MAEPG: Episode 4
Episode 4 Avatar (3)
I got another new skill.
This time, it seemed to be a sub-skill related to the unique skill.
And when I checked the information, I realized that the ability I had been wanting had finally appeared.
The avatar was like another body of mine.
While having two bodies had many advantages, there were also disadvantages.
The fact that food expenses doubled was a minor issue.
'The fact that I have to accept all the sensations and emotions felt through the avatar without filtering is fatal.'
Using the avatar's dormant state to ignore sensations was only possible in situations where there was little external stimulation, and it wasn't an absolute ability.
'For example... death.'
Or when I received a fatal wound, there was no way I could ignore the intense emotions and sensations.
Of course, since the avatar could be recalled in case of danger, it might be okay.
That was why I had tried to send the avatar to another world instead of myself.
'But danger can come at any time, in any way. I could die in a moment of carelessness, or I could be fatally wounded in an unexpected situation.'
Or even if I didn't experience it directly, if someone in front of me suddenly died, I, with my weaker mental state than the average modern person, would inevitably suffer a great mental shock.
In that sense, the skill I had just acquired was very useful.
Hub, it became possible to filter and selectively choose all the stimuli and emotions that came through the avatar through a relay.
In other words, it meant that I had overcome dimensional motion sickness and become immune to all mental contamination, including death.
I could control the avatar like playing a game, go anywhere, and do anything.
"And all from the comfort of my warm and cozy room!"
《The avatar's potential increases. Growth is further accelerated.》
As if that wasn't enough, another message appeared.
It meant that the avatar's growth would receive an additional bonus.
'Wait, the avatar originally had the same conditions as me, but if this happens...'
Wouldn't that mean it would become more talented and superior than me, the original body?
'Well, the avatar will do all the dangerous work anyway, so it's good if it gets stronger. It's good, but...'
I made a wry face at the subtle feeling that crept in.
An original body that was inferior to its clone.
'No! I'm the brain, so it's okay. The commander doesn't need to be stronger than his subordinates. That's enough, let's see how much Karma is left.'
『Unique Skill Enhancement (500,000)』
『Karma Owned - 900,213』
More than half of my abundant Karma had been reduced.
Considering the increasing Karma consumption, this enhancement would be the last.
I smacked my lips at the unnecessary regret I felt, even though I knew it was greed.
After a brief moment of contemplation, I chose "Unique Skill Enhancement" one last time.
It was definitely more efficient than raising other stats, so I didn't hesitate.
『Unique Skill Enhancement (600,000)』
『Karma Owned - 400,213』
《The unique skill grows and unlocks its potential. All avatars acquire one random skill.》
The final enhancement didn't disappoint me either.
Skill awakening for the avatar.
It was like rain in a drought, as it was practically incapable of combat.
'Of course, it wouldn't be as good as the unique skill given at the first awakening, but right now, even a minor skill was desperately needed.'
And that wasn't the only change.
I had become three!
We looked at each other in turn.
Multitasking and mental strength had steadily increased through repeated enhancements, and with the help of "Mind Hub", there was no confusion.
'But since the number of avatars will continue to increase in the future, it might get confusing later on. There needs to be a way to distinguish them...'
In other words, it was time to name them.
"I can't keep calling them Avatar 1, Avatar 2 forever."
"I'm not very good at naming things."
"A name... a name..."
I racked my brains with the clones for a long time, but eventually sighed and shook my head.
Even with three heads, our sense was all the same, so it didn't help much with naming.
"Han... Hans, let's go with 'Hans'. It's easy to say, and the sound isn't bad either. Yeah."
I pointed to the avatar I had summoned first and gave it the name that came to mind.
What I didn't expect was what happened next.
Zing—
"Huh? What's this all of a sudden..."
A faint buzzing ran through my head.
There was no pain or discomfort, but I instinctively felt that something had changed.
<Individual Information>
-Individual Name: Hans
-Common Traits: "Mind Hub", "Super Recovery"
-Individual Traits: "Magic Affinity"
-Special Notes: Han Seong-hyeon's first avatar.
"...I didn't expect this."
Information about 'Hans' was engraved in my mind as the "Avatar" skill grew.
If it had evolved by 1 when I used Karma, this growth was probably 0.1 at best.
It was a very small amount compared to when I used the Karma Shop.
'Actually, this is probably the usual way to grow abilities.'
Ability growth occurred in the direction desired by the user.
This time, it seemed that naming the avatar was the condition for it.
'But the avatar has a status window that I don't even have.'
Normally, a status window wouldn't be displayed unless you had a unique skill to view information.
The information window that had appeared this time was also probably a result of the growth of "Avatar" to make it easier to manage the individuals belonging to me.
'Seeing it displayed like that makes me wish I had given it a cooler name. I'll have to put more thought into the next one's name. But "Magic Affinity"...'
A skill that helped you sense and handle magic more easily.
It would be helpful for growth, but I couldn't expect any immediate combat power.
Even the second avatar's skill was "Sturdiness", which increased physical durability.
"It feels like I drew the short straw... It can't be helped. Then finally..."
There was something I had to do.
I had to check it out.
I got another new skill.
This time, it seemed to be a sub-skill related to the unique skill.
And when I checked the information, I realized that the ability I had been wanting had finally appeared.
The avatar was like another body of mine.
While having two bodies had many advantages, there were also disadvantages.
The fact that food expenses doubled was a minor issue.
'The fact that I have to accept all the sensations and emotions felt through the avatar without filtering is fatal.'
Using the avatar's dormant state to ignore sensations was only possible in situations where there was little external stimulation, and it wasn't an absolute ability.
'For example... death.'
Or when I received a fatal wound, there was no way I could ignore the intense emotions and sensations.
Of course, since the avatar could be recalled in case of danger, it might be okay.
That was why I had tried to send the avatar to another world instead of myself.
'But danger can come at any time, in any way. I could die in a moment of carelessness, or I could be fatally wounded in an unexpected situation.'
Or even if I didn't experience it directly, if someone in front of me suddenly died, I, with my weaker mental state than the average modern person, would inevitably suffer a great mental shock.
In that sense, the skill I had just acquired was very useful.
Hub, it became possible to filter and selectively choose all the stimuli and emotions that came through the avatar through a relay.
In other words, it meant that I had overcome dimensional motion sickness and become immune to all mental contamination, including death.
I could control the avatar like playing a game, go anywhere, and do anything.
"And all from the comfort of my warm and cozy room!"
《The avatar's potential increases. Growth is further accelerated.》
As if that wasn't enough, another message appeared.
It meant that the avatar's growth would receive an additional bonus.
'Wait, the avatar originally had the same conditions as me, but if this happens...'
Wouldn't that mean it would become more talented and superior than me, the original body?
'Well, the avatar will do all the dangerous work anyway, so it's good if it gets stronger. It's good, but...'
I made a wry face at the subtle feeling that crept in.
An original body that was inferior to its clone.
'No! I'm the brain, so it's okay. The commander doesn't need to be stronger than his subordinates. That's enough, let's see how much Karma is left.'
『Unique Skill Enhancement (500,000)』
『Karma Owned - 900,213』
More than half of my abundant Karma had been reduced.
Considering the increasing Karma consumption, this enhancement would be the last.
I smacked my lips at the unnecessary regret I felt, even though I knew it was greed.
After a brief moment of contemplation, I chose "Unique Skill Enhancement" one last time.
It was definitely more efficient than raising other stats, so I didn't hesitate.
『Unique Skill Enhancement (600,000)』
『Karma Owned - 400,213』
《The unique skill grows and unlocks its potential. All avatars acquire one random skill.》
The final enhancement didn't disappoint me either.
Skill awakening for the avatar.
It was like rain in a drought, as it was practically incapable of combat.
'Of course, it wouldn't be as good as the unique skill given at the first awakening, but right now, even a minor skill was desperately needed.'
And that wasn't the only change.
I had become three!
We looked at each other in turn.
Multitasking and mental strength had steadily increased through repeated enhancements, and with the help of "Mind Hub", there was no confusion.
'But since the number of avatars will continue to increase in the future, it might get confusing later on. There needs to be a way to distinguish them...'
In other words, it was time to name them.
"I can't keep calling them Avatar 1, Avatar 2 forever."
"I'm not very good at naming things."
"A name... a name..."
I racked my brains with the clones for a long time, but eventually sighed and shook my head.
Even with three heads, our sense was all the same, so it didn't help much with naming.
"Han... Hans, let's go with 'Hans'. It's easy to say, and the sound isn't bad either. Yeah."
I pointed to the avatar I had summoned first and gave it the name that came to mind.
What I didn't expect was what happened next.
Zing—
"Huh? What's this all of a sudden..."
A faint buzzing ran through my head.
There was no pain or discomfort, but I instinctively felt that something had changed.
<Individual Information>
-Individual Name: Hans
-Common Traits: "Mind Hub", "Super Recovery"
-Individual Traits: "Magic Affinity"
-Special Notes: Han Seong-hyeon's first avatar.
"...I didn't expect this."
Information about 'Hans' was engraved in my mind as the "Avatar" skill grew.
If it had evolved by 1 when I used Karma, this growth was probably 0.1 at best.
It was a very small amount compared to when I used the Karma Shop.
'Actually, this is probably the usual way to grow abilities.'
Ability growth occurred in the direction desired by the user.
This time, it seemed that naming the avatar was the condition for it.
'But the avatar has a status window that I don't even have.'
Normally, a status window wouldn't be displayed unless you had a unique skill to view information.
The information window that had appeared this time was also probably a result of the growth of "Avatar" to make it easier to manage the individuals belonging to me.
'Seeing it displayed like that makes me wish I had given it a cooler name. I'll have to put more thought into the next one's name. But "Magic Affinity"...'
A skill that helped you sense and handle magic more easily.
It would be helpful for growth, but I couldn't expect any immediate combat power.
Even the second avatar's skill was "Sturdiness", which increased physical durability.
"It feels like I drew the short straw... It can't be helped. Then finally..."
There was something I had to do.
I had to check it out.
____________________
"Hoo... Hoo..."
I was standing in front of my front door, taking deep breaths with a garbage bag in one hand.
Even taking out a single garbage bag had been an ordeal.
I had to do it in the early hours of the morning when no one was watching, and I had to keep my head down and move quickly.
When I went out and came back in, trembling and barely able to walk, I would have to spend a while sweating and lying down in agony.
It was time to test "Mind Hub".
The ability, which I had checked countless times, told me that there would be no problem, but I couldn't help but feel nervous about going out in broad daylight.
'Alright, let's really go!'
I took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob, opening the door wide.
The moment I stepped outside, my body, which had been reflexively trembling, gradually calmed down.
I breathed in the fresh air and walked down the hallway, down the stairs.
The urge to run away, which had tormented me every time I came out, was nowhere to be found.
I walked outside under the sunlight, went to the garbage disposal area, and sorted my trash.
After finishing sorting the trash, I looked around.
Cigarette butts on the floor of the disposal area, the ladies chatting across the street, the laughter of children coming from the playground in the distance.
I closed my eyes and inhaled, the smell of garbage stinging my nostrils.
"Student, what are you doing here? Move out of the way so I can throw out my trash."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
I awkwardly bowed my head and slowly walked back home, looking around again.
My heart swelled with emotion at the sight of my neighborhood, which I hadn't seen in a very long time.
And I watched it all from inside my house, like watching a movie.
It was definitely me outside.
Moving my body, thinking, and talking, it was all me doing it.
But there was no fear like usual, my body wasn't trembling, and I wasn't breaking out in a cold sweat.
I could even have a normal conversation.
All the emotions, including fear and confusion...
All the stimuli felt through the avatar were filtered, as if they had no effect on me.
Beep beep beep— Click
With the sound of the front door opening, Hans came in, calmly washed his hands in the bathroom, and approached me.
The verification was complete.
"Mind Hub" had fully met my expectations, and now I could do anything.
'I should be able to go to another world now.'
And as I got used to being outside like this, I would eventually be able to go out with my real body someday.
____________________
I spent the next few days preparing to go to another world.
There was a lot to gain from the danger, and now that my safety was guaranteed, there was no reason not to go anymore.
Aside from my personal desire to escape my room and travel to another world, it was also possible to grow faster.
Not only could I benefit from the time difference, but there was also an additional growth bonus given to Awakened in other worlds.
Considering the growth acceleration perk I had for my avatars, I could become stronger at a much faster rate.
'In a chaotic society like this, power is everything.'
I clenched my trembling hands, suppressing the memories of 'that day' that surfaced.
...I didn't want to feel the helpless despair of being powerless ever again.
As I trained in preparation for another world, I fully realized the value of "Super Recovery".
I could recover completely with just a short rest, even if I overexerted myself, so the effect was maximized, and I kept pushing my body.
It was a bit disappointing that the effects of an avatar's training only applied to that individual and not to the original body.
It couldn't be helped, since it was essentially a separate body from the moment it was created.
'Well, since only the avatar goes to another world, it doesn't matter. It also gets the growth acceleration bonus. And it seems that the status enhancement effect from the Karma Shop is shared when the avatar is re-summoned.'
Unlike me, who was limited to home training, the avatar could go outside, so I could train it more efficiently.
Because of its superhuman recovery ability, I used the empty gym in my apartment complex to push its body to the limit, avoiding unnecessary attention, and when I felt self-conscious after working out for a long time, I would go outside and run long distances to build up its stamina.
The pain from the extreme training could be filtered out through "Mind Hub", so the arduous workout was nothing more than a boring repetitive task.
Of course, it wasn't really boring since the original body was at home browsing the internet and giggling.
I was a little uneasy about sending out two avatars with the same face at the same time, so I focused on training Hans, who was scheduled to be sent to another world, and had the other avatar alternate between home training and leisure activities.
"Oh-! Already cleared the stage boss!"
"Alright, let's keep going!"
We were playing a two-player game with fantastic teamwork when Hans, drenched in sweat, came in through the front door and headed to the bathroom.
Seeing him return from his extreme ordeal made me feel a little strange, like I was doing something wrong.
'It feels a bit uncomfortable, but it's also weird to feel sorry for my arm for resting while only training one arm intensively.'
I set the table before Hans, who was washing up, came out.
It might be a trivial matter, but my food expenses were astronomical.
Three grown men were exercising more than average people, and one of them was pushing his body to the limit, so the calories consumed were beyond imagination.
The thought of the exploding food expenses brought tears to my eyes, but I decided to think of it as an investment.
If I could just bring back something useful from another world through the avatar, it would be worth the money.
'I'll figure out how to sell it secretly later. The avatar's current ability is optimized for crime anyway.'
Of course, I had no intention of making money by harming innocent people.
I was also a victim of such people.
I would act in a way that wouldn't shame my family, staying within the bounds of what was right.
'And that's why I need to go to another world even more.'
Compared to other returnees, I wasn't strong, so there weren't many ways to make money on Earth.
The only thing that came to mind was manual labor.
"By the way, there's nothing about the 'Auterica Dimension'."
"Is it the place I went to first? Or maybe no one has returned from there yet. Anyway, that's too bad."
It had become a habit to organize my thoughts as if I were talking to the avatar.
I had lacked conversation partners...
This would gradually improve as I interacted with other people from now on.
And after a while...
I checked the fully equipped avatar one last time, just like I had done before.
It wasn't the equipment I had used back then, but newly acquired items.
I couldn't bring myself to send the items my parents had prepared to another world where I didn't know what kind of situation might arise.
They were prepared for emergencies, but I guess they would never be used.
"Hoo... I think it's really all done now."
To be honest, since I could go back and forth at any time, there was no need to check so many times, but I checked repeatedly to relieve my tension.
I knew it was safe, but I couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of going to another world.
"Then, shall we really go? 'Interdimensional Transfer Formation Summon'."
And the transfer formation I had seen a few days ago was recreated before my eyes.
_________________
《Transfer to the Auterica Dimension complete.》
The process was simple.
Summon the interdimensional transfer formation, have the avatar step on it, and activate it.
I arrived in another world so easily that the tension I had felt until just before was meaningless.
When the transfer was complete and I opened my eyes, the forest scenery I had seen a few days ago was in front of me.
No, to be precise, it was different from then.
The tall trees were familiar, but the surrounding scenery wasn't clear.
"It's night..."
I was left alone in the middle of a forest at night.
It couldn't be helped because of the tenfold difference in the flow of time, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
I had deliberately come at the same time as the first transfer, but there must have been a time difference as time passed.
To think I had to start with survival in a forest at night, I wasn't even confident in a bright forest.
I thought about it for a moment and decided to move.
'Normally, it wouldn't be a good idea to move carelessly in a forest at night, but...'
My worries were short-lived, and I stepped forward without hesitation.
Part of it was trusting my enhanced physical abilities from awakening and "Super Recovery", but the biggest reason was my lack of a sense of danger.
Thanks to "Mind Hub", I didn't experience the dimensional motion sickness I was worried about, and the thought that I was perfectly safe made even the dangerous night hike feel like an exciting adventure.
With a light heart, I looked up to see the night sky, immersed in the romance of another world adventure.
The first thing I saw wasn't the stars, but the two yellow eyes of a beast.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
I was standing in front of my front door, taking deep breaths with a garbage bag in one hand.
Even taking out a single garbage bag had been an ordeal.
I had to do it in the early hours of the morning when no one was watching, and I had to keep my head down and move quickly.
When I went out and came back in, trembling and barely able to walk, I would have to spend a while sweating and lying down in agony.
It was time to test "Mind Hub".
The ability, which I had checked countless times, told me that there would be no problem, but I couldn't help but feel nervous about going out in broad daylight.
'Alright, let's really go!'
I took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob, opening the door wide.
The moment I stepped outside, my body, which had been reflexively trembling, gradually calmed down.
I breathed in the fresh air and walked down the hallway, down the stairs.
The urge to run away, which had tormented me every time I came out, was nowhere to be found.
I walked outside under the sunlight, went to the garbage disposal area, and sorted my trash.
After finishing sorting the trash, I looked around.
Cigarette butts on the floor of the disposal area, the ladies chatting across the street, the laughter of children coming from the playground in the distance.
I closed my eyes and inhaled, the smell of garbage stinging my nostrils.
"Student, what are you doing here? Move out of the way so I can throw out my trash."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
I awkwardly bowed my head and slowly walked back home, looking around again.
My heart swelled with emotion at the sight of my neighborhood, which I hadn't seen in a very long time.
And I watched it all from inside my house, like watching a movie.
It was definitely me outside.
Moving my body, thinking, and talking, it was all me doing it.
But there was no fear like usual, my body wasn't trembling, and I wasn't breaking out in a cold sweat.
I could even have a normal conversation.
All the emotions, including fear and confusion...
All the stimuli felt through the avatar were filtered, as if they had no effect on me.
Beep beep beep— Click
With the sound of the front door opening, Hans came in, calmly washed his hands in the bathroom, and approached me.
The verification was complete.
"Mind Hub" had fully met my expectations, and now I could do anything.
'I should be able to go to another world now.'
And as I got used to being outside like this, I would eventually be able to go out with my real body someday.
____________________
I spent the next few days preparing to go to another world.
There was a lot to gain from the danger, and now that my safety was guaranteed, there was no reason not to go anymore.
Aside from my personal desire to escape my room and travel to another world, it was also possible to grow faster.
Not only could I benefit from the time difference, but there was also an additional growth bonus given to Awakened in other worlds.
Considering the growth acceleration perk I had for my avatars, I could become stronger at a much faster rate.
'In a chaotic society like this, power is everything.'
I clenched my trembling hands, suppressing the memories of 'that day' that surfaced.
...I didn't want to feel the helpless despair of being powerless ever again.
As I trained in preparation for another world, I fully realized the value of "Super Recovery".
I could recover completely with just a short rest, even if I overexerted myself, so the effect was maximized, and I kept pushing my body.
It was a bit disappointing that the effects of an avatar's training only applied to that individual and not to the original body.
It couldn't be helped, since it was essentially a separate body from the moment it was created.
'Well, since only the avatar goes to another world, it doesn't matter. It also gets the growth acceleration bonus. And it seems that the status enhancement effect from the Karma Shop is shared when the avatar is re-summoned.'
Unlike me, who was limited to home training, the avatar could go outside, so I could train it more efficiently.
Because of its superhuman recovery ability, I used the empty gym in my apartment complex to push its body to the limit, avoiding unnecessary attention, and when I felt self-conscious after working out for a long time, I would go outside and run long distances to build up its stamina.
The pain from the extreme training could be filtered out through "Mind Hub", so the arduous workout was nothing more than a boring repetitive task.
Of course, it wasn't really boring since the original body was at home browsing the internet and giggling.
I was a little uneasy about sending out two avatars with the same face at the same time, so I focused on training Hans, who was scheduled to be sent to another world, and had the other avatar alternate between home training and leisure activities.
"Oh-! Already cleared the stage boss!"
"Alright, let's keep going!"
We were playing a two-player game with fantastic teamwork when Hans, drenched in sweat, came in through the front door and headed to the bathroom.
Seeing him return from his extreme ordeal made me feel a little strange, like I was doing something wrong.
'It feels a bit uncomfortable, but it's also weird to feel sorry for my arm for resting while only training one arm intensively.'
I set the table before Hans, who was washing up, came out.
It might be a trivial matter, but my food expenses were astronomical.
Three grown men were exercising more than average people, and one of them was pushing his body to the limit, so the calories consumed were beyond imagination.
The thought of the exploding food expenses brought tears to my eyes, but I decided to think of it as an investment.
If I could just bring back something useful from another world through the avatar, it would be worth the money.
'I'll figure out how to sell it secretly later. The avatar's current ability is optimized for crime anyway.'
Of course, I had no intention of making money by harming innocent people.
I was also a victim of such people.
I would act in a way that wouldn't shame my family, staying within the bounds of what was right.
'And that's why I need to go to another world even more.'
Compared to other returnees, I wasn't strong, so there weren't many ways to make money on Earth.
The only thing that came to mind was manual labor.
"By the way, there's nothing about the 'Auterica Dimension'."
"Is it the place I went to first? Or maybe no one has returned from there yet. Anyway, that's too bad."
It had become a habit to organize my thoughts as if I were talking to the avatar.
I had lacked conversation partners...
This would gradually improve as I interacted with other people from now on.
And after a while...
I checked the fully equipped avatar one last time, just like I had done before.
It wasn't the equipment I had used back then, but newly acquired items.
I couldn't bring myself to send the items my parents had prepared to another world where I didn't know what kind of situation might arise.
They were prepared for emergencies, but I guess they would never be used.
"Hoo... I think it's really all done now."
To be honest, since I could go back and forth at any time, there was no need to check so many times, but I checked repeatedly to relieve my tension.
I knew it was safe, but I couldn't help but feel nervous at the thought of going to another world.
"Then, shall we really go? 'Interdimensional Transfer Formation Summon'."
And the transfer formation I had seen a few days ago was recreated before my eyes.
_________________
《Transfer to the Auterica Dimension complete.》
The process was simple.
Summon the interdimensional transfer formation, have the avatar step on it, and activate it.
I arrived in another world so easily that the tension I had felt until just before was meaningless.
When the transfer was complete and I opened my eyes, the forest scenery I had seen a few days ago was in front of me.
No, to be precise, it was different from then.
The tall trees were familiar, but the surrounding scenery wasn't clear.
"It's night..."
I was left alone in the middle of a forest at night.
It couldn't be helped because of the tenfold difference in the flow of time, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
I had deliberately come at the same time as the first transfer, but there must have been a time difference as time passed.
To think I had to start with survival in a forest at night, I wasn't even confident in a bright forest.
I thought about it for a moment and decided to move.
'Normally, it wouldn't be a good idea to move carelessly in a forest at night, but...'
My worries were short-lived, and I stepped forward without hesitation.
Part of it was trusting my enhanced physical abilities from awakening and "Super Recovery", but the biggest reason was my lack of a sense of danger.
Thanks to "Mind Hub", I didn't experience the dimensional motion sickness I was worried about, and the thought that I was perfectly safe made even the dangerous night hike feel like an exciting adventure.
With a light heart, I looked up to see the night sky, immersed in the romance of another world adventure.
The first thing I saw wasn't the stars, but the two yellow eyes of a beast.
Whaaaat the cursed name Hans!??? And they’re multiplying!!!
ReplyDeleteI just finished binging the Barbarian novel and it gave me flashbacks on the doppelgänger forest