Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented

The ‘Klaus Capsule Corporation,’ the best in South Korea and one of the top three capsule-selling companies in the world.

The company’s headquarters is located in Gangnam, and its president is a former American who married a Korean woman and had a daughter here.

South Korea actively pursued naturalization policies to address the population cliff. However, even with the passage of many years, it was uncommon for a foreigner to establish a thriving company in a nation rife with nationalism.

And Chris, the president’s daughter, was also a researcher at this company.

In the virtual reality capsule test room located on the 5th floor of headquarters.

Today, Chris shook her head as she observed the behavior of an intern researcher.

“Haah, you’re still messing around in here today.”

Bang bang bang!

But Chris soon gasped in admiration as she looked at the screen connected to the capsule in the test room.

“Still, what a pro amateur boxer you are.”

What appeared on the screen was a young man with a sharp look, dodging a multitude of steel balls flying towards him in the virtual reality space.

The young man was skillfully avoiding the steel balls with his fast movements.

Whoosh!

He slightly tilted his head as a heavy steel ball zipped by his head.

Then, he ducked down and adopted a weaving stance. Whoosh! Whoosh! The young man dodged all the steel balls coming toward him with minimal movements.

Beep-

A beep sound signaled the end of the test, and the rain of steel balls came to a halt.

The young man turned his head and, with a fist bump, exclaimed cheerfully.

“Alright, level 5!”

His voice echoed from the speaker attached to the screen.

Chris gasped and spoke into the microphone at him.

“Heo Junhyeok! What’s your synchronization rate right now? Why would you set the balls to steel?”

“Huh? Is that you, Chris? Just wait a bit. I think I can make it to level 5 today.”

Bang bang bang!

As soon as he finished speaking, a storm of steel balls erupted on the screen. The young man began to narrowly dodge them.

His movements became convoluted. The whistling of the balls slicing through the air became frighteningly loud. And shortly after, a steel ball that he couldn’t dodge struck his side.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

As the young man knelt with a groan, a barrage of steel balls rained down upon him. Pachipachipach!

Crackle, the young man’s virtual reality avatar began to flicker.

“What the heck…!”

Chris rushed toward the capsule the young man was in.

Zzzz.

At that moment, the capsule opened, and a young man with a sweat-soaked head shook it as he got up.

Chris checked the synchronization rate of the reaction speed test program and grimaced in pain.

“Hey, Heo Jun! I knew you were crazy, but what’s with a synchronization rate of 60%? Did you become a researcher for this?”

“It’s Heo Junhyeok.”

“Shut up, Heo Jun. You’re banned from the test room for a while.”

“…I guess it would be better to be called Deathly Death.”

Chris sighed and helped Junhyeok get out of the capsule.

“So, why did you do that?”

“If I don’t think it’ll hurt, I get lax in my movements. A proper sense of tension boosts my reactions. It’s also an experiment incorporating overload testing. Aren’t you curious how much pain a human can endure in high synchronization virtual reality?”

“If you keep doing that kind of experiment, you’ll soon be mentally ill! The legal restrictions on synchronization rates in virtual reality are there for a reason. You’re the only one willingly undergoing torture. Haah, thank goodness the capsule has an internal overload detection system.”

“Hmm… an internal overload detection system.”

Junhyeok stroked his jaw, lost in thought for a moment.

“An avatar flickering and forcibly bouncing out of the program. But it seemed like I held on for quite a long time?”

“If it hurts, you just endure it. I thought I was used to pain since I took strong body blows during my boxer days, but I guess the system decided I couldn’t handle the pain.”

“Without these safety measures, you can’t sell capsules. A 60% synchronization rate is reckless, to say the least.”

“Ahem, I’ve understood enough, so I’d like it if you stopped grilling me.”

“Your concept for your tone is still so solid, huh? You’re an adventurer from the Continent of Astria, after all. Anyway, quit making excuses. Deathly Death, you did this because of that guy, right?”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The swordsman from the No Name Party, Rain.”

Chris chuckled and poked Junhyeok’s side. Junhyeok, sweating profusely, distracted himself.

“So, you felt a sense of competition as a tank? It’s not like you’re training in a gravity room from some space warrior cartoon or something. Do you really think you can do this with company equipment and programs? I ought to visit Dad while I’m here.”

“Oh, I got it! I was wrong, so please just don’t—!”

*

“Jaewook, long time no see! What brings you here?”

“I just came to hang out nearby with a friend and wanted to say hi to you, Auntie.”

“Geez, getting a part-time job these days is tough. It’s been over three months since you quit, and I still can’t find anyone, so I’m still working nights here. We really need to switch to unmanned stores or something.”

“Haha….”

Jaewook greeted the store manager, an older woman, at the convenience store near Moon Village where he used to work.

Today, Jaewook came out to hang out nearby with his university classmate, Dayeon, as a dinner appointment. He stopped by because the convenience store he used to work at was close by.

The store manager greeted Jaewook warmly. Jaewook, forgetting about Dayeon for a moment, chatted with the manager.

As the conversation veered off-topic, Dayeon subtly indicated that she was ready to leave.

“Oh, I’ll be going now. Take care!”

“Okay, okay, head on in! Come visit often!”

Ding ding.

Dayeon, pulling Jaewook out of the convenience store, glared at him with a sulky face.

“What? You said you had somewhere to go nearby, and it was here? The convenience store where you used to work?”

Jaewook exaggeratedly spread his arms as if he were in a musical.

“Bae Merong! Can a lowly commoner understand this place, where the adventure in ‘Astria Online’ began with the spirit master Cherni? This is where I secured the funds to buy my capsule!”

“I wonder if you really did your job before coming out to play. Just don’t get scolded by Sister Chris later.”

Ignoring Dayeon’s reprimands, Jaewook chuckled and moved on. Dayeon followed and asked,

“Where are we going now?”

“This is somewhere worth checking out too. Ever heard of Moon Village?”

“Isn’t that the neighborhood that showed up on TV back when celebrities did that love coal-sharing event? I remember thinking it was fascinating that there were still places using coal back then. …Oh, is this it?”

“Well, these days, it seems like even such places don’t use coal anymore.”

Dayeon looked up the sloped alley and gasped in awe.

The alley was very narrow and uneven. The old houses tightly packed on either side of the wall seemed to clearly show the living conditions of the people residing there.

The walls bore the marks of time. Faded bricks, cracked cement here and there, and temporary repairs scattered about.

“So there are still places like this in Seoul.”

Dayeon opened her mouth wide, looking around as she walked up the alley.

“They all got redeveloped and are almost gone now, but they haven’t completely disappeared. Usually, older folks or those with physical disabilities live here, so I guess there are complicated circumstances. It’s not just about the compensation issue. Some places almost got redeveloped but ended up canceled.”

Dayon nodded at Jaewook’s explanation. Even in this advanced era, there are various forms of living spaces. Even Dayeon, who just turned an adult, was wise enough to understand that.

It was late at night. The streetlights sporadically illuminating the alley created a chilling atmosphere.

Dayeon pulled her body close to Jaewook.

“…What’s wrong, Namdayeon? You scared just because you’re a girl? Hehe. It’s Seoul after all; nothing crazy should happen! Rest easy, the spirit master Cherni is with us!”

Dayon kicked Jaewook’s shin.

“Shut up, Jaewook! I’m not scared! I’ve seen enough; let’s go down!”

“Ouch, ouch! Hehe. …Huh?”

Whirr.

As Jaewook was being kicked by Dayon while chuckling, a familiar mechanical sound reached his ears.

“Wait a moment.”

“Uh, okay?”

Jaewook grabbed Dayon and ducked behind the wall corner of the alley, holding his breath.

Whirr.

The mechanical sound grew closer.

In the three months he had worked here, Jaewook had heard that sound consistently; there was no way he misheard it.

Jaewook knew who used machines that made such sounds.

And shortly after, a girl sitting in a wheelchair emerged.

The silver that reflected the streetlight settled on her white hair.

Her small stature relied on a power wheelchair, creating an inexplicable sense of fragility.

The hint of youth in her profile was evident, but it was unmistakable she was a hard-to-find beautiful girl.

She passed by merely a wall away from Jaewook and Dayon. Fortunately, it seemed she did not notice Jaewook and Dayon, who had hidden in the corner of the wall.

Both Jaewook and Dayon knew that girl’s name. Although it was just her in-game nickname.

“Le…!”

Dayon barely managed to cover her mouth with her hand, stifling the name that almost slipped out like a moan.

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