13_Secret of the Tutorial

I walked in the direction which emitted the highest density of mana.

Since the battle (slaughter) in the goblin village, I had stopped using mana for perception and detection. I though that it would make things too easy and whole lot less interesting.

So I had fought the Dzoavits with most of my mana perception blocked. Although it couldn't be blocked completely as mana always flows and interacts, it could be weakened to some extent.

And because of this reason I wasn't able to detect the 6 smaller Titan boas and the Boa king in time. So I ended up being eaten by daddy snake.

That was a bit embarrassing, but atleast blocking most of my mana perception did make things more interesting.

I mean, I just explored the insides of a giant snake and killed it from there too.

Nonetheless, it was out of my expectations to face such an enemy. The boas and the boa king were anomalies. So was the Dzoavit.

Normal enemies were wolfs and goblins and so on. If they fought these literal monsters, they would've been annihilated. That's why these anomalies were hidden.

They might've been referred to as hidden bosses, but I thought otherwise.

Normally, the hidden bosses couldn't be killed with the stats I currently had. But that was for 'normal' people, I was different. I had technique and skill which others couldn't demonstrate, that was the reason I could kill these monsters.

My original thoughts on the tutorial were being confirmed. I wondered if the future zones would be the same.

When I finally reached the mana filled location, I saw a severely damaged tree. It was humanoid-ish, with arms, legs and a head too.

Instantly I remembered the M*rv*l comics I used to own before I got teleported to the horror world. There was a similar character in there too.

"Gr**t?"

Wait did those comics get a movie too? I need to ask Jungkook later, I have too much to catch up on.

*crack* *crack*

Feeling my presence, the human tree or "Ent" as they are called in fantasy stories, tried to get up.

But it couldn't. It was in extremely bad shape.

The entire right arm up to the shoulder was gone and there were burn marks where the arm should've began. Its left leg was bent in 4 parts at right angles. Hell, it only had a third of a head.

It must've been caught up in the destruction.

It must've had a lot of mana, that could've been the only reason it survived. Using mana to create a barrier or regenerating itself.

Unfortunately, it's mana was dried up by now and couldn't regenerate anymore.

I dont know if I missed anything more in the dungeon but I think this was enough for now. I could always come back after the dungeon resets.

So using the dagger (that still somehow survived) while coated with aura, I loped off the ent's head.

"You're not Gr**t."

With that the boss was finally killed.

*ding*

"You have Killed the Boss. You have cleared the [Ent's Dungeon]. Gained 30,000 points. For Solo Clear and Hidden boss kill, gained additional 10,000 points."

"You gained the [Ent's Last Breath]."

"You levelled up. You became lvl.73."

It was a fist-sized glass orb with a green liquid sloshing inside and a cork fixed in an opening. It was healing item with limited uses. Its description said that a single drop could save a life at the brink of death.

"It might be useful."

I placed it into the bag.

"You will be transported back in 15 seconds. If you don't want to be transported immediately, please speak."

"Wait."

"Transportation paused."

"Is there any fairy here?"

Space warped and a green haired fairy popped up.

|Yes there is. How are you?|

"I'm great. "

|You're the one unni was following, right. That Dante kid.|

"Yes, where is she by the way?"

|She's outside. Since this dungeon is under my authority, she can't come in.|

"I want to use my points."

|Ok, do you want a list of what you can buy with your points?|

"No, just give me a new backpack. Wait, can you give me one with dimensional magic cast on it for extra space?"

|Are you sure? It's quite expensive. About 20,000 points.|

"Yes. That much isn't a problem."

She snapped her tiny fingers, space warped and a backpack was lying infront of me. It looked the same as the other one, except a few runes hidden here and there.

I picked it up and place the contents of the torn backpack into the new one. I also placed the smaller armor pieces that I wasn't wearing into it too.

|Anything else? You still have more points left.|

"Nothing more, you can go now."

|Not even a thank you. You're really arrogant arent you.

Well atleast you have some right to be.|

"Ok. Exit dungeon."

|Goodbye. Make sure to visit again!|

A flash of light engulfed me just like how I entered the dungeon. Then I was back outside.

A skyscraper covered with big creepy vines behind me and a landscape of destruction infront. There were a few signs of a battle, they weren't here when I entered the dungeon.

The vines on the skyscraper seemed to have withered now. Maybe because the main boss had been killed and the dungeon had been cleared.

Ms.Fairy appeared infront of me.

|Welcome back! How was your trip to the dungeon? You put on quite a show there you know.|

She seemed excited.

"It was fun. Have you seen the other 2?"

|They got kidnapped by some guy.|

"Was it that guy?"

Ms.Fairy didn't say anything, she only smiled coyly as she placed her finger on her red lips.

"So you're not going to tell me?"

|Sorry, I cant tell you. Interfering in such conflicts is prohibited to fairies. The challengers have to conclude them themelves.|

"Hmm....."

|Sorry, I really can't tell you anything.|

"Its ok, I know where they most likely would be. But first tell me which day is it today?"

|Today is day 3 of the Tutorial. You spent a whole day in there.|

She spoke as she giggled.

"One more thing, what is the purpose of the Tutorial?"

|Hm? Where's this coming from. Its t prepare challengers and to see if they are worthy for the 5 zones and the Ruined World? We mentioned that at start–|

"Not its purpose for challengers. Its purpose for the gods."

|To see possible candidates for apostles and –|

"The real reason. They can find apostles in the 5 zones too right? So answer my question please."

|....|

"19 Gods have their interests piqued."

|You really are something....*long sigh*.. What do you think is the reason for the Tutorial?|

"Its either a prison or a refuge."

|Those are opposite things.|

"Who said that it couldn't be both?"

|....|

"Its a prison to some, a refuge to others. That specific Dzoavits was imprisoned here. While the Titan boa king and its children were refugees here. But even though they were refugees, in the end they became a sort of prisoners too. They couldn't leave the Tutorial or even that simple Dungeon."

|....|

"Its the same with other hidden bosses too, right? The Dzoavits I fought was weakened greatly and the Titan boa king too had long lost an immense part of its power. They originally had great strength and even greater potentials, right? All that had been taken from them forcefully. And now they were prisoners of the gods."

Ms.Fairy's stared at me expressionlessly.

"What could be the reason the gods took away or sealed their powers and growth potential? And then imprison them in a isolated world too? What were planning? Why were they doing this? Do you know the answer to these questions?"

|Fairies are not allowed to speak of such matters with challengers.|

"I dont care. I already know the answer."

Ms.Fairy frowned.

"They were afraid."

One of her eyebrows lifted.

"The gods were afraid of them."

Her eye flinched.

"Those hidden bosses all originally had the potential to ascend. To godhood or devilhood whichever it was, it caused the gods to fear them.

A mortal ascending to a god or a devil. It would affect their hierarchy. It would drastically affect their system.

And more on, their fear wasn't baseless. Mortals have ascended before too, right? Many times over even. That's why they sealed these beings.

Even if a few gods were against all this, the majority weren't.

And so the Tutorial was originally a prison. So are all its multiple copies where challengers from other areas of Earth may be. "

An awkward silence hung in the air.

"23 Gods remain silent."

"The Gods of Wisdom look at you with respect."

"The Gods of Fate have high expectations of you."

|*sigh*....~ you really are something you know....~|

Ms.Fairy pouted.

"So I'm right."

|How am I supposed to know all that! It not like I'm a God!|

"But you're close to them aren't you?"

|Trial managers aren't close enough to gods to know details about such things.|

"But you are. I heard your fairy friends gossiping that you are very close to gods. So much that they often converse with you regarding important topics."

|!!!!!|

"Dont worry, I didnt tell anyother person here. And only I know fairy tongue among the challengers here."

|Where... did you..... learn it.!?|

Ms.Fairy seemed angry. Such that she was speaking with her teeth clenched.

"Uh uh, a man has his secrets."

|What else....do you... know?|

"A few secrets of the Tutorial here and there. And also your real name."

|....|

Ms.Fairy remained silent. I remained nonchalant. She looked like she could explode any moment.

|Ugh....!|

She shook her hands infront of her and pouted.

|Yes, you're right! Do you want a medal now for unveiling the secrets of the Pantheon?|

Ms.Fairy seemed angry, in a cute way this time.

"No, a medal would just be useless. Give me points instead."

|You received respect from the gods. That should be more than enough.|

"Hmm.... Ok, I'll take it. And another thing...."

|More?!!|

"Give me the rewards from the shrine cave."

|....|

I smiled looking at the fairy pinching the bridge of her nose.

|Ugh...|

Back at the Devil's hole Shrine, when I had defeated the Dzoavits, I had released alot of miasma and didnt withdraw it..

Miasma has strong corrosive and corruptive effects.

Back then I wondered, if I killed all the bosses and all the monsters in the Tutorial, where would the people get food and rewards.

You could'nt use points to buy food, you had to hunt for it. Similarly you had to kill to level up and get points.

So that way, the others would end up dying of starvation. Will the tutorial end at that point? No.

Why would the gods end their show so early. So then they must have something that will create more monsters.

Spawn points, in simple.

Such a place should have high density mana, it should be secluded too so that the monsters don't die immediately.

The wolves spawn in the nearby woods at night.

As for the goblins, until the village was destroyed, they would send the resident goblins to attack and fight.

But what happens when the village is destroyed and so are the goblin shamans.

This way the Dzoavits would be sealed forever.

And even if it escaped and somehow died, the goblins lives would've been long been taken to free it.

So where would new goblins spawn?

Simple, in the shrine.

It is secluded. It is close to where the goblin village use to be.

If the Dzoavits was still sealed, the shrine would emanate a deathly aura which wouldnt be aimed at the goblins that worshipped it.

And if the Dzoavits was dead, it would leave the shrine devastated from inside and would leave dark energy behind in form of a curse or resentment. The goblins wouldn't be affected again as they worshipped it when it was alive.

All of this was entirely possible. It wasnt any simple ogre or beast. It was a demonic beast.

Albeit it was weaker than it should've been and it had gone a bit mad too, it still had potential to eventually become a true demon.

From all these facts, it was obvious. The shrine would be the spawn point for goblins.

I had deduced this back then. For this very reason, I didn't withdraw the miasma. Why would I, when I can get exp and rewards for free.

And I made sure to think it all openly rather than hiding it, so that the fairy could definitely read my thoughts.

|Hnnng¹... You can be really frustrating you know!|

Ms.Fairy snapped her fingers as she pouted.

"You killed 45 goblins. Gained 4,500 points."

"You levelled up. You became lvl.75."

"Gained additional 1,000 points for your deductions."

"23 Gods are watching you with anticipation."

Anticipation, huh.

I'll give them a show later.

For now.

"Status."

Glossary:_

Hnnng¹ : The sound one makes when straining -- for instance, when attempting to lift a heavy object, or when extremely angry or stressed.