Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Back to the Beginning
Translation: godtl
The sensations that had grown as distant as falling into an abyss
began returning one by one.
Soon.
"Ugh..."
Kim Si-mun's closed eyelids twitched.
"Where is this...?"
The first thing he saw was a slightly faded ceiling.
The familiar sight of his old studio apartment was something he thought he'd never see again.
"This is my old apartment?!"
With a start,
Si-mun threw off the blanket and sat up, his eyes wide as he scanned his surroundings.
Had those crimson eyes played some kind of illusionary trick on him?
But the memory of that abysmal sensation—so profound it felt like death—still lingered too vividly to dismiss.
That left only one possible conclusion.
'Is this the afterlife?'
Then—
Drrrrrrr.
The phone on his bedside table buzzed loudly.
Si-mun's pupils dilated at the sight.
'A phone? A phone?!'
After only China and the U.S. remained as the last two nations, phones had stopped working entirely.
The same went for TVs and computers.
There was simply no infrastructure left to sustain them.
Every country except the U.S. and China had fallen,
and even those two had descended into anarchy—that was the world he knew.
Which was why he'd long since abandoned phones.
"No way..."
As if possessed,
Si-mun picked up the vibrating phone and turned on the screen.
[January 17, 2030. 7:20 AM.]
The moment he saw the date—
"Ah."
Thud.
The phone slipped from his hand and hit the floor.
Every human living in the 21st century would say the same thing:
January 1, 2015, was the most historic moment in Earth's history.
And for good reason.
[Congratulations. By meeting the qualifications, Earth has been invited to the Galaxy Arena.]
[Until promoted to a Regular Arena, Earth will be under the protection of the Galaxy Arena.]
The sudden appearance of these two messages had completely upended the world in 2015.
Kim Si-mun, who had been 13 at the time, could still vividly recall that notification window.
January 2015 marked the greatest upheaval in Earth's history,
and as always,
humanity quickly adapted to the change.
"Exactly 11 years ago, huh?"
He hadn't bothered counting his age after Korea's fall,
but judging by his old roommate Mansuk's lament about nearing forty—and this very apartment—
"Regression to 28... Hah. Even after all this, it's hard to believe."
It was clear: he had regressed from 2041 back to 2030—11 years into the past.
<On Regression from 39 to 28>
Now that would make for a great book premise.
If only the protagonist weren't himself.
Of course,
he had a rough idea of how this impossible situation had come to pass.
'Back then, the Philosopher's Stone moved my body on its own and performed some kind of transmutation.'
The sensation of being squeezed alive by the ogre still haunted him.
'I couldn't see the result myself since my vision was gone, but...'
Given how the crimson eyes—an overwhelmingly powerful presence—had reacted in shock, it must have been something extraordinary.
"Wait. Now that I think about it..."
Lost in thought, Si-mun suddenly looked down at his hands in surprise.
'Something feels different from before.'
Even though he'd regressed 11 years to age 28,
this was the period when he'd been suffering the most due to the Mana Disability he'd acquired from "that accident."
But now?
'That suffocating feeling—like my insides were completely blocked—is completely gone.'
Moreover, during this time before he'd mastered alchemy, he'd worn glasses.
Si-mun's gaze shifted to the shelf by his bed.
The black horn-rimmed glasses were still sitting there, untouched.
"I can see perfectly?"
Everything around him looked as crisp as if he were wearing them.
'It's not just my vision.'
The rough texture of the cheap blanket, the stale air from poor ventilation,
and even the mundane city noises drifting through the closed window—
"All my senses are sharper."
Or more accurately, they've returned to normal.
As that thought settled in,
Kim Si-mun's gaze naturally drifted to the center of his chest.
And then, very carefully.
He reached his hand toward it.
But.
"W-what? There's nothing here?!"
If he had truly regressed, the Philosopher's Stone should have been there!
His heart sank, but in a way, it made sense.
This wasn't just any regression—it was a full eleven years.
And judging by his heightened senses.
His lifelong curse of Mana Disability must have been cured as well.
After all, there were only two things he had wished for from the Philosopher's Stone:
To strike back at that damned eyeball and to live a life free from Mana Disability.
'Then... did the Philosopher's Stone disappear because my wish was fulfilled?'
The foundation of alchemy was Equivalent Exchange.
To transmute something, one had to pay a corresponding price.
If he had managed to strike back at that reptilian eyeball, recover from Mana Disability, and regress eleven years into the past...
It wouldn't be strange if the Philosopher's Stone had vanished as a result.
'No point dwelling on it. I just need to check properly.'
The Philosopher's Stone was undoubtedly a bound item, after all.
Si-mun immediately opened his Status Window.
Title: Pioneer of Alchemy (and 1 other)
Class: Magic
Level: 1
Affiliation: Republic of Korea
Strength: 4
Agility: 4
Stamina: 5
Transmutation Power: 10
Traits - Philosopher's Stone (Unstable)
Achievement Points: 1,012,500
Si-mun's lips trembled as he read the Status Window.
It was only natural.
"So... it really is gone."
The Mana Disability that had shackled him his entire life.
That chain-like phrase was nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by the words 'Philosopher's Stone.'
It seemed the Philosopher's Stone had transformed into a trait during the binding process.
"Hah. I can't process this sober."
Closing his eyes briefly to steady his surging emotions, Si-mun took a step forward.
"I need a drink."
He pulled a beer can from the old fridge and downed it in one go.
The familiar bitterness and chill of the beer burned down his throat, jolting him awake.
"Kyah!"
Drinking beer right after waking up didn't sit well with his stomach.
But at least it sharpened his focus, allowing him to calmly examine his Status Window again.
'Before regression, my stats were Strength 1, Agility 1, Stamina 3, and Mana 0.'
The penalty of Mana Disability.
It wasn't just about blocking a player's mana—it was vicious enough to cause physical deterioration as well.
But now?
'These are the exact same stats I had when I first awakened.'
Of course, he was still only Level 1.
Considering that most Level 1 players started with all stats at 5 on average, his Strength and Agility were still 1 point below the norm.
But on the other hand.
He also had a stat that only super rookies possessed—a whopping 10.
His mana stat.
"Wait. Not mana—Transmutation Power? Ah!"
Si-mun tilted his head in confusion before suddenly clapping his hands together.
The stat he had gained after the Philosopher's Stone fully settled.
[Stats Mana and Stamina have been converted into the 'Unique Stat' Transmutation Power.]
The system had clearly referred to it as a 'Unique Stat' back then.
'Holy shit! Does that mean I've become a holder of a Unique Stat? At Level 1?!'
Unlike stats like Holy Power or Demonic Energy, which could be obtained under certain conditions.
A Unique Stat was something only one person could ever possess.
Naturally, there hadn't been many players with Unique Stats in his past life.
And most of them had risen to the ranks of high-rankers.
Most notably.
'Si-hyeok and Jong-ri Chu were like that.'
Kim Si-hyeok and Jong-ri Chu—the two great mountain ranges of China.
Both were high-rankers who possessed Unique Stats.
Though calling them the "two great mountain ranges" was a stretch.
In his past life, Kim Si-hyeok had been nothing more than a side character to prop up Jong-ri Chu.
It couldn't be helped.
'A player who loses their affiliation—their nation—has no future.'
Until promotion to the true beginning of this damned game, the 'Regular Arena.'
No one knew what it truly meant to lose one's national affiliation in the Status Window.
Even if they were offered immense wealth and status in exchange.
Players wouldn't have casually changed their nations like that.
"Hah. They say you never know what life has in store..."
A hollow laugh escaped him unbidden.
Si-mun took another sip of beer and stared at the bottom of his Status Window, where an absurdly large number flaunted itself.
"But seriously, 1,012,500 Achievement Points? What the hell is this?"
The Achievement Points he'd had before were a mere 5,000 from transmuting the Elixir.
Add to that the Philosopher's Stone, another feat of the same caliber, and the 500 points from obtaining his first title—
It should've totaled 10,500 points at most.
So what in the world was this nonsensical number exceeding a million?
"Where the hell did I get this many Achievement Points from?"
Was it some kind of first-regression bonus just handed out for free?
"Get a grip, Kim Si-mun."
Shaking his head vigorously, Si-mun suppressed another bitter laugh.
"If that were the case, the system would've notified me the moment I woke up."
Whatever the reason—
The important thing was that this monstrous amount of Achievement Points would be a massive boon in the late game.
'I'm pretty sure stats were purchasable in the Achievement Shop, right?'
He recalled something Si-hyeok and Mal-suk, both High-rankers, had mentioned.
That the Achievement Shop actually sold stats.
Of course, not just anyone could buy them.
'There were appearance conditions for stat sales, they said.'
Originally, most players hardly ever used the Achievement Shop.
The reason was simple.
There just wasn't much worth buying, aside from guild-related items.
Yet, the reason Kim Si-hyeok and Go Mal-suk could purchase stats from the Achievement Shop was singular—
'Possession of high-level achievements.'
Naturally.
The Achievement Shop, true to its name, sold items befitting a player's "achievements."
Si-mun's gaze drifted to the very top of his Status Window.
'Come to think of it, they said the number of titles had a bigger impact than achievements, didn't they?'
Titles came with various options, but compared to items, they were notoriously stingy.
And even then, their acquisition routes were either brutally difficult or exceedingly rare, so much so that even Rankers didn't have many.
'On the other hand, Si-hyeok and Mal-suk, both High-rankers, possessed quite a few titles.'
As his thoughts reached that point, a hypothesis flashed through his mind.
'Maybe the number of titles is what separates High-rankers from regular Rankers.'
Moreover, if the shop sold stats at that level, the other items available must be insane.
An evolved Achievement Shop was inherently structured to give an overwhelming advantage in growth.
"For now, I'll worry about this once the Achievement Shop opens."
Si-mun lifted his gaze and tapped the title category.
And when the detailed information unfolded before him—
[Pioneer of Alchemy] - Growth-type
A title bestowed upon an alchemist who has successfully transmuted all mythical alchemical products.
"Holy shit!"
The curse burst out before he could stop himself.
Of course it did.
Most titles either offered negligible auxiliary effects or, more often than not, none at all.
"A t-title related to my profession? And a growth-type one at that?!"
Just how incredible this title was could be understood at a glance by looking at Go Mal-suk, the Heavenly Demon.
Mal-suk, who could be considered a relatively latecomer among High-rankers.
Yet the reason she could reign as a High-ranker—
Was because of the absurdly powerful title she'd received from the Constellation Heavenly Demon.
Naturally, he recalled Mal-suk drunkenly ranting one day about her Constellation.
'Y'know, when that pervy old man first gave me the title, I was so damn pissed?'
'Giving me a title with his own damn name—Heaven! ly! Demon!—how shameless can you get?!'
'But after using it, I took it all back. I even headbutted the old geezer in gratitude.'
The growth-type title,"Heavenly Demon."
He didn't know the exact effects, but—
Mal-suk had definitely said the title played a huge role in her becoming a High-ranker.
"To think I'd get something like this too..."
Damn, now I want another beer.
'Hold on. I'm drinking to clear my head, not to get drunk.'
Suppressing the urge with great effort, Si-mun turned his attention to his other titles.
[One Who Has Gazed Upon the Abyss]
A title bestowed upon one who has received the attention of an existence that could itself be called "the Abyss."
Whether this is fortune or misfortune, none can say.
But one thing is certain—it is an event so momentous it defies description.
"When the hell did I even get this?"
The gaze of the Abyss?
First of all, what even is the Abyss?
Si-mun's brow furrowed deeply.
'Maybe it's just a shit-tier title.'
It wasn't uncommon for titles to lack stat bonuses.
"Well, it's still better than nothing."
After all, the more titles he had, the higher the prestige of his Achievement Shop would be.
"Ugh... I'm dizzy!"
Si-mun flopped onto the bed.
All he'd done was blink—
Yet in that single moment, too much had happened at once.
"First and foremost, the most important thing is that my Mana Disability has been cured."
It felt a little weird saying this out loud, but—
A Mana stat of 10 at Level 1 was a spec even the most promising Magic Class prodigies would struggle to match.
The only difference was that it had been converted into Transmutation Power.
'Should I test it out?'
Si-mun raised his right hand and focused his Transmutation Power.
It had been a long time since he'd last wielded mana, but—
Now that his Mana Disability was cured, manipulating energy wasn't particularly difficult.
Ssshh—
As if something other than blood had been injected into his veins—
An unfathomable energy coursed through his arm and gathered in his palm.
'The sensation is completely different from mana.'
Si-mun wriggled the Transmutation Power pooled in his palm.
'It's ridiculously easy to control, too.'
Was it because of the Philosopher's Stone?
Unless he focused intently, he could barely even tell whether this was energy or not—
The Transmutation Power moved exactly as he willed it.
'With this level of control, could I cast magic without mana? Probably not, but...'
Still fiddling with the energy, Si-mun sat up.
'Let's try it. First, I'll deconstruct the ignition formula—'
He broke down the ignition formula used in Alchemy, refined it, and reshaped it into a form suitable for magic.
No matter how much Alchemy was looked down upon, at its core, it was still part of the magic system—
So preparing something as basic as an ignition spell wasn't difficult.
Then, he channeled his Transmutation Power into it.
Pfft—
With a deflating sound, absolutely nothing happened.
"Tch. Just as I expected."
Just as Spirit Energy couldn't be used to cast magic—
No matter how closely related they were, Transmutation Power couldn't be used for magic either.
Even if you weren't an archer—
Once sufficiently skilled, you could imbue arrows with Aura—but the Combat Class was fundamentally different in that regard.
Still, Si-mun wasn't disappointed.
The penalty of being unable to use magic was justified—
'Because it means there's a huge return on transmutation.'
Why else would Transmutation Power be classified as a unique stat?
Si-mun opened the drawer of his worn-out desk.
At 28 years old, he had already accepted the hopeless reality and devoted himself to Alchemy.
"Ah, here it is."
Transmutation chalk.
Pulling it out, Si-mun immediately dropped to the floor to draw a Transmutation Circle.
Or—
He tried to.
He froze.
At least, his body did before he could even begin.
'W-what the hell?'
Si-mun remained rigid, still crouched in position.
This wasn't due to any supernatural interference.
'My body... is rejecting it?'
His very flesh was refusing the act of prostrating himself to draw on the ground.
To be more precise—
'It's refusing to let me draw a Transmutation Circle.'
Why?
He had Transmutation Power as a unique stat and even held the title Pioneer of Alchemy.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he'd devoted half his past life to Alchemy.
So why was his body rejecting the act of drawing a Transmutation Circle?
As that thought crossed his mind—
Uuung—
A faint tinnitus rang in his chest.
Faint and irregular, like a dying lightbulb—
But Si-mun recognized it instantly.
'This is... the Philosopher's Stone?'
Then, he understood.
The sudden aversion to transmutation was coming from the Philosopher's Stone.
Compared to the Philosopher's Stone from before his regression, this resonance was incomparably faint—
But the Stone was unmistakably conveying its will.
'Primitive... and barbaric?'
The Philosopher's Stone loathed the very act of crouching to draw a Transmutation Circle.
As if asking—Why would you use such an 'inefficient method'?
Somehow assimilating into that aristocratic, haughty emotion, Si-mun naturally straightened his posture.
'Come to think of it, how did I perform transmutation after obtaining the Philosopher's Stone?'
Then.
Memories flashed through his mind like a panorama—the instant he had performed transmutation while staring into those crimson eyes.
Simultaneously.
Swish.
As if it were a long-ingrained habit, he raised his right hand.
And before he knew it, he was immersed in conceptualizing the transmutation.
'What I want to transmute now.'
A product that could verify his current transmutation ability.
'The form... A spear. Yeah, a spear like the one that bastard Jong-ri Chu used would be good.'
Visualizing the desired transmutation in his mind.
'The stronger the special ability or additional effects, the better.'
Refining it further.
'The price to pay for the transmutation is the Transmutation Power I possess.'
Snap.
Establishing the law of Equivalent Exchange, he flicked his fingers.
Kreeeeek!
"Gaaah!"
A violent pain erupted from the center of his chest—where the Philosopher's Stone resided—spreading throughout his entire body.
The reason was simple.
[Your Transmutation Power is absolutely insufficient to achieve the desired transmutation level.]
Compared to the level he could transmute.
His current Transmutation Power was woefully lacking.
'D-damn it!'
It hurt.
Perhaps because his senses had sharpened after recovering from Mana Disability.
The pain was excruciating, enough to make his soul feel like it was leaving his body.
Amidst this.
Oooong.
A faint resonance emanated from the Philosopher's Stone embedded in his chest.
The emotion it carried was displeasure.
The damn thing was expressing extreme irritation at 'being unable to perform transmutation.'
[The Philosopher's Stone (Unstable) is seeking an alternative solution.]
[The owner has found a solution in their available resources.]
[The Philosopher's Stone demands 1,000,000 Achievement Points to restore its 'Unstable' state.]
[Will you accept? (Yes / No)]
Si-mun's eyes widened at the message window that appeared.
'What?! A million points?!'
Since when did restoring a state require consuming a million Achievement Points?
But upon reflection, it made sense.
'It cured Mana Disability—something even an Elixir couldn't fix—and even sent me back 11 years in time.'
This was never something achievable with Achievement Points in the first place.
'Fine. You've already proven your worth, so I'll trust you, Philosopher's Stone.'
Swish.
Without hesitation, Si-mun's hand moved toward 'Yes.'
[1,000,000 Achievement Points have been consumed.]
[The Philosopher's Stone has completely recovered from its 'Unstable' state.]
Along with the message, the overwhelming pain vanished as if it had been a lie.
Simultaneously, like recovering from indigestion.
A soothing, refreshing sensation spread throughout his body.
But it wasn't just the feeling.
'Using alchemy has become much smoother now. So, can I do it this time?'
Si-mun raised his hand once more.
Unlike before, when he had envisioned the maximum possible transmutation.
'Let's just stick to what I can handle right now.'
He reconceptualized the transmutation to match his current Transmutation Power.
Then, channeling his Transmutation Power, he flicked his fingers.
Snap.
[Your Transmutation Power is insufficient to achieve the desired transmutation.]
"Again?"
This time, there was no accompanying pain, but irritation prickled at him.
What the hell was so demanding about this?
Hadn't he already scaled down the transmutation conditions?
"This is pissing me off."
Si-mun's lips twitched.
Even under the despairing condition of Mana Disability, he had managed to transmute mythical artifacts.
And now he couldn't even transmute a measly spear with a few special abilities?
"I already invested a whole million points to fix the instability and lowered the transmutation level. I can't back down any further than this."
Oooong.
As if approving of his stubbornness.
The Philosopher's Stone emitted another faint resonance.
Soon, another message window appeared before Si-mun's eyes.
[The Philosopher's Stone demands 500 Achievement Points to establish the lacking Equivalent Exchange.]
[Will you accept? (Yes / No)]
"Hah! A million points wasn't enough, so now it's 500 more?"
Of course, the million points spent on the Philosopher's Stone were to restore its unstable state.
He knew full well it had nothing to do with the current transmutation.
It was just that, even as a Level 1, he had stats worthy of being called a prodigy.
Being treated like this was a blow to his pride.
"Fine! If I blew a million, what's another measly 500?!"
After spending a million, he still had 12,500 Achievement Points left anyway.
Without hesitation, Si-mun selected 'Yes' and immediately raised his hand.
"I sure hope this investment is worth it."
Snap.
Channeling his Transmutation Power, he flicked his fingers.
And then.
Krrrrrumble!
With a deafening thunderclap.
A bolt of lightning pierced through the window.
"W-what the—?!"
Crackle!
It struck directly in front of Si-mun.