Everyone has probably thought at least once about how to make a game easier, or how to become a master at it.
Some call it effort, others call it investment.
But in the face of talent, all of that was nothing but empty words.
As with everything in life, in the end, it was all about ‘talent’.
Unfairness is reality, and reality is unfair.
Of course, even if you lack talent, there is one way to make the game easier.
Luck.
For example, in a card game, while some people never draw the “joker” card that could turn the tables until the very end, there are others who always draw the card they need when they want it.
Some people fight desperately as the pillar of their team, carrying the game all by themselves, only to end up losing in the end, while others simply stand still—or even become a burden to their team as the target of enemy attacks—yet somehow end up grabbing victory.
If luck is on your side, it is the most unfair factor that can fill the gap of talent.
So what if you have neither talent nor luck?
Heaven never seals off all exits; there is always a way out.
That way is money.
Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate, in the case of ASA it was possible to make up for the lack of talent with luck or money.
Just look at the job selection system.
There was a system in place that allowed you to reject your chosen job and select again.
Of course, that part was paid.
The first time, it was 50,000 won, then 100,000 won, the third re-selection cost 250,000 won, the fourth was 500,000 won, and after that, it was fixed at 1,000,000 won.
Even the price was steep, but the real problem was the probability.
Jobs were divided into Normal, Magic, Rare, Unique, and Legendary.
The probabilities were Normal 89.999999%, Magic 4%, Rare 3%, Unique 2%, Epic 1%, and Legendary at .000001%—the gap between Normal and Legendary was truly extreme.
What’s more, job selection didn’t end with character creation; you could acquire additional jobs at certain levels, and the amount of currency consumed for that was enough to make your jaw drop.
Some people even exaggerated and said the Main Theme of S5 wasn’t freedom, but “pay-to-win and luck-based.”
“I only heard about it, but this is really a luck-based × mess.”
Already four re-selections. Even after using up all the chances to change fate at a relatively cheap cost, not only had I not seen a Rare, I hadn’t even seen a Magic grade.
“If it’s Normal again this time, I’ll just create the character.”
I had plenty of money, more than enough, but I wasn’t foolish enough to overinvest in a hobby I didn’t even know how long I’d enjoy.
“So please, at least give me a Rare this time!”
Yeo Hyeon cried out desperately, stretching out his hand and touching the back of the card.
The card flipped over, shining as always, and Yeo Hyeon’s eyes lit up like lanterns.
“Oh my god.”
He didn’t know what job it was, but the card glowed gold, which meant Legendary grade.
In other words, it was the highest-grade job.
“Is this for real?”
Yeo Hyeon clenched his fists, waiting with desperate eyes for the card to reveal its face completely.
At last, the card radiated a blinding brilliance and revealed its magnificent front.
Yeo Hyeon, utterly stunned, stared at the front of the card and let out a small gasp.
“This is it.”
***
Efficiency for the price, or in short, cost-effectiveness.
Most people go crazy for good cost-effectiveness—if the price is the same, they want better quality; if the quality is the same, they prefer a lower price.
Of course, this concept of cost-effectiveness from real life can be applied to games as well.
For example, in other company’s AOS games, even skins of the same grade have different values, just like that.
ASA was the same.
Even among the same Normal grade, the “cost-effectiveness” varied greatly depending on the player’s preferences and play style.
This rule applied even to Legendary jobs.
But there are always exceptions, and the job Yeo Hyeon just drew, “Monster Pioneer,” was exactly that exception.
A job with overwhelming performance, unconstrained by concepts like preference or style.
As Yeo Hyeon gazed at the golden card with “Monster Pioneer” written on it, a smile crept onto his lips without him even realizing it.
“Heh heh…”
There are four basic job types in ASA.
The Tanker, who stands at the front, blocks monster attacks, and protects the party.
The Supporter, who heals and assists the Tanker.
And finally, the Magic Dealer and Melee Dealer, who pour out firepower on the monsters.
No matter how outstanding a job was, it was common to play according to these four roles.
To be precise, for efficiency’s sake, people would naturally “fit themselves” to a role.
But Monster Pioneer was a job that could break those “roles” depending on how you developed it.
If you wanted, you could be a Tanker, or a Supporter, or even a Dealer—an infinitely versatile job.
“Wilhelm proved that.”
Wilhelm Rothschild.
He was the first to obtain Monster Pioneer, and even though he started ASA late, in 2038, he grew to rank in the top 50 of the integrated rankings within just a year, becoming a superstar player.
Wilhelm once said this in an interview.
-I was talented, but if my first job hadn’t been Monster Pioneer, I wouldn’t have made it either.
Being able to fill every position alone meant you didn’t need to party up, and that naturally led to overwhelming differences in growth.
As a side note, there’s even a story that a mid-sized company president, who later jumped into the ASA business, deleted his previous character ranked in the top 1,000 and spent about three billion won on draws just to get Monster Pioneer—the job’s reputation was that great.
“To get such a job in just five tries…”
It was an ultra-jackpot, beyond just a jackpot.
[Congratulations! Dahav-nim has obtained a Legendary grade]
Yeo Hyeon, as if he didn’t need to hear any more, said,
“I’ll accept my fate.”
[From now on, Dahav-nim will pioneer civilization as a Monster Pioneer.]
[We hope this is the fate you wished for.]
[Special Stat has been unlocked.]
[You have acquired a job skill.]
—
[Dahav]
- Level: 1
- Race: Human
- Job: Monster Pioneer
- Status: Strength 10 / Agility 10 / Stamina 10 / Willpower 10
- HP: 100
- MP: 100
- Special Stat: Dexterity 5 / Leadership 10
- Owned Active Skills
- Rebirth Lv. 1
You can sew together the corpses of Monsters to create or modify Ghouls, and you can command the Ghouls you create.
You can command up to 2 Ghouls.
- Morgue dimension Lv. 1
You can store up to 2 summoned creatures in the storage.
—
As soon as the Legendary job slot was filled, an uncontrollable smile spread across his face.
[Dahav-nim, please select the starting point where your fate will be recorded.]
Yeo Hyeon hesitated, unable to speak right away.
He had only planned to enjoy this as a light hobby, but he’d gotten a job far beyond his expectations.
“If it’s Monster Pioneer…”
Even for a hobby, it was worth investing a little more money.
And if he was going to spend money, he wanted to use it efficiently.
“Assuming I’m going to spend money, which starting village should I go to…”
In his past life as Baek Jun-su, he often watched ASA streaming on I-tube during his leisure time.
There, watching Rankers’ training streams and past highlights, he’d grown his admiration and longing for S5, and that now became a huge help.
“To Eren Port.”
[You have selected Eren Port.]
[Wishing you good fortune in your new fate, Dahav-nim!]
With the message window, Yeo Hyeon—no, Dahav’s spirit—was wrapped in a beam of light and soon disappeared.
***
For those playing ASA for the first time, the image of a city they imagined was usually similar.
Knights in armor moving with discipline, or scenes of giant flying Monsters soaring through the sky, letting out fierce roars.
Of course, there were cities like that, just as the public expected, but here, there was nothing.
No minstrels performing at grand fountains, no merchants hawking their wares nearby, not even users shouting to recruit for Quests or hunting parties—nothing.
The only thing filling the starting plaza was a bleakness unworthy of being called a city.
It was only natural.
First-sight kill.
That was Eren Port’s other name.
If a Beginner happened to choose Eren Port as their starting village, it was said that unless you got a Rare grade job, it was better to just delete your character and start over, even if it cost money.
The reason was simple—the nearby Monsters were Goblins.
Compared to other cities, where the nearby Monsters were wild boars or deer, the difficulty here was quite high.
That’s why, not knowing any better, the expressions of players in brown leather beginner outfits who chose Eren Port were gloomy beyond words.
“Are Goblins really this strong? Come on, going down to near-death in just a few hits is too much!”
“In movies or novels, Goblins are the weakest of the weak!”
“I thought I was lucky getting the job I wanted in just two tries… but now I’m about to lose another 250,000 won on a re-selection. Damn it!”
“Sigh, for me it’s the fourth time, so I’m about to lose 500,000 won. Since we met like this, want to be friends?”
“Sure. Let’s meet again in Ritten Village after we re-create our characters.”
With those final words, the two Beginners vanished in a flash of white light.
Dahav watched this scene, but showed no sign of surprise.
“It’s just like I saw in the videos on my commute.”
He had intentionally come to Eren Port, having made up his mind to invest to some degree.
“Now then…”
While he was organizing his plans in his head, a man with a muscular body painted white approached and poke.
“Welcome to Eren Port! I am Alkas, the Beginner Instructor who teaches newcomers like you. Are you ready to begin your training?”
- Alkas’s Beginner’s Training
- Rank: Tutorial
- Quest Details: Complete Beginner Instructor Alkas’s Beginner’s Training.
- Reward for completion: 500 experience
Dahav waved his hand, declining.
“I don’t need training, I’d like to jump straight into the field.”
“Think carefully, you reckless stranger. Eren Port is a fortress for Monsters in the mountains! Without training, you’re highly likely to die. Are you sure you don’t want training?”
Alkas asked again, but Dahav’s attitude didn’t change.
“It’s fine, I am already a trained warrior. If you wish, I can prove my qualifications to you.”
At Dahav’s suggestion, curiosity and a smile appeared on Alkas’s face.
“Hmm! It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a bold friend! Very well. Then prove that your words are not mere bravado. Go to the outer east gate, hunt Goblins, and bring me 10 of their hides—I’ll acknowledge you then.”
- Reckless Adventurer’s Training
- Rank: F
- Quest Details: Hunt Goblins living outside the eastern gate and collect 10 Goblin hides to prove your courage to Alkas.
- Reward for completion: 2,000 experience, Alkas Affinity +5, unlocks the linked Quest ‘Eren Port’s Threat’
“It’s really happening just like in the videos!”
He remembered the days when, even while working, he couldn’t help but imagine these scenes after watching strategy videos.
Those actions were not meaningless.
It was only the beginning, but he already felt the excitement and thrill of a Ranker player coursing through his body.
Lost in that feeling, Dahav didn’t answer right away, so Alkas misunderstood and spoke.
“Why are you frozen? Are you scared now that it’s come to this?”
Worried that he might take back the Quest, Dahav quickly accepted.
“No, please leave it to me.”
“I hope your skills are as impressive as your courage.”
[You have accepted the ‘Reckless Adventurer’s Training’ Quest.]
“You won’t be disappointed.”
Contrary to the confidence with which he accepted the Quest, Dahav’s steps were not heading to the Goblin habitat outside the east gate.