"Ah, my head..."
I felt a throbbing pain in my head from this incomprehensible situation.
I remembered pressing the character creation button for single-player mode.
Then, suddenly, like anemia hitting me, my vision went black.
When I came to, I was here.
When I opened my eyes in the carriage, I thought it was just a dream.
The feeling wasn't much different now.
Except...
"My feet hurt."
The gravel kept stabbing at my soles, which was getting on my nerves.
Pain I wouldn't feel in a dream.
"And this place... it feels familiar."
The miscellaneous goods shops scattered here and there. Weapon and armor stores... and far in the center of the city, a massive cave gaping open its maw.
The entrance to the Underground Labyrinth Dungeon.
The scenery I'd seen hundreds, thousands of times through my monitor was now unfolding before me in reality.
This wasn't a dream.
That meant the first thing I had to do was decided.
"Status Window."
As expected!
At my words, a translucent window floated up like a hologram before my eyes.
It seemed visible only to me, as passersby paid no attention to it.
Status Window『 Rain Astria 』
— Direct descendant of a fallen magic family
— Level: 1
— Class: Mage
— Magic Circle: 1st Circle
— Strength: 8
— Agility: 9
— Vitality: 7
— Magic Power: 14
[Possessed Magic: None]
"..."
My stats were utterly abysmal.
Still, thanks to my lineage from a renowned magic family, my Magic Power stood out high.
Normal beginners had stats around 10.
Mine was 14 in Magic Power.
Perfect for a mage.
Next, I checked the Status Window menus.
[Equipment] [Inventory] [Shop]
The equipment and inventory slots were empty.
Natural, since I'd just started.
When I tried putting the ointment in my right hand and the bandage pouch inside, they were already in the inventory.
Taking them out worked with just a thought too.
"Convenient."
That said, this was just a type of subspatial pouch that others had too.
They were even sold in town, and buying a better one expanded the internal slots.
My current inventory had 5 slots.
Two of them horizontally were now taken by the pouch containing the ointment and bandages.
Seemed slots adjusted based on size.
I checked the other menus next.
[Shop]
The shop from the game Another World, usable with cash.
It mainly sold gacha pulls, and on special days, package items.
All with paid currency, of course.
I tapped the shop without much thought.
⚙ System Notification ⚙[Welcome to the Cash Shop!]
[Held Cash: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000]
"..."
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again.
The number wasn't wrong.
One zero, two, three...
Units, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands...
Hundred millions.
Trillions.
Quadrillions.
Ten quadrillions.
Hundred quadrillions.
"...100 quadrillion?"
No, 1 quintillion.
Before that dizzying number, I even forgot how to count.
My heart started pounding like mad.
A glitch?
Or compensation for bringing me to this world?
Only then did I recall what happened before I blacked out.
[!] Response to your inquiry has arrived.
— Dear Rain, thank you for playing the game. Your inquiry has been positively reviewed and finally approved...
The vague reply to my inquiry I'd glimpsed.
They'd actually granted it—paid currency piled up to 1 quintillion.
With trembling hands, I began scanning the shop categories.
『 1st Circle Shop 』
— Locked
— Unlocks after completing all basic training.
"Basic training?"
All shop functions were locked.
My magic attainment was 1st Circle, yet even the 1st Circle Shop was locked.
Basic training was like a tutorial—had to finish it to use the shop.
Higher circle shops were naturally locked too.
Those would unlock by raising my magic attainment.
"Guess I'll head there right away."
I knew where basic training took place.
It was held all at once at the city hall on the outskirts of Labyrinth City.
No reason to hesitate, so I moved.
"Hm?"
There were already six people gathered in front of the city hall.
All sitting in the provided chairs, waiting for training to start.
Unfamiliar faces, but the emblems on their chests were ones I recognized.
'...All from fallen families.'
Emblems of fallen families that appeared while playing the game.
Even ones from character creation.
"Hm? New face. You here for basic training too?"
The Training Captain at the city hall entrance spotted me and spoke up.
"Yes."
"Then fill this out first."
The Training Captain handed me a paper for basic personal info.
At the top, it boldly read "Basic Training Application."
"You're lucky. Basic training's only once a week. Arrived tomorrow, and you'd wait six days flat."
As I filled out the application, he gave a simple rundown beside me.
All stuff I knew, so I didn't focus much.
"Basic training's free, but only once. Ah, don't take 'free' lightly. Ends with a simple test—if you score well, they even provide free lodging."
The Training Captain kept emphasizing "free."
Truth was, they didn't skimp support on beginners here.
With the Underground Labyrinth Dungeon smack in the city center.
Considering how many died there, every person mattered.
Strictly speaking, though... there was calculation involved.
Magic crystals from dungeon delves.
The city bought them back cheaper than market price.
You could leave without selling, but couldn't take out more than a set amount.
Hide in inventory? Had limits too.
'Something like 30% cheaper than kingdom rates.'
Most income from Underground Labyrinth Dungeon runs came from magic crystals.
So, like a 30% tax.
The free services were investments for the future.
"All done."
"Good. Sit over there. Starting soon."
After submitting, he pointed to an empty seat.
I sat and waited a bit, then basic training began.
"Alright, let's start. I'm Training Captain Kyle, in charge of basic training."
The Training Captain wheeled over a wooden bulletin board.
It was covered in dense writing.
"Training covers three things. First, our city's history. Anyone know why Labyrinth City was built?"
No replies, but he continued smoothly, like he was used to it.
"This is a neutral zone built jointly by the kingdom and empire. Saw the broken golem piles at the city entrance? Those guarded the original dungeon entrance."
The Training Captain pointed to the city entrance behind.
"The joint investigation team that toppled the golems started probing the dungeon but judged it endless and too dangerous, so they pulled out. After years of surveys, both nations officially halted dungeon exploration. Now it's left as a neutral zone for anyone to enter."
He pulled out a seal from his pocket.
Half kingdom emblem, half empire—the flag of Labyrinth City.
"This marks the neutral zone. City's flag too—remember it. Next..."
The Training Captain peeled off one paper from the board.
"Dungeon traits. Approach the Underground Labyrinth Dungeon entrance in the city center, and a gate greets you. Enter, and you're inside. But 1st Floor drop points are random, so if with a party, better regroup there."
The Underground Labyrinth was ridiculously vast.
Even after tens of thousands explored, not all of 1st Floor mapped.
Indeed, tons of hidden spots—in the online game, treasure chests respawned at points every set time.
Fierce competition, so I rarely got them... but rewards matched boss drops for that floor.
If heading to the dungeon, hunting those first sounded good.
"Now lastly, dungeon precautions. There'll be a simple test after, so pay attention. What you hear today might save your life."
The Training Captain covered plenty. Mostly 1st Floor warnings—monster types, traits, weaknesses. Useful stuff.
All known to me, so it washed over.
"Alright, that ends basic training... time for the test. Score well, get free lodging rental. Do your best."
He handed out wooden slates, one each.
Five questions total.
All on 1st Floor monsters he'd explained.
"All done."
"...Already? Once submitted, no changes."
"It's fine."
"Alright then... sit tight."
Submitted right away, and the Training Captain seemed a bit miffed.
Guessed he thought I skimmed it after his hard explanations.
No helping it. Knew all answers—no reason to dawdle.
More importantly now...
'Hurry up and end...!'
Leaning back in my chair, I opened the Status Window and the shop.
⚙ System Notification ⚙[Welcome to the Cash Shop!]
[Held Cash: 1,000,000,000,000,000,000]
1 quintillion held cash.
Destructive number no matter how you sliced it.
Finish this basic training, and shops unlock—hard to wait.
"All submitted? I'll grade and be back."
Once everyone turned in, the Training Captain went inside the city hall to grade.
Waited a moment, then he returned to announce results.
"Who's Rain?"
"Me."
"Ah... you? Congrats, perfect score."
The Training Captain smiled and handed something over.
Looked like a lodging key.
"Here. Free for a week. After, find your own place—or come back if broke."
"Yes, thank you."
"Next... Elana. Congrats, perfect score too."
Questions weren't hard, so most got perfects.
"That wraps basic training. Want intermediate? Find me. Paid, but worth it."
With the Training Captain's final words, I headed to my assigned lodging.