“Ugh...”

I woke up with a faint headache.

'Ugh... I didn't even drink yesterday, but my head... huh?'

The reason I was startled in the middle of my thoughts was that the place I woke up in was not my home.

And that wasn’t the only problem. I couldn't understand why I was here with other people.

“What is this? What the hell is going on?”

It was a situation where I could only curse aloud in confusion.

Yesterday, I had finished work, gone home, and was eating with my Big Sis, but when I came to my senses, I was in some strange place, surrounded by unfamiliar people?

What the hell was happening right now?

Looking around, I noticed others glancing around anxiously, just as confused as I was. It seemed like everyone was in the same situation.

'...What the hell is going on? A kidnapping? ...Damn it.'

Something felt terribly wrong, this place was bizarrely unnatural.

The plaza itself was strange—walls, floors, and ceiling, all completely white.

My hands and feet trembled, and my mind couldn’t process the situation.

'It's not just me... everyone else is terrified too... Does no one know what’s happening?'

As I tried to piece things together, I started hearing the conversations of others.

“Wh-Where is this? Does anyone know? What is this place?”

“I... I don’t know either... This, this is...”

Just as my hands started to sweat from the sheer confusion, a voice echoed through the plaza.

[ Welcome, people of Earth. Welcome to Eras’ tutorial. ]

“What?! What kind of nonsense is this? Earth, Eras? Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?”

“You kidnapped us and now you’re talking about a tutorial? What the hell are you saying?! And what do you mean we’re from Earth?”

I could understand why people were shouting. The voice that addressed us had said we came from Earth, which naturally felt bizarre.

'Damn it... Are they saying this isn’t Earth? What the hell is going on?'

“Haha... You must be mistaken. I am National Assemblyman Ha Seung-won! Where is your superior?!”

[ I am not here to answer your questions. Of course, I understand that you may feel confused or afraid in this sudden situation. However, fear and confusion will not aid your survival here. ]

People’s faces turned pale in real time.

The moment the word ‘survival’ was mentioned, not everyone, but most, realized that this situation was no joke.

'Crazy... Damn it, damn it! What kind of situation is this? Eras? Tutorial?'

I knew I needed to think rationally, but my thoughts refused to align.

'Damn it, they said survival. They clearly said it wouldn’t help with survival... Does that mean our lives are in danger?'

Men’s shouts, women’s sobs—people fell into a panic, and chaos erupted.

“What are you saying? Please, send us home! Please... Sniff... Please, just let us go…”

“Damn it, stop joking! Where’s the person in charge?! Why are you hiding instead of showing your faces? Come out and explain right now!”

[ The tutorial will begin soon, those who pass will earn the right to live in Eras. Those who fail will die. Now, I will give a brief explanation about the tutorial. ]

'Damn it... Did they just say those who fail will die? I have to listen to this carefully.'

I wasn’t usually someone who cursed this much, but the situation forced it out of me.

Ignoring my pounding heart, I focused as much as I could. Since failure meant death, listening to the explanation took priority.

[ In this place, you will see one large door and four smaller doors. Inside the four doors, you will find the supplies you need, including weapons and food. There are enough weapons for everyone to take at least one, and there is ample food and water. Please take as much as you need. ]

'Weapons? Food is one thing, but weapons?'

[ Soon, monsters will enter through the large door. You may choose to fight or attempt to escape. The choice is yours. Please choose wisely. ]

'Damn it, there’s no way to escape, yet they’re telling us to run? The only entrance and exit is that large door! And monsters?'

[ Here in Eras, the mindset you had on Earth will lead to death. However, each of you are special with your own strengths. If you think ‘status window’ in your mind or say it out loud, you will be able to see your own status window. ]

Someone muttered.

“St-Status window!”

“Whoa! What is this?!”

“Status window!”

Some people collapsed in shock, while others stared into the air.

'...Status window.'

[ Name: Lee Yun-seong ]

[ Age: 26 ]

[ Job: Not yet assigned. ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Unique Trait ]

Scout (Grade Under Evaluation) – You can view and store other people’s status windows. However, certain individuals may be able to block your ability depending on their unique traits or abilities. Higher grades will unlock more functions.

[ Stats ]

Strength - 09 Agility - 10

Stamina - 08 Luck - 12

Magic - 00 Resistance - 08

“Hah....”

The status window that appeared before my eyes was eerily similar to those in games. However, unlike a game, this was reality.

As I tried to process my thoughts, the voice spoke again.

[ Your survival rate will depend on how you develop yourself through your status window. Jobs and unique traits are classified into Normal, Rare, Heroic, Legendary, and Mythical tiers. The higher the tier, the greater your stat growth and potential limit. Titles are granted based on your actions. Unique traits differ for each individual and are generated based on your characteristics and personality. ]

"......"

The constant stream of information was overwhelming, making it hard to focus.

[ Stats can be improved through continuous effort. However, each individual's stat limit varies. Except for Magic and Luck, the average stat value for an adult male on Earth is 10. ]

'Damn... I’ve never been much of an athlete, but to not even reach the average aside from agility?'

I could check my own status window later. For now, it was better to examine others’ status windows.

'Let’s start with the middle-aged man next to me and those two students who seem like siblings.'

[ Name: Park Dong-hyuk ]

[ Age: 54 ]

[ Job: Not yet assigned. ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Unique Trait: None ]

[ Stats ]

Strength - 15 Agility - 11

Stamina - 13 Luck - 06

Magic - 00 Resistance - 13

'His stats are better than mine, but he doesn’t have a unique trait. So not everyone has one?'

It seemed that having a unique trait was not guaranteed.

[ Name: Lee Yu-rim ]

[ Age: 19 ]

[ Job: Not yet assigned. ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Unique Trait ]

Quick Reflexes (Grade Under Evaluation) - Permanently increases agility by 3.

[ Stats ]

Strength - 10 Agility - 14

Stamina - 12 Luck - 10

Magic - 00 Resistance - 06

'A student? And she has a unique trait, wait… My stats are worse than a high school girl's?'

I knew I wasn’t the strongest, but I hadn’t expected my stats to be inferior to hers.

[ Name: Lee Yu-hyun ]

[ Age: 15 ]

[ Job: Not yet assigned. ]

[ Title: None ]

[ Unique Trait ]

Guidance of a Fallen God (Grade Under Evaluation) - A once-glorious god favors you.

[ Stats ]

Strength - 06 Agility - 09

Stamina - 08 Luck - 20

Magic - 03 Resistance - 08

'What the hell? A magic stat of 3? So some people start with magic? And what’s with that unique trait, Guidance of a Fallen God?'

I wasn’t sure what role Magic played, but until now, I had assumed everyone started with 0 in that stat.

'Damn, and Luck is 20?'

[ That concludes the basic explanation. The purpose of the tutorial is survival and conquest. I wish you all success in passing. ]

Rumble—!

The sound of a massive door opening snapped me out of my thoughts.

'This is crazy! I need to grab a weapon fast!'

As soon as the announcement ended, the large door began to open. The explanation had mentioned that monsters would emerge from it, so securing weapons and supplies was crucial.

It seemed others realized the same thing, as people rushed toward the rooms storing weapons and food.

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY! I picked this first!"

"Ah! Don’t push! Leave some water for me!"

The chaos was overwhelming, I quickly grabbed a bag and stuffed it with water and food.

Next was a weapon.

Various options were available.

'A sword... I don’t even know how to use one so no. A spear might be okay, but using it with a shield would be difficult...'

I rushed forward and grabbed a club and a small shield.

I could swing the club without much skill, and though I’d never used a shield before, having something for protection seemed better than nothing.

The weapon choices included swords, spears, bows, clubs, shields, daggers, and axes.

Most people picked swords, spears, or clubs. A few, like me, also took shields.

Bows were unpopular, probably because they required skill and had limited arrows.

Then, the sounds of monsters grew louder. Everyone, including myself, was gripped with fear.

There was no escape—the only way out was through the same door the monsters were entering.

"Shit! Shit! Those bastards dragged us here just to throw us into this mess!"

"Please... God, please save me... Mom help me!"

"Stay calm! Everyone, hold your weapons! This is a tutorial, so it shouldn’t be impossible! Stay focused!"

Some panicked, some raged, while others tried to keep order, though even they were visibly terrified.

'Damn it!'

My hands trembled as I gripped my club. Just then, a piercing shriek rang out.

“KIEEEEK—!”

The massive door fully opened, and red, humanoid creatures, about waist-high, began pouring in.

“Ahhh! Fuck! What the hell are these?! Aaaah!”

“Help me, help me—!”

“KIEEEK!”

People were paralyzed by fear and slaughtered before they could even fight back.

I, too, was frozen in place at the sight of these grotesque creatures.

'This... this is...'

The monsters tore through people, ripping out their entrails and devouring them on the spot.

“R-Run! Run away!”

Most survivors turned and bolted through the same door the monsters had entered.

Had the creatures attacked immediately, we would’ve all died, but they were too busy feasting, allowing some to escape.

'I have to move!'

Thinking the tutorial would be manageable had been a huge mistake.

I prepared to flee—

Thud!

“Huh?”

Something grabbed my leg.

“P-Please save me! Don’t leave me! My leg, my leg… Sniff... Please take me with you...”

A woman, missing part of her leg, clung to me as I tried to escape.

'Damn it... I have to be rational, she’s already as good as dead… There were no medical supplies in the supplies either… I have to leave her.'

It was the logical choice. I could barely save myself—helping her was impossible.

If she had both legs or was only wounded in the arm, I might have helped, but a missing leg meant no chance of survival.

“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

I pried her hands off and ran. The scene was pure hell—blood everywhere, screams filling the air.

“No! Don’t leave me... Sniff... Aah!!!”

I ran mindlessly and finally emerged outside, finding myself in a forest.

Behind me, those who couldn’t escape were being slaughtered.

But there was an even bigger problem.

It wasn’t daytime—it was night.