the final stage.』

『A 10-minute break is granted.』

‘10 minutes, huh.’

This time, they were giving him a generous amount of rest. Kneeling down, Suhyuk closed his eyes. During these 10 minutes, he needed to not only rest but also maximize his concentration.

After a long yet short 10-minute break, the time had come.

『Boss: ‘Orc King’ is appearing.』

Wiiing—

Opposite to Suhyuk, a massive monster with the head of a pig, standing at 2 meters tall, appeared.

“What…?”

Hugo, startled, turned to Suhyuk.

“Give up now! Didn’t you check what the boss is?”

Catching his breath, Suhyuk opened his eyes and stood up. The orc, about half a head taller than him.

Its hulking muscles and the solid armor covering its body made it several times stronger than a typical orc.

“You can still give up since it hasn’t started yet. Don’t be greedy! No matter how skilled you are, you can’t overcome the difference in stats!”

He knew that. The Orc King standing before him was beyond what a tutorial participant could defeat.

‘With my current stats, I can’t even inflict a meaningful wound on it.’

Could his sword even penetrate its body properly with his current stats?

Cutting through its bones or stabbing deep enough to reach its vital organs was impossible.

‘But still.’

Glancing, the answer came to him quickly.

“No, I refuse.”

There was no backtracking on Suhyuk’s decision. And at his resolute attitude, Hugo finally cursed out.

“This damn lunatic—”

Rrreeeee—!

But before he could finish his curse, the Orc King’ roar shook the testing ground.

Buzz, buzz—

Hugo was certain. No participant could defeat that monster. With one punch from the Orc King, heads would explode, and the sword that easily sliced through goblins’ thin necks wouldn’t even scratch its bones.

『The final trial begins.』

While Hugo was thinking that, a poison dart flew and embedded itself into the thigh of the Orc King.

Swoosh—

Thunk—

Grrak—?

The Orc King looked at Suhyuk in confusion. Bending down, Suhyuk rummaged through the bodies of the goblins, grabbing several poison darts in his hands.

“Let’s make a bet.”

Clang—

As if the sword was irrelevant in this fight from the beginning, Suhyuk threw away the sword he was holding and picked up the poison darts that the goblins had dropped.

“Let’s see what happens first—whether you catch me, or you become a pincushion.”