Basic Combat Drills (1)
The seven-day "preparation period" at Atlas Academy was, in theory, a nice gesture. A week of no classes, just time to settle in, explore the campus, and "prepare for academic life." That's how they phrased it, anyway.
But I knew better.
This whole week? It was just a tutorial.
Yeah. A literal, hand-holding tutorial meant to ease new players into the mechanics of the game.
I remember reading the original webnovel years ago. In that version, Han Seora spent her first week at the academy solving problems, uncovering secrets, and getting into a fight with one of the bullies—your classic misunderstood princess arc. She left a mark right from day one.
But the game? The devs gutted all that.
Instead of Seora's bold debut, they made it so the first seven days were off-limits to actual classes. Just a slow burn, with players casually choosing one "Orientation Quest" per in-game day.
But now that I'm a character inside Atlas Online...
It's honestly surreal.
Back when I was just a player, I never gave these tutorial quests a second thought. I'd skip the cutscenes, mash through the dialogue, and focus on getting them over with. There was no real objective—just walk from point A to point B, tap a few buttons, and get your merit points.
But now that I'm living it?
It's bizarre.
Because here's the thing—these quests aren't even real quests. There's no clear mission, no stakes, no sense of urgency. They're glorified training wheels wrapped in worldbuilding. And yet, everyone around me is treating them like they matter. Cadets walk around like they're on some grand assignment, instructors act like handing out maps is sacred protocol, and when you finish? Ding—you get merit points. For what? Learning how to swing a stick?
It's like the game is trying really hard to pretend this is important.
I guess from a developer's perspective, it made sense. The tutorial had to blend into the story. So they created this "orientation week"—a lore-friendly excuse for a week of off-time. No classes, no combat, just freedom to explore. A sandbox for new players to learn the controls without breaking immersion.
And they didn't completely erase the original plot, either.
Every now and then, Han Seora would mutter lines like:
"This is… different from the novel."
"I feel like something's missing, but I'm not sure what."
Subtle, but intentional. The devs knew fans of the original webnovel would notice the difference. It was their way of acknowledging the change without altering the lore too much.
At the time, I didn't care.
Now? Now I'm living through it—trapped inside a storyline I barely paid attention to.
Seven days of tutorial quests. No plot. No purpose. Just pretense.
And yet, I still pick one anyway.
Why?
Because even fake quests give real merit points.
And if I'm going to survive in Atlas Academy… I'll take every point I can get.
◇◇◇
___
Basic Combat Drills
Learn proper battle stance, evasion, and emergency defense techniques under supervision. Completion unlocks sparring room access.
Place: The Training Facility
Time: 10:45 AM
Rewards: 50–100 MERIT Points
___
"If we're following the map right, the drill area should be… right here." Ji-Hyun Muttered with his ga. ze still looking at the map.
"You will tripped if you walk like that you know."
When we arrived at the marked location, Seo Ji-Hyun squinted at the open field ahead. There was nothing but a single monolith standing alone in the center. Tall, dark, and smooth, the black structure had no windows or doors—just the silver Atlas Academy insignia etched into its surface.
Ji-Hyun blinked in disbelief.
"Do we, like… have to shrink ourselves or something? How are we supposed to get inside this thing?" he asked, scratching his head.
I stepped forward, pulling out the new ID card the academy just gave us.
"You brought your ID, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then just follow my lead."
I walked right up to the front of the monolith and held my ID up so it could clearly see both my card and my face.
[STUDENTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED. WELCOME, CADET KYLEN NOOR.]
A smooth robotic voice echoed from within the monolith. Almost immediately, a circular platform large enough to hold five people rose from the ground with a soft hum, glowing with pulsing lights around its base.
I turned to Ji-Hyun, who looked like he just saw magic in real life.
"Scan yours. Let's ride this thing."
"Oh—right!"
He snapped out of it, rushed forward, and scanned his ID. The monolith gave a pleasant little chime, and the capsule door slid open.
Together, we stepped inside.
The door closed with a soft whoosh, and the capsule began its descent underground.
I turned to check on Ji-Hyun—only to find him on one knee, gripping his stomach. His face had gone pale, sweat dripping down as he trembled like someone who just watched Two Girls One Cup for the first time.
…This guy.
Sigh. Getting motion sickness here of all places?
"This is the first day and you already looking like that... Sigh..."
I gently rubbed his back, trying to help.
"Just hang in there a bit longer. We're almost there."
Five seconds later, the capsule door opened with a hiss.
We'd arrived in what looked like a massive underground training facility—part gym, part combat arena. The walls were built from reinforced iron, threaded with glowing blue mana wires that pulsed softly like veins. The place was already bustling, and more students were arriving via capsules from all directions.
"To actually see this with my own eyes…" I muttered, taking it all in. "Man, I gotta stop getting amazed by everything in this world. I'll lose my mind at this rate."
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Ji-Hyun muttered weakly—then quickly covered his mouth again, ready to throw up.
I checked my watch.
10:29 AM. Still some time before the drill started.
Perfect.
"Hey can you like throw up in just 15 minutes."
"What are you talking abo-"
Before he could finish his sentence I hoisted Ji-Hyun onto my back and carried him toward the nearest restroom, casually walking past a bunch of confused students.
◇◇◇
We entered the training facility, which was divided into three main stations.
The first one: Individual Training.
This section was basically a super-advanced gym. You had everything—from regular stuff like treadmills and bench presses, to insane tech like gravity rooms, reflex-enhancing setups, and pain endurance simulation. If you needed to train your body, this was the place to be.
Second: Technique Training.
This part was split into two zones: personal rooms and group rooms.
The personal rooms were meant for solo practice. Whether you wanted privacy to work on your technique or just needed to isolate yourself for some grand enlightenment arc or whatever, this was your space. There were over a hundred of these, and they were soundproof too.
Then there were the group rooms—a set of massive combat arenas. Unlike the personal rooms, there were only twenty of these, and each one had a hard limit: max ten people per session. If you wanted to fight someone, this was the place. These rooms would probably be used a lot in the future, especially once the plot kicked in and people start to mess with the main character.
And the last one: Combat Simulation Dojo.
This place was where most of the beginner quests—like Basic Combat Drills—were held. At first glance, it looked like a traditional dojo, with wooden floors, open space, and a calming atmosphere. But beneath that surface, it was packed with cutting-edge tech.
The walls could shift, spawn training dummies, replicate real battlefields, or even simulate past monster encounters. It was designed to help cadets polish their fundamentals—stances, strikes, footwork, timing—all in a realistic environment.
Unlike the Individual and Technique stations, this one was always supervised. Instructors monitored the drills, gave feedback, and could even step in for mock duels if needed. It was structured, efficient, and designed to make sure every cadet had a strong foundation.
It was also the first place most new students were sent to... and the one we were headed to right now.
"I can't get more excited about this!"
To Be Continued