I Became a Genius Magician at the Academy

Beneath a sky where a black sun and a red moon emerged.

The world was painted in hues of black and crimson.

Amidst the thick layer of clouds, lightning struck down, and the empty heavens cracked like shattered glass, revealing a dark crimson black hole, which was akin to a malignant tumor.

In that very place where everything seemed to be drawn in, hellish demons defied the norm, scattering seeds of irreversible doom upon this world.

A world hurtling towards its own demise.

A world marching towards its inevitable end.

Amidst it all, I found myself exhaling a heavy breath.

────────

────────

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Sigh….”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“Why do you hesitate, the one who ascended to the constellation with a human body? The end of the world lies beneath your feet.”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“……”

────────

────────

▷ Yield

▷ I won’t yield.

────────

Click!

────────

▷ I won’t yield.

────────

────────

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“Have you succumbed to fear? Are you afraid of embracing the end?”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Perhaps.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“What is it that makes you afraid? You have achieved a feat that no other being on this planet has accomplished. It will be inscribed in the deepest recesses of Akasha and will be eternally remembered throughout the cosmos. So… embrace the end and Yield!”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“……”

────────

────────

▷ Yield

▷ I won’t yield.

────────

Click!

────────

▷ I won’t yield.

────────

────────

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“I won’t give in.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“Why?”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Because if I do, the world won’t be saved. So, I won’t yield.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“How foolish! Then this world will forever remain silent!”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Even if it remains silent… at least, there will still be life.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“You discuss life while looking at a mere breathing corpse. How amusing. Oo’ owner of the nameless constellation. But if your will cannot embrace the end, there is no salvation.”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“……”

────────

────────

▷ Yield

▷ I won’t Yield

────────

“Sigh…” 

Finally, I had made it this far.

Taking a brief break from the keyboard, I stretched and yawned, feeling the tension in my muscles ease.

In the previous round, I chose the option to ‘Yield,’ and it led me to witness the 666th bad ending.

The overwhelming sense of emptiness I felt at that moment…

“One has to strike a balance even with hardcore games. Can’t they do it in moderation? Is it all about choosing between easy mode and hardcore mode? Seriously, is this game insane?”

There were no save points.

Dying meant starting from scratch again, and not even the method of data backup attempted by countless hackers could break through this seemingly impenetrable barrier.

With the easy mode, all that awaited me was the “Ah fuck, it was just a dream” ending. So, in the end, I had to endlessly repeat the same actions in hardcore mode.

After going through thousands of rounds and facing 666 bad endings.

Finally.

I had reached this point now.

“Getting back here from the previous bad ending took another 30 attempts. Insane luck, huh! Now, I’m determined to reach that happy ending!”

Click!

────────

▷ I won’t Yield

────────

────────

“In this universe, everything that exists must have an end. Then, in a world where the end and the apocalypse have disappeared, what remains? Is it a utopia, or is it a new hell?”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“……”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“I won’t fall for your trick. Striking you down is not the answer.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“There is no right answer, owner of the new constellation. Do not reject the order of this world.”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“So, even hell is a part of this world? In that case, I definitely can’t strike you down.”

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“Then this world shall burn for eternity!”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Then I will fight forever.”

────────

I, Yu Hyun-sung, raised my blazing sword high.

I swung the sword several times as if cutting through the very fabric of the sky.

Suddenly, the monitor screen seemed to crack, and glowing white characters were etched into the display.

─────

Eternal Battle

─────

A shiver ran down my spine.

“The crazy battle maniac.”

The world lay in complete ruins.

Look at him, the guy that they call the protagonist was just a mere reckless fool.

“Is that really what you intend to do? Seriously?”

The blazing white letters swiftly dissipated, as if vanishing into thin air. And there, the last remaining head of the Heavenly Demon Dragon, the one that had been gazing up at the sky, meeting my eyes, burst into a wide grin.

────────

[Heavenly Demon Dragon]

“Krraaa-ha-ha-ha! Excellent! An arrogant constellation, indeed! If you seek to become an eternal blazing sun, then I shall confront it with boundless darkness. That, my friend, is true chaos!”

[Yu Hyun-sung]

“Bring it on. Even if it’s the end of the world.”

────────

Refocusing my gaze from the sky above, I aimed my sword at the Heavenly Demon Dragon.

The reinvigorated Heavenly Demon Dragon swung its tail fiercely, capable of obliterating even the stars in the sky.

In an instant, the screen turned pure white, and amidst the blankness, black letters began to slowly etch themselves one stroke at a time.

────────

A chaos that once swam through the depths of the universe now emerged.

────────

Regardless of which ending one reached, this chuunibyou phrase inevitably made its appearance, adding a touch of dramatic flair to the conclusion.

{TN:- The term “chuunibyou” refers to a stage of adolescence where a person acts out delusional behaviors or believes they have special powers or hidden knowledge.}

Its meaning: ‘The arrival of chaos that once roamed the depths of the cosmos.’

Oh, the cheesiness was enough to send shivers down one spine.

“Ugh~ Isn’t this overly sentimental like something from ten years ago? Well, I must admit, there’s an oddly addictive charm to it once again.”

Soon, the malevolent energy emanating from the black letters engulfed the entire screen.

And…

“Happy ending!”

___________

 

[Last Apocalypse: The Everlasting Ragnarok]

{TN:- It refers to the concept of “Ragnarok,” a mythical event in Norse mythology that involves a series of major catastrophic events, including the end of the world and the subsequent rebirth. In the context of games, “Ragnarok” is often used to describe apocalyptic or cataclysmic scenarios.}

[Normal Ending]

[A Ragnarok that Knows No End]

[Deceased: 5,274,251,258 souls]

[Survivors: Only 7 remain]

[List of Survivors]

[1. Yu Hyun-sung]

[2. Baek Eun-seol]

[3. Lee Ho-Jae]

…

────────

“… Huh?”

The credits continued to roll before my eyes.

I blinked in utter disbelief.

“Is this it? Is this how it all concludes?”

Was this truly the end?

The final outcome?

It felt so unsatisfying!

“Has this deranged game lost its mind?! Aaargh!”

Even a happy ending was out of reach!

Just a normal ending? That was it?

All I had sacrificed in life was for this?

No way!

This insane game was utterly maddening!

────────

The endings I had collected so far were as follows:

Bad Endings: 666/666

Normal Endings: 1/1

Originally, the section that used to be labeled as ‘??? : 0/1’ had now been replaced with ‘Normal Ending: 1/1.’

I had such high expectations for this…

But it didn’t even provoke a sarcastic laugh.

────────

[You have managed to collect all the possible endings in hardcore difficulty!]

[Achievement unlocked: [Endings Conqueror]]

────────

Achievement unlocked. So, what’s with the gloomy face it was showing me?

This maddening game kept testing my patience!

────────

[Profile level increased!]

[Park Jinwoo Lv. 99 (+1 UP!)]

I had reached the maximum profile level. No more Exp could be earned.

[Required achievements obtained and level goals accomplished, meeting the conditions.]

[A new difficulty has been unlocked!]

────────

“Wow! They’ve really gone too far this time! This is just not fair!”

Frustrated, I threw my mouse forward, trying to release the built-up frustration.

“They’re not just messing with me! Argh… this is driving me crazy!”

Even though I didn’t want to, it took me over a decade to witness all 666 bad endings and the sole normal ending (surviving with 7 people) that held a glimmer of hope.

I just wanted to experience that elusive happy ending once.

But what was that? A new challenge?

“Seriously, where did my life go?”

Many players had given up on this game, and even now, it was rare to find anyone playing it within the gaming community.

And to add salt to the wound, after overcoming the 666 torturous endings, the hidden ending turned out to be just a normal one? It was infuriating! And now, they expect me to play a new difficulty level?

“Sigh.”

I let out a sigh, trying to supress the surging frustration, and returned to the main menu.

In that place, a surprising addition awaited on the difficulty selection screen, where only ‘Easy’ and ‘Hardcore’ options had been displayed so far – a brand new difficulty level named ‘Last Apocalypse New!’

“Ugh.”

The irony of having the difficulty’s name match the game’s name crossed my mind. Who’s teasing who here? Seriously?

“Wow, no chance… no hope till the end.”

After enduring a marathon of ten long years, I couldn’t believe that I met with such a setback.

Fueled by frustration, my attention shifted, captivated by the shimmering of the screen lens before me. I snapped back to reality.

“Phew, well… anyway, I’ve cleared the Hardcore difficulty. I kept my promise of achieving the new ending, without fail.”

Checking the timer, I was astonished to see that it had taken a whopping 50 hours and 12 minutes.

No wonder I felt completely drained.

At this rate, I might have actually exhausted myself to death.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t afford to lose the excitement, so I composed myself and mustered a cheerful voice for the closing remarks.

“If you enjoyed the video, don’t forget to hit the like button, subscribe, and turn on notifications for the next one… cough. We’ll meet again in the newly-added Last Apocalypse difficulty mode! Until next time! Goodbye~!”

While I hesitated slightly at the thought of the “next video,” I knew it was a thrilling experience they couldn’t pass up, so I pushed forward with determination.

As the recording ended, a bitter laugh involuntarily escaped my lips.

“Well, maybe I should consider myself fortunate.”

Seeing a happy ending might have turned me into a gaming legend, but it would’ve left me struggling to find new content for a while.

A whole ten years of effort could have gone to waste.

“I can’t let that be the only thing I’m remembered for. Just a lifeless shell.”

I forced my trembling hands to carry out the final tasks.

Once I had some rest and woken up, I could eagerly gauge the audience’s reaction.

Click! Click!

Exhausted, yet the mere anticipation of the reactions to come lifted my spirits.

If I were to upload an unedited video, stirring up controversy with an aggressive approach, the entire community would undoubtedly be ablaze.

I can almost imagine my name flooding the real-time and related search results.

“[Park Jinwoo is on aggro! World’s first clear. Hardcore domination!]”

“This is the epitome of Korean gaming difficulty, he is a tough gamer!”

“Hardcore? Is that something you eat? LOL.”

“Jinwoo is a gaming god, he rules the Earth!”

And so on.

But as I gathered the courage to work on my unedited video, an unexpected wave of dizziness hit me like a tidal wave. I clenched my eyes shut and gritted my teeth, determined to endure it, and slowly, the sensation eased.

Unconsciously, I let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Perhaps I’ve pushed myself too hard. Let’s postpone the upload to tomorrow…”

Thankfully, I chose to record instead of going live, sacrificing potential support earnings for enhanced focus.

If it were a live stream, I couldn’t imagine how much more time it would have consumed…

“Ugh, feeling lightheaded.”

I lightly patted my forehead with the back of my hand, as if trying to shoo away the warmth.

“Don’t want a trip to the emergency room just to become a YouTube sensation…”

Amused by my own impractical thoughts, I chuckled to myself.

“… Nevertheless, I finally reached the end. It marked a fresh start, but boy, was it intense.”

Leaning back, I stared at the ceiling, letting out yet another sigh.

The last battle had me on edge. I sweated profusely, leaving me feeling sticky and uneasy.

My hands trembled, causing spasms, and my overheated brain seemed to go on strike, demanding rest as my eyes fought to stay shut.

“Haah…”

As much as I longed to go straight to bed, the thrill of conquering the hardcore mode after a decade kept me fixated on the main screen.

Almost hypnotically, I hovered the mouse cursor over “Start – Last Apocalypse.”

────────

[Last Apocalypse]

[This is the real deal, the world of ‘Last Apocalypse.’]

[Failure means losing all saved game data, including your profile, with no second chances to play again.]

[There’s only one ending.]

[The difficulty level is apocalyptic, the ultimate test.]

[What lies ahead at the end of this world?]

────────

“The description sure is merciless.”

‘Will my profile and game data really be wiped out? And do I only get one shot at this?’

The game developers must have lost their minds, going to such extremes to set the atmosphere.

‘Do they think I’ll back down because of a few words?’

“Ahem.”

As much as I wanted to hit that button right away, I knew the video had to show the difficulty selection screen first, so I suppressed the impulse.

But just as I was about to relax and brace myself… At that very moment…

Thud!

“Ah!”

With tension gripping my fingertips, I inadvertently triggered a surge of power, causing the ‘Last Apocalypse’ difficulty level to change with just a double-click.

“No way!”

My exclamation echoed, but the screen remained ominously black, almost taunting me.

And then…

Thud!

“Huh?”

The game abruptly shut down, leaving a cluttered desktop in its wake.

“What’s this? Some sort of prank video?”

In hopes of a mere glitch, I attempted to relaunch the game, but to my bewilderment, it refused to start.

“What’s happening? Did it crash?”

Poof!

Unbelievably, an unprecedented bug appeared; something that had never been reported in the entire ten years of my gaming experience. The monitor flickered ominously, and the computer emitted an eerie sound before shutting down completely.

“What in the world!”

Frantically, I pressed the power button, but the computer remained lifeless.

“Is this some insane joke?”

I mean, this computer wasn’t cheap!

“Come on, computer… Please! Don’t do this! Not now!”

I opened up the case to inspect the internals, but the problem eluded my understanding.

It simply refused to power up, leaving me with no choice but to head to the repair shop right away.

“Ugh… sigh, seriously.”

Anger was futile at this point; all I could manage was a deep sigh as I collapsed onto the bed.

“I have to film a video tomorrow.”

“Should I transfer the game files to the spare computer?”

“I really don’t want to deal with reinstalling everything.”

In the midst of my restless thoughts, I couldn’t find peace as I pondered, “If I lose all my game data, it’ll be a complete disaster.”

“Yeah, that can’t happen…”

My mind was a whirlwind of worries, making it difficult for sleep to embrace me.

Though my body felt exhausted, my mind remained painfully alert, a sensation akin to facing death itself.

……

…..

Thud!

* * *

And then, I found myself drifting into a dream.

For what felt like an eternity, I cautiously navigated through the game’s final level, but True Ending seemed so hopeless and impossible that I ended up smashing the keyboard in my dream.

“I just wish I could erase this from my memory!”

How could the True Ending be so out of reach, almost as if taunting me? It felt like a dreadful nightmare, leaving me wondering what it all meant.

“Argh, damn it! I’d give anything to forget this!”

In my dream, I soared and roared in all directions, my emotions taking flight, and my back tensing up as the world seemed to respond with an odd harmony.

After groaning for a while, I suddenly snapped back to reality, only to find a group of ugly baby squidlings playfully engaging in a spirited game of tag.

They exhibited breakdancing moves, individual dances, knee dances, and even twirled long sticks while exuding an oddly captivating charm with their rhythmic grace, as if they had taken over the spirit of Korean b-boys.

“What on earth is happening all of a sudden?”

The preceding scene seemed to have no logical connection with this bizarre spectacle.

Just as I pondered this, the dancing squids inflated like irate pufferfish, swelling to their limits before bursting open, releasing ink in all directions.

“Hey, over there!”

The ensuing chaos seemed like a scene from five minutes ago, with no semblance of coherence or connection to the current events.

Yeah.

It was simply an inexplicable, surreal dream.

– Thump!

“Gasping for breath!”

Startled by a sudden commotion, I jolted awake from my slumber.

“Squid…?”

I wiped the drool trickling from my mouth and looked around.

It was an entirely unfamiliar place, like nothing I had seen before.

“What is this place?”

Rows of steel desks and chairs were neatly arranged before me.

Seated at those desks were young students, curiously gazing back at me.

Their attire and the interior design had an intriguingly futuristic touch, both alien and strangely familiar.

A massive whiteboard hung at the front, accompanied by a sturdy lectern, behind which stood a robust, imposing man.

“It was a squid, not an octopus…”

I couldn’t help but crave some squid rings.

The intelligent-looking man held a thick bundle of papers in his hand and gave me a stern glance while distributing them to the students in the front row.

“Are you daydreaming on your first day? Don’t regret it later when you mess up the exam; give it your best shot.”

“……?”

What was this squid guy talking about?

An exam? What exam all of a sudden?

“Why do you look so bewildered? Aren’t you going to take the exam?”

“Exam? Me? Why?”

“Hehe, this one hasn’t fully woken up yet.”

Exam?

Exam… Oh, right.

I must have cleared a hardcore level and then gone straight to bed when my computer malfunctioned.

“Ahh, I see.”

Got it.

It was a dream, then.

‘Ah, I can’t believe it. I’ve been having these strange nightmares back to back, and am I still stuck in a dream?’

“A lucid dream? What’s that supposed to be?”

“Snap out of it. Don’t waste time obsessing over the entrance exam rankings.”

“So, it’s just a dream. I see.”

What entrance exam were they talking about, anyway?

Well, at least it was a relief that it was all just a dream.

Why on earth would I dream up such a bizarre and disturbing nightmare when all I wanted was a happy ending?

Ugh, seriously. This game was taking a toll on me, mentally and emotionally.

“Yeah, I’ll admit it feels like a dream to have someone like you get a chance to be here.”

Tsk, the eerie and cold man handed out the test papers.

The papers came in an organized sequence, as if they were actually taking a real exam.

I was sitting at the back, so I received my test paper in the end, since it was handed from the front.

I couldn’t help but wonder how I would perform, so I just stared at it without picking it up.

“Oh, come on. What are you doing?”

Suddenly, the student in front, who was flipping through the test papers, shot me an annoyed glance.

Gosh, it was intimidating. He didn’t look like a regular student at all.

Feeling pressured, I reluctantly took the test paper.

“Oh, I feel dizzy…”

I only glanced at it lightly, but the dense text made my head spin.

Even in a dream, my head was getting fuzzy.

Is that how lucid dreams were supposed to be?

‘Where should I look?’

Trying to concentrate on the text, I wondered what was written there.

[Synchronizing… 0.1%]

“Ugh…!”

I almost let out a scream like a scared child.

Suppressing my reaction, I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to focus.

‘What is this? Synchronizing?’

As if penetrating the test paper, a small system window appears before my eyes.

It showed the words “Synchronizing in progress” and a percentage number next to it.

Puzzled, I continued to stare, and the percentage rushed up from 0.1% to 0.2%.

‘What’s going on? Seriously…’

I shook my head, feeling utterly incapable of making sense of the exam paper in front of me.

Then, to my surprise, the system window appeared, sliding into view and providing some clarity.

It was like something out of a sci-fi movie—an augmented reality system window.

‘I’ve daydreamed about something like this before. It’s like having a lucid dream,’ I thought to myself.

But now I couldn’t help wondering what kind of test questions my subconscious had conjured up.

Driven by curiosity, I began to read slowly, starting from question number one.

[1. Mana, the smallest and most fundamental unit of magical power, is a colorless and odorless energy that has been intertwined with the history of our world.

It plays a vital role in sustaining life on Earth, almost like oxygen for existence.

Mana is believed to exist as individual atoms, and when combined with specific substances, it gives rise to new natural phenomena—a theory known as the Aesthera Law.

The number of mana particles found in a magical phenomenon with a condition of 1 mana, according to the Aesthera Law, is approximately (6.022×10^23) particles.

To put it into perspective, even a tiny 1mm^3 volume contains an average of (2.688×10^16) mana particles, which is more than half the number of grains in a rice cup….]

Wait, what?

The beginning about mana being the essence of magical power made sense, but I was completely lost with the rest of it.

Aesthera Law, Aesthera number, condition of 1 mana—how on earth was I supposed to understand this or calculate numbers raised to the power of 23?

“What is all this gibberish?” I muttered to myself.

Was this truly something my mind concocted?

The passage was filled with intricate and technical terms that left me feeling utterly bewildered.

Even if I attempted to read the next question, it would likely be the same.

I had no idea what any of it meant.

It was just a jumble of incomprehensible words and phrases.

[9. The harvester of the Blue Moon is akin to a determined creature, moving with unwavering resolve toward hostile targets.

In ancient times, people mistakenly revered it as a divine messenger, and they feared its presence. However, in modern times, we have come to understand that it serves as a loyal retainer of the legendary Azure Knight.

…

Now, identify the incorrect characteristic of the Harvester of the Blue Moon. (3 points)

(1) Possesses the Revival ability and wields the Eternal Blazing Sickle.

(2) Harvests the crescent moon and executes relentlessly.

(3) Active during the night of the harvest and leaves a post-attack scoreline.

(4) Emits the scent of death and forebodes doom.

(5) Assumes the role of the commander of death and issues death sentences.]

“I somewhat grasp this one.”

Since it was related to creatures, I could somewhat understand it.

The correct answer was option 5, the part about being the commander of death was incorrect.

‘Really? The Azure Knight is always wandering around alone, showing off.’

After diligently filling in the answers on the OMR sheet, I moved on to the next section.

However, once again, a series of unfamiliar words and questions emerged.

“Ugh.”

The test paper seemed to be repeating this pattern consistently.

Whether it was peppered with incomprehensible technical terms or asking about the characteristics of demons in ‘Last Apocalypse,’ it all felt equally puzzling.

I could easily grasp patterns and skill names, but this? It seemed like a futile endeavor.

‘What’s the point of all this?’

There was no enlightenment or profound understanding to gain from these questions.

Why bother earnestly trying to solve them?

– Pages shuffling –

“Hey, what’s going on? Why are you suddenly getting up?”

“I’ve completed the whole thing.”

“What? Seriously? It hasn’t even been 5 minutes since we started! Where are you going?”

Ignoring the bewildered invigilator, I headed straight for the back door.

“This guy is making sure he ranks last in the admissions, seriously!”

“Whatever~”

Despite the curious gazes of my peers, I couldn’t care less.

After all, it was just a dream. What difference did it make if the ranking was good or bad?

Leaving behind the grumbling voices, I continued their way outside without a second thought.

 

* * *

 

In a place unknown, perhaps an examination hall, or maybe elsewhere, the atmosphere was tense as students were in the midst of their entrance exams. The broad corridors were surprisingly tranquil, despite the intense focus of the test-takers.

As I walked through the center of the corridor, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my own school days. ‘Ah, the enthusiasm of youth,’ I thought, amused by their keenness to solve the exam questions.

Their dreams were vividly reflected in their expressions, as they furrowed their brows and concentrated on each problem as if it were a real-life challenge.

Every student seemed lost in their own world, making the scene more realistic and engaging.

‘Hmm.’

I couldn’t decide if it was a sigh of admiration or nostalgia as I exhaled, diverting my gaze to the opposite window that revealed the world beyond the building.

Through the vast garden, an impressive, familiar dome-shaped structure caught my eye. Beyond it, an array of futuristic buildings with a hint of fantasy stood, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

Hovering high above these structures were enormous crystals, emitting brilliant flashes while surrounded by swirling black stones, crackling with electricity.

Expanding my view, I noticed similar extraordinary sights in all directions, painting an ethereal and dreamlike atmosphere.

“One! Two! One! Two!”

“We will prevail!”

“The other class won’t stand a chance!”

From a path leading to the massive building, a group burst forth, sprinting in formation like an army during morning drills, their cheers filling the air.

Moving away from the buzzing window, I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“The details are impressive,” I muttered, then continued walking.

This lucid dream seemed to depict the early stages of the game ‘Last Apocalypse,’ specifically the “Tutorial” phase.

In this place, gamers gathered the essential information and learned the mechanics of the game.

It serves as both an introductory test upon admission and a determining factor for their placement in the competitive “ranking exam.”

“Hmm.”

Supposedly, the test was structured with a written component in the morning and a practical section in the afternoon, right?

However, interestingly, the game always started with a scene where they faced the practical challenges.

“I wonder about the written part. Could it reflect the things I’ve been curious about in my dreams?”

Continuing from the bizarre nightmare of the unexpected ending, I found myself now dreaming of actually experiencing the game world.

This experience made me truly realize just how much I adored this game and yearned for a happy ending.

“….”

But then again, it was just a dream.

A strange feeling of unease tugged at my chest, and I unconsciously gulped hard.

‘The vividness of it all is uncanny.’

Briefly, a peculiar thought flitted through my mind, wondering if it was truly just a dream.

I quickly dismissed the idea.

“No, that can’t be possible.”

Laughing hysterically, I clenched my fist and struck my cheek with all my might.

My head snapped back, and an intense jolt of pain surged through me.

My mind abruptly cleared.

“……?”

A metallic taste lingered in my mouth.

Could this really be a dream?

Standing there, lost in a daze, I removed my shoes and forcefully slammed the wall.

Thud!

“Ow!”

The excruciating pain shooting through my toes made me collapse to the floor.

Suppressing a soundless scream, I broke into a cold sweat, and only when the pain began to subside did a small whimper escape my lips.

“Ouch. Damn it, it’s broken, isn’t it? Ugh.”

Gasping for breath, I assessed the condition of my toes and then limped into the nearby restroom.

As I wiped away the tears welling up in my eyes, I stood in front of the sink, ready to turn on the faucet, but froze upon catching sight of my reflection.

The image in the mirror was incredibly unfamiliar.

Where had my slightly protruding belly and scrawny appearance gone? Instead, a young man with a strong and athletic physique stared back at me.

I looked at least ten years younger.

“Damn, this has to be a dream.”

Mumbling, I spoke the words with a sense of disbelief.

For a while, I stood there, seemingly glued to the spot, lost in contemplation as I gazed at my transformed self.

* * *

Sitting on a park bench, I looked at the object in my hand and couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

 

────────

 

[Student ID]

Name: Park Jinwoo

School: Guardian Academy

Grade: 1st year

Rank: —-

Major: —-

────────

As I glanced at the student ID in my wallet, I noticed the following details:

The rank was yet to be determined through today’s upcoming written and practical exams, and the major would be decided based on tomorrow’s test, leaving both fields blank for now.

However, my attention was immediately drawn to the section displaying my name.

[Name: Park Jinwoo.]

Three simple yet significant characters that identified me.

Though I briefly wondered if there might be another student with the same name, the clear photo of my face on the ID card reassured me that it was indeed mine.

But now wasn’t the time to focus on such trivial matters.

The primary concern was finding a way to awaken from this dream.

“However, what approach should I take?”

Even enduring the pain of pinching my own toe failed to rouse me.

If I were to consider more drastic measures…

“… Well, let’s abandon that thought.”

For now, I should at least contemplate being a 2nd-year student, no matter what.

“Sigh, this can’t possibly be real, right? Why am I feeling such pain in a dream?”

Reluctantly, I had to admit that it was an undeniable situation.

The dream felt so vivid, with all my senses heightened, and no matter how much pain I endured, I couldn’t seem to wake up.

The exam paper was filled with complex terminologies that didn’t even exist in my head.

Even the people around me, each with their own distinct expressions, seem too real to be a dream.

‘Unless I’m completely clueless, it’s evident this isn’t a dream.’

“Well, I guess that’s the truth. It’s not a dream, after all.”

I gripped my face in frustration.

Then, the recent events rushed back to me, and I abruptly stood up.

“That’s right, the exam! What on earth did I do wrong?”

I thought I was dreaming, and in my confusion, I made a complete mess of it. But what did the instructor tell me?

Yes, they confirmed my last-place ranking, and I… What did I say in response?

“Is there any way to go back now?”

If this place truly existed inside Laufocal, then nothing in the beginning was as critical as the entrance ranking.

Favoritism would be short-lived. I gathered my determination and started running.

However, perhaps I had been escaping from reality for too long.

The corridor was already packed with students who had finished the exam and were excitedly leaving.

As I stared blankly at this scene, I finally relaxed my expression and came to terms with the harsh reality.

“Well, there’s no use crying over spilled milk.”

Was there any point in fixating on rankings that lose their significance by the end of the semester, even if they might seem important?

With a nonchalant shrug, I let go of any lingering attachments and seamlessly joined the flow of students heading towards the cafeteria.

 

Translator’s Thought:-

 

In the given text, some gaming-related jargon and wordplay might not translate well, as they rely on specific cultural references and language nuances. Here are a few examples:

“하드코어한 것도 적당히 해야지” – This sentence uses the term “하드코어” (hardcore), which in gaming refers to a very challenging difficulty level or mode. The humor lies in the idea of “doing hardcore in moderation,” which may not be as apparent in English.“아, 시발 꿈” 엔딩밖에 나오지 않기에” – In this sentence, the phrase “아, 시발 꿈” is a slang expression used to express disappointment or frustration. It’s used humorously to describe the limited and disappointing endings available in the easy difficulty mode.“미친 운빨 X망겜아!” – This sentence contains a combination of slang and wordplay. “운빨” is a shortened form of “운이 빛나다” (lucky), and “X망겜아” is a derogatory term roughly meaning “X disaster game.” “제발 좀 해피 엔딩 가즈아!” – “해피 엔딩 가즈아” is a playful expression in the form of a cheer, meaning “Let’s go for the happy ending!” 영원히 불탈 것이다 (will burn forever) – This statement imply that the world will be consumed by fire or face an eternal calamity. The wordplay here involve a metaphorical interpretation of “burning,” meaning that the world will be trapped in an eternal conflict or struggle. Translating this concept accurately was challenging without losing the figurative meaning.“미친 전투광 쉑” – “미친 전투광” can be translated as “crazy battle maniac” which conveys the general meaning, but “쉑” is a slang interjection, indicating surprise or admiration, which is not directly translatable.X망겜 (X-rated game): The term “X망겜” is a wordplay combining “X” (in the context of games, it often denotes something extreme or inappropriate) and “망겜” (a shortened form of “망할 게임,” which means “a game that makes you fail or die a lot”). It refers to a challenging or frustrating game that seems to be designed to make the player fail repeatedly. The wordplay aspect may not be apparent in the translation.어그로 (Ungro) – This is a Korean slang term derived from the English word “aggro,” which is short for “aggression.” 

Translating these gaming jargon and wordplay effectively into English while retaining their original humor and cultural references can be challenging. Some nuances may be lost in translation, and it may require creative adaptation to convey the intended meaning to an English-speaking audience. 

So, please cut me a slack of bread. 

I will try my best to retain them.

Your Beloved Translator, Zenith.