"I've read enough manhwas to know what this is. I'll win this…" Matthew declared with misplaced confidence. He backed away as the timer hit [zero]—only to take a fist square to the face. The system had said dodge, not back away.
New words flashed in the glowing triangle:
[I SAID DODGE, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!]
"Ugh…" Matthew groaned as he collapsed to the ground, pain radiating through his face. It was the first time in his life he'd ever been punched.
"Get up, you fucking manwhore!" the ginger man shouted, towering over him.
"THAT'S IT, ERTHAN!" the crowd roared. Only then did Matthew realize something critical: he wasn't Erthan. The ginger guy was.
"C'mon, Erthan, that's enough! That's my slave you're messing with. If you injure him, you'll owe me a fortune!" a new voice called out from the crowd.
"Eric, just the man I wanted to see," Erthan growled, turning to face him. "When you said he provides services for a low cost, you failed to mention that cost would be my brother's marriage!"
"Wait… Erthan…Eric… ruined marriage… slave…" Matthew's thoughts scrambled as he pieced the situation together. His eyes widened in horror. "No! I know where I am! This is that shitty story!"
The realization hit him like another punch to the face. "That means I'm—"
"Elliott!" Erthan snarled, cutting through Matthew's spiraling thoughts. "Tell me, was it worth it? Sleeping with my sister-in-law after I gave you work?"
Panic surged through Matthew as he realized where this was going. I know what happens next, he thought, his mind racing. He grabs me by the hair and beats me to death. Then Eric—the main character's father—has his farming grounds seized by Erthan's father, the Earl.
"TELL ME!" Erthan bellowed, his voice shaking the air. Without waiting for an answer, he drove his boot into Matthew's stomach.
"Ugh…" Matthew groaned, doubling over in pain.
Through the haze, his eyes caught sight of the glowing purple triangle hovering near the ground. New words flashed across it in bold, unrelenting text:
[First Quest: Change the Story!]
[First Objective: Win against the Earl's son.]
[Reward: Answers.]
[Penalty: Death.]
"How am I supposed to win against a Viking?" Matthew muttered to himself, his mind racing.
The glowing text shifted:
[First Hint: Sucker punch this bitch as he pulls your hair.]
Matthew stared at the words, dumbfounded. "For that to happen, I have to get him to grab my hair…" he realized. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm about to say this."
He looked up at Erthan, his stomach still aching from the kick, and forced a grin.
"Totally worth it," Matthew finally said, mimicking Elliott's lines from the novel with perfect accuracy. "You haven't seen her move. Oh wait—you did. You caught us in the act, didn't you? Act Three, if I remember correctly."
The crowd gasped, and Erthan's face twisted with rage, just as it had in the book. Right on cue, he lunged at Matthew, grabbing him by the hair and yanking him upright.
This is it, Matthew thought. In the novel, this is when Elliott gets pummeled to death. But not this time.
As Erthan prepared to wail on him, Matthew mustered every ounce of nerve he had. "Now or never," he muttered under his breath.
With all his might, Matthew swung his fist upward, delivering a sucker punch directly to Erthan's family jewels.
"ARGH!" Erthan let out a guttural scream, collapsing to his knees as the crowd gasped in shock.
A notification popped up in the purple triangle:
[+100 EXP]
[Quest Progress: 50%]
Matthew stumbled backward, adrenaline coursing through his veins. "I can't believe that actually worked…"
The glowing triangle appeared again, displaying a shorter, exasperated message:
[SUCKER PUNCH HIM IN THE FACE, NOT IN THE PEN— never mind.]
Matthew blinked at the words, then shrugged. "Eh, same thing," he muttered.
Fueled by a surge of confidence—or stupidity—he sprang to his feet. Without hesitation, he leapt onto Erthan, sending them both crashing to the ground. This time, Matthew landed on top.
For a brief moment, the crowd fell silent, shocked at the unexpected turn of events. Matthew's hands shook as he clenched his fists, staring down at Erthan's stunned expression.
"Stay down, you ginger bastard!" Matthew barked, trying to sound intimidating, though his voice cracked at the end.
Erthan growled, his fury rekindling as he began to struggle beneath him. Matthew panicked, raising his fist high and slamming it down with all his might.
[CRITICAL HIT! +50 EXP] flashed briefly in the triangle.
"Holy crap," Matthew breathed, shaking out his sore knuckles. Maybe I can actually pull this off.
That moment of triumph was short-lived. Before he could savor it, a powerful boot slammed into his chest, knocking the air out of him.
Matthew hit the ground hard, coughing and gasping for breath. As he looked up, his eyes widened in horror. Standing over him was another Viking—a towering man with broad shoulders, a thick beard, and an expression that could freeze the sun.
"Oh no," Matthew wheezed, clutching his chest. "The husband…"
Before he could think of a way out, the glowing triangle reappeared, hovering above him. A new set of words shimmered into view:
[First Quest Completed.]
[Second Quest Initiated.]