How To Use Regressors

22 – Episode 22 – Training Center (3)

After roughly settling in with our group and taking a seat in the front row, I glanced around.

“… We have the front row.”

Even though others arrived first, if the front row is empty, it’s probably reserved for those who have cleared the dungeon.

“Well, the people above must be interested in the dungeon conquerors too.”

As I sat in my seat, some time passed, and Kang Sung-jun stepped up onto the platform and began to speak.

“Welcome, new recruits. I am Kang Sung-jun, the head instructor of this training center.”

Except for our group, the others looked at the platform with anxious eyes.

They probably had a gut feeling about something when they arrived at this place called the training center, even though they had cleared the tutorial.

“… Foolish idiots.”

The guide had said from the beginning. If you clear it, you gain the right to live in a place called Eras.

The guide never mentioned sending people back to Earth.

“Because even in the midst of unhappiness, people always find hope.”

People are naturally like this. I have no intention of blaming them. In a way, it’s only natural. Such thoughts are kept to myself.

“They simply find it hard to believe that they still can’t go back home.”

“Well, let me say one thing. I understand your anxiety, but to put it bluntly, you cannot return to Earth.”

As expected. The others, upon hearing Kang Seongjun’s words, looked visibly shocked.

“Ugh… Ugh…”

“Damn it… Damn it…!”

There were people quietly sobbing, others cursing under their breath, and various other reactions.

“You will receive three months of training here. Note that it is not mandatory, but… it is strongly recommended, as advice.”

A woman raised her hand and asked, “Um… Is there a reason for this?”

“…. Let me explain it in a way that’s easy to understand. The survival rate of newcomers who did not receive training has been 0 percent up to now.”

When the sensitive topic of survival rate came up, everyone listening paled. This included our group, excluding Seo Yooju.

“Damn… I guess we have to get the training no matter what.”

Kang Yiseo seemed to have overheard Kang Seongjun’s quietly muttered words, and reacted.

“That’s correct. If you want to survive, we strongly recommend receiving the training without exception.”

Kang Iseo’s face soured upon realizing that Kang Seongjun had overheard his muttering.

“Hmm, well…”

“Now, why does the survival rate increase with education? The reason is that you can learn the basic knowledge necessary to survive here, such as an understanding of clans, the characteristics of various countries, an understanding of expeditions, and an understanding of the status window, to name a few.”

“And in this educational institution, there are various instructors besides me. Let me introduce some of them briefly.”

As Kang Seongjun spoke, several people began to step onto the platform.

“…The strongest in this world.”

One by one, as I checked their status windows, they were unbelievably strong. Some were on par with Kang Seongjun.

Those who lagged slightly behind were still far from being dismissed. In reality, they must be the influential figures of the continent of Eras.

It was when I opened the status window of a woman with tightly bound black hair, wearing a robe and gauntlets.

– Parzik

“Ugh…!”

Suddenly, I felt a slight electric shock in my eyes and head,

[ The Inquisition ability has penetrated the opponent. Mutual information is disclosed. ]

[ Name: Lee Yoonseong ]

[ Age: 26 ]

[Occupation: Dark Mage (Common Rank)]

[Title: None]

[Unique Traits]

Divination Specialist (Heroic Rank) – You can view and record the status windows of other people, but their unique traits and abilities can be discerned due to their superior abilities. As your rank increases, more functions are unlocked.

[Traits]

Fundamentals of Dark Magic (Common Rank)

Fundamentals of Necromancy (Common Rank)

Basics of Chimera Research (Common Rank)

Fundamentals of Curse Magic (Common Rank)

Understanding of Mana (Common Rank)

[Attributes]

Strength – 13 Agility – 14

Endurance – 14 Luck – 18

Mana – 06 Resistance – 12

[Name: Yoon Yeon]

[ Age: 29 ]

[ Occupation: Ascetic (Legendary Grade) ]

[ Titles: Diligent Martial Artist, Fearless Heart, Baroness of Baronia, Successor of Immortals (仙人) ]

[ Unique Attributes ]

Flexible Strength (Legendary Grade) – Temporarily reduce one attribute from either strength or agility by up to 10 points and transfer it to another attribute.

Eyes of the Immortal (Heroic Grade) – The Eyes of the Immortal protect from harm and can sometimes perceive the colors of a person’s heart.

[ Attributes ]

Martial Enlightenment (Legendary Grade) – Profoundly enhances understanding of martial arts.

Immortal Martial Arts (Heroic Grade) – Immortal martial arts fundamentally differ from human martial arts, permanently increasing both strength and agility by 2 points.

[ Stats ]

Strength – 92 Agility – 95

Endurance – 90 Luck – 71

Mana – 86 Resistance – 87

“Unbelievable…!”

Cold sweat began to trickle down my back. I couldn’t even see the woman’s status window; it was my first time experiencing the penetration of my abilities.

I quickly lowered my head and cautiously glanced at the woman. She seemed to smile faintly when she saw me.

‘… Damn! How, how should I handle this?’

Though Kang Sungjoon was saying something, it was like white noise in my ears. I urgently needed to come up with a plan.

‘If that woman… intends to kill me, can I stop her?’

Absolutely impossible.

Even if Seo Yujoo intervened, the overwhelming difference in abilities would make it impossible to overcome the opponent.

‘Damn… First of all, calm down. There’s still time. Damn, just… calm down…!’

My body wouldn’t listen.

In the midst of cold sweat in a situation I hadn’t anticipated, the moment I thought about it, the woman’s voice suddenly echoed in my mind.

– Ah. Ah. Can you hear me? Lee Yoonseong? Kick.

‘Damn, what is this again…?’

– Ahaha…. Unexpected, right? Those rookies were said to be beyond common sense, and it turned out to be true, huh? Anyway, we have something to discuss, don’t we?

‘Damn, damn!’

I never thought the situation would turn into such a mess right after the tutorial ended.

– It seems like it was a tutorial, probably. You’ve been assigned a dorm, right? After this speech is over, come to room 304 on the 3rd floor of the building across the dorm. Just a heads up, don’t run away while I’m talking. If you run away… the outcome probably won’t be favorable.

“It’s not like I’m forcing you to come. I just want to talk, so please come quietly if you understand, okay?”

There was no other choice but to comply with the woman’s words for the time being.

I glanced at the woman and nodded slightly.

“Okay. Anyway… this place must be important to you, so I’ll stop talking now.”

The woman didn’t send any more words into my head after that.

Then I heard Kang Sung-jun’s speech.

“Anyway, the instructors I introduced will be teaching you according to your positions.”

“…”

“If you follow the education well, it will be a great help to you. Including myself, the instructors here… it’s a bit awkward for me to say it, but they are the top experts in this world.”

People murmured. It seemed that they couldn’t understand why people in such positions would bother to educate themselves.

‘From their perspective, they’re probably personally finding the ores by running around. Even for them, this isn’t a loss.’

“I will also talk about the clans. A clan is a force of power. It consists only of foreigners like us. There are many clans here in Varonia, and the same goes for other countries.”

If there are many clans in other countries as Kang Sung-jun said, it means there are indeed numerous clans.

To soar as the representative clan among these numerous clans is equivalent to being a globally renowned company that everyone knows on Earth.

“Depending on the abilities you demonstrate at the educational center, you may receive offers from various clans or you may not.”

A man wearing glasses raised his hand to ask.

“Um… What if we don’t receive any offers?”

“… If you successfully complete three months of training at the educational center, you will receive a certain amount of compensation. You can use that money to form a party, engage in personal activities, or use it as you see fit.”

It was a brutally blunt statement. In the end, if you didn’t receive an offer from a clan, you would be left with an insufficient amount and thrown out into the world practically penniless.

The man who asked the question, along with others, finally realized the harsh reality they were facing, and their faces began to turn pale.

“Oh, um, is there any kind of welfare or benefits available for joining a clan separately?”

“No, there isn’t. In this world of Erath, you have to fend for yourself. Of course, even if you don’t receive an offer from a clan, you can still apply to join one. However, clans charge an application fee, so we recommend you think carefully before applying.”

That makes sense. After all, how could anyone expect to have money after just arriving here? If you recklessly applied to a clan in pursuit of a futile dream, you would become a beggar on the streets in no time, starving to death.

“Anyway, to summarize, after three months of education at this center, you will receive offers from clans based on your individual performance. Once the training period is over, those who receive offers can decide whether to join a clan or not, while those who don’t can find their own way.”

Due to the pressure of the harsh reality that had dawned on everyone, not a sound could be heard in the auditorium. It seemed that this was quite different from university or job interviews on Earth.

“That concludes the speech. Those who have cleared the dungeon can stay in the well-appointed accommodations, and the rest of you will be guided to separate lodgings. You will have a day off today, and the training will commence from tomorrow. That’s all.”

The others in the room looked at us with envy, sitting in the front row.

“…Shouldn’t we have done something during the tutorial at least?”

Regret is of no use, no matter how fast it arrives.

Gang Sung-jun and the instructors descended from the podium, but due to the shock, applause could not be heard from anywhere.

After about three minutes, Seo Yoo-ju spoke.

“Well, shall we move to our dorm now?”

“Yes.”

As the group followed Seo Yoo-ju, I approached her and spoke.

“Um, Yoo-ju?”

“Yes. What’s the matter, Yoon Sung?”

“Just a moment… I have somewhere to go. If you and the others go to the dormitory first, I will join you shortly.”

“Yes… Yes? Where on earth…? Yoon Sung? Yoon Sung!”

After finishing my words, I immediately began moving towards the place the woman mentioned. I heard Seo Yoo-ju calling me from behind, but I deliberately ignored it.

Because I couldn’t bring myself to explain this situation to her.

*****

Before I knew it, I had arrived in front of the door to room 304 that the woman mentioned.

“Dammit…”

I wanted to run away now. If I open this door, I will have to face an unstoppable force. And it would be just the two of us.

I stood still in front of the door for a few minutes, unable to move, when the door started to open on its own.

“….. Fuck, I guess it means come in?”

Finally, I took a step into the room.