The Night of Paradise
The system messages appeared the moment the last monster fell.
All monsters in the Paradise Night Gate have been defeated.
The gate is closing.
The Guardian Orb has been awarded as a clear reward.
Guardian Orb
Grade: Unique [U] / Type: Orb
Durability: 500/500
A powerful magical support tool specialized in defensive magic.
Using defensive or barrier-related skills through the Guardian Orb increases their duration and defensive power.
* Magic Power +25
* Defense Skill Mana Cost -30%
A pitch-black orb had burst from the Variant Zombie’s torso. Targeting the Paradise Night Gate as our first clear point had been because of this very item.
“What? So this place gives rewards like the Tower does?”
“It would appear so.”
I answered Ping Lei’s muttered remark while pretending not to know anything.
“Normally we’d have to split it among the team, but given the situation, we can divide the shares later, right?”
“No problem.”
“Hmph. It’s not like I’d use an orb anyway…… so it doesn’t matter.”
Karla and Ping Lei readily agreed with my suggestion. The other two didn’t need to be asked either. With the distribution issue settled, I handed the orb to Jiyoung.
“You use it for now.”
“M-Master?”
“Gates are dangerous. Once the threshold is crossed, monsters will spill outside. That would be disastrous.”
It had actually happened before my regression. In the early stages of the First Great Erosion, almost no information about gates existed, so players from every country had been hesitant to act. Their passive response and neglect had led to Gate Breaks across the globe, resulting in countless casualties.
“So clearing the gate isn’t the end of it.”
“We’ll be busy for a while.”
“Then I’ll hold on to it.”
Jiyoung cupped the Guardian Orb with both hands.
Devouring the essence of Mad Cyborg Zombie Katan.
Devoured Essence: 100%
Essence Grade: Rare
You have perfectly absorbed the essence of one species.
Skill — Rapid Healing has been added.
I had expected a skill related to zombies or machines. Just because the monster wore a doctor’s coat didn’t mean it would drop something like this, right?
“You really are becoming an all-rounder.”
“Hehe, I can’t imagine you focusing only on healing, partner.”
“I’ll only use it when things are urgent.”
Me devoting myself to healing at the rear of the battlefield would be like using a sword meant for oxen to slaughter chickens. Unless someone was critically injured, I probably wouldn’t use it. I had only used healing to prevent zombie infection before anyway. Still, it was a decent insurance skill.
“First, I need to report to the Association.”
The Paradise Night Gate was the perfect case to demonstrate the danger of gates. How much this action would change the future remained to be seen.
After finishing the gate clear, we returned straight to the Association and reported everything.
1) Gates contain all kinds of monsters.
2) If the threshold is exceeded and a Break occurs, monsters will cross over to Earth.
3) Dying inside a gate means death in reality as well.
4) Clearing a gate grants rewards.
After hearing the report, Association President Kim Woosung patted my shoulder.
“You’ve done something tremendous.”
“It’s thanks to you lending us the helicopter.”
“How is that my achievement? It was your suggestion.”
The president praised me, then suddenly let out a deep sigh.
“If you hadn’t closed that gate, a disaster would have occurred.”
Before my regression, after the Paradise Night Gate Break, a zombie outbreak straight out of a movie had swept through the area. Guilds had only mobilized after the damage had already escalated. The death toll alone had reached the tens of thousands. If we hadn’t prevented it this time, the casualties would have been catastrophic.
“I suppose I’ll have to meet with His Excellency the President again.”
“Are you sure you’re up to it?” Han Suchang asked worriedly.
“People’s safety is at stake. We have to do everything we can.”
“I’ll send cooperation notices to every guild immediately.”
“Share the locations nationwide and ask them to stand by nearby.”
Dozens of gates had opened across Korea. If every player mobilized, we could prevent incidents somehow. However, even if the Association sent notices, the guilds’ responses would determine the outcome.
“I’m not even asking them to clear the gates.”
“We should send notices to the police as well……”
“I’ll handle that part.”
The president picked up the phone.
“By the way, Master, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
Jiyoung, who had been standing a step back, whispered cautiously.
“There are other team leaders in the Association besides Team Leader Han Suchang, right? So why is only he working so hard?”
“Because he’s the one I reported to first.”
“Ah—” Jiyoung let out a short exclamation. The Player Association was just as confused by the sudden appearance of gates. It was fortunate that I had quickly cleared a gate and brought back information. Otherwise, they would have been left watching Gate Breaks erupt nationwide. That was exactly what had happened before my regression.
“Ah, there’s one more request I’d like to make.”
“You may use the helicopter freely until the gate situation is resolved.”
“Ah, thank you for that, but it’s something else.”
“Hmm. What is it?”
“Please share the information related to gates with other countries as well.”
The president blinked, then burst into hearty laughter a moment later.
“You want us to hand over such valuable information to foreign nations for free?”
“Yes.”
“That’s practically the price of your life.”
“It could save other people.”
“I didn’t know you were a philanthropist.”
“So is it not allowed?”
“Of course not. If the provider of the information wishes it, then so be it.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, then headed to the helicopter with my team. The next gate we would clear had already been decided.
Cheongju — Tower of Sacrifice
Condition — Iron (20)
A mission that allowed up to twenty entrants. If my memory was correct, it would reward the Blood Lion Shield, a growth-type item similar to the Asura’s Obsidian Sword. Growth-type items fetched high prices from major guilds, so there weren’t many clear rewards worth monopolizing at this stage. Still, we had to secure whatever we could.
“A question arises.”
“Jiyoung is one thing, but what about you, Goddess?”
“I speak of the information you mentioned earlier. Sharing it with other countries does not seem worthy of gratitude.”
“Information is power. That holds true in diplomatic relations as well.”
Even across the entire world, no team had cleared a gate faster than us. Even if another team existed, they wouldn’t release internal information. They would either keep it secret within their own country or use it as leverage in diplomacy.
“Even if nations and ideologies differ, are they not ultimately the same humans?”
“That may be how you see it, Goddess, but we are not such a wise species.”
“Yet you bestowed that precious thing without hesitation.”
So that was how she saw it. From the perspective of someone who had witnessed a world’s destruction, it was nothing at all. What mattered was saving more people and preserving humanity’s systems.
“I’m not as noble as you think, Goddess.”
“Hohoho, it matters not. What is important is that you align with my heart.”
An itchy feeling. For some reason, I turned my gaze away from Nyx.
“Well, think what you like.”
I replied curtly and picked up my phone. The gate crisis had clear limits even if I tackled it with my team. High-difficulty gates above Gold rank were burdensome. It was time to make use of the connections I had built for this very moment.
“Junior, is it? It’s been a while.”
“Yes, Senior Shin Junseok. I should have contacted you more often.”
Shin Junseok. A top-ten ranker in Korea and a martial artist. We had exchanged contact information after the Cloud Flow Steps manual deal at the Player Comprehensive Market. I briefly summarized the gate information for him.
“This is serious. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I have ties to the Association, so I’ll share the gate information with you, Senior.”
“Understood. Since lives are at stake, I’ll help as much as I can.”
“Thank you, Senior.”
A Platinum-rank player. He had already reached the maximum level of 300, so he could probably clear most gates alone. After ending the call, I immediately dialed the next number.
Outgoing Call: Hong Yunsu
Hong Yunsu, the serious justice fanatic. Just tossing him gate information would be enough to get him moving.
“You’re having sinister thoughts again.”
“Anyone listening would misunderstand.”
“Wipe that twisted smile off your face and speak.”
Nyx shook her head.
Two days had passed since the First Great Erosion.
Thududududu—!
The helicopter’s rotor blades assaulted my eardrums. Occasional gusts whipped my hair around, and sometimes the helicopter shook, but the others slept as if dead.
“You should rest as well.”
“I’m fine.”
“You have not closed your eyes once in the past two days.”
“My stamina is still good, though.”
My body had already half-transcended humanity. Using the Primordial Species’ essence as a vessel, I had remodeled my physique and dissolved devoured essences throughout my frame. A few sleepless nights were nothing.
“You rest, Goddess. Don’t materialize just because you’re tired.”
“My physical fatigue is being relieved even now, so do not worry.”
A homunculus was only “artificial,” not 100% identical in structure to a human. Nyx had used materialization because fatigue had accumulated. That kind of trick seemed acceptable.
“How long do you plan to chase gates?”
“I’ve put out all the urgent fires.”
Most accidents that occurred in the early stages of Gate Breaks had been prevented. When my own strength, abilities, or time were insufficient, I had commissioned Hong Yunsu or Shin Junseok. Thanks to that, Korea had suffered no noticeable damage during the First Great Erosion.
“The fact that no casualties occurred is the biggest thing.”
I smiled. I had never intended to save everyone from the start. I had simply moved busily while wondering if I could change the apocalyptic future I had faced before my regression. The results had turned out better than I expected.
“Well done. Truly splendid.”
Nyx flew over with a purr and stroked my head. It had become a complete habit by now.
“Still, thanks to running around so busily, you obtained plenty of rewards.”
We had cleared ten gates over two days. The Unicorn Horn Spear. The Flame Strike skill book. The All-Purpose Tool Kit. Rare items that would be difficult to obtain in 2026 had appeared as clear rewards. The only disappointing part was that we had obtained almost no new essences to devour? The monsters we encountered in the gates were orcs, lizardmen, kobolds, and goblins—creatures whose essences I had already devoured. Only one new skill from the Hall of Wind Spirits.
“It would have been difficult alone.”
“Does that not mean your foresight was correct?”
“What foresight?”
“You like acting alone, yet you formed a team. That is looking far ahead.”
She had made a similar joke last time too. In any case, she was sharp.
“Are we heading to the Association now?”
“Yeah. I want to hear about the situation in other countries too.”
Korea had passed the First Great Erosion far more safely than before my regression. I was quite curious how other countries had handled the Gate Break incidents. Changing the future. This was an important branching point that could measure the difficulty of that task. Suppressing my tension, I headed toward the Association.