At Home
The first gates appeared and monsters poured out twelve years ago in this loop—back when I was six.
To cheer up their whiny kid who’d never been on a family vacation during holiday season like everyone else, my parents had splurged for once and taken us to a beach resort. That’s where the monster wave hit.
They hid my middle-school-aged brother and me in some abandoned house to escape the horde, then ran out to lure the monsters away. They never came back.
We were rescued much later by the mountain rescue team. Only after getting our parents’ belongings—found not far from the house—did the reality sink in…
From that moment, my brother and I were all each other had in the world.
In a society crumbled like a warzone, where survival of the fittest ruled every heart, we clung to one another just to stay alive.
During those 998 regressions, even if I wasn’t in my right mind, I’d hurt him with my own hands countless times. Those nightmares are etched into me like a curse.
For someone like me to return to his side now, I couldn’t have even a speck of corruption. So I verified it endlessly, over and over. Even so, showing up at his door might still be the height of shamelessness and disgust.
Even if this version of him has no memory of it all, from a distant past.
That’s why I vowed to live this life solely by his will. It’s the only atonement I can offer—a pathetic, cursed regressor’s desperate wish to feel his warmth by his side.
“You and your brother must be really close. Coming to see him this early in the morning.”
Shin Yu-ra broke the long silence, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Close…? We were, I guess. So far.”
“??”
She shrugged at my cryptic reply, eyeing me curiously.
“I bet. Bringing all these gifts to see your brother? You’d fall in love with your worst enemy. Haha…”
“……”
What’s with this woman? Does she know something? Nah, impossible.
“So, what’s this talk you wanted?”
“Ah, right… Are you planning to keep attending the academy, Mr. Kwon Mu-hyuk?”
“Hmm. Now that I’ve got my awakener license, I could quit…”
Shin Yu-ra gripped the wheel a bit tighter, eyes fixed ahead.
“Actually, the Hunter Association is launching a new rescue squad for rookie hunters.”
“Hunter Rescue Squad? What’s that?”
“It’s an organization for handling accidents inside dungeons or monster-related casualties outside gates. Like the old fire or mountain rescue teams.”
Right. That was when the Hunter Rescue Squad was formed.
But it was heavily criticized as nothing more than wartime bureaucracy, and with ongoing issues regarding the treatment of rescue hunters, it was eventually disbanded.
All because the Black Sheep cult pulled every dirty trick to ensure that fate.
“And?”
“I’d like you to lead one of the rescue teams, Mr. Kwon.”
“Me? Why?”
“Several reasons, but mainly your skills. Most applicants are level 5-10 C-rank hunters. We desperately need a capable leader to guide them.”
A capable leader… I’d been so wary of her from past loops that I hadn’t realized how she saw this me: just a skilled hunter fit for the role. Uncorrupted by darkness, wielding proper magic—the current Kwon Mu-hyuk was perfect for it.
This is a fresh shock in its own way.
“I’m not asking for an answer now. Just… consider it when you think about your path.”
“…Fine. I’ll think about it. But don’t get your hopes up. Not really my thing.”
“Sigh… Figured as much.”
I got out, leaving her nodding bitterly.
I stood there a moment, took a deep breath, then slowly headed home.
After the First Monster Wave twelve years ago, survivors gathered in special residential districts. Time had stratified them into bustling centers and rundown outskirts.
Seoul’s district was especially divided. Our outskirts home was severely neglected.
Skyscrapers gleamed downtown, but turn around and you saw crumbling ruins patched with rickety shacks.
There was a vigilante group of low-level hunters, but most were busy grinding levels, leaving it a lawless zone.
That’s why the Association wanted the rescue squad—to fix this mess.
In places like this, awakening—even at low levels—meant a ticket out. Everyone dreamed of sending kids to Hunter Academy.
My brother had sent me there hoping I’d escape his failed-awakener fate, even at the cost of crushing debt…
That’s why I couldn’t quit the academy despite Kwak Jae-ho’s beatings. Couldn’t betray his hopes.
We never knew those hopes would turn to curses.
“Hey, you bastard! Quit pretending you’re not home and open the damn door!”
“Open up, asshole!”
BAM! THUD!
Five or six thugs were kicking our door.
I’d been approaching slowly, bracing to stay calm seeing him. But this scene sent me sprinting.
CRACK!
They ripped off the handle and flung the door open, storming in with heavy boots.
“Guh!”
“Hey, punk. Thought we couldn’t get in if you hid?”
One sucker-punched my brother; he tumbled to the floor, surrounded by scowling goons.
“Bro! You okay?!”
I shoved through, rushing to him. Blood trickled from his mouth—my vision went red.
“I-I’m fine! Get in the room, Mu-hyuk!”
“Bro…”
More worried I’d get hurt than shocked at my sudden visit, he pushed me toward the room.
“What? Little bro’s here too?”
“Aha~ So you’re the ‘ray of hope’ academy hotshot?”
“Who the hell are you? Why’re you attacking my brother?”
I shielded him, voice ice-cold.
“Mu-hyuk, stay back! Go inside!”
“Inside? Hell no! He needs to know why his bro’s getting beat by loan sharks. Heh heh…”
“P-Please, just a little more time. I’ve paid interest on time, haven’t I?”
“Interest? Big deal! Principal’s due, and you haven’t paid! Pay up!”
Now I saw: these were the bloodsucking loan sharks who’d bled him dry with insane rates. To get me into the academy, he’d even turned to illegal lenders.
“Yo, what’s with the brat’s glare? Maybe he needs a taste like his bro…”
“Shut it.”
I blasted the sneering thug forward with Skill: Crimson-Black Flame Tornado.
KABOOM!
CRUNCH!
He smashed through the open door into the hallway wall, collapsing. The others flinched back. His face was a pulp.
“Brat’s got balls. Awakened, huh? Guess bro’s debts paid off after all! Hot damn!”
An awakener stepped up.
“If you’re awakened, pay your debts properly. What’s this tantrum…?”
His surprise punch was fast—but predictable.
I swung my arm on reflex. Next thing, Lee Man-seong was embedded in the living room wall, out cold.
SMACK!
THUD! CRASH!
“Gah!”
“W-Wait!”
“Urk!”
I hammered the rest without mercy. Couldn’t let my brother’s tormentors walk free.
One by one, I dragged them outside. They crumpled in the hall.
“Y-You… Do you know who we—?”
I booted a rising goon’s gut.
“Guh!”
“I’m not sparing you for your bullshit. I’ll come to your hideout with the cash soon. Go wait nicely.”
“Ugh… You’ll see…”
Once they slunk off, I grabbed the scattered gift bags from the street and headed in.
The door wouldn’t close—shattered by those bastards.
Fucking scum. No mercy for them.
“Mu-hyuk! You… really awakened?”
Bro collapsed on the living room floor, legs giving out, staring with teary eyes.
“Y-Yeah. I did.”
“Sniff! Good boy! So proud, my little bro…”
He broke down, covering his face, sobbing. I knelt, gripping his hands tight, at a loss.
As a kid, my nine-years-older brother was my rock. Now, after countless loops, this 27-year-old seemed so young, so green.
His hands—rough, scarred like an old man’s from endless toil. I swore never to let them suffer again.
“Bro. Unwrap these gifts I brought while I’m gone.”
“Where?”
“Pay off those guys. Won’t take long—prep the grill.”
“What?! No! They’re dangerous! And where’d you get money?”
“Got it. Cleared a dungeon all night. Wait here. Be right back.”
“Wha— Mu-hyuk! Mu-hyuk!”
I shook off his desperate grip and bolted outside. Gotta wipe them out before they scheme.