The First Great Erosion Begins

The total came to 1,500.

My stats had grown enormously compared to before the promotion match. Looking at pure numerical values alone, I was already on par with a Gold-rank player in the late 200s. Add in the 20 percent boost from Genius and…

“Well, that’s only if we’re talking pure stats.”

Just as I had raised my internal energy with the Millennium Snow Ginseng, top-tier players also consumed various spiritual elixirs. The numbers I mentioned referred only to the bonus stats gained from leveling up.

“Aren’t those standards a bit too strict?”

“I’m just making sure I don’t get complacent.”

Nyx gave a small hum and nodded.

The number of skills had nearly doubled as well. Some of them, like Heavy Strike, might never see use, but when synergy was taken into account, more was always better. Since I had purified my vessel with the essence of a primordial species, the various essences shouldn’t clash with one another for quite some time.

The first Great Erosion was already at our throats. I had finished every preparation I could make. Three months since my regression. How much of the future could I change with what I had prepared in that time?

“I am relaxed.”

A pale hand suddenly reached out. Nyx stroked my head with her right hand.

“…What’s with the sudden pep talk?”

The warmth transmitted through her hand. This goddess was treating me like a child. And yet… strangely enough, it didn’t feel bad.

…

The age ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of ruin. Humanity trampled beneath the feet of the Old Gods. The sight of vegetation burned to ash, oceans dried up, and entire mountains collapsing—I could never forget it. A future I could tell no one about. All I could do was silently listen to Nyx’s warm words.

She never asked what my worries were or what kind of burden I carried on my shoulders.

“I’ll lean on you when I’m really tired.”

An emotion I couldn’t define swirled through my chest. I calmed my boiling heart and left the warehouse.

* * *

The underground of the Babel Tower. This was where the Old Gods, stripped of their names and myths, resided. It was usually steeped in silence, but today the atmosphere was different.

A man with striking golden hair laughed heartily. Hyperion. He had once been the first sun god, but had faded with the fall of the Titans. He gulped down the honey wine with a satisfied expression.

It was a crude imitation brewed to mimic the drink of the gods, nectar. For the Old Gods who had lost their status, faded golden apples and honey wine were the best they could manage.

Thud. Thud.

A blue-skinned giant approached Hyperion.

Utgarda-Loki. A frost giant sharing the same name as Loki of the Aesir gods.

Clang!

The Titan and the frost giant clashed their bronze cups together. Honey wine splashed into the air. The alcohol that spilled onto their clothes and the floor with a cheerful sound did nothing to stop the two Old Gods from laughing merrily.

Were the two gods especially excited? No. The entire basement of the Tower was in a festive mood. Brilliant lights drove away the darkness, and the fallen gods congratulated one another while anticipating the catastrophic future that would soon befall the mortals. They even imitated the banquets permitted only to the current generation of gods.

However, a very small number of Old Gods remained one step removed from the festivities. Lurain, once revered as the god of magic, was one of them.

Hyperion approached Lurain with his cup of honey wine.

Lurain swept back her long hair. Normally she would have accepted a drink, but an inexplicable anxiety kept her from setting her work aside.

Hyperion laughed lightly and clinked cups with another Old God.

A short while later.

The boundary between the Babel Tower and the world began to collapse.

* * *

Crash!

Ping Lei spun 540 degrees in the air before slamming into the training ground floor.

“Ughhh…”

He groaned with his face pressed to the ground.

“Get up before you drool all over the floor.”

“Ugh, my mouth feels twisted. Just a second…”

“‘Just a second’ is casual speech.”

“Just a second… please.”

As Ping Lei staggered to his feet, a semi-transparent message appeared before me and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠every member of the team.

In my previous life, gates had appeared around March 2026. So they were about three months earlier this time. There was no need to analyze the variables of this changed future. The future had already been altered by my very existence. Just look at Karla—she was training and tackling Tower missions even more enthusiastically in an attempt to fully absorb my teachings. The same went for Ping Lei.

And it wasn’t just them. Because I had broken the highest records on the Tower’s lower floors, many other players were participating in missions with greater drive. There was no reason to view it purely negatively. The future was coming regardless. The fact that my presence had moved up the timeline proved I could intervene in other events and change them as well.

“Don’t assume I know everything.”

“Sorry.”

When I cut her off, Jiyoung replied in a deflated voice.

“The Association might know something.”

At this point, ordinary players had no way of knowing gate-related information, so I pretended ignorance and called Han Suchang.

“You’re going to burst my eardrums. Calm down.”

“I don’t know either.”

The Babel Tower’s message had been delivered to ordinary people as well. Everyone now knew about the unknown spaces called gates.

“What about the Association President?”

“Then he’ll probably receive the Gate Radar.”

I had seen far worse things in my previous life. Getting flustered over something like this would make it impossible to survive in this harsh world. Still, the Blue House moving so quickly was the same as before. It really had been smart to build a connection with the Association.

“I’ll head over to the Association just in case.”

“What about the guilds?”

The Association couldn’t force guilds to act. Since they received direct and indirect support from corporations, they had to be cautious even when issuing a single official notice. On the other hand, players affiliated with the Association—its agents—received poor treatment, so there weren’t many applicants. It was no coincidence that Han Suchang had created the Special Task Force in my previous life.

“See you soon, then.”

After ending the call with Han Suchang, I gathered the team and gave them a brief overview. Even though it was an unknown situation none of them had ever experienced—gate appearances—the team ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠members didn’t look particularly shocked.

…They didn’t seem surprised at all. Ping Lei was simply happy that training was over, while the other three waited for orders. No—Jiyoung and Youngsu-hyung were one thing, but Karla, you belong to the Gold Moon guild! You should be following Ellen’s instructions!

I glanced at the two people standing behind the team. Ellen and Zhu Yixian met my eyes.

Weren’t they being a bit too irresponsible?! I had been slightly worried there might be friction once the team started moving, but they were following along so obediently that it actually made me feel awkward.

At Nyx’s gentle words, Ping Lei pouted.

“You’re getting extra special training once we get back.”

“Wait! Why…?”

“Let’s head to the Association.”

Ever since returning to 2025, I had been waiting for this day. To stop the coming tragedy. To obtain the opportunities that would let me climb even higher. I clenched my fist tightly.

If everything until now had been rehearsal, then from the moment of the Gate Break onward, it was the real performance. I was stepping onto a stage where a single mistake would not be tolerated.

Tension. Excitement. Fear. A massive whirlpool formed by all those emotions stirred my heart. But I suppressed every last one of them.

I gave the order to my team in a calm voice.