Memorize Chapter 8

Preparation Room

It had been a long time since I had seen this place. The preparation room resembled a cozy personal room so much that anyone unfamiliar with the situation might think it was just another Earth-like room.

Suddenly, it struck me that angels seem to be considerate in the most trivial ways. I distinctly remember trying to open the front door when I first arrived here, thinking the Earth-like environment would allow it. Of course, the door wouldn't open, and I had a vivid memory of floundering in despair. I couldn’t help but wonder if the angels had done that on purpose.

"Time remaining for the Rite Of Passage entrance: 03 minutes 27 seconds"

"3 minutes and 27 seconds. I need to hurry."

I approached the large box that sat alone in the center of the room. Sitting down in a corner, I opened it to find various items needed for the Rite Of Passage. There were none of the nostalgic items I might have hoped for, only the essentials for quickly getting dressed. Even if Seraph was fine with it, I would be branded a pervert from the start if I entered the Rite Of Passage nearly naked.

After examining the contents, it was clear that the form-fitting spandex outfit was the most functional. However, I couldn't bring myself to wear it. After a while of deliberating, I chose a simple outfit. The clothes I selected—underwear, socks, shoes, a top, and pants—were all plain and ordinary. I opted for darker colors to avoid any stains.

Honestly, I could easily pass the Rite Of Passage even if I charged in naked at this point. No, with the right mindset, it wouldn't be hard to smash everything to pieces. However, I have no intention of going all out from the start. One of the main reasons I Magic Powerged to survive for ten years in the Hall Plain without dying was that I always concealed 30% of my true abilities. I made every effort to hide my true self, except in situations where my life was in immediate danger.

'What weapon should I choose…'

I pondered a bit over what weapon to pick. Even with just my bare hands, I could defeat the boss monster of the Rite Of Passage while eating a meal, but it's always good to have at least one weapon for convenience. However, I had a plan for this Rite Of Passage. So, just in case, I chose a longsword and a detachable crossbow, packed it with a full quiver of bolts, and then closed the box.

As I looked up at the full quiver of arrows, I noticed the remaining time was approaching zero.

"Preparation Room time is over. Player Kim Su-Hyeon will now be summoned to the Rite Of Passage space."

“Okay. Am I the last one?”

"Yes, you are. Anyway, we wish you good luck, Player Kim Su-Hyeon. We will now proceed with the transfer."

At that moment.

Whoosh!

As I felt the summoning spell unfolding in the air, a strong tug around my belly button signaled the beginning of the transfer.

"Transfer complete. The Rite Of Passage is a test to determine if you are worthy to enter the Hall Plain. You must either survive for 7 days or reach the central Warp Gate within 7 days to pass. We wish all players good luck."

The transfer was complete. Breathing in the fresh air through my nose, I looked around. At that moment, I sensed a subtle change in the atmosphere surrounding me. Observing the grass, trees, and soil, it appeared that I was in a clearing in the center of a forest. Although the air was fresh and the breeze was cool, there was an unsettling, sticky sensation that seemed to cover the area.

'First, let me check out which players I’m starting with.'

The Rite Of Passage is something I consider extremely important. The Hall Plain is a place where one cannot survive alone. Even if you manage to survive solo, you still need companions to work with.

The Rite Of Passage is the first experience for modern people who are used to everyday life. And it comes with the condition of "survival." One of the core aspects of the Rite Of Passage is that modern individuals, who know nothing about this new world, must band together to meet the conditions. (I’ll set my special circumstances in the second round aside for now.) Therefore, the companions who survive the Rite Of Passage together often form strong bonds that persist when they enter the Hall Plain. I intended to scout for potential allies to build connections with during this Rite Of Passage.

'Of course, I shouldn’t just accept anyone as a companion.'

The place where I was summoned is a kind of starting point that marks the beginning of the Rite Of Passage. In other words, it’s the starting point. Even though I talk about it with no particular feeling now, the Rite Of Passage was a complete nightmare when I first entered, knowing nothing. I even developed trauma after entering the Hall Plain.

I calmly gathered my thoughts and began to survey my surroundings. As expected, I wasn’t the only one who had been summoned. Around the clearing, I saw people scattered about, their faces filled with anxiety. Some even glanced at me and whispered among themselves.

“Hey, did you just see that person get transferred?”

“Sol, be quiet.”

“Oh no… It looks like we’re not the only ones…”

“Just wait. That person seems to be in the same situation as us.”

From their conversation, it seemed like they were siblings. I walked over to where the people had gathered. The atmosphere in the clearing was calm. If you suddenly threw people into a survival Rite Of Passage and told them to fend for themselves, there would undoubtedly be chaos. However, everyone here had likely received some information from the angels beforehand. I certainly did.

'This is the starting point. Since I've gone back in time, it means I also met these players during the first round… I wonder what happened afterward…'

I counted the number of people in the clearing—there were eight in total. For the next 7 days of the Rite Of Passage, could these eight people work together to survive? I could confidently answer, “No.”

A conflict brewed in my mind. This place was not the Hall Plain but a one-time-only space. With my current abilities, saving everyone here would be a piece of cake. However, I honestly didn’t want to and had no intention of doing so.

It was crucial to avoid showing off my abilities and rescuing everyone in this space. Gaining fame or becoming known is most effective through rumors. In a world where maintaining existing privileges is a priority for the players of the Hall Plain, if there were rumors of a player defeating monsters with overwhelming power or using magic before even passing the Rite Of Passage, it would create numerous troublesome situations. Not to mention, there was a risk of being mysteriously murdered by “vagrants” on that very day.

And I was no saint. Although I had done good deeds while living in the Hall Plain, I had also committed bad deeds without hesitation when necessary. Theft, pillaging, assault, and even murder. In the Hall Plain, such actions were generally accepted, so there was no one to blame.

Anyway, the most important thing here was that I needed to choose carefully. If I encountered someone worth taking on as a companion, I would need to play the role of a caretaker for at least a year, whether they knew it or not.

The first plan I set after entering the Hall Plain was to gather companions. The Rite Of Passage was a perfect setting for this plan. I established three criteria for selecting companions: First, abilities and potential. Second, Alignment. Third, connection. To put it simply, if someone met my criteria for being a good companion, I would save them; otherwise, I wouldn’t concern myself with them whether they lived or died.

'Then I might as well start using my Third Eye.'

Aside from the siblings I saw earlier, everyone else in the clearing was keeping their distance from each other. I chose a spot and sat down, calmly observing the people around. If I was lucky, I might spot a familiar face.

The first player that caught my eye was a woman dressed in a bank employee’s uniform. Her overall appearance was unremarkable, but her round eyes were shifting nervously, and her lips were trembling, as if she still couldn’t accept her current reality. I could understand her feelings to some extent, but for now, I decided to activate my Third Eye. I would focus only on the essential details…

< Player Information (Player Status) >

1. Name: Lee Bo-Rim (0 years)

2. Gender: Female (27)

3. Height · Weight: 164.7 cm · 58.3 kg

4. Alignment: Neutral · Chaos

[Strength 5] [Resistance 8] [Agility 11] [Vitality 7] [Magic Power 9] [Luck 11]

(Remaining Stats Points: 0 points)

'Whoa.'

I chuckled to myself and closed her player information window immediately. While initial stats are influenced by physical traits, they are primarily determined by the player’s potential, which acts as a multiplier. In other words, being female doesn’t inherently mean lower physical stats compared to males.

However, Lee Bo-Rim’s potential was exceptionally low. Even if she survived and entered the Hall Plain, she wouldn’t be of much use by my standards.

As a side note, training after entering the Hall Plain significantly boosts early ability stats. While I’m at my limits and can’t enhance my stats through training, players who start normally have no such restrictions. Despite this, players who eventually achieve notable success often show signs of potential early on. But in this case… What is going on?

I clicked my tongue in frustration and shifted my gaze to the next target: the siblings who were sitting closely together. The male sibling, though young-looking, had a furrowed brow that indicated a sharp, edgy demeanor. He appeared younger than me and had a certain swagger that suggested he might be a troublemaker. Next to them, I noticed a longsword and a shield lying on the ground. It seemed like a decent choice of equipment.

The woman next to the male sibling was closely attached to him, which might be off-putting for those who are single... oh, right, they’re siblings. Anyway, she kept her head bowed so I couldn’t see her face clearly, but she appeared much more demure compared to her brother.

I continued to observe, considering the possibility of approaching them.

< Player Information (Player Status) >

1. Name: An Hyun (0 years)

2. Gender: Male (22)

3. Height · Weight: 178.8 cm · 73.2 kg

4. Alignment: True · Neutral

[Strength 48] [Resistance 47] [Agility 52] [Vitality 51] [Magic Power 35] [Luck 56]

(Remaining Stats Points: 0 points)

An Hyun’s stats were impressive. His physical stats were exceptionally high, particularly his strength, resistance, and agility. His neutral and true alignment indicated he might be balanced in his approach to challenges. His high luck was also a significant asset. Given his strong abilities and balanced alignment, An Hyun seemed like a solid candidate for a potential ally.

< Player Information >

1. Name: An Sol (0 years experience)

2. Gender: Female (19)

3. Height · Weight: 160.1 cm · 45.2 kg

4. Alignment: Lawful · Good

[Strength 8] [Resistance 17] [Agility 15] [Vitality 21] [Magic 75] [Luck 100]

(Remaining Stats Points: 0)

“Damn, what is this? Starting with 75 Magic? Luck of 100?”

The stats were beyond common sense. I almost gasped out loud but managed to prevent an embarrassing situation by pressing my lips tightly together.

Strictly speaking, An Hyun is a prodigy. Given that he didn't encounter any unusual circumstances, he could easily pass the initial requirements. He also had enough potential to survive in the Hall Plain. Although it was a bit frustrating, his starting stats were higher than mine.

Anyway, An Hyun's stats were impressive and could be considered "within reason."

What truly shocked me was the stats of the woman named An Sol. Those stats were outright bizarre. Strength, resistance, agility, and vitality were inconsequential compared to her starting Magic Power stat of 75 points and Luck stat of 100 points. Such stats were completely outside the norm for the Hall Plain. I calmly tried to recall my memories.

"I don’t remember hearing about An Hyun before… but An Sol… Wait, An Sol? Sol?"

As soon as I thought of the name Sol, a flash of the Secret Class I had seen when choosing class crossed my mind.

In the first round of the Hall Plain, a Secret Class called the Priestess Of Brilliance appeared. I think it was known as the ultimate priest class? A player named "Sol" had obtained that class, and I remembered that she was later recruited into the Odin Clan, which gathered the top players.

An Hyun and An Sol. Even though they only shared the same name, just looking at An Sol's stats, the potential seemed more than sufficient. Since they were siblings, it was likely that both would need to be saved. In any case, with stats far surpassing those of someone like the banker Lee Bo-Rim, they were more than qualified to be considered allies.

Given the strong impact of the first two, I decided to examine the remaining candidates in an anticlockwise direction. The next two individuals caught my eye.

The man on the left was of small stature, though he had a decent physique. He appeared older than his years, with a slightly bent nose and rough skin, giving him a rather shifty appearance. His constant glancing in various directions suggested he was trying to assess the situation.

The next man, on the right, was a student wearing a school uniform. His tear-shaped mole under his eye and pale skin made him look very young. He seemed timid, visibly shivering and hugging his knees tightly with his arms, which gave him a somewhat pitiable appearance.

"I don’t recall them… maybe I should check their player information?"

< Player Information >

1. Name: Park Dong-Gul (0 years experience)

2. Gender: Male (39)

3. Height · Weight: 173.4 cm · 73.2 kg

4. Alignment: Evil · Chaos

[Strength 31] [Resistance 26] [Agility 39] [Vitality 29] [Magic Power 29] [Luck 7]

(Remaining Stats Points: 0)

…

< Player Information >

1. Name: Lee Shin-Woo (0 years experience)

2. Gender: Male (18)

3. Height · Weight: 170.7 cm · 58.4 kg

4. Alignment: Lawful · Good

[Strength 25] [Resistance 23] [Agility 21] [Vitality 27] [Magic 35] [Luck 57]

(Remaining Stats Points: 0)

Although An Hyun and An Sol are impressive, but Park Dong-Gul and Lee Shin-Woo's abilities aren't exactly poor either (though that doesn't mean they're any good).

Park Dong-Gul's basic stats are enough to survive the rite of passage. However, his inclinations are problematic. It's rare for both evil and chaos inclinations to appear together. The fact that they do suggests that Park Dong-Gul was likely a criminal on Earth and is likely to become a 'vagrant' in the Hall Plain.

In contrast, Lee Shin-Woo's stats were just a bit lacking to pass the rite of passage, but his magical power is decent. Considering his luck stats are just beginning, he showed high potential. It's also rare for both order and good to appear together, so he probably has a naturally good Alignment.

Aside from me and Park Dong-Gul, everyone else was too preoccupied with themselves or their immediate neighbors. Park Dong-Gul's eyes were gleaming with unpleasant desire. His greedy gaze, mostly fixed on the women around, was something I had seen thousands of times before, and I had even worn such eyes myself at one point. I felt like I could roughly guess the nature of that desire. Though it’s just a guess, I had a feeling I could predict the kind of crime Park Dong-Gul might have committed if he was indeed a criminal.

Seeing Park Dong-Gul's gaze linger with renewed interest on An Sol, who was standing next to An Hyun, solidified my suspicion. While there wasn't much to criticize at this point, it was still impossible to deny how pathetic he seemed.

As I clicked my tongue and prepared to activate my third eye towards the remaining two women.

“Ah, damn it.”

At that moment, Park Dong-Gul's gruff voice echoed powerfully through the open space.