I Alone Am an EX-Class Summoner - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Am Alone EX-Grade Summoner Episode 004

Tutorial (2)

For a brief moment, my vision was engulfed in darkness.

And when it brightened again.

‘Hmm.’

I was inside some eerie dungeon.

A terrible fishy smell assaulted my nostrils.

[To engage in dungeon combat, you must form a team with summoned creatures.]

[Maximum summoned creatures per team is five!]

[Currently, ‘Baek Jin-woo’ only has two summoned creatures.]

[Would you like to designate ‘Wind Fairy’ (EX-grade) and ‘Fur Gorilla’ (F-grade) as Team 1?]

[Y/N]

Yes!

As I clicked, Ramba and the Fur Gorilla were automatically summoned before my eyes.

– Ewww, it stinks! Wolf smell!

– Uwooooooo…!

As they automatically prepared for battle.

[Hungry gray wolves are prowling around the area.]

[Defeat the wolves and escape the dungeon.]

Grrrrrr.

The wolf’s low howl filled the dungeon.

At the same time.

Whiiiiing!

A golden aura that erupted from beneath Baek Jin-woo’s feet gently enveloped him.

[A ‘Shield’ is being generated for the player.]

[This ‘Shield’ will persist until the player’s summoned creatures are reverse-summoned.]

[‘Shield’ nullifies all damage.]

‘Ah.’

This is the system from Battle of Summoners.

A setting that protects the player for battles between summoned creatures.

‘However, since this place is reality…’

[Be careful.]

[If attacked by summoned creatures while without a ‘Shield’, you will die.]

‘As expected.’

Baek Jin-woo let out a bitter laugh.

No matter how similar the setting is to the game, this is no longer a game.

This is reality.

In other words, I can’t just charge headfirst into difficult dungeons to learn like before.

The moment I fail, I’ll die.

‘Climbing the tower will be much harder too.’

Still, well.

It should be manageable.

I’ve already tried thousands, tens of thousands of times, and all the strategies are organized in my head.

Grrrrrr.

The wolf’s howling from far away gradually draws closer.

“Ramba.”

– Yes!

“Start swinging your staff from now on.”

– Okay! Here I go, eujajajajat!

Whoosh, whoosh!

Ramba began slowly swinging her tiny staff.

[Possessed Skills]

– Wind Pressure: Each time the staff is swung, increases a single target summoned creature’s attack speed by 3%.

Ramba’s ‘Wind Pressure’ is an attack speed buff.

The more she swings, the faster the ‘Fur Gorilla’ (F-grade)’s attack speed will become.

– Gwoh?

The gorilla tilted its head in confusion.

Welcome.

It’s your first time getting buffed, isn’t it?

– Gwooooooooo!

The gorilla’s eyes gleamed as it felt power filling its body.

In front of it was.

Grrr.

A single wolf slowly approaching, drooling from its mouth.

‘Wow.’

That thing.

First of all, its size is incredibly imposing.

Plus those vicious teeth and blood-red eyes.

And that bristling, protruding fur…

‘It’s real.’

Yes, that was a real wolf.

What if our gorilla and Ramba lose?

Then my body would definitely be torn to shreds by those teeth.

“Ha.”

A sigh escaped my lips involuntarily.

I hadn’t realized it, but my legs were already trembling.

My heart was beating fast, and my head felt hot as if my blood was boiling.

Surely the gorilla won’t lose, right?

If this were a game, that would never happen, but…

That wolf is real!

– Grrr, woof! Woof!

That’s when the wolf leaped.

“Gorilla!”

Baek Jin-woo reflexively shouted.

– Gwoh!

The Fur Gorilla also charged at the wolf.

– Fur Go! Fighting!

Whoosh, whoosh!

Ramba swinging her staff from behind.

By the way, Ramba has no combat ability whatsoever.

The moment the gorilla dies, Ramba is finished too.

Crunch!

The wolf’s teeth dug into the gorilla’s shoulder blade.

Splash!

Blood spurted out.

– Ahhhhh! Fur Go! Are you okay? You can’t dieeeee!

But our gorilla didn’t just stand there either.

– Gwooooooo!

With one hand wrapped around the wolf’s neck, it pounded the wolf’s abdomen with the other hand.

– Kahk, karrk!

– Gwor, gworooor!

A brawl between the wolf and gorilla began.

When the gorilla threw punches?

The wolf scratched the gorilla’s belly with its hind claws, scritch scratch.

Now there’s only one thing to rely on.

“Ramba!”

– I know! I’m swinging as hard as I caaaan!

Whoosh, whoosh!

Making the gorilla’s punching speed faster!

This is Ramba’s overpowered ability.

Actually, it’s a bit pathetic right now.

But when properly grown, it becomes a truly simple yet ridiculous buff.

– Gworooooooor!

How much time had passed since the fight began?

The gorilla’s punching speed had become considerably faster.

The wolf’s sounds gradually decreased, and it was losing strength bit by bit.

After a few minutes of this.

– Gwor, gworooor!

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The Fur Gorilla that had turned the wolf into a bloody pulp let out a victory roar.

[Dungeon Clear!]

[‘Fur Gorilla’ (F-grade) level rises to 2.]

[‘Fur Gorilla’ (F-grade) Strength increases by 1.]

[‘Wind Fairy’ (EX-grade) level rises to 2.]

[‘Wind Fairy’ (EX-grade) Intelligence increases by 1.]

[Rewards have arrived.]

[Low-grade ‘Strength’ Rune x 2.]

“Hah.”

The tension was released.

At the same time, I realized.

‘If I just win, it’s nothing special.’

If I lose, my life is over, but if I win, I can just finish by watching.

Though I don’t know if it’ll be as easy as it sounds.

[The dungeon will disappear.]

Whoosh!

My vision flipped, and I returned to the clearing.

What I gained were two low-grade runes.

‘First.’

Should I learn more details?

How to enter dungeons.

Where the towers and synthesis shops are.

Let’s start by finding that out.

Baek Jin-woo’s younger sister, 22-year-old Baek A-jin, is a rune farming player.

Her job is mainly going through low-grade dungeons and selling runes to promising players.

Originally, she was quite good at studying and attending university, but when her brother’s accident caused the family to fall into financial trouble, she decided to become a player.

“Thank you again today, bosses!”

Evening with the sunset.

Baek A-jin, who came out of Seoul Jamsil Tower, had made good money today as well.

Usually when only low-grade runes drop, she earns about 100,000 won per day, but today a mid-grade rune dropped.

The price of mid-grade runes handled by Player Headquarters is 100,000 won each.

In other words, she earned 200,000 won in just one day.

“Hehe.”

She hummed while moving to the bus stop.

She could afford a taxi, but she’s armed with a frugal spirit.

Living expenses, family living costs, brother’s hospital bills, and so on.

There are too many things she has to bear.

‘I was lucky.’

Actually, she’s a player who possesses an uncommon C-grade summoned creature.

Its name is Shadow Elf (C-grade)!

It never appears from ‘Low-grade Summoning Scrolls.’

When using the hard-to-obtain ‘Mid-grade Summoning Scroll,’ there’s a 1% chance for C-grade to appear.

[E-grade: 94%]

[D-grade: 5%]

[C-grade: 1%]

These are the appearance rates for ‘Mid-grade Summoning Scrolls.’

At first, she had to pour all the money she earned into raising this one creature, but now it has grown considerably.

She’s become capable of continuous solo rune farming.

‘By the way.’

Did brother get discharged safely?

La la la.

She hummed while clicking on a phone number.

Ring ring, ring ring-

The dial tone rang and soon.

– Hello?

“Ah, brother! Did you get home safely? I should have come to pick you up, but I was working so I’m calling now?”

– Yeah, good timing on the call.

“Huh?”

– Dad was saying something. You’re doing rune peddling?

“Eh?”

Baek A-jin made a dumbfounded expression.

Rune peddling, what kind of crude expression is that?!

“That sounds awful! Can’t you call it rune retail business?”

– Rune retail or business! Anyway, is there a synthesis shop there? At Seoul Jamsil Tower?

“Uh…”

That’s right.

There are a total of two 「Player Zones」 created in South Korea.

They’re located at Jamsil Tower in Seoul and Haeundae Tower in Busan.

There are none in the provinces.

You must go to one of those two places to handle summoned creature-related business.

“That’s true, but why? Brother, you haven’t even done the tutorial yet, have you?”

– Haven’t done it? I already did it.

“What?!”

Baek A-jin shouted loudly.

Citizens near the bus stop were startled and frowned, but she didn’t care.

“Brother! I sent you a text! I said it was dangerous! I told you to listen carefully to the precautions!”

It’s called a tutorial, but.

More than a few people have died from not handling it properly.

Now that information has spread so much, people prepare well before entering, but three years ago it was literally hell on earth.

All of South Korea was in mourning.

“Did you gather all five summoned creatures? Please tell me you didn’t go in with just the first two you summoned?”

Five summoned creatures per team.

That’s why the standard approach is to properly form a team first, then hunt wolves.

Not enough ‘Low-grade Summoning Scrolls’?

Just endure for 3 more days.

You get one daily as an attendance reward.

– You went in after only summoning two?

“What?!”

Kyaak!

Baek A-jin foamed at the mouth.

– Anyway, you’re alive. Don’t worry too much. I finished it well and came out.

“….”

– Now, to properly raise them, I need runes and a synthesis shop too. Can you guide me around?

“Oppa, wait a moment.”

She calmed her ragged breathing.

This person.

Is he really someone who just woke up yesterday?

Why is he in such a hurry?

“What grade are they?”

– Huh?

“You said you finished the tutorial. You must have summoned creatures. What grade are they? F? E? D?”

– ….

This time Baek Jin-woo pondered.

Should he tell the truth?

His contemplation was brief.

No.

If he decided to hide it, it’s better to hide it properly.

Whether it’s family or whatever.

– E and F.

“Oh! E? You got an E? That’s a 5% probability!”

– Really? I guess I was lucky. Anyway, you’re still there, right?

“Yeah, I am, but….”

– Then wait a moment. Guide me around a bit.

“No, oppa. Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard already….”

Beep beep, beep beep-

“Hey, oppa? Oppa?”

Baek A-jin made a dumbfounded expression.

This guy.

Was he always this aggressive by nature?

3 years ago.

The day the world changed.

Towers of Trials appeared in various places around each country.

South Korea had 2, Japan had 4, the US had 13, China had 57.

While the reason for different numbers per country hasn’t been revealed, there was one leading hypothesis.

The population theory.

The theory that roughly one tower appears per 25 million people.

The remaining fractions are rounded down!

That’s why small countries like Vatican, Monaco, and Macau had no Towers of Trials.

In South Korea’s case, Jamsil Tower and Haeundae Tower were reborn as Towers of Trials.

[Rich Who Ruled, Became Paupers in an Instant!]

[Tower of Trials, Real Estate Problems Still a Headache.]

There was the misfortune of all the residents being evicted, but there was nothing that could be done about this.

It was a natural disaster.

Anyway.

Player Zones were created around the Towers of Trials.

Monday dungeons, raids, towers, rune dungeons, synthesis shops, enhancement shops, etc.

Everything had to be resolved here.

Thanks to that, the surrounding property values only rose higher.

They were already expensive areas, but they rose even more than that.

Vroom!

A bus arrived in Jamsil.

Baek Jin-woo, wearing a tracksuit with his hood up, got off.

In front of him, Baek A-jin could be seen with a sulky expression, arms crossed.

“Hey, nice to see you. Little sister.”

Yesterday she was crying with a bare face.

Now she has a face properly done up with makeup.

“No, oppa. Why are you pushing yourself so hard? You could do this tomorrow, but you insist on this evening.”

“I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

Baek Jin-woo was originally crazy about Battle of Summoners.

Such a person had rested for 3 years, and everything was in a reset state.

He had to grow again quickly.

There wasn’t a day to spare for rest.

Even now his body was itching with anticipation.

“If you help me, I’ll give you some spending money later.”

“I earn way more than you, you know?”

Today too.

She earned 200,000 won as daily wages.

“Little sister. You never know about worldly affairs. Who knows? I might become the world’s greatest player.”

“Hmph, as if.”

Baek A-jin snorted.

“Everyone thinks like that. I used to think that way too, and so did dad, and all the neighborhood uncles thought the same. But do you know what happened to most of them?”

“What happened to them?”

“They either faced reality and quit being players, or they’re living as farming specialists like me. World’s greatest player? That’s something only truly chosen people can do. The gacha system is bound to be full of luck-dependent bullshit elements from the start.”

Ah.

I see.

Baek Jin-woo chuckled.

Our little sister is really acting all high and mighty in front of a slowpoke.

“Everyone talks about Rachel and Jenos.”

Rachel from England, Jenos from America.

They were both among the Five Emperors who used to follow him.

“Oppa might not know, but anyone who’s worked in the industry even a little knows. Those guys are real geniuses.”

“Is that so?”

Baek Jin-woo smiled.

But there’s something you don’t know.

‘First of all, I’m excluded from the luck-dependent bullshit.’

I have an EX-grade after all.

‘And.’

Rachel, Jenos?

Those guys are geniuses?

Then little sister.

‘I guess I’m a flying genius above running geniuses.’

They’re the kind of kids who would even pretend to die if I gave them one piece of advice.

“I get it, so just show me around.”

Let me check it out.

What the Player Zone that became reality would look like.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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