Steel-Eating Player - Chapter 2

2. Return of an F-level player – 2

———————=

Can a person change overnight?

‘well······.’

One day, the gate opened and the world turned upside down. Subsequently

, the power structure of society was reestablished with the emergence of ‘players’,

people with supernatural powers.

However, only the human group remained the same.

Selfish people rolled their eyes, trying to take advantage of the disaster to get a bigger share, while cynical people continued to complain as if they were displeased with everything.

A few heroes tried to change the world in their own way, but they were repeatedly blocked by numerous obstacles, including the previous two categories.

Yes. Still, many problems were caused by people, not monsters.

Players were humanity’s only weapon, but not all of them were heroes.

Player-turned-politicians and businessmen seized and shook power, and crimes committed by players increased day by day.

It was a foreseeable problem.

After all, players are just human beings.

Even though the world changes overnight, people do not change easily.

Of course, if you have numerous experiences over a long period of time, your way of thinking will change in some way, but at least it does not change overnight… It has been a valid maxim regardless of the era.

however······.

‘Corporate Lee Hyun-wook…somewhere has changed.’

Park Jun-mo, who had just become a private first class, felt that his gunner, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, had really changed overnight.

It started four days ago when he showed a strange reaction when I woke him up before a dinner gathering.

“······after!”

He was doing pull-ups alone on an iron bar in the clearing behind the barracks.

I don’t know what’s so special about that…

‘Originally, he was always lethargic, but suddenly his eyes changed and he started exercising every day and he didn’t seem to be the person I used to know.’

It was because Park Jun-mo acted in complete contradiction with the appearance of Lee Hyun-wook that he usually knew. I watched him for only three months, but during that time, I never saw him move except during training or operations.

And the recent behavior has also been somewhat suspicious.

As if his memory was hazy, he inquired about the unit he had been in for over a year and often jotted down something. And out of nowhere, he even muttered to himself, repeating the future date.

And more than anything, the eyes changed.

‘After watching the seniors, I can tell how a person is feeling just by their facial expressions. Corporal Lee Hyun-wook… you’ve definitely changed.’

He had always been a helpless and unconfident person, but now he opened his calm and cold eyes as if he could see through everything.

It was the eyes of an old beast with the addition of exaggeration.

‘No matter how much I think about it, it’s still strange.’

While he was thinking that, Lee Hyun-wook turned around.

“What’s going on, Junmo?”

Even that one word of voice felt somewhat firm.

“······ah!”

Park Jun-mo was surprised and scratched his cheek.

“It will soon be time to meet for dinner.”

Lee Hyun-wook checked his watch.

“Ok, thanks.”

He approached me while lightly stretching his shoulders, and perhaps because of his mood, I felt as if he had grown considerably in size in just a few days.

“That’s Corporal Lee Hyun-wook?”

“huh?”

“May I ask why you are suddenly exercising?”

Lee Hyun-wook chuckled at that question.

“why? “Is it weird that I’m exercising?”

“Oh, that’s not it. Just me…”

He tapped Park Jun-mo’s shoulder.

“You never know when to fight. Do some exercise too. It would be difficult to subdue even a single goblin with that body.”

“Ah… I see.”

That was correct.

The ‘Anti Monster Troop’ (

A·M·T), abbreviated as A·M·T, comprised of players, had to be deployed on actual missions several times a month to deal with monsters.

In other words, the crisis of death could come at any time.

Therefore, training one’s abilities and body was a necessity, not an option.

‘But that rarely happens to us…’

However, Lee Hyun-wook and Park Jun-mo were F-grade, the lowest grade among players, so opportunities to fight monsters directly were rare.

They belonged to the ‘Support Squad’, which consisted of low-level player troops, and were only tasked with assisting other squads in battle.

To put it simply, members of the support squad are effectively ‘hands on’.

Lee Hyun-wook seemed to have sensed that puzzlement and added.

“Actually, there is no particular reason. “Just trying to change something.”

‘······How can you change it?’

Park Jun-mo thought so, but the words came out differently.

“Ah, the effort to change is wonderful.”

“It’s been word of mouth. Let’s go get something to eat.”

“no. Really. As an assistant shooter, I will definitely imitate you.”

In fact, the words spoken were correct. There are things in the world that cannot be changed.

‘I’m sure you don’t know that grade F isn’t something you can change with effort, right?’

There are three major categories of ‘class’ for players.

First of all, it is ABCDE, the [level growth characteristic].

As the name implies, this grade was able to grow its ability by raising its ‘level’.

So even if you got a relatively weak ability, if you worked hard to raise your level, you could upgrade your grade.

Next is S, which is a [growth characteristic other than level].

They didn’t have a level. Instead, different special growth methods are ‘suggested’.

For example, Busan’s Savior ‘Inferno’, the most famous non-level growth trait player, improves his abilities just by being in fire.

In other words, it was a huge advantage to be able to improve one’s abilities as long as one could keep a fire in bed while sleeping. Rumor has it that his mansion has a huge ‘furnace’, which he enters whenever he takes a break.

This was a kind of ‘hidden class’, and this S-class ability was so rare that there were only 31 people in the world.

And finally F grade…

‘Non-growth characteristics…’

[Non-growth trait] This is literally a trait that does not grow.

If S was a ‘hidden class’, then F was a ‘bad class’.

‘Even in college, an F means retaking a course. That is, there is no score.’

No matter how hard you try, you can’t develop your destiny… Is there anything more sad than this?

The ‘Gwang’ drawn from the random drawing could not be exchanged for any product.

Park Jun-mo felt bitter and looked at Lee Hyun-wook, who had the same fate as himself.

He was now looking up into the lonely void.

‘For some reason, you seem to be thinking a lot. What are you worrying about?’

Park Jun-mo had such an arbitrary empathy. Since it was the same F grade, I felt like I knew Lee Hyun-wook’s heart.

But Lee Hyun-wook wasn’t really thinking about anything else.

He just…

– Current weight of ‘metal’ that can be controlled: 877g

I was just looking at the one-line status message that appeared before my eyes.

‘Well, since I exercise, the absorption speed is faster.’

Before I knew it, the amount had increased to 577g, almost double the amount from 300g.

‘At this rate, I’ll eat all the metal I’ve gathered in two days. In order to grow rapidly… we need much higher quality metal. I need to go on vacation soon and get a bunch of them.’

In fact, the abilities classified as F-class were not something that could ever be changed. However, the truth will be revealed only six years from now.

It’s called the ‘F-rank player rediscovery case’.

After that incident, the F-class player will receive considerable treatment.

In other words, as is known at the moment, Class F was not a ‘bad’ level in which ability growth was impossible. Rather, it is a hidden class, similar to the S class, and is a kind of ‘puzzle’ in which the way to grow abilities is hidden.

Lee Hyun-wook was on the way to solving the puzzle assembly he had already tried once, much faster.

When I tried before, I couldn’t finish it, but…

‘······This time will be different.’

He secretly swallowed the metal.

***

It was around lunchtime the next day, Saturday.

Someone knocked on the door of the 5th dormitory. He was a private who had just moved in a few days ago, and he seemed to have come to run an errand.

He shook his head in the dormitory.

“Private Choi Seong-min! “Can I come in?”

“uh.”

Corporal Ahn Min-tae, who was sitting by the door watching TV, nodded.

“Is the 5th squad leader there? “The deputy on duty from the administrative unit called me.”

At those words, Ahn Min-tae looked around the dormitory, but the squad leader was nowhere to be seen.

“Hey Junmo. “Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, where have you gone?”

Not long ago, after the 5th squad leader was transported to a military hospital, Lee Hyun-wook was carrying out his duties as a ‘temporary squad leader.’

The reason he took over was simple. This was because it was the highest rank.

“ah! “You must have gone to exercise now.”

Ahn Min-tae chuckled at Park Jun-mo’s answer.

“You went to the gym again? Why is that man doing that these days? Hey, new soldier. What is the adjutant on duty looking for? Are you in a hurry?”

“The deputy on duty just told me to do it, so I heard him talk about cleaning the oil tank and such.”

The 5th Squad members, who were taking a break at that answer, stood up hesitantly as if they sensed something.

“Ah! So, is it work?”

“What is this work again? no! Didn’t we work earlier in the morning?”

Fire broke out here and there.

“Ah, this is Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol, the deputy on duty today. He’s a bit…”

Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol He had a tendency to bully soldiers of lower grades, such as E or F grades. And since the majority of low-ranking soldiers were concentrated in the 5th squad, the entire 5th squad was often targeted.

“Oh, we’re not really slaves…”

Someone muttered in frustration.

It was true that the 5th squad’s so-called ‘support squad’ was treated as a minor task, but it was only a concept of ‘supporting’ the ‘combat unit’ during operations.

They still perform essential missions during battle, such as transporting combat supplies and moving the wounded.

In other words, it was completely absurd to make people do chores during the holidays like this.

It was an absurd habit that would have been eliminated long ago in regular military units.

However, as A·M·T had to be deployed in combat situations at any time, discipline and hierarchy were rigid to maintain the top-down system, and in that respect, a certain degree of absurdity during barrack life was tolerated.

And Kwak Jin-cheol was a vicious senior who took advantage of that aspect.

“Oh, by the way, it was a few days ago. Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol was in the bathroom…”

One of the privates hesitated while speaking.

“Why what?”

When he hesitated, An Min-tae asked.

“······Ah, I heard Corporal Lee Hyun-wook say that it seemed like he was stepping out as a temporary squad leader. “Today is very ominous.”

“Oh shit, I guess I’m going to pick it. “We’ll all suffer as well, damn it…”

At that time, the characteristic electronic sound heard when a speaker is turned on overhead rang.

Wing-

– Hoo! It is preached by the administrative division. Dormitory 5… Please gather all 5 squad members in the central hallway immediately. end of delivery.

It was the voice of Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol.

“Ah… it seems you’re bubbling over again for being a little late.”

Ahn Min-tae sighed and put his hand on Park Jun-mo’s shoulder.

“Junmo, quickly bring your gunner. Do you know who the adjutant on duty is today?”

“yes! This is Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol.”

“Yes, that human spews fire from his mouth. If you don’t want to see our temporary squad leader brother burn his hair, run quickly. “For the first time in my life, I will hang on to an iron bar and then be grilled on charcoal.”

Even though it was a remark that disregarded my squad leader, the squad members also laughed. It was a part where we could see what Lee Hyun-wook’s image was like.

“Yes, I understand!”

Breathing fire from its mouth was not a metaphor.

Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol was a fire-type expert who used to emit a boom like a ‘dragon’ every time he replaced his successors. Thanks to that bizarre image, he was one of the most feared seniors by his successors.

Park Jun-mo hurriedly ran out of the barracks thinking about that scene.

‘No matter how much, Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol and Corporal Lee Hyeon-wook are in the same class…’

One has become an object of fear and respect for his successors, while the other is being ignored and caricatured just like before.

‘And Corporal Lee Hyun-wook is a really good person…’

As far as he knew, Corporal Lee Hyun-wook was not an ugly person.

He was well-informed enough and had a good sense of humor. Didn’t he even get better grades than anyone else in combat training, excluding player abilities?

The shooting was also 10,000 rounds each time.

Had he been an ordinary soldier, he would have certainly become a trusted ace.

However, this was the unit A·M·T that had to fight monsters.

‘Well, there is no place for F-grade people like us in A·M·T.’

No player wanted to have an F-class on their back when fighting monsters.

‘Even if I have free time, I’ll be treated like that…’

When I arrived near the iron bar, I saw Corporal Lee Hyeon-wook.

It was the same as yesterday. He had been doing chin-ups really steadily for the past few days like this.

I even heard some seniors ridicule me for exercising while drinking ‘recovery potions’ from the ‘military item shop’ using ‘reward points’.

“······after! ······after!”

In reality, it was rare to get that much exercise unless you were a close combat player.

So is that so?

I could see at a glance that my forearms had become significantly thicker compared to a few days ago. Suddenly, I could feel that he was working really hard.

‘You said it would change…’

Will the change he spoke of… happen?

“······ Corporal Lee Hyun-wook?”

Lee Hyun-wook came down from the iron bar and looked around.

“Junmo, why? The meeting time for lunch is still far away.”

He said, checking his watch.

“Oh, that’s a set of tasks.”

“Hmm, did you just call our squad again?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Lee Hyun-wook also accurately pointed out the context. Park Jun-mo looked at his eyes.

At that moment, I felt a little disillusioned.

‘Why? He’s usually the one who doesn’t talk.’

Everyone knew that this was absurd. And if it was Lee Hyun-wook’s time, it was actually correct to treat him to some extent…

Kwak Jin-cheol was a very ruthless person. As long as he wore the armband of an on-duty adjutant, he would mistreat low-ranking soldiers, whether they were his own or not.

And on the one hand, this was the fate of the F-class.

“Okay, let’s go.”

Lee Hyun-wook went ahead by zipping up his daily clothes.

For some reason, Park Jun-mo felt uneasy.

For some reason, it felt like something was going to happen today.