NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1 - Prologue
Monsters appeared.
“Commander! The frontline has finally been breached!”
“Ugh, so even Han-wol Company’s weapons had their limits…!”
Lee Han-wol, the actual owner of Han-wol Company and all its affiliates.
The magical weapons he created were so exceptional they could reduce suddenly appearing monsters to ashes.
But if there was one problem…
“N-no! There’s nothing wrong with the weapons. Rather, the monsters are picking up Han-wol Company’s weapons and using them against us!”
“W-what?!”
Perhaps the real issue was that the users were too weak.
A world where monsters suddenly appeared.
After monsters emerged, the ecosystem changed dramatically, but there was one thing that didn’t change at all.
Needless to say, it was humans.
In an era where even ordinary mutts used all sorts of extraordinary abilities, humans remained unchanged.
While monsters weren’t affected at all by bullets, humans could die from a small cutter knife.
It was obvious to anyone that humanity would soon face extinction at the bottom of the food chain.
Of course, that would be true if not for a man named “Lee Han-wol.”
In an age of despair where people only awaited extinction, Han-wol appeared like a savior.
Starting with ‘Theoretical Magic Studies’ and expanding to ‘Magic Engineering,’ ‘Magic Biology,’ ‘Applied Magic Studies,’ and more—he was the founder and master of all magic-related disciplines and technologies.
This was the definition of Lee Han-wol.
He created weapons using “magic stones” that dropped from defeated monsters.
These weapons were on a completely different level from conventional weapons constrained by physical laws, and they saved humanity from its path to extinction.
“Sigh… What’s the point? We’re still facing extinction in the end.”
Alone in his laboratory, Han-wol let out a long sigh.
Then he turned his gaze forward again.
What he was looking at were the numerous monitors surrounding him.
What those screens were showing needed no explanation.
-Argggh!
-Where, where is it!? I can’t see anything!
-N-no! I don’t want to d—! Hack…
In the end, only the enhancement suits Han-wol created remained on the frontlines.
The soldiers inside the suits tried their best to fight, but soon they were overwhelmed by numbers and met their end.
Notably, the monsters were using the exact same technology as humans.
‘Creatures with both my technology and monster strength… They truly are monsters in every sense.’
What good were superior weapons and equipment?
In the end, if the users were like that, it was just like putting pearl necklaces on pigs.
From the creator’s perspective, the monsters that utilized his weapons a hundred times more effectively might actually be preferable.
Just then, with a boom! the wall burst open.
Metal debris swept through the area but was blocked by a pre-activated force field protecting Han-wol.
What broke through the wall was none other than a monster.
“KRAAAAAAAA!”
The monster let out an ear-splitting roar with all its might.
Then, a purple laser shot from the monster’s mouth, engulfing Han-wol.
CLASH!
The air heated instantly, producing a sharp, stinging scent of ozone.
“A plasma laser, huh? When did they copy that?”
Han-wol smirked, appearing completely unharmed.
However, the blue force field surrounding him was crackling and seemed like it would shut down at any moment.
As Han-wol took his stance, a massive weapon emerged from thin air.
It settled on his shoulder, stabilizing his posture.
Without hesitation, Han-wol pulled the trigger.
PAAAANG!
A plasma laser, on a completely different level from what the monster had produced, enveloped the creature’s entire body.
The monster also had a force field similar to Han-wol’s, but that only delayed the inevitable by a few seconds.
The monster evaporated without leaving even a speck of ash.
“If you’re going to copy, do it properly.”
Han-wol clicked his tongue disapprovingly and put the plasma laser cannon back into its dedicated subspace.
Han-wol looked at the monitors.
Several cameras had already been destroyed, showing only static.
The other footage was essentially similar in its meaninglessness.
Han-wol pressed a button in front of the monitor.
-Preparing to launch magic reaction bombs.
Please specify number and locations.
“South America. Scorch every inch of it without exception.”
South America had become the monsters’ stronghold.
Why they appeared there specifically remained unknown.
It was also still a mystery how monsters could use Han-wol’s technology.
Magic reaction bombs that reduced everything—allies, monsters, ground, air, everything—to nothingness.
With this, South America would vanish along with the monsters’ stronghold.
But it would be impossible to deal with the monsters that had already spread throughout the world.
Even if they somehow managed to stop the monsters, the radiation emitted from the reaction bombs would slowly kill humanity.
The only difference was whether to perish quickly or struggle and perish slowly.
“Grrrrrr…”
A monster growled lowly from the broken wall.
Beyond it stood countless monsters in line.
‘Even I can’t handle this many.’
Han-wol sat down heavily in his chair with a self-deprecating smile.
He had used all his reaction bombs to eliminate the monsters’ stronghold.
For humanity, this meant the path of struggling and slowly perishing.
Perhaps there was hope that some might survive.
But Han-wol himself had no intention of taking that path.
If extinction was inevitable, he would choose the quicker way.
After all, living until now, doing nothing but research day after day, hadn’t been his own choice anyway.
It had been for revenge against the monsters that killed his younger sister long ago, and simultaneously to fulfill her wish.
Now, 32 years later, he thought it was enough.
Han-wol looked ahead.
Dozens, hundreds of monsters were roaring and gathering magic in their mouths.
Han-wol found the sight beautiful, like purple waves rippling.
And so Han-wol closed his eyes.
The world was engulfed in purple light.
[………………]
[……Pro………Act.]
[Human Preservation Process Activated.]
[Beginning fusion with data ‘Savior’.]
[Creating system.]
[Creating player.]
[Creating professions.]
[Creating skills.]
[Creating status, NPCs, quests, titles…]
[Fusion of Savior and Earth complete.]
[Initiating regression.]
[Target time: 20XX year XX month XX day.]
[Human Preservation Process ready.]
[Commencing immediately.]
[…………….]
[Good luck.]
x x x
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a street that looked like something from a historical drama set in the Joseon Dynasty.
“What is this…?”
People passed by Han-wol, looking at him strangely.
Those who normally showed no interest in others were oddly skilled at spotting anomalies.
However, their reactions paled in comparison to the much greater sense of dissonance Han-wol was feeling.
“No, this is…”
The street had a Joseon Dynasty style, but the people didn’t match.
Ordinary attire of t-shirts and jeans, some wearing Western-style chain mail, others in Eastern-style leather armor.
But what shocked Han-wol the most was…
“…an internet cafe?”
At the end of a multi-story building with traditional Korean architecture was a sign that prominently read “PC Bang.”
The fact that a traditional Korean building had multiple floors was strange enough, but an internet cafe on top of that was impossible.
“No, wait.”
Han-wol tried to recall his memories from before opening his eyes.
‘Human Preservation Process, Savior, system, player, and turning back time…’
The words that had emerged in Han-wol’s mind one by one were completely foreign concepts.
What stood out most was what had been mentioned at the end.
‘Turning back time? Then could this place possibly be the Joseon Dynasty?’
He never imagined there would be internet cafes in the Joseon era.
Han-wol tried to dig deeper into his hazy memories to organize his thoughts.
In the end, Han-wol came to one conclusion.
‘I see. I’ve regressed. And by several decades at that.’
[You have realized the fact of your regression.]
[Title “Lone Regressor” acquired.]
[Experience points increased.]
[Level up.]
[Currently 1-Star E-Rank.]
Suddenly, some kind of system window appeared before Han-wol’s eyes.
No matter where he looked, the window followed his line of sight.
Moreover, seeing no reaction from people around him, it seemed only he could see it.
‘Lone Regressor…?’
As he muttered inwardly, another window immediately appeared.
[Title: Lone Regressor]
[Description: On the brink of extinction, humanity regressed approximately 32 years into the past.
You are the only one who knows this fact.
Cause, reason, purpose, principle—nothing is certain.
Except for the fact that you have regressed.]
[Effect: All your actions receive adjustments that transcend causality.]