I’m a Young God, Won’t You Raise Me?

…It can’t be.

But it was too obvious.

After meeting my gaze, Kwak Hanmuk’s eyes shifted to Dominic and then back to me.

‘Captain Kwak…?’

He was the last person I would have expected.

‘Captain Kwak?!’

I was just about to spring to my feet in shock, but somehow managed to restrain myself.

I clenched my fists tightly, and once again I heard Dominic chuckle.

“Don’t be so surprised, Mr. Gunbam. There’s no need. After all, he’s a being of a lower rank than you.”

‘Then explain why he can see you, Mr. Dominic!’

I waited impatiently, hoping he would continue.

But Dominic said nothing more. He simply strolled back and forth along my forearm as though he were playing.

When he finally settled on the back of my hand, his gelatinous body swayed gently as he looked at me.

His attitude seemed to say that if I wanted to know more, I would have to find a place where we could be alone.

But that would only be possible after entering Slay to Plate.

With great effort, I tore my gaze away from Dominic.

We were still in the middle of the briefing. I couldn’t afford to act strangely.

‘Mr. Dominic, please continue the explanation as soon as possible.’

Suppressing the urge to grab the slime and shake him back and forth, I forced myself to focus on the briefing.

However, my mind was overflowing with thoughts.

Kwak Hanmuk’s constant gaze, alternating between Dominic and me, wasn’t helping either, so I had to make an enormous effort to pay attention.

“The Suitable joining the operation will be Lieutenant Won Taebeom, from Field Team 2 of the Field Response Division. He has entered numerous Trials as part of the same team as Captain Mo Haein and also has experience working alongside Captain Kwak Hanmuk.”

I knew Lieutenant Won Taebeom.

I had even teamed up with him in World Archive.

He was capable and taciturn, someone who knew how to keep secrets.

In many ways, he was the most suitable addition to enter alongside the Special Missions Team.

“In addition, he is infected with the BT-DFH virus. However, his infection level is low, and he remains in a completely stable mental state, so there is no cause for concern.”

The infection had slightly altered Won Taebeom’s appearance, but compared to Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno and other infected individuals, the changes were minimal.

Recalling the pixelated version of Won Taebeom I had seen in the game, I continued listening attentively to Samra.

“Since Lieutenant Won Taebeom will be interrupting his current mission to join the Slay to Plate operation, he will be the last to arrive at the location where the Trial will appear.”

The fact that he had agreed to come at all was already something to be grateful for.

‘And on top of that, he’ll have to enter a mission alongside the Lieutenant Colonel.’

Among the Suitables of the Crisis Management Administration, Lieutenant Colonel Je Hyuno had proudly held the number one spot for years on the list of superiors no one wanted to be paired with.

I felt deeply grateful to Won Taebeom.

Finally, when the briefing ended.

I wanted to find even a single moment to speak with Dominic, but there was no opportunity.

Even if I claimed I needed to use the restroom, a soldier would probably follow me.

With no other choice, I headed toward the location where Slay to Plate had appeared, my uneasiness growing by the minute.

The Trial had appeared in Dosan Park, in Gangnam.

I had heard that the meteorite’s impact had caused a huge uproar because it had landed in one of the city’s most expensive districts.

When I saw the exact location, I immediately understood why.

‘It landed right in the heart of Gangnam.’

When we arrived, I saw that both Dosan Park and the entire surrounding area had been completely cordoned off.

Thanks to that, we were able to get out of the vehicle in an area free of civilians and head straight into the park.

The Slay to Plate meteorite had fallen among the trees.

All the nearby trees had been knocked down, forming a circle around the small meteorite, as though they were deliberately pointing out its location.

Surrounded by soldiers, I crouched beside the meteorite.

I stared at it.

It was barely the size of a person’s palm.

Its red surface, streaked with white veins, made it look at first glance like a piece of fresh marbled beef.

‘If someone had poor eyesight, they might try to throw it into a frying pan.’

As I thought it looked rather appetizing, Dominic, who had moved onto the back of my hand, observed the meteorite with interest.

“So this is the entrance to the Trial you told me about, Mr. Gunbam?”

I discreetly glanced around.

The soldiers surrounding me were keeping a respectful distance.

If I whispered, they probably wouldn’t hear me.

“Yes, Mr. Dominic. If someone touches this, they’ll be transported into the Trial. Anyone nearby will be taken as well.”

I hurried to explain, just in case he got the idea of touching the meteorite.

Slay to Plate required a specific number of participants before the Trial could begin, so nothing would happen if he touched it now.

But since it was Dominic, I preferred not to take any risks.

Dominic answered calmly from the back of my hand.

“I see. I can certainly sense the same feeling of unfamiliarity that emanates from things which do not belong to Mr. Gunbam’s planet.”

While we were both observing the meteorite, a powerful voice rang out behind us.

“Goyo!”

I immediately stood up and turned around.

Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein had arrived.

“Captains!”

I quickly placed Dominic on my shoulder and ran over to them.

As soon as I got close, my eyes widened.

Both of them looked as though they had been rolling around on the ground, their uniforms in complete disarray.

Apparently, capturing the criminal hadn’t been easy.

As I looked at them in surprise, Kwak Hanmuk walked straight up to me and stopped only inches from my face.

He looked down at me.

He wore the expression of someone who wanted to say far too many things and had no idea where to begin.

“Goyo, you…”

Kwak Hanmuk cut himself off mid-sentence and abruptly shifted his gaze to the side.

It was obvious he was looking at Dominic, who was leisurely enjoying the park from my shoulder.

At that moment, Mo Haein arrived.

Her face was flushed with emotion.

She grabbed my forearm tightly.

She was gripping it so hard it almost hurt, but I remained still.

Mo Haein let out a long sigh.

With a single breath, she regained her composure and spoke to me.

“Recruit.”

“Yes…?”

“We’ll talk after we enter Slay to Plate.”

“Yes…”

Both Mo Haein and Kwak Hanmuk undoubtedly wanted to give me a thorough scolding right then and there.

But there were too many Crisis Management Administration soldiers around us.

I lowered my head first as a sign of respect.

“Captains, thank you very much for coming. You even had to enter the Trial right after finishing your mission because of me…”

“And why would that be your fault, Goyo?”

Kwak Hanmuk cut me off before I could finish.

“Exactly. It’s not your fault, Recruit.”

Mo Haein murmured quietly, echoing Kwak Hanmuk’s words.

“From the very beginning, it was the Administration that forced a Recruit to do everything in just one month.”

Her words left me with a strange feeling.

Somewhat awkwardly, I thanked them again.

“Even so… thank you very much. Um… are you both alright, Captains?”

Mo Haein frowned.

“We’re fine. We just got our uniforms a little dirty.”

From the look on her face, I guessed they hadn’t managed to capture the criminal in the end.

‘Could it have been a smuggler?’

The people who trafficked Trial items were always trouble.

Just as I was thinking about the most infamous criminal organization involved in that business.

Several vehicles and a trailer carrying a shipping container stopped at the entrance to Dosan Park.

Je Hyuno had arrived.

Since he had completed the Trial ahead of schedule, I had been able to escape from Han Jiwol, so I went to greet him in good spirits.

The park entrance, which had remained calm thanks to the tight security cordon, quickly filled with vehicles surrounding the container.

Dozens of soldiers wearing dark blue uniforms disembarked from several light tactical SUV vehicles.

Every one of them drew their weapons simultaneously and aimed them at the container.

One of the soldiers cautiously approached and opened the door.

From the absolute darkness inside, the sound of footsteps began to echo.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Unlike the atmosphere of extreme tension surrounding the area, those footsteps sounded completely relaxed.

A man wearing elegant black glasses and a gas mask emerged into the bright sunlight.

He was dressed entirely in black and absentmindedly flexed his metallic hand.

It was nothing more than an unconscious gesture, yet it was enough to make the surrounding soldiers become even more tense.

‘I don’t think they need to go this far.’

Je Hyuno had no interest in ordinary people.

The only things capable of moving him were Trials and Suitables.

Even if all those soldiers unloaded a hail of bullets on him right now, Je Hyuno wouldn’t even bother fighting back.

At most, they would be as annoying as insects buzzing around him.

On one hand, it seemed excessive to deploy this much force against someone who had never harmed a civilian.

But on the other hand, I also understood the Administration’s position, since they had to prepare for every possible contingency.

After all, if an infected person like him ever lost his sanity, the standing order was to execute him immediately.

‘At the very least, they could let him travel with a little more dignity.’

It bothered me to see him being transported inside a container as though he were nothing more than cargo.

At this point, his rank of Lieutenant Colonel was little more than a title. The way he was treated was hardly any different from that of an extremely dangerous criminal.

With my displeasure plainly visible on my face, I walked over to Je Hyuno.

The soldiers opened the cordon slightly to let me through.

“Lieutenant Colonel, it’s good to see you.”

Je Hyuno slowly turned his head.

The moment he spotted me, his glasses lit up.

!!

After displaying the exclamation marks, he gestured for me to come over.

I approached cautiously.

He positioned me directly in front of him and silently began examining me.

As he carefully looked me over from head to toe, I remained perfectly still.

Suddenly, he replaced one of his metallic hands with the Crow Glove and grabbed me by the head.

“L-Lieutenant Colonel…?”

Then he forcibly spun me around.

I made about three full turns in front of him before he finally let go.

After completing his meticulous inspection, he released my head and, apparently satisfied with the results, calmly walked into the park.

‘What was that?’

I stood there completely dumbfounded.

That was when I saw a huge man stepping out of one of the vehicles.

He was wearing the Crisis Management Administration uniform.

His body, built from thick, solid muscles, looked like a living shield.

His grayish-brown skin, impossible for an ordinary human, revealed that he was infected.

I quickly greeted him.

“I’m Han Goyo, Recruit of the Special Missions Team.”

The man replied in a curt voice.

“I’m Lieutenant Won Taebeom, Field Team 2.”

I wanted to continue the conversation, but Won Taebeom immediately headed into the park.

I followed after him.

Mo Haein and Kwak Hanmuk, who were waiting beside the meteorite, gave Je Hyuno a stiff salute.

Seeing them, I suddenly realized something.

I had only been in the military for a month, and I hadn’t even saluted a superior as high-ranking as a Lieutenant Colonel.

In truth, even the Captains themselves normally weren’t this formal.

But today there were far too many soldiers watching, so they were clearly doing it on purpose.

I hurriedly took my place beside them and gave a military salute.

I had never done one in my life, so it undoubtedly looked rather awkward.

I was simply trying to go along with the atmosphere.

Seeing my salute, Je Hyuno displayed another emoticon on his glasses.

??

“Pfft…”

Kwak Hanmuk could no longer hold it in and burst out laughing.

Even Mo Haein let out a small laugh.

The only one who remained completely expressionless was Won Taebeom.

‘Was it really that bad?’

Embarrassed, I lowered my hand.

Smiling faintly, Mo Haein said,

“I’ll teach you how to do it properly next time.”

She then exchanged a brief greeting with Lieutenant Won Taebeom and pressed her headset to report to Samra.

“The Lieutenant Colonel and Lieutenant Won Taebeom have both arrived. We’ll begin the operation.”

She placed her hand on the meteorite.

The world began to glow with a brilliant fluorescent light before collapsing.

Just as the five of us were about to enter—

“…!”

Every member of the Special Missions Team widened their eyes.

Won Taebeom had been pushed out of the entry zone.

As though the maximum number of participants had already been reached.

He looked at us in confusion.

But the entry process had already begun.

I entered the Trial.

***

A cheerful melody began to play.

Against a completely black screen, a system window appeared.

Select a Class!
— Swordsman
— Mage
— Paladin
— Berserker
— Cook

The moment I selected a class, a cheerful electronic pi-ri-ring! sounded, and the screen changed.

A small wooden building so old it looked ready to collapse appeared before me.

The weeds and bushes surrounding it had grown so wildly that the place looked like a jungle.

I was standing in front of the building wearing denim overalls and a shirt.

Then words appeared before my eyes.

This old restaurant is the perfect place to begin your dream!
The owner is willing to rent it to you for the incredible price of just (1 G.)
It’s such an irresistible bargain that you sign the contract almost without thinking!
But contracts should always be read carefully.

Did you really read all the fine print?

For now, start by cleaning up the area around the restaurant!
With a cheerful pop!, a rusty sickle and a shovel appeared.

I stood there motionless, holding a tool in each hand, completely bewildered.

That was when a voice brought me back to my senses.

“Mr. Gunbam, I chose the Mage class.”

The slime emitted tiny sparkles, clearly excited.

The one who had pushed Won Taebeom out and entered Slay to Plate with me was—

Dominic.