Trial 01

 

Nobelpia - Dreaming of a World with Web Novels! - I Became the God of Destruction

Devlife

《Adaptation》- (2)

01.

The day I first stepped into school.

The day I first found someone to love.

The day I first confessed my feelings to someone.

Whatever it may be, for a person, the experience of a "first" becomes a memory that isn’t easily forgotten.

These "first" memories turn into fragments of recollection, lodging themselves deep within the center of our hearts.

They remain there until the moment we close our eyes, only returning to nothingness when we turn to ashes alongside them.

…Memories that surface unexpectedly while showering, reading a book, or drifting off to sleep—that’s what "first" memories are.

That’s why I still vividly recall the days when life still had "leisure," the time when I first played Season Off Fantasy.

The breathtaking graphics and vivid realism. The captivating characters, classes, and storyline pulled me in, and I found myself completely immersed in Season Off Fantasy.

I can still clearly remember the moments: leveling up for the first time, choosing the "Greatsword Knight" class after much deliberation, and shouting in triumph after my first PvP victory—days filled with nothing but pure joy.

Among the many fond memories, the one that comes to mind most often is, ironically, the day I first saw the "You have died" screen.

Having chosen the "Greatsword Knight" class, specialized for PvE, I strutted confidently into a forest teeming with monsters far above my level.

There, I came face-to-face with two trolls.

[Growling…]

Clutching massive wooden clubs, with fierce faces and towering twice my size, they exuded an imposing charisma.

…They were truly terrifying monsters, the kind that would make anyone’s legs tremble. But back then, I placed blind faith in my "Greatsword Knight" class and my still-clumsy skills, foolishly choosing to hunt them instead of fleeing.

Even though the Greatsword Knight was tailored for PvE, I was a complete novice, fresh off my class change. Taking on two higher-level monsters at once was fundamentally impossible.

[I’m screwed.]

The moment my greatsword clashed with their clubs, I bitterly regretted my rash decision to hunt them.

Their strength far exceeded my expectations, and their seamless, flowing combo attacks were more than enough to drain my HP to zero.

【You have died!】

[…Damn it.]

That was the first time I faced the crimson hologram screen declaring my death. In that mysterious void of pure darkness, those glaring red letters burned into my mind, lingering vividly even after all this time.

…C-grade monster: Troll.

Though their rank was low, they were the first to introduce me to the word "death" since I started playing Season Off Fantasy—abbreviated as Siofan by players.

With overwhelming might, they snapped my greatsword in two and crushed my skull completely—monsters among monsters, beasts in the truest sense.

That’s the fearsome "Troll" etched into my memory.

— Graaaahhh!!

"…"

…That’s why, even now as Celberion, I never underestimate them. How could I treat lightly the creatures that first brought me death?

"Here I go."

To exact proper revenge for that day, I reached out toward the trolls with a serious resolve. The Chains of Death and Frost, transformed into a greatsword, shot toward them at ferocious speed.

Shaaak!

The chains of Celberion tore through the trio of trolls at a velocity rivaling sound itself, unleashing a shockwave like a fighter jet’s sonic boom.

— G-Graaahh?!

As the chains sliced between them like a car speeding down a highway, the trolls’ forms began to twist grotesquely.

What followed was a bloodcurdling scream.

— G-Graaaahhhh!!

The wind pressure from the chains’ passage ripped their bodies apart as if a bomb had detonated within them. Their upper halves exploded into unrecognizable chunks, scattering blood and flesh in all directions.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

With dull thumps, the three trolls collapsed to the ground one after another. Before they could even take a step toward me—let alone harm me—they were reduced to mangled corpses.

Boom!

The Chains of Death and Frost, having pierced through the trolls, continued their trajectory, smashing into the wall of a residential building behind them before finally coming to a halt.

Seeing this, I let out a brief exclamation.

"Oh."

It wasn’t even a direct hit. The mere wind pressure from the chains passing by had caused all three trolls to burst apart.

"Impressive…"

I had roughly anticipated that the level gap between Celberion and the trolls would allow me to take them down with a single basic attack, but I hadn’t imagined the wind pressure alone would obliterate them all.

This was power far beyond my expectations.

[Ding!]

"Hm?"

…As I stood marveling at Celberion’s—no, my—abilities for dispatching three monsters in mere seconds, a blue hologram screen suddenly materialized before my gleaming red eyes.

[Monster Defeated!]
You have defeated C-grade monster "Troll (LV:180) × 3"!
Reward: C-grade Magic Stone × 3

"Ah."

It was the monster defeat notification. The tiny text filling the blue screen confirmed that I had indeed one-shotted the trolls and listed the items they dropped upon death.

"So the item drop system still works…"

I had assumed that with the boundary between virtual and reality shattered, slaying monsters would yield no rewards. Yet, as if mocking my shortsightedness, the trolls’ corpses dropped items right before my eyes.

"…"

I dismissed the hologram and carefully picked up the three purple stones glinting amid the trolls’ grisly remains.

These stones, unlike anything found in reality, shimmered beautifully under the clear sunlight.

"Magic stones…"

They were none other than magic stones—the cores of monsters.

Magic stones are guaranteed drops upon defeating a monster in Season Off Fantasy, with higher-grade foes yielding larger, higher-quality stones proportional to their rank.

In the game, they were essential for crafting weapons and accessories, making them indispensable items in Season Off Fantasy.

Traded at wildly varying prices in the player market, I suddenly wondered how these stones would be valued in reality.

"Hmm…"

If the mysterious magical power within them mirrored their in-game properties, they could revolutionize 21st-century Earth’s science.

When that day comes, their worth would surely skyrocket.

Though these were only C-grade—not particularly high-quality—keeping them seemed wise with the future in mind.

"…Let’s hold onto them as keepsakes."

Even if they don’t fetch a high price later, these are the magic stones from the first monsters I defeated as Celberion. That alone makes them worth preserving.

"Hm…"

After stowing the magic stones in my inventory, I recalled the Chains of Death and Frost, which had demolished both the trolls and the wall in a single strike. Still shaped as a greatsword with a crimson blade, it gleamed even more menacingly than before.

"…Something feels off."

Gazing at the radiant chains, I muttered flatly.

Though I’d experienced my first battle as Celberion, it hardly felt like a fight. I’d simply stood there and swung a basic attack once.

…To properly test my passives and skills, I’d need to hunt at least two or three more monsters.

"…Let’s take it slow and look for them."

I casually tossed the chains to hover around me and resumed walking. The skies above Seoul still teemed with hundreds—thousands—of glowing rifts, and countless monsters roamed the streets below.

In these early stages of the transformation event, encountering them would be as easy as lying down and eating rice cakes.

Plus, with my appearance concealed by the Dream Tiara—now transformed into a hoodie and mask—no one would recognize me as Celberion. If I wanted, I could keep hunting monsters and testing skills until evening.

"…"

I scanned the neighborhood again. Compared to the distant roars of monsters, this area was surprisingly quiet—likely because no rifts had opened directly overhead.

…Perhaps I should venture farther, even if it means running into soldiers or other players.

"Yeah, just to the next residential complex— …?!!"

— Kieeeeeeeeek!!

…Just as I resolved to step beyond my neighborhood, a monstrous cry tore through the sky, as if it could rip everything apart.

"What’s that?"

It was the loudest monster roar I’d heard since the transformation event began. Tilting my head, I immediately looked up.

— Kyaaaahh!!

"…"

Then, something massive enough to blot out the sunlight flapped its wings overhead before gracefully landing atop a nearby apartment building under reconstruction, not far from where I stood.

Perched elegantly on the ruins of a half-collapsed structure, reduced to steel beams, was a black, winged creature.

It spread its wings wide, as if flaunting its majesty, and let out another ear-splitting roar.

— Kieeeeeeeeek!!

I studied the beast closely.

"That’s…"

Enormous ebony wings, a single pointed horn atop its head reminiscent of a unicorn, and razor-sharp, sturdy teeth capable of crushing anything.

…It didn’t take long to recognize it as the Dark Wyvern, a mid-boss-tier monster from Season Off Fantasy.

"Dark Wyvern…"

Dark Wyvern.

Average level: 1500. Rating: A+. A top-tier monster, reigning near the pinnacle of the food chain—second only to stage bosses—a mid-boss in every sense.

With formidable strength and immense stamina, it’s an exceptionally difficult foe to defeat. Only those capable of handling it earn recognition as rankers.

— Kieeeeeeeeek!!

"…"

…This Dark Wyvern, an upgraded version of the regular Wyvern felled by the Destiny Guild in Asan, Chungnam, perched atop the apartment’s steel frame, roaring incessantly.

It seemed intent on intimidating the humans below into fearing it.

"Hmm…"

I scratched my chin as I observed it.

I vaguely recalled reading in the Season Off Fantasy community that defeating a boss-level monster closes one rift.

That means taking down this beast right in front of me would seal one of the rifts near my neighborhood.

Plus, a Dark Wyvern seemed like the perfect target to test Celberion’s passives and skills.

"…"

…Above all, this neighborhood—where I’d moved to escape after my business collapsed—had one of the lowest poverty rates. Most residents here likely couldn’t afford the expensive VR gear needed to play Season Off Fantasy.

In other words, in this impoverished area, I might be the only "transformer"—a player who’d become their in-game character. That meant no one else could deal with this Dark Wyvern.

Even the military might struggle against a creature dozens of times stronger than a Kobold. If I didn’t act, it was only a matter of time before this savage beast razed the neighborhood—including my rented room—to the ground.

…But if I took it down, I could test Celberion’s abilities, close a rift, and safeguard both my home and the neighborhood.

A triple win.

No matter how I looked at it, there was no reason to let this ferocious monster slip by.

"…Alright."

With a faint smile, I leaped high into the sky.