That feature was never part of the tutorial stage.
Usually, new pyers could use the “Exchange” option from the [Shop] menu.
But that … required a different kind of payment.
[“Exchange” failed! You do not have enough Exchange Points]
Just as I thought. “If I can’t do it, then why the hell offer it in the first pce?”
Elias smmed his fist into the interface—then immediately felt like an idiot. “Fine. Just ‘repair’ it. ‘Repair’!”
[Command accepted]
[Repairing “Primary Weapon”...]
His broken phone suddenly glowed, and then slowly crumbled away into nothing.
[“Repair” complete…]
It only took five minutes.
When it reappeared in his hand, it looked brand new.
[“Electronic Live Broadcast” is now avaible...]
Elias swallowed. After the spikes of adrenaline earlier, his logic was finally starting to return.
A strange monster attack. A game-like interface. The world turning into some kind of game.
What next?
He gnced around at the disaster that was his room.
Shattered windows. Broken gss everywhere. Sticky green Cyclops blood soaked most of the floor. At least it didn’t reek—but it was still disgusting.
Renovations were going to cost a fortune.
But then it hit him.
If this was really following the game scenario, then rent was the least of his concerns.
Carefully stepping around the shards of gss, Elias grabbed his backpack.
He packed some clothes, the st of his canned food, his ptop, and… his old VR headset.
Yeah, it was ancient. But hey—who knew how busted it might become ter? (That’s what web novels had taught him, anyway.)
He opened the door and crept out. No one around.
Of course not. It was still work hours. Only housewives and the jobless would be home.
Elias? He wasn’t either of those. He was a freencer. A content creator. An artist with no fixed work schedule.
The sky was a deeper red than before, now that he could see it without the window.
He swallowed and shook his head. It’s not going to be that bad… right?
But when he turned the corner—
He saw another Cyclops.
No.
This one was bigger. Heavier. Over two meters tall.
Its name tag floated in a sickly moss green:
Field-Css Beast
Status: Curious
A monster pyers weren’t supposed to encounter so soon after the tutorial. Unless they were really unlucky.
And that monster—just like its status said—was staring, curiously, at a child.
Elias didn’t even know the boy’s name. Just that he lived with a woman slightly older than Elias in the apartment next door.
They’d never even said hello.
So… why should Elias care?
“Rusted” was a monster meant for level 5 pyers.
Elias couldn’t even check its stats. Which meant he hadn’t hit the minimum level yet—Level 2.
The smartest thing he could do now was turn around and get the hell out.
Creak.
The sound of Rusted’s cws unsheathing—like two machetes grinding together.
“Ah—”
Elias took a long, measured step—but in the opposite direction. He leaned in just enough not to provoke the beast. Moved carefully enough not to scare the kid.
Then, with a cautious gnce upward, he reached for the boy—and turned away.
This time, he really ran.
Luckily, the kid was light. Elias reached the elevator fast.
[Status update: “Rusted” is confused]
[“Rusted” is searching for something]
[“Rusted” has found “something”]
[Status update: …]
[“Rusted” is Enraged]
As soon as they reached the elevator, Elias set the kid down and smmed the button repeatedly.
Then he saw it—Rusted. Staring right at him.
Shit.
He’d messed up.
[Warning!]
[A threat you cannot face is approaching]
The message appeared even before Rusted moved.
Not because the system was broken—but because this was how Rusted attacked.
It pretended to stay still—until...
A dark shadow fell over Elias in a fsh, and a bde-like cw sshed toward his head—nearly hitting.
CRASH!
The elevator doors smmed shut just in time.
Elias let out a long breath, knees buckling as he colpsed. “Fuck,” he muttered.
“Ah. You’re the old man next door.”
Elias turned to gre at the kid. “That’s your way of saying thank you, you little punk?”
The boy casually spped Elias on the mouth.
Elias flinched. “What the hell was that for?”
“Nerra says people who swear should be punished.”
“Hah? To hell with Nerra—”
The kid spped him again. “HEY!”
Just then, the elevator doors opened.
A few people were waiting outside. Their worried faces turned to shock, and some rushed forward, pushing Elias and the kid out.
“What’s your problem? Don’t push—”
“Zayn!”
A voice cried out from behind him. Elias turned, ready to snap—but stopped short when the person ran past him and hugged the kid tightly.
The man wore a wrinkled dress shirt. His once-neat hair was a mess. Sweat soaked his forehead.
“Are you okay? I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. But it’s okay now. You’re safe.” Then he turned toward Elias, eyes sharp. “Who are you? What were you doing with Zayn?”
...Huh?
Ah. Of course.
Elias had been through this scene enough times. He was sick of it.
This was where he was supposed to defend himself—only to get shut down and end up begging not to be reported to the police.
But who knew if the police even worked anymore?
And Elias was done apologizing.
“Me? I was gonna kidnap him and sell him overseas. He’s my prize, got it? So back off and stop pretending to care.”
“You—” The man stood, fists clenched.
“Zayn!”
But a woman’s voice cut through the tension.
Elias turned. It was the woman who lived with Zayn.
Unlike the man, she wore a shabby work uniform. But even the faded fast-food shirt and too-small hat couldn’t hide the fact—she was beautiful.
“Nerra!”
Zayn ran into her arms.
She scooped him up and held him tight. “Thank goodness,” she whispered.
Elias watched the touching reunion and clicked his tongue. Well, at least the kid’s not being taken by some creep. He threw a hostile gnce at the man beside him.
Better to just leave than get dragged into some family drama.
“Hey!”
Elias stopped—not because the man stopped him.
A new interface had appeared.
[
[“Defeat” Rusted]