He felt the cold scales of the snake coil around his shoulders, tightening slightly as if sensing his confusion. He looked around, trying to make sense of the bizarre scene before him. The creatures. He had seen them before, in the pages of his favorite novel.
Min-beom recognized the shapes and colors of the hologram barriers that surrounded them, each one indicating a different level of difficulty and reward. He knew they were part of a game, a deadly and thrilling game that he had only imagined in his mind.
But how did he end up here?
"Master! Master! Can you hear us!?"
A shrill voice pierced his ears, making him flinch. He turned his head and saw a small indigo creature hovering in the air, its wings flapping gently.
It had the body of a lizard, but the face of a dragon. It was one of the dragon companions, rare and powerful allies to their chosen masters. But why was it calling him master?
"W-what?"
He gasped, his voice muffled by the mask that covered his mouth and nose. The snake and the dragon could only hear a faint mumbling, as the white snake hissed softly in his ear.
"Master… Did you hit your head that hard?" The snake asked, sounding worried.
'What the hell is going on?'
He wondered, as he shook his head in disbelief. He slapped his cheek, hoping to wake up from this nightmare or hallucination. The creatures watched him with puzzled and amused expressions.
Suddenly, an orange hologram screen popped up in front of him. Min-beom squinted his eyes, trying to read the text.
[Myung-mi and Bora thinks you're acting weird.]
'Myung-mi… and Bora?'
He repeated in his mind, as he searched his memory for their names. He felt a jolt of recognition, as he realized where he had heard them before.
'From the novel!?' He felt his heart race as the screen vanished, leaving him with a startling revelation. The city, the creatures, the holograms and him.
Was he really someone he barely knew or cared about?
Min-beom recalled Myung-mi[dragon] addressing him as "Merchant" before. His eyes widened in horror and bewilderment, as he looked at his reflection on a nearby broken window. He didn't resemble the protagonist or any of the main characters.
He was the Merchant. The mysterious merchant who had no name or backstory.
He was the minor character of the story.
'Should I be even proud that I was in my favorite novel?'
He sighed, wondering if he should feel lucky or cursed to be in his favorite novel. He got up from the ground with a grunt and a slight throbbing in his head. He felt dizzy and weak, as if he had just survived a fall from a great height.
"Master?" The snake, Bora asked and hissed softly, gazing at him with concern.
"You're acting weird, Master." Myung-mi said as he eyed him with curiosity and suspicion while flying in the air.
"Uh… When did the apocalypse start?" Min-beom blurted out, making the two creatures even more baffled than before. Myung-mi and Bora shared glances before shifting their gazes back to him.
"It started a week ago, Master…" Bora replied with a puzzled voice.
'A week ago?'
Min-beom tried to figure out how to access his attribute screen as he moved his hand, but nothing happened. He let out an annoyed sigh as the two creatures observed him with confusion growing in them.
He decided to close his eyes, picturing a hologram screen in front of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw a hologram screen appear in front of him, as he scanned his stats.
[Name: ??? (Nameless Merchant)] [PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME HERE.]
[Age: 24] - [Level 10] - [Rank E] - [Class: Merchant]
[Vision: None] - [Abilities: Trading Mystery [Lvl. 1], Swordsmanship Skill [Lvl. 1], Merchant's Interest [Lvl. 1 MAX].]
[Companions: The Indigo Dragon, The White Snake.] - [Weapon: Common Sword.] - [Eidolon: Not activated yet.]
[Guild: None.] - [Stats: Stamina [Lvl. 1], Health [Lvl. 2], Defense [Lvl. 2], Speed [Lvl. 1].]
'He really has no name and no eidolons. Huh.'
'Odd. Not to mention, he's weak as f*ck.'
Min-beom dismissed the screen as he realized that he was too weak. He had thought that this minor character was around Rank A, but it turned out that he was pretty weak but mysterious.
He remembered that there were different classes like; Class Hunter or Class Warrior or even Class Mage. Min-beom had hoped that if he was inside this novel which he is now, he would be Class Hunter but was assigned to be Class Merchant instead due to the character he's inhabiting.
CLASSES:
Classes are specializations that characters can choose to enhance their abilities and skills. There are many types of classes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as unique skills and weapons. Such as:
Class Warrior, Class Mage, Class Healer, Class Rogue, Class Bard, Class Hunter, Class Alchemist, Class Enchanter, Class Gambler and lastly... Class Merchant.
'Damn... If only I was Class Hunter...'
He muttered as he lowered his hood, the creatures shielded their eyes so fast that he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Uh… Why are you guys looking away? Is there something on my face?" He asked, puzzled and worried.
"M-Master! You told us to never look at you when your hood is down or you're not wearing any mask!" Bora said as she hissed softly.
'Eh?'
Min-beom stood there, trying to understand. 'Why would this character do that?' He thought to himself.
'This cloak is too heavy… It's so hot.' He let out a sigh as he took off his mask, the creatures still avoiding his gaze.
"You two can look now." He ordered as they look back at him with shock. "W-wow, master- You look-"
"Yes, I know. I'm handsome." Min-beom cut off Myung-mi with a confident smile.
"No… I was going to say, you look ugly." Myung-mi said flatly as he flew in the air, looking at him. Bora hissed softly.
"I agree with him. I was expecting you to look handsome."
Bora said as she slithered down the ground, hissing softly.
"You- You guys are mean…" Min-beom sighed with a hint of hurt.
"We're just being honest."
Min-beom felt a bit sad by the comments but he didn't care, he had been insecure for a long time now. He put down the bag on his back as the two creatures watched him with interest.
He opened the bag and took out some clothes, searching for some clothes that would suit him.
'Ugh… I hate this cloak, I need to change.'
He picked out some clothes that matched his taste as he closed the bag.
"Is there somewhere I can change? I can't just change my clothes in the middle of the street…"
He asked, scanning their surroundings. Bora looked around as Myung-mi pointed at the dark alley.
"Why don't you change in there?"
He said as Min-beom looked at the dark alley, it was misty and had a spooky atmosphere that made him shiver.
'Really…?'
He sighed, knowing he had no other option but to go and change there if he didn't want to be in a sticky cloak. He walked towards the dark alley as the creatures followed him in.
When they reached the dark alley, he turned around and faced the two creatures.
"Just cover or hide me from passersby…"
He said as he removed his cloak, the two creatures quickly made a temporary brick wall as he changed, he took off his shoes, pants and shirt that smelled like spoiled food like this character hadn't showered for days.
After a few minutes, he was done changing. He wore a black coat, a white t-shirt, black pants with belt stripes, black boots and small chains on his hip. He looked more confident than before.
"You changed your style, Master?" Bora hissed softly as she slithered up to him and coiled around his shoulders then hissed softly, sticking out her tongue.
"Yes… It wasn't very comfortable for me." He laughed nervously as he sniffed himself, he smelled like rotten tomatoes and eggs. "I have a pretty bad hygiene…"
Min-beom said as he facepalmed, 'who would have thought that this character didn't take baths?' Bora nodded and Myung-mi did the same.
"Indeed, you have a pretty bad hygiene." Myung-mi said as he flew over to the temporary brick wall and dissolved it.
Min-beom opened his attribute screen and tapped the name, he entered his own name into the space. [Chun Min-beom] He typed and then confirmed it. He stared at the holographic screen in front of him, seeing his low rank and level.
He let out a sigh and then flashed a smile.
'I should level myself up.'
He put his hand on his hip, striking a confident pose. Myung-mi and Bora looked at him in confusion, wondering if he had gone crazy after hitting his head on the ground.
Suddenly, a screen popped up out of nowhere as he looked down at it. His ember eyes widened in shock and surprise as he read the text.
[Visionary Broadcast is now streaming!]