A Village Has Appeared on My Desktop

14- The Beginning of Development (4)

He already knew that attributes were important. There were people like Riena who already had attributes, but the attributes the residents obtained in the game were undoubtedly close to miraculous in power, judging by their reactions.

So, those with such attributes needed to increase as much as possible for them to become stronger and safer. Although not of a high grade, by killing one of the game’s boss monsters, the cave goblin shaman, the obtained attribute, magic, the acquisition process, and the name alone hinted at the power it possessed.

Of course, there was a possibility it wouldn’t fit perfectly like in a game. Barun might not have talent for this attribute and might not be able to learn it.

Still, he had to try.

“–, —!”

I used the item I pulled out on the bewildered Barun. I just threw it like using a potion, but it worked automatically.

[Chief Barun]

[Attribute: Command/Magic]

[Deployment: Game 1]

‘Is it done?!’

The change was immediate. After right-clicking his body following the use of the item, there was a change in his status window.

Originally, there was only the command attribute, but magic had been added. Unlike the yellow-marked miner and farmer attributes, the color was white, just like Rienna’s martial arts or the existing command.

Of course, that was all, so what kind of power he exactly gained, how he used that power, and whether he could use it outside the game were unknown.

“—…!”

He himself seemed to sense something. Mumbling as if feeling a strange power in his body, he trembled as he looked down at it.

Seeing Rienna, who had fought well even against goblin shamans, surprised, it was certain that a change had occurred. The change, at the moment, seemed positive.

‘Still, something feels a bit lacking.’

However, I pondered while looking at the residents who had returned to the village. They were gaining new powers little by little, but something felt insufficient.

Today, after watching Rienna fight, I became certain of my concerns.

Frankly speaking, the goblin shaman in the game’s cave is not a formidable enemy. It was a guy you could defeat in just 30 minutes of playtime if you set your mind to it. However, distorted by the master program’s involvement and turned into a real-world monster through contact with the residents, the shaman was undoubtedly stronger than in the game.

Facing the countless remaining monsters and boss monsters in the game with the power of the current residents seems honestly impossible.

[Third-person Action RPG Game Recommendation]

[Cost: 2500P]

Another means to solve ongoing resource supply and achievement point acquisition. It is to use the achievement points obtained so far to activate a new program.

The master program, which recommended a sandbox game I had never imagined for the residents struggling with resource shortages, was now recommending a third-person action RPG game that I had somewhat enjoyed in the past.

Indeed, what would I gain in that game by progressing through the story, defeating monsters, and raising equipment and levels?

“I should get some sleep.”

Right after checking the time, I stood up from the chair. All residents, including Rienna, needed a break anyway. Since there was nothing else I could do, it was fitting for me to take a break at this moment.

***

“Father, it’s late. I understand it’s a joyous occasion, but.”

“Even if I try to sleep, I can hardly close my eyes. My heart is pounding too fast, making it impossible to sleep.”

That night, Rienna, who had left home, sighed as she looked at Barun standing under the moonlight. Since his return, Barun had been overwhelmed with emotion.

The gift given just before his return. It was nothing other than the miracle of mana.

They didn’t exactly know what he had given. Barun only knew that his body was blessed with mana through the items he used.

Barun needed more experience to handle this power, but at the moment, he was content. The rumor that an innate could bestow mana without any side effects was unheard of.

“I feel that the mana infused into your body, Father, already has a certain flow. Even if I teach you the sword, there’s no guarantee you can fully wield the power.”

“There must be something else. I don’t think he gave me this power without any thought.”

Rienna, also a kind of mentor, could only teach him the sword she learned from her master. However, true to its name, the sword was not the answer.

Even knowing that, Barun wasn’t too worried. He firmly believed that the one who gave him this power would show him the way. Above all, handling mana wasn’t necessary when his robust body as a mana awakened individual was already an advantage.

“I should get some rest thinking about it this way. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, so we need to be fully prepared.”

With that thought in mind, Barun decided to go home and get some sleep. Showing such a miracle today, he firmly believed that the one who gave it to him would guide him tomorrow. Besides, even without dealing with special powers, having a sturdy body of a mana awakened individual was an advantage.

“Everyone, get ready. The village can only be safe if we work.”

And the next morning. Just like yesterday, Barun, unable to hide his excitement, gathered the people to head towards the portal. Other members were also in a hopeful state upon hearing the news of Barun awakening to mana.

“Huh?”

But at that moment. When Rienna tried to cross the portal, something blocked her. Perplexed, as she tried to push through the black rift with her hand, the portal seemed to reject her with the same force.

[Chief’s Daughter, Rienna]

[Attribute: Martial Arts]

[Placement: Game 2]

“I, I can’t go. Why?!”

“What’s going on?!”

Unable to see their own status windows, they panicked without noticing the changes in Leina’s status window.

Her placement had already changed. It was obvious they couldn’t enter the previous game since the placement had changed.

‘This game was so hellishly difficult that I gave up on it.’

Knowing they were bewildered, he quickly launched another game. It wasn’t the game they had enjoyed for the past few days.

Just before, upon waking up, he had activated all achievement points in exchange for something new.

A third-person action RPG game named Dark Blood. Unlike the sandbox game they had played before, it had a different genre and atmosphere.

[Current Stage: Available Residents 0/1]

‘If it’s just one person, there’s no choice.’

Only one resident could enter this game.

That’s why he chose Leina. To determine what kind of game it was, what the master program recommended for potential gains, he judged her as the most suitable character.

“Leina!”

Barun shouted as he saw Leina disappear in front of his eyes. However, no matter how much Barun tried to grab her, she vanished as if evaporating and didn’t reappear.

“Clan, Clan Leader!”

“Calm down. It’s undoubtedly taken her away.”

Barun had already experienced such a situation. When the first game opened, he and the other three disappeared in front of the residents and entered the game in an instant.

Thanks to that memory, Barun had an intuition that Leina had entered the game like last time. This allowed him to quickly find stability.

It was already the second time, and he knew that she wasn’t a hostile presence to them.

“Riena will be fine, so let’s focus on what we need to do.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“If Riena can’t overcome this trial, then nothing matters.”

Barun, who comforted the anxious residents, crossed the portal with unwavering steps. For now, the best thing was to do what they could.

“Here we are.”

Riena, who found herself in a strange world once again, felt the same way.

This time, she was alone without her father or other colleagues, but with her accumulated experience, she tried to remain calm and surveyed her surroundings.

“Where on earth is this?”

Riena drew her sword and remained vigilant. Under the gloomy dark clouds, a completely different world unfolded before her, unlike the blocky world she was used to.

The game, boasting high-quality graphics, had become a seamless reality through the involvement of the master program, indistinguishable from actual reality.

She had landed in the middle of a strange forest path, with a gloomy castle visible in the distance. Her hand holding the sword trembled for no reason.

“!”

And in that moment, she encountered someone. A knight clad in armor from head to toe. Wearing a torn red cloak and a visor covering his face, the knight stood silently, gazing at her.

“K-Knight!”

She instinctively raised her guard. Although their tribe, divided into several factions, often clashed with the warriors of rival tribes, the knights of many kingdoms in the vicinity were also frequently their enemies.

As a result, she harbored fear and wariness towards the knights she had grown up hearing notorious stories about.

“Why such a reaction again? I thought it would be familiar.”

As he repeatedly sat down and stood up, thinking that she would recognize him if he did so, he moved the mouse and clicked his tongue.

“No way.”

Fortunately, she didn’t recognize him until the end. Recognizing the actions he often performed with his character in the first game, she had a hunch that the two characters with different graphics were actually the same entity.

“Where on earth is this?”

Summoning her courage, she asked him. Of course, he, unable to understand her words, simply pointed with a wry smile towards the castle in the distance.

The path leading to that castle was essentially the tutorial, and what unfolded within the castle constituted the first act of the game.

‘Can’t be helped.’

Although she felt like a fool going along without knowing anything, Riena bit her lip. It was she who had shown miracles to her father and the tribe.

Believing that if she acted according to that and believed, she would surely receive rewards equivalent to her efforts—this belief had firmly taken root through their interactions.

“Groaaan… aaah!”

“Monsters!”

Not long after they set out together, monsters appeared. They were the weakest monsters in the game, ghostly soldiers with rusty weapons, known as corpse soldiers.

Wriggling from the ground, these apparition-like soldiers suddenly rushed at them, swinging their worn-out weapons.

‘I can’t afford to wake up while dying. I need to stay focused too.’

Just like Riena fighting with all her might, he, controlling the character with the mouse and keyboard, was in a state of intense concentration.

Unlike the first game, this game was not lenient with the player’s death.