"Han Yuseong was a being synonymous with disaster.
Wherever a battle broke out, he would inevitably appear and carry out a ruthless slaughter, sparing no one, regardless of affiliation.
People feared the immense power he possessed, but at the same time, they despised him as a madman obsessed with fighting, and called him such with contempt."
"A damn monster like you deserves to be torn apart…"
, Han Yuseong,
He was staring at the black sky.
The land was desolate, and there wasn't even a trace of civilization left.
Only the corpses of countless monsters and players, the horrors left by battle, could be seen.
"Do you even realize what you've done…?"
Before him lay a man, collapsed with his heart pierced.
Once humanity's strongest — the one chosen by the "Eye of Justice."
A player once hailed as the savior of the world.
And now...
"How dare you—ugh! Interrupt me—at this moment…!"
Now called a traitor to humanity — Lee Suho.
He coughed up clots of dark red blood and glared at Han Yuseong with eyes full of hatred.
His fury was justified.
"You dare block my ascension!"
Because his long-cherished wish had vanished like a bubble in an instant.
When the "Trials" appeared on Earth, so did the Transcendents —
beings who granted power to humans while also spreading calamity.
The "Lords of the Stars."
Becoming one of them — that had been Lee Suho's desire.
For that goal, he had betrayed humanity and sold out the Earth.
That desire was within his grasp — only moments away.
And now, it was slipping from him.
"You monster, you bastard!"
"April 15, 2026—do you remember that day?"
"…What?"
Han Yuseong, who had been silently staring at the sky, suddenly spoke up.
Lee Suho frowned. There's no way he remembered something like that.
"That was the day you revealed your true nature. During the trial that happened then, you massacred every single player who participated."
"No way… you…!"
"That's right. I was the only survivor of that trial."
And Han Yuseong had been there, too.
Back when he was still an ordinary man.
He had entered the trial with his guildmates—
and lost them all.
Originally, Han Yuseong should've died there, too.
But at that moment, as if by a twist of fate, he awakened a unique ability.
That power made him the sole survivor.
"Just as you've been waiting for this moment, so have I."
It gave him the strength to bring judgment upon Lee Suho.
Han Yuseong's cold eyes stared directly at him.
"The day I would repay you."
"Ugh, gah!"
There was a deep killing intent in his eyes.
Clenching his fist, Han Yuseong approached Lee Suho.
Lee Suho coughed up a clump of dark red blood, struggling in vain.
"Wa-wait, hold on! I said wait! If you lost a comrade in that ordeal, I'll bring them back! If I become the Eye Lord…!"
"A promise you can't keep means nothing."
"I can even turn back this world! If it's me!"
"Lee Soo-ho,"
Lee Soo-ho shouted frantically, almost like a seizure,
but Han Yoo-sung didn't listen.
Instead, he raised his blood-red fist and clenched it.
"You talk too much."
Crunch!
A chilling sound of flesh and bone breaking echoed — and that was the end.
Han Yoo-sung stared at Lee Soo-ho's limp corpse for a while.
"Hard to believe someone once called a savior ended up this pitiful."
Revenge was complete.
But he felt no particular emotion.
In truth, it was a half-success — no, a failure. That's why it felt hollow.
Because he hadn't dealt with the true mastermind behind everything.
[Did you kill my Oathbearer, mortal?]
Lee Soo-ho's corpse twitched.
A powerful aura burst out from it and began to take shape.
It was a figure, presumably male, with countless wings.
[Did you kill the one who would have become the Eye Lord of a new star?]
"Makiros…."
Makiros, the Eye Lord of Justice.
The Eye Lord who granted power through a contract with Lee Suhyo.
A monstrous being that absorbed countless monarchs with its dark power and became the root cause of Earth's destruction.
He looked down at Han Yuseong with an emotionless face.
[There is no other choice. I, Makiros, acknowledge you. In this world, you are the strongest.]
A flicker of emotion surfaced on Makiros' usually expressionless face.
It was pity.
[But what does that matter? This world, which could not withstand the trials, is destined for destruction.
The world will soon collapse.]
Rumble…!
At those words, the earth shook.
The barren land crumbled, and from the cracked ground, a dark energy surged upward, beginning to consume everything left in the world.
[Killing you is…]
BOOOM!
Han Yuseong stomped the ground.
In an instant, his fist shot out and struck Makiros' form with incredible force—so powerful that even space itself seemed to distort.
But it was meaningless.
That was merely an avatar of Makiros.
His true body was watching from somewhere else.
[It is far too easy for me. But I will respect your power, and allow you to perish alongside this world. Isn't that a joyful fate?]
"If the one who died here had been you instead of Lee Suho, maybe things would have been different."
[Even if you're called the strongest human, you're still just a human. Your fist will never touch me, an Eye Lord, no matter how many times you're reborn.]
And just as he said,
There was that much of a gap between a human and an Eye Lord.
[I will ascend completely. Using dark forces from beyond, I shall reach a place no one can ever approach.]
Just like Lee Suho schemed to become a Star's Eye Lord,
Makiros also devised a plot to transcend his limitations.
The scheme succeeded. Earth was destroyed,
And Makiros gained transcendent power beyond the reach of any other Eye Lord.
Power fit not for a monarch, but for a god.
[Rejoice. This world will soon be nothing but sand beneath my feet. Han Yuseong, enjoy the life you have left.]
With those final words, Makiros' presence vanished.
He hadn't even bothered to fight or kill Han Yuseong directly.
It meant he didn't see the value in it. After all, the world was going to perish anyway.
Han Yuseong clenched his fist and closed his eyes.
"Everything… is far too late."
He had wandered in search of countless powerful beings and trials, amassing strength.
In that process, he even killed Makiros' agents—
Which earned him the reputation of a madman who couldn't distinguish between ally and enemy.
He didn't really care. The idea that he was obsessed with battle didn't bother him.
'Even if I kill Lee Suho, the world's destruction can't be reversed. Not if I can't kill the true root of it all—Makiros.'
The world had already perished.
Lee Suho sold out Earth,
And the Eye Lords—Makiros among them—had wrung everything they could from it.
All that remained were scraps.
Just as that bastard said, Earth wouldn't last much longer—it was on the verge of collapse.
'If only I had awakened a little earlier.'
Han Yuseong had only recently built up his current strength.
He awakened his unique ability much later than others,
And unlike other Players, he never made a contract with a monarch after awakening.
"Makiros… Could I have stopped him?"
Han Yuseong recalled the path he had taken.
Countless regrets and what-ifs flashed through his mind.
Moments came back to him—chances where he might have hindered or stopped Makiros.
But what meaning did any of it hold now?
'They're all meaningless regrets.'
No matter how much he chewed on the past, nothing would change.
Han Yuseong slumped down beside Lee Suho's corpse.
The end was near.
He was prepared to watch the world die from this very place.
And then—it happened.
[You have defeated one who sought to become a 'Star's Eye Lord,' one who was qualified for ascension. You have successfully overcome a formidable opponent.]
[Activation conditions for the unique ability 'Fighting Ghost' have been met.]
[Additional rewards will be granted.]
A message appeared before Han Yuseong's eyes.
A message he had seen countless times before.
It was the very reason he had grown strong enough to defeat Lee Suho.
But now, it was meaningless at that time.
[MyItem, 'Qualification of the Star Lord (EX)' has been acquired.]
Flames flared up!
A brilliant light filled the field of vision.
Something was rising from the chest of the fallen Beast of Calamity.
It was a small orb containing a power so immense, it made the skin tingle.
The orb approached Han Yuseong.
[This is a MyItem imbued with the power of Ascension. By using this item, you can ascend to become the Star Lord of a new star.]
[However, if you do not wish to ascend—]
Letters were etched into the air.
Upon reading them, Han Yuseong's eyes widened.
[You can offer this MyItem as a sacrifice to turn everything back.]
[Would you like to start over from the beginning?]
"Turn back? What do you mean by that...?"
There was no reply.
Only silence, as if everything that needed to be said had already been said.
The choice was Han Yuseong's to make.
"To become the Star Lord, or to start over from the beginning."
The former is meaningless.
Become a monarch and fight against Akilos directly?
Impossible. The current Akilos has the power to destroy Earth and ascend to the divine throne.
And that's not all. Isn't he already in the middle of the
"There is no way to face the current Akilos."
That is true—for the Akilos of the present.
But what if it were the past?
What if it were a time when Akilos had not yet gained his full power, and still existed within the category of a mere Star Lord?
"If everything can be turned back, then there is a chance."
Yes, if he could start from the beginning—
With all the experience he now possessed, he could stop that monster.
There was no need to hesitate over which choice to make.
"I will offer the Qualification of the Lord as a sacrifice."
In a world on the brink of destruction, Han Yuseong made his declaration.
The orb split in half. The immense power it contained enveloped Han Yuseong.
And then, from somewhere distant, a sound echoed.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
[A great will responds to your choice.]
[Some abilities will be preserved. Your unique skill 'Battle Demon (SSS)' has been satisfied with your achievements and will evolve into 'War God (EX)' and be carried over.]
[Prepare yourself, Han Yuseong.]
Consciousness faded quickly.
Han Yuseong closed his eyes. A voice whispered in his ear.
[Regression begins.]
We've received some unfortunate news.
The Hoksaja Guild failed to resolve the "Lord's Dilemma" that appeared in Cheonggyecheon. In fact, they seem to have provoked the wrath of the Eye of the Lord who posed the dilemma, resulting in considerable damage.
That's unfortunate news, especially since the "Trial of the Gods" is just around the corner.
Yes, but fortunately, the other guilds are still holding strong...
Amidst his hazy thoughts, a sound reached him from somewhere.
Perhaps it was the news — a sound he hadn't heard in a long time.
Ever since the world began its descent into ruin, even TV broadcasts had ceased, so it was a sound he hadn't heard in years.
Han Yuseong sat there blankly, listening to it.
"Huh!"
He hurriedly got up.
Han Yuseong looked around.
The familiar scenery of his shabby one-room apartment came into view. It was nostalgic and comforting, yet it was a scene that shouldn't exist.
Because this one-room building had collapsed a long time ago.
"Then, could it really be...?"
Han Yuseong checked the smartphone that had fallen to the floor.
The lock screen displayed the date.
[March 25, 2024.]
This was a day Han Yuseong could never forget.
And for good reason.
"The day I awakened as a Flemmier."
It was a point in time two years after the world had changed.
If his memory was correct, a message should appear right before his eyes.
And sure enough—
[Congratulations. You have been chosen as a Flemmier.]
[This choice cannot be refused. Your body will now transform.]
[You are awakening as a Flemmier of South Korea (Rank B).]
With the message, changes began to occur in Han Yuseong's body.
A sensation of unfamiliar power settling into him.
It was something he had already experienced once before.
"So this is what it meant to start over from the beginning."
It meant he had been sent back to the time when he first awakened as a Flemmier.
Han Yuseong tried to recall what he had been like back then.
Wasn't he just an ordinary Flemmier without any notable abilities?
He hadn't started to stand out until he awakened his unique ability, "Soul Possession."
"Wait, hold on—"
A chilling thought crossed Han Yuseong's mind.
There was a message he had seen just before losing consciousness.
The one that appeared before he heard the voice saying the regression was beginning.
What exactly had that message said?
"Some abilities will be retained. Don't tell me..."
Han Yuseong looked as if he had been shot, completely losing his composure.
Mina's face turned pale with shock.
[Han Yuseong (Affiliation: Earth, Republic of Korea (B-Class))]
· Bevel: 1
· Class: Novice
· Unique Ability: Martial God (EX)
· Strength: 1 · Agility: 1 · Stamina: 1
· Magic: 1 · Willpower: 1
It was something that could not exist,
and should not exist.
'War Demon, Mani, Martial God.'
This was the unique ability that had made Han Yuseong the strongest player.