Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: When Did It Begin?
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Whenever it was.
The sky I lay staring at had forgotten its once-clear blue, now transformed into a gloomy dark red.
"Cough..."
The sour taste of blood filled my mouth. My insides were shredded into pieces, blood pouring out endlessly.
"Fuck... Immortality my ass..."
[Undying Lord].
This grandiose trait that seemed like it would never let me die.
"So this is the limit..."
In truth, it wasn't immortality.
I'd vaguely known that. It was just endless regenerative power.
Still, thanks to this power, I'd made it this far.
"Lee Han."
A thick shadow fell over my face as I lay there.
"You okay?"
"Do I look okay?"
"Guess it's not true immortality after all."
"Yeah. Thanks for letting me find out. Appreciate it, Solomon."
The shadow belonged to Solomon, master of the 72 demons and all demonic beasts. Naturally, we shouldn't be having such a friendly chat.
Why?
Because he was the culprit who invaded from the Demon Realm, another dimension, and destroyed Earth.
"No need to thank me."
"You crazy bastard. You think I'm thanking you for real? I'm about to die here."
"Oh, guess not. Still, it was quite an enjoyable time. Who knew you'd hold off the apocalypse alone for so long? Not bad entertainment."
"I didn't expect you to be this strong either. Thought you were on par with the upper demons, maybe a tad stronger."
But we each had what we wanted, making this conversation possible.
"Still refusing my offer? Accept, and I can spare you."
"What? Join your side?"
"Exactly. In destroying eight dimensions so far, you're the first like this."
"What, the first to talk back to you like this?"
"Precisely what I like. That unbreakable will, fighting solo for over a year. It'll greatly help my goal of becoming a Demon God."
Solomon had a clear, grand goal of becoming a Demon God, while I'd just fought frantically day by day.
Maybe we'd differed from the start.
"Nah, pass."
That didn't mean I'd join hands with him to survive.
"Why? Weren't you clinging to life?"
"Watch your words. You lot were too weak, so I had no choice."
The reason I'd fought so desperately wasn't just to avoid death.
I was born that way.
Raised that way.
And luckily got a mythic trait on top.
Even back when I had nothing, I couldn't tolerate anyone messing with me.
If I took one hit, I had to dish out twenty to feel satisfied.
So how should I pay back these bastards who barged in, slaughtered humanity, and toyed with Earth? That was always the question.
And...
"I don't wanna serve a lucky punk like you anyway."
Better to die than grovel and survive by siding with them.
"Understood."
Solomon didn't push further.
"But there's one regrettable thing."
He continued with another topic instead.
"What's so regrettable?"
"If there'd been a few more humans like you—even from a lowly lower dimension—you might not have perished."
Honestly, he was right.
Five people?
I didn't even expect them to match me.
If those five had power close to mine, Earth wouldn't have fallen so helplessly.
"What good is saying that now? Get lost. I don't want you watching me die."
"...Hm. Gathering your remaining strength in your right arm, huh? Buying time? You're always entertaining."
"You're as boring as your face."
"Haha... You even joke well. Well, it was fun, Lee Han."
"That wasn't a jok—"
-Crack.
Solomon let out one last annoying laugh, then tore open a black rift in the air and vanished in an instant.
"Fuck..."
I'd even given up my final regeneration to gather power, but he just mocked me and left.
Rage, exhaustion, then creeping silence.
"Is this what death feels like?"
I could feel my life's flame flickering out.
"Damn it."
Late regrets.
If only I'd known about the Demon Realm sooner.
If I'd kept leveling up instead of settling for the present.
If I'd crazily gathered items and skills despite the hassle.
Would Solomon be lying alone on the cold ground instead?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Congratulations. 'Huh? What's this?'
A familiar transparent blue window appeared before my blurring vision, displaying a message.
Congratulations? Now that death was near, was the system mocking me too?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The sole survivor of 18th Dimension Earth: Lee Han. "Anyone'd think I won some event."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 18th Dimension Administrator Gaia sacrifices her divinity to save Earth, granting you her authority. What? Sacrificing divinity to use authority on me?
What nonsense was this?
I forced my drooping eyes open.
I couldn't miss even a single word.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Regressing. Protect the 18th Dimension. 'What?'
The moment I saw the final message, my eyes closed as if by lie.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Regression? You mean back to the past?'
As I pondered Gaia's authority displayed in the message.
'Huh?'
Incredibly, the excruciating pain vanished.
I slowly opened my eyes.
'What is this?'
A crisp blue sky, towering trees, dense foliage.
The freshness of nature touched my skin.
This sensation.
'No way it's a dream.'
And I wasn't alone.
"What are you spacing out for, Lee Han?"
A cute woman in glasses tilted her head in front of me.
She looked familiar.
"We gotta check for magic stones quick. Everyone else is working."
"Magic stones?"
I looked around.
A dozen people were busily slicing open the bellies of a group of fallen goblins.
"Argh! Another bust. Why no stones today!"
"Think making money's easy? Hurry up!"
"Damn! Gotta get a trait quick and get outta here. At least Hero-grade or higher!"
"Hero my ass. You need achievements for traits. How with just mining stones?"
"True that? Heh."
From their talk, this was definitely Utopia.
"What year is it now?"
I asked the woman who'd spoken to me.
"What year?"
"Yeah."
"2023?"
Exactly 10 years ago.
'Gaia really sent me back.'
I quickly quelled the chaos in my mind.
What was done was done.
No time for doubts—push forward.
From experience, the system didn't lie.
So.
'This is my chance.'
I had one thing to do.
Ditch the passive life of my past, drifting until the Demon Realm invasion.
'This time, Solomon, I'll look down on you properly. Wait for me.'
Live fiercely, squeezing every second for efficiency.
Unlike before, aim to destroy the Demon Realm outright.
Only then might I feel a bit satisfied.
I opened my status window.
Level 1, no traits.
'First, gotta get [Undying Lord].'
No matter what, [Undying Lord] was a mythic trait, only 10 in the world.
The best I knew.
And it perfectly matched my aggressive fighting style.
'Then level up like crazy, sweep items and skills. Fill the gaps.'
Undying Lord wasn't invincible. Mental fatigue and regeneration were separate issues—focus on those.
With the big plan set, a problem arose as I thought of details.
'But how to get the achievement?'
Recalling the one that gave the mythic trait soured my mood.
Achievement [Surviving When You Should Be Dead?].
Only by enduring fatal wounds for over an hour.
'Precisely, twist a sure-death fate to pique a constellation's interest.'
Problem was, it happened by chance and luck about a year from now.
The 'sure-death' line was vague, up to the constellation.
'Can't tell when the [Undying Lord] constellation pays attention, so can't force it... But living a year traitless is too inefficient.'
No good ideas yet.
"Hey! Lee Han!"
The sharp call snapped me out.
"What?"
"What? You say 'what'? Mine the stones already! You're the only one slacking! We brought you 'cause you said you'd work hard even as a newbie. This is a problem. And why informal? I'm older!"
She ranted like a motor in her mouth.
For a second, I considered snapping her neck, but.
'Regressed, so adapt.'
I'm no psycho; I follow what's right.
"Sorry...?"
Honoring her felt awkward.
"Why ask me if you're sorry!"
"Haven't used it in ages."
"Informal again!"
Why does she look more familiar? Not just from first hunt.
"Your name?"
"Huh? Still informal?"
"Feel like we've met before?"
"Jeez! What is this? Hitting on me outta nowhere?"
I was curious, but.
Didn't want misunderstandings with her.
"What? Suddenly quiet. Making me feel bad."
No time to mine stones here either.
"I'm done here."
"Huh?"
"See ya."
She grabbed my turning hand desperately.
"Are you nuts? Going alone?"
"Yeah."
"Level 1? This is central goblin zone. Just go informal! Informal!"
Her eyes trembled with real worry.
'Nice girl.'
Couldn't remember the last time I saw such kindness.
I gently pried off her hand.
"Sudden emergency came up."
My gear: one sword, sturdy leather armor.
Any goblins short of the Goblin King, I could handle hordes.
I had skills from before the system and Utopia.
'Goblin King won't leave his village unless mad anyway.'
I turned and walked.
"W-wait! Lee Han!"
I ignored her voice behind me.
'A year wait's too long. Repeatedly challenge achievements, hope [Undying Lord] notices then?'
My mind was all on achievements. Constellations grant unique traits only to the first to claim a fitting one—luck required.
Mulling plans, I headed for the portal city. Follow the distant tall tower.
"Keeik!"
A goblin's shrill cry pierced my thoughts.
A 130cm green monster with a rusty dagger ahead.
"After big beasts, you look cute for once."
Before it reacted, I drew my sword and charged. Goblins' weakness: short reach.
Vulnerable to thrusts.
I gripped the hilt end, arm fully extended.
'Body reaction's too slow. Gotta level up fast.'
Goblin thrust its dagger in surprise, but couldn't bridge arm and weapon length gap.
Puuk!
I yanked the sword from its chest. Green blood spurted.
"Ki... kiik..."
It clutched the wound, trying to stem the blood desperately.
Futile.
I swung horizontally at its thin neck.
Thud!
Head dropped limply.
'Pity, but money later. King's worth a fortune.'
No time to check for stones. As I stepped away.
Kwaaaang!
A massive explosion from the right forest, red flames soaring.
Something happened.
'Getting involved wastes time.'
Curiosity eats time. I ignored, kept going. But.
'Don't do this.'
Kwaang! Kwaang!
Exploding red flames raced toward me fast.
I'd held back running to save stamina for goblins.
'No conserving now.'
I bolted opposite the flames without hesitation.
'Damn.'
Glancing back while running, explosions trailed too fast.
'Gonna get caught.'
Quick decision. Stopped running, climbed the tallest nearby tree.
Arms and legs trembled, but reached the top.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Deep breaths, held still to avoid detection.
"Kurruk! Kurruk!"
Soon, the flame's owner appeared, roaring in fury.
A gray goblin, adult male size, staff in hand.
'Goblin King...?'
The last thing you want in goblin zone.
And.
'What'd that guy do to enrage the village-bound Goblin King?'
A man desperately fled through bushes, far from the Goblin King.