A Player Who Eats Metal

Chapter 2: The Regression of an F-rank Player

Can people change overnight?

“Well…”

One day, the world was turned upside down as gates opened.

Following this, individuals with superpowers, called ‘Players’ emerged, restructuring the power dynamics of society.

However, the flaws of humanity remained unchanged.

Selfish people exploited the catastrophe for their own gain, and cynical people continued to complain as if everything was unsatisfactory.

Although a few heroes tried to change the world, they were consistently thwarted by numerous obstacles, including the two types mentioned above.

Yes, many of the problems were caused not by monsters, but by humans.

Players were the unique weapon of humanity, but not all of them were heroes.

Politicians and businessmen who were Players seized and abused power, and crimes committed by Players were increasing by the day.

It was a foreseeable issue.

After all, Players are just humans.

Thus, even if the world changes overnight, people don’t easily change.

Of course, with enough time and numerous experiences, one’s mindset might change, but at least not overnight—this adage has remained true throughout the ages.

But…

“Corporal Lee Hyunwook… he has changed.”

Just-promoted Private Park Junmo felt that his superior, Corporal Lee Hyunwook, had genuinely changed overnight.

It started four days ago, showing a strange reaction when he was woken up for dinner.

“Huh!”

Right now, he was doing pull-ups alone on a bar in the back of the barracks.

What’s so special about that?

“His eyes changed suddenly, he’s exercising every day; he’s not the person I knew.”

This was entirely contrary to the Lee Hyunwook that Park Junmo knew. In the three months he had been watching him, he had never seen him this active outside of training or operations.

And his recent behavior had been odd.

He asked questions about the unit he had been in for over a year as if his memory was hazy and often took notes. He even sometimes muttered about future dates.

More than anything, the look in his eyes had changed.

‘Always indifferent and lacking in confidence, but now he has calm and cold eyes as if he can see through everything.’

They were, perhaps exaggeratedly, the eyes of an old predator.

‘No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange.’

As he was thinking this, Lee Hyunwook turned to look at him.

“Junmo, what’s up?”

Even that single sentence sounded somehow more solid.

“Ah!”

Startled, Park Junmo scratched his cheek.

“It’s almost time for dinner assembly.”

Lee Hyunwook checked his watch.

“Alright, thanks.”

As he came closer, doing some light shoulder stretching, he seemed, perhaps just in Park Junmo’s imagination, to have grown significantly bulkier in just a few days.

“Corporal Lee Hyunwook?”

“Yes?”

“May I ask why you suddenly started exercising?”

Lee Hyunwook chuckled at the question.

“Why? Is it strange that I’m exercising?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that I…”

He patted Park Junmo on the shoulder.

“You never know when we’ll have to fight. You should exercise too. With that body, you’d have a hard time even subduing a single goblin.”

“Ah… Alright.”

It was a valid point.

Composed of players, the ‘Anti Monster Troop’ (A·M·T) was deployed for real missions against monsters several times a month.

In other words, the threat of death was ever-present.

Therefore, physical and skill training was not optional but essential.

‘But we hardly ever get to do that…’

However, Lee Hyunwook and Park Junmo were F-ranked, the lowest among players, so opportunities to fight monsters directly were rare.

They were part of a ‘Support Squad’ consisting of low-level players, whose task was to assist other squads during combat.

In simple terms, being in the support squad was essentially a ‘menial job’.

Noticing this puzzlement, Lee Hyunwook added,

“Actually, there’s no particular reason. Just, you know, trying to change.”

‘Change, how?’

Park Junmo thought this but said something different.

“Ah, the effort to change… that’s cool.”

“Forget the lip service. Let’s go eat.”

“No, really. I’ll take it to heart as your junior.”

The truth was that the spoken words had really been flattery. There exist things in the world that can’t be changed.

‘He does know that an F-grade isn’t something that can be changed by effort, right?’

In the realm of players, grades are divided into three main categories.

First, there are grades for “Level Growth Traits,” which are A, B, C, D, and E.

This grade, aptly named for the “player,” could be improved by leveling up.

So even if you initially had a weaker ability, you could improve your grade by diligently leveling up.

Next, there’s S, representing “Non-Level Growth Traits.”

These individuals don’t have levels. Instead, each has a unique way to grow, which is “suggested.”

For example, Busan’s savior “Inferno,” a well-known non-level growth trait player, improves his abilities just by being in the fire.

In other words, he could improve his abilities even while sleeping as long as he kept a fire burning. Rumor has it that his mansion has a huge “furnace” where he goes to rest.

This was a sort of ‘hidden class’, and these S-grade abilities were extremely rare, with only 31 individuals having them worldwide.

And lastly, there is the F-grade…

“Non-Growth Traits…”

<Non-Growth Traits>, meaning they literally cannot grow.

If S is a ‘hidden class,’ then F is a ‘dud.’

‘In college, an F means you have to retake the class. In other words, you get no points.’

The destiny of not being able to grow, no matter how hard you try… What could be more sorrowful?

A ‘dud’ pulled from a random draw couldn’t be exchanged for any other prize.

Park Junmo felt bitter as he looked at Lee Hyunwook, who shared his fate.

He was looking up at the empty sky.

‘Somehow, he seems to have a lot on his mind. What could he be worrying about?’

Park Junmo empathized with him in his own way. Being of the same F-grade, he felt like he could understand Lee Hyunwook’s feelings.

But in reality, Lee Hyunwook wasn’t thinking much.

He was just…

[Current controllable ‘Metal’ weight: 877g]

…staring at a status message that appeared before him.

“Hmm, exercise does speed up the absorption rate.”

The amount had increased nearly twofold from 300g, to an increase of 577g.

‘At this rate, I’ll consume all the metal I’ve saved in two days. To grow quickly, I need much better quality metal. I’ll have to go on a break soon to stock up.’

In fact, the ability of those classified as F-grade was not absolutely unchangeable. But the truth would only be revealed six years later.

It’s known as the ‘Rediscovery of F-grade Players’ incident.

After this incident, F-grade players began to receive considerable attention.

In other words, contrary to what is currently known, F-grade was not a ‘dud’ with no ability to grow. It was more like a hidden class, like S-grade, where the method for growth was hidden, a sort of ‘puzzle.’

Lee Hyunwook was rapidly solving this puzzle that he had once tried and failed to complete.

‘….This time, it’ll be different.’

He swallowed the metal in secret.

* * *

The next day, it was around lunchtime on Saturday.

Someone knocked on the door of Barracks 5. It was a private who had just transferred a few days ago, and he seemed to have come on an errand.

He timidly poked his head into the barracks.

“Private First Class Choi Seong-min! May I come in?”

“Sure.”

Sitting by the door and watching TV, Corporal An Min-tae nodded his head.

“Is the platoon leader of Squad 5 here? I was sent by the duty officer from the administrative unit.”

Upon hearing this, An Min-tae looked around the barracks but couldn’t see the platoon leader.

“Hey, Junmo. Where did Corporal Lee Hyunwook go?”

Not long ago, after the original Squad 5 leader had been escorted to a military hospital, Lee Hyunwook had been serving as the ‘temporary platoon leader.’

The reason he took the role was simple: he had the highest rank.

“Ah! He’s probably gone to exercise.”

Upon hearing Park Junmo’s reply, An Min-tae chuckled.

“He’s gone to exercise again? What’s up with him lately? Hey, new guy. What does the duty officer want? Is it urgent?”

“I’m not sure… I heard something about cleaning the fuel storage.”

Upon hearing his answer, the soldiers of Squad 5, who were resting, sensed something and tensed up.

“Ah, crap! Is it another task?”

“Why again? Didn’t we already do a task this morning?”

Complaints erupted from all around.

“Ah, the duty officer today is Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol. He always seems to…”

Kwak Jin-cheol was notorious for particularly harassing lower-ranked soldiers, who mostly belonged to Squad 5. Hence, Squad 5 was often targeted.

“Ah, we’re not actual slaves…”

Someone muttered a complaint.

Squad 5, informally known as the ‘support squad,’ was indeed treated like menial laborers, but this was in the context of ‘supporting’ the ‘combat troops.’

They had essential duties like transporting combat supplies and moving injured soldiers.

In short, assigning them additional menial tasks on holidays was a blatant injustice.

Such unjust practices would have been eradicated long ago in a regular army unit.

However, A·M·T had to maintain a hierarchical structure ready for combat situations at any time, so a certain level of unjust practices was tolerated.

And Kwak Jin-cheol was a malicious senior who took advantage of this.

“Ah, come to think of it, a few days ago. Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol said something about Corporal Lee Hyunwook in the bathroom…”

A private started to speak but hesitated.

“What is it?”

As he hesitated, An Min-tae asked.

“… I heard him saying something about how Corporal Lee Hyunwook is acting like he’s the temporary platoon leader. Today feels ominous.”

“Ah, damn it. He probably wants to make an example out of us. We’re going to suffer too, damn it…”

Just then, a characteristic electronic sound from the speaker overhead resonated.

Whoosh

– Attention! This is a broadcast from the administrative unit. All members of Barracks 5, Squad 5, please assemble in the central corridor immediately. Message over.

It was Kwak Jin-cheol’s voice.

“Ah… seems like he’s going to make a fuss just because we’re a little late.”

Getting up slowly, An Min-tae sighed and patted Park Junmo on the shoulder.

“Junmo, hurry and get your squad leader. Do you know who’s on duty as the assistant officer today?”

“Yes! It’s Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol.”

“Alright, that guy, he spits fire. If you don’t want to see our acting squad leader get burned, run fast. Or else he will be literally grilled on the pull-up bar for the first time in his life.”

Despite the disrespectful remark about my squad leader, the squad members chuckled. It was an indication of what people generally thought of Hyunwook’s image.

“Yes, understood!”

Spitting fire was not a metaphor.

Corporal Kwak Jin-cheol was a pyrokinetic, and whenever he disciplined the juniors, he spewed fire like a ‘dragon.’ Thanks to his bizarre image, he was one of the seniors the juniors feared the most.

Park Junmo quickly ran out of the barracks, thinking of the scene.

‘Even so, both Kwak Jin-cheol and Hyunwook are from the same year…’

One was a figure of fear and respect among the juniors, while the other was just disregarded and ridiculed as just seen.

‘And Hyunwook is actually a really good person…’

As far as he knew, Hyunwook was not a bad guy.

He was knowledgeable, had quick wits, and even had better performance than anyone else in combat training, excluding player abilities. His shooting was always perfect.

If this had been a normal army, he would’ve been a star.

However, this was A.M.T, a unit that fights monsters.

‘Well, there’s no place for F-grades like us in A.M.T.’

Nobody wanted to have an F-grade behind them when fighting monsters.

‘I would be treated the same way if I were in his shoes…’

Upon arriving near the pull-up bar, he saw Hyunwook.

He looked the same as yesterday, consistently doing pull-ups for days.

He even heard from some seniors that he was drinking ‘healing potions’ bought from the ‘military item store’ as a ‘reward point’ while working out.

‘He said he would change…’

Would that change really happen?

“Uh, Corporal Lee Hyunwook?”

Hyunwook got off the pull-up bar and turned around.

“Junmo, why? It’s not yet time for lunch assembly.”

He said, checking his wristwatch.

“Ah, it’s for work assembly.”

“Really, did they only call our squad again?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Hyunwook caught the context precisely. Junmo looked into his eyes.

For a moment, he felt a slight disillusionment.

‘What’s going on? He is usually so quiet.’

Everyone knew this was unfair. And someone like Hyunwook deserved some respect.

However, Kwak Jin-cheol was an uncontrolled person. When on duty as an assistant officer, he would treat his juniors mercilessly, regardless of whether they were from the same year or not.

And in a way, this was the destiny of F-grades.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Hyunwook zipped up his uniform and walked ahead.

Junmo felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

For some reason, it felt like something would happen today.