The moment the timer hit 00:00:00, Eunseo's body was yanked from reality.
He blinked.
Leaves rustled. Branches cracked. A beam of golden light filtered through a thick wall of trees—yes, another forest.
"…Again?" he muttered, groaning as he sat up.
The air was cool and damp, heavy with the scent of moss and wet soil. Birds chirped overhead. A breeze whispered past, brushing his cheek.
For a second, he thought maybe this was a reset of the first world. But no… This forest was different—older, wilder, thicker. The light didn't reach the ground easily. Vines twisted around tree trunks like veins, and distant growls occasionally echoed.
──────
[Welcome again, player Kang Eunseo.]
[You have entered: World 002 — The Endless Green]
[Mission: Find the rare herb 'Siren's Breath'. Location: Unknown. ]
[Time limit: 3 hours.]
[Failure Consequences: Running 100 laps.]
──────
"A hundred LAPS?! Are you trying to kill me?!" Eunseo said, his voice echoing between the trees.
──────
[No silly! If I wanted to you'd be dead before you even knew I existed ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]
──────
Eunseo exhaled through his nose, massaging his temples with his fingers. "Alright, let's leave that aside," He started talking, glaring directly at the window like he wanted that whole system dead, which in fact, he did.
"Aren't you forgetting something important? Like the power I'm supposed to get??"
──────
A small window appeared right by the left side of the bigger talking window, where Eunseo expected it to actually be, with the same bright "CLAIM" button as before.
"Finally…" he muttered, tapping the button.
The moment he did, wind bloomed in his fingertips, spreading through hus long fingers and to his palm.
──────
[You're welcome for the power upgrade! You'll need it. And the herb's a bit… picky. Have fun! (≖‿≖)]
──────
Eunseo scowled. "Care to define 'picky' before I touch something poisonous?"
──────
[Nah. That's part of the fun.]
──────
"Wait! Is the power for this mission…wind manipulation?" Eunseo asked at the window.
──────
[Wow! Very clever! Figuring it out without me…I feel useless…( ͡ಥ ︿ ͡ಥ)]
[Anyway! I completely forgot this part…! Congratulations! You have obtained your helping power: Wind Manipulation (Basic).]
[Skill Description: You can create and control wind.]
[Tip: Use your brain!]
──────
He sighed and patted his bag. Same basic gear from before. Gloves, a bottle of water, a protein bar. He zipped his hoodie, stood, and took a deep breath.
The air… hummed.
He paused. There was something different this time.
"System," he asked. "What is this... feeling?"
──────
[Ah, congratulations. You're sensing mana. That's your reward from the last mission. It's rare. Most players don't notice it so early.]
──────
"I feel it?" Asked Eunseo, questioning his abilities in being able to do so, considering he is in the last rank between the other players.
──────
[Yes. But not everyone can. Count yourself lucky. Or cursed. Depends on your perspective.]
──────
He frowned. The warmth, the subtle vibration—it reminded him of the fire he conjured back in mission one. But this was lighter, gentler.
"Any advice?"
──────
[Yup! You'll get five daily exercises now. Two mana-based, three physical. Because unlike the others… you have me. And I'm not your average bot, sweetheart.]
A screen materialized:
──────
[Training Regimen - Assigned to Kang Eunseo]
[Mana Control - Daily Exercises]
1. Mana Breathing (30 min)
2. Mana Expansion (30 min)
[Physical Training - Daily Exercises] 3. Push-ups: 100 reps 4. Squats: 100 reps 5. Endurance Running: 5 km
──────
[Try not to cry. Or puke.]
──────
"Why do I feel like you enjoy torturing me?" said Eunseo with the most deadpan expression.
──────
[Because I do. <3]
──────
"Okay. One last question." Eunseo said, drinking water as he looked at the timer in the corner of his eye. "How can I find the herb?"
──────
[Tip: It smells like mint! Thank me later!]
──────
"Mint…?" Eunseo mumbled, "That's oddly specific."
──────
[Get running! Times wasting, player~]
──────
At the same exact moment, a loud beeping sound echoed, and the timer blinked rapidly and furiously in red.
[02:01:02]
──────
"Right right…time…" He grunted and pressed forward, weaving through trees.
──────
[01:32:01]
──────
After a few false leads and a slippery fall into a muddy patch of leaves, he paused on a ridge. The wind brushed past his ear again—and brought with it… mint.
His eyes widened.
"That's it."
He followed the scent, heart thumping, breath careful. The minty trail grew stronger until it led him into a glade bathed in soft light.
There it was.
A patch of bluish-purple herbs, faintly glowing, nestled between mossy rocks. Their leaves curled like whispers. It was beautiful… but something in his gut twisted.
"Alright… gloves on."
He crouched and reached forward—then staggered. His vision blurred, muscles sagging like wet cloth.
"What the hell?!"
──────
[Oopsie. Forgot to mention. Siren's Breath drains mana if touched unprotected.]
──────
"You—!"
──────
[Look, I said it was picky.]
──────
His hands trembled. But his mind began to race. Earlier that morning, he had done his first set of breathing and expansion exercises. Maybe…
He closed his eyes.
Breathe in. Find the flow.
Exhale. Feel the mana settle.
He focused on the breeze rustling the trees. The mana stirred in his palms, wrapping like a current around his fingers.
He whispered, "Wind, lift it."
The herbs shivered. A swirl of air gently uprooted them, spinning them like petals. One by one, Eunseo guided them into an empty jar.
Two… three… four… five…ten…twenty…thirty…forty…fifty.
Sealed.
Safe.
"Got you."
The moment he stood, the world around him shimmered. A hum vibrated through the ground.
──────
[Congratulations! You completed your second mission!]
[You're a less pathetic noob now!]
[Returning to the real world in 3…2…1…]
──────
His vision went completely black, and the first thing he saw was the clock in his bedroom.
──────
[01:17]
──────
He fell straight into his bed, sinking in the mattress.
"System…Show me my status window now…" he mumbled, looking at his left side expectedly.
──────
[Wow. Demanding already.]
[Ask nicely and I'll consider it.]
──────
"O'mighty system. Would you please give me the honour of seeing my status window again?" He spoke, his voice full of sarcasm.
──────
[Since you asked nicely and I have a biggggg heart!]
──────
A glowing screen appeared:
──────
[Player Status Window]
Name: Kang Eunseo
Level: 3
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 9
Mana: 20
Inventory: Sword (1). Siren Breath (50).
──────
He grinned. "That felt good."
He stood up again, going to look at himself in the mirror. As he expected, all the injuries, tiredness and dirt, were gone.
"I really still don't understand it…" he said, followed by a chuckle.
He started taking off his clothes, changing into his pajamas. Blue t-shirt, black knee length shorts.
Eunseo gets in bed, looking at the ceiling, his limbs spread like a starfish.
"Hey system?" He suddenly asked.
A screen popped up.
──────
[Yes? Dear player?]
──────
Eunseo hesitated a little, closing his eyes and taking a deep exhale.
"Can you show me the players list?"
──────
Another screen appeared:
[Player Rankings - Updated]
1. Jang Minji – 96/100
2. Lee Seokjin – 92/100
3. Kang Eunseo – 88/100
4. Park Hyunwoo – 87/100
5. Choi Yura – 85/100
──────
His name was third.
His jaw dropped. "Wait, I passed two?!"
──────
[Thanks to your clever mana save and flawless herb gathering. Color me impressed.]
──────
"I want answers. Soon."
[You'll get them. Maybe. If you keep climbing.]
──────
Another window appeared:
──────
[Next Transfer: 18:29:52]
──────
He smiled faintly. "Okay then. Let's get to work."