Red dots speckled the white restraint suit like a constellation. The moment the order to fire came down, I’d be Swiss cheese.

This was exactly when I needed Samra’s cooperation.

I rolled my eyes toward him.

Samra wore a white uniform — different from the standard TRA gear.

The outfit that marked him as something special stood out even more against the sea of dark uniforms surrounding us.

Samra placed a hand on my shoulder. He patted it a couple of times, as if to show that even this touch was safe.

"Han Goyo is human."

A distinct ripple of murmurs spread at Samra’s declaration.

Just then, the wall of uniforms split in half, and a man with graying hair walked through the gap.

The moment I saw his medal-heavy uniform, I knew exactly who he was.

The Director of the Trial Response Agency — Jang Seokyun.

Despite being past sixty, he had a solid, well-built frame. Power radiated from the eyes beneath his thick brows.

I shot a quick bow to the highest authority in this place.

"A pleasure to meet you, Director. I’m Han Goyo."

What I really wanted was a full ninety-degree bow, but one wrong move and my body would probably fall apart, so I settled for a nod.

Jang Seokyun received my greeting with a meaningful smile.

"First time meeting me, yet you know my face. That’s supposed to be confidential, you know."

He strode over to me.

"Director!"

Urgent protests came from all around, but Jang Seokyun ignored them.

"He’s human, isn’t he? And Samra’s here."

He stopped right in front of me and offered his greeting.

"Good to meet you. I’m Jang Seokyun."

Then he studied me carefully.

"A handshake... hmm, that might be difficult."

The restraint suit had both arms bound, making a handshake impossible.

I tried to put on an innocent smile to emphasize that I was a harmless human.

"Sorry I can’t greet you properly. If it’s not too much trouble, could you call off the sniper rifles?"

At Jang Seokyun’s gesture, the red dots retracted.

But the pointers aimed at my head, heart, and other vital spots stayed put.

Samra had vouched for my humanity, but I was still a suspicious bastard — that hadn’t changed.

Still, this was good enough.

"Thank you."

"Haha, I’d like to clear them all away, but I suppose I’ve gotten cautious in my old age. Hope you understand, Goyo."

"Of course."

I smiled lightly, but inside I was on high alert.

Jang Seokyun looked like a good-natured man, but he was actually terrifying.

A man who devoted himself to the nation and the TRA, who believed sacrifice was inevitable for justice.

One wrong step, and I could become that inevitable sacrifice.

"You were a pro gamer, weren’t you, Goyo. Is that what they call a sport these days?"

"...Yes."

"Quite impressive. But how did you end up here?"

If there was ever a time to go all in, it was now.

With practically the entire TRA gathered here, I had to make them recognize that I was useful.

No — not just useful.

Essential.

"Director."

"Hm?"

"Please spare my life."

Caught off guard by the completely unexpected words, Jang Seokyun barked out a laugh.

"Hahaha!"

He asked, his voice still brimming with amusement.

"And if I spare you?"

I declared to the TRA:

"I’ll clear and bring back three True Endings within a month."

If I could move my hands, I would have held up three fingers.

Just spare my life, Director.

I locked eyes with Jang Seokyun, my gaze blazing with determination.

It was a calculated bet.

Either way, I had to enter Trials to keep my limbs intact. If Jang Seokyun accepted me here, I could enter Trials with the TRA’s backing.

And the Jang Seokyun I knew...

He would never be able to refuse my offer.

Jang Seokyun had stopped laughing. His tiger-like eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying this whole incident wasn’t just luck?"

"That’s right."

"Samra."

"Han Goyo’s statement is factual. He has sufficient capability to achieve what he’s proposed."

Samra met Jang Seokyun’s gaze squarely.

"Furthermore, Han Goyo’s identity has been verified."

His unblinking eyes were unsettling.

Outwardly no different from a human, but the eyes made no effort to hide the machine within.

"This is the judgment of Samra Mansang of the Trial Response Agency."

After Samra’s statement, a heavy silence settled over the room.

No one had expected Samra to step up and defend me so actively.

"Well, now."

Jang Seokyun finally spoke after a long pause.

"At my age, there aren’t many things that surprise me anymore. But you, Goyo, you’ve got this old man’s heart going for a ride."

He raised one hand. The red laser pointers aimed at me vanished completely.

I let out a long, silent breath of relief.

I was alive...

"Let’s have a talk somewhere quiet. Follow me. You too, Samra."

Jang Seokyun turned and led the way.

But I couldn’t follow in my restraint suit.

My legs were bound too — I’d need to be wheeled around on something like a stretcher.

Samra quietly called out to Jang Seokyun.

"Director."

"Ah. I wasn’t thinking. My apologies."

Realizing my predicament belatedly, Jang Seokyun allowed me to change clothes.

I was finally free from that damn restraint suit!

When they handed me a comfortable tracksuit — the kind TRA soldiers wore during training — I was almost moved to tears.

’I’m going to live a good life from now on.’

I never wanted to wear a restraint suit again.

After changing, I sat in the Director’s office side by side with Samra.

The office I’d visited in dot graphics had the exact same layout as the game. Even the decorative orchid pot was in the same spot — like someone had copy-pasted it.

Just how much did the Creator know?

There was no way a human could do this.

"Han Goyo."

Jang Seokyun, who had been looking out the window with his hands behind his back, turned to face me.

"Do you know the founding purpose of the Trial Response Agency?"

I knew, but I pretended not to.

"No."

"It’s a national agency that responds to calamities and threats caused by superordinate beings."

His voice was calm.

"We judged you to be a superordinate being — a National Calamity. Now that you’ve been confirmed as human, that judgment is suspended."

Suspended, not fully withdrawn.

Well, I understood. No matter how firmly Samra vouched for me, I was still too suspicious.

"In any case, you seem to be special. This is the first time I’ve seen Samra take someone’s side like this."

He flashed a brief, playful smile, then turned serious.

"Can you really clear True Endings?"

"If you trust me, I’ll repay that trust."

Jang Seokyun looked at me for a long moment.

"You remind me of myself when I was young."

A compliment... I think?

After a moment’s hesitation, I replied with a "Thank you."

My answer seemed to amuse him — he let out a short laugh. Then he picked up a folder from his desk.

"The number of Trials hatching keeps increasing, but we’re desperately short on Adaptees to respond. And permanent closure is out of the question."

A note of helplessness crept into his voice.

It was the helplessness of being stuck in a swamp — no matter how you struggled, nothing got solved, and things only got worse.

"It’s an age that needs heroes."

Jang Seokyun said it like a light joke. But it was earnest truth.

"Whatever you are, Goyo — if you can reduce even one Trial on this soil of South Korea."

He held out the folder.

"I’ll back you."

"I’ll give it my all."

I answered politely and took the folder.

Deal sealed.

Jang Seokyun issued his order as Director of the TRA.

"Effective immediately, I am forming a Director-level Special Mission Team centered on Han Goyo. Duration: one month. Team members: Han Goyo and all field team leaders, with Samra assigned as support."

Samra gave a crisp salute at the assignment order.

I felt dazed. I’d figured I wouldn’t be sent into the Trials alone, but I never expected a whole special team to be formed.

And field team leaders plus Samra as support — the best operatives the TRA had to offer. An elite squad.

"As for Han Goyo’s status..."

I belatedly opened the folder I’d received.

"Trainee."

Inside was a TRA trainee contract stamped with the Director’s seal.

"During your time as a trainee, you’ll stay at the TRA and be protected."

Jang Seokyun said with a benevolent smile.

"Take care of yourself, Trainee Han."

And just like that, I became a one-month trainee of the TRA.

I stood in front of the mirror, fidgeting awkwardly with my sleeve.

The uniform was a sleek dark blue with silver trim. The full set included a cap and gloves, but since most people only wore the uniform outside of official occasions, I followed suit.

Never thought I’d be wearing a TRA uniform...

The fact that Trials existed, the fact that I’d become a TRA trainee — none of it felt real.

Last night, I’d fallen asleep in what was supposed to be my assigned quarters — a quarantine room masquerading as a dorm. A studio with a bathroom, plenty of space for one person.

I’d passed out from exhaustion, and when I woke up, it was morning. I ate the meal served on a tray, then changed into the uniform from the closet.

And now I was waiting for whoever was coming to pick me up.

I felt like I was dreaming, staring at the mirror for a long time until a knock pulled my gaze away.

The steel door opened, and the moment I saw who walked in, I hurriedly bowed.

"Hello."

"Hey, Goyo. Kwak Hanmuk."

Kwak Hanmuk, who’d flung the door open, bent at a perfect ninety-degree angle to match my bow. Caught off guard by the reciprocal bow, I floundered.

"You can relax. I’m younger than you anyway. Drop the formalities."

"Really? Then call me hyung."

Then he shifted to a different kind of pressure.

"Want me to give you a nickname so we sound closer? Was it Roasted Chestnut?"

It’s Roasted Chestnut...

"Just call me Goyo, please."

I quietly asked, not wanting to be called Chestnut or Roasted anything in real life.

"Must be because you’re tall. The uniform looks good on you."

"Thank you."

"Huh, he looks more normal than I expected. Don’t you think, Captain Mo?"

At that, Mo Haein stepped out from behind Kwak Hanmuk.

She’d arrived just now, but his large frame had hidden her.

"Captain, hello."

I bowed just like I had to Kwak Hanmuk. Mo Haein was silent for a moment.

I was a little tense — our last encounter hadn’t ended well.

’Well, I did show her my head exploding.’

She looked at me with an unreadable expression, then gave a short nod.

"I’ll be counting on you for the next month, Trainee."

My shoulders, tense without me realizing, finally relaxed.

I smiled faintly and said I was counting on her too.

The two of them led me to the Special Mission Team office.

It wasn’t far from my quarters.

During the short walk, stares poured in from all directions, uncomfortably sharp.

I’d wanted to explore the TRA building if I got the chance, but it looked like I’d have to stay cooped up in my room for a while.

The Special Mission Team office, set up in just one day, was still a bit messy.

Unpacked boxes were stacked up, and a large round table sat on the other side.

The break room, however, was fully stocked.

Massage chairs, a cot, a sofa, even gaming consoles.

Not to mention expensive snacks, a refrigerator, and an espresso machine.

But the things that should have been there were missing.

No conference room, no meeting projector, no office computers or desks.

As I wondered why, I saw an android emerge from the break room carrying a tray of snacks and coffee — and I understood.

Ah. Samra.

A supercomputer could handle all the office work, so field personnel only needed to focus on field operations. That was the philosophy behind this setup.

’Besides, each team leader probably handles their individual work in their own office.’

This was only possible because we were a ridiculously spoiled team using Samra as support.

I looked at Samra with greedy eyes as he set the tray down on the round table and greeted me.

"Welcome, Han Goyo."

There were four cups of coffee — including one for the android. The machine built with future technology worked fine even with liquid inside.

Kwak Hanmuk and Mo Haein both looked baffled as Samra served coffee and snacks. Kwak Hanmuk asked seriously.

"Samra... are you sick? No, wait, what’s the right word. Did you get hacked?"

"I am perfectly fine. And with current Earth technology, hacking me is impossible."

Samra drank his iced coffee like a human and projected a screen into the air instead of using a beam projector.

"I will begin the Special Mission Team briefing."

Kwak Hanmuk rustled around adding sugar to his coffee, but Samra ignored him and started the briefing.

"The first Trial we will enter is <Dead Zone Delivery>."

The Special Mission Team’s first mission was a zombie game.