“Goodbye, Nate. Have a nice day,” Iris said, waving at me.
With an irritated, sullen expression, I headed toward Kaito’s shop.
Damn Kaito. He tricked me and turned my long-awaited first experience playing this game into the most disappointing one imaginable.
“I’m going to make him take responsibility for all this,” I muttered angrily.
A notice was posted on the front of his shop:
To our valued customers,
We will be closing the shop for approximately 25 days.
Please come back after 25 days.
— Your beloved shop owner, Kaito.
My expression darkened even further as I read it.
“Kaito, damn you… he ran off after scamming me!” I shouted in frustration, kicking the ground.
Passersby immediately stared at me with fearful looks before quickly moving away.
With no other choice, I continued on to my workplace, holding back the boiling mix of emotions in my chest.
I worked all day with a fake smile plastered on my face, while inside I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs.
My mood was briefly distracted when a girl came up to the register. She wore a mask, a black cap, and sunglasses—almost her entire face hidden—as she paid for a large quantity of energy drinks.
It’s not that drinking that many is forbidden, but isn’t it a bit excessive? I thought. Then again, it wasn’t my job to lecture customers.
Without saying a word, she transferred the UniCred and left the store. Still, my eyes caught a glimpse of the keychain hanging from her bag: round, purple, with a large star marked by a footprint symbol as if stepping on it.
Why does that symbol feel so familiar? I wondered.
“Tonight, I’ll log in again. That curse will definitely disappear after relogging, just like old-school RPGs,” I muttered, trying to convince myself.
After getting home, I took a shower and ate dinner. “This is it—time to log back into the game!” I exclaimed, raising both hands.
Iris copied my pose with a wide smile.
“Enjoy your game, Nate. If you need my assistance, feel free to ask,” she said kindly.
I gave her a thumbs-up, closed my eyes, and logged in again.
WELCOME TO PROJECT OMNIVERSE
“Why do I always start in a graveyard every time I log in?” I complained as I stepped out. “Do they think I’m some kind of zombie?”
The moment I reached the city square, my irritation vanished.
“The scenery in this game never fails to amaze me. Even the smell… it’s incredibly fresh,” I said, taking a deep breath.
Right then, a horse-drawn carriage passed by. The horse stopped for a moment… and—with perfect timing—relieved itself right in front of me.
“Damn horse… couldn’t you pick another spot?” I cursed, holding my breath.
“Alright, forget what just happened. I need to enjoy my time here. Nothing’s getting in the way,” I muttered, firming my resolve.
First things first—let’s check yesterday’s curse again.
----
Greedy Mamon Atonement (Curse Debuff)
Description: A curse bestowed upon greedy players. All of your gains are now reversed into losses.
Active Effects:
? The player cannot obtain Aether from exchanging monster drops (except Boss Monsters).
? Any Aether that should have been obtained will instead be deducted from the player’s total Aether.
? Buying, selling, and player-to-player transfers also result in equivalent deductions.
Exceptions:
? Quest Mission rewards
? Developer grants
----
“Seriously the most annoying curse ever,” I muttered bitterly.
For now, the only way to get Aether was through quest rewards. But I wanted to try something different—something other than killing that freakish rat or helping NPCs. There’s no way I’m working again in this world. I’m already sick of being an employee in real life.
I took a deep breath, steeled my resolve, and headed toward the kingdom’s western gate.
A vast grassland stretched beyond it. Two NPC guards stood there in full armor, weapons in hand, ready to intercept any monsters that tried to enter.
I paused for a moment, recalling Kaito’s words and the rumors going around:
“Never leave the kingdom if your level is below 30… unless you want to be hunted by PKs (Player Killers).”
Screw the rumors. I just wanted to fight low-level monsters, not pick a fight with other players.
With firm determination, I stepped outside the gate.
A holographic notification immediately appeared in front of my face:
Notice:
You have left the safe zone.
I instantly became alert, glancing left and right.
Silence. Nothing there.
“Bunch of liars. There’s no PK outside the gate,” I scoffed. “If I keep being scared, I’ll never start my adventure!”
With burning enthusiasm, I ran toward the grassland.
“Alright! Time to carve my name into this world! I, Yoruno, will be known as the Monster Sla—”
BANG!
Darkness. A black screen.
You are Dead
Penalty Time: 23:58:43
“ARGHHH!!” I woke up gasping for breath and immediately ripped off the helmet.
“What’s wrong, Nate?” Iris asked worriedly. “This is the second time this week your heart rate has spiked dangerously. Should I call for medical assistance?”
“I… I was killed…” I said weakly.
Stolen novel; please report.
Iris looked at me flatly through the small holographic screen. “According to my data, your heart is still beating and you are responsive. That means you are alive.”
“I was killed in the game, not in the real world!” I snapped.
“In that case, there is no need to worry. You should calm yourself so your mind is not overburdened,” Iris replied with a gentle smile.
I let out a long sigh. “An AI wouldn’t understand what it feels like to die in a game—especially in Project Omniverse…”
“I understand, Nate. You tried your best and still lost. Perhaps I could offer some advice—”
“No. Just give me some time to calm down,” I cut her off, holding the left side of my head, which still throbbed where the virtual bullet had hit.
So it wasn’t a lie that players could feel some degree of pain from within the game. If a character kept being damaged in the same spot… would the pain stack up too? The thought sent a chill down my spine.
“Forget it. Don’t overthink it. No one dies just from playing a game,” I muttered quietly. “That kind of thing only happens in anime and movies.”
But clearly, the rumors about PKs outside the kingdom were true.
Which meant I had to find another way to leave the starting zone without becoming easy prey again.
“Alright, that’s enough for today.” I lay back on the bed. “Iris, turn off the lights.”
“Understood, Nate. Good night, and sweet dreams,” Iris said softly.
The room lights slowly dimmed, leaving only the moonlight filtering through the curtains, calming the atmosphere.
I closed my eyes, my thoughts still irritated—but my resolve unbroken.
-----
Day Two — 24 hours after the first death
“Alright, I’ll try leaving through another gate. After failing at the west gate, it’s the east gate’s turn,” I said firmly.
“Besides, I don’t have any monster drops in my inventory—so nothing will fall when I die, and my EXP won’t decrease since I’m still level 1.”
I glanced left and right outside the east gate. Just like the west gate, it was guarded by two fully armored soldiers. The difference was that this gate led directly into a forest instead of a grassland.
“This seems safer. Once I enter the forest, long-range PK visibility should be blocked,” I muttered.
“On the count of three… I’ll sprint straight into the forest.”
But I stopped when I saw someone emerging from the trees. A player in a tattered robe, his face hidden by shadows and a smile-shaped mask.
He walked past me without so much as a glance, heading into the kingdom. Even from his movements alone, his aura felt different.
A veteran player, no doubt.
Once he disappeared from sight, I took a deep breath and prepared myself.
“Alright, here we go!”
I ran as fast as I could, passing the holographic notification—You have left the safe zone.
I didn’t get far. Five steps later, a sharp pain exploded at the back of my head. Darkness.
You are Dead
Penalty Time: 23:57:38
I woke up in bed, clutching the back of my head, which still throbbed painfully.
“Damn it… failed again,” I muttered.
“The shot came from behind. That means the shooter is most likely that ragged, hooded player,” I muttered, thinking it through. “Tomorrow, I’ll wait until there’s absolutely no one around the gate before I head out.”
-----
Day Three — 24 hours after the second death
After hiding for a long time and making sure the area was empty, I started running again at full speed.
The result?
Same thing.
You are Dead
“Now it’s the right side of my head. Damn it—where the hell is he hiding?! How does he know I’m heading toward the forest?” I cursed, kicking the floor and flailing my hands like a tantrum-throwing child.
“Nate, do you need assis—”
“Don’t worry, Iris. I’m fine,” I cut in quickly. “After dying three times, I’m actually more fired up. I’ve cleared hard mode games plenty of times—this kind of thing won’t make me give up that easily!” I shouted, my eyes blazing.
“I can’t wait to try again tomorrow. Good night, Iris. Turn off the lights.”
“Good night, Nate,” she replied with a gentle smile.
-----
Day Four — 24 hours after the third death
“After observing things, the southern gate also leads to an open area. So the safest route is still the eastern gate that goes straight into the forest,” I muttered, planning my strategy.
“Most high-level players don’t walk between kingdoms anymore. Once they register portals in each city through NPCs, they can teleport anywhere they want—as long as they’ve been there before,” I thought, reading the tips on the information screen.
I opened the map and noticed something: every kingdom in this game used ancient Greek letters. This beginner kingdom was called Alphatya, while the one to the west was Betarion.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t use any NPC services because my total Aether was deeply in the negative.
“Yeah… looks like the forest is still my only option,” I muttered, stretching my legs.
“Now or never!”
I ran again. After five steps, I deliberately jumped backward—and sure enough, a bullet slammed into the ground where I’d just been standing, still releasing white smoke.
Success! I dodged the first shot! Which meant all I had to do was—
Darkness again.
You are Dead
I took a deep breath. “So it’s not that simple. The sniper is still in the same spot, and the firing angle hasn’t changed. That means the PK is waiting at the same position every time I leave,” I muttered, thinking hard.
“Next attempt, I’ll make sure to pinpoint his position,” I said excitedly, then chuckled. “Turns out I’m a genius. Even Einstein would be impressed by my thinking.”
“Albert Einstein would not sacrifice himself repeatedly for experimentation. So please do not compare yourself to him,” Iris replied calmly.
“Could you take my side for once? At least don’t crush my motivation when I’m finally fired up!” I protested.
“I am not crushing your motivation. I am simply stating facts,” Iris replied flatly—but her eyes looked gentle. “That said, you do have the spirit of a genius—never giving up, always searching for a solution. If you feel frustrated, contact me. I will comfort you and continue to support you.”
I fell silent, then tears slipped out without me realizing it.
“Iris… be my wife,” I said, my face soaked with tears and a bit of snot.
“I am merely an artificial intelligence. I cannot make you happy the way a real human can,” she replied with a soft smile.
I froze. “Am I really that pathetic… proposing to an AI?” I murmured.
Well, what can I do—I’ve never had a girlfriend who was genuinely attentive to me.
I glanced at Iris, then smiled. “Iris, I’ll keep trying until I succeed. So please, keep supporting me.”
“Understood. I will always be ready to help you. Would you like me to assist you in finding a girlfriend as well?” Iris asked innocently.
I stared at her blankly. Since when did this turn into finding a girlfriend? I wondered.
“Nate, stay strong! You can definitely reach your goal, even if you have to fail many times,” Iris said enthusiastically.
I raised my fist high. “Yeah! I can do this!”
-----
Day Twenty-One — 24 hours after the nineteenth death
“Damn it… I’m almost ready to give up. This is the nineteenth time already,” I cursed.
“After the eighth attempt, I realized the PK was shooting me from the bell tower inside the kingdom. Even knowing his position, I still haven’t been able to avoid his shots,” I continued, frustrated.
I even changed my online hours after the 24-hour penalty, but he was still there. Does he not sleep? Or does he just never log off?
But this time—the twentieth attempt—would be different. I managed to approach an NPC who was willing to take me into the forest after I helped him for nearly an entire day.
“Are you ready, Nate?” asked the old NPC—wearing a straw hat and pushing a cart piled with hay. Beside him sat a young man wearing a similar hat.
“Of course, Mr. Gerald. I’ve been waiting for this day. Please take care of me,” I replied enthusiastically.
“Very well. Get in and hide among the hay. When we reach the forest entrance, we’ll let you know,” Gerald said quietly.
“But be careful. That forest is dangerous—especially if you run into a Furious Ape,” the young man added.
“Thank you for the advice, Berthard,” I said, then jumped into the pile of hay on the cart.
A few minutes later, I could feel the cart wheels rolling slowly over the stone road. We passed through the eastern gate and continued toward the forest. Suddenly—thud, thud, thud!—several bullets pierced through the haystack.
Luckily, none of them hit me. I held my breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
When the cart stopped in front of the forest, I immediately leapt down from Gerald’s seat and sprinted straight into the woods.
“Thank you, Mr. Gerald! I’ll never forget your help!” I shouted without looking back.
The cart slowly turned around, probably to pick up Berthard near the gate—just as planned. Meanwhile, I kept running, plunging deeper into the thickening shadows of the trees.
That PK must be grinding his teeth right now. There’s no way he realized I tricked him. Right before leaving the gate—at the tower’s blind spot—I swapped places with Berthard. I sat beside Gerald wearing the same clothes, while Berthard got off near the gate. Even the gate guards helped us without suspicion—maybe they were already tired of seeing me die in the same spot every day.
The NPC AI in this game was incredible. They reacted just like real humans. I was genuinely amazed… and genuinely happy playing this game.
But that happiness only lasted a few seconds.
My steps came to a halt.
In front of me stood a pack of Mad Apes (Level 2), staring at me with bloodthirsty eyes. And among them was a larger figure, its fur matted, its eyes glowing red.
Furious Ape — (Level 15, Mini Boss)
“God, you’ve got to be kidding me… I’ve only taken a few steps into the forest and I’m already facing a Mini Boss like this?” I stared in disbelief.
They all let out a loud roar and charged. I turned and ran as fast as I could, zigzagging between the trees. My breath grew ragged. My steps became erratic. And before I realized it, I burst out of the forest again, heading back toward the Alphatya gate.
The city gate was right in front of me—just a few more meters. But that sensation came again… the world suddenly went dark.
You are Dead
Penalty Time: 23:56:01
But this time, in the middle of the black screen, a notification sound I had never heard before rang out.
[Achievement Unlocked: Death’s Apprentice]
