Chapter 1: Starting the 999th Loop

Eternally Cursed Body.

That was the name of the curse clinging to me.

During 998 regressions, the shackles on my soul that never loosened no matter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠how brutally they tormented me had, before I knew it, become part of my very being.

With each regression, my original purpose grew hazy.

Pain and resentment dragged me beyond the abyss of the curse itself.

Sometimes, my limbs were severed by hooks, leading to my death.

Other times, I was stoned to death by villagers.

In a desperate bid to escape the repeating curse, I traveled far, hid away.

I even took my own life before the curse could drive me mad.

But all those struggles merely fertilized the nightmare that started anew.

I never learned what bound me so tightly or who had cast this curse upon me.

My sense of self gradually lost the will to resist amid the endless regressions.

Whenever I simply followed the path fate laid out, everyone around me died.

An apocalypse filled with distant despair engulfed the world.

The seeds of that destruction always stemmed from me.

In the end, with no family or friends left, I completed the curse through blood and slaughter, only to regress once more at the world's demise.

And so... another loop came to an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠end.

As if to ensure I never forgot the number of regressions, this damn curse announced the loop number even as I lay dying.

The words of the curse, visible only to me.

'Fuck this.'

Muttering futile rebellion in my fading consciousness, I knew no one would hear.

'I just want to rest now...'

"Kwon Mu-hyuk! Get up right now, you punk!"

'???'

My hazy consciousness gradually returned, and I felt sensation flooding back into my body.

'Regressed again, huh.'

Slowly raising my weary body, I checked my condition—and suddenly sensed something off.

The excruciating pain that had tormented me relentlessly, crushing my entire body, was gone.

"Wha... what the hell."

With a bewildered face, I prodded and pinched myself all over.

But the curse's agony that had bound me so tightly was nowhere to be felt since the moment of regression.

Just a minute ago—before regressing—the hellish torment crushing my body had vanished in an instant.

"This guy's lost it. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Gotta be brain-damaged from all the beatings."

It wasn't just my body that was strange.

Go Chang-seok, tsking with a worried look right in front of me, was someone who shouldn't have been here.

My roommate from the Hunter Academy high school dorms, he'd stuck by me after graduation, helping out as my best friend—until he suddenly passed away a week before the curse hit.

"What day is it? Month and date? Year?"

"Huh? Lemme think... Oh, July 5th, 2033!"

'2033?! That means it's five years before the curse!'

I shot up and rushed to the old mirror hanging by the dorm room door, staring at my reflection.

There stood an 18-year-old Kwon Mu-hyuk with clear skin and bright eyes, as if no curse had ever touched him, looking back in shock.

'How is this possible? I always regressed to the same point, but this is five years earlier!'

'Status window.'

Back then, I hadn't awakened yet and was getting beaten by classmates who'd awakened first.

Thanks to my regressor trait, I always stayed awakened post-regression.

But regressing five years back? This was a first.

For a moment, I hoped maybe I'd escaped the curse and awakening altogether—but empty wish.

'Of course not... this damn curse...'

Hm? But Luck at 999? What the hell?

My Luck never exceeded 1 or 2.

999? Possible? System glitch?

Go Chang-seok poked my dazed, staring self.

"Hey, you okay? You're freaking me out."

"Go Chang-seok..."

I nearly hugged him but held back.

Contamination at 0, but curse influence might linger—better avoid contact, especially with a dear friend.

"Snap out of it. Afternoon class awaits. Late again, and it's night patrol duty."

"..."

Night patrol at Hunter Academy was bad news, whether facing monsters or rival students.

I shook off post-regression dizziness, grabbed my textbook for class.

'Fundamentals of Magic Theory.'

Hunter classes included magic, but depending on trait awakening, you might master it or never touch it. Still, basics were mandatory.

In a world of mostly combat Hunters, magic users were rare and prized.

The Hunter Committee hoped for more mage awakenings.

Heading to the lecture hall, the lightness of zero contamination surged through me.

If I could stay like this forever, I could do anything.

Go Chang-seok eyed my grinning face with deeper worry.

"Dude, you're really losing it... damn."

Shaking his head and clucking his tongue, I left him behind and entered the hall, already packed with students.

I grabbed a random seat as the magic professor entered.

"Today, we'll practice casting motions based on basic magic theory. Won't make you able to cast, but knowing them helps spot and counter dungeon beasts' spells. Learn 'em well."

He demonstrated simple motions, giving time to practice.

Go Chang-seok beside me mimicked eagerly, trying to coax out magic—I couldn't help a slight smile.

He'd awakened as a Warrior just before academy graduation, reaching high levels.

Strong enough for a good living, no complaints.

But he'd envy mages sometimes.

'Us warriors swing ten times to kill what they zap once. How easy.'

His gruff post-awakening grumble echoed in my ears, stirring emotions.

I turned from him, glancing at my half-hearted motions.

My hands, always blackened by the curse, now held a healthy, sun-tanned hue.

'Blackened for all 999 loops...'

Faces of those who'd died by my tainted hands flashed by.

My kind older brother—we'd leaned on each other after losing our parents, until the curse.

This time, maybe I could keep seeing that gentle side.

This reality felt alien, hard to trust. If I kept contamination at zero, anything seemed possible.

'Magic skills or powering up always spiked contamination.'

Even hiding in mountains powerless, it rose anyway.

'Curse not lifted, yet contamination zero... why? Luck, probably.'

Only differences: age and Luck stat. Pre-curse timing but curse active—so Luck affected it, I concluded.

"Alright, motions down? Pair up, face off in the magic barrier center. Even if cast, barrier nullifies—go wild."

Students entered the central barrier in pairs, flailing oddly. Then, a gasp erupted.

"Whoa, that's magic, right?! Holy Lightning!"

Even waiting Chang-seok exclaimed.

Silver radiant light bloomed in the barrier.

'Right, around now Seol Yun-ji awakened as a mage.'

The day the future Holy Witch made her first mark.

Holy Witch Seol Yun-ji... over 200 loops, she'd poured her mana to eliminate curse-ridden me, dying for it. The rest...

"Whoa, another Awakener!"

Snapping from memories, cheers burst again.

'Damn... I did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it without thinking...'

Habitual motion triggered magic. After 999 loops, casting was breathing—unconscious activation.

'Contamination...!'

I checked my hands. No progress, luckily.

Back at my seat, Chang-seok pounded my back excitedly.

"Dude, you awakened, right? How sudden... well, awakenings are sudden, but mage?! Awesome!"

He beamed like it was his own awakening.

Last life, he'd awakened first, always shielding me.

This reunion felt precious. I grinned sheepishly at him, then checked status.

Contamination up by 1. Eyes narrowed unconsciously.

Sudden message—contamination dropped back to 0.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, rechecking status.

'Contamination back to zero!!!!! No way!'

Horrified, I stared at the status window, checking and rechecking.

Contamination could decrease!

First time in 999 loops.