Chapter 11 – LV.One Warrior Kim Ak – [One]

Kim Ak was now twenty-eight years old, but he was a man who had never truly felt like an adult.

Having spent his time playing games with an empty head, he graduated from high school and college. After that, he lived as a jobless bum until the world suddenly turned into this mess. During the period when the world rapidly grew colder and food shortages arrived, while others starved or froze to death, the reason he survived was thanks to his parents, with whom he lived—not because he had accomplished anything himself.

Now, three more years later, Kim Ak couldn’t see any difference between his past self as a slacker and his current self. Yet, those around him called him an adult, leaving him utterly bewildered. And because he was considered an adult, he was given a position of responsibility, which was so burdensome it drove him crazy.

Over the past six months, while training as a Hunting Party, Kim Ak had tried his best to act as a leader.

But it didn’t go well at all. For Kim Ak, it was so unfair it was maddening. How could he possibly fulfill the role of a leader when he himself was struggling just to keep up with the training?

Since their lives were on the line, the training over the past half-year had been grueling and difficult. Just memorizing information and strategies about the monsters lurking around was no easy task. His mind had always been far removed from studying.

At least Kim Ak was a man with a good physique. Thanks to that, he managed somewhat when it came to physical tasks, but even that confidence was fading these days as he started endurance training.

To maintain his dignity as an adult, he somehow completed the training. However, he showed no outstanding qualities as a leader, and that remained the same even now as he ran around the training ground.

Fuck, fuck…

Reciting curses in his mind, Kim Ak ran.

The weight of the plate Armor he wore was hard to bear. The weight of the sword and shield he held in each hand was also dreadful enough to make him want to throw them away, but he kept running.

In his heart, he wished someone would praise him, saying he was admirable, but that wasn’t going to happen. After all, there were much younger ones here.

Running beside him was Lee Jongho.

Kim Ak glanced at the guy’s movements and thought. Wasn’t his Ability Score Strength 7, Dexterity 6, and Health 6?

He was nothing short of excellent material for a Warrior. His Dexterity of 7, which proved he was second in swordsmanship among his peers, was also incredibly high.

Meanwhile, what about Kim Ak himself? Strength 7, Dexterity 5, Health 6, and Spirit 6. Something was lacking bit by bit.

‘And isn’t that bastard Lee Jongho still in his growth period? Once his body fully matures, he’ll completely overwhelm me…’

Even now, Lee Jongho was running without showing any signs of strain. As a fellow Warrior, Kim Ak felt a sense of inferiority.

Wasn’t his Health Stat the same as that guy’s? Since Health included stamina, why was he struggling so much while that guy seemed perfectly fine?

And there was someone ahead of him who didn’t even make him feel inferior.

Kim Ak groaned as he looked at the girl running slowly at the very front.

‘Seo Yun…’

Seo Yun ran without shedding a single drop of sweat.

Of course, that girl’s Health Stat was 11. It was a value that surpassed the limits of humans, even living beings. A value where Divinity was added to the biological maximum. Her reputation within the village was something even Kim Ak himself knew well.

From the start, Seo Yun didn’t even need to participate in this training. The reason she joined was merely to strengthen the bonds among fellow Party Members, not to actually gain anything from the training itself.

“Everyone, rest!”

Finally, when they had finished running around the training ground, everyone gasped for breath and sat down, but Seo Yun stood blankly without even thinking of sitting.

By this point, Kim Ak didn’t even feel envy. He was just struggling to resist the urge to lie down.

In the midst of this, an accident occurred. One of the training instructors muttered.

“Uh, uh? She collapsed…”

It was Seong Juri. That plump girl had fallen while running. And she couldn’t get back up—clearly, her physical limits had been reached, and she was exhausted.

This lack of stamina wasn’t her fault. Even in Kim Ak’s eyes, Seong Juri was an astonishingly resilient girl. Having actively participated in the village’s Farming with her parents until now, she possessed stamina almost on par with an adult male.

Thanks to that, Seong Juri hadn’t fallen far behind in basic training like push-ups until now, but she finally revealed her limits in the endurance training that began this spring.

After all, she was still a girl whose physical growth wasn’t complete. Even if her stamina was at an adult male level, it wasn’t up to the standard required of a Warrior.

Until now, Seong Juri had somehow kept up with the training through sheer willpower. But it seemed she wasn’t capable of passing the harsh training that required running several laps around the training ground in heavy gear.

“Hey, are you okay?”

While the training instructors shouted, Kim Ak’s mind went blank. What should he do?

The training instructors who approached Seong Juri seemed equally flustered. Well, with the weather cold all year round, collapsing from running rarely happened, so they probably hadn’t experienced such a situation much either.

Finally, one of the training instructors shouted.

“Healer!”

Kim Ak looked at Park Taeyang. The guy was lying face down on the ground as if he hadn’t heard the shout.

Then what about Seo Yun?

When he looked ahead again, Seo Yun was already approaching.

Kim Ak didn’t know what to do in this situation, but he felt he shouldn’t just stand still, so he approached as well.

Seo Yun knelt before the collapsed Seong Juri and offered a prayer.

“By grace.”

Light emanated from Seo Yun’s hand. A warm light, enough for Kim Ak standing behind to feel the temperature—it was a Heal. The Miracle of a Priest and Paladin.

Seong Juri, having received the Heal, seemed slightly relieved but was still groaning. Wondering why she was like that, Kim Ak suddenly remembered one fact.

What was it? Exhaustion was judged in games not as a decrease in HP but as a reduction in the Health Stat, so complete Healing with just a Heal was impossible, right?

In the midst of this, Seo Yun was speaking.

“Take off her Armor and lay her down. Lift her legs slightly. It would be good to take off her socks too.”

Wondering who she was talking to, she was advising the training instructors. Watching the training instructors obediently follow her instructions, Kim Ak was dumbfounded, his eyes wide open.

The subsequent measures were left to the training instructors.Kim Ak felt a sense of obligation to say something as he returned to the rest of the Party Members. He asked Seo Yun, who was walking beside him.

“Is Juri okay?”

“Yes.”

Kim Ak muttered, feeling as if his intelligence had dropped.

“That’s a relief.”

When he returned to the Party Members, Park Taeyang was still lying on the ground as if unconscious. As a Priest, his attire was much lighter than that of the Warriors, but with a Health Stat of only 4, he seemed far more exhausted than the others.

Then Seo Yun tapped Park Taeyang’s shoulder.

What is she doing? As Kim Ak flinched, Seo Yun spoke.

“From now on, you give the Heals.”

Park Taeyang turned his head irritably.

“What?”

“I said, from now on, you give the Heals.”

“Why?”

“Just give them if I say so.”

“Don’t order me around, you bitch.”

Park Taeyang spewed profanity.

Seo Yun, expressionless, seemed to have decided to punish him.

“Looks like I need to use Heal one more time.”

As Seo Yun drew her training sword, Kim Ak finally panicked. Damn it, she’s really going to…

“Hey, back off!”

Lee Jongho stepped forward, blocking Park Taeyang. Following him, Jeon Sangguk also stood up to protect Park Taeyang.

Lee Jongho and Jeon Sangguk, orphan boys from the village. Park Taeyang’s underlings.

On the other hand, Seo Yun also had one ally.

Kim Jihyeok quietly stood beside Seo Yun. In a situation that seemed about to erupt into a brawl, Kim Ak, at a loss, shouted.

“Guys… don’t fight!”

Kim Ak regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. Fuck, I’m an idiot. These guys aren’t kindergarteners; does saying something like that carry any authority?

Indeed, the boys gathered here didn’t budge at his words, but only one girl reacted.

“I’m sorry.”

Seo Yun obediently bowed her head in apology and sheathed her sword. It was likely to follow the leader’s instruction.

As Kim Ak was moved, Lee Jongho and Jeon Sangguk also sat back down.

Only then did Kim Ak let out a sigh of relief and lament.

‘Why is the Party in such a state?’

This wasn’t the first or second time. Seo Yun and Park Taeyang rarely talked, but whenever they did exchange words, an argument almost always ensued.

Kim Ak wished the training instructors would come and end the disputes by giving them collective discipline or something, but the training instructors always pretended not to notice. Ultimately, the responsibility to prevent internal Party conflicts fell on Kim Ak.

And Kim Ak didn’t have the ability to do so.

Finally, after the training ended, Kim Ak’s mind and body were uneasy, but he couldn’t rest.

Oh Haengbok came and said.

“Kim Ak? Let’s go see Juri.”

Kim Ak followed Oh Haengbok into the tent where Seong Juri was resting.

Seong Juri, now almost recovered, immediately sat up upon seeing them.

“Chief, hello…”

Oh Haengbok gestured for her to sit and asked.

“You collapsed while running?”

“Almost… right before finishing.”

“I know, I know. Very impressive. Collapsing while running in this weather means you pushed yourself beyond your limits, right? But your body couldn’t keep up with your spirit. So, about that… can’t the Player activities be postponed?”

Seong Juri opened her mouth as if she might scream any moment.

“Chief?”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t be a Player. At least after your body has grown… I mean, maybe in three or four years. Hmm?”

Seong Juri shook her head vigorously.

“I, I don’t want to.”

“Why? Is there a reason it has to be now? This is a matter of life and death. It’s not something you can be included in just because your effort is admirable. Don’t you see? The Martial Artist uncle begged me crying and pleading, but I still didn’t put him in the Party.”

“But still…”

“But still, what?”

Seong Juri pleaded in a voice that seemed to hold back tears.

“If I’m really a nuisance, then I’ll have no choice but to step back, but I want to try as much as I can.”

Seeing Seong Juri’s determined face, Oh Haengbok nodded with a dissatisfied expression.

“Alright, fine…”

Oh Haengbok sighed as he left the tent.

“What a headache… If I kick her out just for being physically weak, it’ll seem like gender discrimination, and all that. It’s true we need more female Players… So, what about the others?”

Kim Ak cautiously asked back.

“What about the others?”

“Seo Yun and Park Taeyang’s bunch. They still don’t get along, right?”

“Yes.”

Oh Haengbok sighed again and patted Kim Ak’s shoulder.

“Hang in there a little longer. I’ll have Seo Yun leave the Party.”

“Really?”

If that happens, internal Party conflicts would significantly decrease. Kim Ak’s face lit up for a moment, but he was disappointed by Oh Haengbok’s following words.

“After she reaches Level 3. The number of Fireballs you can create increases with level, right? I want her to reach at least that point.”

“Reaching Level 3 will take about a year, won’t it?”

“Probably, if nothing special happens. Might take longer. Anyway, just look after them until then, okay?”

“Yes.”

Oh Haengbok gave a final piece of advice.

“It’ll be tough, but you still have to do well. Doing your best isn’t enough; you have to go beyond that. You’re the adult, so your responsibility is big, you know?”

Kim Ak answered in a voice that sounded like his Soul had left his body.

“Yes, Chief.”