“White Fang, huh? Hahaha! Student Hae-in, my, you sure have a good eye.”
The chairman, as if he had been waiting for this moment, greeted me with a hearty laugh.
“That weapon was acquired in the bloodied duel with the great wyrm Aldebaran! It was none other than the First Founder themselves who retrieved it!”
His shoulders rose with pride as he heightened his voice, almost as if he were praising my choice with an air of superiority.
The reason for his excitement was simple. Despite countless emotions bestowed upon it, this weapon had never shown any special reaction before.
There was a reason it had been left neglected in a corner of the warehouse.
His expression was one of extreme satisfaction.
I smiled faintly and briefly asked in return,
“Is that so?”
I nonchalantly spun the spear in my hand as if it were nothing.
And immediately—
I closed my eyes and summoned all my mana.
As the mana flowed through my veins, concentrating into one spot, my body grew warm.
Without delay, I began channeling the mana into the spear.
I gathered even the shard’s mana and poured all my strength into it. The emerald aura of the mana of extermination began to flow in slowly.
My hands trembled, and a dull ache started in my head.
“Student Hae-in, what…?”
The chairman’s voice reached me, but I had no time to heed it.
Before anyone could react, the transformation began.
The silver hue gradually ignited into red. Eventually, this red itself darkened, changing its color.
This was no longer a simple iron weapon.
The spear, once shimmering silver, had transformed into a pitch-black gleam akin to obsidian.
Ah, my head.
The headache came rushing in as I squeezed out such an immense amount of mana.
At the evident transformation of the weapon into something extraordinary, the chairman’s mouth dropped open.
Lacking for words, he could only move his lips in silence.
I briefly lifted the spear, no, ‘Catastrophe,’ in one hand and said,
“I’ll make good use of it.”
Then, I took my leave.
At that very moment,
『The power of Extermination?』
My mind was shaken.
No, that word didn’t suffice.
A certain voice struck my mind with great impact.
The moment the words reached my ears, a vibration spread through my mind.
It felt as if my very existence was being shaken.
『…A lump of flesh has awakened me from my slumber.』
My head felt like it was splitting.
My body swayed.
『However, it is intriguing. The depth of time I perceive within you, why can even I not measure it?』
『Not of brute force, nor of righteousness… It’s a complete mess…』
My vision tilted slowly and the floor suddenly grew close.
『…Reverse Heaven.』
My eyes slowly closed.
『To defy the course by fixing the axis? Hahaha! This is certainly fascinating.』
『Good. Since you dared to wake me, I shall, as your price, thoroughly unravel your essence.』
-Ka-BOOM!
My body completely touched the ground.
『What was the most desperate moment in your life?』
— …Hae-in!!
At a distance, someone shouted.
I dimly caught sight of Yoo Hana and Cheon Yeoul running toward me in a hurry.
『Feel it. Remember it.』
But even that faded as my vision darkened.
Consciousness slipped away.
『Who you were…』
*
“Hello?”
I emerged from hiding in the cargo after finally deciding to jump out.
The Vanguisher members looked at me in shock at my sudden appearance.
“Hyun Jae-in!”
Seong Ara shouted first.
I glanced around.
This was the base point near the raid location. The operation would soon begin not far from here.
“How did you get here?”
Naturally, I had followed them secretly. Asking would have been a sure way to be turned down.
I already knew this operation would lead to a total slaughter. And I was certain I could prevent it.
However, their reaction was chilly.
“…Go back.”
The firm voice belonged to Lee Do-hyun. The double-sworded warrior quietly stated,
“This is no place for you.”
His gaze was cold, and the other members who met my eyes also wore troubled faces.
“Then, I’ll just assist with communications from here. That’s fine, right? Anyway, there’s no way I can go back.”
I knew they wouldn’t permit it.
So I presented the next best option they might accept. Once the battle started, I’d just run out and join them.
I was overly confident, even certain.
The shard was safely transferred to Seong Si-woo, and the characters’ growth was proceeding smoothly.
Medusa was captured, albeit with some sacrifices, but ultimately successfully.
‘Could it be that I won’t even need to use Death Regression?’
I haven’t died once until now. It meant the ten-year plan I set up was perfect. This would be no different.
However…
“Hello?”
—Eeek!
My first death was far too meaningless.
“Huh-uhk!!”
I opened my eyes in the back of the truck.
It wasn’t even a real fight. Just two exchanges, that’s all.
First attack, my defenses crumbled.
Second attack, my head was crushed.
“Hey! Hae-in, what are you doing here?”
It was Park Kwang-cheol. He must have come looking after hearing the sound.
I grabbed my head and staggered to my feet. I wasn’t fully conscious yet.
When I stepped out, the Vanguisher members looked at me.
I met their eyes.
A chill ran down my spine, and I could feel the weight of the death I just experienced.
Something was beginning.
The second death.
My body was split in half.
The third death.
I narrowly avoided my head being smashed but was pierced through the neck by a spear flying from behind.
And the eleventh death.
“Ughh!”
I knelt on the ground and threw up. After the first death, the accumulating mental toll of each subsequent death was something I could never endure.
By then, I began to question the plan I had set.
‘Vanguisher was annihilated.’
The deaths of Vanguisher that I had merely written as one line to heighten the atmosphere of the story.
But those deaths were far worse than I had imagined.
“Hae-in!”
Right before my twelfth death.
Park Kwang-cheol jumped toward me. His abdomen was pierced as the same instant I died too.
Around the fifty-seventh death, I believe that was when I could, at least, withstand a few more of the enemy’s attacks.
—Clang! Clang!!
“Alright?”
‘The Apostle of Evil Deity.’
The guy who looked like an ordinary man had killed me within two exchanges every single time since the beginning of the fifty-seven battles.
As Vanguisher members rushed to my aid, it was always too late.
However—this time is different. I’ve already endured three, four, or even more exchanges.
The uncountable clashes with the powerful foe were forcing me to grow against my will.
“Hyun Jae-in!”
Seong Ara and Park Kwang-cheol reached me—something new. The man before us clicked his tongue and turned away as they arrived.
Park Kwang-cheol spoke to me calmly.
“Since you’re here, you have to live, Hae-in. You need to snap out of it.”
He did not scold me for breaking the promise.
I gritted my teeth. Somehow, I had to succeed in counterattacking.
‘Just one Apostle…’
But the number of foes in front of me was enough to induce despair.
I had thought there would be no Apostle, or at most, one.
As if mocking my prediction, standing here were…
A total of three Apostles.
I instinctively knew.
This fight would…
last longer than expected.
152 deaths.
239 deaths.
399? No, it must have been 400 deaths.
I kept dying ceaselessly.
And the 401st life.
I couldn’t even stir from the trunk. My whole body felt heavy, and it was hard to even breathe.
‘Let’s give up.’
That was the conclusion I reached.
In the end, even if everyone dies, Seong Si-woo alone would suffice to undo the situation. This is the flow of the original story. I was, after all, an unforeseen variable from the beginning.
By then, I was insane, and too weak.
I was drunk on success and, at some point, neglected to enhance my own combat abilities, all for the sake of nurturing Seong Si-woo.
My weak stamina became a handicap.
I had no method against demons, relying on Seong Si-woo’s shard.
—BOOM!!
A deafening sound signaling the start of the battle came from afar.
I covered my ears.
‘I’m sorry… sorry…’
It wasn’t something I could handle.
There were three Apostles, and I was weak.
There was no way the Apostles could be this numerous before the Evil Deity’s revival. I hadn’t anticipated it.
I was trying to quickly relay the Apostle’s weakness to aid the assault.
One Apostle, I thought, could be manageable. That was my planned strategy.
However, I now realize.
All of that was a mistake of someone who had never experienced death on the battlefield, despite having the ability to Death Regression.
Until now, I had never died once while possessing this ability.
The first taste of failure was utterly meaningless.
The first encounter with death was unbearably short.
I could do nothing.
Not just dying, but facing a wall I could never surpass, no matter how hard I tried, I crumbled.
And this wall was made by a single line of text that I had written thoughtlessly.
Regret for myself swelled.
Even after dying and regressing 400 times, nothing changes.
I still die within a few exchanges.
I’m still incapable of doing anything in front of them.
I still cannot change anything and just keep dying.
This fight is beyond my reach.
Not something I should dare interfere in.
So, I gave up.
The distant boom gradually grew quieter.
The shaking of my hand covering my ears ceased, signaling that the battle’s end was approaching.
But then, at that moment,
A thought crossed my mind.
If I run away here, can I live the rest of my life with a clear conscience?
No matter how much I avoid or rationalize it, I cannot go back and live my life normally, leaving behind this battlefield and them.
It was the result of the world I created.
It was something I had to rectify.
If I run away like this, I won’t even have the courage to face Sion again.
I closed my eyes.
I took a deep breath.
My heart was still pounding.
Even after 400 deaths, the fear didn’t diminish even a little.
And yet, it must be done.
It’s my mistake.
“…”
I removed the hand covering my ears and opened my eyes.
The haze in my mind cleared, giving way to clarity.
I finally…
Decided to accept death.
====
[Ability: Death Regression]
① Regress
– Upon death, regression occurs automatically. Memories are preserved.
②???(Unlocked)
③???(Unlocked)
====
The system in front of me.
The second slot marked as “Locked” lit up brilliantly. Soon after,
====
② Indomitable Spirit
– The spirit that refuses to bow under any circumstances.
====
I took a deep breath.
My body was still trembling.
But I can’t turn away anymore.
I exploit death. The only advantage I have over them is time.
Standing up, I headed toward the battlefield.
The Vanguisher members were all down, except one.
Old Man.
Even with a severed arm, he was fighting to the end.
However, at last, he fell.
I didn’t miss a single moment of Old Man’s fall, taking it all in.
Then, a figure disappeared in the distance.
Simultaneously, a colossal greatsword flew toward me.
I instantly sensed my impending death.
-Ching!
The straight spear clashed with the greatsword.
The spear was gradually being cut by the blade.
However, just once more—
to etch their movements into my memory.
I widened my eyes.
If it’s strong, I will certainly learn it.
No matter how long it takes.
This is where the real beginning starts now.
