Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Exactly fifteen days had passed.
Joo Do-gyeom had forgotten about Oh Jin-seok.
After all, if things proceeded as he remembered, the man would die on his own anyway.
Instead of dwelling on it, he focused on conditioning his body for dungeon entry.
He completely overhauled his previously frugal diet and incorporated moderate exercise to avoid straining his physique.
To concentrate better, he even signed up for a decent training center, despite the distance.
On top of that, he stocked up on high-end nutritional supplements—newly developed around this time—that contained mana-infused ingredients with noticeable effects on physical growth.
All this spending had already exceeded 400 million won in just half a month.
And that was despite being as frugal as possible, given his tight finances.
"Tsk..."
A click of his tongue escaped him, but there was nowhere left to squeeze more money from.
As mentioned before, his parents were gone, he had no friends, and his credit was nonexistent.
The only possible source of funds was loan sharks again.
Suddenly, the forgotten Oh Jin-seok came to mind.
'Come to think of it, isn't it today?'
If things went as planned, Oh Jin-seok would die tonight.
Should he go and ask for another loan?
'Probably not a good idea.'
Then maybe another loan shark?
He shook his head.
The Red Zone was full of them, but few were as deeply entrenched in organ trafficking and high-interest loans as Oh Jin-seok.
To be precise, he didn't know for sure.
That was only natural.
Even as a regressor, Do-gyeom hadn't memorized the personal circumstances of every loan shark in this era.
Either way.
Stealing from a scumbag didn't bother him, but taking money from someone he barely knew went against his principles.
So, revisiting loan sharks was out of the question.
'Which means I have to make do with the remaining 200 million for now.'
No—not even 200.
Half of that was already earmarked for something else.
Stock investments.
In just a few days, in early March, a small American pharmaceutical company—currently trading at just $3 per share—would announce the development of an emergency mana recovery drug for Hunters, receive FDA approval, and skyrocket for 20 consecutive trading days.
Later, the drug's effects would prove underwhelming, diminishing with repeated use until it faded into obscurity.
But with maximum leverage in the short term, even 100 million won could yield a substantial profit.
For a broke young man like Do-gyeom, this was an opportunity he couldn't ignore.
'I'll need a lot more money in the future, after all.'
In the distant future, when even Europe and the Americas fell and humanity crowded into the last fortress, money would lose its meaning.
But until then, its power remained immense.
In fact, there were surprisingly few problems that could be solved by strength alone.
So, he had to make the most of this knowledge.
Butterfly effects from a regressor's choices altering the future?
'I should keep it in mind, but there's no need to obsess over it.'
Frankly, he doubted that leveraging a mere 100 million won would cause any significant ripple effects.
What truly mattered was the unusually vivid memory he had mentioned before.
Take this very moment, for example.
The exact time when the hype around Ardant Bio Sciences' new drug would collapse—
'March 21st, 8 PM, Korean time.'
Remembering the date was one thing.
It had been a major event, and Do-gyeom had watched the news with intense interest back then.
But recalling the exact time was strange.
It felt less like a regressor's privilege and more like—
'Vivien.'
Her grand magic had likely played a role.
After all, memory was crucial for maximizing the advantages of regression.
'I'll ask her when we meet.'
Even at this point in time, she would understand the nature of her own spell.
Do-gyeom didn't waste time on pointless speculation.
Instead, he focused on how to best utilize his remaining funds and time.
As he had repeated many times, the first thing he needed to obtain was—
'Heaven-Slaying Star.'
The absolute power to kill anything—not the madness gnawing at his mind.
That was his sole focus.
As he continued his workout, Do-gyeom's mind slipped into a state of pure concentration.
Late that night.
Do-gyeom was returning home after finishing his training.
The dimly lit back alleys of the Red Zone, where broken streetlights no longer functioned—whether from malfunctions or power cuts—were a common sight.
In one such gap, devoid of even CCTV surveillance—
"Hah... hah...!"
A ragged breath and the thick stench of blood assaulted Do-gyeom's senses.
He turned his head toward the sound.
A wounded man, sprinting through the darkness, locked eyes with him—then lit up with desperate hope.
"You...!"
"Joo Do-gyeom."
"Right, Joo Do-gyeom!"
The man calling his name as he rushed closer was none other than Oh Jin-seok.
The infamous loan shark and organ trafficker of the Red Zone.
In a frantic voice, he pleaded:
"You—you borrowed money from me before, right? H-help me! Please!"
Do-gyeom wasn't listening.
His mind was preoccupied.
Originally, at this point in time, Oh Jin-seok was supposed to die at the hands of an unknown Hunter.
Do-gyeom would later hear about it through neighborhood gossip, like news.
That was it.
But now, Oh Jin-seok was standing right in front of him.
Clearly, he had been attacked by that 'unknown Hunter'—yet somehow survived.
Several reasons came to mind.
'Because I borrowed money?'
Or had he simply been in a less dangerous place than usual?
'Even small actions change the future.'
In hindsight, it was obvious.
Something to keep in mind moving forward.
Even as a regressor, not everything would go as planned.
Just as Do-gyeom nodded inwardly in understanding—
"F-fucking bastard! Are you listening?! I said help me! Instead of standing there, find me a place to hide! Just a place to hide! I'll waive the interest! Just pay back the principal, and we're done!"
Do-gyeom couldn't help but smirk internally.
'Not even offering to waive the principal, huh?'
In a way, the man was impressive.
No wonder he had become a notorious loan shark in the ruthless Red Zone.
"Hey! Answer me, you son of a bitch!"
"You're noisy."
Do-gyeom shook off Oh Jin-seok's grip.
The loan shark stared at him in disbelief.
"What I owe you is money. Not my life."
If he wanted to beg for his life, he should've done so elsewhere.
Or at least lived like a decent human being.
Oh Jin-seok didn't understand.
No—he didn't even hear the words properly.
His momentary shock had already twisted into rage, drowning out all other sounds.
Eyes bloodshot with murderous intent, he drew a sharp blade from his coat.
'That's it, fuck this.'
He'd stab him to death.
Stab him, drag the corpse to China, and sell it for parts.
Money was money.
His mind was made up.
Do-gyeom frowned at the sight.
"Not the best choice."
He didn't know for sure, but running away would've been the smarter survival move.
He might've even stepped aside to let him pass.
"SHUT UUUUP—!"
Screaming, Oh Jin-seok lunged, aiming the blade straight for Do-gyeom's heart.
Fast.
He wasn't an ordinary man—he was a Hunter.
Even if only F-rank.
The old Do-gyeom from this time would've died without even reacting.
The gap between a normal human and a Hunter wasn't something that could be bridged by mere training.
And the killing intent Oh Jin-seok radiated was real.
The kind only those who had killed multiple times could emit—a viscous, suffocating aura.
In the past, Do-gyeom would've frozen on the spot just from facing it.
But now, as a regressor?
It was almost laughable.
He brushed off the oppressive aura without a second thought and analyzed Oh Jin-seok's movements.
The angle of his foot, the tension in his shoulders, the position of his fingers, the destination of his gaze.
In an instant, the mind of the man once called 'Mushin' processed it all.
Then, it was simple.
No matter how fast the opponent was—
Whoosh—!
A slight sidestep was all it took to evade.
"......!!"
Oh Jin-seok's eyes widened in shock.
Then, Do-gyeom unleashed his own killing intent.
As mentioned, only those who had killed many could emit such an aura.
But the density was incomparable.
No matter how many people Oh Jin-seok had killed as a loan shark and organ trafficker—
'That era.'
The future Do-gyeom had lived through.
A time of despair, where monsters and calamities trampled humanity, and selfish, greedy men sowed chaos.
After enduring all that, could Oh Jin-seok's killing intent compare to that of the Mushin who had returned?
Of course not.
The difference was beyond measure.
And the moment Do-gyeom fully revealed it—
"H-HIIIIIIK—!"
Clang—!
Oh Jin-seok shrieked, dropping his knife before collapsing to his knees.
His pupils trembled as if he had seen something he shouldn't have.
"P-please... spare me..."
He clasped his hands together, begging frantically.
Do-gyeom watched him in silence for a moment before turning away and heading home.
A short while later.
A figure in fluttering robes descended onto the ground, tilting its head curiously.
"......What?"
In its line of sight was Oh Jin-seok, curled up against a wall in the dark alley, trembling violently.
Click.
Deliberately making noise, the figure approached.
Only then did Oh Jin-seok slowly lift his head.
"Hah... hahaha... hah..."
His laughter was hollow, his eyes unfocused.
He had gone mad.
The shadow slowly drew a sword and pressed it against Oh Jin-seok's forehead.
"......What did you see?"
What could have possibly broken a man who had abandoned even his own subordinates to flee?
"Hah... hahaha... those damn... those damn bastards..."
The answer was disappointing—but expected.
Hoping for a coherent response from a madman was foolish to begin with.
The shadow nodded.
"Hmm..."
A soft sigh escaped before the blade flashed—
Thud—!
Oh Jin-seok's head rolled to the ground.
"Merely going mad isn't enough to atone."
If only he had broken while still sane.
With that, the shadow sheathed its sword.
Its gaze turned toward the depths of the dark alley.
A glint of curiosity flickered in its eyes.
'Who was it?'
Not a trace of mana lingered, making even speculation difficult.
A shame, really.
That this was the Red Zone—where CCTV cameras were rare.
"Huuuuh..."
With a long sigh, the shadow disappeared into the night.
Only the faint scent of peonies remained before scattering into the darkness.
The next day, Do-gyeom heard the news.
The loan shark Oh Jin-seok and his gang had been wiped out.
Their leader had been found in an alley—decapitated.
'The location's a bit different, but...'
Still, things had ultimately followed the future he knew.
'Not a bad outcome.'
And with that, he truly forgot about Oh Jin-seok, immersing himself in training once more.
Time continued to flow.
March 7th, Saturday.
Exactly 30 days since his regression.
Standing before the mirror in his tiny goshiwon room, Do-gyeom nodded in satisfaction.
'This should be enough for the basics.'
What did that mean?
That he was now ready to enter a dungeon.
There was no reason to hesitate.
"Dungeon entry. Destination: Mansion of the Cannibal."
Instantly—
[User Joo Do-gyeom, entering designated dungeon 'Mansion of the Cannibal.']
A system message appeared.
And in the next moment, Do-gyeom vanished from the cramped room.