From a Young Age

"You're one tough bastard, Kim Jeong-seok."

I'd always been the stubborn type.

Once I latched onto something, I'd dig into it until the bitter end.

Because of that, people often called me narrow-minded and inflexible.

"You're going to draw a magic circle across the entire world?"

"What the hell even is this Philosopher's Stone?"

"You really think it's worth mobilizing this many people?"

Everyone was against it.

No one joined my plan.

It was only natural. I understood.

The world was crumbling.

It was an era when just surviving took everything you had.

But after desperate persuasion...

Over more than ten long years, I managed to draw a single 'magic circle' across the world.

27,384 people mobilized.

Every single one of them was extraordinary.

They were the pinnacle experts in their fields.

"Let's stop this now, Jeong-seok."

"Our country's falling apart!"

"How long are you gonna cling to this pointless crap? Huh?"

Endless disasters.

Hordes of monsters overflowing.

Days stained with screams and despair.

Amid all the criticism, I steadfastly drew the magic circle.

My goal was simple.

Blow up the God's Tower.

Those bastards who did this to us needed to feel the same pain.

Even if it meant just chopping off their hands and feet, it'd be a win.

I wanted to make damn sure they knew—if we go down, they won't get off scot-free.

So.

'Let's all die together.'

I detonated the completed Philosopher's Stone.

The Tower vanished with Earth.

The Inevitable Force was obliterated too.

Everything returned to nothingness.

A message popped up in front of my eyes.

I couldn't help but chuckle.

Everyone's dead—what do titles and awakenings matter now?

But something was off.

Another window suddenly appeared.

What the hell is this?

An endless list scrolling down.

The talents I could raise were truly limitless.

I knew it instinctively.

'Talents assigned to characters at the start of a game.'

Like some kind of RPG.

I could decide my character's talents.

Pick the ones that fit the direction I wanted to develop.

But.

'They gave me 100 million points. That's enough to max out talents 100 million times.'

Why?

Why give me 100 million points?

Not a small number by any means.

'Did wiping out the Inevitable Force do it?'

Inevitable Force.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The unstoppable.

The one that could never be killed.

Was this the reward for erasing it?

'...I don't know what's what, but one thing's clear.'

I couldn't let this opportunity slip.

My instincts as a mage—as an explorer—were screaming.

A turning point.

The truth I'd chased my whole life might finally be within reach.

I started spending SP to raise talents.

And I realized.

'Each talent maxes at 10,000. Meaning...'

I could max 10,000 talents.

The problem?

'There aren't even 10,000 talents.'

Maybe around 1,000 at best.

Even maxing them all would only use 10,000,000 SP.

90 million left over.

I stroked my chin for a moment.

These categories...

They felt familiar.

'...All attributes, spells, subcategories of magic.'

The ones I'd tried to learn but given up on.

The vast fields too immense to touch.

All of them were here.

Even ones I'd never known.

But even mastering them all only cost 10 million.

My fingers flew across the interface.

How much time passed?

...SP wasn't just for talents?

Seemed like there were hidden or inaccessible abilities.

But I didn't dwell on it long.

My vision flickered.

...Where am I?

"D-Disaster!"

"The God of Disasters is furious!"

"Everyone, run!"

Chaos everywhere.

People in golden armor were fleeing in every direction.

And I...

'Chains?'

Was bound.

Imprisoned too.

Seemed like they were transporting me somewhere.

Lots of others like me around.

The problem was our escorts dropping everything to run.

And more than that.

"S-Save us!"

"That's the 'Typhoon of Annihilation'!"

"We're all dead!"

The prisoners were screaming too.

Having breakdowns, tears streaming.

Rumble! Kurrrrrrrrooooom!

A colossal typhoon approached.

True to its name, Typhoon of Annihilation.

Devouring everything in its path.

I looked down at my body.

'Similar... but different.'

My body, but not my body.

I could move it as I wished, but this was definitely not 'Kim Jeong-seok's' flesh.

Much bigger. Sturdier.

Height easily over 2 meters.

Rippling muscles.

Even the hair was shining gold.

If there was a mirror, I'd check closer.

But from the glimpses, no way this was Kim Jeong-seok.

I had no clue where this was or what was happening.

But one thing was certain.

'Why am I so calm?'

Calm beyond reason.

Not panicking at all.

Not terrified like them.

Instead, I grasped the situation faster than anyone.

This place, right now.

'Asgard.'

The gods' realm, Asgard.

I'd clearly seen the message about character creation and logging in there.

So this body was the 'character' I created.

Were we inside a game?

'Too vivid for a game.'

Full immersion.

Every sense screamed it.

This wasn't a game.

It was real.

'God of Disasters. Typhoon of Annihilation.'

That's what the fleeing ones shouted in unison.

Their disaster god was pissed.

Even named the typhoon.

No, wait.

I knew that typhoon.

From long ago. The distant past.

One of the powers used by the strongest gods ruling the Tower.

But that was weird.

I'd collapsed the Tower, erased the Inevitable Force.

Were the disaster gods still alive?

'We always wondered where the ones who built the Tower on Earth came from.'

Then the truth hit me.

'...This Asgard is their home.'

Asgard. The gods' land!

Just as the name implied, their 'hometown' where they lived.

I nodded the moment it clicked.

Stood up.

And.

Crack!

Yanked the chains apart with force.

Screeech!

Bent the iron bars with both hands.

Power surged. Like I could do anything.

If this was the character I made.

The one with every talent maxed.

And if those messages were all true—

'Status window.'

As expected.

No, beyond expectations.

A veritable.

'Monster.'

A human at level 1 maxed at 10 per stat, tops.

Even that was impossible across the board.

But this? All stats at 50 from the start.

Insane, considering the normal max level cap was 10.

Plus.

'I'm logged in right now.'

As my avatar.

Not my real body.

'Level up to log out. Does logging out send me back to reality?'

Log out to reality.

And if reality for me is.

'...Can I return to Earth?'

Earth's the only one.

Back to Kim Jeong-seok's flesh.

I held out my right palm.

'Golden rune.'

My right hand had been itching since earlier.

Right after the typhoon appeared.

This 'golden rune' was the cause.

Shimmering letters reacting to the typhoon.

'Disaster Devourer.'

I knew it instinctively.

I'm a mage.

One who pursues truth, draws near the laws of nature.

One glimpse reveals the essence.

Normally, running would be smart.

But.

'Let's try it.'

A body that'd already died once.

The mad mage who'd blown up Earth and the Tower at once—that's me.

"I-Is that guy crazy?"

"He's heading toward the 'Typhoon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of Annihilation'!"

The prisoners yelled.

Sure enough, I walked into the typhoon.

The moment it swallowed me.

Vwoooooom!

The golden rune on my palm reacted.

Then.

Shooooooo!

It got sucked in.

Devoured whole.

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Before long.

"...The, the typhoon's gone?"

"No way!"

The world fell silent.

A straightforward message.

But it didn't end there.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The sky suddenly blackened.

Boom!

A black lightning bolt struck before me.

And.

"...An intriguing fellow, art thou."

A man appeared.

I knew at once.

This guy.

'God of Disasters.'

The one who'd unleashed the Typhoon of Annihilation.

And also.

'Can't win.'

Run.

My instincts screamed it.

But I couldn't flee.

Showing my back would mean death.

Then the man spoke.

"Art thou a 'Son of God'?"

Son of God?

I pondered briefly.

He was waiting for an answer.

Probably questioning my miracle.

Go bold? Play meek?

'Half-assed acting won't work.'

He's a god.

A disaster god, no less.

Better to show my true colors.

"Did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my full military service."

"...?"

Ah. Wrong meaning.

"...Kidding. What does 'Son of God' mean?"

He answered with exasperated amusement.

"A jester, eh? To jest before me."

Fair point.

Since he appeared, the world had gone dead silent.

Not even the breathing of those behind me.

All frozen in terror.

I alone faced him—naturally intriguing.

He shook his head once and spoke.

"Go to the Tower. If thou art truly a 'Son of God,' thou must ascend it to become one."

"...?"

"Knowest thou not? God's Tower. The Tower where we become true 'gods.'"

The man shrugged.

"Thou hast erased my tempest—thou hast talent aplenty. Climb the Tower and seek me out."

"How would I even find you without a name?"

"...Thy impudence pierces the heavens. Dost thou court death?"

Whooooosh!

Wind stirred around us again.

But I didn't avert my eyes.

No trembling, strangely.

Calm. My heart steady.

This body feared no disaster god.

Not a speck.

Besides, I'd already seen the end.

My experience and mental fortitude remained.

"...Thou."

After a long stare, his eyes gleamed with surprise.

"Thou pleasest me."

He chuckled and continued.

"I am the God of Tempests, Sovereign of All Storms. Heimdall."

"... "

...Wait.

Tempest God, Heimdall?

I knew that name.

One of the disaster gods in the Tower.

Among the absolute top tiers.

Only I knew their names.

'The ancient tome with the Philosopher's Stone recipe listed the disaster gods' names too.'

Were the other disaster gods really fine?

Untouched?

Desperate, I asked.

"What happened to Earth? Did it perish?"

"Hm? Still intact. Likely the 'Protection Period.'"

Intact?

...Even calling it Protection Period?

The gods who invaded Earth.

They didn't wipe it out immediately.

Especially the first year, dubbed 'Protection Period,' where they let humanity awaken somewhat.

So.

'No way...'

A possibility flashed.

'Regression?'

Had I turned back time?

But questions lingered.

If regressed, why not back in Kim Jeong-seok's body?

Why start as a character in the gods' Asgard?

'Guess I need to log out to know for sure.'

I drew a breath.

And threw my final question.

"Then is the 'Inevitable Force' in God's Tower too?"

The moment I said the name.

Heimdall's face darkened.

The one who'd tolerated my cheek with leisure.

Now spoke in a grave tone I'd never heard.

"...How dost thou know His name?"