Episode 1 – The Beginning of the End (4)

I heard the message saying the status window can be accessed. It was something I was already knew would happen.

"Status window."

I muttered out the command and my information slowly entered my mind.

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[Personal Information]

Name: Kim Jakga

Age: 23

Constellation Sponsor: None

Private Attributes: ■■

Exclusive Skills: [Narrative Insight ?], [Omniscient Wall ?]

Overall stats: Physique Lv. 3, Strength Lv. 3, Agility Lv. 5, Magic Power Lv. 10.

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'So this is my status window.'

The setting of the novel was similar to a video game. If the world has changed into the world of destruction, then all players should have attributes and skills.

I took notice of each and every one of my information. The first was the attribute. Attributes are classes unique to a character. They are basically the reflection of a player's personality or traits.

For instance, If I was a gamer before the scenarios, I will have the gamer attribute. It is a pretty good attribute that increases the player's adaptability in all games. It couldn't be compared to the Pro Gamer attribute though.

There was another attribute in my possession but it seems part of it was blocked from the eyes. I think I know what it is about.

'It is likely related to my status as the solo reader of the narrative.'

There was a good reason for my judgement. When I looked at my skills, I knew my line of thinking was correct.

[Exclusive Skill: Narrative Insight]

Description: ???

[Exclusive Skill: Omniscient Wall]

Description: ???

...

These skills were foreign to me. They were skills without a description. What's going on? Why was my information blocked?

It felt like they were bugs in the system. Was there an error in the Nightmare Trial. These skills are obviously bugs. One of them doesn't even have a description. Why hasn't that girl noticed yet?

From my memory, even if that girl was a cheeky brat, she wouldn't be so careless enough to miss an error like this. In the first place, the system of the Nightmare Trial was absolute so it was impossible for an error to even exist.

Well, It does not matter right now.

At the moment, that matter wasn't urgent so I will think about it another time. Next, I analysed my overall stats one by one and frowned my brows.

It was because with the exception of magic power, the rest of my stats were too weak.'

Even though I just awakened as a player and received the blessing of the system, I was still a average human. In total, my overall stats was around 23. It was too weak.

The average stats of a human was between 3-5 and the stats of a trained soldier in the military was around 8-10.

It was almost laughable but it was not surprising.

After staring into the empty space for a while, I stopped thinking about it and activated one of my new skills.

[The first stage of the 'Narrative Insight' has activated.]

[Exclusive skill 'Songs of Nightmare' has activated!]

In the next instant, it felt like pages started turning in my head. Those pages were the 1999 chapters of the 'How to Survive an Apocalyptic World'. They were all stored inside my head.

I looked for the beginning chapters and starting the pages. It took me less than a minute to find what I was looking for.

Found it. I stopped at the beginning of the work where that person first appeared in the hospital. Information starting flowing.

「 He killed the woman infront of him. There was no lingering guilt. The blood of the first victim dripped from the swiss knife.

He wanted for the world's destruction even if it was a passing thought. When the opportunity arrived, he made his move without hesitation.

The people shivered in fear at the overwhelming violence. His smile began to widen dangerously.

Everything was fleeting.

He looked at the people as if they were prey. After a while, the swiss knife moved and blood flew.

Afterwards, an eerie silence filled the hospital like a graveyard. 」

After I closed the bookmark, I looked at the young man standing close to the bleeding woman.

He had a lean build and dyed blond hair. His white jacket was slightly strained with blood. Indeed, he certainly matched the description as stated in the novel.

[Nam Jinhyuk has killed a living being.]

[200 coins will be given as compensation.]

[Player Nam Jinhyuk has passed the scenario.]

[500 coins will be given as compensation.]

After hearing the announcement, the boy smiled. If he passed the scenario then that means that woman was dead.

"Haha! I knew it. This way works! Just in a video game, you get coins from killing people."

The young man spoke as if he hadn't just murdered someone's mother.

In normal times, no one would dare try killing someone like that in the open. But now the police was not coming and the door was blocked. It was the perfect time to commit a murder.

Everybody was shaken and no one had the courage to speak up. This man is insane. They must be thinking something along those lines. However, I heard the voice of the doctor.

"You... How could you?!"

In response, Nam Jinhyuk answered with a a stern voice.

"Who's this bastard? Do you want to die?"

"...What?"

"You still don't understand the current situation?"

"What nonsense are you saying?"

Nam Jinhyuk laughed and pointed towards the television. Multiple scenes of destruction continued playing.

[Ahhhh! Somebody help!]

[Run away!]

[Damnit! Call for reinforcement.]

People were getting killed by monsters including the army. The destruction wasn't happening only in Seoul, it was happening all over the country.

"Do you see that? How do you expect the army to save us when they can't even save themselves? Nobody is coming to save us."

"W-What are you saying...?"

"Didn't you receive the message? We were ordered to kill or we will die. I'm sure you must have received it as well."

Doctor Kwangsun was unable to answer. Nam Jinhyuk continued speaking.

"I know what you all are thinking. Kill another being? What can we do that? Only psychopaths and the worst scumbags of the planet could take another life."

He looked over at the crowd.

"But it can't be helped. You heard what that fairy said. If we want to live to see another day, then we will need to pass the scenarios. It is beyond our control. We will die if we don't kill. Who will blame us? Or are you going to die because of your morals?"

"T-That..."

"The world we know has come to an end. We now live in a world where the monsters rampage without care. A world you can only find in friction."

The people shoulders began to shake. Their morality was currently fighting against their survival instincts.

As if to hit the final nail on the coffin, the system notification rang out loudly.

[There is only five minutes left for the scenario.]

The people trembled at those words. They immediately realised the message behind those words.

「 If there is no killing in five minutes, everyone will die. 」

The people looked at each other with different eyes.

「 If I don't kill then I will die. 」

They were all thinking about the same thing.

"Hey now, why are you all standing there? Do you want to get left behind? Do you want to die?"

When they heard Nam Jinhyuk's words, the thread of reasoning inside their head finally snapped.

The people began to move.

"Fuck! Come here."

A fat man grabbed a stranger and threw the first punch.

"Hey! Don't come any closer!"

"Ah fuck! I don't care anymore! Die!"

There was the second and then third. One by one, the people starting attacking each other aiming for the other party's death.

"Die! Die! Die!

"Aiiik!"

Some used their fists, some used any items their hands could find while others ganged up against one person. It didn't matter. It was all senseless violence.

Truly, humans were rather simple beings. If you put them in a tough situation, they will immediately turn to violence like wild animals.

"Shouldn't we stop this?"

Angelica, who was holding my sleeve, finally spoke. Her delicate hands were shaking uncontrollably. It seems it was time to move.

"Angelica, find somewhere and hide. Things are about to get messy."

"Wh-What? W-Where are you going?!"

"Just do as I say. Quick! Hide here and kill that thing."

After forcibly pushing Angelica and hid her behind the register, I turned around and took a deep breath.

I stretched my body and looked around the crowd. There was someone I was looking for.

My target was not Nam Jinhyuk. If I fought him without that weapon then there was a 100% chance I will die.

I found him. After spotting a familiar character in the background, I kicked the ground for a forward leap.

I avoided the people fighting among each other by moving side to side and then slammed into the back of someone.

"What? What are you... Eeeeok!"

"I'm sorry. But I have to borrow this real quick."

The man I crashed into fell to the ground and groaned. I quickly pulled the firearm hidden in his pants and walked away.

Moving through the crowd, I hid the item in my clothes. I didn't want anyone to see the what I was carrying or this battlefield will turn into a blood bath.

It was then I found myself facing Nam Jinhyuk and called out.

"You."

"Huh?"

Nam Jinhyuk turned his head when he heard me speak. Next, I spoke the words that I never imagined I would say for the first time.

"I will kill you."

No matter what, I can't let Nam Jinhyuk leave this place. I had to make sure this hospital will be his resting place.