TFWTG 11

TFWTG

Chapter 11 …

Outsider of a Broken Game,

Newbie Lim Sujeong (2)

Healing, protection, buffs, and a variety of utility skills—healers are indispensable in RPGs. Especially in a game that’s become reality, their value shines even brighter.

At this time, medicine was primitive at best, and even that was mostly reserved for the upper class.

“Holy knights are basically more like warriors anyway.”

Having a priest in the party added stability.

In a world where there were no life-saving coins, that was a crucial factor.

After the intimidation by Niemmel, the newbie quickly began to accept the current situation. After washing up by the stream, she asked boldly,

“What should I do from now on?”

Seeing her like that, Niemmel patted Sujeong’s head.

“This is so easy. What does that sword brat do to waste so much time?”

“You said you haven’t played DUNS before, right?”

“Uh… yes.”

She didn’t resist, just relaxed like a cat.

It felt instinctively like she was looking for someone to rely on.

“So, have you ever played a game? Like an RPG?”

“I played Mushroom Story.”

Niemmel hadn’t heard that name in a long time.

What if she had fallen into that game instead? Niemmel thought with a wry smile. Even if it wasn’t this bad, that place must have been horrible too.

“What did you do in the early stages there?”

“Um… I leveled up by killing snails first, then did quests to get equipment.”

“You know your stuff. It’s similar here. You gain experience by killing mobs and level up. The corpses don’t vanish, and equipment isn’t dropped willy-nilly. Also, at certain levels, you gain new skills…”

These skills and thresholds differ by class.

Niemmel then explained the stats system in DUNS and asked,

“What are your starting stats?”

“Strength 6, Agility 5, Intelligence 10.”

Even Ajov and Kang Hyuk had total stats in the mid-20s.

In contrast, Lim Sujeong didn’t even come close.

It was easy to guess why: she had crossed over in her real body, not possessed.

Meaning Sujeong was below average.

But that didn’t matter much.

She was a precious priest. Stats weren’t everything.

Even Kang Hyuk, Reina, and Kevin just ended up dead anyway.

Niemmel went on to explain a critical point about the real-life version of DUNS that she had learned through trial and error:

“In DUNS, stats are additive, not absolute.”

“Additive?”

“Yeah… consider this: a middle schooler maxed out at 30 strength, and an adult male with natural muscles has only 10 strength. Who’s stronger?”

“The middle schooler…? But his stat is three times higher.”

“Wrong. They’re about the same.”

“What?!”

Sujeong’s eyes went wide.

Niemmel smirked and wagged a finger.

“I said it before: stats are additive. Here, innate talent and physique can bridge the gap in stats.”

So in DUNS, your origin matters. Physical training and practice also matter—a variable Niemmel had learned after leveling up the sword character and hunting monsters seriously.

“Oh… I see. Then, Niemmel-unnie…”

Sujeong looked over Niemmel: a tall beauty easily over 180 cm, with a muscular build that even clothing couldn’t hide.

“My starting stats were 45.”

“Whoa…”

Sujeong gawked.

Niemmel smiled, a polite but calculated smile with only her lips moving.

“It’s nothing. Me, the sword, even Ajov—we all possessed our pre-made characters. Of course there’d be a difference with you.”

“Ah… right. The world in the game… DUNS, Dungeon Heroes, right?”

“I was a salaryman in Korea, Ajov was in the US…”

“Tennessee.”

“A fisherman in Tennessee. The sword was a female college student in Osaka. Just like you.”

“A female college student?”

More than surprise at meeting someone from her region, Sujeong was embarrassed by the revelation.

“Yes, here, you can’t identify gender just by appearance.”

“…Huh?”

Seeing Sujeong’s blank expression, Niemmel laughed and pointed at herself and the sword.

“I’m male, the sword is female, and luckily Ajov was male.”

“Lucky… There were six female Blood Elf characters and only this male one, but it fell here.”

“Is that really good?”

“…Hahaha!”

“Hohohoho!”

The outsiders of this broken game laughed like crazy.

Sujeong felt dizzy. This place was really strange!

Having prepared her mentally, Niemmel began training the newbie in earnest.

“To survive, you need to get stronger. The strong rule. There’s no place more fitting than here. Push-ups, start!”

“Y-yes!”

On the rough dirt ground, Sujeong began bodyweight exercises. For someone who had only ever struggled in fully-equipped facilities, this was harsh.

“Ugh…”

“One more!”

Sometimes her skin split, and blood oozed, but Sujeong desperately moved her body. It was partly due to Niemmel shouting and glaring at her, but mostly the harsh environment.

-Here we go again.
-Didn’t she never return last time?
-She’s pretty. Heh.

Whispers from strangers watching like animals in a zoo—their dirt-streaked faces, occasional lustful glints in their eyes.

Of course, some might be good people. Not everyone is bad.

Still, the unfamiliar environment was terrifying. Naturally, she liked someone from her own region. Even if…

“Run until you puke. Monsters or bandits won’t take pity on you.”

Even a man disguised as a woman who beat and intimidated her.

“Haek, haek, y-yes… y-yes!”

Watching Sujeong run circles in the inn’s backyard, Niemmel said,

“Sword.”

Clack! Two thick sticks collided. The sword turned his head, training with Ajov.

“Yes?”

“We need to get her a weapon.”

“What should we make it from?”

“An oak or ebony club will do. Rub some oil on it.”

Niemmel tossed a pouch. The sword opened it to find a few unrefined minerals inside. Sometimes coins arrived, but rural villages preferred barter.

“Gold and silver are mixed in too… should we take it all?”

A vein popped on Niemmel’s forehead.

This idiot. Do I need to explain everything? Even just getting out of the army… oh right, she’s a girl.

Even party members who had worked together sometimes annoyed each other. But Niemmel hid her thoughts with a smile.

“Negotiate carefully. Use your judgment.”

“Yes.”

The sword frowned. He knew Lockheed, the village’s only blacksmith, well.

The old man knew outsiders wanted combat and always charged high prices, even for unsellable rural stock. Niemmel expected no less.

“Damn NPCs.”

Under the setting sun, Niemmel spat.

After a few days of feeding and toughening her, Sujeong increased her strength and agility by one point each. Niemmel admitted she had underestimated her; the pretty, clumsy-looking girl had grit.

I thought she’d give up quickly.

But she hadn’t.

She’s a precious priest.

“Unnie’s here?”

“You can call me oppa.”

“Ah… even so, with your face and body… hehe.”

Running in the backyard, Sujeong laughed sheepishly. Niemmel tossed something to her as they smiled.

“Ah!”

Sujeong caught it clumsily. She examined it: a club, rough surface, smooth handle wrapped in thin cloth.

“My weapon?”

She looked disappointed; she had glimpsed Niemmel’s sword at her waist.

Ah, this newbie.

Her ignorance was almost endearing. Niemmel tapped her head.

“Don’t like it?”

The pouch contained minerals enough to buy several days of food.

“No… it’s fine for me…”

“Want to swing it?”

Forcing someone can backfire; sometimes you need to guide them.

Learning from Reina, Niemmel swapped the club for her sword. Sujeong received it with sparkling eyes.

“Wow.”

She hadn’t liked it after all.

“Feels manageable?”

“Try swinging it.”

The shining blade stirred something in her heart.

Whoosh! One, two, three times.

Excited, she swung it, but after ten swings she struggled, and after twenty her whole body shook.

“Huff… huff… this…”

“In real combat, you’d run and swing this for hours, even tear through muscles and bones. Can you handle it?”

“I won’t slack off…”

Sujeong carefully held the sword while stroking her club.

“Of course.”

Niemmel smiled.

“Don’t be too disappointed. It’s a good weapon too.”

Even this club could break bones if swung properly. Hit the skull?

Your head shatters. Or you’re crippled.

Swords are iconic because they look cool and are easy to carry. In reality, blunt and heavy weapons are better.

“Big and terrifying is best—if you can handle it.”

“Yes! I’ll remember!”

Good. She’s a newbie worth training. Better than Kevin or axe-obsessed Reina.

Footsteps approached. Ajov and the sword arrived, armed, carrying backpacks. Ajov tossed one to Niemmel, who slung it and tapped Sujeong.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes?”

“Into real combat.”

“Eek?”

You don’t explain everything when hunting whales; things always happen suddenly.

Time for our newbie to level up.

Stepping outside the village fence, the three’s presence changed. Ajov, once neighborly, drew his bow, eyes sharp. Niemmel and the sword drew their swords, scanning the surroundings.

“We’re heading to a kobold den on the hill behind this miserable village. It’s a small settlement, not even a clan or tribe. About ten kobolds. Not many are fighters besides females and young ones.”

Though addressed to everyone, it was meant for Sujeong.

“There may be variables, but it’s not breeding season. Maybe one or two extra. Manageable.”

Niemmel then listed kobold traits: blind from living in dens, sharp smell, small but nimble.

These strategies were developed from past failures.

“Yes, yes.”

Sujeong absorbed the information but still felt unreal. She just thought Niemmel looked skilled leading the way.

In reality, the first thing to discard in combat is the plan. Variables abound, and losses and blame fall solely on the leader.

If the leader hesitates, morale drops. A leader must appear competent, quick to judge, and exude spirit.

A tremendous weight rests on their shoulders.

Leading is never easy.

“I think it’s this way…”

Ajov advised based on experience, but that was it. The sword followed orders under the two. They instinctively knew they weren’t leaders.