Chapter 1: Experts Don’t Blame Their Equipment (1)
7un6It’s been almost a year since I was thrown into the game.T7n
hlrWcE‘Miracle Blessing M.’C4ewT
lZYjqA mass-produced mobile game that doesn’t need much of an introduction.sHR
W0V44A typical mobile game that can be summed up in one phrase: a standard pay-to-win model with an auto-hunting system. The kind of game you’d expect to be ranked somewhere between 5th and 10th on the app store.31zWwS
G7hFUBThere wasn’t much of a story.6pAWTE
9K2zMSo, why did I start playing this game? Simply because the design of one of the female characters appealed to me. I never expected to end up immersed in a game I had picked up just to kill some time.8BUVxW
13WWAVlIt wasn’t as if I played it extensively or spent an obscene amount of money to get a special package, so why should I be stuck here? I complained for half a year. Now, I’ve somewhat adjusted and live a satisfying daily life.L4NDY7e
96pSTwBI’ll say it again: I didn’t become a character in the game; I became someone inside the game.NE6Rn
h06TbA background character, worse than any NPC. That’s exactly where I stand.pUS
GYmGkIn this world, my name is Kang Geom-Ma.0vMrIw
T55dPI know exactly where this peculiar name comes from. It automatically makes you think of the phrase, “How dare a woman talk back?”tXmuOG
xuQXaPhI laughed when I first heard it.HXg
syjThey used the character “Geom” (검), meaning “sword,” and the character “Ma” (마), meaning “demon,” to form the name Kang Geom-Ma.
[1]Y7jE
ZKIO6EI wanted to get rid of the name immediately, like resetting a nickname. But in this world, my father spent a hefty sum of money at a naming house to get it. Here, there’s a strange belief that the lower your name’s status, the longer your life will be.vajR
MnQm… I want to change my name, but there’s this pointless rule that minors need their guardian’s consent, so I have to live with this name until I become an adult.4UCFlos
4htAnyway, aside from this small flaw in my name, I could more or less live a bearable life.FLr
sGXWe weren’t exactly middle-class, but we lived comfortably without any shortages. And, fortunately for me, *Miracle Blessing M* was set in Korea. That helped narrow the gap between the world I used to live in and this one. The names, locations, and geography were almost identical, with only slight differences in one or two characters.1reW1S
n02NJhThanks to that, I could live the life of a teenager born with a mere spoon in his mouth.0Ym
3RjoBack on Earth, my family went bankrupt when I was in high school, so I spent my youth washing dishes and cleaning in a local Japanese restaurant. Just being able to eat hot stew and rice three times a day made me feel blessed.BOvRZfD
ysvzydA year went by like that. Just as I was starting to forget that this world was a game, an envelope arrived at my house, as if to remind me: “Hey, this isn’t real.”1kpT5
7blUIt was an acceptance letter from Joaquín Academy.Xr256p
gOc5y2p== ==Tic
BsVfPHAcceptance LetterIht
cDtExam Number: 4982-AwtI
ewXwOldFull Name: Kang Geom-MaCkyrFF
zK8DThe individual mentioned above has been admitted to Joaquín Academy for the year 2034. Please report on the following day:lOV
ruTMp1. Date: April 17, 2034, at 09:00VEs
y832. Location: Joaquín Academy’s Main AuditoriumCgnLapm
gIv3. Items: Your own weapons and belongingsZlags
hWoSs== ==f1Z
CNMw“Oh my God! Look at this, honey!”14u
F3Ge“Ha, ha, ha! Geom-Ma, you’re the pride of the Kang family! Your name has brought you luck. We’re so proud of you, son!”2bzDCs4
fZKHMy parents congratulated me enthusiastically on my admission. I almost had to beg them not to go to our ancestral village to slaughter a pig in celebration. Also, did our lineage really come from thieves?6g36X6z
3b48“…Huff.”l5jCG6
3P8XI let out a long sigh. As the enrollment day drew closer, my face was full of concern.8yrcA
FEFmNbMy modest plan to live a quiet life as part of a lower-middle-class family had been shattered. Damn it.gSg
ifLiY8M“How the hell did that bastard Kang Geom-Ma pass the exam?”uzq742
eclHere’s the situation: before I took his place, Kang Geom-Ma had manifested a blessing and passed Joaquín Academy’s entrance exam.dJ4ado
RXd8uhBlessings were typically hereditary. Families of renowned heroes arranged marriages to consolidate their power, and from these unions came Joaquín Academy—a school reserved only for the elite, where the children of these families evaluated each other and formed future alliances.4nGZ
ktUcrlQNaturally, many students from other academies entered already bearing blessings, and I wasn’t a remarkable exception.eO6Oo
5nBA5MThose who didn’t come from heroic families settled for entering as “merit” students.9TbfE1
DhKKqHonestly, even at this point, while packing my things, I kept wondering how Kang Geom-Ma had gotten in.yx903mW
4cDHad he done well on the written exam? Thanks to him, I was now forced to live as a student, something I had never planned for.t1oXcs
2SC30“Blessing, huh…”WYai
S6yWhen I murmured “blessing” in my mind, a status window appeared in my vision.EWF8F
cMjbTwO== ==k0C
8VAC[Blessing of Numbness]WY4gsaR
eYssKYMAll pain completely disappears.0FmeTRf
kqT0n3S[※ Activation time: 30 seconds, cooldown: 12 hours]yb3
aMa65== ==jDijlP
U5ntLooking at the blessing Kang Geom-Ma had manifested, I felt a little depressed. The ability itself seemed like an appealing blessing.fBTuX7Z
4I24YIWThe problem was that the activation time was only 30 seconds, and the cooldown was 12 hours. Exactly one minute of activation per day.DYXAl3
CS3BbDAs I snorted and rolled my eyes, my gaze settled on the corner of the status window.xjq
bgyyM‘Oh, right, I almost forgot.’g2joYxz
ULsAAIt was the blessing I had received when I arrived here, not Kang Geom-Ma’s.NYf9E
RkLa== ==RTV
mVV[Blessing of the Sword God]P684
85FrIf you cut, whatever you cut will be cut.Hw4L
0HvZu7[※ Only activates with a blade shorter than 30 cm and no wider than 5 cm.]VCn5E
7NS== ==5PS
MYusMy name is Geom-Ma, yet my blessing is from the Sword God. There couldn’t be a more absurd combination.QebKMkp
x3QM7zThere’s no concept like this.sf85
Gb98GJThe ability’s description was so simple that it seemed ironic, given its grandiose name.uIhzc
bPdqAmong them, the conditions stood out the most.AYMw
kixmcG0A blade shorter than 30 cm and no wider than 5 cm. That’s a pretty pitiful size to even be called a sword.JAgG0
nqHhUPIt was exactly like the sashimi knife I’d used all my life, with perfect specifications. I thought they were telling me to slice raw fish even here.PEC0
LFf0J7Of course, it was something I was good at and enjoyed, but I had hoped to live my new life differently.qRfa
Hy4But what can I do? The system’s persuasive power is unavoidable. I was satisfied that the specifications weren’t excessive.F1QTF
6jM3N5u… Life doesn’t always go the way you want it to.eFjLS
DoqMs“Phew.”Fayak
RK12bWith that, I let out a brief sigh and slowly finished packing.PIcf1Ga
t23Q0“Oh, right. I still haven’t prepared my equipment.”IcRjo4
gCbSPTCome to think of it, I remembered the familiar weapons from the game’s characters.mrQ7T
ePDs3ByEven the lowest-ranked weapon, an E-rank, cost millions of won, and a C-rank one was in the hundreds of millions. A-rank or S-rank weapons were treasures.oSOq2
hnYJAfter thinking for a moment, I shook my head.38EY
iijtQkZMy family, which was barely middle-class, didn’t have the resources to buy me such an expensive weapon.WCN6
R1ehnbTEven the academy tuition was already a huge financial burden for us, and since my enrollment wasn’t exactly planned, I didn’t want to increase our expenses.bkhBn
E8U51EBStill, since the required materials were clearly listed, I feared I’d be singled out from the very first day if I didn’t bring something with me…YFuwo
GOv9hAfter thinking it over, I got up and grabbed my wallet.oB1
2PiNsd“Let’s go to DAIXO.” [2]zmIW
rODL“The expert doesn’t blame their equipment.”98bB
nmqwThat was the favorite phrase of my first mentor, who insisted on using million-won Japanese kitchen knives.f4Jq
vqEG* * *VMDka
WvyFarO“…Admission student? Is this really a weapon?”mlhSr
Wh6H7u“Yes.”hVCcls
80tOn the day of the entrance ceremony,muz
B9BkF4During the entrance ceremony, the instructor glanced between the black-haired student and the weapon inspection table.Sr6dJJ
L5RGkHe wanted to shout, “Are you mocking me?!” but the student’s calm demeanor left him puzzled. He looked at the boy’s face and then back down.2CqhLSu
W9z5On the inspection table lay an unopened package with a fluorescent label reading “30% discount” and the DAIXO logo prominently displayed. And it wasn’t just one knife, but a set of ten.3KmVLXO
mtaab5In his ten years as an instructor, he had never seen a weapon like this. Honestly, he wondered if it could even be considered a weapon.r9GhCwy
K2XKhThe instructor swallowed his words, and his expression hardened.0jPqW
kkQvLS“Student, do you think this academy is a joke? Do you really think it’s acceptable to bring kitchen knives to an entrance exam?”Eg2q
rIVOIf this were a prank, he was willing to let it slide for now. This academy was the best in the world, and most students came from wealthy families, so sometimes spoiled youths played immature pranks just to see if they could assert their will over the instructors—a typical teenage behavior.iHu7
DvqHThough it was shocking to see this kind of prank on the very first day, he knew he had to establish discipline right away. The most effective way to deal with such students was to assert dominance.Iiib
EYyThe instructor’s face grew even sterner, but the student merely tilted his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand.CtcGVK
AzpV“This really is my weapon.”o351iCX
GFucs5The respectful yet bold tone of the boy made the instructor’s frown soften unintentionally. Noticing the change, the student began to explain his situation clearly.vxDD
IdfnC99“Instructor, I come from a humble family. I’m a merit student, so I don’t have the means to bring an expensive weapon. Just paying the academy tuition must have been a significant burden on my parents, so how could I ask for something so costly just for my own benefit? It would be disobedient as their son.”sCk
LWl“…”yFgB
sjYThe instructor listened, seeing the determination shining in the boy’s eyes.bx5ie
4kkLAwAfter hearing the explanation, the instructor rubbed his face. Clearly, for merit students who didn’t come from wealthy families, academy fees were already a heavy burden.Oyqz
DWlrChbAs a member of an institution that was supposed to provide equal academic opportunities, he felt guilty for having judged the boy so quickly.NwXLS
Vut0oiThe 30% discount label was probably the boy’s way of easing his family’s financial burden. The instructor’s eyes reddened slightly.QpuLsZ
tJKThe student, undeterred, added one final comment:2jsp
Xh60LB“Besides, I believe only amateurs blame their equipment.”mBnmrV5
C47yFOThe instructor was left speechless, surprised. He hadn’t expected such wisdom from a teenager. It sounded like something from someone who had already mastered a craft—full of insight and experience.5hxv8S
UyzPPc“A true expert doesn’t blame their equipment.”rlYOIIS
uslkThe instructor felt deeply intrigued by the phrase and decided to support the boy’s courage. He wanted to back this strong resolve.5CLoi
6IH“I’ll allow the student to use his weapon.”gHR7nT
NW9lBa“Thank you, instructor.”v8OEG
J1pThe instructor couldn’t help but think he’d like to have a son like him.isMFT8
Ipo30pU“Student, what’s your name?”HSYyY
Z8HtXVL“Kang Geom-Ma.”8OThVT
n93Kang Geom-Ma bowed respectfully and started packing the knife set back into his bag.T5oOsTy
T1rT2Nearby, the other students began snickering at him. Seeing this, a vein bulged in the instructor’s temple.DR0
MxdiKnN“Students! Shut up and move along quickly!”a2nPO
VlPdZKw“…”8btn5
kluZIgnoring the laughter, Kang Geom-Ma gathered the rest of his belongings and calmly walked toward his next destination.NUlJ
L7EG“Depending on your behavior, this instructor can be an angel or a demon. Got it?”NK9
OUls“Yes…”1zbd9
sCwfr“That was too soft! Louder, understood?!”ZWL
SqM“Yes!”ux8FX0Y
4fBWrWAs the instructor yelled, the students’ smirks quickly disappeared.kWnI5
zXWx5“Kang Geom-Ma, huh…?”IXej
dVCFHTThe instructor muttered the boy’s name as he watched him walk away, now deeply etched in his memory, and cracked a small smile.6sqTc7
6R2mHe had a feeling this kid would be excellent with a knife.T9gxj
Gi8x***Cq1N
nc7iIn the academy’s staff lounge.Yy5w
ZAz“Huff…”CNoj2
CbBJtThe visibly exhausted instructor opened the door after guiding the students. A short-haired woman greeted him with a bright smile.xBh
2Anu“Good work, sunbae.”SAnfMVU
Prl“Thanks. Phew, thank goodness this only happens once a year, because even though I’m just in my early thirties, I already feel like I’m getting old.”CkS2OoE
xjtThe instructor took off his black staff uniform and slumped heavily onto the sofa, gently massaging his tense shoulders.ElJL4
coL“Don’t worry, sunbae. They say people who look older on the outside live younger on the inside.”DkU4zz
O8sCAo“What nonsense.”sHL8jnI
95F“Hehe. By the way, did you check out the student list for this year? We’ve got a few that only come around once in a generation.”52o9sv7
sgN“Yeah, I know.”cfh
f2bCEjThe instructor responded with little interest, prompting his colleague to look at him with curiosity.As6q
OLXD6“Sunbae, was there any student who caught your eye during the weapon inspection?” [3]FjQlJ
AAI7“Hmm, let me think.”8L0ePCP
7iDWSAtThe instructor rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment. Suddenly, the image of a particular first-year student came to mind.uBx
4NzEAAt“Oh, there is one.”zy4D1ut
kl1B7“Oh, really? Who is it? The nephew of the Master of the Spear? Or the daughter of the Master of the Bow? Or maybe the granddaughter of the Master of the Sword? It’s got to be her, right?”U3qLJD
SWrwQ“No, no, I’m not talking about them. It’s a merit student. What stood out to me was his sharp, mature gaze.”Eweu1QH
b4V22T2“Heh, I’ve never heard you talk like that about a student before. Now I’m really curious! Who is it?”O3CcGnA
98Z3hThe woman looked at him eagerly. The instructor smiled and shrugged.gectc4L
5NKh“I don’t want to spoil the surprise. You’ll see him soon enough—you’ll recognize him right away.”xlIZ9
JG9bhN“If he’s a merit student, his blessing must be modest… Does he have an A-rank weapon? Or maybe an S-rank! At least tell me what kind of weapon he uses so I can keep an eye on him during the entrance test.”Fp2swA
BDmThe instructor, glancing around, smirked and replied:7EOY
4C0mYW1“A DAIXO kitchen knife.”Mf3IX
G2p0G—XQvmw
HipbNctT/N:KWUYV
Ikrfg61. Geom (검; 劍): This character refers to “sword” in Korean. In hanja (Chinese characters used in Korean), it’s written as 劍 and symbolizes bladed weapons, primarily swords. It represents strength, cutting, or combat.jqYhy2P
O9849Ma (마; 魔): This character means “demon” or “evil.” In hanja, it’s written as 魔 and is associated with negative connotations like evil spirits or dark forces. It can also refer to cursed or supernatural things.7AFU
bfGprIF2. DAIXO: A fictional store inspired by DAISO, a popular low-cost chain in Korea and Japan that sells a wide variety of affordable products, including kitchen utensils and household items.uTft1O7
BnfKV3. Sunbae is a Korean term that refers to someone with more experience or seniority in a given environment, such as school or work.cqEH7I
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