Subscriber of the Gods

Chapter 1

Perks

Ye-dam loved games.

He was also the type of person who would see things through to the end when he was immersed in them, so he would always watch all the endings, not just the final one, of any game.

His latest obsession was a game called Mazed Pangea.

It was an open-world game with near-infinite freedom and was being hailed as a God game.

However, he was disappointed with the difficulty level. It was easy to play, but very difficult to complete.

But when Ye-dam started playing, he realized something.

‘I guess I have some talent.’

He was able to complete scenarios that others found difficult with ease and was able to complete the second and third runs quickly. Even if he created a new character or picked a scenario character, he was able to clear it quickly.

Still, he never got tired of it. It was a massive game, and it was so detailed that it felt like the real world.

After a long day at work, Ye-dam would play until dawn.

If this was an online game, he would probably be number one in the rankings.

“I wish I could just play games all day.”

It was a daily complaint and a wish.

Of course, that didn't mean he was going to quit his job.

He just wanted to win the lottery so he could play games and enjoy his life in peace.

And then one night.

Ye-dam's wish came true.

“Ethan, it's time for your medicine. Are you all right?”

‘Damn it. No, I didn't mean for this to happen.’

One month had passed.

Ye-dam was the sickly extra Ethan Whickers in the game.

* * *

-Quest notifications-

* Survive as Ethan Whiskers [Difficulty: Hell]

[You who are the weakest person on the continent can be killed with just a blow; survive as Ethan Whickers, the weakest on the continent].

Ethan Whickers.

It was a character that even he, who had played [Mazed Pangaea] as many characters, didn't really know.

‘I remember the Whickers family.’

The Whickers family had an outstanding member named Nathan Whickers.

This Nathan Whickers was a brilliant mage, one of the Five Stars of Freya Academy, and later became an Archmage.

‘I didn't know he had an older brother.’

This Nathan Whickers' older brother was Ethan.

Ethan Whickers, the current version of himself.

“So…was Ethan dead before he could really make a name for himself?”

Ye-dam had been living in Ethan's body for a month now.

The results of a month of living were quite remarkable. More than thirty times his legs wobbled while walking and he fell, and fifteen times he coughed up blood.

Ten times he had to stop in exhaustion while picking up a spoon to eat.

‘It's a body that won't be weird to die any time.’

Ethan looked in the mirror. His skin was so tight it exposed his ribs, and there was no muscle to be seen.

His cheeks were thin and sunken, and his eyes were hollow.

‘I can't believe I was once a swordsmanship genius in this condition.’

Ethan was quite famous around the area.

The eldest of the Whickers family was nicknamed the Swordsman Prodigy at a young age for his talent with the sword, and the younger was called the Magician Prodigy for his talent with magic, so their father was quite proud of them.

“Young Master, It's time for your medicine.”

A healer entered the room and offered Ethan a pill. (TLN: Or therapist)

‘I'm taking pills every morning and night, receiving treatment. But there’s no improvement at all…’

“How are you feeling today?”

“Same as usual, terrible. What kind of disease do I have?”

For a moment, the healer's expression hardened.

“And now, even the memory…”

The look on his face was more than pity, it was condolence.

‘It's like looking at someone who's already dead.’

Ethan cursed under his breath. It was good to be in the game. He wished every day that he could play the game.

But as soon as he stepped in, it was game over.

Besides, there was something more important.

‘What happens if I die?’

In the game, if the player died, they’d just start over.

But now he was Ethan Whickers.

He didn’t know what would happen when he died.

“'Enough, tell me what in the world is my disease, isn't it about time you told me?”

“Sigh, I guess it's time to tell you. You have a soul in your head. You see, it's a disease that gradually rots away that soul. I apologize for not being more specific, but that's what's causing your constant headaches and physical weakness. I do have some good news, though.”

‘No way. Did he find a way to cure it right away?’

“I've decided to name this disease after Young Master Ethan.”

“Is that even good news?”

It was ridiculous.

To come in here with that as good news.

When Ethan gave him a cold look, the healer added quickly.

“I apologize. I was just trying to lighten the mood…because in your current condition, you may not live to see next year.”

“I could die before next year. Next year…”

Ethan muttered to himself, lost in thought.

‘A disease that rots the soul, causes headaches, and weakens the body. When did I hear such disease?'

Ethan thought of two people in the scenario who overcame their diseases to become Swordmasters or Archmages.

‘Ah. Could this be that?’

He realized what his disease was.

‘Extinction.’

Extinction, the worst kind of rare disease.

He was certain. The healer's description matched the symptoms of the disease exactly.

And by soul, it referred to the brain.

It was certainly a rare and difficult disease to treat, but not without hope.

The person who suffered from this disease eventually overcame it and became an archmage.

‘I remember the cure being very difficult, but I know someone who knows how to cure it. The Iron-Blooded Saint. She's the highest ranking person in the Holy Empire.’

But that was impossible.

A saint was the flower of the Holy Empire, a powerful force, and those who were hostile to her sought to find and kill her at all costs.

This made it difficult for even the highest nobles to meet with her, much less for a common count to do so.

But Ethan knew a way.

It would not be easy, but it would not be impossible.

As Ethan pondered, the healer bowed quietly and left the room.

'I know how to meet a saint. But it will take a long time. I need to improve my condition so I don't die before then.’

There was no time to wallow in despair.

‘What if I die here? Originally, it should be the end of the game, but what if it's not the end of the game, but me actually dying?’

Ethan focused on the situation; he had always assumed the worst whenever he played Mazed Pangea.

He must act as if death there was death in the real world.

‘Survival. Survival is the number-one priority.’

Ethan had cleared MePan dozens of times.

He'd done speed runs to see if he could clear it in the shortest amount of time, and he'd done all-clear achievements, which require clearing a ton of achievements.

He'd played the game to death, so he knew in his head that there was a way out of this situation.

But there was a problem.

Normally, even at his low level, he would have been able to move around and find a way out, but now he was a cripple with limited mobility.

‘If I'm not careful, I could die walking.’

Therefore, for now, he had to find a way around this Whiskers family.

‘First, let's make some medicine.’

As long as there were enough herbs to provide first aid, he could make potions.

‘I could learn the healing technique myself, or get an artifact.’

But there was nothing he could do about that right now.

‘Let's go to the warehouse first. There must be something there since it’s a count family warehouse.’

Ethan first located the family warehouse.

The House of Whickers had several warehouses.

The warehouse where the family's most valuable items were stored was not open, and only four others were open.

Ethan walked slowly at first.

“Young Master!”

“Young Master, did you come out alone? Let me assist you.”

“Young Master!”

As soon as Ethan stepped out of the room, the nearby servants rushed over to him.

They grabbed him by the arm with worried faces and supported him.

“Thanks.”

“This was nothing. So where do you want to go?”

“I'm going to the warehouse.”

“Warehouses are full of dust, Young Master.”

“I can endure a little bit of dust.”

“It could be really dangerous to go there.”

“No, but I still need to go.”

“Then we'll do some cleaning beforehand, and you can come slowly.”

One of the servants ran, and Ethan, supported by the others, slowly made his way to the warehouse.

He was able to enter the warehouse without any restrictions.

‘First, let's find something that smells clean and fresh.’

To heal his current condition, he would need to find herbs with a clean scent, which, when combined with purified water, would create a restorative potion.

‘But I don't have purified water right now, so I have to rely on herbs.’

In this condition, he could barely walk to the neighboring estate.

It was imperative that he be able to move properly.

With that in mind, he diligently searched the warehouse and eventually found what he was looking for.

“Found it.”

When Ethan found one that smelled good, he popped it into his mouth and chewed hard.

After swallowing hard, he could feel a faint glow of mana within his body.

‘This is it. It tastes just right, and it made my headache go away a little bit. It's like Tylenol.’

His head ached like it was going to crack, but he felt a little better. But it wasn't enough.

Ethan gathered every herb he knew.

Because of his disease, the count's warehouse was well-stocked with a wide variety of herbs.

Perhaps hearing the news, the healer came to the warehouse.

“Young Master. What are you doing here all of a sudden?”

“Do you have some aconite? And if you also happen to have some prickly pear, please give it to me.”

“I do have them, but why are you suddenly asking for them… Not all herbs are medicinal just because you eat them, because basically, all herbs that can be medicinal contain poison…”

The therapist tried to explain, but Ethan didn't listen. He already knew the truth.

“So please trust me and wait a little longer. If I give them to you, something really bad could happen!”

Ethan tried again, but the healer was adamant.

‘Even if I were a doctor, I wouldn't give my medicines carelessly.’

Ethan decided it was best to back away.

He'd have to take it secretly later.

“Just give me one aconite, then. The pain is too much.”

Aconite was known for being one of the least toxic herbs. Its effect was analgesic. When eaten, the pain would go away within a few tens of minutes.

“It’s fine if it’s aconite.”

The healer relaxed a bit, found the aconite, and brought it to Ethan.

With the herbs in hand, Ethan carried his heavy body to the Count's magic laboratory.

‘Making it into a potion is more effective than eating them raw, but I can't gather the ingredients on my own.’

Fortunately, however, the Whickers family was a count family.

‘I have no choice but to ask Father for a favor.’

While his father, Count Whickers, was busy with his duties, he was constantly thinking about his son's health.

He assigned him a dedicated healer and stocked the warehouse with all sorts of medicines.

'There's no improvement with me even after continuing treatment like this, so he must be looking for another method.'

If he asked him to gather the ingredients he wanted, he might be able to prolong his life, if not cure it.

‘I just have to find a way.’

“I should eat first. I need to get my stamina up somehow before I can do anything else.”

At this point, he had trouble even eating meat, because even chewing it was a struggle.

‘If I wasn't from a noble family, I wouldn't dream of tender meat. Anyway, tonight is the night. I'm going to mix the herbs I have into a medicinal concoction.’

“Have a meal. Young Master.”

The maidservant prepared the meat, which was tender.

“I don't need to be fed, go back”

“It is the lord's orders.”

“I’m fine. I have to exercise anyway.”

For him, eating was like working out. If he left it to someone else, he had no reason to move at all.

Ethan picked up his fork and chewed on his meat.

Suddenly, he felt a lump in his throat and coughed loudly, his body shaking.

“Eok.”

Then he realized something was wrong.

Rumble.

“I have to cough it…uweeek!”