The Taxpayer II
"Ah! It's you, Undertaker! I've heard about you everywhere. Sorry I didn't recognize you sooner."
After introducing ourselves, Lee Ju-ho's wariness melted away like frost under the spring sun.
That's why it's important to spread goodwill and have a positive reputation. When people you meet already have a +20% affinity buff towards you, why wouldn't you try to build rapport?
"Oh, there's no need to apologize. It's just fame. I should be grateful you think so highly of me."
"Hahaha. Our guild was small, so during the Ten Legs Hunt, we were practically in the third line. We only caught glimpses of you from afar. If it's not too much trouble, could you sign this for me?"
"Oh, I'm not a celebrity. I'm embarrassed."
Despite my words, I took out a brush pen and clicked the cap open with a pop. Like Dang Seo-rin, I often receive autograph requests, so I carry a brush pen with me.
With a flourish, I scrawled "Undertaker" in calligraphy.
The strokes contained the experience of a regressor's life. I could see Lee Ju-ho's eyes widen as he marveled at my signature.
"Whoa, your handwriting is... truly superb."
"Thanks. I studied calligraphy like mad just to see that reaction."
"What? Oh, hahaha."
An experienced regressor knows to break the ice based on a person's personality type.
If I put my mind to it, there weren't many people I couldn't befriend in Korea (Noh Do-hwa, who viewed the world with distrust, hatred, malice, and contempt, being a rare exception).
Within five minutes, Lee Ju-ho and I had formed a rapport.
"So, you came all the way here after seeing my post on SG Net?"
"Exactly."
"Wow, this is so embarrassing..."
As expected, the "Anonymous" user who wrote that post was Lee Ju-ho.
Back in the 50th cycle, when his father had been humiliated by Sim Ah-ryeon, Lee Ju-ho used the nickname "iJoinedToday" on SG Net.
In his first post, he'd written:
-Usually, I post anonymously, but I signed up just to write this.
Meaning, in cycles where Sim Ah-ryeon hadn't humiliated his father, Lee Ju-ho remained active as "Anonymous."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? We're uncovering a newly emerged anomaly. If it's okay with you, I'd like to help."
"Of course! With you by my side, we'd be unstoppable!"
Our pleasant atmosphere lasted only until we reached the uphill path where the Pocheon Tax Office towered.
"Hmm."
"Uh..."
I let out a dissatisfied "hmm," while Lee Ju-ho made a perplexed "uh."
To reiterate, the tax office stood tall.
As if the apocalypse had never happened, it was pristine.
[Thank you for your honest tax payments - Pocheon Tax Office]
[May is the period for filing and paying comprehensive income tax. Reporting Period: May 1 - May 31]
[Honest Tax Payments, Fair Taxation! Building a Shared Future]
The surrounding buildings were in ruins, but the tax office had clean gray walls and spotless banners fluttering.
"Lee Ju-ho, was that building always intact?"
"What? No, it's not. There was a massive fire here recently, and all the buildings were destroyed."
Lee Ju-ho looked up at the building uneasily.
"Ha. They were definitely ruined..."
"Then this building must be a Void."
It was a high-level void that altered perception and forcibly changed the environment.
Was it because of last night's rain? The building's wet surface gleamed slickly like a beetle's shell.
Then, suddenly.
"Uaaaagh!"
Someone tumbled out of the building.
Lee Ju-ho and I instinctively drew our weapons, but the person seemed oblivious to our armed state.
"My foot! Aaaagh! Save me!"
He was missing his right leg.
The man collapsed at the entrance, blood splattering around him.
Lee Ju-ho frowned.
"Park Sang-hyun?"
"You know this man?"
"Yeah, well... He's not an awakener, but he goes around bullying the neighborhood elders like a thug. No need to remember him."
Even his tone hinted at how much he disliked the man.
"How is someone like that still alive?"
"He's the son of our late vice guild leader, so it's hard for our guild to treat him like a nobody."
Father-son relationship, huh?
"L-Lee Ju-ho! Ju-ho!"
Noticing us, Park Sang-hyun frantically waved. Since he was missing his legs, he looked like a lower-half Shanks.
"Save me!"
"Sigh. What happened?"
"The building suddenly appeared, so I went inside... It's crazy in there! Ugh, save me first! I'm so dizzy..."
Clang.
A strange noise echoed from the building entrance. Park Sang-hyun flinched, his whole body stiffening.
"It's coming! Hey! Help! Help me!"
The noise was metallic, sounding like "clank" and "clack."
Deep within the tax office, beyond the entrance, the "clank" grew closer and closer.
"Hey, what are you waiting for? Save me! Lee Ju-ho! If I die, do you think Mr. Dong-wook will let you off?"
I glanced at Lee Ju-ho.
"Do you really need to save him?"
"...He was already a troublemaker in the guild. If an anomaly eats him, our guild won't lose face."
At last, the clanking noise reached right behind Park Sang-hyun. He screamed and tried to crawl away.
But before he could move far, something grabbed his ankle with a thud.
"Aaaaagh! No, I don't want this! Save me! Aaagh!"
Park Sang-hyun was swiftly dragged into the building's maw. It happened in a flash.
His screams echoed through the halls for a while, but they didn't last long. After a minute, silence fell.
"Do you still want to go in?"
"Hmm..."
Lee Ju-ho's worry deepened.
But he didn't need to think long.
Shortly after the screaming stopped, someone walked out of the tax office.
-Are you here to file your taxes?
"..."
"..."
We didn't answer the question immediately, for several reasons.
First, no entity emerging from an obviously abnormal void could be trusted.
Second, while the figure looked human and wore a neatly pressed suit like a receptionist, it was blatantly violating dress code.
No exaggeration, its disheveled hair cascaded down to its hips like a wild mane, obscuring not just its face but its entire upper body. A voice emerged through the hair like a whisper.
It was hard for the Confucian uncle inside me to tolerate such blatant disregard for grooming, calling out "Unacceptable!"
Even worse, it constantly shook its head, making the mess of hair sway like a seesaw. These public servants must listen to heavy metal during working hours.
Third, and most importantly, the "public servant-like entity" held a 30 cm-long pair of scissors in its right hand.
Clank, clank, clank.
The mysterious noise from earlier had come from the scissors. Every time the blades clicked, blood splattered.
The visual was shocking.
Even if the "public servant" had a hobby of gardening, bringing scissors to work wouldn't comply with the "Rules on Public Officials' Conduct," which stated: "Article 8-2(1) Public officials shall dress neatly to maintain their dignity while on duty."
-Taxes.
The "public servant" tilted its head, making its oily hair reek of gasoline.
-Are you here to file your taxes?
"Uh, uh..."
"That's right."
I took charge, speaking up for the stunned Lee Ju-ho.
"I received a notification about filing my comprehensive income tax and was directed to come to the Pocheon Tax Office. Is this the right place?"
-Yes, it is.
The public servant's head swiveled toward me.
-This month is the filing period. Can I see your ID card to confirm your identity, taxpayer?
What should I do?
I could easily draw my blade and sever the anomaly's neck. But "Anomaly Response Manual: Beat It to a Pulp" would only be effective for an awakener like me.
No matter how strong I was, I couldn't handle every anomaly in the world at once.
A "strategy" must be useful to everyone, even weaker awakeners, to have any value, especially for widespread anomalies like the "Comprehensive Income Tax Anomaly."
"Ju-ho, it might be best to play along for now."
"Uh, yeah. Here you go."
Lee Ju-ho produced a worn Hermes wallet and handed over his ID card. He didn't seem like the type to favor luxury brands, so it was likely a family keepsake.
-Thank you. Let me check your ID.
The public servant took the ID card and placed it within the curtain of hair.
Crunch. An abrasive sound emanated from behind the hair, like front teeth grinding against the card.
"My ID card..."
-Identity confirmed. Age 26. Lee Ju-ho. You're a Pocheon citizen with very little income. The total tax due today, including Body Tax and Slave Tax, is 100 grams.
"What? 100 grams?"
Ah, this kind of anomaly.
-We can collect the tax on your behalf, Lee Ju-ho. Would you like us to do that?
"Well... I don't really understand, but..."
"Wait. Hold on."
I grabbed Lee Ju-ho's shoulder.
"What?"
"You shouldn't just nod along when an anomaly proposes a deal. Remember Park Sang-hyun's state?"
"What? Oh, yes."
"That was likely the tax collection."
"...?"
"Your tax is 100 grams, right? What if it were 50 kilograms?"
"...!"
Lee Ju-ho's eyes widened.
"Th-then? Would that mean... me too?"
"Yes. This 'Comprehensive Income Tax Anomaly' probably means body parts must be used as payment. Even if 100 grams sounds small, it makes a huge difference depending on the body part. What if they took an eye?"
"Gasp..."
"I'm an anomaly expert. Leave this to me."
I pulled out a plastic bag and summoned my aura to my fingers.
"Ju-ho, you don't care too much about your hairstyle, do you?"
"...No?"
Soon enough, Lee Ju-ho's already short hair had been reduced to a bald scalp. The plastic bag was filled with black strands.
He was devastated.
"Aaaah..."
"Hmm. This isn't quite 100 grams. Take this and go relieve yourself in the bag."
"Undertaker, you're something else."
Why? What's shame got to do with handling anomalies?
With all his might, Lee Ju-ho managed to fill the bag to 100 grams.
The public servant took the bag from him.
-Tax payment confirmed.
"..."
-Please continue to make your tax payments diligently in the future. Thank you.
The public servant bowed and disappeared back into the tax office.
Lee Ju-ho looked at me as if thinking, "This really worked?"
I smiled warmly.
'If hair and urine hadn't worked, I would have just cut off a few unused fingers.'
But since it worked, wasn't it a happy ending?
There's an epilogue.
-Anonymous: The Comprehensive Income Tax Anomaly is a joke, lol.
By the time I returned to Seoul, Lee Ju-ho had already posted a sequel on SG Net.
-Anonymous: If you try to file your tax return, a ghost with extremely long hair asks for your ID card. Just hand it over, and they'll calculate your taxes for you. I wonder what happens if you've lost your card...
-Anonymous: I owed 100 grams, so I shaved my head and peed in a plastic bag. This dumb ghost accepted it joyfully and left, haha.
-Anonymous: Don't ignore the comprehensive income tax alert. Head to the tax office and ask how much you owe. If it's around 100 grams like mine, pay it right away. If it's 50 kilograms, collect your pee in a trash can until May 31. You'll be able to pass the anomaly easily.
-Anonymous: Don't be scared and pay your taxes, everyone, lol.
"Hmm."
The post contained the strategy to deal with the "Comprehensive Income Tax Anomaly," just as I'd asked.
Other members were shocked.
-Anonymous: Did you seriously survive this...?
Afterward, posts poured into SG Net from people who paid their taxes at their local tax office.
-OldManGoryeo: My tax was 300 kg. Anyone got a higher amount?
-LiteraryGirl: 10 kg is about the SG Net average, right?
-Anonymous: Damn, I owe 500 kg. What do I do?
-[Satisfaction] Cooking Queen: I got a tax refund. The public servant gave me a gift box. What's inside?
A little competition arose, called the "Tax Challenge," to see who owed the most.
This was a rare case where an anomaly had become a sort of plaything.
In the end, the criteria the anomaly used to calculate taxes remained unclear, and while it was funny that people paid taxes to an anomaly instead of a human government...
'It's just the sign of the times.'
With a lighter heart, I headed to the tax office.
After a massive void hit Seoul, every building south of the Han River had vanished. But the tax office building appeared in May and vanished again in June.
Admiring its tenacity to collect taxes, I visited the Banpo Tax Office and found a scissors-wielding long-haired ghost, identical to the one at Pocheon, walking out.
-Hello. May I see your ID to verify your identity, taxpayer?
"Yes, here it is."
-Thank you. Let me check your ID. Age twen...
It paused.
The anomaly stopped grinding my ID with its teeth and froze.
It began to tremble.
"...?"
-Twenty, ten, twenty-six, twenty-seven, eight, nine, sixteen, twenty-four, thousand, hundred, two hundred, seventy-three, seven, seven, seven...
Pshaa!
The anomaly's body rapidly swelled before bursting, spewing black fluid everywhere. It exploded like a balloon.
"..."
I picked up my ID from the ground and placed it back in my wallet.
When I stood up, the Banpo Tax Office had disappeared like a mirage. Only I remained in the empty field.
"Hmm."
...Looks like the day I'll be paying taxes won't come anytime soon.
-x-X-x-
The Rich Bond I
Let's dive into the tale of a father and his son.
In this context, "rich" doesn't refer to a wealthy bourgeoisie but to the richness of familial bond between a father and son.
To truly grasp these two characters' story, I had to reluctantly go back to my fourth cycle.
At that point in my life, I was a walking embarrassment. Those first five cycles were my "teen phase" of sorts.
Even now, after living through countless years, I cringed at memories from my first to fifth cycle.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, I only acquired my [Complete Memory] ability in my fifth cycle. Memories from before then were like blurry dreams.
What I'll describe is a mix of reconstruction and fiction.
"Help me..."
"It hurts, it hurts too much..."
The first thing that always came to mind in those shadowy memories was the groaning of people.
Whether it was a "Gah!" or a "Grrr..." the sounds varied in volume, but the quieter they grew, the shorter their lives became.
I walked with bells jingling, asking people:
"Do you want to escape hell?"
"Huh...?"
"Do you want peace forever?"
It might seem like something a cult preacher would say, but those were indeed my words.
Let me offer a brief explanation.
First, I rarely spoke politely at this time. So technically, it should have been written as, "Wanna escape this shitty hell?" and "Need peace?"
But writing that way would make my fingers curl into a black hole of embarrassment. Please forgive me.
Plus, my fourth-cycle memories were vague, so a bit of historical distortion is reasonable, right? Historical distortion is better than cramping fingers.
Second, I never intended to spread a cult.
Those questions were related to why I earned the moniker "Undertaker."
"Screw you! Get lost!"
"Isn't he the Undertaker?"
"Bah! What a bad omen!"
Most people could still manage to survive. Though they claimed they wanted to die, they held onto life. I'd then politely excuse myself.
But there were always those who had given up hope.
"Yes... I don't want to hurt anymore..."
The one bitten by monsters, the diseased, the grieving, the disillusioned, and those who realized peace would never return—these people agreed.
So I asked another question:
"My nickname is Undertaker."
"Yeah, I know..."
"That makes this easier. I can make people sleep forever in their dreams."
"..."
"If you agree, I can help you relive your happiest moments endlessly in a dream."
Time Seal.
It was my unique ability that I hadn't yet revealed.
While I knew the convention of unveiling a protagonist's powers early, I remained silent because I had primarily used [Time Seal] in my first six cycles.
After that, I rarely used it.
Mostly because I hated my own ability.
That's why I considered this episode a shameful part of my past.
"Alright, put me in the dream now..."
"Before you agree, there's something you should know."
I spoke calmly.
"Once you're trapped in a dream by my power, everyone will forget you."
"What?"
"Your family, friends, and anyone you've met won't remember you while you dream. In this world, only I will remember you."
"..."
"You'll be happy in the dream, but you'll be completely forgotten. Do you still want to live in your dream?"
I didn't explain the full power of this forgetfulness, but it was strong.
Even if I regressed and started a new life, the [Time Seal] remained intact.
It became an exception to regression itself. Somehow, the sealed person would remain sealed, forgotten.
It was like they never existed.
"That's... too much..."
Most people hesitated here.
No matter how painful things were, the idea of being erased was unsettling. They often chose suicide instead.
"Whatever, it's fine."
But there were always those who had given up hope.
"Being erased from the world sounds comforting. What do I have to see in this fucked-up world? Please, just erase me."
This is where the "father" in today's story, former pro football player Kim Joo-chul, came in.
Retired.
That's how Kim Joo-chul referred to himself.
"I was a starter in the first league. I was a left back defender, you know? They were throwing money at me!"
He inhaled the oxygen of past glories instead of the current reality.
While many longed for their former jobs after the world fell apart, Kim Joo-chul clung particularly hard to his.
"Hey, kid. Wanna see my highlight reel?"
He went so far as to download his highlights onto his phone.
An ideal talent for today's era, where self-promotion is crucial.
In the six-minute reel, he dashed across the field in a red uniform like a banner. He was a defender, so goals were rare, but the crowd's cheers rang out vividly through the screen with every play.
"Got an offer from Japan. Even sent agents from the Netherlands to scout me. People underestimate the Dutch league, but it's a big deal."
He effortlessly switched between formal and informal speech like dribbling a football ball.
"Damn, I should have gone abroad instead of being loyal to my club. Should've just ditched everything for romance. I wasted my life."
Kim Joo-chul's phone often ran out of battery because he couldn't stop bragging about his highlights.
Unlike others, he didn't try to contact the outside world with his phone. For him, the phone only served as a storage for his highlights.
"A defender is crucial in modern football..."
"Mister! Stop talking and hurry up!"
"Oh, jeez. Kids cussing me out again. You remind me of my son."
Kim Joo-chul grinned and stood up.
"Let's go, you old retired man."
Despite his grand words, his body barely managed to move forward.
Kim Joo-chul's left leg limped constantly.
A world overrun by monsters wasn't kind to humanity, much less a cripple.
Even those who ran the fastest couldn't guarantee their survival, so Kim Joo-chul was always treated like leftovers.
It didn't matter that he had been a well-known football player back in the day. If not a national World Cup player, most people wouldn't recognize football players' names.
"Being an ex-athlete means shit."
He chuckled.
Maybe his constant self-promotion was a way to raise his value.
But the survivors remained cold. If he had been elderly or infirm, they might have shown pity, but no one cared for a seemingly fit middle-aged man. He struggled in food distribution, night watches, and other chores.
"Well, that's how life is."
Kim Joo-chul wasn't bitter. Not because he was exceptionally kind, but because he was used to being treated this way.
"I have a son. He should be about your age. Or younger?"
"You must not be close to him."
"Don't even talk about it. He ran away with his mom ten years ago."
Kim Joo-chul smirked.
"We got along once. But after some punk shattered my left leg on the field, everything fell apart. Funny enough, it turned out my knee joint was linked to my family's harmony."
"..."
"Well, I'm the asshole, but cut me some slack. A promising player was forced to retire out of nowhere at age 26. You think I'd be okay mentally? My left leg was my damn livelihood."
His voice grew quieter.
He was one of the first people summoned to the transformed Busan Station terminal with me. Resting against a bookshelf in the maze-like station, he rambled.
"When I was in rehab, the jerk who broke my leg had the nerve to visit. I never knew crutches made such good weapons. Beat the crap out of him. But his parents had connections at the football association. The whole thing blew over, and I ended up with no place to go. This is Korea's problem. Assholes always seem to thrive."
"..."
"That bastard couldn't even play."
Though he seemed honest, there were things Kim Joo-chul avoided discussing, like how he indulged in alcohol and gambling after being discharged from rehab.
How he practically lived in Macau and Gangwon, leaving his young son to be raised solely by his wife. How his wife died two years ago. How he wandered around a convenience store near a Gangwon casino just before being summoned to the Busan Station terminal. And how he had bought two packs of cigarettes, which he now stashed in socks.
I knew much about Kim Joo-chul because I was with him through the first four cycles.
"Damn, this world is so harsh..."
From the first to fourth cycles, he never made it out intact.
I didn't remember the exact circumstances of his death.
But as best as I could recall, in my first cycle, he tripped in the transformed Busan Station and got eaten by a monster from his feet up.
In the second, I died first, but his condition must have worsened. In the third, he likely died from blood loss after covering a glass door with his body to protect others and losing an arm.
Finally, in my fourth cycle.
"Life's a fucking mess..."
Kim Joo-chul and I successfully escaped Busan Station, but shortly after, a hound-like monster bit off his left leg.
Though he passed out instantly, I managed to stop the bleeding and keep him conscious. Once awake, he panted heavily and muttered.
"I dragged this crippled leg around my whole life, but now that it's gone, I feel relieved."
"..."
"Young man, there's a football stadium nearby. Could we stop by there for a bit?"
I carried Kim Joo-chul to what would likely be his final destination in this life.
With one leg gone, his weight was quite light. As he lay on my back, he drifted in and out of consciousness.
"Ahh..."
Carefully, I set him down in the stadium's stands.
The stadium had been partly destroyed, likely due to monsters rampaging through. Debris was scattered across the field and the seats.
"Why does it look so wide now? It used to be much narrower. It was narrower..."
For a while, Kim Joo-chul mumbled, "Wide, so wide."
"Mr. Undertaker."
His face was pale as he spoke. It was the first and last time he addressed me as "mister," though I was much younger than him.
"Thank you. Thank you so much, but that's enough now. I'm content..."
I understood entirely what he wanted to say.
I took a Silver bell from my pocket and placed it around my wrist. It was my ritual.
"Are you sure? As you know, once you fall under my ability, you'll be forgotten by everyone."
"Forgotten? I don't care. To disappear from this world is comforting. What reason do I have to stay in this fucked-up place? Please, just erase me from the world."
Kim Joo-chul smiled faintly.
"I'm tired now."
"..."
"Oh, right. In that dream or whatever, will I be able to realize that I'm dreaming? I mean..."
"You won't."
I shook my head.
"The person will simply repeat their happiest day forever, without realizing it's repeating."
"That's a relief. If you remember everything, it would be torture, right? Even the happiest moment would become tedious after repeating it... That's good. Do I just close my eyes?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, doc. Really."
In many ways, Kim Joo-chul was an ordinary man.
There was no particular reason to remember him out of all the people I'd laid to rest.
Even so, I remembered Kim Joo-chul for a long time because of his last words.
"Kim Si-eun, Kim Si-eun. My son... Born November 11. My son's name is Si-eun."
Most people who drifted into dreams asked me to remember them, but Kim Joo-chul muttered his son's name until the end.
"My son."
Jingle.
The bell rang as I activated my ability.
That was how Kim Joo-chul said goodbye on my timeline.
It took many long years before I finally met the heir to his last words.
-x-X-x-
The Rich Bond II
There wasn't anyone who understood the geography of the Korean Peninsula as much as I did.
Even Kim Jeong-ho, the creator of the Daedongyeojido[1] map, would have to concede to me. I'm not kidding; he never traveled all over the country. I even went to an abandoned inn in Onyang to catch an Udumbara.
Since the creation of the National Road Management Corps in the 54th cycle, the navigation app in my head had become increasingly accurate with each update.
No matter how capable Noh Do-hwa was, it was impossible for her to manage every road in the country due to a lack of personnel and resources.
There had to be exactly one road connecting each city to the next, and even then, they could only be restored to a single lane.
Tunnels, in particular, were dangerous.
If they hadn't already collapsed, they were at risk of doing so soon. If they were still intact, they were even more dangerous because dark, pitch-black tunnels were the perfect habitat for monsters that loved them.
The Korean Peninsula, with 70% of its land covered in mountains, had favored tunnels, which made this issue critical.
Ah, but it's not as bad as Japan. Their tunnels are a real nightmare. I'll talk more about that later.
Anyway, the National Road Management Corps had to find routes bypassing every tunnel to connect cities. If that was too difficult, we'd have to carve out new paths through the mountains.
This project was called the "Road Streamlining Operation".
It was nearly as challenging as a national policy-level project.
"Awakener Undertaker, please handle this."
Naturally, this plan was entrusted entirely to me.
"Understood."
I didn't complain to Noh Do-hwa. I was planning to take on this project from the beginning.
For instance, when considering the most effective way to create a one-lane road from Busan to Daegu, the word "effective" didn't just mean minimizing travel time. Time was relatively low on the list of priorities.
The most important factors were how far the road was from monster lairs and whether it offered guaranteed security and surveillance. Securing as many rest points or "midway stations for the patrols to camp safely" was also essential.
Ideally, it was better to be close to a drinking water source, but not too close to dams, which could collapse at any moment. If you didn't want to end up like Eulji Mundeok[2], you needed to avoid dams. Bridges weren't even worth mentioning.
In short?
"There's too many things to worry about for one project."
Indeed, I was the only one capable of handling this. No matter how smart someone was, drawing a convincing road network while sitting at a desk was useless. What could anyone do about the fact that all available maps were outdated relics from before the Gate incident?
Ultimately, I had no choice but to go on foot. While we had some satellite images, they didn't provide the kind of detailed information we needed.
But who else could afford to travel all over the country in this ruined world? Only the infinite regressor.
"I look forward to working with you, Saintess."
[Yes, Mr. Undertaker. I'll support you.]
In the 54th to the 56th cycle, I explored every nook and cranny of the country until my feet ached, filming a road movie along the way.
Sometimes, I traveled with patrols, but I mostly traveled alone. I never felt lonely since I could chat with the Saintess via Telepathy.
If I wrote a travel journal based on these three cycles, the title would be something like 'I'm an Infinite Regressor in This Ruined World, but I'll Enjoy Traveling Alone With the Saintess's Voice'.
It might be boring from a story perspective since there weren't many major incidents, but personally, I loved these three cycles because I met so many ordinary people instead of awakeners. I made many meaningful connections during that time.
"Uh, this road... isn't this the right place?"
Kim Si-eun.
I first met the former football player's son in the 54th cycle.
"Excuse me."
"Whoa! G-gosh!"
A young man dressed for travel leaped in surprise.
He was between being a boy and a young man, but he looked younger because he was quite short. He had been standing in front of the Changwon Tunnel, nearly burying his face in a map that had been unfolded and refolded countless times. He had a backpack that looked a bit too big for his small frame.
In short, he looked like a typical backpacker from head to toe.
"Who are you?"
But instead of a walking stick, he carried a spear.
He aimed the spear at me, but it seemed pretty shabby. He had probably taped a dagger to the end of a stick himself, creating a 100% homemade spear.
To be fair, this style was trendy among backpackers these days. If you didn't want to hear "Traveling without a spear? Is the end of your trip going to be in a monster's stomach?" you'd better follow the latest trend.
"I'm sorry for startling you. I'm an awakener member of the Samcheon World Guild, who took part in the Ten Legs Subjugation."
"Awakener...?"
The young man looked at me warily, but there was also a hint of curiosity.
After the Ten Legs Subjugation, ordinary people became much more welcoming to the awakened, treating them like American war veterans after World War II.
Residents around Seoul treated the awakeners especially well. The young man must have come from that region, as he at least tried to be polite.
"Uh, I'm sorry. I was so surprised..."
"It was my fault for talking to you from behind. Don't worry about it. But this tunnel is collapsed, so it's better not to try passing through."
The young man looked frustrated.
"What? Why?"
"Isn't the entrance already collapsed?"
I pointed to the Changwon Tunnel. The surrounding area was overgrown with bushes and trees, untouched by civilization. Only the cracked asphalt and tunnel entrance barely held onto their past claim.
The young man spoke in a meek voice.
"It seems like at least one person could squeeze through..."
"I wouldn't recommend it."
"Why not?"
"There's a high chance that monsters are living inside."
"Ah."
Even this brave young man, traveling with just a staff and a backpack, was immediately discouraged by the word "monster."
"Then, why are you here, awakener?"
"A missing person's report came in from around here. Many people have been caught trying to pass through, thinking they could make it alone. I'm planning to block it off completely."
"My goodness."
"It's dangerous. Please step back."
I collapsed the tunnel in front of him. A ghostly wail echoed from deep within, but I paid it no mind. The noise was probably just slimes bursting.
"So you really are an awakener!"
The young man, realizing I wasn't a fake, finally let his guard down.
To clarify, he probably didn't believe in the goodness of the awakeners but rather acknowledged that it was pointless to be wary of someone strong enough to collapse the tunnel with a single blow.
In this broken world, having an objective assessment of oneself was crucial to living without stress. In that sense, this young man was well-adapted.
"Where are you coming from?"
"Oh, I originally lived in Asan."
"You walked all the way from Asan to here? Alone?"
"Haha, yes."
He sheepishly scratched the back of his head.
"My mother is from Daesan-myeon, Changwon. Do you know Daesan-myeon? Anyway, I was going to stop by there before heading down to Busan. I thought using the tunnel would be the fastest route, but I had no idea it was a slime dungeon."
"Is your mother still in her hometown?"
"Oh no, she passed away seven years ago."
A familiar sound rang in my heart. The sound of my affinity for this young man rising.
No need to hide it.
Me, the Undertaker, wasn't necessarily old, but I was the kind of guy who would shed tears at the mere mention of family love. A regressor's weakness was always love.
"Did you decide to travel because you wanted to see your late mother's hometown?"
"Yes!"
"That's admirable. It must have been obvious you'd struggle on this trip."
"Oh, it's nothing compared to how much my mother struggled to raise me."
Affinity +200 points!
By now, I had already decided that I'd ensure this young man made it to Busan safely. I needed to stop by Busan to see Noh Do-hwa anyway. An extra companion wouldn't be a burden.
"I was planning to head to Busan after collapsing this tunnel. If it's okay with you, would you like to travel together?"
"Really?"
His face brightened at my offer.
"Yes. My name is Undertaker. That's not my real name, but a moniker. It may be a short trip, but let's take good care of each other."
"Let's work together! My name's Kim Si-eun. Please feel free to speak casually with me."
"Okay, looking forward to it, Si-eun."
"Yes, hyung!"
We shook hands. I had to bend my back slightly because of our height difference.
Honestly, I didn't realize at the time that the Kim Si-eun in front of me was that Kim Si-eun.
There was an understandable reason for this. To explain it in one sentence: I had forgotten the name Kim Si-eun over time.
Sure, I depicted it as if I always remembered the football player Kim Joo-chul's last words in this story. But, as I've emphasized before, that kind of consistency was only possible because I edited the story.
I had met Kim Joo-chul in the 4th cycle and Kim Si-eun in the 54th, with over 500 years between them. How could I possibly remember events from a time when I hadn't yet mastered [Complete Memory].
"What's your father like?"
"Huh? My father?"
I first sensed something odd when we were setting up camp that day.
Kim Si-eun frowned as if I had asked him about a mythical beast.
"Uh... I'm not sure. I don't remember!"
I was mindlessly spreading my sleeping bag when I suddenly became alert.
His attitude while answering my question, the way he dragged out his words, was all too familiar to me.
"Wait a second. This might be a rude question, but I'll ask since I'm also an orphan. Do you not remember anything about your father?"
"Huh? Oh, uh..."
"Has your mother never mentioned him, or have you never asked her about him?"
"...Nope. Why?"
"And you've never thought that was strange?"
Kim Si-eun looked at me with his round, squirrel-like eyes. There wasn't a hint of doubt on his face. He even seemed to find it odd that I cared.
Why?
Because not thinking about something that doesn't exist is the most natural thing in the world.
"Yeah, that's right."
"..."
I sighed and gazed up at the night sky from our campsite for a long time.
Fate is tenacious and terrifying.
"Si-eun."
"Yes?"
"When we get to Busan, let's stop by somewhere with me."
Meeting Kim Si-eun was nothing short of a miracle.
I'm not exaggerating or throwing the word around lightly. Like all miracles, this one wasn't a sudden event out of nowhere; rather, it was the product of many conditions coming together seamlessly.
We could infer these conditions from the personal information Kim Si-eun had shared.
"You worked in Asan before the Gate incident?"
"Yeah. I had a relative running a huge supermarket in Asan. I just did some part-time work there!"
What caught my attention wasn't the work itself but the region of Asan.
Readers who are knowledgeable about Korean geography may already have gotten chills at the mention of Asan.
To explain briefly, Asan in South Chungcheong Province encompasses an area known as Onyang.
Yes, Onyang—the location of the abandoned inn where the Udumbara World Tree first bloomed.
If I hadn't subjugated the Udumbara, the residents of Asan would have inevitably been infected by the virus, given their proximity to the origin. Although I never ran the calculations, when the World Tree had fully bloomed, Asan's civilians would have been 99% annihilated.
――And that death toll would have included Kim Si-eun.
Even if he had miraculously avoided infection, things wouldn't have improved. Ten Legs, the only Michelin Guide inspector on the Korean Peninsula, would have taken care of him.
No matter how much the New Budhha Virus promised humans immortality, if your head was severed and brain destroyed by Ten Legs, that was the end. Until the allied guild forces exterminated Ten Legs, all humans in Korea were no more than a chef's choice on Ten Legs' dining table.
For Kim Si-eun to have survived and embarked on this journey from Asan to Changwon to Busan with his homemade spear, certain conditions needed to be met. These conditions could be laid out like a quest list in an RPG:
──────────
[Kim Si-eun Survival Route Requirements]
1. Exterminate Ten Legs: If not exterminated, they'll head south from Seoul, and Kim Si-eun will die.
2. Exterminate the Udumbara World Tree: Kim Si-eun was among the early victims of the virus. If not destroyed immediately after the regression, his death can't be prevented.
──────────
Without me, the regressor, clearing this route would have been impossible.
Was Kim Si-eun the only one in Korea in this position? Many people were in the same boat. Take Dang Seo-rin, for instance. Despite persistently pestering me to be a witch friend, she could only ensure her survival by eliminating Ten Legs.
Defeating boss-level monsters was akin to unlocking previously "locked" regions. Kim Si-eun was like an NPC that could only be freed by eliminating Ten Legs and Udumbara.
Of course, this analogy is only a comparison to a game. In reality, the world wasn't a game, and humans weren't NPCs.
Thus, humans must bear the responsibility appropriate to their kind.
"...So."
After hearing my full explanation, Kim Si-eun furrowed his brow.
"You're saying I had a father named Kim Joo-chul and that because of Undertaker's Time Seal, I've completely forgotten everything about him?"
"Yes. More specifically, not just you but everyone's memory of him has been erased."
"What kind of power is that?"
Kim Si-eun looked incredulous.
To a normal person, his reaction made sense. But [Time Seal] was quite a reasonable power. In this world, there were even powers that grew stronger based on the amount of trolling you did online.
Ordinary people often assumed that awakeners were like RPG characters, but in reality, there were far stranger abilities.
"Anyway, I might be mistaken, but from my perspective, it seems highly likely that you're Kim Joo-chul's son."
"Hmm, I don't really feel..."
"Have you ever shown any interest in football?"
Kim Si-eun hesitated.
"...No, I haven't."
"Kim Joo-chul was a former football player. If you've lost all memory of your father, then it's likely you've lost most memories related to football too."
"But there are a lot of people who aren't interested in football."
"True, but having no memory at all is a different story. Have you ever watched the World Cup? Not even once? Or come across any videos or articles about Korean players playing abroad?"
Kim Si-eun fell silent.
"Kim Joo-chul is sealed in a stadium in Busan. If this is all just a misunderstanding, I apologize in advance, but I think it would be worth following me to see the truth."
"..."
His hesitation didn't last long.
Footnotes:
[1] Daedongyeojido is a large scale map of Korea produced by Joseon dynasty cartographer and geologist Kim Jeong-ho in 1861. A second edition was printed in 1864. One source describes it as the "oldest map in Korea".
[2] Eulji Mundeok was a military leader of early 7th century Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, who successfully defended Goguryeo against Sui China. He is often numbered among the greatest heroes in the military history of Korea.
-x-X-x-
The Rich Bond III
"Follow me this way."
"Y-yes..."
We stood in a partially destroyed football stadium in Busan.
The outer walls had collapsed due to monsters, leaving behind a maze of steel frames and debris. After a long time away, I returned to this place.
The first time I visited, I was with someone's father. The second time, I was with his son.
"Wow."
Kim Si-eun looked around in wonder like a crane. It was his first time in such a large stadium.
"It's so big! Do those stands fill up on game days?"
"It's rare for them to be completely full, but on average, around ten thousand people would come."
Despite it being more than 500 years since I'd last been here, finding our destination was surprisingly easy.
On one side of the stands, there was a large crystal protruding like something from the depths of a cave. It was as tall as I was.
Only I could see this marker.
I personally called it a "tombstone" or "gravestone." I could have called it "that thing" since no one but me could perceive it.
Even Kim Si-eun, standing next to me, couldn't recognize the crystal looming right in front of him.
"Take my hand."
"O-Okay."
"I can freely enter the dreams of those I've sealed, but you can't. You can only connect to the dream while holding my hand, so don't let go, no matter what. Got it?"
"Understood, hyung."
Kim Si-eun cautiously took my hand, and I nodded.
"Close your eyes and prepare yourself."
"..."
"Here we go."
I pressed my left palm against the surface of the crystal.
My hand slipped through easily, and the surface that shimmered like a mirror seemed to be made of water, accepting me without resistance.
I stepped forward.
After taking about six steps, everything rapidly turned pitch black. It felt like a mischievous child had smeared black paint everywhere, or as if we had descended into the deepest abyss.
"..."
While this sensation was familiar to me, it was not for Kim Si-eun. His fear and tension transmitted clearly through his grip on my hand.
Moments later.
-Aaaahhhh!
Suddenly, a deafening cheer erupted around us.
"Eek!"
Startled, Kim Si-eun opened his eyes and instinctively looked around, his eyes widening even more than when he heard the cheer.
"Wh-What's going on?"
The cheering was from the supporters.
The previously desolate stadium was now packed with home and away fans.
Where ruins once stood, flags, slogans, balloons, and, above all, people had filled the stands instead.
"Attack! Attack! Hurry up!"
Someone who looked like a coach shouted from the sidelines.
Players dashed wildly across the green field. With every dribble, incredible pass, and corner kick preparation, the stands roared with earth-shaking cheers.
-Oh! Our club! Our eternal home!
The kind of passion that could only be experienced five years ago by others, and over 500 years ago in my own timeline, before the world fell apart.
-My love! My home!
-Today, we will win again!
The club fans waved their smartphones and jumped on the spot. Massive flags fluttered relentlessly at the front of the stands.
Kim Si-eun stood frozen under the red, evening-like waves of flags.
"..."
"Look over there, Si-eun."
I pointed at the field, and Kim Si-eun's gaze followed my finger.
A football bounced off the turf. One of the players deftly trapped it with his chest and sprinted forward.
Kim Joo-chul.
-Ooooh!
The crowd gasped.
Kim Joo-chul, who had been buried under the fog of time in my memory, appeared on the field, looking younger and fitter.
His left foot controlled the ball with ease as he charged ahead.
-Go! Hurry! Counterattack!
-There's no one there!
-Kim Joo-chul!
Although he was a defender, Kim Joo-chul boldly crossed the half-line, with teammates and opponents alike desperately chasing him.
He lobbed the ball with his left foot, and a teammate just barely managed to head it into the net.
-Waaaahhhh!
Kim Joo-chul earned an assist.
His performance didn't end there. In a subsequent corner kick, he leaped and headed the ball directly into the net.
The scoreboard changed from 1-1 to 2-1, a comeback goal.
A defender had managed 1 assist and 1 goal in no time.
-Goaaaal! Goal! Goal!
-Kim Joo-chul! Kim Joo-chul! Kim Joo-chul!
At that moment, Kim Joo-chul skated lightly toward the stands and jumped over the barrier to kiss a woman in the audience.
The woman held a child in her arms, and Kim Joo-chul kissed the top of the child's head as well. The stadium scoreboard captured the scene perfectly.
-Who's that?
-That's Kim Joo-chul's wife!
-Ooooh! Kim Joo-chul! Kim Joo-chul!
Though the excessive celebration earned him a warning from the referee, the players, the crowd, and even Kim Joo-chul himself didn't care.
Next to me, Kim Si-eun murmured softly.
"Mom...?"
He seemed to recognize the woman who kissed the football player. He couldn't close his gaping mouth.
"No way. So that really..."
But Kim Si-eun's muttering couldn't continue as the supporters' song drowned it out.
-Kim Joo-chul! Our iron wall!
-No one can break through Kim Joo-chul!
-Kim Joo-chul! Our iron wall!
Kim Joo-chul, hugging the child, looked incredibly happy. The child in his arms beamed as well.
A past they could never return to.
A glory they could never reclaim.
"..."
"That was your father's happiest moment."
I spoke quietly.
I used aura to create a barrier between us and our surroundings. The cheers of the crowd became a faint echo. As the sound faded, the scene before us shimmered like a dream.
"And he's reliving it over and over again."
"That's strange. He looks so happy. Why would he erase himself from this world? Why would he abandon his family and stay trapped in this dream?"
"..."
Because it wouldn't be long before Kim Joo-chul's left foot would be completely destroyed.
Because he fell into alcohol and gambling, abandoned his family to wallow in Macau and Gangwon-do, and left his wife to die alone while raising their son.
Instead of answering, I asked, "Do you want to ask your father directly?"
"..."
Kim Si-eun bit his lip.
"...Yes."
Although this world had become Kim Joo-chul's domain, I could still influence it as the caster.
After finishing his Man of the Match interview, Kim Joo-chul headed for the locker room. Holding Kim Si-eun's hand, I followed him, unnoticed by anyone.
"Huh?"
Only Kim Joo-chul recognized me. He was hopping with his teammates but turned toward us with a bright smile.
"Who are you? A fan? You're not allowed in here!"
"It's me, Kim Joo-chul."
"Huh? Who are you?"
"Undertaker. I'm the one who trapped you in this time."
I looked him in the eye.
"Don't you recognize me?"
"..."
Kim Joo-chul's smile disappeared.
Simultaneously, the colors of the world around us faded to gray. The singing players, the coaches who were about to enter, and the champagne stopped in midair.
"Ah..."
Only Kim Joo-chul's sigh quietly escaped.
"That's right. This was a dream."
"..."
"This was all a dream..."
Kim Joo-chul looked around, gazing at his former teammates with eyes full of emotion. He sighed heavily.
"This is now a lucid dream, huh? That makes it easier. I might as well go see my wife and son again since I don't have a reason to stay here in this damn locker room."
"That's not necessary."
"Hmm?"
"After this moment ends, you'll forget everything. You'll forget meeting me, this conversation with me. Just as the world has forgotten you, you won't build any more memories of it."
"Huh. That's tough..."
Kim Joo-chul slumped onto a bench. Wiping sweat from his body with a towel, he asked,
"Why did you come to see me, Undertaker? Is this just a regular visit that I can't remember, to watch my amazing highlight reel?"
"It may not mean anything to you, but it could mean something to your family."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
"This young man here with me is your son."
"What?"
Kim Joo-chul finally looked at my companion, as if only now realizing another presence.
He blinked.
"Si-eun?"
"..."
"Si-eun? Is that really you? Wow, you've grown so much!"
Kim Joo-chul jumped up and rushed to hug Kim Si-eun. Although startled, Kim Si-eun didn't reject his father's embrace.
"My goodness! You've become a man! The last time I saw you, you were just a little baby! How old are you now? A middle schooler? High schooler?"
"I'm 20."
"What? 20? Why are you so short! What have you been eating to stay that small? My genes are way better than that!"
The tall defender seemed shocked by his son's height.
"Um... Father?"
"Huh? Father? No need to call me that. Just say 'Dad' like usual..."
Kim Joo-chul suddenly fell silent.
He studied Kim Si-eun's face, then looked at me. His face darkened with worry.
"...Wait a second. I'm sorry, but when did my wife... your mother pass away?"
"...Seven years ago."
"..."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
After a long while, Kim Joo-chul muttered softly, "I see."
His gaze briefly turned to me.
"So that's why you warned me. That's why..."
I didn't respond, only gave a slight nod.
I understood the terrible feeling of being forgotten by the most precious person in one's life, but while I always had the chance to start over, Kim Joo-chul never had that opportunity.
Forever.
"..."
"...Si-eun."
A father held his son's shoulders. Kim Joo-chul gently gripped Kim Si-eun's shoulders, not firmly but more like the delicate touch of willow leaves.
"I'm sorry."
"..."
"Your father... your dad was a very weak man. A really weak man. I never expected you'd survive this messed-up world. Even before everything fell apart, I was drinking and gambling, a terrible person. I ignored your mother's calls, just got angry. Truly..."
Kim Si-eun listened to his father's apology with a face that showed he didn't know how to react. It wasn't his fault. To him, Kim Joo-chul was just a stranger he met today.
Seeing his son's face, Kim Joo-chul shuddered.
"This is... this is hell."
"..."
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Si-eun. Dad's sorry."
The football player, trapped in his prime, repeatedly muttered "sorry" like a broken music box.
I don't want to elaborate too much on the epilogue of this story but I believe readers now understand why I detested the ability [Time Seal] so much.
Honestly, I never wanted to address [Time Seal]. It was that much of a dark past for me. However, it feels liberating to finally reveal my power to all of you.
Yes, I sealed the time of many people, not just Kim Joo-chul.
At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do.
But, looking back after so many years, both those people and I had given up on the world too quickly and too easily.
[Time Seal] also played a role in my decision to label my life story as a "tale of failure." No matter how many times I regressed, too many people could never find a different ending.
"Something feels strange."
Yet those who survived still had to make a life out of the connections they had left.
After leaving the stadium, Kim Si-eun kept looking back. The stadium stood precariously in the distance, its outer walls destroyed and exposing its innards.
"Do you regret coming?"
"No, definitely not! It's just that a man who says he's my family is crying, yet I can't remember him at all. It's a strange feeling."
Kim Si-eun hoisted his backpack and adjusted it.
"It makes me feel like I just have to live my life to the fullest."
With his spear planted in the ground, he bowed his head toward me.
"Thank you, hyung! Thanks to you, I found my mother's hometown and met my father on this trip. Although I feel a little conflicted, it was meaningful."
"Where are you going next?"
"I'm planning to find a way across to Japan! I've traveled all over Korea already."
"Japan, huh?"
Nowadays, Japan wasn't an easy place to recommend as a travel destination.
If someone asked me to name the two most dangerous places besides the Korean Peninsula, I would say without hesitation that it was the Japanese archipelago and the Indian subcontinent.
This is because the beings that people treated as "gods" there loved humans so much that they decided to care for them directly. For reference, their favorite genres included #confinement #brainwashing #gore.
Although the world was dangerous everywhere, those two places were dangerous in a different way. Think of it as the difference between apocalyptic and horror genres.
But that was a few years later. For now, the Japanese archipelago was relatively safe.
I didn't stop the young backpacker from pursuing his journey.
Instead, I gave this advice:
"If you hear strange sounds, see strange objects, or feel something off, don't try to investigate. Just put your hands together and greet politely, then continue on your way without looking back. And especially avoid tunnels."
"...?"
"You'll likely pass through Fukuoka. Avoid getting involved with the provisional government people there if you can. Anyway, you'll find this advice useful someday."
"Um, okay! Got it!"
I didn't know what kind of ending awaited Kim Si-eun once he crossed to Japan. There was a high chance it was gruesome.
But I didn't care too much. From the perspective of a regressor like me, life wasn't like a sports match with a whistle blown after 90 minutes. It was more like a journey, stopping briefly at a station before moving on down the tracks.
Unlike his father, he still had the chance to journey to new places.
"See you next time, hyung!"
For the record, I trusted Kim Joo-chul's sincerity.
Even as he faded from the world, I didn't want to distort the intentions of someone who had muttered "our son." The question of whether he was strong enough to hold onto those feelings until the end could be set aside for now.
If he had genuinely apologized to his son, wouldn't he be glad to see Kim Si-eun moving forward to a new destination without being weighed down by the past?
Wouldn't he bless him?
Turning around one last time, I could still see the stadium with its collapsed walls.
-Goaaaal! Goal! Goal!
-Kim Joo-chul! Kim Joo-chul! Kim Joo-chul!
Inside, an anonymous football player long forgotten by the world was still playing. With an unbroken left leg. Cheered on by the crowd.
And he would keep running forever to celebrate with his family.
-x-X-x-
The One Who Was an Observer I
Some readers might have wondered about the previous story where Kim Si-eun went backpacking to Japan.
It's true; I have been somewhat reluctant to mention overseas topics.
There is a valid reason for this, largely because my main area of activity is the Korean Peninsula.
Although I occasionally venture abroad, I generally prefer not to.
Why? Because the Saintess isn't there.
It's not a joke. Without the constant support of the Saintess, it feels like switching from a third-person top-view strategy simulation to a first-person souls-like action game.
It wasn't for nothing that I took the Saintess with me when I went to China to quell the Butterfly Effect.
The role of the Saintess in my life as a regressor is more significant than it might seem.
While I'm not about to sing praises like some Russian Lolita complex author might—'my light of life, my body's fire, my sin, my soul, Saintess'—I certainly wouldn't plan any hero party without first securing the Saintess. Remember this: Support-Saintess is a fixed pick.
"Mr. Undertaker."
"Yes?"
"Why must we absolutely never observe Mr. Go Yuri of the Satisfaction Guild with Clairvoyance?"
"Um…"
There was a reason why my mind cataloged a [Saintess User Manual].
It's not that I give the Saintess special treatment; I have strategy manuals for all my party members.
Most awakened individuals find my 'strategy manuals' somewhat creepy.
Understandably, from my perspective, these are the fruits of hard labor, but from others', it's like some random guy popping up and shouting, 'Your power actually gets stronger the more you aggro people!'
Honestly, even I would find it hard to believe.
"Go Yuri has a passive ability of mental corruption. It's top-tier. Anyone, no matter how mentally strong, will inevitably be brainwashed if they contact Go Yuri."
"Ah… I see."
The Saintess never doubted my manuals.
Though she couldn't share my memories, we shared records. My claims were readily accepted by her as truth, and she based her strategies on them.
Tap-tap—
The Saintess typed away, organizing information as we talked.
"Was there an instance where I observed Ms. Go Yuri with Clairvoyance and ended up in trouble?"
"Yes, during the 89th cycle."
"How did it unfold?"
"It happened too quickly to know the details, but at the time, Go Yuri was part of our party. Seo Gyu probably got brainwashed first. And Seo Gyu knows about your abilities and home address, doesn't he? Go Yuri must have approached you using that information. By the time I arrived, you were found hanged by a towel rack."
"Was it suicide?"
"Probably. More precisely, it was induced suicide."
"..."
The Saintess pondered.
"Mr. Seo Gyu. Right. It's crucial to ensure he's always a reliable ally. Apart from that, I think it wouldn't be bad to delve into Ms. Go Yuri's true nature in this cycle, even if it means risking the cycle."
She glanced at me and nodded.
"…There's no need to take unnecessary risks. Please inform me about any other precautions I should take."
"There's nothing beyond what I've mentioned."
That was both true and a lie.
"I'll handle all remaining risks."
The typing stopped. The Saintess looked at me, tilting her head.
"Mr. Undertaker."
"Yes."
"What happens to me if you leave the risks unattended?"
There was a brief silence.
There were a few things I intentionally kept silent about. The stories involving time seals were one; overseas mentions were another. If I were to unravel these stories, a bit of preparation was necessary.
Although rare, there were stories I had not mentioned yet, like how some awakened turn into monsters if they become 'corrupted.'
So, let me tell you about it now.
About the story that unfolds when the Saintess becomes corrupted—the so-called 'Executor Route'.
Since we met at a convenience store along the riverside, I have trusted the Saintess in every cycle, and she has trusted me.
I needed an ally after losing Old Man Scho. The Saintess needed a warrior to compensate for her lack of physical power. Our alliance was inevitable.
[Thank you for your hard work in subjugating Ten Legs, Mr. Undertaker. With that, most threats south of the Han River have been eliminated.]
Initially, there were no problems.
[Udumbara has been… subjugated. If what Mr. Undertaker said is true, the flower that bloomed from that hat would have covered the world. It's a very sad thought. Thank you for your efforts.]
Among those I knew, the Saintess boasted exceptional mental and survival strength.
She always survived until the end of the world. Whether from not interacting with others or not relying on force, the Saintess's heart was strong.
[The Meteor Shower… subjugated. Now, the catastrophe of numerous awakened and civilians being exterminated overnight will not happen again. It would have been impossible without Mr. Undertaker. Thank you for your hard work.]
We safely crossed the critical period of 7 years when the Meteor Shower was guaranteed to appear.
Changes started to be noticed from the 12th year.
[Mr. Undertaker.]
"Hm? What is it?"
[A massacre of civilians has occurred in Nampo, North Korea.]
The Saintess's Clairvoyance reached most of the Korean Peninsula. We virtually had unlimited visibility limited to the peninsula.
"What? A civilian massacre? Where exactly? I'll go check it out."
[No, I've just found out too. The massacre has almost finished. It is estimated to have occurred from the morning of July 11 to now, July 13.]
However, the Saintess's Clairvoyance was only effective on 'awakened' individuals. She could not observe all the people living on this land.
That is to say, in cases where civilians killed civilians, the Saintess was utterly powerless.
Murder, massacre, any crime among civilians—she always observed 'already finished scenes' a step too late.
[Mr. Undertaker.]
[My abilities seem to be strengthening slightly.]
The situation got a bit worse.
"Ah, really? It's normal for some awakened to grow their abilities while others plateau from the start, but it seems yours were of the former type. How far can your Clairvoyance reach now?"
[It's still a stretch, but based on being in Seoul, I think it can reach the tip of the Shandong Peninsula.]
"Wow. That's impressive. Congratulations."
[Thank you.]
"Why don't you consider taking up martial arts training? It would be good for your health, not just for increasing your power."
[I'll think about it… thank you.]
Originally, the Saintess's powers developed slowly.
When Ten Legs swept through the Korean Peninsula, when the world ended due to Udumbara, when the world fell apart from the Meteor Shower, the Saintess died.
She died before her powers could mature fully.
However, as the cycles progressed, the lifespan of the Saintess also extended.
5 years, 7 years, 12 years, 15 years. As her time stretched longer, so did the breadth of the world she could observe.
Moreover, I was practically funneling all the life elixirs that were of no use to me anymore to her, my most trustworthy ally.
[...]
As a result, the tragedies the Saintess had to handle also increased slightly.
It was fine when limited to Korea.
Even if we couldn't take care of everyone, we had created a societal system with the National Road Management.
Moreover, the existence of the constellations reduced the frequency of severe misbehavior among awakened, and if any occurred, it could quickly be detected through [Clairvoyance].
The major guilds in Korea, like the Samcheon World of Dang Seo-rin, were also cooperative with us.
But beyond the sea was a different story.
We didn't have the capacity to care for those areas. We lacked resources. Before even discussing the lack of materials and manpower, simply the time available to me, a regressor, was absolutely insufficient.
For instance, it took at least a week to travel to and from Tianjin, China. That meant I was absent from the Korean Peninsula for a week, and during that time, situations that only I could handle were missed.
[...]
The Saintess was wise. She deeply agreed with the proposition that all good starts with the efficient allocation of resources.
Rather, she was considerate of me.
Just once, after she mentioned the massacre in Nampo, North Korea, the Saintess never again brought up any tragedies outside the jurisdiction of the National Road Management. She feared it might unnecessarily burden me.
However, her silence didn't stop the killings.
[...]
Thanks to our subjugation of the Milky Way, numerous lives, both domestic and foreign, were saved. However, what to do with those saved lives was up to each individual, and the appropriation of one life by another was commonplace.
I could have ignored it.
If I had cut it off, there would have been no problem.
But the Saintess never stopped 'observing'.
As much as she ignored, the world did not shrink. Such things never happened.
As long as the world existed, and as long as someone died without even screaming, the Saintess wanted to remember those deaths at the very least.
Poison.
Drops of poison accumulated in her heart.
[...]
The Saintess's heart was strong.
It could handle 16 years of time.
Clang-
A sound like shattering glass echoed through an old playground.
The playground, once set in the middle of an apartment complex, was now surrounded by crumbling buildings that mourned the real estate values of long past. Even with just the half-destroyed remnants, echoes resonated well.
It wasn't actually the sound of breaking glass.
It was the noise of metal clashing against metal, more precisely, aura against aura.
"Wow."
I marveled as I deflected the hand axe thrown by the Saintess with my sword.
"You're impressive. Not just your aura, but you have a natural talent for martial arts."
"…Thank you. I still have much to learn."
"No, no. You're practically flawless compared to me. I've mastered aura training, but without any natural talent. If I had your martial prowess, I would have saved the world and then some."
It wasn't entirely flattery.
In truth, I was practically talentless in martial arts. To use a martial arts analogy, I was someone who just kept accumulating internal energy and clumsily crushed others with my power. Even this had only been achieved after my skills persisted across regressions from the 10th cycle onwards.
"Your aura's also fascinating because it's transparent. Seriously, how do you have transparent-colored aura?"
"..."
Above all, the Saintess's aura was imperceptible.
Literally colorless and odorless. A transparent, clear aura.
When clashing, it made sounds like clang- hiss- as if glass was breaking, suggesting her inner image might be a 'mirror.' It was an aura form that suited her well.
"Let's call it a day. Well done."
"Thank you, Mr. Undertaker."
"If you've achieved this much in just a year, you might as well be running around the battlefield instead of me in three to five years. Why have you avoided training until now?"
"It's not really a hobby of mine."
"Has that changed now?"
"...Yes."
I felt a sense of pride internally.
'Even the perennial hikikomori Saintess can change.'
It took about 16 years for this change to occur, but what did that matter? Throughout my regressive life, this was the first time the Saintess had taken up martial arts.
I handed her a towel as I spoke.
"Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?"
"...…"
"Saintess? Saintess."
"...Ah."
The Saintess blinked.
This had been happening frequently.
Originally, the Saintess had a strong vibe of observing the world from one step behind, but recently that aura seemed a bit denser? Like now, during our conversation, she would suddenly stare blankly into space.
"Are you okay?"
Her absent-minded expression strangely suited her, making it aesthetically unproblematic, but I was worried she might have a health issue.
If the Saintess were to collapse, Noh Do-hwa would probably come twisting my wrist immediately. The Saintess's Clairvoyance was too crucial for managing the National Road.
"Yes, I'm fine… Sorry. What did you just say?"
"Do you have any special plans for today?"
"No."
The Saintess answered immediately.
"I don't."
"That's good. Safety has been a bit shaky recently, hasn't it? I know you can handle yourself well, but please be careful, especially since you tend to overdo it sometimes, Saintess."
"...Mr. Undertaker, you know me well."
"Of course. I've been observing for years."
The Saintess took the towel from me and wiped her face.
At that moment, I thought she was just bending down to wipe off sweat.
Looking back, perhaps she was using the towel to naturally avoid my gaze.
"Thank you always, Mr. Undertaker."