"Hey, hey, where's my tutorial rewards?"
Gerard looked blankly at the player who was currently shouting at him. Even though he could clearly hear what the guy was saying, he couldn't register it as his mind was in turmoil.
'Something is strange.'
He turned to look around, noticing that he was in some sort of abandoned village where he was the only person living in this place. He had been here many times, but this was the first time he truly saw where he was. It was difficult to explain.
"Something's really off," Gerard said to himself causing the player in front of him to frown.
"What the heck is this NPC talking about!? Just give me my rewards!"
The player barked, gripping a wooden sword as his face twisted in rage. Gerard looked at the player, his eyes filled with curiousity. He had met many players in this area, but this is the first time he understood what they were saying.
'No, I don't think it's that simple.'
Gerard just couldn't understand what was happening. It was as though he gained clarity, seeing the true world before him like he was blind in the past. It was a weird feeling, something which he couldn't explain even if racked his head to get ideas.
"It feels as though I'm living or something," Gegard mumbled, then his eyes suddenly lit up. 'Living?'
'That looks right, I'm living. But aren't we supposed to live? I'm already alive before, why would I think I'm living now? Maybe I'm not truly alive and now I gained life? I don't understand.'
Gerard scratched his head in confusion. He couldn't wrap in his mind what in the world is this situation. He had never experienced this, despite helping countless number of players and giving them newbie rewards after completing the tutorial.
'Wait, that's right. I'm supposed to help them, aren't I?'
Gerard turned his gaze at the player who kept cursing under his breath with a face so grim as though he's boiling some murderous plan.
He finally remember his purpose. Ever since the first time he opened his eyes, something was controlling him. It compelled him to help the players in this so-called tutorial area, guiding them and giving them newbie rewards like wooden sword and leather armor. Luckier players even get 3X inferior healing potion.
'My whole purpose…was I supposed to follow it? Now it feels I got my freedom, and I can do whatever I want.'
Gerard rose his hand, looking at it. He could feel it. The freedom. The fact that he can move his hand without any force restricting him to. He could think and conjure imagination which he previously didn't have the capability to do so.
"I'm alive," Gerard muttered, his voice trembling with excitement and uncertainty. Excited because he now have a freedom. Uncertain because he didn't know what to do, or if he was truly a free man.
When the player heard what Gerard said, his face turned even darker. "Oi, the fuck you mean you're alive? I already finished the tutorial, hurry up and give me my rewards so that I can transfer to the main server now!"
"Uh, oh…" Gerard's expression froze as he stammered, scrambling to do something but he didn't know how to. In the past, whenever these creatures called player finished the tutorial, he gives them reward through unknown method. In fact, he was not the one who really gave them the rewards, but the mysterious force acting behind him. And now, it seems that the mysterious force was not doing it.
"M-maybe, you still haven't finished yet?"
"The fuck are you even spouting!?" The player raged. "I clearly killed 10 Goblins and collected 5 units of Red Spirit Grass. That's the requirement for completing the tutorial!"
"R-really?" Gerard raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised. Now it was extremely awkward. He didn't have any idea what to do after this.
'Having freedom got its own disadvantage, I suppose.'
"How the heck are you even interacting with me?" the player asked, finally realizing the situation. It's not possible at all for a tutorial NPC to naturally interact with him. He had heard that the NPCs in-game got artificial intelligence which made it possible for them to interact with the players and even have a chat. But he had never heard the tutorial NPC having the same capability.
"I…don't know?" Gerard said bitterly.
Keeping silent for a moment, he still don't know what to say or what to do. Gerard looked at the player, looking clearly impatient as he tapped the ground with his foot rhythmically.
Gerard was about to open his mouth when a sound entered his ears.
[Ding!]
Gerard's eye widened and jumped out of his position, looking around him frantically as he drew out his wooden sword.
[You have successfully completed the tutorial mission.]
"What?" Gerard was feeling incredibly strange as he realized the sound was not produced by anyone. Instead, it came from his mind.
Suddenly, a transparent blue panel materialized in front of him.
[For completing the mission, you are granted with several rewards:
163,297× Wooden Sword
163,297× Leather Armor
186,100× Inferior Healing Potion]
Gerard looked at it in shock when he saw he panel. Never in his entire existence had he experience this kind of thing. And those numbers…it's so ridiculous. But the number of those was extremely familiar. Isn't this…the number of players he guided in the tutorial area? He could remember everything clearly, though he didn't understand why.
'Then what about the Inferior Healing Potion? Why are their number more than the other two items?'
Thinking about it further, he finally understood. It is because in some cases, players get 3X Inferior Healing Potion. That's for the lucky ones.
"Wait, does that mean I got all the rewards the player acquired when they completed the tutorial?" Gerard mumbled after realizing this fact.
Then Gerard looked at the panel again and noticed that the texts completely changed.
[Since you have completed the tutorial, would you like to transfer to the main world?]
"Yes…?" Gerard blurted out uncertainty. Suddenly, he felt his body became lighter and then he suddenly disappeared, leaving behind dust and the stunned player.
The player looked at the empty space with disbelief as he muttered, "My tutorial got a bugged NPC…"